Commodities price inflation, 1935→2026

Commodities Inflation Calculator

Prices for Commodities, 1935-2026 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for commodities are 1,416.86% higher in 2026 versus 1935 (a $283.37 difference in value).

Between 1935 and 2026: Commodities experienced an average inflation rate of 3.03% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, commodities costing $20 in the year 1935 would cost $303.37 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.54% during this same period, inflation for commodities was lower.

Price Inflation for Commodities since 1935

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1947 (21.29%), 1942 (14.51%), and 1980 (12.21%).

View price changes for other categories
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Buying power of $20.00 since 1935

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Commodities, over time, for $20 beginning in 1935. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

Year	USD Value	Inflation Rate
1935	$20.00	-
1936	$20.24	1.21%
1937	$21.04	3.93%
1938	$20.37	-3.20%
1939	$19.89	-2.31%
1940	$20.03	0.68%
1941	$21.24	6.04%
1942	$24.32	14.51%
1943	$26.65	9.59%
1944	$26.98	1.22%
1945	$27.74	2.83%
1946	$30.27	9.13%
1947	$36.72	21.29%
1948	$39.67	8.03%
1949	$38.87	-2.01%
1950	$38.71	-0.40%
1951	$42.30	9.26%
1952	$43.04	1.75%
1953	$42.86	-0.42%
1954	$42.55	-0.73%
1955	$42.12	-1.00%
1956	$42.47	0.82%
1957	$43.81	3.17%
1958	$44.81	2.28%
1959	$44.87	0.13%
1960	$45.20	0.75%
1961	$45.52	0.69%
1962	$45.86	0.76%
1963	$46.32	1.00%
1964	$46.76	0.94%
1965	$47.32	1.20%
1966	$48.54	2.58%
1967	$49.45	1.87%
1968	$51.26	3.65%
1969	$53.60	4.57%
1970	$56.10	4.66%
1971	$58.06	3.50%
1972	$59.81	3.01%
1973	$64.22	7.38%
1974	$71.92	11.99%
1975	$78.33	8.91%
1976	$81.70	4.29%
1977	$86.38	5.73%
1978	$92.50	7.08%
1979	$103.07	11.43%
1980	$115.66	12.21%
1981	$125.38	8.40%
1982	$130.43	4.03%
1983	$134.29	2.96%
1984	$138.81	3.37%
1985	$141.73	2.10%
1986	$140.37	-0.96%
1987	$144.89	3.22%
1988	$149.96	3.50%
1989	$156.96	4.67%
1990	$165.14	5.21%
1991	$170.31	3.13%
1992	$173.66	1.97%
1993	$176.88	1.85%
1994	$179.89	1.70%
1995	$183.50	2.01%
1996	$188.15	2.53%
1997	$190.78	1.39%
1998	$190.89	0.06%
1999	$194.26	1.77%
2000	$200.65	3.29%
2001	$202.62	0.98%
2002	$201.38	-0.61%
2003	$203.34	0.97%
2004	$208.13	2.35%
2005	$215.41	3.50%
2006	$220.58	2.40%
2007	$225.30	2.14%
2008	$235.06	4.33%
2009	$228.24	-2.90%
2010	$234.79	2.87%
2011	$247.29	5.33%
2012	$252.29	2.02%
2013	$252.41	0.05%
2014	$252.78	0.15%
2015	$244.39	-3.32%
2016	$241.07	-1.36%
2017	$243.77	1.12%
2018	$248.31	1.86%
2019	$249.18	0.35%
2020	$248.55	-0.25%
2021	$267.96	7.81%
2022	$297.16	10.90%
2023	$300.59	1.16%
2024	$299.89	-0.24%
2025	$302.81	0.97%
2026	$303.37	0.19%*

* 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:

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	2025	2026
CPI	14.870	15.050	15.642	15.142	14.792	14.892	15.792	18.083	19.817	20.058	20.625	22.508	27.300	29.492	28.900	28.783	31.450	32.000	31.867	31.633	31.317	31.575	32.575	33.317	33.358	33.608	33.842	34.100	34.442	34.767	35.183	36.092	36.767	38.108	39.850	41.708	43.167	44.467	47.750	53.475	58.242	60.742	64.225	68.775	76.633	85.992	93.217	96.975	99.842	103.208	105.375	104.367	107.725	111.492	116.700	122.783	126.625	129.117	131.508	133.750	136.433	139.892	141.842	141.925	144.433	149.183	150.650	149.725	151.183	154.742	160.158	164.000	167.509	174.764	169.698	174.566	183.862	187.577	187.669	187.943	181.703	179.236	181.242	184.617	185.266	184.799	199.227	220.936	223.492	222.965	225.136	225.557

Adjust commodities prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2026 / CPI in 1935 * 1935 USD value = 2026 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Commodities was 14.870 in the year 1935 and 225.557 in 2026:

225.557 / 14.870 * $20 = $303.37

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1935 has the same "purchasing power" as $303.37 in 2026 (in the CPI category of Commodities).

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