Commodities less food priced at $20 in 1942 $164.42 in 2024

Commodities Less Food Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Commodities Less Food, 1942-2024 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for commodities less food are 722.12% higher in 2024 versus 1942 (a $144.42 difference in value).

Between 1942 and 2024: Commodities less food experienced an average inflation rate of 2.60% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, commodities less food costing $20 in the year 1942 would cost $164.42 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 1942: Pricing changed by 10.92%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for commodities less food during the 1942-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1942 (10.92%), inflation for commodities less food was lower.

Price Inflation for Commodities less food since 1935

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1980 (13.81%), 1947 (12.59%), and 1979 (11.64%).

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Buying power of $20.00 since 1942

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Commodities less food, over time, for $20 beginning in 1942. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1942$20.0010.92%
1943$20.864.32%
1944$21.955.20%
1945$22.834.02%
1946$24.406.85%
1947$27.4712.59%
1948$29.467.23%
1949$28.87-2.00%
1950$29.020.51%
1951$31.227.61%
1952$31.330.35%
1953$31.430.29%
1954$31.08-1.11%
1955$30.87-0.65%
1956$31.211.08%
1957$32.142.99%
1958$32.501.10%
1959$32.921.31%
1960$33.100.56%
1961$33.190.26%
1962$33.440.75%
1963$33.660.68%
1964$33.970.90%
1965$34.180.63%
1966$34.651.37%
1967$35.512.49%
1968$36.813.67%
1969$38.384.27%
1970$39.974.13%
1971$41.483.77%
1972$42.422.27%
1973$43.883.45%
1974$48.5110.55%
1975$52.969.18%
1976$55.635.04%
1977$58.645.42%
1978$62.065.83%
1979$69.2911.64%
1980$78.8513.81%
1981$85.678.64%
1982$89.124.03%
1983$92.013.24%
1984$94.863.10%
1985$96.822.06%
1986$93.58-3.34%
1987$95.982.56%
1988$99.063.21%
1989$103.013.99%
1990$108.034.88%
1991$111.583.28%
1992$114.222.37%
1993$116.161.69%
1994$117.631.27%
1995$119.431.52%
1996$121.972.13%
1997$122.760.65%
1998$121.39-1.11%
1999$123.281.55%
2000$128.043.86%
2001$127.75-0.23%
2002$125.14-2.04%
2003$125.540.32%
2004$127.691.71%
2005$132.914.09%
2006$136.112.41%
2007$137.741.19%
2008$142.883.73%
2009$135.30-5.30%
2010$140.744.02%
2011$149.416.16%
2012$152.041.76%
2013$150.99-0.69%
2014$149.33-1.10%
2015$140.03-6.23%
2016$136.71-2.37%
2017$138.461.28%
2018$141.352.09%
2019$140.66-0.49%
2020$137.35-2.35%
2021$151.2810.14%
2022$168.6111.46%
2023$166.49-1.26%
2024$164.42-1.24%*

* 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:

Year193519361937193819391940194119421943194419451946194719481949195019511952195319541955195619571958195919601961196219631964196519661967196819691970197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
CPI17.77517.96718.78018.68018.44018.56019.60021.74022.68023.86024.82026.52029.86032.02031.38031.54033.94034.06034.16033.78033.56033.92334.93835.32335.78535.98536.07736.34636.59236.92337.15437.66238.60040.01541.72343.44645.08546.10847.70052.73157.56960.46963.74667.46275.31585.71593.12396.877100.015103.115105.238101.723104.331107.677111.969117.431121.285124.162126.262127.869129.815132.577133.438131.954134.000139.177138.862136.031136.462138.800144.477147.954149.720155.310147.071152.990162.409165.264164.129162.323152.217148.608150.505153.646152.898149.298164.441183.284180.980178.728

Adjust commodities less food prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2024 / CPI in 1942 * 1942 USD value = 2024 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Commodities less food was 21.740 in the year 1942 and 178.728 in 2024:

178.728 / 21.740 * $20 = $164.42

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1942 has the same "purchasing power" as $164.42 in 2024 (in the CPI category of Commodities less food).


Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Commodities less food in 1935. In addition to commodities less food, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.

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