According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for food were 2.60% lower in 1939 versus 1938 (a $2.60 difference in value).
Between 1938 and 1939: Food experienced an average inflation rate of -2.60% per year. This rate of change indicates significant deflation. In other words, food costing $100 in the year 1938 would cost $97.40 in 1939 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of -1.31% during this same period, inflation for food was lower.
In the year 1938: Pricing changed by -7.23%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for food during the 1938-1939 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1938 (-2.03%), inflation for food was much lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Food, over time, for $100 beginning in 1938. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1938 | $100.00 | -7.23% |
| 1939 | $97.40 | -2.60% |
| 1940 | $98.73 | 1.37% |
| 1941 | $107.73 | 9.11% |
| 1942 | $126.74 | 17.65% |
| 1943 | $140.87 | 11.15% |
| 1944 | $139.04 | -1.30% |
| 1945 | $142.21 | 2.28% |
| 1946 | $163.24 | 14.80% |
| 1947 | $198.23 | 21.43% |
| 1948 | $214.89 | 8.41% |
| 1949 | $206.46 | -3.92% |
| 1950 | $209.19 | 1.32% |
| 1951 | $232.51 | 11.15% |
| 1952 | $236.63 | 1.77% |
| 1953 | $232.89 | -1.58% |
| 1954 | $232.64 | -0.11% |
| 1955 | $229.15 | -1.50% |
| 1956 | $230.86 | 0.75% |
| 1957 | $238.28 | 3.21% |
| 1958 | $248.54 | 4.31% |
| 1959 | $244.36 | -1.68% |
| 1960 | $247.28 | 1.19% |
| 1961 | $250.13 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $252.34 | 0.89% |
| 1963 | $255.96 | 1.43% |
| 1964 | $259.32 | 1.31% |
| 1965 | $265.08 | 2.22% |
| 1966 | $278.52 | 5.07% |
| 1967 | $280.61 | 0.75% |
| 1968 | $290.75 | 3.61% |
| 1969 | $305.70 | 5.14% |
| 1970 | $322.94 | 5.64% |
| 1971 | $332.45 | 2.94% |
| 1972 | $346.77 | 4.31% |
| 1973 | $396.89 | 14.46% |
| 1974 | $454.06 | 14.40% |
| 1975 | $492.59 | 8.49% |
| 1976 | $507.73 | 3.07% |
| 1977 | $539.73 | 6.30% |
| 1978 | $593.60 | 9.98% |
| 1979 | $658.37 | 10.91% |
| 1980 | $714.89 | 8.59% |
| 1981 | $770.79 | 7.82% |
| 1982 | $802.03 | 4.05% |
| 1983 | $818.95 | 2.11% |
| 1984 | $850.44 | 3.85% |
| 1985 | $869.71 | 2.27% |
| 1986 | $897.53 | 3.20% |
| 1987 | $934.92 | 4.17% |
| 1988 | $973.57 | 4.13% |
| 1989 | $1,030.42 | 5.84% |
| 1990 | $1,090.49 | 5.83% |
| 1991 | $1,122.50 | 2.93% |
| 1992 | $1,135.99 | 1.20% |
| 1993 | $1,160.46 | 2.15% |
| 1994 | $1,188.59 | 2.42% |
| 1995 | $1,222.69 | 2.87% |
| 1996 | $1,262.80 | 3.28% |
| 1997 | $1,295.69 | 2.60% |
| 1998 | $1,323.76 | 2.17% |
| 1999 | $1,351.90 | 2.13% |
| 2000 | $1,382.51 | 2.26% |
| 2001 | $1,425.92 | 3.14% |
| 2002 | $1,451.71 | 1.81% |
| 2003 | $1,482.70 | 2.13% |
| 2004 | $1,533.78 | 3.44% |
| 2005 | $1,571.23 | 2.44% |
| 2006 | $1,607.92 | 2.34% |
| 2007 | $1,671.68 | 3.97% |
| 2008 | $1,763.87 | 5.51% |
| 2009 | $1,795.57 | 1.80% |
| 2010 | $1,809.33 | 0.77% |
| 2011 | $1,877.02 | 3.74% |
| 2012 | $1,925.92 | 2.61% |
| 2013 | $1,952.78 | 1.39% |
| 2014 | $1,999.63 | 2.40% |
| 2015 | $2,036.79 | 1.86% |
| 2016 | $2,042.53 | 0.28% |
| 2017 | $2,060.10 | 0.86% |
| 2018 | $2,088.88 | 1.40% |
| 2019 | $2,128.08 | 1.88% |
| 2020 | $2,201.43 | 3.45% |
| 2021 | $2,288.23 | 3.94% |
| 2022 | $2,515.87 | 9.95% |
| 2023 | $2,660.67 | 5.76% |
| 2024 | $2,699.69 | 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 |