Nondurables less food price inflation, 1997→2026

Nondurables Less Food Inflation Calculator

Prices for Nondurables Less Food, 1997-2026 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for nondurables less food are 68.58% higher in 2026 versus 1997 (a $13.72 difference in value).

Between 1997 and 2026:Nondurables less food experienced an average inflation rate of 1.82% per year. In other words, nondurables less food costing $20 in the year 1997 would cost $33.72 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.45% during this same period, inflation for nondurables less food was lower.

In the year 1997: Pricing changed by 1.38%, which is below the average yearly change for nondurables less food during the 1997-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1997 (2.34%), inflation for nondurables less food was lower.

Price Inflation for Nondurables less food since 1935

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1980 (18.40%), 1947 (15.49%), and 1979 (13.95%).

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Buying power of $20.00 since 1997

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Nondurables less food, over time, for $20 beginning in 1997. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

Year	USD Value	Inflation Rate
1997	$20.00	1.38%
1998	$19.75	-1.26%
1999	$20.46	3.61%
2000	$21.88	6.91%
2001	$21.88	0.03%
2002	$21.63	-1.17%
2003	$22.29	3.06%
2004	$23.37	4.86%
2005	$24.95	6.77%
2006	$26.14	4.76%
2007	$27.00	3.29%
2008	$28.95	7.22%
2009	$26.63	-8.03%
2010	$28.16	5.77%
2011	$30.76	9.22%
2012	$31.54	2.55%
2013	$31.34	-0.63%
2014	$31.06	-0.89%
2015	$28.22	-9.14%
2016	$27.47	-2.68%
2017	$28.43	3.52%
2018	$29.63	4.20%
2019	$29.31	-1.07%
2020	$27.84	-5.02%
2021	$30.55	9.75%
2022	$34.72	13.63%
2023	$34.32	-1.14%
2024	$34.08	-0.69%
2025	$33.89	-0.59%
2026	$33.72	-0.50%*

* 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 Nondurables less food:

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	16.170	16.317	16.908	16.942	16.625	16.833	17.383	19.325	20.142	21.167	21.933	23.342	26.958	29.142	28.808	28.500	30.683	30.967	31.192	31.358	31.358	32.025	32.925	33.142	33.550	34.058	34.267	34.458	34.808	35.125	35.608	36.442	37.567	39.092	40.850	42.517	43.958	45.025	46.850	52.942	56.983	59.458	62.550	65.492	74.625	88.358	96.717	98.250	100.033	101.717	104.117	98.500	101.767	105.808	111.733	119.858	124.500	127.592	129.292	129.692	130.867	134.450	136.300	134.583	139.442	149.083	149.125	147.383	151.900	159.275	170.050	178.150	184.012	197.297	181.453	191.927	209.615	214.954	213.604	211.693	192.345	187.194	193.775	201.916	199.748	189.731	208.232	236.607	233.902	232.288	230.927	229.777

Adjust nondurables less food prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2026 / CPI in 1997* 1997 USD value = 2026 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Nondurables less food was 136.300 in the year 1997 and 229.777 in 2026:

229.777 / 136.300* $20 = $33.72

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1997 has the same "purchasing power" as $33.72 in 2026 (in the CPI category of Nondurables less food).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Nondurables less food in 1935. In addition to nondurables less food, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.