According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for durables are 547.55% higher in 2026 versus 1939 (a $109.51 difference in value).
Between 1939 and 2026:Durables experienced an average inflation rate of 2.17% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, durables costing $20 in the year 1939 would cost $129.51 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.69% during this same period, inflation for durables was lower.
In the year 1939: Pricing changed by -2.38%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for durables during the 1939-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1939 (-1.30%), inflation for durables was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Durables, over time, for $20 beginning in 1939. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1939 | $20.00 | -2.38% |
| 1940 | $19.84 | -0.78% |
| 1941 | $20.92 | 5.40% |
| 1942 | $24.02 | 14.83% |
| 1943 | $24.78 | 3.19% |
| 1944 | $26.89 | 8.51% |
| 1945 | $29.18 | 8.49% |
| 1946 | $30.36 | 4.06% |
| 1947 | $32.92 | 8.41% |
| 1948 | $35.38 | 7.49% |
| 1949 | $36.16 | 2.19% |
| 1950 | $36.26 | 0.29% |
| 1951 | $39.11 | 7.86% |
| 1952 | $39.76 | 1.65% |
| 1953 | $39.53 | -0.57% |
| 1954 | $38.56 | -2.45% |
| 1955 | $37.72 | -2.19% |
| 1956 | $37.73 | 0.05% |
| 1957 | $38.95 | 3.23% |
| 1958 | $39.54 | 1.50% |
| 1959 | $40.10 | 1.43% |
| 1960 | $39.89 | -0.54% |
| 1961 | $39.89 | 0.00% ** |
| 1962 | $40.28 | 0.98% |
| 1963 | $40.38 | 0.26% |
| 1964 | $40.72 | 0.84% |
| 1965 | $40.58 | -0.36% |
| 1966 | $40.61 | 0.09% |
| 1967 | $41.25 | 1.59% |
| 1968 | $42.49 | 3.00% |
| 1969 | $44.14 | 3.88% |
| 1970 | $46.09 | 4.42% |
| 1971 | $48.03 | 4.20% |
| 1972 | $49.06 | 2.16% |
| 1973 | $50.27 | 2.45% |
| 1974 | $53.86 | 7.14% |
| 1975 | $60.00 | 11.41% |
| 1976 | $63.66 | 6.10% |
| 1977 | $67.32 | 5.75% |
| 1978 | $71.71 | 6.52% |
| 1979 | $78.81 | 9.90% |
| 1980 | $86.77 | 10.10% |
| 1981 | $93.70 | 7.98% |
| 1982 | $99.43 | 6.12% |
| 1983 | $104.37 | 4.96% |
| 1984 | $109.91 | 5.31% |
| 1985 | $111.64 | 1.58% |
| 1986 | $111.45 | -0.17% |
| 1987 | $113.14 | 1.52% |
| 1988 | $115.42 | 2.01% |
| 1989 | $117.28 | 1.62% |
| 1990 | $118.61 | 1.13% |
| 1991 | $121.31 | 2.28% |
| 1992 | $124.00 | 2.22% |
| 1993 | $126.81 | 2.27% |
| 1994 | $130.50 | 2.91% |
| 1995 | $133.85 | 2.56% |
| 1996 | $135.28 | 1.07% |
| 1997 | $134.61 | -0.49% |
| 1998 | $133.39 | -0.91% |
| 1999 | $131.73 | -1.25% |
| 2000 | $131.11 | -0.47% |
| 2001 | $130.32 | -0.60% |
| 2002 | $126.97 | -2.57% |
| 2003 | $122.87 | -3.23% |
| 2004 | $120.02 | -2.32% |
| 2005 | $120.52 | 0.42% |
| 2006 | $119.70 | -0.68% |
| 2007 | $117.62 | -1.74% |
| 2008 | $115.95 | -1.42% |
| 2009 | $114.89 | -0.92% |
| 2010 | $116.42 | 1.33% |
| 2011 | $117.71 | 1.11% |
| 2012 | $117.95 | 0.21% |
| 2013 | $117.01 | -0.80% |
| 2014 | $115.40 | -1.38% |
| 2015 | $114.11 | -1.12% |
| 2016 | $112.19 | -1.68% |
| 2017 | $110.10 | -1.86% |
| 2018 | $109.20 | -0.82% |
| 2019 | $109.57 | 0.35% |
| 2020 | $110.56 | 0.90% |
| 2021 | $122.27 | 10.59% |
| 2022 | $133.94 | 9.54% |
| 2023 | $132.20 | -1.30% |
| 2024 | $128.45 | -2.83% |
| 2025 | $129.14 | 0.54% |
| 2026 | $129.51 | 0.29%* |
* 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 | 2025 | 2026 |
| CPI | 17.790 | 18.050 | 19.083 | 19.592 | 19.125 | 18.975 | 20.000 | 22.967 | 23.700 | 25.717 | 27.900 | 29.033 | 31.475 | 33.833 | 34.575 | 34.675 | 37.400 | 38.017 | 37.800 | 36.875 | 36.067 | 36.083 | 37.250 | 37.808 | 38.350 | 38.142 | 38.142 | 38.517 | 38.617 | 38.942 | 38.800 | 38.833 | 39.450 | 40.633 | 42.208 | 44.075 | 45.925 | 46.917 | 48.067 | 51.500 | 57.375 | 60.875 | 64.375 | 68.575 | 75.367 | 82.975 | 89.600 | 95.083 | 99.800 | 105.100 | 106.758 | 106.575 | 108.192 | 110.367 | 112.150 | 113.417 | 116.000 | 118.575 | 121.267 | 124.792 | 127.992 | 129.358 | 128.725 | 127.558 | 125.967 | 125.375 | 124.617 | 121.417 | 117.492 | 114.767 | 115.250 | 114.467 | 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 | 122.831 | 123.490 | 123.844 |