All items less shelter priced at $20 in 1945 $293.93 in 2023

All Items Less Shelter Inflation Calculator

$

Prices for All Items Less Shelter, 1945-2023 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for all items less shelter are 1,369.67% higher in 2023 versus 1945 (a $273.93 difference in value).

Between 1945 and 2023: All items less shelter experienced an average inflation rate of 3.51% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, all items less shelter costing $20 in the year 1945 would cost $293.93 in 2023 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.69% during this same period, inflation for all items less shelter was lower.

In the year 1945: Pricing changed by 2.72%, which is below the average yearly change for all items less shelter during the 1945-2023 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1945 (2.27%), inflation for all items less shelter was higher.

Price Inflation for All items less shelter since 1935

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1947 (16.11%), 1942 (12.69%), and 1980 (11.74%).

View price changes for other categories
Televisions · Legal services · Public transportation · Fresh fruits · More

Buying power of $20.00 since 1945

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for All items less shelter, over time, for $20 beginning in 1945. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1945$20.002.72%
1946$21.989.89%
1947$25.5216.11%
1948$27.537.88%
1949$27.03-1.80%
1950$27.180.57%
1951$29.508.53%
1952$30.102.01%
1953$30.190.30%
1954$30.17-0.05%
1955$30.01-0.54%
1956$30.431.41%
1957$31.463.37%
1958$32.352.85%
1959$32.640.88%
1960$33.101.42%
1961$33.491.18%
1962$33.861.12%
1963$34.281.23%
1964$34.721.28%
1965$35.231.48%
1966$36.303.03%
1967$37.242.60%
1968$38.744.02%
1969$40.594.77%
1970$42.625.01%
1971$44.464.31%
1972$45.792.98%
1973$48.846.66%
1974$54.3911.38%
1975$59.268.95%
1976$62.695.79%
1977$66.706.40%
1978$71.266.83%
1979$78.5210.18%
1980$87.7411.74%
1981$96.289.74%
1982$101.795.72%
1983$105.613.75%
1984$109.914.08%
1985$113.213.00%
1986$114.250.92%
1987$118.083.35%
1988$122.573.80%
1989$128.614.93%
1990$135.565.40%
1991$141.184.15%
1992$145.272.90%
1993$149.522.92%
1994$153.172.44%
1995$157.202.63%
1996$161.642.82%
1997$164.952.05%
1998$166.310.82%
1999$169.481.91%
2000$175.303.43%
2001$179.542.42%
2002$180.680.63%
2003$184.672.21%
2004$189.632.69%
2005$196.803.78%
2006$203.003.15%
2007$208.002.46%
2008$217.324.48%
2009$215.05-1.05%
2010$220.702.63%
2011$229.594.03%
2012$234.242.03%
2013$236.751.07%
2014$239.261.06%
2015$236.21-1.27%
2016$236.740.22%
2017$240.371.53%
2018$245.182.00%
2019$247.751.05%
2020$249.290.62%
2021$263.545.71%
2022$287.399.05%
2023$293.932.28%*

* 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 shelter:

Year19351936193719381939194019411942194319441945194619471948194919501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023
CPI14.00014.16714.64014.18013.98014.11414.91516.80818.05418.40818.90820.77724.12326.02325.55425.70027.89228.45428.53828.52328.36928.76929.73830.58530.85431.29231.66232.01532.40832.82333.30834.31535.20836.62338.36940.29242.03143.28546.16951.42356.02359.26963.06267.36974.23182.94691.02396.23199.838103.908107.023108.008111.631115.877121.585128.154133.469137.338141.354144.808148.615152.808155.938157.223160.223165.723169.738170.815174.585179.277186.054191.915196.639205.453203.301208.643217.048221.446223.820226.192223.313223.807227.241231.789234.215235.676249.142271.690277.880

Adjust all items less shelter prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2023 / CPI in 1945 * 1945 USD value = 2023 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for All items less shelter was 18.908 in the year 1945 and 277.880 in 2023:

277.880 / 18.908 * $20 = $293.93

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1945 has the same "purchasing power" as $293.93 in 2023 (in the CPI category of All items less shelter).


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

» Read more about inflation and investment.