Philadelphia, Pennsylvania prices: $20 in 1929 $351.89 in 2024

Inflation in Pennsylvania

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Prices in Philadelphia, 1929-2024 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania are 1,659.43% higher in 2024 versus 1929 (a $331.89 difference in value).

Between 1929 and 2024: Philadelphia experienced an average inflation rate of 3.06% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $20 in Philadelphia in the year 1929 would cost $351.89 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.11% during this same period, inflation in Philadelphia was lower.

In the year 1929: Pricing changed by -1.93%, which is significantly below the average yearly change in Philadelphia during the 1929-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1929 (0%), inflation in Philadelphia was lower.

Price Inflation in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania since 1914

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1919 (21.56%), 1918 (21.45%), and 1920 (16.49%).

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Buying power of $20.00 since 1929

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in Philadelphia, over time, for $20 beginning in 1929. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1929$20.00-1.93%
1930$19.78-1.12%
1931$18.22-7.86%
1932$16.40-10.02%
1933$15.02-8.39%
1934$15.744.80%
1935$15.991.55%
1936$16.291.93%
1937$16.692.41%
1938$16.34-2.08%
1939$16.08-1.60%
1940$16.100.12%
1941$16.894.94%
1942$18.7911.25%
1943$19.996.37%
1944$20.261.36%
1945$20.802.68%
1946$22.588.55%
1947$25.8414.42%
1948$27.897.93%
1949$27.56-1.17%
1950$27.730.61%
1951$30.299.25%
1952$30.881.92%
1953$31.020.48%
1954$31.341.03%
1955$31.28-0.21%
1956$31.711.38%
1957$32.733.22%
1958$33.371.97%
1959$33.751.12%
1960$34.351.77%
1961$34.731.12%
1962$35.040.89%
1963$35.671.79%
1964$36.231.57%
1965$36.791.55%
1966$37.852.87%
1967$38.882.72%
1968$40.744.79%
1969$42.905.31%
1970$45.786.72%
1971$48.024.89%
1972$49.352.77%
1973$52.676.73%
1974$58.9211.87%
1975$63.838.32%
1976$66.984.94%
1977$71.356.53%
1978$75.525.84%
1979$83.029.94%
1980$93.8613.05%
1981$103.4210.18%
1982$108.444.86%
1983$111.612.92%
1984$116.854.70%
1985$122.154.54%
1986$125.182.48%
1987$131.184.79%
1988$137.464.79%
1989$144.094.82%
1990$152.565.88%
1991$159.684.67%
1992$164.623.09%
1993$168.722.49%
1994$173.672.93%
1995$178.222.62%
1996$182.882.62%
1997$186.932.22%
1998$188.811.00%
1999$192.842.14%
2000$198.002.67%
2001$203.482.77%
2002$207.411.93%
2003$211.902.16%
2004$220.293.96%
2005$229.043.97%
2006$237.863.85%
2007$243.072.19%
2008$251.763.57%
2009$250.46-0.52%
2010$255.592.05%
2011$262.292.62%
2012$267.201.87%
2013$270.411.20%
2014$274.011.33%
2015$273.78-0.09%
2016$275.380.59%
2017$278.891.27%
2018$282.601.33%
2019$287.971.90%
2020$290.610.92%
2021$301.973.91%
2022$325.577.81%
2023$340.334.53%
2024$351.893.40%*

* 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 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania:

Year191419151916191719181919192019211922192319241925192619271928192919301931193219331934193519361937193819391940194119421943194419451946194719481949195019511952195319541955195619571958195919601961196219631964196519661967196819691970197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
CPI10.20010.20810.40811.80814.34217.43320.30818.61717.26717.54217.69218.27518.83318.56718.15817.80817.60816.22514.60013.37514.01714.23314.50814.85814.55014.31714.33315.04216.73317.80018.04218.52520.10823.00824.83324.54224.69226.97527.49227.62527.90827.85028.23329.14229.71730.05030.58330.92531.20031.75832.25832.75833.70034.61736.27538.20040.76742.75843.94246.90052.46756.83359.64263.53367.24273.92583.57592.08396.55899.375104.042108.767111.467116.808122.400128.300135.842142.183146.583150.233154.642158.692162.842166.450168.117171.708176.300181.183184.683188.675196.150203.942211.792216.435224.170223.013227.581233.547237.923240.780243.987243.778245.204248.325251.635256.411258.761268.882289.890303.034313.325

Adjust Philadelphia prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2024 / CPI in 1929 * 1929 USD value = 2024 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was 17.808 in the year 1929 and 313.325 in 2024:

313.325 / 17.808 * $20 = $351.89

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1929 has the same "purchasing power" as $351.89 in 2024 (in the CPI category of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania).


Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1914. In addition to Philadelphia, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.

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