Fresh whole milk priced at $20 in 1942 $222.87 in 2024

Fresh Whole Milk Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Fresh Whole Milk, 1942-2024 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for fresh whole milk are 1,014.37% higher in 2024 versus 1942 (a $202.87 difference in value).

Between 1942 and 2024: Fresh whole milk experienced an average inflation rate of 2.98% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, fresh whole milk costing $20 in the year 1942 would cost $222.87 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.67% during this same period, inflation for fresh whole milk was lower.

In the year 1942: Pricing changed by 8.01%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for fresh whole milk during the 1942-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1942 (10.92%), inflation for fresh whole milk was lower.

Price Inflation for Fresh whole milk since 1939

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1974 (19.81%), 2009 (-15.68%), and 1946 (14.88%).

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Buying power of $20.00 since 1942

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Fresh whole milk, over time, for $20 beginning in 1942. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1942$20.008.01%
1943$21.195.94%
1944$21.471.32%
1945$21.500.13%
1946$24.6914.88%
1947$27.6311.90%
1948$30.7911.42%
1949$29.46-4.31%
1950$28.64-2.81%
1951$31.7710.93%
1952$33.334.93%
1953$32.95-1.15%
1954$32.27-2.05%
1955$32.310.13%
1956$33.283.00%
1957$34.463.53%
1958$35.101.86%
1959$35.440.97%
1960$36.282.37%
1961$36.410.36%
1962$36.24-0.47%
1963$36.05-0.53%
1964$36.170.34%
1965$35.99-0.51%
1966$38.296.40%
1967$39.823.98%
1968$41.504.22%
1969$42.642.77%
1970$44.454.23%
1971$45.672.75%
1972$46.331.44%
1973$50.719.45%
1974$60.7519.81%
1975$60.830.13%
1976$64.025.23%
1977$64.671.01%
1978$68.415.79%
1979$76.2611.48%
1980$83.048.89%
1981$87.735.65%
1982$88.210.54%
1983$88.800.67%
1984$89.470.75%
1985$90.871.57%
1986$90.35-0.58%
1987$92.061.90%
1988$94.192.32%
1989$101.507.76%
1990$112.5210.85%
1991$108.72-3.38%
1992$112.313.30%
1993$113.601.16%
1994$116.512.56%
1995$116.47-0.04%
1996$125.337.61%
1997$126.911.26%
1998$131.403.53%
1999$138.775.61%
2000$139.390.45%
2001$147.345.70%
2002$144.00-2.26%
2003$144.330.22%
2004$162.8812.85%
2005$164.260.85%
2006$161.30-1.81%
2007$182.4513.11%
2008$192.955.76%
2009$162.71-15.68%
2010$169.824.37%
2011$186.129.60%
2012$187.660.83%
2013$190.701.62%
2014$202.306.08%
2015$189.28-6.44%
2016$180.44-4.67%
2017$178.52-1.06%
2018$173.78-2.65%
2019$178.092.48%
2020$188.876.05%
2021$198.435.06%
2022$226.0813.94%
2023$224.39-0.75%
2024$222.87-0.67%*

* 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 whole milk:

Year19391940194119421943194419451946194719481949195019511952195319541955195619571958195919601961196219631964196519661967196819691970197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
CPI18.53819.11520.84622.51523.85424.16924.20027.80031.10834.66233.16932.23835.76237.52337.09236.33136.37737.46938.79239.51539.90040.84640.99240.80040.58540.72340.51543.10844.82346.71548.00850.03851.41552.15457.08568.39268.48572.06972.80077.01585.85493.48598.76999.30099.969100.723102.300101.708103.638106.038114.269126.669122.392126.431127.892131.162131.115141.092142.877147.923156.223156.923165.869162.115162.477183.362184.923181.585205.397217.220183.170191.173209.530211.266214.683227.740213.082203.133200.974195.638200.491212.621223.383254.519252.607250.905

Adjust fresh whole milk prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2024 / CPI in 1942 * 1942 USD value = 2024 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Fresh whole milk was 22.515 in the year 1942 and 250.905 in 2024:

250.905 / 22.515 * $20 = $222.87

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1942 has the same "purchasing power" as $222.87 in 2024 (in the CPI category of Fresh whole milk).


Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Fresh whole milk in 1939. In addition to fresh whole milk, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.

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