According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for services are 2,478.39% higher in 2026 versus 1949 (a $495.68 difference in value).
Between 1949 and 2026:Services experienced an average inflation rate of 4.31% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, services costing $20 in the year 1949 would cost $515.68 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.45% during this same period, inflation for services was higher.
In the year 1949: Pricing changed by 4.81%, which is above the average yearly change for services during the 1949-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1949 (-0.97%), inflation for services was much higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Services, over time, for $20 beginning in 1949. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1949 | $20.00 | 4.81% |
| 1950 | $20.61 | 3.06% |
| 1951 | $21.68 | 5.19% |
| 1952 | $22.71 | 4.75% |
| 1953 | $23.66 | 4.17% |
| 1954 | $24.44 | 3.32% |
| 1955 | $24.93 | 2.00% |
| 1956 | $25.62 | 2.74% |
| 1957 | $26.67 | 4.10% |
| 1958 | $27.68 | 3.78% |
| 1959 | $28.50 | 2.98% |
| 1960 | $29.41 | 3.18% |
| 1961 | $30.04 | 2.15% |
| 1962 | $30.60 | 1.87% |
| 1963 | $31.19 | 1.93% |
| 1964 | $31.77 | 1.86% |
| 1965 | $32.53 | 2.37% |
| 1966 | $33.74 | 3.73% |
| 1967 | $35.24 | 4.44% |
| 1968 | $37.06 | 5.18% |
| 1969 | $39.64 | 6.96% |
| 1970 | $42.88 | 8.18% |
| 1971 | $45.25 | 5.51% |
| 1972 | $47.01 | 3.90% |
| 1973 | $49.00 | 4.23% |
| 1974 | $53.60 | 9.38% |
| 1975 | $58.74 | 9.59% |
| 1976 | $63.57 | 8.23% |
| 1977 | $68.48 | 7.73% |
| 1978 | $74.33 | 8.54% |
| 1979 | $82.54 | 11.04% |
| 1980 | $95.25 | 15.40% |
| 1981 | $107.75 | 13.12% |
| 1982 | $117.49 | 9.04% |
| 1983 | $121.55 | 3.45% |
| 1984 | $127.94 | 5.26% |
| 1985 | $134.45 | 5.09% |
| 1986 | $141.15 | 4.98% |
| 1987 | $147.00 | 4.15% |
| 1988 | $153.71 | 4.56% |
| 1989 | $161.29 | 4.93% |
| 1990 | $170.23 | 5.54% |
| 1991 | $178.98 | 5.14% |
| 1992 | $185.97 | 3.91% |
| 1993 | $193.09 | 3.83% |
| 1994 | $199.50 | 3.32% |
| 1995 | $206.30 | 3.41% |
| 1996 | $212.98 | 3.24% |
| 1997 | $219.46 | 3.04% |
| 1998 | $225.32 | 2.67% |
| 1999 | $230.97 | 2.51% |
| 2000 | $238.90 | 3.43% |
| 2001 | $248.84 | 4.16% |
| 2002 | $256.65 | 3.14% |
| 2003 | $264.82 | 3.19% |
| 2004 | $272.53 | 2.91% |
| 2005 | $281.47 | 3.28% |
| 2006 | $292.19 | 3.81% |
| 2007 | $301.95 | 3.34% |
| 2008 | $312.54 | 3.50% |
| 2009 | $317.01 | 1.43% |
| 2010 | $319.60 | 0.82% |
| 2011 | $325.09 | 1.72% |
| 2012 | $331.96 | 2.11% |
| 2013 | $339.97 | 2.42% |
| 2014 | $348.78 | 2.59% |
| 2015 | $356.80 | 2.30% |
| 2016 | $366.91 | 2.83% |
| 2017 | $376.86 | 2.71% |
| 2018 | $387.29 | 2.77% |
| 2019 | $397.68 | 2.68% |
| 2020 | $406.09 | 2.11% |
| 2021 | $417.65 | 2.85% |
| 2022 | $443.53 | 6.20% |
| 2023 | $470.33 | 6.04% |
| 2024 | $493.29 | 4.88% |
| 2025 | $510.97 | 3.59% |
| 2026 | $515.68 | 0.92%* |
* 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 Services:
| 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 | 2025 | 2026 |
| CPI | 11.800 | 11.883 | 12.242 | 12.500 | 12.500 | 12.533 | 12.675 | 13.125 | 13.375 | 13.675 | 13.858 | 14.117 | 14.667 | 15.600 | 16.350 | 16.850 | 17.725 | 18.567 | 19.342 | 19.983 | 20.383 | 20.942 | 21.800 | 22.625 | 23.300 | 24.042 | 24.558 | 25.017 | 25.500 | 25.975 | 26.592 | 27.583 | 28.808 | 30.300 | 32.408 | 35.058 | 36.992 | 38.433 | 40.058 | 43.817 | 48.017 | 51.967 | 55.983 | 60.767 | 67.475 | 77.867 | 88.083 | 96.050 | 99.367 | 104.592 | 109.917 | 115.392 | 120.175 | 125.658 | 131.858 | 139.167 | 146.317 | 152.033 | 157.850 | 163.092 | 168.650 | 174.108 | 179.408 | 184.200 | 188.817 | 195.300 | 203.425 | 209.808 | 216.492 | 222.792 | 230.100 | 238.867 | 246.848 | 255.498 | 259.154 | 261.274 | 265.762 | 271.374 | 277.929 | 285.126 | 291.683 | 299.947 | 308.085 | 316.607 | 325.106 | 331.980 | 341.428 | 362.587 | 384.494 | 403.262 | 417.720 | 421.567 |