According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for commodities less food are 867.55% higher in 2024 versus 1939 (a $173.51 difference in value).
Between 1939 and 2024: Commodities less food experienced an average inflation rate of 2.71% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, commodities less food costing $20 in the year 1939 would cost $193.51 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.73% during this same period, inflation for commodities less food was lower.
In the year 1939: Pricing changed by -1.28%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for commodities less food during the 1939-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1939 (-1.31%), inflation for commodities less food was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Commodities less food, over time, for $20 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 | $20.00 | -1.28% |
| 1940 | $20.13 | 0.65% |
| 1941 | $21.26 | 5.60% |
| 1942 | $23.58 | 10.92% |
| 1943 | $24.60 | 4.32% |
| 1944 | $25.88 | 5.20% |
| 1945 | $26.92 | 4.02% |
| 1946 | $28.76 | 6.85% |
| 1947 | $32.39 | 12.59% |
| 1948 | $34.73 | 7.23% |
| 1949 | $34.03 | -2.00% |
| 1950 | $34.21 | 0.51% |
| 1951 | $36.81 | 7.61% |
| 1952 | $36.94 | 0.35% |
| 1953 | $37.05 | 0.29% |
| 1954 | $36.64 | -1.11% |
| 1955 | $36.40 | -0.65% |
| 1956 | $36.79 | 1.08% |
| 1957 | $37.89 | 2.99% |
| 1958 | $38.31 | 1.10% |
| 1959 | $38.81 | 1.31% |
| 1960 | $39.03 | 0.56% |
| 1961 | $39.13 | 0.26% |
| 1962 | $39.42 | 0.75% |
| 1963 | $39.69 | 0.68% |
| 1964 | $40.05 | 0.90% |
| 1965 | $40.30 | 0.63% |
| 1966 | $40.85 | 1.37% |
| 1967 | $41.87 | 2.49% |
| 1968 | $43.40 | 3.67% |
| 1969 | $45.25 | 4.27% |
| 1970 | $47.12 | 4.13% |
| 1971 | $48.90 | 3.77% |
| 1972 | $50.01 | 2.27% |
| 1973 | $51.74 | 3.45% |
| 1974 | $57.19 | 10.55% |
| 1975 | $62.44 | 9.18% |
| 1976 | $65.58 | 5.04% |
| 1977 | $69.14 | 5.42% |
| 1978 | $73.17 | 5.83% |
| 1979 | $81.69 | 11.64% |
| 1980 | $92.97 | 13.81% |
| 1981 | $101.00 | 8.64% |
| 1982 | $105.07 | 4.03% |
| 1983 | $108.48 | 3.24% |
| 1984 | $111.84 | 3.10% |
| 1985 | $114.14 | 2.06% |
| 1986 | $110.33 | -3.34% |
| 1987 | $113.16 | 2.56% |
| 1988 | $116.79 | 3.21% |
| 1989 | $121.44 | 3.99% |
| 1990 | $127.37 | 4.88% |
| 1991 | $131.55 | 3.28% |
| 1992 | $134.67 | 2.37% |
| 1993 | $136.94 | 1.69% |
| 1994 | $138.69 | 1.27% |
| 1995 | $140.80 | 1.52% |
| 1996 | $143.79 | 2.13% |
| 1997 | $144.73 | 0.65% |
| 1998 | $143.12 | -1.11% |
| 1999 | $145.34 | 1.55% |
| 2000 | $150.95 | 3.86% |
| 2001 | $150.61 | -0.23% |
| 2002 | $147.54 | -2.04% |
| 2003 | $148.01 | 0.32% |
| 2004 | $150.54 | 1.71% |
| 2005 | $156.70 | 4.09% |
| 2006 | $160.47 | 2.41% |
| 2007 | $162.39 | 1.19% |
| 2008 | $168.45 | 3.73% |
| 2009 | $159.51 | -5.30% |
| 2010 | $165.93 | 4.02% |
| 2011 | $176.15 | 6.16% |
| 2012 | $179.24 | 1.76% |
| 2013 | $178.01 | -0.69% |
| 2014 | $176.06 | -1.10% |
| 2015 | $165.09 | -6.23% |
| 2016 | $161.18 | -2.37% |
| 2017 | $163.24 | 1.28% |
| 2018 | $166.64 | 2.09% |
| 2019 | $165.83 | -0.49% |
| 2020 | $161.93 | -2.35% |
| 2021 | $178.35 | 10.14% |
| 2022 | $198.79 | 11.46% |
| 2023 | $196.29 | -1.26% |
| 2024 | $193.51 | -1.42%* |
* 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 | 178.416 |