Apples price inflation, 1939→2023

Apples Inflation Calculator

Prices for Apples, 1939-2023 ($1.31)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for apples are 5,145.26% higher in 2023 versus 1939 (a $67.40 difference in value).

The current national average price is $1.31 for "Apples, Red Delicious, per lb. (453.6 gm)". This data is collected by a national survey and can vary from region to region.

Between 1939 and 2023: Apples experienced an average inflation rate of 4.83% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, apples costing $1.31 in the year 1939 would cost $68.71 in 2023 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.74% during this same period, inflation for apples was higher.

Price Inflation for Apples since 1939

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

Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1943 (51.50%), 1952 (35.37%), and 1942 (31.95%).

Price history

The average price for Apples is calculated from a weighted average of retailer data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Inflation rate is also calculated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The table below shows average prices and their corresponding "real" prices adjusted for inflation rate. To understand how price levels differ from inflation rates, see this article published by the BLS.

Average prices for Apples, Red Delicious, per lb. (453.6 gm):

Year	Average price (Apples)	Inflation adjusted price (2023 dollars)
2017	$1.29	$1.29
2016	$1.44	$1.41
2015	$1.36	$1.42
2014	$1.35	$1.35
2013	$1.39	$1.37
2012	$1.38	$1.42
2011	$1.35	$1.49
2010	$1.22	$1.42
2009	$1.18	$1.41
2008	$1.32	$1.36
2007	$1.12	$1.28
2006	$1.07	$1.32
2005	$0.95	$1.33
2004	$1.04	$1.43
2003	$0.98	$1.38
2002	$0.95	$1.42
2001	$0.87	$1.40
2000	$0.92	$1.49
1999	$0.90	$1.54
1998	$0.94	$1.61
1997	$0.91	$1.57
1996	$0.93	$1.58
1995	$0.83	$1.57
1994	$0.80	$1.59
1993	$0.83	$1.70
1992	$0.89	$1.71
1991	$0.89	$1.76
1990	$0.72	$1.68
1989	$0.69	$1.69
1988	$0.73	$1.87
1987	$0.73	$1.91
1986	$0.77	$2.04
1985	$0.68	$2.08
1984	$0.66	$2.12
1983	$0.59	$2.15
1982	$0.64	$2.23
1981	$0.57	$2.31
1980	$0.63	$2.35

View price changes for other categories
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Buying power of $1.31 since 1939

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Apples, over time, for $1.31 beginning in 1939. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

Year	USD Value	Inflation Rate
1939	$1.31	-
1940	$1.40	6.57%
1941	$1.44	3.08%
1942	$1.90	31.95%
1943	$2.88	51.50%
1944	$3.01	4.59%
1945	$3.45	14.50%
1946	$3.65	6.01%
1947	$3.50	-4.11%
1948	$3.26	-6.98%
1949	$3.43	5.16%
1950	$3.24	-5.31%
1951	$2.97	-8.35%
1952	$4.02	35.37%
1953	$4.55	12.94%
1954	$4.42	-2.72%
1955	$4.36	-1.35%
1956	$4.38	0.32%
1957	$4.78	9.23%
1958	$4.36	-8.70%
1959	$4.25	-2.56%
1960	$4.84	13.78%
1961	$5.18	7.09%
1962	$4.90	-5.47%
1963	$5.18	5.67%
1964	$5.22	0.86%
1965	$5.35	2.50%
1966	$5.97	11.63%
1967	$6.27	4.93%
1968	$7.30	16.51%
1969	$7.26	-0.61%
1970	$6.70	-7.67%
1971	$7.16	6.80%
1972	$7.62	6.52%
1973	$9.09	19.19%
1974	$10.19	12.11%
1975	$10.18	-0.03%
1976	$9.75	-4.24%
1977	$11.57	18.68%
1978	$14.47	25.02%
1979	$14.28	-1.27%
1980	$16.63	16.39%
1981	$15.23	-8.38%
1982	$17.84	17.15%
1983	$17.09	-4.25%
1984	$19.25	12.65%
1985	$20.43	6.13%
1986	$23.59	15.46%
1987	$23.65	0.27%
1988	$24.24	2.48%
1989	$25.37	4.68%
1990	$26.63	4.97%
1991	$31.21	17.21%
1992	$32.42	3.86%
1993	$30.53	-5.84%
1994	$31.41	2.91%
1995	$33.14	5.50%
1996	$36.54	10.24%
1997	$36.04	-1.35%
1998	$36.53	1.36%
1999	$36.14	-1.06%
2000	$38.39	6.22%
2001	$38.62	0.60%
2002	$41.67	7.89%
2003	$44.14	5.92%
2004	$45.45	2.97%
2005	$44.43	-2.24%
2006	$50.09	12.74%
2007	$54.08	7.96%
2008	$60.23	11.37%
2009	$52.05	-13.57%
2010	$53.47	2.73%
2011	$56.35	5.38%
2012	$60.47	7.32%
2013	$62.97	4.13%
2014	$62.33	-1.01%
2015	$59.44	-4.64%
2016	$63.47	6.77%
2017	$62.21	-1.97%
2018	$60.58	-2.63%
2019	$61.21	1.04%
2020	$58.25	-4.83%
2021	$61.49	5.56%
2022	$65.28	6.17%
2023	$68.71	5.25%*

* 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 Apples:

Year	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
CPI	7.254	7.731	7.969	10.515	15.931	16.662	19.077	20.223	19.392	18.038	18.969	17.962	16.462	22.285	25.169	24.485	24.154	24.231	26.467	24.164	23.546	26.792	28.692	27.123	28.662	28.908	29.631	33.077	34.708	40.438	40.192	37.108	39.631	42.215	50.315	56.408	56.392	54.000	64.085	80.115	79.100	92.062	84.346	98.808	94.608	106.577	113.115	130.608	130.954	134.200	140.477	147.462	172.838	179.508	169.031	173.954	183.523	202.308	199.585	202.292	200.138	212.585	213.854	230.731	244.392	251.662	246.023	277.369	299.446	333.496	288.225	296.082	312.003	334.848	348.691	345.156	329.146	351.439	344.502	335.449	338.929	322.572	340.498	361.500	380.483

Adjust apples prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2023 / CPI in 1939 * 1939 USD value = 2023 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Apples was 7.254 in the year 1939 and 380.483 in 2023:

380.483 / 7.254 * $1.31 = $68.71

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $1.31 in 1939 has the same "purchasing power" as $68.71 in 2023 (in the CPI category of Apples).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Apples in 1939. In addition to apples, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.

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