Durables priced at $20 in 1978 $35.88 in 2024

Durables Inflation Calculator

$

Prices for Durables, 1978-2024 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for durables are 79.39% higher in 2024 versus 1978 (a $15.88 difference in value).

Between 1978 and 2024: Durables experienced an average inflation rate of 1.28% per year. In other words, durables costing $20 in the year 1978 would cost $35.88 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.47% during this same period, inflation for durables was lower.

In the year 1978: Pricing changed by 6.52%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for durables during the 1978-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1978 (7.63%), inflation for durables was lower.

Price Inflation for Durables since 1935

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1942 (12.81%), 1975 (11.41%), and 2021 (10.59%).

View price changes for other categories
Admission to sporting events · New York · Minneapolis-St Paul, Minnesota · Houston, Texas · More

Buying power of $20.00 since 1978

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Durables, over time, for $20 beginning in 1978. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1978$20.006.52%
1979$21.989.90%
1980$24.2010.09%
1981$26.137.98%
1982$27.736.12%
1983$29.114.96%
1984$30.655.31%
1985$31.141.58%
1986$31.08-0.17%
1987$31.551.52%
1988$32.192.01%
1989$32.711.62%
1990$33.081.12%
1991$33.832.28%
1992$34.582.22%
1993$35.372.27%
1994$36.392.91%
1995$37.332.56%
1996$37.731.07%
1997$37.54-0.49%
1998$37.20-0.90%
1999$36.74-1.25%
2000$36.57-0.47%
2001$36.34-0.61%
2002$35.41-2.57%
2003$34.27-3.23%
2004$33.47-2.32%
2005$33.610.42%
2006$33.38-0.68%
2007$32.80-1.74%
2008$32.34-1.42%
2009$32.04-0.92%
2010$32.471.33%
2011$32.831.11%
2012$32.890.21%
2013$32.63-0.80%
2014$32.18-1.38%
2015$31.82-1.12%
2016$31.29-1.68%
2017$30.71-1.86%
2018$30.45-0.82%
2019$30.560.35%
2020$30.830.90%
2021$34.1010.59%
2022$37.359.54%
2023$36.87-1.30%
2024$35.88-2.69%*

* 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:

Year193519361937193819391940194119421943194419451946194719481949195019511952195319541955195619571958195919601961196219631964196519661967196819691970197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
CPI17.80018.08319.32019.50019.12018.98020.46023.08023.88026.20028.04029.36031.84034.16034.44035.00037.66038.00037.70036.74036.02036.08537.24637.80838.35438.13838.13838.51538.61538.94638.80038.83839.44640.63842.20844.07745.93146.91548.06951.50057.37760.87764.37768.57775.36982.97789.60095.08599.800105.100106.762106.577108.192110.369112.154113.415116.000118.577121.269124.792127.992129.362128.723127.562125.969125.377124.615121.415117.492114.769115.254114.469112.473110.877109.859111.324112.557112.790111.889110.349109.116107.279105.283104.420104.781105.723116.923128.077126.415123.017

Adjust durables prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2024 / CPI in 1978 * 1978 USD value = 2024 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Durables was 68.577 in the year 1978 and 123.017 in 2024:

123.017 / 68.577 * $20 = $35.88

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1978 has the same "purchasing power" as $35.88 in 2024 (in the CPI category of Durables).


Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Durables in 1935. In addition to durables, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.

» Read more about inflation and investment.