Fish priced at $20 in 1978 $96.11 in 2025

Fish Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Fish, 1978-2025 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for fish and seafood are 380.57% higher in 2025 versus 1978 (a $76.11 difference in value).

Between 1978 and 2025: Fish experienced an average inflation rate of 3.40% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, fish costing $20 in the year 1978 would cost $96.11 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.43% during this same period, inflation for fish was lower.

In the year 1978: Pricing changed by 9.44%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for fish during the 1978-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1978 (7.63%), inflation for fish was higher.

Price Inflation for Fish and seafood since 1935

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1942 (31%), 1943 (26.60%), and 1948 (15.36%).

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Buying power of $20.00 since 1978

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Fish, 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$20.009.44%
1979$21.959.76%
1980$23.999.27%
1981$25.988.32%
1982$26.923.60%
1983$27.221.14%
1984$28.093.20%
1985$29.484.94%
1986$32.189.17%
1987$35.6110.65%
1988$37.665.75%
1989$39.364.51%
1990$40.222.19%
1991$40.651.08%
1992$41.582.28%
1993$42.933.25%
1994$44.874.51%
1995$47.044.84%
1996$47.450.86%
1997$48.552.33%
1998$49.812.59%
1999$50.791.97%
2000$52.182.73%
2001$52.380.38%
2002$51.55-1.58%
2003$52.081.03%
2004$53.272.28%
2005$54.852.96%
2006$57.434.71%
2007$60.064.57%
2008$63.635.95%
2009$65.943.63%
2010$66.671.11%
2011$71.417.10%
2012$73.092.36%
2013$74.902.48%
2014$79.225.76%
2015$78.48-0.93%
2016$77.91-0.72%
2017$78.861.21%
2018$80.532.12%
2019$81.821.61%
2020$84.493.26%
2021$89.055.39%
2022$97.209.15%
2023$97.500.31%
2024$95.69-1.86%
2025$96.110.45%*

* 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 Fish and seafood:

Year1935193619371938193919401941194219431944194519461947194819491950195119521953195419551956195719581959196019611962196319641965196619671968196919701971197219731974197519761977197819791980198119821983198419851986198719881989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
CPI6.1696.2006.3236.3626.3316.9547.81510.23812.96213.01513.62314.83117.03119.64619.73819.36922.12321.53820.74620.84620.40020.38520.67722.09222.50022.50022.99223.97723.93123.36924.06225.62326.49226.93828.40031.26934.49237.58543.15449.73153.84660.22366.66972.96280.08587.50894.78598.19299.308102.485107.546117.408129.915137.385143.585146.723148.308151.685156.615163.685171.608173.085177.123181.715185.300190.354191.077188.054189.992194.331200.085209.508219.087232.122240.556243.229260.493266.652273.256289.007286.308284.233287.676293.767298.493308.232324.857354.576355.683349.067350.635

Adjust fish prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2025 / CPI in 1978 * 1978 USD value = 2025 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Fish and seafood was 72.962 in the year 1978 and 350.635 in 2025:

350.635 / 72.962 * $20 = $96.11

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1978 has the same "purchasing power" as $96.11 in 2025 (in the CPI category of Fish and seafood).


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

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