According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for durables are 543.39% higher in 2024 versus 1939 (a $108.68 difference in value).
Between 1939 and 2024: Durables experienced an average inflation rate of 2.21% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, durables costing $20 in the year 1939 would cost $128.68 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.73% during this same period, inflation for durables was lower.
In the year 1939: Pricing changed by -1.95%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for durables during the 1939-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1939 (-1.31%), 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 | -1.95% |
| 1940 | $19.85 | -0.73% |
| 1941 | $21.40 | 7.80% |
| 1942 | $24.14 | 12.81% |
| 1943 | $24.98 | 3.47% |
| 1944 | $27.41 | 9.72% |
| 1945 | $29.33 | 7.02% |
| 1946 | $30.71 | 4.71% |
| 1947 | $33.31 | 8.45% |
| 1948 | $35.73 | 7.29% |
| 1949 | $36.03 | 0.82% |
| 1950 | $36.61 | 1.63% |
| 1951 | $39.39 | 7.60% |
| 1952 | $39.75 | 0.90% |
| 1953 | $39.44 | -0.79% |
| 1954 | $38.43 | -2.55% |
| 1955 | $37.68 | -1.96% |
| 1956 | $37.75 | 0.18% |
| 1957 | $38.96 | 3.22% |
| 1958 | $39.55 | 1.51% |
| 1959 | $40.12 | 1.44% |
| 1960 | $39.89 | -0.56% |
| 1961 | $39.89 | 0.00% ** |
| 1962 | $40.29 | 0.99% |
| 1963 | $40.39 | 0.26% |
| 1964 | $40.74 | 0.86% |
| 1965 | $40.59 | -0.38% |
| 1966 | $40.63 | 0.10% |
| 1967 | $41.26 | 1.56% |
| 1968 | $42.51 | 3.02% |
| 1969 | $44.15 | 3.86% |
| 1970 | $46.11 | 4.43% |
| 1971 | $48.04 | 4.21% |
| 1972 | $49.07 | 2.14% |
| 1973 | $50.28 | 2.46% |
| 1974 | $53.87 | 7.14% |
| 1975 | $60.02 | 11.41% |
| 1976 | $63.68 | 6.10% |
| 1977 | $67.34 | 5.75% |
| 1978 | $71.73 | 6.52% |
| 1979 | $78.84 | 9.90% |
| 1980 | $86.80 | 10.09% |
| 1981 | $93.72 | 7.98% |
| 1982 | $99.46 | 6.12% |
| 1983 | $104.39 | 4.96% |
| 1984 | $109.94 | 5.31% |
| 1985 | $111.68 | 1.58% |
| 1986 | $111.48 | -0.17% |
| 1987 | $113.17 | 1.52% |
| 1988 | $115.45 | 2.01% |
| 1989 | $117.32 | 1.62% |
| 1990 | $118.64 | 1.12% |
| 1991 | $121.34 | 2.28% |
| 1992 | $124.03 | 2.22% |
| 1993 | $126.85 | 2.27% |
| 1994 | $130.54 | 2.91% |
| 1995 | $133.88 | 2.56% |
| 1996 | $135.32 | 1.07% |
| 1997 | $134.65 | -0.49% |
| 1998 | $133.43 | -0.90% |
| 1999 | $131.77 | -1.25% |
| 2000 | $131.15 | -0.47% |
| 2001 | $130.35 | -0.61% |
| 2002 | $127.00 | -2.57% |
| 2003 | $122.90 | -3.23% |
| 2004 | $120.05 | -2.32% |
| 2005 | $120.56 | 0.42% |
| 2006 | $119.74 | -0.68% |
| 2007 | $117.65 | -1.74% |
| 2008 | $115.98 | -1.42% |
| 2009 | $114.92 | -0.92% |
| 2010 | $116.45 | 1.33% |
| 2011 | $117.74 | 1.11% |
| 2012 | $117.98 | 0.21% |
| 2013 | $117.04 | -0.80% |
| 2014 | $115.43 | -1.38% |
| 2015 | $114.14 | -1.12% |
| 2016 | $112.22 | -1.68% |
| 2017 | $110.13 | -1.86% |
| 2018 | $109.23 | -0.82% |
| 2019 | $109.60 | 0.35% |
| 2020 | $110.59 | 0.90% |
| 2021 | $122.30 | 10.59% |
| 2022 | $133.97 | 9.54% |
| 2023 | $132.23 | -1.30% |
| 2024 | $128.68 | -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 |