US Inflation from 2009 to 2020
US inflation from 2009 to 2020 was +20.6%. $100 in 2009 had the same purchasing power as $120.63 in 2020 (avg. +1.72%/yr).
$100.00 in 2009 is worth
$120.63
in 2020
+20.6%
+1.72%/yr
How prices changed from 2009 to 2020
| Item | 2009 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gallon of gas | $2.35 | $2.17 | −8% |
| Loaf of bread | $1.37 | $1.56 | +14% |
| New home (median) | $216,700 | $391,900 | +81% |
| Median household income | $49,777 | $67,521 | +36% |
| Movie ticket | $7.50 | $9.37 | +25% |
| Annual college tuition (public) | $7,020 | $10,560 | +50% |
What Drove Inflation from 2009 to 2020
Financial Crisis: The collapse of the US housing bubble triggered a global financial crisis of historic proportions. As mortgage-backed securities lost value and interbank lending froze, the Federal Reserve slashed rates to zero and deployed emergency lending facilities. The economy contracted sharply in 2008–09, and deflationary pressures emerged as credit collapsed and unemployment surged toward 10%. Massive fiscal stimulus and quantitative easing gradually stabilized conditions, but recovery was painfully slow.
Low Inflation: The post-crisis recovery was characterized by historically low inflation despite extraordinary monetary stimulus. The Federal Reserve kept rates near zero until 2015, expanded its balance sheet to $4.5 trillion through quantitative easing, yet consistently undershot its 2% inflation target. Labor market slack, globalization, technology-driven price competition, and weak wage growth all contributed to the persistently low inflation environment that puzzled economists throughout the decade.
COVID & Post-COVID: The COVID-19 pandemic caused the sharpest economic contraction since the Great Depression, followed by an unprecedented policy response. Trillions in fiscal stimulus and near-zero interest rates fueled rapid recovery, but supply chains remained severely disrupted. Surging demand meeting constrained supply produced the highest inflation in 40 years by mid-2021. The Federal Reserve began hiking rates in March 2022 at the fastest pace since Volcker, gradually bringing inflation down from its peak above 9%.
Understanding the Numbers
Over these 11 years, prices rose modestly — a total inflation rate of +20.6%. The annualized rate of +1.72% per year was below the historical average of roughly 3.3% per year.
Compare Other Periods
Starting from 2009:
Ending in 2020: