According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for apples were 4,346.90% higher in 2020 versus 1939 (a $869.38 difference in value).
Between 1939 and 2020: Apples experienced an average inflation rate of 4.80% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, apples costing $20 in the year 1939 would cost $889.38 in 2020 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.68% during this same period, inflation for apples was higher.
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 |
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 |
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Apples, over time, for $20 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 | $20.00 | - |
1940 | $21.31 | 6.57% |
1941 | $21.97 | 3.08% |
1942 | $28.99 | 31.95% |
1943 | $43.92 | 51.50% |
1944 | $45.94 | 4.59% |
1945 | $52.60 | 14.50% |
1946 | $55.76 | 6.01% |
1947 | $53.47 | -4.11% |
1948 | $49.73 | -6.98% |
1949 | $52.30 | 5.16% |
1950 | $49.52 | -5.31% |
1951 | $45.39 | -8.35% |
1952 | $61.44 | 35.37% |
1953 | $69.40 | 12.94% |
1954 | $67.51 | -2.72% |
1955 | $66.60 | -1.35% |
1956 | $66.81 | 0.32% |
1957 | $72.97 | 9.23% |
1958 | $66.62 | -8.70% |
1959 | $64.92 | -2.56% |
1960 | $73.87 | 13.78% |
1961 | $79.11 | 7.09% |
1962 | $74.78 | -5.47% |
1963 | $79.02 | 5.67% |
1964 | $79.70 | 0.86% |
1965 | $81.70 | 2.50% |
1966 | $91.20 | 11.63% |
1967 | $95.69 | 4.93% |
1968 | $111.50 | 16.51% |
1969 | $110.82 | -0.61% |
1970 | $102.31 | -7.67% |
1971 | $109.27 | 6.80% |
1972 | $116.39 | 6.52% |
1973 | $138.73 | 19.19% |
1974 | $155.52 | 12.11% |
1975 | $155.48 | -0.03% |
1976 | $148.89 | -4.24% |
1977 | $176.69 | 18.68% |
1978 | $220.89 | 25.02% |
1979 | $218.09 | -1.27% |
1980 | $253.83 | 16.39% |
1981 | $232.56 | -8.38% |
1982 | $272.43 | 17.15% |
1983 | $260.85 | -4.25% |
1984 | $293.85 | 12.65% |
1985 | $311.88 | 6.13% |
1986 | $360.11 | 15.46% |
1987 | $361.06 | 0.27% |
1988 | $370.01 | 2.48% |
1989 | $387.32 | 4.68% |
1990 | $406.57 | 4.97% |
1991 | $476.54 | 17.21% |
1992 | $494.93 | 3.86% |
1993 | $466.04 | -5.84% |
1994 | $479.62 | 2.91% |
1995 | $506.00 | 5.50% |
1996 | $557.79 | 10.24% |
1997 | $550.29 | -1.35% |
1998 | $557.75 | 1.36% |
1999 | $551.81 | -1.06% |
2000 | $586.13 | 6.22% |
2001 | $589.63 | 0.60% |
2002 | $636.16 | 7.89% |
2003 | $673.83 | 5.92% |
2004 | $693.87 | 2.97% |
2005 | $678.32 | -2.24% |
2006 | $764.75 | 12.74% |
2007 | $825.62 | 7.96% |
2008 | $919.50 | 11.37% |
2009 | $794.68 | -13.57% |
2010 | $816.35 | 2.73% |
2011 | $860.24 | 5.38% |
2012 | $923.23 | 7.32% |
2013 | $961.40 | 4.13% |
2014 | $951.65 | -1.01% |
2015 | $907.51 | -4.64% |
2016 | $968.97 | 6.77% |
2017 | $949.85 | -1.97% |
2018 | $924.89 | -2.63% |
2019 | $934.48 | 1.04% |
2020 | $889.38 | -4.83%* |