Utilities and public transportation priced at $20 in 1977 $93.11 in 2024

Utilities And Public Transportation Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Utilities And Public Transportation, 1977-2024 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for utilities and public transportation are 365.55% higher in 2024 versus 1977 (a $73.11 difference in value).

Between 1977 and 2024: Utilities and public transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.33% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, utilities and public transportation costing $20 in the year 1977 would cost $93.11 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.56% during this same period, inflation for utilities and public transportation was lower.

In the year 1977: Pricing changed by 8.80%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for utilities and public transportation during the 1977-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1977 (6.50%), inflation for utilities and public transportation was higher.

Price Inflation for Utilities and public transportation since 1957

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1981 (14.89%), 1980 (14.25%), and 1982 (12.41%).

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Buying power of $20.00 since 1977

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Utilities and public transportation, over time, for $20 beginning in 1977. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1977$20.008.80%
1978$21.276.34%
1979$22.746.93%
1980$25.9814.25%
1981$29.8514.89%
1982$33.5512.41%
1983$36.107.59%
1984$38.005.27%
1985$39.132.97%
1986$39.821.76%
1987$39.880.17%
1988$40.481.50%
1989$41.863.40%
1990$43.463.83%
1991$45.163.93%
1992$46.262.41%
1993$48.314.45%
1994$49.111.65%
1995$49.641.08%
1996$51.022.78%
1997$52.362.64%
1998$52.400.06%
1999$52.850.86%
2000$54.753.60%
2001$57.785.53%
2002$56.83-1.64%
2003$58.973.77%
2004$60.101.91%
2005$63.375.44%
2006$67.015.74%
2007$68.672.48%
2008$72.775.98%
2009$71.89-1.21%
2010$72.871.36%
2011$74.121.71%
2012$74.450.45%
2013$76.122.24%
2014$77.782.18%
2015$77.09-0.88%
2016$77.230.19%
2017$77.660.55%
2018$77.940.36%
2019$78.220.36%
2020$78.400.23%
2021$81.774.30%
2022$89.419.35%
2023$91.322.13%
2024$93.111.96%*

* 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 Utilities and public transportation:

Year19571958195919601961196219631964196519661967196819691970197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
CPI25.04626.01526.70827.60828.14628.52328.74628.96229.00829.22329.75430.31531.41533.40835.70837.43838.68542.11546.73151.22355.73159.26263.36972.40083.17793.500100.592105.892109.038110.954111.138112.808116.638121.100125.854128.892134.623136.838138.315142.162145.915146.008147.262152.569161.000158.354164.331167.469176.585186.715191.340202.783200.337203.061206.541207.469212.115216.730214.816215.216216.396217.178217.970218.462227.859249.156254.458259.455

Adjust utilities and public transportation prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2024 / CPI in 1977 * 1977 USD value = 2024 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Utilities and public transportation was 55.731 in the year 1977 and 259.455 in 2024:

259.455 / 55.731 * $20 = $93.11

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1977 has the same "purchasing power" as $93.11 in 2024 (in the CPI category of Utilities and public transportation).


Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Utilities and public transportation in 1957. In addition to utilities and public transportation, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.

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