According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for food were 1,108.75% higher in 2018 versus 1920 (a $4,434.99 difference in value).
Between 1920 and 2018: Food experienced an average inflation rate of 2.58% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, food costing $400 in the year 1920 would cost $4,834.99 in 2018 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.61% during this same period, inflation for food was lower.
In the year 1920: Pricing changed by 12.92%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for food during the 1920-2018 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1920 (15.62%), inflation for food was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Food, over time, for $400 beginning in 1920. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
---|---|---|
1920 | $400.00 | 12.92% |
1921 | $303.19 | -24.20% |
1922 | $283.98 | -6.34% |
1923 | $293.36 | 3.31% |
1924 | $290.43 | -1.00% |
1925 | $314.63 | 8.33% |
1926 | $325.05 | 3.31% |
1927 | $313.31 | -3.61% |
1928 | $309.79 | -1.12% |
1929 | $313.75 | 1.28% |
1930 | $298.35 | -4.91% |
1931 | $245.98 | -17.55% |
1932 | $204.47 | -16.88% |
1933 | $198.61 | -2.87% |
1934 | $221.34 | 11.45% |
1935 | $237.48 | 7.29% |
1936 | $239.68 | 0.93% |
1937 | $249.50 | 4.10% |
1938 | $231.46 | -7.23% |
1939 | $225.45 | -2.60% |
1940 | $228.53 | 1.37% |
1941 | $249.36 | 9.11% |
1942 | $293.36 | 17.65% |
1943 | $326.07 | 11.15% |
1944 | $321.82 | -1.30% |
1945 | $329.15 | 2.28% |
1946 | $377.85 | 14.80% |
1947 | $458.82 | 21.43% |
1948 | $497.40 | 8.41% |
1949 | $477.89 | -3.92% |
1950 | $484.20 | 1.32% |
1951 | $538.17 | 11.15% |
1952 | $547.71 | 1.77% |
1953 | $539.05 | -1.58% |
1954 | $538.47 | -0.11% |
1955 | $530.40 | -1.50% |
1956 | $534.36 | 0.75% |
1957 | $551.52 | 3.21% |
1958 | $575.28 | 4.31% |
1959 | $565.60 | -1.68% |
1960 | $572.35 | 1.19% |
1961 | $578.95 | 1.15% |
1962 | $584.09 | 0.89% |
1963 | $592.45 | 1.43% |
1964 | $600.22 | 1.31% |
1965 | $613.57 | 2.22% |
1966 | $644.66 | 5.07% |
1967 | $649.50 | 0.75% |
1968 | $672.97 | 3.61% |
1969 | $707.59 | 5.14% |
1970 | $747.49 | 5.64% |
1971 | $769.49 | 2.94% |
1972 | $802.64 | 4.31% |
1973 | $918.67 | 14.46% |
1974 | $1,050.97 | 14.40% |
1975 | $1,140.15 | 8.49% |
1976 | $1,175.21 | 3.07% |
1977 | $1,249.28 | 6.30% |
1978 | $1,373.96 | 9.98% |
1979 | $1,523.87 | 10.91% |
1980 | $1,654.71 | 8.59% |
1981 | $1,784.09 | 7.82% |
1982 | $1,856.40 | 4.05% |
1983 | $1,895.56 | 2.11% |
1984 | $1,968.46 | 3.85% |
1985 | $2,013.05 | 2.27% |
1986 | $2,077.45 | 3.20% |
1987 | $2,163.99 | 4.17% |
1988 | $2,253.47 | 4.13% |
1989 | $2,385.04 | 5.84% |
1990 | $2,524.09 | 5.83% |
1991 | $2,598.17 | 2.93% |
1992 | $2,629.41 | 1.20% |
1993 | $2,686.03 | 2.15% |
1994 | $2,751.16 | 2.42% |
1995 | $2,830.07 | 2.87% |
1996 | $2,922.92 | 3.28% |
1997 | $2,999.05 | 2.60% |
1998 | $3,064.03 | 2.17% |
1999 | $3,129.15 | 2.13% |
2000 | $3,200.00 | 2.26% |
2001 | $3,300.48 | 3.14% |
2002 | $3,360.18 | 1.81% |
2003 | $3,431.90 | 2.13% |
2004 | $3,550.13 | 3.44% |
2005 | $3,636.82 | 2.44% |
2006 | $3,721.75 | 2.34% |
2007 | $3,869.32 | 3.97% |
2008 | $4,082.70 | 5.51% |
2009 | $4,156.09 | 1.80% |
2010 | $4,187.94 | 0.77% |
2011 | $4,344.61 | 3.74% |
2012 | $4,457.80 | 2.61% |
2013 | $4,519.96 | 1.39% |
2014 | $4,628.41 | 2.40% |
2015 | $4,714.42 | 1.86% |
2016 | $4,727.69 | 0.28% |
2017 | $4,768.38 | 0.86% |
2018 | $4,834.99 | 1.40% |
2019 | $4,925.72 | 1.88% |
2020 | $5,095.49 | 3.45% |
2021 | $5,296.40 | 3.94% |
2022 | $5,823.31 | 9.95% |
2023 | $6,158.48 | 5.76% |
2024 | $6,248.78 | 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 |