According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for food at home are 881.71% higher in 2024 versus 1959 (a $176.34 difference in value).
Between 1959 and 2024: Food at home experienced an average inflation rate of 3.58% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, food at home costing $20 in the year 1959 would cost $196.34 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.72% during this same period, inflation for food at home was lower.
In the year 1959: Pricing changed by -2.41%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for food at home during the 1959-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1959 (0.99%), inflation for food at home was much lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Food at home, over time, for $20 beginning in 1959. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1959 | $20.00 | -2.41% |
| 1960 | $20.18 | 0.91% |
| 1961 | $20.35 | 0.85% |
| 1962 | $20.50 | 0.70% |
| 1963 | $20.75 | 1.25% |
| 1964 | $21.00 | 1.19% |
| 1965 | $21.48 | 2.28% |
| 1966 | $22.58 | 5.14% |
| 1967 | $22.50 | -0.35% |
| 1968 | $23.23 | 3.24% |
| 1969 | $24.37 | 4.88% |
| 1970 | $25.59 | 5.00% |
| 1971 | $26.21 | 2.43% |
| 1972 | $27.37 | 4.44% |
| 1973 | $31.83 | 16.30% |
| 1974 | $36.56 | 14.85% |
| 1975 | $39.58 | 8.25% |
| 1976 | $40.41 | 2.12% |
| 1977 | $42.81 | 5.93% |
| 1978 | $47.32 | 10.53% |
| 1979 | $52.43 | 10.81% |
| 1980 | $56.63 | 8.00% |
| 1981 | $60.76 | 7.30% |
| 1982 | $62.86 | 3.45% |
| 1983 | $63.52 | 1.06% |
| 1984 | $65.88 | 3.70% |
| 1985 | $66.82 | 1.44% |
| 1986 | $68.74 | 2.86% |
| 1987 | $71.70 | 4.32% |
| 1988 | $74.70 | 4.17% |
| 1989 | $79.60 | 6.57% |
| 1990 | $84.80 | 6.53% |
| 1991 | $87.05 | 2.66% |
| 1992 | $87.69 | 0.72% |
| 1993 | $89.76 | 2.37% |
| 1994 | $92.34 | 2.87% |
| 1995 | $95.33 | 3.24% |
| 1996 | $98.89 | 3.73% |
| 1997 | $101.35 | 2.49% |
| 1998 | $103.26 | 1.89% |
| 1999 | $105.24 | 1.91% |
| 2000 | $107.59 | 2.24% |
| 2001 | $111.11 | 3.27% |
| 2002 | $112.55 | 1.30% |
| 2003 | $114.97 | 2.15% |
| 2004 | $119.32 | 3.79% |
| 2005 | $121.62 | 1.93% |
| 2006 | $123.76 | 1.76% |
| 2007 | $128.97 | 4.21% |
| 2008 | $137.23 | 6.40% |
| 2009 | $137.87 | 0.47% |
| 2010 | $138.32 | 0.33% |
| 2011 | $144.96 | 4.80% |
| 2012 | $148.54 | 2.46% |
| 2013 | $149.88 | 0.90% |
| 2014 | $153.46 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | $155.25 | 1.17% |
| 2016 | $153.21 | -1.31% |
| 2017 | $152.90 | -0.20% |
| 2018 | $153.59 | 0.45% |
| 2019 | $154.95 | 0.88% |
| 2020 | $160.37 | 3.50% |
| 2021 | $165.92 | 3.46% |
| 2022 | $184.86 | 11.42% |
| 2023 | $194.14 | 5.02% |
| 2024 | $196.34 | 1.14%* |
* 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 Food at home:
| Year | 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 | 25.838 | 28.000 | 26.900 | 27.254 | 30.308 | 30.862 | 30.285 | 30.123 | 29.508 | 29.677 | 30.638 | 31.977 | 31.208 | 31.492 | 31.762 | 31.985 | 32.385 | 32.769 | 33.515 | 35.238 | 35.115 | 36.254 | 38.023 | 39.923 | 40.892 | 42.708 | 49.669 | 57.046 | 61.754 | 63.062 | 66.800 | 73.831 | 81.815 | 88.362 | 94.815 | 98.085 | 99.123 | 102.792 | 104.269 | 107.254 | 111.885 | 116.554 | 124.208 | 132.315 | 135.838 | 136.823 | 140.062 | 144.085 | 148.754 | 154.300 | 158.138 | 161.131 | 164.208 | 167.885 | 173.369 | 175.615 | 179.392 | 186.185 | 189.777 | 193.115 | 201.245 | 214.125 | 215.124 | 215.836 | 226.201 | 231.774 | 233.869 | 239.456 | 242.250 | 239.065 | 238.589 | 239.661 | 241.775 | 250.233 | 258.892 | 288.451 | 302.929 | 306.369 |