Apples priced at $1.31 in 1946 → $23.42 in 2022

Apples Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Apples, 1946-2022 ($1.31)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for apples are 1,687.56% higher in 2022 versus 1946 (a $22.11 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 1946 and 2022: Apples experienced an average inflation rate of 3.87% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, apples costing $1.31 in the year 1946 would cost $23.42 in 2022 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.63% during this same period, inflation for apples was higher.

In the year 1946: Pricing changed by 6.01%, which is above the average yearly change for apples during the 1946-2022 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1946 (8.47%), inflation for apples was lower.

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):

YearAverage price (Apples)Inflation adjusted price (2022 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
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · Baby food · Minneapolis-St Paul, Minnesota · Indoor plants and flowers · More

Buying power of $1.31 since 1946

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Apples, over time, for $1.31 beginning in 1946. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1946$1.316.01%
1947$1.26-4.11%
1948$1.17-6.98%
1949$1.235.16%
1950$1.16-5.31%
1951$1.07-8.35%
1952$1.4435.37%
1953$1.6312.94%
1954$1.59-2.72%
1955$1.56-1.35%
1956$1.570.32%
1957$1.719.23%
1958$1.57-8.70%
1959$1.53-2.56%
1960$1.7413.78%
1961$1.867.09%
1962$1.76-5.47%
1963$1.865.67%
1964$1.870.86%
1965$1.922.50%
1966$2.1411.63%
1967$2.254.93%
1968$2.6216.51%
1969$2.60-0.61%
1970$2.40-7.67%
1971$2.576.80%
1972$2.736.52%
1973$3.2619.19%
1974$3.6512.11%
1975$3.65-0.03%
1976$3.50-4.24%
1977$4.1518.68%
1978$5.1925.02%
1979$5.12-1.27%
1980$5.9616.39%
1981$5.46-8.38%
1982$6.4017.15%
1983$6.13-4.25%
1984$6.9012.65%
1985$7.336.13%
1986$8.4615.46%
1987$8.480.27%
1988$8.692.48%
1989$9.104.68%
1990$9.554.97%
1991$11.2017.21%
1992$11.633.86%
1993$10.95-5.84%
1994$11.272.91%
1995$11.895.50%
1996$13.1010.24%
1997$12.93-1.35%
1998$13.101.36%
1999$12.96-1.06%
2000$13.776.22%
2001$13.850.60%
2002$14.957.89%
2003$15.835.92%
2004$16.302.97%
2005$15.94-2.24%
2006$17.9712.74%
2007$19.407.96%
2008$21.6011.37%
2009$18.67-13.57%
2010$19.182.73%
2011$20.215.38%
2012$21.697.32%
2013$22.594.13%
2014$22.36-1.01%
2015$21.32-4.64%
2016$22.776.77%
2017$22.32-1.97%
2018$21.73-2.63%
2019$21.951.04%
2020$20.90-4.83%
2021$22.065.56%
2022$23.426.17%*

* 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:

Year193919401941194219431944194519461947194819491950195119521953195419551956195719581959196019611962196319641965196619671968196919701971197219731974197519761977197819791980198119821983198419851986198719881989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022
CPI7.2547.7317.96910.51515.93116.66219.07720.22319.39218.03818.96917.96216.46222.28525.16924.48524.15424.23126.46724.16423.54626.79228.69227.12328.66228.90829.63133.07734.70840.43840.19237.10839.63142.21550.31556.40856.39254.00064.08580.11579.10092.06284.34698.80894.608106.577113.115130.608130.954134.200140.477147.462172.838179.508169.031173.954183.523202.308199.585202.292200.138212.585213.854230.731244.392251.662246.023277.369299.446333.496288.225296.082312.003334.848348.691345.156329.146351.439344.502335.449338.929322.572340.498361.500

Adjust apples prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2022 / CPI in 1946 * 1946 USD value = 2022 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Apples was 20.223 in the year 1946 and 361.500 in 2022:

361.500 / 20.223 * $1.31 = $23.42

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $1.31 in 1946 has the same "purchasing power" as $23.42 in 2022 (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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