According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for food were 2,397.16% higher in 2018 versus 1914 (a $11,985,818.18 difference in value).
Between 1914 and 2018: Food experienced an average inflation rate of 3.14% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, food costing $500,000 in the year 1914 would cost $12,485,818.18 in 2018 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.15% during this same period, inflation for food was lower.
In the year 1914: Pricing changed by 2.33%, which is below the average yearly change for food during the 1914-2018 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1914 (1.32%), inflation for food was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Food, over time, for $500,000 beginning in 1914. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
---|---|---|
1914 | $500,000.00 | 2.33% |
1915 | $495,075.76 | -0.98% |
1916 | $555,303.03 | 12.17% |
1917 | $714,393.94 | 28.65% |
1918 | $822,348.48 | 15.11% |
1919 | $914,772.73 | 11.24% |
1920 | $1,032,954.55 | 12.92% |
1921 | $782,954.55 | -24.20% |
1922 | $733,333.33 | -6.34% |
1923 | $757,575.76 | 3.31% |
1924 | $750,000.00 | -1.00% |
1925 | $812,500.00 | 8.33% |
1926 | $839,393.94 | 3.31% |
1927 | $809,090.91 | -3.61% |
1928 | $800,000.00 | -1.12% |
1929 | $810,227.27 | 1.28% |
1930 | $770,454.55 | -4.91% |
1931 | $635,227.27 | -17.55% |
1932 | $528,030.30 | -16.88% |
1933 | $512,878.79 | -2.87% |
1934 | $571,590.91 | 11.45% |
1935 | $613,257.58 | 7.29% |
1936 | $618,939.39 | 0.93% |
1937 | $644,318.18 | 4.10% |
1938 | $597,727.27 | -7.23% |
1939 | $582,196.97 | -2.60% |
1940 | $590,151.52 | 1.37% |
1941 | $643,939.39 | 9.11% |
1942 | $757,575.76 | 17.65% |
1943 | $842,045.45 | 11.15% |
1944 | $831,060.61 | -1.30% |
1945 | $850,000.00 | 2.28% |
1946 | $975,757.58 | 14.80% |
1947 | $1,184,848.48 | 21.43% |
1948 | $1,284,469.70 | 8.41% |
1949 | $1,234,090.91 | -3.92% |
1950 | $1,250,378.79 | 1.32% |
1951 | $1,389,772.73 | 11.15% |
1952 | $1,414,393.94 | 1.77% |
1953 | $1,392,045.45 | -1.58% |
1954 | $1,390,530.30 | -0.11% |
1955 | $1,369,696.97 | -1.50% |
1956 | $1,379,924.24 | 0.75% |
1957 | $1,424,242.42 | 3.21% |
1958 | $1,485,606.06 | 4.31% |
1959 | $1,460,606.06 | -1.68% |
1960 | $1,478,030.30 | 1.19% |
1961 | $1,495,075.76 | 1.15% |
1962 | $1,508,333.33 | 0.89% |
1963 | $1,529,924.24 | 1.43% |
1964 | $1,550,000.00 | 1.31% |
1965 | $1,584,469.70 | 2.22% |
1966 | $1,664,772.73 | 5.07% |
1967 | $1,677,272.73 | 0.75% |
1968 | $1,737,878.79 | 3.61% |
1969 | $1,827,272.73 | 5.14% |
1970 | $1,930,303.03 | 5.64% |
1971 | $1,987,121.21 | 2.94% |
1972 | $2,072,727.27 | 4.31% |
1973 | $2,372,348.48 | 14.46% |
1974 | $2,714,015.15 | 14.40% |
1975 | $2,944,318.18 | 8.49% |
1976 | $3,034,848.48 | 3.07% |
1977 | $3,226,136.36 | 6.30% |
1978 | $3,548,106.06 | 9.98% |
1979 | $3,935,227.27 | 10.91% |
1980 | $4,273,106.06 | 8.59% |
1981 | $4,607,196.97 | 7.82% |
1982 | $4,793,939.39 | 4.05% |
1983 | $4,895,075.76 | 2.11% |
1984 | $5,083,333.33 | 3.85% |
1985 | $5,198,484.85 | 2.27% |
1986 | $5,364,772.73 | 3.20% |
1987 | $5,588,257.58 | 4.17% |
1988 | $5,819,318.18 | 4.13% |
1989 | $6,159,090.91 | 5.84% |
1990 | $6,518,181.82 | 5.83% |
1991 | $6,709,469.70 | 2.93% |
1992 | $6,790,151.52 | 1.20% |
1993 | $6,936,363.64 | 2.15% |
1994 | $7,104,545.45 | 2.42% |
1995 | $7,308,333.33 | 2.87% |
1996 | $7,548,106.06 | 3.28% |
1997 | $7,744,696.97 | 2.60% |
1998 | $7,912,500.00 | 2.17% |
1999 | $8,080,681.82 | 2.13% |
2000 | $8,263,636.36 | 2.26% |
2001 | $8,523,106.06 | 3.14% |
2002 | $8,677,272.73 | 1.81% |
2003 | $8,862,500.00 | 2.13% |
2004 | $9,167,803.03 | 3.44% |
2005 | $9,391,666.67 | 2.44% |
2006 | $9,610,984.85 | 2.34% |
2007 | $9,992,071.97 | 3.97% |
2008 | $10,543,117.42 | 5.51% |
2009 | $10,732,636.36 | 1.80% |
2010 | $10,814,871.21 | 0.77% |
2011 | $11,219,469.70 | 3.74% |
2012 | $11,511,761.36 | 2.61% |
2013 | $11,672,272.73 | 1.39% |
2014 | $11,952,344.70 | 2.40% |
2015 | $12,174,443.18 | 1.86% |
2016 | $12,208,734.85 | 0.28% |
2017 | $12,313,803.03 | 0.86% |
2018 | $12,485,818.18 | 1.40% |
2019 | $12,720,113.64 | 1.88% |
2020 | $13,158,526.52 | 3.45% |
2021 | $13,677,359.85 | 3.94% |
2022 | $15,038,030.30 | 9.95% |
2023 | $15,903,571.97 | 5.76% |
2024 | $16,136,758.84 | 1.47%* |
* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.
** Extended periods of 0% inflation usually indicate incomplete underlying data. This can manifest as a sharp increase in inflation later on.
Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for Food:
Year | 1913 | 1914 | 1915 | 1916 | 1917 | 1918 | 1919 | 1920 | 1921 | 1922 | 1923 | 1924 | 1925 | 1926 | 1927 | 1928 | 1929 | 1930 | 1931 | 1932 | 1933 | 1934 | 1935 | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
CPI | 9.923 | 10.154 | 10.054 | 11.277 | 14.508 | 16.700 | 18.577 | 20.977 | 15.900 | 14.892 | 15.385 | 15.231 | 16.500 | 17.046 | 16.431 | 16.246 | 16.454 | 15.646 | 12.900 | 10.723 | 10.415 | 11.608 | 12.454 | 12.569 | 13.085 | 12.138 | 11.823 | 11.985 | 13.077 | 15.385 | 17.100 | 16.877 | 17.262 | 19.815 | 24.062 | 26.085 | 25.062 | 25.392 | 28.223 | 28.723 | 28.269 | 28.238 | 27.815 | 28.023 | 28.923 | 30.169 | 29.662 | 30.015 | 30.362 | 30.631 | 31.069 | 31.477 | 32.177 | 33.808 | 34.062 | 35.292 | 37.108 | 39.200 | 40.354 | 42.092 | 48.177 | 55.115 | 59.792 | 61.631 | 65.515 | 72.054 | 79.915 | 86.777 | 93.562 | 97.354 | 99.408 | 103.231 | 105.569 | 108.946 | 113.485 | 118.177 | 125.077 | 132.369 | 136.254 | 137.892 | 140.862 | 144.277 | 148.415 | 153.285 | 157.277 | 160.685 | 164.100 | 167.815 | 173.085 | 176.215 | 179.977 | 186.177 | 190.723 | 195.177 | 202.916 | 214.106 | 217.955 | 219.625 | 227.842 | 233.777 | 237.037 | 242.725 | 247.235 | 247.931 | 250.065 | 253.558 | 258.316 | 267.219 | 277.756 | 305.388 | 322.965 | 327.700 |