According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for lettuce were 1,981.41% higher in 2020 versus 1942 (a $396.28 difference in value).
Between 1942 and 2020: Lettuce experienced an average inflation rate of 3.97% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, lettuce costing $20 in the year 1942 would cost $416.28 in 2020 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.60% during this same period, inflation for lettuce was higher.
In the year 1942: Pricing changed by 24.85%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for lettuce during the 1942-2020 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1942 (10.92%), inflation for lettuce was much higher.
Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for Lettuce:
| Year | 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 |
| CPI | 11.585 | 11.708 | 12.969 | 16.192 | 18.946 | 16.492 | 17.500 | 16.615 | 19.346 | 19.415 | 23.177 | 19.677 | 22.885 | 21.708 | 21.715 | 21.869 | 23.469 | 23.638 | 25.177 | 25.000 | 26.046 | 25.062 | 24.085 | 27.500 | 28.377 | 29.077 | 29.969 | 32.746 | 32.685 | 32.492 | 36.723 | 35.400 | 40.523 | 40.715 | 49.938 | 50.585 | 49.600 | 56.469 | 56.223 | 76.531 | 79.962 | 77.792 | 84.446 | 100.723 | 103.208 | 96.069 | 106.138 | 112.646 | 136.431 | 148.623 | 151.477 | 150.323 | 159.800 | 155.715 | 178.185 | 170.338 | 221.162 | 185.692 | 200.062 | 229.062 | 208.285 | 228.077 | 233.792 | 252.062 | 246.200 | 239.769 | 257.331 | 266.108 | 280.230 | 286.518 | 287.850 | 283.713 | 306.853 | 285.068 | 312.889 | 298.322 | 313.067 | 293.879 | 296.391 | 291.734 | 322.266 | 337.029 |
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Lettuce, over time, for $20 beginning in 1942. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1942 | $20.00 | 24.85% |
| 1943 | $23.40 | 17.01% |
| 1944 | $20.37 | -12.95% |
| 1945 | $21.62 | 6.11% |
| 1946 | $20.52 | -5.05% |
| 1947 | $23.90 | 16.44% |
| 1948 | $23.98 | 0.36% |
| 1949 | $28.63 | 19.37% |
| 1950 | $24.30 | -15.10% |
| 1951 | $28.27 | 16.30% |
| 1952 | $26.81 | -5.14% |
| 1953 | $26.82 | 0.04% |
| 1954 | $27.01 | 0.71% |
| 1955 | $28.99 | 7.32% |
| 1956 | $29.20 | 0.72% |
| 1957 | $31.10 | 6.51% |
| 1958 | $30.88 | -0.70% |
| 1959 | $32.17 | 4.18% |
| 1960 | $30.95 | -3.78% |
| 1961 | $29.75 | -3.90% |
| 1962 | $33.97 | 14.18% |
| 1963 | $35.05 | 3.19% |
| 1964 | $35.91 | 2.47% |
| 1965 | $37.02 | 3.07% |
| 1966 | $40.45 | 9.27% |
| 1967 | $40.37 | -0.19% |
| 1968 | $40.13 | -0.59% |
| 1969 | $45.36 | 13.02% |
| 1970 | $43.72 | -3.60% |
| 1971 | $50.05 | 14.47% |
| 1972 | $50.29 | 0.47% |
| 1973 | $61.68 | 22.65% |
| 1974 | $62.48 | 1.29% |
| 1975 | $61.26 | -1.95% |
| 1976 | $69.75 | 13.85% |
| 1977 | $69.44 | -0.44% |
| 1978 | $94.53 | 36.12% |
| 1979 | $98.76 | 4.48% |
| 1980 | $96.09 | -2.71% |
| 1981 | $104.30 | 8.55% |
| 1982 | $124.41 | 19.27% |
| 1983 | $127.48 | 2.47% |
| 1984 | $118.66 | -6.92% |
| 1985 | $131.10 | 10.48% |
| 1986 | $139.14 | 6.13% |
| 1987 | $168.51 | 21.11% |
| 1988 | $183.57 | 8.94% |
| 1989 | $187.10 | 1.92% |
| 1990 | $185.67 | -0.76% |
| 1991 | $197.38 | 6.30% |
| 1992 | $192.33 | -2.56% |
| 1993 | $220.09 | 14.43% |
| 1994 | $210.39 | -4.40% |
| 1995 | $273.17 | 29.84% |
| 1996 | $229.36 | -16.04% |
| 1997 | $247.11 | 7.74% |
| 1998 | $282.93 | 14.50% |
| 1999 | $257.26 | -9.07% |
| 2000 | $281.71 | 9.50% |
| 2001 | $288.77 | 2.51% |
| 2002 | $311.33 | 7.81% |
| 2003 | $304.10 | -2.33% |
| 2004 | $296.15 | -2.61% |
| 2005 | $317.84 | 7.32% |
| 2006 | $328.68 | 3.41% |
| 2007 | $346.13 | 5.31% |
| 2008 | $353.89 | 2.24% |
| 2009 | $355.54 | 0.46% |
| 2010 | $350.43 | -1.44% |
| 2011 | $379.01 | 8.16% |
| 2012 | $352.10 | -7.10% |
| 2013 | $386.47 | 9.76% |
| 2014 | $368.47 | -4.66% |
| 2015 | $386.69 | 4.94% |
| 2016 | $362.99 | -6.13% |
| 2017 | $366.09 | 0.85% |
| 2018 | $360.34 | -1.57% |
| 2019 | $398.05 | 10.47% |
| 2020 | $416.28 | 4.58%* |
