All items less food priced at $20 in 1978 $97.21 in 2024

All Items Less Food Inflation Calculator

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Prices for All Items Less Food, 1978-2024 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for all items less food are 386.07% higher in 2024 versus 1978 (a $77.21 difference in value).

Between 1978 and 2024: All items less food experienced an average inflation rate of 3.50% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, all items less food costing $20 in the year 1978 would cost $97.21 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.47% during this same period, inflation for all items less food was higher.

In the year 1978: Pricing changed by 7.18%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for all items less food during the 1978-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1978 (7.63%), inflation for all items less food was lower.

Price Inflation for All items less food since 1935

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1980 (14.55%), 1979 (11.38%), and 1981 (10.89%).

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Buying power of $20.00 since 1978

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for All items less food, over time, for $20 beginning in 1978. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1978$20.007.18%
1979$22.2811.38%
1980$25.5214.55%
1981$28.3010.89%
1982$30.166.57%
1983$31.203.47%
1984$32.564.35%
1985$33.823.86%
1986$34.361.62%
1987$35.583.53%
1988$37.024.07%
1989$38.734.61%
1990$40.795.32%
1991$42.624.49%
1992$44.073.39%
1993$45.443.11%
1994$46.632.63%
1995$47.932.78%
1996$49.312.87%
1997$50.432.29%
1998$51.161.44%
1999$52.292.20%
2000$54.163.57%
2001$55.662.77%
2002$56.511.54%
2003$57.812.29%
2004$59.282.55%
2005$61.373.53%
2006$63.453.39%
2007$65.152.67%
2008$67.473.57%
2009$67.00-0.71%
2010$68.191.79%
2011$70.283.06%
2012$71.681.99%
2013$72.741.48%
2014$73.831.50%
2015$73.71-0.16%
2016$74.751.42%
2017$76.502.33%
2018$78.492.60%
2019$79.901.80%
2020$80.610.88%
2021$84.494.82%
2022$91.007.70%
2023$94.513.86%
2024$97.212.86%*

* 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 All items less food:

Year193519361937193819391940194119421943194419451946194719481949195019511952195319541955195619571958195919601961196219631964196519661967196819691970197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
CPI15.00015.18315.76015.86015.78015.84316.27717.43117.87718.58519.03119.82321.67723.24623.50823.78525.29225.91526.40026.55426.63827.10028.00028.61529.16229.66229.98530.33830.71531.13131.55432.31533.39234.87736.78539.01540.79242.02343.64647.97752.48555.95459.60863.88571.15481.50890.38596.32399.669104.000108.015109.762113.638118.262123.708130.285136.138140.754145.131148.954153.100157.492161.100163.423167.023172.985177.785180.515184.654189.362196.038202.685208.098215.528214.008217.828224.503228.962232.343235.818235.433238.773244.345250.710255.228257.477269.891290.672301.881310.522

Adjust all items less food prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2024 / CPI in 1978 * 1978 USD value = 2024 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for All items less food was 63.885 in the year 1978 and 310.522 in 2024:

310.522 / 63.885 * $20 = $97.21

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1978 has the same "purchasing power" as $97.21 in 2024 (in the CPI category of All items less food).


Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for All items less food in 1935. In addition to all items less food, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.

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