According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for meats, poultry, and fish are 2,525.30% higher in 2025 versus 1939 (a $505.06 difference in value).
Between 1939 and 2025: Meats, poultry, and fish experienced an average inflation rate of 3.87% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, meats, poultry, and fish costing $20 in the year 1939 would cost $525.06 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.71% during this same period, inflation for meats, poultry, and fish was higher.
In the year 1939: Pricing changed by -2.15%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for meats, poultry, and fish during the 1939-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1939 (-1.31%), inflation for meats, poultry, and fish was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Meats, poultry, and fish, over time, for $20 beginning in 1939. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1939 | $20.00 | -2.15% |
| 1940 | $19.80 | -0.98% |
| 1941 | $22.26 | 12.38% |
| 1942 | $26.05 | 17.04% |
| 1943 | $27.68 | 6.27% |
| 1944 | $26.87 | -2.95% |
| 1945 | $27.16 | 1.09% |
| 1946 | $33.34 | 22.77% |
| 1947 | $44.90 | 34.67% |
| 1948 | $50.98 | 13.53% |
| 1949 | $48.26 | -5.33% |
| 1950 | $50.33 | 4.30% |
| 1951 | $56.28 | 11.82% |
| 1952 | $55.79 | -0.87% |
| 1953 | $52.79 | -5.38% |
| 1954 | $51.89 | -1.71% |
| 1955 | $48.78 | -5.99% |
| 1956 | $46.63 | -4.40% |
| 1957 | $50.52 | 8.34% |
| 1958 | $55.29 | 9.44% |
| 1959 | $53.16 | -3.86% |
| 1960 | $52.51 | -1.22% |
| 1961 | $52.59 | 0.14% |
| 1962 | $53.87 | 2.44% |
| 1963 | $53.09 | -1.45% |
| 1964 | $52.22 | -1.63% |
| 1965 | $55.68 | 6.63% |
| 1966 | $60.40 | 8.48% |
| 1967 | $58.89 | -2.50% |
| 1968 | $60.23 | 2.28% |
| 1969 | $65.26 | 8.34% |
| 1970 | $68.62 | 5.16% |
| 1971 | $68.84 | 0.32% |
| 1972 | $75.43 | 9.57% |
| 1973 | $94.49 | 25.27% |
| 1974 | $96.55 | 2.18% |
| 1975 | $104.84 | 8.59% |
| 1976 | $105.70 | 0.81% |
| 1977 | $105.06 | -0.60% |
| 1978 | $122.71 | 16.80% |
| 1979 | $140.96 | 14.88% |
| 1980 | $146.20 | 3.71% |
| 1981 | $152.26 | 4.15% |
| 1982 | $158.37 | 4.01% |
| 1983 | $157.30 | -0.67% |
| 1984 | $159.93 | 1.67% |
| 1985 | $159.41 | -0.32% |
| 1986 | $166.32 | 4.33% |
| 1987 | $177.04 | 6.45% |
| 1988 | $183.29 | 3.53% |
| 1989 | $192.50 | 5.02% |
| 1990 | $206.59 | 7.32% |
| 1991 | $211.29 | 2.28% |
| 1992 | $209.72 | -0.74% |
| 1993 | $216.56 | 3.26% |
| 1994 | $219.77 | 1.48% |
| 1995 | $221.82 | 0.93% |
| 1996 | $229.62 | 3.52% |
| 1997 | $236.21 | 2.87% |
| 1998 | $234.26 | -0.83% |
| 1999 | $235.88 | 0.69% |
| 2000 | $246.51 | 4.51% |
| 2001 | $257.51 | 4.46% |
| 2002 | $258.70 | 0.46% |
| 2003 | $269.07 | 4.01% |
| 2004 | $289.00 | 7.41% |
| 2005 | $295.91 | 2.39% |
| 2006 | $298.37 | 0.83% |
| 2007 | $309.75 | 3.82% |
| 2008 | $322.73 | 4.19% |
| 2009 | $324.40 | 0.52% |
| 2010 | $330.63 | 1.92% |
| 2011 | $354.95 | 7.36% |
| 2012 | $367.63 | 3.57% |
| 2013 | $375.21 | 2.06% |
| 2014 | $402.19 | 7.19% |
| 2015 | $409.76 | 1.88% |
| 2016 | $395.39 | -3.51% |
| 2017 | $394.81 | -0.15% |
| 2018 | $397.44 | 0.67% |
| 2019 | $401.51 | 1.02% |
| 2020 | $426.87 | 6.32% |
| 2021 | $455.75 | 6.77% |
| 2022 | $499.46 | 9.59% |
| 2023 | $509.27 | 1.96% |
| 2024 | $517.70 | 1.66% |
| 2025 | $525.06 | 1.42%* |
* 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 Meats, poultry, and fish:
| 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 |
| CPI | 13.008 | 12.885 | 13.785 | 12.892 | 12.615 | 12.492 | 14.038 | 16.431 | 17.462 | 16.946 | 17.131 | 21.031 | 28.323 | 32.154 | 30.438 | 31.746 | 35.500 | 35.192 | 33.300 | 32.731 | 30.769 | 29.415 | 31.869 | 34.877 | 33.531 | 33.123 | 33.169 | 33.977 | 33.485 | 32.938 | 35.123 | 38.100 | 37.146 | 37.992 | 41.162 | 43.285 | 43.423 | 47.577 | 59.600 | 60.900 | 66.131 | 66.669 | 66.269 | 77.400 | 88.915 | 92.215 | 96.038 | 99.892 | 99.223 | 100.877 | 100.554 | 104.908 | 111.669 | 115.615 | 121.423 | 130.308 | 133.277 | 132.285 | 136.600 | 138.623 | 139.915 | 144.838 | 148.992 | 147.762 | 148.785 | 155.492 | 162.431 | 163.177 | 169.723 | 182.292 | 186.654 | 188.200 | 195.383 | 203.566 | 204.620 | 208.553 | 223.892 | 231.890 | 236.673 | 253.689 | 258.465 | 249.397 | 249.035 | 250.694 | 253.261 | 269.255 | 287.475 | 315.045 | 321.232 | 326.551 | 331.192 |