According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for butter were 1,247.98% higher in 2021 versus 1941 (a $249.60 difference in value).
Between 1941 and 2021: Butter experienced an average inflation rate of 3.30% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, butter costing $20 in the year 1941 would cost $269.60 in 2021 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.68% during this same period, inflation for butter was lower.
In the year 1941: Pricing changed by 14.39%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for butter during the 1941-2021 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1941 (5.11%), inflation for butter was much higher.
Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for Butter:
| 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 | 14.508 | 16.146 | 18.469 | 21.269 | 23.431 | 22.269 | 22.546 | 31.808 | 36.085 | 38.892 | 32.508 | 32.685 | 36.692 | 38.338 | 35.600 | 32.623 | 31.977 | 32.708 | 33.692 | 33.662 | 34.154 | 34.000 | 34.723 | 34.215 | 34.154 | 34.500 | 35.054 | 38.138 | 39.192 | 39.500 | 40.000 | 40.954 | 41.462 | 41.277 | 43.392 | 44.746 | 48.692 | 60.008 | 63.423 | 70.315 | 79.554 | 89.400 | 96.231 | 98.415 | 99.569 | 101.992 | 103.092 | 103.400 | 105.254 | 104.931 | 104.962 | 98.477 | 95.808 | 92.408 | 86.769 | 82.885 | 85.685 | 107.600 | 114.754 | 150.454 | 145.754 | 135.862 | 171.615 | 155.954 | 144.877 | 187.115 | 184.592 | 171.162 | 170.683 | 178.170 | 165.401 | 182.593 | 210.795 | 196.102 | 198.410 | 227.375 | 232.833 | 234.484 | 240.409 | 243.882 | 246.620 | 248.691 | 248.962 |
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Butter, over time, for $20 beginning in 1941. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1941 | $20.00 | 14.39% |
| 1942 | $23.03 | 15.16% |
| 1943 | $25.37 | 10.16% |
| 1944 | $24.11 | -4.96% |
| 1945 | $24.41 | 1.24% |
| 1946 | $34.44 | 41.08% |
| 1947 | $39.08 | 13.45% |
| 1948 | $42.12 | 7.78% |
| 1949 | $35.20 | -16.42% |
| 1950 | $35.39 | 0.54% |
| 1951 | $39.73 | 12.26% |
| 1952 | $41.52 | 4.49% |
| 1953 | $38.55 | -7.14% |
| 1954 | $35.33 | -8.36% |
| 1955 | $34.63 | -1.98% |
| 1956 | $35.42 | 2.29% |
| 1957 | $36.48 | 3.01% |
| 1958 | $36.45 | -0.09% |
| 1959 | $36.98 | 1.46% |
| 1960 | $36.82 | -0.45% |
| 1961 | $37.60 | 2.13% |
| 1962 | $37.05 | -1.46% |
| 1963 | $36.98 | -0.18% |
| 1964 | $37.36 | 1.01% |
| 1965 | $37.96 | 1.61% |
| 1966 | $41.30 | 8.80% |
| 1967 | $42.44 | 2.76% |
| 1968 | $42.77 | 0.79% |
| 1969 | $43.32 | 1.27% |
| 1970 | $44.35 | 2.38% |
| 1971 | $44.90 | 1.24% |
| 1972 | $44.70 | -0.45% |
| 1973 | $46.99 | 5.12% |
| 1974 | $48.45 | 3.12% |
| 1975 | $52.73 | 8.82% |
| 1976 | $64.98 | 23.24% |
| 1977 | $68.68 | 5.69% |
| 1978 | $76.14 | 10.87% |
| 1979 | $86.15 | 13.14% |
| 1980 | $96.81 | 12.38% |
| 1981 | $104.21 | 7.64% |
| 1982 | $106.57 | 2.27% |
| 1983 | $107.82 | 1.17% |
| 1984 | $110.45 | 2.43% |
| 1985 | $111.64 | 1.08% |
| 1986 | $111.97 | 0.30% |
| 1987 | $113.98 | 1.79% |
| 1988 | $113.63 | -0.31% |
| 1989 | $113.66 | 0.03% |
| 1990 | $106.64 | -6.18% |
| 1991 | $103.75 | -2.71% |
| 1992 | $100.07 | -3.55% |
| 1993 | $93.96 | -6.10% |
| 1994 | $89.75 | -4.48% |
| 1995 | $92.79 | 3.38% |
| 1996 | $116.52 | 25.58% |
| 1997 | $124.26 | 6.65% |
| 1998 | $162.92 | 31.11% |
| 1999 | $157.83 | -3.12% |
| 2000 | $147.12 | -6.79% |
| 2001 | $185.84 | 26.32% |
| 2002 | $168.88 | -9.13% |
| 2003 | $156.88 | -7.10% |
| 2004 | $202.62 | 29.15% |
| 2005 | $199.89 | -1.35% |
| 2006 | $185.35 | -7.28% |
| 2007 | $184.83 | -0.28% |
| 2008 | $192.94 | 4.39% |
| 2009 | $179.11 | -7.17% |
| 2010 | $197.73 | 10.39% |
| 2011 | $228.27 | 15.45% |
| 2012 | $212.36 | -6.97% |
| 2013 | $214.85 | 1.18% |
| 2014 | $246.22 | 14.60% |
| 2015 | $252.13 | 2.40% |
| 2016 | $253.92 | 0.71% |
| 2017 | $260.33 | 2.53% |
| 2018 | $264.09 | 1.44% |
| 2019 | $267.06 | 1.12% |
| 2020 | $269.30 | 0.84% |
| 2021 | $269.60 | 0.11%* |