According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for nondurables are 1,515.56% higher in 2024 versus 1942 (a $303.11 difference in value).
Between 1942 and 2024: Nondurables experienced an average inflation rate of 3.45% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, nondurables costing $20 in the year 1942 would cost $323.11 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.67% during this same period, inflation for nondurables was lower.
In the year 1942: Pricing changed by 14.55%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for nondurables during the 1942-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1942 (10.92%), inflation for nondurables was much higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Nondurables, 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 | 14.55% |
| 1943 | $21.63 | 8.16% |
| 1944 | $21.77 | 0.65% |
| 1945 | $22.40 | 2.89% |
| 1946 | $25.22 | 12.59% |
| 1947 | $30.21 | 19.78% |
| 1948 | $32.19 | 6.56% |
| 1949 | $31.12 | -3.33% |
| 1950 | $31.56 | 1.42% |
| 1951 | $34.48 | 9.23% |
| 1952 | $34.73 | 0.74% |
| 1953 | $34.69 | -0.13% |
| 1954 | $34.59 | -0.27% |
| 1955 | $34.43 | -0.47% |
| 1956 | $34.88 | 1.32% |
| 1957 | $35.98 | 3.14% |
| 1958 | $36.90 | 2.57% |
| 1959 | $36.78 | -0.34% |
| 1960 | $37.23 | 1.24% |
| 1961 | $37.57 | 0.92% |
| 1962 | $37.88 | 0.81% |
| 1963 | $38.35 | 1.25% |
| 1964 | $38.74 | 1.01% |
| 1965 | $39.44 | 1.81% |
| 1966 | $40.88 | 3.66% |
| 1967 | $41.67 | 1.93% |
| 1968 | $43.28 | 3.87% |
| 1969 | $45.36 | 4.81% |
| 1970 | $47.53 | 4.78% |
| 1971 | $49.06 | 3.21% |
| 1972 | $50.68 | 3.31% |
| 1973 | $55.34 | 9.20% |
| 1974 | $62.91 | 13.67% |
| 1975 | $67.98 | 8.07% |
| 1976 | $70.49 | 3.69% |
| 1977 | $74.55 | 5.75% |
| 1978 | $80.02 | 7.34% |
| 1979 | $89.96 | 12.43% |
| 1980 | $102.08 | 13.47% |
| 1981 | $110.95 | 8.69% |
| 1982 | $114.01 | 2.76% |
| 1983 | $116.23 | 1.94% |
| 1984 | $119.40 | 2.73% |
| 1985 | $122.16 | 2.31% |
| 1986 | $120.64 | -1.25% |
| 1987 | $125.26 | 3.83% |
| 1988 | $130.33 | 4.04% |
| 1989 | $137.76 | 5.70% |
| 1990 | $146.87 | 6.61% |
| 1991 | $151.88 | 3.41% |
| 1992 | $154.73 | 1.88% |
| 1993 | $157.41 | 1.73% |
| 1994 | $159.46 | 1.30% |
| 1995 | $162.40 | 1.84% |
| 1996 | $167.27 | 3.00% |
| 1997 | $170.58 | 1.98% |
| 1998 | $171.26 | 0.40% |
| 1999 | $176.21 | 2.89% |
| 2000 | $184.33 | 4.61% |
| 2001 | $187.13 | 1.52% |
| 2002 | $187.72 | 0.31% |
| 2003 | $192.62 | 2.61% |
| 2004 | $200.65 | 4.17% |
| 2005 | $210.03 | 4.67% |
| 2006 | $217.63 | 3.62% |
| 2007 | $225.49 | 3.61% |
| 2008 | $239.98 | 6.43% |
| 2009 | $231.41 | -3.57% |
| 2010 | $239.24 | 3.39% |
| 2011 | $255.30 | 6.71% |
| 2012 | $261.80 | 2.54% |
| 2013 | $262.55 | 0.29% |
| 2014 | $264.17 | 0.62% |
| 2015 | $253.64 | -3.99% |
| 2016 | $250.55 | -1.22% |
| 2017 | $255.97 | 2.16% |
| 2018 | $263.22 | 2.83% |
| 2019 | $264.15 | 0.35% |
| 2020 | $262.21 | -0.74% |
| 2021 | $279.70 | 6.67% |
| 2022 | $312.52 | 11.73% |
| 2023 | $319.88 | 2.36% |
| 2024 | $323.11 | 1.01%* |
* 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:
| 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 |
| CPI | 13.900 | 14.167 | 14.680 | 13.980 | 13.680 | 13.880 | 14.980 | 17.160 | 18.560 | 18.680 | 19.220 | 21.640 | 25.920 | 27.620 | 26.700 | 27.080 | 29.580 | 29.800 | 29.760 | 29.680 | 29.540 | 29.931 | 30.869 | 31.662 | 31.554 | 31.946 | 32.238 | 32.500 | 32.908 | 33.238 | 33.838 | 35.077 | 35.754 | 37.138 | 38.923 | 40.785 | 42.092 | 43.485 | 47.485 | 53.977 | 58.331 | 60.485 | 63.962 | 68.654 | 77.185 | 87.585 | 95.192 | 97.823 | 99.723 | 102.446 | 104.815 | 103.508 | 107.477 | 111.823 | 118.200 | 126.015 | 130.315 | 132.762 | 135.062 | 136.815 | 139.338 | 143.515 | 146.354 | 146.938 | 151.185 | 158.154 | 160.562 | 161.062 | 165.269 | 172.162 | 180.208 | 186.731 | 193.468 | 205.901 | 198.548 | 205.271 | 219.049 | 224.622 | 225.271 | 226.662 | 217.624 | 214.973 | 219.620 | 225.843 | 226.642 | 224.974 | 239.982 | 268.138 | 274.459 | 277.230 |