According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for apples were 2,962.61% higher in 2021 versus 1942 (a $592.52 difference in value).
Between 1942 and 2021: Apples experienced an average inflation rate of 4.43% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, apples costing $20 in the year 1942 would cost $612.52 in 2021 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.57% during this same period, inflation for apples was higher.
In the year 1942: Pricing changed by 31.95%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for apples during the 1942-2021 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1942 (10.92%), inflation for apples was much 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 | 2021 |
| 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 | 322.045 |
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Apples, 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 | 31.95% |
| 1943 | $30.30 | 51.50% |
| 1944 | $31.69 | 4.59% |
| 1945 | $36.28 | 14.50% |
| 1946 | $38.46 | 6.01% |
| 1947 | $36.88 | -4.11% |
| 1948 | $34.31 | -6.98% |
| 1949 | $36.08 | 5.16% |
| 1950 | $34.16 | -5.31% |
| 1951 | $31.31 | -8.35% |
| 1952 | $42.38 | 35.37% |
| 1953 | $47.87 | 12.94% |
| 1954 | $46.57 | -2.72% |
| 1955 | $45.94 | -1.35% |
| 1956 | $46.09 | 0.32% |
| 1957 | $50.34 | 9.23% |
| 1958 | $45.96 | -8.70% |
| 1959 | $44.78 | -2.56% |
| 1960 | $50.96 | 13.78% |
| 1961 | $54.57 | 7.09% |
| 1962 | $51.59 | -5.47% |
| 1963 | $54.51 | 5.67% |
| 1964 | $54.98 | 0.86% |
| 1965 | $56.36 | 2.50% |
| 1966 | $62.91 | 11.63% |
| 1967 | $66.01 | 4.93% |
| 1968 | $76.91 | 16.51% |
| 1969 | $76.44 | -0.61% |
| 1970 | $70.58 | -7.67% |
| 1971 | $75.38 | 6.80% |
| 1972 | $80.29 | 6.52% |
| 1973 | $95.70 | 19.19% |
| 1974 | $107.29 | 12.11% |
| 1975 | $107.26 | -0.03% |
| 1976 | $102.71 | -4.24% |
| 1977 | $121.89 | 18.68% |
| 1978 | $152.38 | 25.02% |
| 1979 | $150.45 | -1.27% |
| 1980 | $175.10 | 16.39% |
| 1981 | $160.42 | -8.38% |
| 1982 | $187.93 | 17.15% |
| 1983 | $179.94 | -4.25% |
| 1984 | $202.71 | 12.65% |
| 1985 | $215.14 | 6.13% |
| 1986 | $248.41 | 15.46% |
| 1987 | $249.07 | 0.27% |
| 1988 | $255.25 | 2.48% |
| 1989 | $267.18 | 4.68% |
| 1990 | $280.47 | 4.97% |
| 1991 | $328.73 | 17.21% |
| 1992 | $341.42 | 3.86% |
| 1993 | $321.49 | -5.84% |
| 1994 | $330.86 | 2.91% |
| 1995 | $349.06 | 5.50% |
| 1996 | $384.78 | 10.24% |
| 1997 | $379.60 | -1.35% |
| 1998 | $384.75 | 1.36% |
| 1999 | $380.66 | -1.06% |
| 2000 | $404.33 | 6.22% |
| 2001 | $406.74 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $438.84 | 7.89% |
| 2003 | $464.83 | 5.92% |
| 2004 | $478.65 | 2.97% |
| 2005 | $467.93 | -2.24% |
| 2006 | $527.55 | 12.74% |
| 2007 | $569.54 | 7.96% |
| 2008 | $634.30 | 11.37% |
| 2009 | $548.20 | -13.57% |
| 2010 | $563.14 | 2.73% |
| 2011 | $593.42 | 5.38% |
| 2012 | $636.87 | 7.32% |
| 2013 | $663.20 | 4.13% |
| 2014 | $656.48 | -1.01% |
| 2015 | $626.03 | -4.64% |
| 2016 | $668.43 | 6.77% |
| 2017 | $655.23 | -1.97% |
| 2018 | $638.02 | -2.63% |
| 2019 | $644.63 | 1.04% |
| 2020 | $613.52 | -4.83% |
| 2021 | $612.52 | -0.16%* |