According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for energy services are 1,434.19% higher in 2026 versus 1948 (a $286.84 difference in value).
Between 1948 and 2026:Energy services experienced an average inflation rate of 3.56% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, energy services costing $20 in the year 1948 would cost $306.84 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.39% during this same period, inflation for energy services was higher.
In the year 1948: Pricing changed by 2.37%, which is below the average yearly change for energy services during the 1948-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1948 (7.69%), inflation for energy services was much lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Energy services, over time, for $20 beginning in 1948. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1948 | $20.00 | 2.37% |
| 1949 | $20.53 | 2.67% |
| 1950 | $20.53 | 0.00% ** |
| 1951 | $20.63 | 0.48% |
| 1952 | $20.88 | 1.21% |
| 1953 | $21.32 | 2.09% |
| 1954 | $21.58 | 1.21% |
| 1955 | $22.12 | 2.52% |
| 1956 | $22.38 | 1.17% |
| 1957 | $22.59 | 0.96% |
| 1958 | $23.40 | 3.59% |
| 1959 | $23.99 | 2.51% |
| 1960 | $24.95 | 4.01% |
| 1961 | $25.14 | 0.75% |
| 1962 | $25.14 | 0.00% ** |
| 1963 | $25.13 | -0.04% |
| 1964 | $25.15 | 0.07% |
| 1965 | $25.10 | -0.18% |
| 1966 | $25.20 | 0.39% |
| 1967 | $25.30 | 0.39% |
| 1968 | $25.52 | 0.88% |
| 1969 | $26.00 | 1.88% |
| 1970 | $27.14 | 4.35% |
| 1971 | $29.02 | 6.96% |
| 1972 | $30.49 | 5.03% |
| 1973 | $31.97 | 4.88% |
| 1974 | $36.87 | 15.32% |
| 1975 | $42.91 | 16.38% |
| 1976 | $47.80 | 11.40% |
| 1977 | $53.98 | 12.91% |
| 1978 | $58.83 | 8.99% |
| 1979 | $65.22 | 10.86% |
| 1980 | $76.36 | 17.07% |
| 1981 | $87.50 | 14.60% |
| 1982 | $99.63 | 13.86% |
| 1983 | $108.45 | 8.86% |
| 1984 | $112.62 | 3.84% |
| 1985 | $114.51 | 1.68% |
| 1986 | $113.02 | -1.31% |
| 1987 | $111.00 | -1.78% |
| 1988 | $111.86 | 0.77% |
| 1989 | $114.97 | 2.78% |
| 1990 | $116.88 | 1.67% |
| 1991 | $120.37 | 2.99% |
| 1992 | $122.71 | 1.94% |
| 1993 | $126.68 | 3.24% |
| 1994 | $127.47 | 0.62% |
| 1995 | $127.40 | -0.05% |
| 1996 | $130.49 | 2.42% |
| 1997 | $133.69 | 2.46% |
| 1998 | $129.61 | -3.05% |
| 1999 | $129.19 | -0.32% |
| 2000 | $136.87 | 5.94% |
| 2001 | $152.24 | 11.23% |
| 2002 | $143.69 | -5.62% |
| 2003 | $155.05 | 7.91% |
| 2004 | $161.02 | 3.86% |
| 2005 | $178.02 | 10.56% |
| 2006 | $194.68 | 9.36% |
| 2007 | $199.12 | 2.28% |
| 2008 | $216.17 | 8.56% |
| 2009 | $206.93 | -4.28% |
| 2010 | $206.20 | -0.35% |
| 2011 | $207.81 | 0.78% |
| 2012 | $202.77 | -2.42% |
| 2013 | $208.26 | 2.70% |
| 2014 | $217.42 | 4.40% |
| 2015 | $212.43 | -2.29% |
| 2016 | $209.60 | -1.33% |
| 2017 | $216.69 | 3.38% |
| 2018 | $217.89 | 0.55% |
| 2019 | $217.50 | -0.18% |
| 2020 | $218.63 | 0.52% |
| 2021 | $233.97 | 7.02% |
| 2022 | $271.63 | 16.09% |
| 2023 | $278.56 | 2.55% |
| 2024 | $286.55 | 2.87% |
| 2025 | $303.62 | 5.96% |
| 2026 | $306.84 | 1.06%* |
* 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 Energy services:
| 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 | 20.410 | 19.992 | 19.675 | 19.625 | 19.600 | 19.483 | 19.267 | 19.183 | 19.075 | 19.017 | 18.875 | 18.325 | 18.275 | 18.708 | 19.208 | 19.208 | 19.300 | 19.533 | 19.942 | 20.183 | 20.692 | 20.933 | 21.133 | 21.892 | 22.442 | 23.342 | 23.517 | 23.517 | 23.508 | 23.525 | 23.483 | 23.575 | 23.667 | 23.875 | 24.325 | 25.383 | 27.150 | 28.517 | 29.908 | 34.492 | 40.142 | 44.717 | 50.492 | 55.033 | 61.008 | 71.425 | 81.850 | 93.192 | 101.450 | 105.350 | 107.117 | 105.717 | 103.833 | 104.633 | 107.542 | 109.333 | 112.600 | 114.783 | 118.500 | 119.233 | 119.175 | 122.058 | 125.058 | 121.242 | 120.850 | 128.033 | 142.408 | 134.408 | 145.033 | 150.625 | 166.525 | 182.108 | 186.262 | 202.212 | 193.563 | 192.886 | 194.386 | 189.679 | 194.809 | 203.374 | 198.708 | 196.059 | 202.691 | 203.815 | 203.454 | 204.508 | 218.863 | 254.085 | 260.571 | 268.041 | 284.015 | 287.021 |