According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for energy services were 153.68% higher in 2021 versus 1981 (a $30.74 difference in value).
Between 1981 and 2021: Energy services experienced an average inflation rate of 2.35% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, energy services costing $20 in the year 1981 would cost $50.74 in 2021 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.68% during this same period, inflation for energy services was lower.
In the year 1981: Pricing changed by 14.60%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for energy services during the 1981-2021 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1981 (10.33%), inflation for energy services was much higher.
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 |
| CPI | 20.400 | 19.983 | 19.620 | 19.620 | 19.600 | 19.440 | 19.269 | 19.185 | 19.077 | 19.015 | 18.869 | 18.323 | 18.269 | 18.708 | 19.208 | 19.208 | 19.300 | 19.531 | 19.938 | 20.185 | 20.692 | 20.931 | 21.131 | 21.892 | 22.438 | 23.338 | 23.515 | 23.515 | 23.508 | 23.523 | 23.485 | 23.577 | 23.669 | 23.877 | 24.323 | 25.385 | 27.146 | 28.515 | 29.908 | 34.492 | 40.138 | 44.715 | 50.492 | 55.031 | 61.008 | 71.423 | 81.854 | 93.192 | 101.454 | 105.354 | 107.115 | 105.715 | 103.831 | 104.631 | 107.538 | 109.331 | 112.600 | 114.785 | 118.500 | 119.231 | 119.177 | 122.062 | 125.062 | 121.238 | 120.854 | 128.031 | 142.408 | 134.408 | 145.031 | 150.623 | 166.523 | 182.108 | 186.262 | 202.212 | 193.563 | 192.886 | 194.386 | 189.679 | 194.810 | 203.374 | 198.708 | 196.059 | 202.691 | 203.815 | 203.454 | 204.508 | 207.649 |
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Energy services, over time, for $20 beginning in 1981. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | $20.00 | 14.60% |
| 1982 | $22.77 | 13.85% |
| 1983 | $24.79 | 8.87% |
| 1984 | $25.74 | 3.84% |
| 1985 | $26.17 | 1.67% |
| 1986 | $25.83 | -1.31% |
| 1987 | $25.37 | -1.78% |
| 1988 | $25.57 | 0.77% |
| 1989 | $26.28 | 2.78% |
| 1990 | $26.71 | 1.67% |
| 1991 | $27.51 | 2.99% |
| 1992 | $28.05 | 1.94% |
| 1993 | $28.95 | 3.24% |
| 1994 | $29.13 | 0.62% |
| 1995 | $29.12 | -0.05% |
| 1996 | $29.82 | 2.42% |
| 1997 | $30.56 | 2.46% |
| 1998 | $29.62 | -3.06% |
| 1999 | $29.53 | -0.32% |
| 2000 | $31.28 | 5.94% |
| 2001 | $34.80 | 11.23% |
| 2002 | $32.84 | -5.62% |
| 2003 | $35.44 | 7.90% |
| 2004 | $36.80 | 3.86% |
| 2005 | $40.69 | 10.56% |
| 2006 | $44.50 | 9.36% |
| 2007 | $45.51 | 2.28% |
| 2008 | $49.41 | 8.56% |
| 2009 | $47.29 | -4.28% |
| 2010 | $47.13 | -0.35% |
| 2011 | $47.50 | 0.78% |
| 2012 | $46.35 | -2.42% |
| 2013 | $47.60 | 2.70% |
| 2014 | $49.69 | 4.40% |
| 2015 | $48.55 | -2.29% |
| 2016 | $47.90 | -1.33% |
| 2017 | $49.53 | 3.38% |
| 2018 | $49.80 | 0.55% |
| 2019 | $49.71 | -0.18% |
| 2020 | $49.97 | 0.52% |
| 2021 | $50.74 | 1.54%* |