Apples priced at $1.31 in 1939 → $61.49 in 2021

Apples Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Apples, 1939-2021 ($1.31)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for apples are 4,594.03% higher in 2021 versus 1939 (a $60.18 difference in value).

The current national average price is $1.31 for "Apples, Red Delicious, per lb. (453.6 gm)". This data is collected by a national survey and can vary from region to region.

Between 1939 and 2021: Apples experienced an average inflation rate of 4.81% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, apples costing $1.31 in the year 1939 would cost $61.49 in 2021 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.69% during this same period, inflation for apples was higher.

Price Inflation for Apples since 1939

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1943 (51.50%), 1952 (35.37%), and 1942 (31.95%).

Price history

The average price for Apples is calculated from a weighted average of retailer data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Inflation rate is also calculated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The table below shows average prices and their corresponding "real" prices adjusted for inflation rate. To understand how price levels differ from inflation rates, see this article published by the BLS.

Average prices for Apples, Red Delicious, per lb. (453.6 gm):

Year Average price (Apples) Inflation adjusted price (2021 dollars)
2017 $1.29 $1.29
2016 $1.44 $1.41
2015 $1.36 $1.42
2014 $1.35 $1.35
2013 $1.39 $1.37
2012 $1.38 $1.42
2011 $1.35 $1.49
2010 $1.22 $1.42
2009 $1.18 $1.41
2008 $1.32 $1.36
2007 $1.12 $1.28
2006 $1.07 $1.32
2005 $0.95 $1.33
2004 $1.04 $1.43
2003 $0.98 $1.38
2002 $0.95 $1.42
2001 $0.87 $1.40
2000 $0.92 $1.49
1999 $0.90 $1.54
1998 $0.94 $1.61
1997 $0.91 $1.57
1996 $0.93 $1.58
1995 $0.83 $1.57
1994 $0.80 $1.59
1993 $0.83 $1.70
1992 $0.89 $1.71
1991 $0.89 $1.76
1990 $0.72 $1.68
1989 $0.69 $1.69
1988 $0.73 $1.87
1987 $0.73 $1.91
1986 $0.77 $2.04
1985 $0.68 $2.08
1984 $0.66 $2.12
1983 $0.59 $2.15
1982 $0.64 $2.23
1981 $0.57 $2.31
1980 $0.63 $2.35
View price changes for other categories
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Buying power of $1.31 since 1939

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Apples, over time, for $1.31 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 $1.31 -
1940 $1.40 6.57%
1941 $1.44 3.08%
1942 $1.90 31.95%
1943 $2.88 51.50%
1944 $3.01 4.59%
1945 $3.45 14.50%
1946 $3.65 6.01%
1947 $3.50 -4.11%
1948 $3.26 -6.98%
1949 $3.43 5.16%
1950 $3.24 -5.31%
1951 $2.97 -8.35%
1952 $4.02 35.37%
1953 $4.55 12.94%
1954 $4.42 -2.72%
1955 $4.36 -1.35%
1956 $4.38 0.32%
1957 $4.78 9.23%
1958 $4.36 -8.70%
1959 $4.25 -2.56%
1960 $4.84 13.78%
1961 $5.18 7.09%
1962 $4.90 -5.47%
1963 $5.18 5.67%
1964 $5.22 0.86%
1965 $5.35 2.50%
1966 $5.97 11.63%
1967 $6.27 4.93%
1968 $7.30 16.51%
1969 $7.26 -0.61%
1970 $6.70 -7.67%
1971 $7.16 6.80%
1972 $7.62 6.52%
1973 $9.09 19.19%
1974 $10.19 12.11%
1975 $10.18 -0.03%
1976 $9.75 -4.24%
1977 $11.57 18.68%
1978 $14.47 25.02%
1979 $14.28 -1.27%
1980 $16.63 16.39%
1981 $15.23 -8.38%
1982 $17.84 17.15%
1983 $17.09 -4.25%
1984 $19.25 12.65%
1985 $20.43 6.13%
1986 $23.59 15.46%
1987 $23.65 0.27%
1988 $24.24 2.48%
1989 $25.37 4.68%
1990 $26.63 4.97%
1991 $31.21 17.21%
1992 $32.42 3.86%
1993 $30.53 -5.84%
1994 $31.41 2.91%
1995 $33.14 5.50%
1996 $36.54 10.24%
1997 $36.04 -1.35%
1998 $36.53 1.36%
1999 $36.14 -1.06%
2000 $38.39 6.22%
2001 $38.62 0.60%
2002 $41.67 7.89%
2003 $44.14 5.92%
2004 $45.45 2.97%
2005 $44.43 -2.24%
2006 $50.09 12.74%
2007 $54.08 7.96%
2008 $60.23 11.37%
2009 $52.05 -13.57%
2010 $53.47 2.73%
2011 $56.35 5.38%
2012 $60.47 7.32%
2013 $62.97 4.13%
2014 $62.33 -1.01%
2015 $59.44 -4.64%
2016 $63.47 6.77%
2017 $62.21 -1.97%
2018 $60.58 -2.63%
2019 $61.21 1.04%
2020 $58.25 -4.83%
2021 $61.49 5.56%*
* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.

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

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 7.254 7.731 7.969 10.515 15.931 16.662 19.077 20.223 19.392 18.038 18.969 17.962 16.462 22.285 25.169 24.485 24.154 24.231 26.467 24.164 23.546 26.792 28.692 27.123 28.662 28.908 29.631 33.077 34.708 40.438 40.192 37.108 39.631 42.215 50.315 56.408 56.392 54.000 64.085 80.115 79.100 92.062 84.346 98.808 94.608 106.577 113.115 130.608 130.954 134.200 140.477 147.462 172.838 179.508 169.031 173.954 183.523 202.308 199.585 202.292 200.138 212.585 213.854 230.731 244.392 251.662 246.023 277.369 299.446 333.496 288.225 296.082 312.003 334.848 348.691 345.156 329.146 351.439 344.502 335.449 338.929 322.572 340.498

Adjust apples prices for inflation

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 Apples was 7.254 in the year 1939 and 340.498 in 2021:

340.498 / 7.254 * $1.31 = $61.49

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $1.31 in 1939 has the same "purchasing power" as $61.49 in 2021 (in the CPI category of Apples).

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

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