According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for fresh fruits and vegetables are 4,394.24% higher in 2026 versus 1938 (a $878.85 difference in value).
Between 1938 and 2026:Fresh fruits and vegetables experienced an average inflation rate of 4.42% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, fresh fruits and vegetables costing $20 in the year 1938 would cost $898.85 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.63% during this same period, inflation for fresh fruits and vegetables was higher.
In the year 1938: Pricing changed by -14.84%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for fresh fruits and vegetables during the 1938-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1938 (-2.03%), inflation for fresh fruits and vegetables was much lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Fresh fruits and vegetables, over time, for $20 beginning in 1938. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1938 | $20.00 | -14.84% |
| 1939 | $20.63 | 3.17% |
| 1940 | $21.10 | 2.26% |
| 1941 | $22.55 | 6.89% |
| 1942 | $28.74 | 27.44% |
| 1943 | $38.55 | 34.11% |
| 1944 | $38.40 | -0.39% |
| 1945 | $40.75 | 6.12% |
| 1946 | $41.32 | 1.42% |
| 1947 | $43.65 | 5.64% |
| 1948 | $45.98 | 5.34% |
| 1949 | $47.40 | 3.08% |
| 1950 | $44.70 | -5.70% |
| 1951 | $48.39 | 8.26% |
| 1952 | $56.31 | 16.37% |
| 1953 | $53.03 | -5.83% |
| 1954 | $52.06 | -1.83% |
| 1955 | $53.05 | 1.90% |
| 1956 | $56.10 | 5.76% |
| 1957 | $56.53 | 0.76% |
| 1958 | $60.56 | 7.12% |
| 1959 | $57.73 | -4.68% |
| 1960 | $61.29 | 6.17% |
| 1961 | $60.30 | -1.61% |
| 1962 | $61.88 | 2.63% |
| 1963 | $65.63 | 6.05% |
| 1964 | $69.45 | 5.82% |
| 1965 | $70.92 | 2.12% |
| 1966 | $72.19 | 1.79% |
| 1967 | $72.38 | 0.26% |
| 1968 | $79.24 | 9.48% |
| 1969 | $80.45 | 1.53% |
| 1970 | $84.18 | 4.63% |
| 1971 | $87.62 | 4.10% |
| 1972 | $92.71 | 5.81% |
| 1973 | $109.25 | 17.83% |
| 1974 | $117.76 | 7.80% |
| 1975 | $120.30 | 2.15% |
| 1976 | $123.30 | 2.49% |
| 1977 | $140.04 | 13.58% |
| 1978 | $158.21 | 12.98% |
| 1979 | $170.18 | 7.56% |
| 1980 | $182.95 | 7.50% |
| 1981 | $204.88 | 11.99% |
| 1982 | $216.27 | 5.56% |
| 1983 | $215.58 | -0.32% |
| 1984 | $239.16 | 10.94% |
| 1985 | $245.42 | 2.62% |
| 1986 | $252.84 | 3.02% |
| 1987 | $283.56 | 12.15% |
| 1988 | $304.42 | 7.36% |
| 1989 | $330.34 | 8.52% |
| 1990 | $360.06 | 8.99% |
| 1991 | $389.41 | 8.15% |
| 1992 | $382.53 | -1.77% |
| 1993 | $399.42 | 4.41% |
| 1994 | $417.63 | 4.56% |
| 1995 | $460.73 | 10.32% |
| 1996 | $473.77 | 2.83% |
| 1997 | $481.88 | 1.71% |
| 1998 | $517.22 | 7.33% |
| 1999 | $530.53 | 2.57% |
| 2000 | $534.13 | 0.68% |
| 2001 | $554.48 | 3.81% |
| 2002 | $577.91 | 4.23% |
| 2003 | $593.31 | 2.66% |
| 2004 | $614.33 | 3.54% |
| 2005 | $638.10 | 3.87% |
| 2006 | $671.97 | 5.31% |
| 2007 | $698.09 | 3.89% |
| 2008 | $734.31 | 5.19% |
| 2009 | $699.32 | -4.76% |
| 2010 | $704.19 | 0.70% |
| 2011 | $735.63 | 4.47% |
| 2012 | $720.86 | -2.01% |
| 2013 | $744.35 | 3.26% |
| 2014 | $758.70 | 1.93% |
| 2015 | $755.27 | -0.45% |
| 2016 | $764.28 | 1.19% |
| 2017 | $765.79 | 0.20% |
| 2018 | $774.07 | 1.08% |
| 2019 | $781.81 | 1.00% |
| 2020 | $788.00 | 0.79% |
| 2021 | $814.36 | 3.34% |
| 2022 | $875.32 | 7.49% |
| 2023 | $881.94 | 0.76% |
| 2024 | $888.07 | 0.69% |
| 2025 | $890.08 | 0.23% |
| 2026 | $898.85 | 0.99%* |
* 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 Fresh fruits and vegetables:
| 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 | 9.558 | 10.283 | 10.500 | 8.942 | 9.225 | 9.433 | 10.083 | 12.850 | 17.233 | 17.167 | 18.217 | 18.475 | 19.517 | 20.558 | 21.192 | 19.983 | 21.633 | 25.175 | 23.708 | 23.275 | 23.717 | 25.083 | 25.275 | 27.075 | 25.808 | 27.400 | 26.958 | 27.667 | 29.342 | 31.050 | 31.708 | 32.275 | 32.358 | 35.425 | 35.967 | 37.633 | 39.175 | 41.450 | 48.842 | 52.650 | 53.783 | 55.125 | 62.608 | 70.733 | 76.083 | 81.792 | 91.600 | 96.692 | 96.383 | 106.925 | 109.725 | 113.042 | 126.775 | 136.100 | 147.692 | 160.975 | 174.100 | 171.025 | 178.575 | 186.717 | 205.983 | 211.817 | 215.442 | 231.242 | 237.192 | 238.800 | 247.900 | 258.375 | 265.258 | 274.658 | 285.283 | 300.425 | 312.105 | 328.297 | 312.654 | 314.830 | 328.888 | 322.283 | 332.785 | 339.202 | 337.668 | 341.699 | 342.371 | 346.073 | 349.534 | 352.302 | 364.085 | 391.342 | 394.300 | 397.040 | 397.939 | 401.860 |