Butter priced at $3.18 in 1939 → $59.45 in 2022

Butter Inflation Calculator

$

Prices for Butter, 1939-2022 ($3.18)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for butter are 1,769.36% higher in 2022 versus 1939 (a $56.27 difference in value).

The current national average price is $3.18 for "Butter, salted, grade AA, stick, per lb. (453.6 gm)". This data is collected by a national survey and can vary from region to region.

Between 1939 and 2022: Butter experienced an average inflation rate of 3.59% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, butter costing $3.18 in the year 1939 would cost $59.45 in 2022 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.71% during this same period, inflation for butter was lower.

Price Inflation for Butter since 1939

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1946 (41.08%), 1998 (31.11%), and 2004 (29.15%).

Price history

The average price for Butter 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 Butter, salted, grade AA, stick, per lb. (453.6 gm):

Year Average price (Butter) Inflation adjusted price (2022 dollars)
2012 $3.38 $3.38
2011 $3.60 $3.35
2010 $3.12 $3.36
2009 $2.84 $3.37
2008 $3.14 $3.45
2007 $3.03 $3.49
2006 $2.92 $3.35
2005 $3.28 $3.49
2004 $3.49 $3.66
2003 $2.81 $3.81
2002 $3.07 $3.86
2001 $3.30 $3.77
2000 $2.52 $3.64
1999 $2.65 $3.57
1998 $2.86 $3.73
1997 $2.17 $3.70
1996 $2.05 $3.73
1995 $1.61 $3.68
1994 $1.60 $3.79
1993 $1.66 $3.75
1992 $1.83 $3.88
1991 $1.94 $3.96
1990 $1.99 $3.97
1989 $2.13 $3.98
1988 $2.16 $4.03
1987 $2.17 $4.04
1986 $2.15 $4.08
1985 $2.12 $4.04
1984 $2.11 $4.05
1983 $2.06 $4.07
1982 $2.05 $4.08
1981 $1.99 $4.06
1980 $1.88 $4.12
View price changes for other categories
San Diego, California · Indoor plants and flowers · Dental services · Houston, Texas · More

Buying power of $3.18 since 1939

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Butter, over time, for $3.18 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 $3.18 -
1940 $3.54 11.29%
1941 $4.05 14.39%
1942 $4.66 15.16%
1943 $5.14 10.16%
1944 $4.88 -4.96%
1945 $4.94 1.24%
1946 $6.97 41.08%
1947 $7.91 13.45%
1948 $8.52 7.78%
1949 $7.13 -16.42%
1950 $7.16 0.54%
1951 $8.04 12.26%
1952 $8.40 4.49%
1953 $7.80 -7.14%
1954 $7.15 -8.36%
1955 $7.01 -1.98%
1956 $7.17 2.29%
1957 $7.39 3.01%
1958 $7.38 -0.09%
1959 $7.49 1.46%
1960 $7.45 -0.45%
1961 $7.61 2.13%
1962 $7.50 -1.46%
1963 $7.49 -0.18%
1964 $7.56 1.01%
1965 $7.68 1.61%
1966 $8.36 8.80%
1967 $8.59 2.76%
1968 $8.66 0.79%
1969 $8.77 1.27%
1970 $8.98 2.38%
1971 $9.09 1.24%
1972 $9.05 -0.45%
1973 $9.51 5.12%
1974 $9.81 3.12%
1975 $10.67 8.82%
1976 $13.15 23.24%
1977 $13.90 5.69%
1978 $15.41 10.87%
1979 $17.44 13.14%
1980 $19.60 12.38%
1981 $21.09 7.64%
1982 $21.57 2.27%
1983 $21.82 1.17%
1984 $22.36 2.43%
1985 $22.60 1.08%
1986 $22.66 0.30%
1987 $23.07 1.79%
1988 $23.00 -0.31%
1989 $23.01 0.03%
1990 $21.59 -6.18%
1991 $21.00 -2.71%
1992 $20.26 -3.55%
1993 $19.02 -6.10%
1994 $18.17 -4.48%
1995 $18.78 3.38%
1996 $23.59 25.58%
1997 $25.15 6.65%
1998 $32.98 31.11%
1999 $31.95 -3.12%
2000 $29.78 -6.79%
2001 $37.62 26.32%
2002 $34.18 -9.13%
2003 $31.76 -7.10%
2004 $41.01 29.15%
2005 $40.46 -1.35%
2006 $37.52 -7.28%
2007 $37.41 -0.28%
2008 $39.05 4.39%
2009 $36.25 -7.17%
2010 $40.02 10.39%
2011 $46.21 15.45%
2012 $42.98 -6.97%
2013 $43.49 1.18%
2014 $49.84 14.60%
2015 $51.04 2.40%
2016 $51.40 0.71%
2017 $52.70 2.53%
2018 $53.46 1.44%
2019 $54.06 1.12%
2020 $54.51 0.84%
2021 $54.46 -0.10%
2022 $59.45 9.16%*
* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.

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

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 2022
CPI 14.508 16.146 18.469 21.269 23.431 22.269 22.546 31.808 36.085 38.892 32.508 32.685 36.692 38.338 35.600 32.623 31.977 32.708 33.692 33.662 34.154 34.000 34.723 34.215 34.154 34.500 35.054 38.138 39.192 39.500 40.000 40.954 41.462 41.277 43.392 44.746 48.692 60.008 63.423 70.315 79.554 89.400 96.231 98.415 99.569 101.992 103.092 103.400 105.254 104.931 104.962 98.477 95.808 92.408 86.769 82.885 85.685 107.600 114.754 150.454 145.754 135.862 171.615 155.954 144.877 187.115 184.592 171.162 170.683 178.170 165.401 182.593 210.795 196.102 198.410 227.375 232.833 234.484 240.409 243.882 246.620 248.691 248.454 271.201

Adjust butter prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2022 / CPI in 1939 * 1939 USD value = 2022 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Butter was 14.508 in the year 1939 and 271.201 in 2022:

271.201 / 14.508 * $3.18 = $59.45

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $3.18 in 1939 has the same "purchasing power" as $59.45 in 2022 (in the CPI category of Butter).

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

» Read more about inflation and investment.