According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for bananas were 1,238.21% higher in 2021 versus 1939 (a $43.34 difference in value).
Between 1939 and 2021: Bananas experienced an average inflation rate of 3.21% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, bananas costing $3.50 in the year 1939 would cost $46.84 in 2021 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.65% during this same period, inflation for bananas was lower.
Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for Bananas:
| 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 | 14.523 | 15.015 | 16.854 | 24.500 | 28.831 | 28.285 | 26.331 | 27.908 | 36.323 | 38.323 | 39.954 | 39.100 | 39.292 | 39.346 | 39.723 | 39.800 | 40.123 | 39.892 | 41.146 | 41.046 | 40.369 | 37.685 | 37.700 | 38.823 | 39.100 | 39.715 | 38.915 | 38.054 | 38.408 | 38.000 | 38.931 | 38.985 | 36.715 | 39.077 | 40.808 | 45.831 | 57.408 | 58.169 | 63.231 | 70.700 | 79.838 | 91.531 | 97.654 | 96.085 | 105.992 | 97.923 | 99.946 | 105.015 | 104.177 | 119.238 | 131.292 | 138.169 | 145.015 | 139.931 | 135.523 | 143.569 | 153.769 | 159.015 | 159.577 | 160.854 | 159.415 | 162.492 | 166.615 | 166.523 | 164.838 | 162.992 | 167.062 | 175.292 | 177.538 | 207.394 | 207.256 | 195.442 | 205.850 | 205.052 | 203.370 | 202.041 | 200.786 | 198.852 | 195.168 | 196.709 | 195.983 | 193.307 | 194.350 |
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Bananas, over time, for $3.5 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 | $3.50 | - |
| 1940 | $3.62 | 3.39% |
| 1941 | $4.06 | 12.24% |
| 1942 | $5.90 | 45.37% |
| 1943 | $6.95 | 17.68% |
| 1944 | $6.82 | -1.89% |
| 1945 | $6.35 | -6.91% |
| 1946 | $6.73 | 5.99% |
| 1947 | $8.75 | 30.15% |
| 1948 | $9.24 | 5.51% |
| 1949 | $9.63 | 4.26% |
| 1950 | $9.42 | -2.14% |
| 1951 | $9.47 | 0.49% |
| 1952 | $9.48 | 0.14% |
| 1953 | $9.57 | 0.96% |
| 1954 | $9.59 | 0.19% |
| 1955 | $9.67 | 0.81% |
| 1956 | $9.61 | -0.58% |
| 1957 | $9.92 | 3.14% |
| 1958 | $9.89 | -0.24% |
| 1959 | $9.73 | -1.65% |
| 1960 | $9.08 | -6.65% |
| 1961 | $9.09 | 0.04% |
| 1962 | $9.36 | 2.98% |
| 1963 | $9.42 | 0.71% |
| 1964 | $9.57 | 1.57% |
| 1965 | $9.38 | -2.01% |
| 1966 | $9.17 | -2.21% |
| 1967 | $9.26 | 0.93% |
| 1968 | $9.16 | -1.06% |
| 1969 | $9.38 | 2.45% |
| 1970 | $9.40 | 0.14% |
| 1971 | $8.85 | -5.82% |
| 1972 | $9.42 | 6.43% |
| 1973 | $9.83 | 4.43% |
| 1974 | $11.05 | 12.31% |
| 1975 | $13.84 | 25.26% |
| 1976 | $14.02 | 1.33% |
| 1977 | $15.24 | 8.70% |
| 1978 | $17.04 | 11.81% |
| 1979 | $19.24 | 12.93% |
| 1980 | $22.06 | 14.64% |
| 1981 | $23.53 | 6.69% |
| 1982 | $23.16 | -1.61% |
| 1983 | $25.54 | 10.31% |
| 1984 | $23.60 | -7.61% |
| 1985 | $24.09 | 2.07% |
| 1986 | $25.31 | 5.07% |
| 1987 | $25.11 | -0.80% |
| 1988 | $28.74 | 14.46% |
| 1989 | $31.64 | 10.11% |
| 1990 | $33.30 | 5.24% |
| 1991 | $34.95 | 4.95% |
| 1992 | $33.72 | -3.51% |
| 1993 | $32.66 | -3.15% |
| 1994 | $34.60 | 5.94% |
| 1995 | $37.06 | 7.10% |
| 1996 | $38.32 | 3.41% |
| 1997 | $38.46 | 0.35% |
| 1998 | $38.77 | 0.80% |
| 1999 | $38.42 | -0.89% |
| 2000 | $39.16 | 1.93% |
| 2001 | $40.15 | 2.54% |
| 2002 | $40.13 | -0.06% |
| 2003 | $39.73 | -1.01% |
| 2004 | $39.28 | -1.12% |
| 2005 | $40.26 | 2.50% |
| 2006 | $42.24 | 4.93% |
| 2007 | $42.79 | 1.28% |
| 2008 | $49.98 | 16.82% |
| 2009 | $49.95 | -0.07% |
| 2010 | $47.10 | -5.70% |
| 2011 | $49.61 | 5.33% |
| 2012 | $49.42 | -0.39% |
| 2013 | $49.01 | -0.82% |
| 2014 | $48.69 | -0.65% |
| 2015 | $48.39 | -0.62% |
| 2016 | $47.92 | -0.96% |
| 2017 | $47.03 | -1.85% |
| 2018 | $47.41 | 0.79% |
| 2019 | $47.23 | -0.37% |
| 2020 | $46.59 | -1.37% |
| 2021 | $46.84 | 0.54%* |