According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for bananas were 592.67% higher in 2020 versus 1946 (a $20.74 difference in value).
Between 1946 and 2020: Bananas experienced an average inflation rate of 2.65% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, bananas costing $3.50 in the year 1946 would cost $24.24 in 2020 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.55% during this same period, inflation for bananas was lower.
In the year 1946: Pricing changed by 5.99%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for bananas during the 1946-2020 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1946 (8.47%), 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 |
| 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 |
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Bananas, over time, for $3.5 beginning in 1946. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1946 | $3.50 | 5.99% |
| 1947 | $4.56 | 30.15% |
| 1948 | $4.81 | 5.51% |
| 1949 | $5.01 | 4.26% |
| 1950 | $4.90 | -2.14% |
| 1951 | $4.93 | 0.49% |
| 1952 | $4.93 | 0.14% |
| 1953 | $4.98 | 0.96% |
| 1954 | $4.99 | 0.19% |
| 1955 | $5.03 | 0.81% |
| 1956 | $5.00 | -0.58% |
| 1957 | $5.16 | 3.14% |
| 1958 | $5.15 | -0.24% |
| 1959 | $5.06 | -1.65% |
| 1960 | $4.73 | -6.65% |
| 1961 | $4.73 | 0.04% |
| 1962 | $4.87 | 2.98% |
| 1963 | $4.90 | 0.71% |
| 1964 | $4.98 | 1.57% |
| 1965 | $4.88 | -2.01% |
| 1966 | $4.77 | -2.21% |
| 1967 | $4.82 | 0.93% |
| 1968 | $4.77 | -1.06% |
| 1969 | $4.88 | 2.45% |
| 1970 | $4.89 | 0.14% |
| 1971 | $4.60 | -5.82% |
| 1972 | $4.90 | 6.43% |
| 1973 | $5.12 | 4.43% |
| 1974 | $5.75 | 12.31% |
| 1975 | $7.20 | 25.26% |
| 1976 | $7.30 | 1.33% |
| 1977 | $7.93 | 8.70% |
| 1978 | $8.87 | 11.81% |
| 1979 | $10.01 | 12.93% |
| 1980 | $11.48 | 14.64% |
| 1981 | $12.25 | 6.69% |
| 1982 | $12.05 | -1.61% |
| 1983 | $13.29 | 10.31% |
| 1984 | $12.28 | -7.61% |
| 1985 | $12.53 | 2.07% |
| 1986 | $13.17 | 5.07% |
| 1987 | $13.07 | -0.80% |
| 1988 | $14.95 | 14.46% |
| 1989 | $16.47 | 10.11% |
| 1990 | $17.33 | 5.24% |
| 1991 | $18.19 | 4.95% |
| 1992 | $17.55 | -3.51% |
| 1993 | $17.00 | -3.15% |
| 1994 | $18.01 | 5.94% |
| 1995 | $19.28 | 7.10% |
| 1996 | $19.94 | 3.41% |
| 1997 | $20.01 | 0.35% |
| 1998 | $20.17 | 0.80% |
| 1999 | $19.99 | -0.89% |
| 2000 | $20.38 | 1.93% |
| 2001 | $20.90 | 2.54% |
| 2002 | $20.88 | -0.06% |
| 2003 | $20.67 | -1.01% |
| 2004 | $20.44 | -1.12% |
| 2005 | $20.95 | 2.50% |
| 2006 | $21.98 | 4.93% |
| 2007 | $22.27 | 1.28% |
| 2008 | $26.01 | 16.82% |
| 2009 | $25.99 | -0.07% |
| 2010 | $24.51 | -5.70% |
| 2011 | $25.82 | 5.33% |
| 2012 | $25.72 | -0.39% |
| 2013 | $25.51 | -0.82% |
| 2014 | $25.34 | -0.65% |
| 2015 | $25.18 | -0.62% |
| 2016 | $24.94 | -0.96% |
| 2017 | $24.48 | -1.85% |
| 2018 | $24.67 | 0.79% |
| 2019 | $24.58 | -0.37% |
| 2020 | $24.24 | -1.37%* |