According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for dairy and related products are 807.98% higher in 2026 versus 1949 (a $161.60 difference in value).
Between 1949 and 2026:Dairy and related products experienced an average inflation rate of 2.91% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, dairy and related products costing $20 in the year 1949 would cost $181.60 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.45% during this same period, inflation for dairy and related products was lower.
In the year 1949: Pricing changed by -8.85%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for dairy and related products during the 1949-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1949 (-0.97%), 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 1949. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1949 | $20.00 | -8.85% |
| 1950 | $19.79 | -1.05% |
| 1951 | $22.07 | 11.51% |
| 1952 | $23.01 | 4.27% |
| 1953 | $22.61 | -1.75% |
| 1954 | $21.89 | -3.19% |
| 1955 | $21.84 | -0.21% |
| 1956 | $22.42 | 2.65% |
| 1957 | $23.06 | 2.84% |
| 1958 | $23.41 | 1.55% |
| 1959 | $23.58 | 0.73% |
| 1960 | $24.09 | 2.14% |
| 1961 | $24.46 | 1.53% |
| 1962 | $24.32 | -0.58% |
| 1963 | $24.24 | -0.30% |
| 1964 | $24.44 | 0.82% |
| 1965 | $24.54 | 0.39% |
| 1966 | $26.11 | 6.41% |
| 1967 | $27.25 | 4.37% |
| 1968 | $28.16 | 3.33% |
| 1969 | $29.06 | 3.21% |
| 1970 | $30.48 | 4.87% |
| 1971 | $31.43 | 3.11% |
| 1972 | $31.93 | 1.61% |
| 1973 | $34.86 | 9.18% |
| 1974 | $41.39 | 18.72% |
| 1975 | $42.67 | 3.11% |
| 1976 | $46.13 | 8.10% |
| 1977 | $47.38 | 2.70% |
| 1978 | $50.56 | 6.72% |
| 1979 | $56.42 | 11.58% |
| 1980 | $61.98 | 9.85% |
| 1981 | $66.39 | 7.12% |
| 1982 | $67.31 | 1.39% |
| 1983 | $68.12 | 1.20% |
| 1984 | $69.00 | 1.29% |
| 1985 | $70.30 | 1.88% |
| 1986 | $70.43 | 0.19% |
| 1987 | $72.17 | 2.48% |
| 1988 | $73.83 | 2.30% |
| 1989 | $78.78 | 6.70% |
| 1990 | $86.22 | 9.44% |
| 1991 | $85.25 | -1.13% |
| 1992 | $87.57 | 2.72% |
| 1993 | $88.15 | 0.67% |
| 1994 | $89.77 | 1.84% |
| 1995 | $90.52 | 0.83% |
| 1996 | $96.83 | 6.97% |
| 1997 | $99.15 | 2.40% |
| 1998 | $102.74 | 3.62% |
| 1999 | $108.75 | 5.85% |
| 2000 | $109.48 | 0.67% |
| 2001 | $113.84 | 3.98% |
| 2002 | $114.54 | 0.61% |
| 2003 | $114.38 | -0.14% |
| 2004 | $122.79 | 7.35% |
| 2005 | $124.28 | 1.21% |
| 2006 | $123.58 | -0.56% |
| 2007 | $132.72 | 7.39% |
| 2008 | $143.37 | 8.02% |
| 2009 | $134.25 | -6.36% |
| 2010 | $135.77 | 1.13% |
| 2011 | $144.97 | 6.78% |
| 2012 | $148.05 | 2.13% |
| 2013 | $148.25 | 0.13% |
| 2014 | $153.53 | 3.56% |
| 2015 | $151.56 | -1.28% |
| 2016 | $148.08 | -2.30% |
| 2017 | $148.18 | 0.07% |
| 2018 | $147.50 | -0.46% |
| 2019 | $149.02 | 1.03% |
| 2020 | $155.59 | 4.40% |
| 2021 | $157.70 | 1.36% |
| 2022 | $176.62 | 12.00% |
| 2023 | $183.66 | 3.99% |
| 2024 | $183.22 | -0.24% |
| 2025 | $184.76 | 0.84% |
| 2026 | $181.60 | -1.71%* |
* 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 | 2025 | 2026 |
| CPI | 15.325 | 15.983 | 16.567 | 15.667 | 15.058 | 15.950 | 17.600 | 19.700 | 21.175 | 21.000 | 21.067 | 25.950 | 29.283 | 32.200 | 29.350 | 29.042 | 32.383 | 33.767 | 33.175 | 32.117 | 32.050 | 32.900 | 33.833 | 34.358 | 34.608 | 35.350 | 35.892 | 35.683 | 35.575 | 35.867 | 36.008 | 38.317 | 39.992 | 41.325 | 42.650 | 44.725 | 46.117 | 46.858 | 51.158 | 60.733 | 62.625 | 67.700 | 69.525 | 74.200 | 82.792 | 90.950 | 97.425 | 98.783 | 99.967 | 101.258 | 103.158 | 103.358 | 105.917 | 108.350 | 115.608 | 126.525 | 125.100 | 128.508 | 129.367 | 131.742 | 132.833 | 142.092 | 145.500 | 150.767 | 159.592 | 160.667 | 167.067 | 168.092 | 167.858 | 180.200 | 182.383 | 181.358 | 194.769 | 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 | 268.875 | 271.138 | 266.491 |