Postage and delivery services priced at $20 in 1998 $49.70 in 2025

Postage And Delivery Services Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Postage And Delivery Services, 1998-2025 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for postage and delivery services are 148.51% higher in 2025 versus 1998 (a $29.70 difference in value).

Between 1998 and 2025: Postage and delivery services experienced an average inflation rate of 3.43% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, postage and delivery services costing $20 in the year 1998 would cost $49.70 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.53% during this same period, inflation for postage and delivery services was higher.

In the year 1998: Pricing changed by 0.08%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for postage and delivery services during the 1998-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1998 (1.55%), inflation for postage and delivery services was lower.

Price Inflation for Postage and delivery services since 1997

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 2013 (6.06%), 2002 (5.92%), and 2024 (5.35%).

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Buying power of $20.00 since 1998

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Postage and delivery services, over time, for $20 beginning in 1998. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1998$20.000.08%
1999$20.603.00%
2000$20.620.10%
2001$21.444.00%
2002$22.715.92%
2003$23.855.01%
2004$23.940.38%
2005$24.010.29%
2006$25.305.35%
2007$26.002.77%
2008$27.084.14%
2009$28.214.18%
2010$29.163.37%
2011$30.414.28%
2012$31.513.64%
2013$33.426.06%
2014$34.804.12%
2015$34.890.26%
2016$35.090.58%
2017$36.032.67%
2018$36.962.57%
2019$38.925.31%
2020$40.504.07%
2021$42.204.18%
2022$43.974.20%
2023$46.084.80%
2024$48.545.35%
2025$49.702.39%*

* 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 Postage and delivery services:

Year19971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
CPI100.000100.085103.085103.192107.315113.669119.369119.823120.169126.592130.103135.492141.154145.909152.161157.702167.261174.154174.602175.610180.295184.936194.763202.691211.158220.021230.577242.916248.725

Adjust postage and delivery services prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2025 / CPI in 1998 * 1998 USD value = 2025 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Postage and delivery services was 100.085 in the year 1998 and 248.725 in 2025:

248.725 / 100.085 * $20 = $49.70

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1998 has the same "purchasing power" as $49.70 in 2025 (in the CPI category of Postage and delivery services).


Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Postage and delivery services in 1997. In addition to postage and delivery services, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.

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