According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for food were 1,108.75% higher in 2018 versus 1920 (a $10,533.11 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 $950 in the year 1920 would cost $11,483.11 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 $950 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 | $950.00 | 12.92% |
1921 | $720.08 | -24.20% |
1922 | $674.44 | -6.34% |
1923 | $696.74 | 3.31% |
1924 | $689.77 | -1.00% |
1925 | $747.25 | 8.33% |
1926 | $771.98 | 3.31% |
1927 | $744.11 | -3.61% |
1928 | $735.75 | -1.12% |
1929 | $745.16 | 1.28% |
1930 | $708.58 | -4.91% |
1931 | $584.21 | -17.55% |
1932 | $485.63 | -16.88% |
1933 | $471.69 | -2.87% |
1934 | $525.69 | 11.45% |
1935 | $564.01 | 7.29% |
1936 | $569.23 | 0.93% |
1937 | $592.57 | 4.10% |
1938 | $549.72 | -7.23% |
1939 | $535.44 | -2.60% |
1940 | $542.76 | 1.37% |
1941 | $592.23 | 9.11% |
1942 | $696.74 | 17.65% |
1943 | $774.42 | 11.15% |
1944 | $764.32 | -1.30% |
1945 | $781.74 | 2.28% |
1946 | $897.40 | 14.80% |
1947 | $1,089.70 | 21.43% |
1948 | $1,181.32 | 8.41% |
1949 | $1,134.98 | -3.92% |
1950 | $1,149.96 | 1.32% |
1951 | $1,278.16 | 11.15% |
1952 | $1,300.81 | 1.77% |
1953 | $1,280.25 | -1.58% |
1954 | $1,278.86 | -0.11% |
1955 | $1,259.70 | -1.50% |
1956 | $1,269.11 | 0.75% |
1957 | $1,309.86 | 3.21% |
1958 | $1,366.30 | 4.31% |
1959 | $1,343.31 | -1.68% |
1960 | $1,359.33 | 1.19% |
1961 | $1,375.01 | 1.15% |
1962 | $1,387.20 | 0.89% |
1963 | $1,407.06 | 1.43% |
1964 | $1,425.52 | 1.31% |
1965 | $1,457.22 | 2.22% |
1966 | $1,531.08 | 5.07% |
1967 | $1,542.57 | 0.75% |
1968 | $1,598.31 | 3.61% |
1969 | $1,680.53 | 5.14% |
1970 | $1,775.28 | 5.64% |
1971 | $1,827.54 | 2.94% |
1972 | $1,906.27 | 4.31% |
1973 | $2,181.83 | 14.46% |
1974 | $2,496.06 | 14.40% |
1975 | $2,707.87 | 8.49% |
1976 | $2,791.13 | 3.07% |
1977 | $2,967.05 | 6.30% |
1978 | $3,263.16 | 9.98% |
1979 | $3,619.20 | 10.91% |
1980 | $3,929.94 | 8.59% |
1981 | $4,237.20 | 7.82% |
1982 | $4,408.95 | 4.05% |
1983 | $4,501.96 | 2.11% |
1984 | $4,675.10 | 3.85% |
1985 | $4,781.00 | 2.27% |
1986 | $4,933.94 | 3.20% |
1987 | $5,139.48 | 4.17% |
1988 | $5,351.98 | 4.13% |
1989 | $5,664.47 | 5.84% |
1990 | $5,994.72 | 5.83% |
1991 | $6,170.65 | 2.93% |
1992 | $6,244.85 | 1.20% |
1993 | $6,379.32 | 2.15% |
1994 | $6,533.99 | 2.42% |
1995 | $6,721.42 | 2.87% |
1996 | $6,941.93 | 3.28% |
1997 | $7,122.74 | 2.60% |
1998 | $7,277.06 | 2.17% |
1999 | $7,431.74 | 2.13% |
2000 | $7,600.00 | 2.26% |
2001 | $7,838.63 | 3.14% |
2002 | $7,980.42 | 1.81% |
2003 | $8,150.77 | 2.13% |
2004 | $8,431.55 | 3.44% |
2005 | $8,637.44 | 2.44% |
2006 | $8,839.15 | 2.34% |
2007 | $9,189.63 | 3.97% |
2008 | $9,696.42 | 5.51% |
2009 | $9,870.72 | 1.80% |
2010 | $9,946.35 | 0.77% |
2011 | $10,318.46 | 3.74% |
2012 | $10,587.27 | 2.61% |
2013 | $10,734.90 | 1.39% |
2014 | $10,992.48 | 2.40% |
2015 | $11,196.74 | 1.86% |
2016 | $11,228.28 | 0.28% |
2017 | $11,324.91 | 0.86% |
2018 | $11,483.11 | 1.40% |
2019 | $11,698.59 | 1.88% |
2020 | $12,101.79 | 3.45% |
2021 | $12,578.96 | 3.94% |
2022 | $13,830.36 | 9.95% |
2023 | $14,626.39 | 5.76% |
2024 | $14,840.85 | 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 |