According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for durables are 536.73% higher in 2024 versus 1937 (a $107.35 difference in value).
Between 1937 and 2024: Durables experienced an average inflation rate of 2.15% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, durables costing $20 in the year 1937 would cost $127.35 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.60% during this same period, inflation for durables was lower.
In the year 1937: Pricing changed by 6.84%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for durables during the 1937-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1937 (3.72%), inflation for durables was much higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Durables, over time, for $20 beginning in 1937. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1937 | $20.00 | 6.84% |
| 1938 | $20.19 | 0.93% |
| 1939 | $19.79 | -1.95% |
| 1940 | $19.65 | -0.73% |
| 1941 | $21.18 | 7.80% |
| 1942 | $23.89 | 12.81% |
| 1943 | $24.72 | 3.47% |
| 1944 | $27.12 | 9.72% |
| 1945 | $29.03 | 7.02% |
| 1946 | $30.39 | 4.71% |
| 1947 | $32.96 | 8.45% |
| 1948 | $35.36 | 7.29% |
| 1949 | $35.65 | 0.82% |
| 1950 | $36.23 | 1.63% |
| 1951 | $38.99 | 7.60% |
| 1952 | $39.34 | 0.90% |
| 1953 | $39.03 | -0.79% |
| 1954 | $38.03 | -2.55% |
| 1955 | $37.29 | -1.96% |
| 1956 | $37.35 | 0.18% |
| 1957 | $38.56 | 3.22% |
| 1958 | $39.14 | 1.51% |
| 1959 | $39.70 | 1.44% |
| 1960 | $39.48 | -0.56% |
| 1961 | $39.48 | 0.00% ** |
| 1962 | $39.87 | 0.99% |
| 1963 | $39.97 | 0.26% |
| 1964 | $40.32 | 0.86% |
| 1965 | $40.17 | -0.38% |
| 1966 | $40.21 | 0.10% |
| 1967 | $40.83 | 1.56% |
| 1968 | $42.07 | 3.02% |
| 1969 | $43.69 | 3.86% |
| 1970 | $45.63 | 4.43% |
| 1971 | $47.55 | 4.21% |
| 1972 | $48.57 | 2.14% |
| 1973 | $49.76 | 2.46% |
| 1974 | $53.31 | 7.14% |
| 1975 | $59.40 | 11.41% |
| 1976 | $63.02 | 6.10% |
| 1977 | $66.64 | 5.75% |
| 1978 | $70.99 | 6.52% |
| 1979 | $78.02 | 9.90% |
| 1980 | $85.90 | 10.09% |
| 1981 | $92.75 | 7.98% |
| 1982 | $98.43 | 6.12% |
| 1983 | $103.31 | 4.96% |
| 1984 | $108.80 | 5.31% |
| 1985 | $110.52 | 1.58% |
| 1986 | $110.33 | -0.17% |
| 1987 | $112.00 | 1.52% |
| 1988 | $114.25 | 2.01% |
| 1989 | $116.10 | 1.62% |
| 1990 | $117.41 | 1.12% |
| 1991 | $120.08 | 2.28% |
| 1992 | $122.75 | 2.22% |
| 1993 | $125.54 | 2.27% |
| 1994 | $129.18 | 2.91% |
| 1995 | $132.50 | 2.56% |
| 1996 | $133.91 | 1.07% |
| 1997 | $133.25 | -0.49% |
| 1998 | $132.05 | -0.90% |
| 1999 | $130.40 | -1.25% |
| 2000 | $129.79 | -0.47% |
| 2001 | $129.00 | -0.61% |
| 2002 | $125.69 | -2.57% |
| 2003 | $121.63 | -3.23% |
| 2004 | $118.81 | -2.32% |
| 2005 | $119.31 | 0.42% |
| 2006 | $118.50 | -0.68% |
| 2007 | $116.43 | -1.74% |
| 2008 | $114.78 | -1.42% |
| 2009 | $113.73 | -0.92% |
| 2010 | $115.24 | 1.33% |
| 2011 | $116.52 | 1.11% |
| 2012 | $116.76 | 0.21% |
| 2013 | $115.83 | -0.80% |
| 2014 | $114.23 | -1.38% |
| 2015 | $112.96 | -1.12% |
| 2016 | $111.05 | -1.68% |
| 2017 | $108.99 | -1.86% |
| 2018 | $108.10 | -0.82% |
| 2019 | $108.47 | 0.35% |
| 2020 | $109.44 | 0.90% |
| 2021 | $121.04 | 10.59% |
| 2022 | $132.58 | 9.54% |
| 2023 | $130.86 | -1.30% |
| 2024 | $127.35 | -2.69%* |
* 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 Durables:
| 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 | 17.800 | 18.083 | 19.320 | 19.500 | 19.120 | 18.980 | 20.460 | 23.080 | 23.880 | 26.200 | 28.040 | 29.360 | 31.840 | 34.160 | 34.440 | 35.000 | 37.660 | 38.000 | 37.700 | 36.740 | 36.020 | 36.085 | 37.246 | 37.808 | 38.354 | 38.138 | 38.138 | 38.515 | 38.615 | 38.946 | 38.800 | 38.838 | 39.446 | 40.638 | 42.208 | 44.077 | 45.931 | 46.915 | 48.069 | 51.500 | 57.377 | 60.877 | 64.377 | 68.577 | 75.369 | 82.977 | 89.600 | 95.085 | 99.800 | 105.100 | 106.762 | 106.577 | 108.192 | 110.369 | 112.154 | 113.415 | 116.000 | 118.577 | 121.269 | 124.792 | 127.992 | 129.362 | 128.723 | 127.562 | 125.969 | 125.377 | 124.615 | 121.415 | 117.492 | 114.769 | 115.254 | 114.469 | 112.473 | 110.877 | 109.859 | 111.324 | 112.557 | 112.790 | 111.889 | 110.349 | 109.116 | 107.279 | 105.283 | 104.420 | 104.781 | 105.723 | 116.923 | 128.077 | 126.415 | 123.017 |