All items price history from 1979 through 2020

All Items Inflation Calculator

Prices for All Items, 1979-2020 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for all items were 255.96% higher in 2020 versus 1979 (a $51.19 difference in value).

Between 1979 and 2020: All items experienced an average inflation rate of 3.15% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, all items costing $20 in the year 1979 would cost $71.19 in 2020 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.15% during this same period, inflation for all items was lower.

In the year 1979: Pricing changed by 11.25%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for all items during the 1979-2020 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1979 (11.26%), inflation for all items was lower.

Price Inflation for All items since 1947

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

Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1980 (13.50%), 1979 (11.25%), and 1974 (11.01%).

Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for All items:

Year	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
CPI	22.332	24.045	23.809	24.063	25.973	26.567	26.768	26.865	26.796	27.191	28.113	28.881	29.150	29.585	29.902	30.253	30.633	31.038	31.528	32.471	33.375	34.792	36.683	38.842	40.483	41.808	44.425	49.317	53.825	56.933	60.617	65.242	72.583	82.383	90.933	96.533	99.583	103.933	107.600	109.692	113.617	118.275	123.942	130.658	136.167	140.308	144.475	148.225	152.383	156.858	160.525	163.008	166.583	172.192	177.042	179.867	184.000	188.908	195.267	201.558	207.344	215.254	214.565	218.076	224.923	229.586	232.952	236.715	237.002	239.989	245.121	251.101	255.651	258.364

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Buying power of $20 since 1979

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for All items, over time, for $20 beginning in 1979. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

Year	USD Value	Inflation Rate
1979	$20.00	11.25%
1980	$22.70	13.50%
1981	$25.06	10.38%
1982	$26.60	6.16%
1983	$27.44	3.16%
1984	$28.64	4.37%
1985	$29.65	3.53%
1986	$30.23	1.94%
1987	$31.31	3.58%
1988	$32.59	4.10%
1989	$34.15	4.79%
1990	$36.00	5.42%
1991	$37.52	4.22%
1992	$38.66	3.04%
1993	$39.81	2.97%
1994	$40.84	2.60%
1995	$41.99	2.81%
1996	$43.22	2.94%
1997	$44.23	2.34%
1998	$44.92	1.55%
1999	$45.90	2.19%
2000	$47.45	3.37%
2001	$48.78	2.82%
2002	$49.56	1.60%
2003	$50.70	2.30%
2004	$52.05	2.67%
2005	$53.80	3.37%
2006	$55.54	3.22%
2007	$57.13	2.87%
2008	$59.31	3.81%
2009	$59.12	-0.32%
2010	$60.09	1.64%
2011	$61.98	3.14%
2012	$63.26	2.07%
2013	$64.19	1.47%
2014	$65.23	1.62%
2015	$65.30	0.12%
2016	$66.13	1.26%
2017	$67.54	2.14%
2018	$69.19	2.44%
2019	$70.44	1.81%
2020	$71.19	1.06%*

* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.

How to calculate the inflation rate for all items, 1979-2020

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2020 / CPI in 1979 * 1979 USD value = 2020 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for All items was 72.583 in the year 1979 and 258.364 in 2020:

258.364 / 72.583 * $20 = $71.19

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1979 has the same "purchasing power" as $71.19 in 2020 (in the CPI category of All items).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for All items in 1947. In addition to all items, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.