Margarine priced at $1.73 in 1939 → $28.88 in 2022

Margarine Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Margarine, 1939-2022 ($1.73)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for margarine are 1,569.63% higher in 2022 versus 1939 (a $27.15 difference in value).

The current national average price is $1.73 for "Margarine, soft, tubs, per lb. (453.6 gm)". This data is collected by a national survey and can vary from region to region.

Between 1939 and 2022: Margarine experienced an average inflation rate of 3.45% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, margarine costing $1.73 in the year 1939 would cost $28.88 in 2022 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.71% during this same period, inflation for margarine was lower.

Price Inflation for Margarine since 1939

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1974 (53.60%), 1947 (44.25%), and 1942 (30.23%).

Price history

The average price for Margarine 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 Margarine, soft, tubs, per lb. (453.6 gm):

Year Average price (Margarine) Inflation adjusted price (2022 dollars)
2019 $1.64 $1.64
2018 $1.64 $1.63
2017 $1.73 $1.71
2016 $1.82 $1.84
2015 $1.93 $1.98
2014 $2.07 $2.12
2013 $2.10 $2.16
2012 $2.05 $2.09
2011 $1.83 $1.98
2010 $1.55 $1.93
2009 $1.59 $1.94
2008 $1.39 $1.82
2007 $1.20 $1.90
2006 $1.08 $1.80
2005 $1.02 $1.71
2004 $1.08 $1.81
2003 $1.00 $1.74
2002 $0.90 $1.61
2001 $0.85 $1.59
2000 $0.83 $1.60
1999 $1.00 $1.94
1998 $1.00 $1.98
1997 $1.00 $2.05
1996 $1.00 $2.06
1995 $1.04 $2.19
1994 $1.15 $2.49
1993 $1.18 $2.63
1992 $1.30 $2.93
1991 $1.29 $2.88
1990 $1.20 $2.74
1989 $1.17 $2.76
1988 $1.04 $2.70
1987 $0.97 $2.70
1986 $1.02 $2.77
1985 $1.02 $2.72
1984 $1.01 $2.81
View price changes for other categories
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Buying power of $1.73 since 1939

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Margarine, over time, for $1.73 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 $1.73 -
1940 $1.69 -2.43%
1941 $1.83 8.26%
1942 $2.38 30.23%
1943 $2.44 2.64%
1944 $2.43 -0.36%
1945 $2.43 -0.05%
1946 $2.85 17.11%
1947 $4.11 44.25%
1948 $4.16 1.27%
1949 $3.09 -25.75%
1950 $3.03 -1.85%
1951 $3.40 12.01%
1952 $2.89 -14.97%
1953 $2.91 0.63%
1954 $2.93 0.91%
1955 $2.84 -3.10%
1956 $2.86 0.68%
1957 $2.97 3.88%
1958 $2.91 -1.94%
1959 $2.79 -4.37%
1960 $2.69 -3.58%
1961 $2.86 6.59%
1962 $2.85 -0.61%
1963 $2.76 -3.04%
1964 $2.76 -0.02%
1965 $2.95 6.78%
1966 $3.02 2.60%
1967 $3.03 0.29%
1968 $2.99 -1.47%
1969 $2.98 -0.25%
1970 $3.22 7.90%
1971 $3.52 9.35%
1972 $3.57 1.46%
1973 $4.04 13.36%
1974 $6.21 53.60%
1975 $6.81 9.62%
1976 $5.71 -16.16%
1977 $6.24 9.24%
1978 $6.85 9.93%
1979 $7.28 6.26%
1980 $7.57 3.92%
1981 $7.77 2.67%
1982 $7.83 0.78%
1983 $7.91 0.98%
1984 $8.74 10.51%
1985 $9.12 4.35%
1986 $8.94 -1.95%
1987 $8.74 -2.29%
1988 $9.39 7.50%
1989 $10.33 10.01%
1990 $10.67 3.25%
1991 $10.85 1.75%
1992 $10.77 -0.79%
1993 $10.84 0.69%
1994 $11.25 3.79%
1995 $11.56 2.74%
1996 $11.80 2.07%
1997 $11.86 0.51%
1998 $12.29 3.59%
1999 $12.56 2.22%
2000 $12.53 -0.23%
2001 $13.02 3.88%
2002 $13.51 3.78%
2003 $13.97 3.44%
2004 $14.55 4.11%
2005 $14.45 -0.69%
2006 $14.62 1.19%
2007 $15.34 4.96%
2008 $18.58 21.09%
2009 $19.89 7.07%
2010 $19.52 -1.86%
2011 $22.40 14.76%
2012 $23.89 6.62%
2013 $23.57 -1.31%
2014 $23.71 0.59%
2015 $23.66 -0.21%
2016 $24.03 1.54%
2017 $24.61 2.42%
2018 $24.36 -1.02%
2019 $24.27 -0.37%
2020 $24.89 2.55%
2021 $25.77 3.54%
2022 $28.88 12.09%*
* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.

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

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 21.200 20.685 22.392 29.162 29.931 29.823 29.808 34.908 50.354 50.992 37.862 37.162 41.623 35.392 35.615 35.938 34.823 35.062 36.423 35.715 34.154 32.931 35.100 34.885 33.823 33.815 36.108 37.046 37.154 36.608 36.515 39.400 43.085 43.715 49.554 76.115 83.438 69.954 76.415 84.000 89.262 92.762 95.238 95.977 96.915 107.100 111.754 109.569 107.062 115.092 126.608 130.723 133.008 131.954 132.869 137.908 141.685 144.615 145.354 150.577 153.923 153.562 159.515 165.538 171.231 178.262 177.023 179.123 188.012 227.671 243.778 239.233 274.546 292.718 288.892 290.596 289.976 294.444 301.566 298.500 297.405 304.987 315.791 353.962

Adjust margarine 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 Margarine was 21.200 in the year 1939 and 353.962 in 2022:

353.962 / 21.200 * $1.73 = $28.88

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $1.73 in 1939 has the same "purchasing power" as $28.88 in 2022 (in the CPI category of Margarine).

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

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