According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for fuel oil were 1,421.05% higher in 2021 versus 1972 (a $284.21 difference in value).
Between 1972 and 2021: Fuel oil experienced an average inflation rate of 5.71% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, fuel oil costing $20 in the year 1972 would cost $304.21 in 2021 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.85% during this same period, inflation for fuel oil was higher.
In the year 1972: Pricing changed by 0.31%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for fuel oil during the 1972-2021 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1972 (3.27%), inflation for fuel oil was lower.
Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for Fuel oil:
| 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 |
| CPI | 5.575 | 5.800 | 6.800 | 6.340 | 5.840 | 6.086 | 6.300 | 7.231 | 7.800 | 7.846 | 7.469 | 7.562 | 8.800 | 11.520 | 10.860 | 11.040 | 11.620 | 11.900 | 12.508 | 12.592 | 13.023 | 13.638 | 14.338 | 13.515 | 13.715 | 13.469 | 14.015 | 14.008 | 14.315 | 14.000 | 14.285 | 14.654 | 15.138 | 15.600 | 15.938 | 16.546 | 17.569 | 17.623 | 20.362 | 32.231 | 34.908 | 37.408 | 42.400 | 44.915 | 63.054 | 87.723 | 107.323 | 105.000 | 96.500 | 98.515 | 94.577 | 74.077 | 75.815 | 75.769 | 80.338 | 98.638 | 92.408 | 87.969 | 87.215 | 85.638 | 84.754 | 97.015 | 96.862 | 84.838 | 86.562 | 130.262 | 125.823 | 111.531 | 136.638 | 160.000 | 216.362 | 244.585 | 262.597 | 365.000 | 240.197 | 282.932 | 367.804 | 376.126 | 370.234 | 365.008 | 254.318 | 209.182 | 241.714 | 296.064 | 282.408 | 218.008 | 268.057 |
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Fuel oil, over time, for $20 beginning in 1972. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | $20.00 | 0.31% |
| 1973 | $23.11 | 15.54% |
| 1974 | $36.58 | 58.29% |
| 1975 | $39.62 | 8.31% |
| 1976 | $42.45 | 7.16% |
| 1977 | $48.12 | 13.35% |
| 1978 | $50.97 | 5.93% |
| 1979 | $71.56 | 40.38% |
| 1980 | $99.55 | 39.12% |
| 1981 | $121.80 | 22.34% |
| 1982 | $119.16 | -2.16% |
| 1983 | $109.52 | -8.10% |
| 1984 | $111.80 | 2.09% |
| 1985 | $107.33 | -4.00% |
| 1986 | $84.07 | -21.68% |
| 1987 | $86.04 | 2.35% |
| 1988 | $85.99 | -0.06% |
| 1989 | $91.17 | 6.03% |
| 1990 | $111.94 | 22.78% |
| 1991 | $104.87 | -6.32% |
| 1992 | $99.83 | -4.80% |
| 1993 | $98.98 | -0.86% |
| 1994 | $97.19 | -1.81% |
| 1995 | $96.19 | -1.03% |
| 1996 | $110.10 | 14.47% |
| 1997 | $109.93 | -0.16% |
| 1998 | $96.28 | -12.41% |
| 1999 | $98.24 | 2.03% |
| 2000 | $147.83 | 50.48% |
| 2001 | $142.79 | -3.41% |
| 2002 | $126.57 | -11.36% |
| 2003 | $155.07 | 22.51% |
| 2004 | $181.58 | 17.10% |
| 2005 | $245.54 | 35.23% |
| 2006 | $277.57 | 13.04% |
| 2007 | $298.02 | 7.36% |
| 2008 | $414.23 | 39.00% |
| 2009 | $272.59 | -34.19% |
| 2010 | $321.09 | 17.79% |
| 2011 | $417.41 | 30.00% |
| 2012 | $426.86 | 2.26% |
| 2013 | $420.17 | -1.57% |
| 2014 | $414.24 | -1.41% |
| 2015 | $288.62 | -30.33% |
| 2016 | $237.40 | -17.75% |
| 2017 | $274.32 | 15.55% |
| 2018 | $336.00 | 22.49% |
| 2019 | $320.50 | -4.61% |
| 2020 | $247.41 | -22.80% |
| 2021 | $304.21 | 22.96%* |