White bread price history from 1939 through 2021

White Bread Inflation Calculator

Prices for White Bread, 1939-2021 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for white bread were 2,548.09% higher in 2021 versus 1939 (a $509.62 difference in value).

Between 1939 and 2021: White bread experienced an average inflation rate of 4.08% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, white bread costing $20 in the year 1939 would cost $529.62 in 2021 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.67% during this same period, inflation for white bread was higher.

Price Inflation for White bread since 1939

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1974 (25.01%), 1947 (20.61%), and 1946 (18.10%).

Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for White bread:

Year	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
CPI	13.146	13.485	13.562	14.492	14.500	14.392	14.408	17.015	20.523	22.785	22.938	23.392	25.615	26.323	27.092	28.192	29.062	29.723	31.108	31.985	32.638	33.654	34.677	35.208	35.931	36.154	36.608	38.815	39.492	39.700	40.892	43.131	44.362	44.615	50.046	62.562	65.500	64.262	64.308	68.623	76.808	85.923	93.154	96.738	100.008	103.254	105.854	107.715	110.677	118.623	129.377	136.423	139.300	146.154	152.185	158.985	165.469	177.523	183.831	187.285	192.454	199.054	208.285	213.392	218.592	223.300	232.115	237.985	257.975	294.237	297.789	291.831	306.751	315.273	321.536	319.665	323.644	322.998	323.418	323.829	333.552	347.861	348.122

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Buying power of $20 since 1939

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for White bread, over time, for $20 beginning in 1939. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

Year	USD Value	Inflation Rate
1939	$20.00	-
1940	$20.51	2.57%
1941	$20.63	0.57%
1942	$22.05	6.86%
1943	$22.06	0.05%
1944	$21.90	-0.74%
1945	$21.92	0.11%
1946	$25.89	18.10%
1947	$31.22	20.61%
1948	$34.66	11.02%
1949	$34.90	0.68%
1950	$35.59	1.98%
1951	$38.97	9.50%
1952	$40.05	2.76%
1953	$41.22	2.92%
1954	$42.89	4.06%
1955	$44.21	3.08%
1956	$45.22	2.28%
1957	$47.33	4.66%
1958	$48.66	2.82%
1959	$49.65	2.04%
1960	$51.20	3.11%
1961	$52.76	3.04%
1962	$53.56	1.53%
1963	$54.66	2.05%
1964	$55.00	0.62%
1965	$55.69	1.26%
1966	$59.05	6.03%
1967	$60.08	1.74%
1968	$60.40	0.53%
1969	$62.21	3.00%
1970	$65.62	5.47%
1971	$67.49	2.85%
1972	$67.88	0.57%
1973	$76.14	12.17%
1974	$95.18	25.01%
1975	$99.65	4.70%
1976	$97.76	-1.89%
1977	$97.83	0.07%
1978	$104.40	6.71%
1979	$116.85	11.93%
1980	$130.72	11.87%
1981	$141.72	8.42%
1982	$147.17	3.85%
1983	$152.15	3.38%
1984	$157.09	3.25%
1985	$161.04	2.52%
1986	$163.87	1.76%
1987	$168.38	2.75%
1988	$180.47	7.18%
1989	$196.83	9.07%
1990	$207.55	5.45%
1991	$211.93	2.11%
1992	$222.35	4.92%
1993	$231.53	4.13%
1994	$241.87	4.47%
1995	$251.74	4.08%
1996	$270.08	7.28%
1997	$279.67	3.55%
1998	$284.93	1.88%
1999	$292.79	2.76%
2000	$302.83	3.43%
2001	$316.88	4.64%
2002	$324.65	2.45%
2003	$332.56	2.44%
2004	$339.72	2.15%
2005	$353.13	3.95%
2006	$362.06	2.53%
2007	$392.47	8.40%
2008	$447.64	14.06%
2009	$453.04	1.21%
2010	$443.98	-2.00%
2011	$466.68	5.11%
2012	$479.64	2.78%
2013	$489.17	1.99%
2014	$486.33	-0.58%
2015	$492.38	1.24%
2016	$491.39	-0.20%
2017	$492.03	0.13%
2018	$492.66	0.13%
2019	$507.45	3.00%
2020	$529.22	4.29%
2021	$529.62	0.08%*

* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.

How to calculate the inflation rate for white bread, 1939-2021

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2021 / CPI in 1939 * 1939 USD value = 2021 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for White bread was 13.146 in the year 1939 and 348.122 in 2021:

348.122 / 13.146 * $20 = $529.62

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1939 has the same "purchasing power" as $529.62 in 2021 (in the CPI category of White bread).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for White bread in 1939. In addition to white bread, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.