According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for dairy and related products are 1,614.51% higher in 2024 versus 1938 (a $322.90 difference in value).
Between 1938 and 2024: Dairy and related products experienced an average inflation rate of 3.36% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, dairy and related products costing $20 in the year 1938 would cost $342.90 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.67% during this same period, inflation for dairy and related products was lower.
In the year 1938: Pricing changed by -5.43%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for dairy and related products during the 1938-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1938 (-2.03%), inflation for dairy and related products was much lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Dairy and related products, 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 | -5.43% |
| 1939 | $19.22 | -3.88% |
| 1940 | $20.35 | 5.87% |
| 1941 | $22.46 | 10.37% |
| 1942 | $25.14 | 11.93% |
| 1943 | $27.03 | 7.50% |
| 1944 | $26.80 | -0.84% |
| 1945 | $26.88 | 0.29% |
| 1946 | $33.13 | 23.23% |
| 1947 | $37.38 | 12.83% |
| 1948 | $41.10 | 9.96% |
| 1949 | $37.47 | -8.84% |
| 1950 | $37.06 | -1.07% |
| 1951 | $41.34 | 11.52% |
| 1952 | $43.10 | 4.28% |
| 1953 | $42.35 | -1.75% |
| 1954 | $40.99 | -3.20% |
| 1955 | $40.91 | -0.19% |
| 1956 | $41.99 | 2.64% |
| 1957 | $43.19 | 2.85% |
| 1958 | $43.86 | 1.55% |
| 1959 | $44.17 | 0.72% |
| 1960 | $45.13 | 2.16% |
| 1961 | $45.81 | 1.52% |
| 1962 | $45.55 | -0.58% |
| 1963 | $45.41 | -0.30% |
| 1964 | $45.78 | 0.82% |
| 1965 | $45.96 | 0.39% |
| 1966 | $48.91 | 6.41% |
| 1967 | $51.05 | 4.38% |
| 1968 | $52.74 | 3.33% |
| 1969 | $54.44 | 3.22% |
| 1970 | $57.08 | 4.85% |
| 1971 | $58.86 | 3.11% |
| 1972 | $59.80 | 1.60% |
| 1973 | $65.30 | 9.19% |
| 1974 | $77.52 | 18.70% |
| 1975 | $79.93 | 3.12% |
| 1976 | $86.41 | 8.11% |
| 1977 | $88.74 | 2.69% |
| 1978 | $94.71 | 6.73% |
| 1979 | $105.68 | 11.58% |
| 1980 | $116.08 | 9.85% |
| 1981 | $124.35 | 7.12% |
| 1982 | $126.09 | 1.40% |
| 1983 | $127.60 | 1.20% |
| 1984 | $129.25 | 1.29% |
| 1985 | $131.67 | 1.88% |
| 1986 | $131.92 | 0.19% |
| 1987 | $135.19 | 2.48% |
| 1988 | $138.30 | 2.30% |
| 1989 | $147.56 | 6.69% |
| 1990 | $161.49 | 9.44% |
| 1991 | $159.68 | -1.12% |
| 1992 | $164.03 | 2.72% |
| 1993 | $165.13 | 0.67% |
| 1994 | $168.15 | 1.83% |
| 1995 | $169.54 | 0.83% |
| 1996 | $181.36 | 6.97% |
| 1997 | $185.71 | 2.40% |
| 1998 | $192.44 | 3.62% |
| 1999 | $203.70 | 5.85% |
| 2000 | $205.08 | 0.67% |
| 2001 | $213.24 | 3.98% |
| 2002 | $214.55 | 0.61% |
| 2003 | $214.26 | -0.14% |
| 2004 | $230.00 | 7.35% |
| 2005 | $232.79 | 1.21% |
| 2006 | $231.49 | -0.56% |
| 2007 | $248.60 | 7.39% |
| 2008 | $268.55 | 8.02% |
| 2009 | $251.46 | -6.36% |
| 2010 | $254.31 | 1.13% |
| 2011 | $271.54 | 6.78% |
| 2012 | $277.32 | 2.13% |
| 2013 | $277.68 | 0.13% |
| 2014 | $287.58 | 3.56% |
| 2015 | $283.89 | -1.28% |
| 2016 | $277.37 | -2.30% |
| 2017 | $277.56 | 0.07% |
| 2018 | $276.29 | -0.46% |
| 2019 | $279.14 | 1.03% |
| 2020 | $291.43 | 4.40% |
| 2021 | $295.38 | 1.36% |
| 2022 | $330.82 | 12.00% |
| 2023 | $344.02 | 3.99% |
| 2024 | $342.90 | -0.33%* |
* 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 Dairy and related products:
| 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 | 15.323 | 15.985 | 16.569 | 15.669 | 15.062 | 15.946 | 17.600 | 19.700 | 21.177 | 21.000 | 21.062 | 25.954 | 29.285 | 32.200 | 29.354 | 29.038 | 32.385 | 33.769 | 33.177 | 32.115 | 32.054 | 32.900 | 33.838 | 34.362 | 34.608 | 35.354 | 35.892 | 35.685 | 35.577 | 35.869 | 36.008 | 38.315 | 39.992 | 41.323 | 42.654 | 44.723 | 46.115 | 46.854 | 51.162 | 60.731 | 62.623 | 67.700 | 69.523 | 74.200 | 82.792 | 90.946 | 97.423 | 98.785 | 99.969 | 101.262 | 103.162 | 103.354 | 105.915 | 108.354 | 115.608 | 126.523 | 125.100 | 128.508 | 129.369 | 131.738 | 132.831 | 142.092 | 145.500 | 150.769 | 159.592 | 160.669 | 167.069 | 168.092 | 167.862 | 180.200 | 182.385 | 181.362 | 194.770 | 210.396 | 197.013 | 199.245 | 212.745 | 217.270 | 217.554 | 225.310 | 222.418 | 217.306 | 217.455 | 216.462 | 218.693 | 228.322 | 231.422 | 259.184 | 269.528 | 268.650 |