Recreational reading materials price history from 1989 through 2019

Historical Price Inflation for Recreational reading materials

Prices for Recreational Reading Materials, 1989-2019 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for recreational reading materials were 97.74% higher in 2019 versus 1989 (a $19.55 difference in value).

Between 1989 and 2019: Recreational reading materials experienced an average inflation rate of 2.30% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, recreational reading materials costing $20 in the year 1989 would cost $39.55 in 2019 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.39% during this same period, inflation for recreational reading materials was lower.

Price Inflation for Recreational reading materials since 1989

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1991 (6.27%), 1990 (5.10%), and 1996 (4.93%).

Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for Recreational reading materials:

Year	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
CPI	129.550	136.158	144.700	150.858	156.200	161.333	168.117	176.408	179.008	184.125	186.100	188.283	191.442	195.767	197.508	201.175	203.917	205.342	207.330	211.981	220.277	220.671	219.613	223.884	231.969	236.675	240.684	240.665	241.549	246.308	256.169

View price changes for other categories
Indoor plants and flowers · Boston, Massachusetts · San Francisco, California · Airline fares · More

Buying power of $20 since 1989

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Recreational reading materials, over time, for $20 beginning in 1989. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

Year	USD Value	Inflation Rate
1989	$20.00	-
1990	$21.02	5.10%
1991	$22.34	6.27%
1992	$23.29	4.26%
1993	$24.11	3.54%
1994	$24.91	3.29%
1995	$25.95	4.20%
1996	$27.23	4.93%
1997	$27.64	1.47%
1998	$28.43	2.86%
1999	$28.73	1.07%
2000	$29.07	1.17%
2001	$29.55	1.68%
2002	$30.22	2.26%
2003	$30.49	0.89%
2004	$31.06	1.86%
2005	$31.48	1.36%
2006	$31.70	0.70%
2007	$32.01	0.97%
2008	$32.73	2.24%
2009	$34.01	3.91%
2010	$34.07	0.18%
2011	$33.90	-0.48%
2012	$34.56	1.94%
2013	$35.81	3.61%
2014	$36.54	2.03%
2015	$37.16	1.69%
2016	$37.15	-0.01%
2017	$37.29	0.37%
2018	$38.03	1.97%
2019	$39.55	4.00%*

* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.

How to calculate the inflation rate for recreational reading materials, 1989-2019

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2019 / CPI in 1989 * 1989 USD value = 2019 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Recreational reading materials was 129.550 in the year 1989 and 256.169 in 2019:

256.169 / 129.550 * $20 = $39.55

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1989 has the same "purchasing power" as $39.55 in 2019 (in the CPI category of Recreational reading materials).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Recreational reading materials in 1989. In addition to recreational reading materials, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.