Personal care priced at$20 in 1972$128 in 2026

Personal Care Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Personal Care, 1972-2026 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for personal care are 539.98% higher in 2026 versus 1972 (a $108 difference in value).

Between 1972 and 2026:Personal care experienced an average inflation rate of 3.50% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, personal care costing $20 in the year 1972 would cost $128 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.87% during this same period, inflation for personal care was lower.

In the year 1972: Pricing changed by 2.58%, which is below the average yearly change for personal care during the 1972-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1972 (3.27%), inflation for personal care was lower.

Price Inflation for Personal care since 1947

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1975 (9.80%), 1974 (9.65%), and 1951 (9.37%).

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Buying power of $20.00 since 1972

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Personal care, over time, for $20 beginning in 1972. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1972$20.002.58%
1973$20.894.43%
1974$22.909.65%
1975$25.159.80%
1976$26.786.51%
1977$28.516.45%
1978$30.376.53%
1979$32.687.60%
1980$35.568.82%
1981$38.728.88%
1982$41.447.05%
1983$43.555.09%
1984$45.293.98%
1985$47.043.88%
1986$48.603.32%
1987$49.992.86%
1988$51.873.75%
1989$54.284.65%
1990$56.644.35%
1991$58.583.42%
1992$60.072.54%
1993$61.442.29%
1994$62.792.20%
1995$63.901.76%
1996$65.192.03%
1997$66.321.73%
1998$68.062.62%
1999$69.952.78%
2000$71.932.84%
2001$74.062.96%
2002$75.862.43%
2003$77.331.93%
2004$78.902.04%
2005$80.632.18%
2006$82.622.47%
2007$84.962.83%
2008$87.422.89%
2009$88.851.64%
2010$89.751.01%
2011$90.580.93%
2012$92.131.72%
2013$93.371.34%
2014$94.671.40%
2015$95.901.30%
2016$97.401.56%
2017$98.601.23%
2018$100.351.78%
2019$101.641.28%
2020$103.511.84%
2021$105.742.15%
2022$112.015.93%
2023$118.725.99%
2024$122.673.33%
2025$126.282.94%
2026$128.001.36%*

* 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 Personal care:

Year19471948194919501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023202420252026
CPI25.34226.30026.25826.24228.70029.04229.28329.45029.94231.17532.31733.37534.05834.62534.77535.41735.89236.31736.55837.31738.41740.00041.95843.48344.89246.05048.09252.73357.90061.66765.64269.92575.24281.87589.14295.425100.283104.275108.317111.908115.108119.425124.983130.417134.875138.300141.467144.583147.125150.108152.700156.700161.058165.625170.525174.667178.042181.675185.642190.233195.622201.279204.587206.643208.556212.135214.979217.989220.821224.273227.023231.062234.027238.329243.464257.904273.359282.454290.762294.713

Adjust personal care prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2026 / CPI in 1972* 1972 USD value = 2026 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Personal care was 46.050 in the year 1972 and 294.713 in 2026:

294.713 / 46.050* $20 = $128

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1972 has the same "purchasing power" as $128 in 2026 (in the CPI category of Personal care).


Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Personal care in 1947. In addition to personal care, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.

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