Hot dogs priced at $5 in 1951 → $40.25 in 2022

Hot Dogs Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Hot Dogs, 1951-2022 ($5)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for frankfurters are 704.99% higher in 2022 versus 1951 (a $35.25 difference in value).

The current national average price is $5.22 for "Frankfurters, all meat or all beef, per lb. (453.6 gm)". This data is collected by a national survey and can vary from region to region.

Between 1951 and 2022: Hot dogs experienced an average inflation rate of 2.98% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, hot dogs costing $5 in the year 1951 would cost $40.25 in 2022 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.44% during this same period, inflation for hot dogs was lower.

Price Inflation for Frankfurters since 1951

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1973 (30.12%), 1978 (24%), and 1979 (17.59%).

Price history

The average price for Hot dogs is calculated from a weighted average of retailer data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Inflation rate is also calculated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The table below shows average prices and their corresponding "real" prices adjusted for inflation rate. To understand how price levels differ from inflation rates, see this article published by the BLS.

Average prices for Frankfurters, all meat or all beef, per lb. (453.6 gm):

Year Average price (Hot dogs) Inflation adjusted price (2022 dollars)
2022 $5.22 (latest available value) $5.22
2021 $4.01 $4.29
2020 $3.54 $3.81
2019 $3.10 $3.60
2018 $2.92 $3.43
2017 $2.85 $3.39
2016 $3.24 $3.88
2015 $3.57 $4.19
2014 $2.27 $2.84
2013 $2.27 $2.96
2012 $2.27 $2.96
2011 $2.27 $3.04
2010 $2.27 $3.24
2009 $2.27 $3.24
2008 $2.27 $3.30
2007 $2.27 $3.41
2006 $2.27 $3.57
2005 $2.27 $3.62
2004 $2.27 $3.63
2003 $2.27 $3.68
2002 $2.27 $3.89
2001 $2.27 $3.94
2000 $2.27 $4.12
1999 $2.27 $4.21
1998 $2.27 $4.23
1997 $2.27 $4.21
1996 $2.08 $3.95
1995 $2.03 $3.95
1994 $2.11 $4.14
1993 $2.11 $4.28
1992 $2.24 $4.61
1991 $2.35 $4.79
1990 $2.29 $4.79
1989 $2.06 $4.80
1988 $2.02 $4.85
1987 $1.99 $4.91
1986 $1.93 $5.11
1985 $1.81 $4.91
1984 $1.80 $4.87
1983 $1.81 $4.90
1982 $1.82 $4.88
1981 $1.77 $4.95
1980 $1.72 $5.03
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Buying power of $5.00 since 1951

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Hot dogs, over time, for $5 beginning in 1951. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

Year USD Value Inflation Rate
1951 $5.00 -
1952 $4.92 -1.51%
1953 $4.48 -8.98%
1954 $4.29 -4.27%
1955 $4.11 -4.17%
1956 $4.03 -2.03%
1957 $4.39 9.10%
1958 $5.02 14.16%
1959 $4.97 -1.03%
1960 $4.84 -2.47%
1961 $4.92 1.61%
1962 $4.94 0.40%
1963 $4.93 -0.16%
1964 $4.89 -0.81%
1965 $5.21 6.47%
1966 $5.69 9.28%
1967 $5.60 -1.55%
1968 $5.62 0.22%
1969 $6.10 8.67%
1970 $6.51 6.68%
1971 $6.44 -1.04%
1972 $6.99 8.41%
1973 $9.09 30.12%
1974 $8.96 -1.39%
1975 $9.28 3.49%
1976 $9.35 0.80%
1977 $9.13 -2.40%
1978 $11.32 24.00%
1979 $13.31 17.59%
1980 $13.78 3.53%
1981 $14.38 4.41%
1982 $14.98 4.16%
1983 $14.85 -0.86%
1984 $14.86 0.02%
1985 $14.88 0.16%
1986 $15.20 2.16%
1987 $16.31 7.26%
1988 $16.79 2.97%
1989 $17.29 2.98%
1990 $19.25 11.35%
1991 $19.79 2.82%
1992 $19.56 -1.18%
1993 $19.80 1.22%
1994 $20.52 3.65%
1995 $20.66 0.67%
1996 $21.17 2.49%
1997 $21.64 2.22%
1998 $21.54 -0.48%
1999 $21.67 0.62%
2000 $22.14 2.15%
2001 $23.14 4.54%
2002 $23.42 1.17%
2003 $24.77 5.76%
2004 $25.10 1.35%
2005 $25.20 0.41%
2006 $25.56 1.44%
2007 $26.72 4.52%
2008 $27.61 3.35%
2009 $28.13 1.87%
2010 $28.11 -0.07%
2011 $29.99 6.69%
2012 $30.81 2.74%
2013 $30.78 -0.11%
2014 $32.15 4.44%
2015 $34.32 6.75%
2016 $33.58 -2.16%
2017 $33.82 0.74%
2018 $34.18 1.04%
2019 $34.66 1.41%
2020 $37.34 7.73%
2021 $37.61 0.73%
2022 $40.25 7.03%*
* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.

Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for Frankfurters:

Year 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
CPI 33.562 33.054 30.085 28.800 27.600 27.038 29.500 33.677 33.331 32.508 33.031 33.162 33.108 32.838 34.962 38.208 37.615 37.700 40.969 43.708 43.254 46.892 61.015 60.169 62.269 62.769 61.262 75.962 89.323 92.477 96.554 100.569 99.700 99.723 99.885 102.046 109.454 112.700 116.054 129.223 132.862 131.292 132.892 137.738 138.662 142.115 145.277 144.585 145.477 148.600 155.354 157.177 166.231 168.469 169.154 171.592 179.344 185.350 188.824 188.694 201.309 206.830 206.612 215.781 230.354 225.371 227.044 229.406 232.631 250.606 252.430 270.166

Adjust hot dogs prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2022 / CPI in 1951 * 1951 USD value = 2022 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Frankfurters was 33.562 in the year 1951 and 270.166 in 2022:

270.166 / 33.562 * $5 = $40.25

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $5 in 1951 has the same "purchasing power" as $40.25 in 2022 (in the CPI category of Frankfurters).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Frankfurters in 1951. In addition to hot dogs, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.

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