Nondurables priced at$20 in 1955$189.90 in 2026

Nondurables Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Nondurables, 1955-2026 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for nondurables are 849.48% higher in 2026 versus 1955 (a $169.90 difference in value).

Between 1955 and 2026:Nondurables experienced an average inflation rate of 3.22% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, nondurables costing $20 in the year 1955 would cost $189.90 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.57% during this same period, inflation for nondurables was lower.

In the year 1955: Pricing changed by -0.70%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for nondurables during the 1955-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1955 (-0.28%), inflation for nondurables was lower.

Price Inflation for Nondurables since 1935

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1947 (22.08%), 1942 (14.76%), and 1974 (13.67%).

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Buying power of $20.00 since 1955

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Nondurables, over time, for $20 beginning in 1955. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1955$20.00-0.70%
1956$20.271.35%
1957$20.903.12%
1958$21.442.56%
1959$21.37-0.32%
1960$21.631.21%
1961$21.830.94%
1962$22.010.80%
1963$22.291.26%
1964$22.511.01%
1965$22.921.80%
1966$23.753.64%
1967$24.221.95%
1968$25.153.87%
1969$26.364.80%
1970$27.624.77%
1971$28.503.21%
1972$29.453.31%
1973$32.169.20%
1974$36.5513.67%
1975$39.508.07%
1976$40.963.69%
1977$43.315.75%
1978$46.507.35%
1979$52.2712.42%
1980$59.3113.47%
1981$64.468.69%
1982$66.252.77%
1983$67.531.94%
1984$69.372.72%
1985$70.982.32%
1986$70.10-1.25%
1987$72.783.83%
1988$75.734.05%
1989$80.055.70%
1990$85.346.61%
1991$88.253.41%
1992$89.901.87%
1993$91.461.73%
1994$92.651.30%
1995$94.361.85%
1996$97.193.00%
1997$99.111.97%
1998$99.510.40%
1999$102.382.89%
2000$107.104.61%
2001$108.731.52%
2002$109.070.31%
2003$111.922.61%
2004$116.594.17%
2005$122.044.68%
2006$126.463.62%
2007$131.023.61%
2008$139.446.43%
2009$134.46-3.57%
2010$139.013.39%
2011$148.346.71%
2012$152.112.54%
2013$152.550.29%
2014$153.500.62%
2015$147.37-3.99%
2016$145.58-1.22%
2017$148.732.16%
2018$152.942.83%
2019$153.480.35%
2020$152.35-0.74%
2021$162.526.67%
2022$181.5811.73%
2023$185.862.36%
2024$187.440.85%
2025$189.621.17%
2026$189.900.14%*

* 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:

Year19351936193719381939194019411942194319441945194619471948194919501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023202420252026
CPI13.90014.15014.62514.07513.70813.84214.68316.85018.45818.62519.12520.90825.52527.57526.87526.76729.30029.83329.77529.74229.53329.93330.86731.65831.55831.94232.24232.50032.90833.24233.84235.07535.75837.14238.92540.78342.09243.48347.48353.97558.33360.48363.95868.65877.18387.58395.19297.82599.725102.442104.817103.508107.475111.825118.200126.017130.317132.758135.058136.817139.342143.517146.350146.942151.183158.150160.558161.058165.267172.158180.208186.733193.468205.901198.548205.271219.049224.621225.271226.662217.624214.973219.620225.843226.642224.974239.982268.138274.459276.786280.011280.413

Adjust nondurables prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2026 / CPI in 1955* 1955 USD value = 2026 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Nondurables was 29.533 in the year 1955 and 280.413 in 2026:

280.413 / 29.533* $20 = $189.90

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1955 has the same "purchasing power" as $189.90 in 2026 (in the CPI category of Nondurables).


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

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