According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for commodities less food are 859.53% higher in 2024 versus 1938 (a $171.91 difference in value).
Between 1938 and 2024: Commodities less food experienced an average inflation rate of 2.66% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, commodities less food costing $20 in the year 1938 would cost $191.91 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.67% during this same period, inflation for commodities less food was lower.
In the year 1938: Pricing changed by -0.53%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for commodities less food during the 1938-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1938 (-2.03%), inflation for commodities less food was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Commodities less food, over time, for $20 beginning in 1938. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1938 | $20.00 | -0.53% |
| 1939 | $19.74 | -1.28% |
| 1940 | $19.87 | 0.65% |
| 1941 | $20.99 | 5.60% |
| 1942 | $23.28 | 10.92% |
| 1943 | $24.28 | 4.32% |
| 1944 | $25.55 | 5.20% |
| 1945 | $26.57 | 4.02% |
| 1946 | $28.39 | 6.85% |
| 1947 | $31.97 | 12.59% |
| 1948 | $34.28 | 7.23% |
| 1949 | $33.60 | -2.00% |
| 1950 | $33.77 | 0.51% |
| 1951 | $36.34 | 7.61% |
| 1952 | $36.47 | 0.35% |
| 1953 | $36.57 | 0.29% |
| 1954 | $36.17 | -1.11% |
| 1955 | $35.93 | -0.65% |
| 1956 | $36.32 | 1.08% |
| 1957 | $37.41 | 2.99% |
| 1958 | $37.82 | 1.10% |
| 1959 | $38.31 | 1.31% |
| 1960 | $38.53 | 0.56% |
| 1961 | $38.63 | 0.26% |
| 1962 | $38.91 | 0.75% |
| 1963 | $39.18 | 0.68% |
| 1964 | $39.53 | 0.90% |
| 1965 | $39.78 | 0.63% |
| 1966 | $40.32 | 1.37% |
| 1967 | $41.33 | 2.49% |
| 1968 | $42.84 | 3.67% |
| 1969 | $44.67 | 4.27% |
| 1970 | $46.52 | 4.13% |
| 1971 | $48.27 | 3.77% |
| 1972 | $49.37 | 2.27% |
| 1973 | $51.07 | 3.45% |
| 1974 | $56.46 | 10.55% |
| 1975 | $61.64 | 9.18% |
| 1976 | $64.74 | 5.04% |
| 1977 | $68.25 | 5.42% |
| 1978 | $72.23 | 5.83% |
| 1979 | $80.64 | 11.64% |
| 1980 | $91.77 | 13.81% |
| 1981 | $99.70 | 8.64% |
| 1982 | $103.72 | 4.03% |
| 1983 | $107.08 | 3.24% |
| 1984 | $110.40 | 3.10% |
| 1985 | $112.68 | 2.06% |
| 1986 | $108.91 | -3.34% |
| 1987 | $111.70 | 2.56% |
| 1988 | $115.29 | 3.21% |
| 1989 | $119.88 | 3.99% |
| 1990 | $125.73 | 4.88% |
| 1991 | $129.86 | 3.28% |
| 1992 | $132.94 | 2.37% |
| 1993 | $135.18 | 1.69% |
| 1994 | $136.90 | 1.27% |
| 1995 | $138.99 | 1.52% |
| 1996 | $141.95 | 2.13% |
| 1997 | $142.87 | 0.65% |
| 1998 | $141.28 | -1.11% |
| 1999 | $143.47 | 1.55% |
| 2000 | $149.01 | 3.86% |
| 2001 | $148.67 | -0.23% |
| 2002 | $145.64 | -2.04% |
| 2003 | $146.10 | 0.32% |
| 2004 | $148.61 | 1.71% |
| 2005 | $154.69 | 4.09% |
| 2006 | $158.41 | 2.41% |
| 2007 | $160.30 | 1.19% |
| 2008 | $166.28 | 3.73% |
| 2009 | $157.46 | -5.30% |
| 2010 | $163.80 | 4.02% |
| 2011 | $173.89 | 6.16% |
| 2012 | $176.94 | 1.76% |
| 2013 | $175.73 | -0.69% |
| 2014 | $173.79 | -1.10% |
| 2015 | $162.97 | -6.23% |
| 2016 | $159.11 | -2.37% |
| 2017 | $161.14 | 1.28% |
| 2018 | $164.50 | 2.09% |
| 2019 | $163.70 | -0.49% |
| 2020 | $159.85 | -2.35% |
| 2021 | $176.06 | 10.14% |
| 2022 | $196.24 | 11.46% |
| 2023 | $193.77 | -1.26% |
| 2024 | $191.91 | -0.96%* |
* 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 Commodities less food:
| Year | 1935 | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 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 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
| CPI | 17.775 | 17.967 | 18.780 | 18.680 | 18.440 | 18.560 | 19.600 | 21.740 | 22.680 | 23.860 | 24.820 | 26.520 | 29.860 | 32.020 | 31.380 | 31.540 | 33.940 | 34.060 | 34.160 | 33.780 | 33.560 | 33.923 | 34.938 | 35.323 | 35.785 | 35.985 | 36.077 | 36.346 | 36.592 | 36.923 | 37.154 | 37.662 | 38.600 | 40.015 | 41.723 | 43.446 | 45.085 | 46.108 | 47.700 | 52.731 | 57.569 | 60.469 | 63.746 | 67.462 | 75.315 | 85.715 | 93.123 | 96.877 | 100.015 | 103.115 | 105.238 | 101.723 | 104.331 | 107.677 | 111.969 | 117.431 | 121.285 | 124.162 | 126.262 | 127.869 | 129.815 | 132.577 | 133.438 | 131.954 | 134.000 | 139.177 | 138.862 | 136.031 | 136.462 | 138.800 | 144.477 | 147.954 | 149.720 | 155.310 | 147.071 | 152.990 | 162.409 | 165.264 | 164.129 | 162.323 | 152.217 | 148.608 | 150.505 | 153.646 | 152.898 | 149.298 | 164.441 | 183.284 | 180.980 | 179.241 |