According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for services are 2,401.88% higher in 2026 versus 1950 (a $480.38 difference in value).
Between 1950 and 2026:Services experienced an average inflation rate of 4.33% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, services costing $20 in the year 1950 would cost $500.38 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.48% during this same period, inflation for services was higher.
In the year 1950: Pricing changed by 3.06%, which is below the average yearly change for services during the 1950-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1950 (1.09%), inflation for services was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Services, over time, for $20 beginning in 1950. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | $20.00 | 3.06% |
| 1951 | $21.04 | 5.19% |
| 1952 | $22.04 | 4.75% |
| 1953 | $22.96 | 4.17% |
| 1954 | $23.72 | 3.32% |
| 1955 | $24.19 | 2.00% |
| 1956 | $24.86 | 2.74% |
| 1957 | $25.88 | 4.10% |
| 1958 | $26.85 | 3.78% |
| 1959 | $27.66 | 2.98% |
| 1960 | $28.54 | 3.18% |
| 1961 | $29.15 | 2.15% |
| 1962 | $29.69 | 1.87% |
| 1963 | $30.27 | 1.93% |
| 1964 | $30.83 | 1.86% |
| 1965 | $31.56 | 2.37% |
| 1966 | $32.74 | 3.73% |
| 1967 | $34.19 | 4.44% |
| 1968 | $35.96 | 5.18% |
| 1969 | $38.47 | 6.96% |
| 1970 | $41.61 | 8.18% |
| 1971 | $43.91 | 5.51% |
| 1972 | $45.62 | 3.90% |
| 1973 | $47.55 | 4.23% |
| 1974 | $52.01 | 9.38% |
| 1975 | $56.99 | 9.59% |
| 1976 | $61.68 | 8.23% |
| 1977 | $66.45 | 7.73% |
| 1978 | $72.13 | 8.54% |
| 1979 | $80.09 | 11.04% |
| 1980 | $92.42 | 15.40% |
| 1981 | $104.55 | 13.12% |
| 1982 | $114.01 | 9.04% |
| 1983 | $117.94 | 3.45% |
| 1984 | $124.14 | 5.26% |
| 1985 | $130.46 | 5.09% |
| 1986 | $136.96 | 4.98% |
| 1987 | $142.64 | 4.15% |
| 1988 | $149.15 | 4.56% |
| 1989 | $156.51 | 4.93% |
| 1990 | $165.18 | 5.54% |
| 1991 | $173.67 | 5.14% |
| 1992 | $180.45 | 3.91% |
| 1993 | $187.36 | 3.83% |
| 1994 | $193.58 | 3.32% |
| 1995 | $200.18 | 3.41% |
| 1996 | $206.66 | 3.24% |
| 1997 | $212.95 | 3.04% |
| 1998 | $218.64 | 2.67% |
| 1999 | $224.11 | 2.51% |
| 2000 | $231.81 | 3.43% |
| 2001 | $241.45 | 4.16% |
| 2002 | $249.03 | 3.14% |
| 2003 | $256.96 | 3.19% |
| 2004 | $264.44 | 2.91% |
| 2005 | $273.12 | 3.28% |
| 2006 | $283.52 | 3.81% |
| 2007 | $292.99 | 3.34% |
| 2008 | $303.26 | 3.50% |
| 2009 | $307.60 | 1.43% |
| 2010 | $310.12 | 0.82% |
| 2011 | $315.44 | 1.72% |
| 2012 | $322.11 | 2.11% |
| 2013 | $329.89 | 2.42% |
| 2014 | $338.43 | 2.59% |
| 2015 | $346.21 | 2.30% |
| 2016 | $356.02 | 2.83% |
| 2017 | $365.68 | 2.71% |
| 2018 | $375.79 | 2.77% |
| 2019 | $385.88 | 2.68% |
| 2020 | $394.04 | 2.11% |
| 2021 | $405.26 | 2.85% |
| 2022 | $430.37 | 6.20% |
| 2023 | $456.37 | 6.04% |
| 2024 | $478.65 | 4.88% |
| 2025 | $495.81 | 3.59% |
| 2026 | $500.38 | 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 |