Chicago, Illinois prices: $20 in 1979 $81.25 in 2024

Inflation in Illinois

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Prices in Chicago, 1979-2024 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Chicago, Illinois are 306.23% higher in 2024 versus 1979 (a $61.25 difference in value).

Between 1979 and 2024: Chicago experienced an average inflation rate of 3.16% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $20 in Chicago in the year 1979 would cost $81.25 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.30% during this same period, inflation in Chicago was lower.

In the year 1979: Pricing changed by 12.48%, which is significantly above the average yearly change in Chicago during the 1979-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1979 (11.26%), inflation in Chicago was higher.

Price Inflation in Chicago, Illinois since 1914

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1919 (21.36%), 1920 (19.10%), and 1918 (16.80%).

View price changes for other categories
Women's apparel · Bread · Gasoline (all types) · San Francisco, California · More

Buying power of $20.00 since 1979

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in Chicago, over time, for $20 beginning in 1979. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1979$20.0012.48%
1980$22.8814.42%
1981$25.089.57%
1982$26.796.82%
1983$27.853.99%
1984$28.903.77%
1985$30.003.77%
1986$30.622.09%
1987$31.884.12%
1988$33.133.91%
1989$34.815.06%
1990$36.685.37%
1991$38.164.06%
1992$39.282.93%
1993$40.493.08%
1994$41.382.19%
1995$42.703.18%
1996$43.842.67%
1997$45.042.74%
1998$45.952.01%
1999$46.902.07%
2000$48.403.21%
2001$49.662.60%
2002$50.451.59%
2003$51.381.84%
2004$52.532.24%
2005$54.123.03%
2006$55.232.05%
2007$57.043.27%
2008$59.193.77%
2009$58.48-1.20%
2010$59.281.37%
2011$60.902.73%
2012$61.831.52%
2013$62.531.14%
2014$63.631.75%
2015$63.44-0.30%
2016$63.860.66%
2017$65.061.88%
2018$66.201.75%
2019$67.171.46%
2020$67.921.12%
2021$70.784.22%
2022$76.137.55%
2023$78.663.33%
2024$81.253.29%*

* 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 Chicago, Illinois:

Year191419151916191719181919192019211922192319241925192619271928192919301931193219331934193519361937193819391940194119421943194419451946194719481949195019511952195319541955195619571958195919601961196219631964196519661967196819691970197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
CPI10.00010.01710.31711.75813.73316.66719.85018.17517.16717.37517.71718.10818.42518.25817.69217.65017.45815.95814.08312.63312.71713.26713.53314.09213.99213.71713.79214.51715.95816.85017.10817.47519.03322.10824.03324.00824.25026.15826.72526.95827.35827.54227.92528.83329.70829.95030.36730.51730.83331.14231.26731.68332.63333.48334.90036.80838.91740.45041.60044.20848.88352.74255.26758.74263.85071.81782.17590.04296.183100.017103.792107.708109.958114.492118.967124.983131.700137.042141.058145.408148.592153.317157.417161.725164.983168.400173.808178.333181.175184.508188.633194.342198.325204.818212.536209.995212.870218.684222.005224.545228.468227.792229.302233.611237.706241.181243.873254.159273.356282.450291.740

Adjust Chicago prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2024 / CPI in 1979 * 1979 USD value = 2024 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Chicago, Illinois was 71.817 in the year 1979 and 291.740 in 2024:

291.740 / 71.817 * $20 = $81.25

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1979 has the same "purchasing power" as $81.25 in 2024 (in the CPI category of Chicago, Illinois).


Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Chicago, Illinois in 1914. In addition to Chicago, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.

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