According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for all items are 1,818.57% higher in 2024 versus 1942 (a $363.71 difference in value).
Between 1942 and 2024: All items experienced an average inflation rate of 3.67% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, all items costing $20 in the year 1942 would cost $383.71 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.67% during this same period, inflation for all items was similar.
In the year 1942: Pricing changed by 10.92%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for all items during the 1942-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1942 (10.92%), inflation for all items was similar.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for All items, over time, for $20 beginning in 1942. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1942 | $20.00 | 10.92% |
| 1943 | $21.20 | 5.98% |
| 1944 | $21.54 | 1.64% |
| 1945 | $22.03 | 2.27% |
| 1946 | $23.90 | 8.47% |
| 1947 | $27.34 | 14.39% |
| 1948 | $29.45 | 7.72% |
| 1949 | $29.16 | -0.99% |
| 1950 | $29.48 | 1.10% |
| 1951 | $31.79 | 7.86% |
| 1952 | $32.51 | 2.25% |
| 1953 | $32.77 | 0.81% |
| 1954 | $32.89 | 0.34% |
| 1955 | $32.79 | -0.29% |
| 1956 | $33.29 | 1.52% |
| 1957 | $34.40 | 3.34% |
| 1958 | $35.35 | 2.74% |
| 1959 | $35.69 | 0.99% |
| 1960 | $36.22 | 1.48% |
| 1961 | $36.61 | 1.07% |
| 1962 | $37.04 | 1.18% |
| 1963 | $37.50 | 1.25% |
| 1964 | $37.98 | 1.28% |
| 1965 | $38.59 | 1.59% |
| 1966 | $39.75 | 3.00% |
| 1967 | $40.86 | 2.80% |
| 1968 | $42.60 | 4.27% |
| 1969 | $44.93 | 5.46% |
| 1970 | $47.55 | 5.83% |
| 1971 | $49.59 | 4.30% |
| 1972 | $51.21 | 3.27% |
| 1973 | $54.38 | 6.18% |
| 1974 | $60.39 | 11.05% |
| 1975 | $65.91 | 9.14% |
| 1976 | $69.69 | 5.75% |
| 1977 | $74.23 | 6.50% |
| 1978 | $79.89 | 7.63% |
| 1979 | $88.88 | 11.26% |
| 1980 | $100.92 | 13.55% |
| 1981 | $111.35 | 10.33% |
| 1982 | $118.18 | 6.13% |
| 1983 | $121.98 | 3.21% |
| 1984 | $127.23 | 4.30% |
| 1985 | $131.74 | 3.55% |
| 1986 | $134.23 | 1.90% |
| 1987 | $139.15 | 3.66% |
| 1988 | $144.83 | 4.08% |
| 1989 | $151.82 | 4.83% |
| 1990 | $160.02 | 5.40% |
| 1991 | $166.79 | 4.23% |
| 1992 | $171.84 | 3.03% |
| 1993 | $176.92 | 2.95% |
| 1994 | $181.53 | 2.60% |
| 1995 | $186.62 | 2.81% |
| 1996 | $192.10 | 2.93% |
| 1997 | $196.58 | 2.33% |
| 1998 | $199.63 | 1.55% |
| 1999 | $204.00 | 2.19% |
| 2000 | $210.89 | 3.38% |
| 2001 | $216.85 | 2.83% |
| 2002 | $220.29 | 1.59% |
| 2003 | $225.29 | 2.27% |
| 2004 | $231.32 | 2.68% |
| 2005 | $239.17 | 3.39% |
| 2006 | $246.89 | 3.23% |
| 2007 | $253.93 | 2.85% |
| 2008 | $263.68 | 3.84% |
| 2009 | $262.74 | -0.36% |
| 2010 | $267.05 | 1.64% |
| 2011 | $275.48 | 3.16% |
| 2012 | $281.18 | 2.07% |
| 2013 | $285.30 | 1.46% |
| 2014 | $289.93 | 1.62% |
| 2015 | $290.27 | 0.12% |
| 2016 | $293.93 | 1.26% |
| 2017 | $300.19 | 2.13% |
| 2018 | $307.53 | 2.44% |
| 2019 | $313.10 | 1.81% |
| 2020 | $316.96 | 1.23% |
| 2021 | $331.85 | 4.70% |
| 2022 | $358.41 | 8.00% |
| 2023 | $373.16 | 4.12% |
| 2024 | $383.71 | 2.83%* |
* 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:
| 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 | 9.885 | 10.015 | 10.108 | 10.885 | 12.823 | 15.046 | 17.331 | 20.038 | 17.854 | 16.754 | 17.054 | 17.123 | 17.538 | 17.700 | 17.362 | 17.154 | 17.154 | 16.700 | 15.208 | 13.646 | 12.938 | 13.385 | 13.723 | 13.869 | 14.385 | 14.092 | 13.908 | 14.008 | 14.723 | 16.331 | 17.308 | 17.592 | 17.992 | 19.515 | 22.323 | 24.046 | 23.808 | 24.069 | 25.962 | 26.546 | 26.762 | 26.854 | 26.777 | 27.185 | 28.092 | 28.862 | 29.146 | 29.577 | 29.892 | 30.246 | 30.623 | 31.015 | 31.508 | 32.454 | 33.362 | 34.785 | 36.685 | 38.823 | 40.492 | 41.815 | 44.400 | 49.308 | 53.815 | 56.908 | 60.608 | 65.231 | 72.577 | 82.408 | 90.923 | 96.500 | 99.600 | 103.885 | 107.569 | 109.608 | 113.623 | 118.262 | 123.969 | 130.662 | 136.192 | 140.315 | 144.462 | 148.223 | 152.385 | 156.854 | 160.515 | 163.008 | 166.577 | 172.200 | 177.069 | 179.877 | 183.962 | 188.885 | 195.292 | 201.592 | 207.342 | 215.303 | 214.537 | 218.056 | 224.939 | 229.594 | 232.957 | 236.736 | 237.017 | 240.007 | 245.120 | 251.107 | 255.657 | 258.811 | 270.970 | 292.655 | 304.702 | 313.317 |