Motor fuel priced at $20 in 1935 $462.44 in 2024

Motor Fuel Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Motor Fuel, 1935-2024 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for motor fuel are 2,212.22% higher in 2024 versus 1935 (a $442.44 difference in value).

Between 1935 and 2024: Motor fuel experienced an average inflation rate of 3.59% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, motor fuel costing $20 in the year 1935 would cost $462.44 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.58% during this same period, inflation for motor fuel was higher.

Price Inflation for Motor fuel since 1935

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1980 (38.92%), 2021 (35.77%), and 1974 (35.49%).

View price changes for other categories
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Buying power of $20.00 since 1935

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Motor fuel, over time, for $20 beginning in 1935. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1935$20.00-
1936$20.753.75%
1937$21.674.43%
1938$20.94-3.38%
1939$19.69-5.97%
1940$19.22-2.37%
1941$20.285.50%
1942$21.455.78%
1943$21.721.26%
1944$21.790.32%
1945$21.71-0.38%
1946$22.111.84%
1947$24.9112.70%
1948$28.4014.01%
1949$29.172.68%
1950$28.89-0.94%
1951$29.742.95%
1952$30.542.66%
1953$32.526.49%
1954$33.131.87%
1955$33.741.84%
1956$34.863.34%
1957$36.223.89%
1958$35.70-1.42%
1959$36.141.21%
1960$37.192.92%
1961$36.79-1.07%
1962$37.020.61%
1963$36.91-0.28%
1964$36.72-0.51%
1965$38.354.43%
1966$39.071.88%
1967$40.212.90%
1968$40.811.52%
1969$42.153.27%
1970$42.490.81%
1971$42.770.66%
1972$43.301.23%
1973$47.509.69%
1974$64.3535.49%
1975$68.726.79%
1976$71.584.16%
1977$75.725.78%
1978$78.954.26%
1979$106.8735.37%
1980$148.4538.92%
1981$165.2711.33%
1982$156.65-5.22%
1983$151.43-3.33%
1984$149.09-1.55%
1985$150.350.85%
1986$117.49-21.86%
1987$122.244.05%
1988$123.250.82%
1989$134.889.43%
1990$154.1714.30%
1991$151.47-1.76%
1992$150.89-0.38%
1993$149.32-1.04%
1994$150.060.49%
1995$152.331.52%
1996$161.966.32%
1997$161.86-0.06%
1998$140.45-13.23%
1999$153.469.26%
2000$197.0828.42%
2001$190.02-3.58%
2002$177.69-6.49%
2003$206.8716.43%
2004$244.4018.14%
2005$298.1622.00%
2006$336.8112.96%
2007$364.308.16%
2008$426.1416.97%
2009$307.78-27.78%
2010$364.4618.42%
2011$461.1326.52%
2012$476.433.32%
2013$463.01-2.82%
2014$445.62-3.76%
2015$324.67-27.14%
2016$287.07-11.58%
2017$324.1512.92%
2018$368.5513.70%
2019$355.40-3.57%
2020$297.51-16.29%
2021$403.9435.77%
2022$533.7332.13%
2023$477.34-10.56%
2024$462.44-3.12%*

* 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 Motor fuel:

Year193519361937193819391940194119421943194419451946194719481949195019511952195319541955195619571958195919601961196219631964196519661967196819691970197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
CPI13.12513.61714.22013.74012.92012.61413.30814.07714.25414.30014.24614.50816.35018.64019.14018.96019.52020.04021.34021.74022.14022.88023.76923.43123.71524.40824.14624.29224.22324.10025.16725.64026.38526.78527.66227.88528.06928.41531.16942.23145.10046.97749.69251.80870.13197.423108.462102.80099.37797.83898.66977.10080.22380.88588.515101.17799.40099.02397.99298.47799.969106.285106.22392.169100.708129.331124.700116.608135.762160.385195.669221.031239.070279.652201.978239.178302.619312.660303.850292.435213.062188.389212.721241.861233.234195.242265.083350.261313.257303.479

Adjust motor fuel prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2024 / CPI in 1935 * 1935 USD value = 2024 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Motor fuel was 13.125 in the year 1935 and 303.479 in 2024:

303.479 / 13.125 * $20 = $462.44

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1935 has the same "purchasing power" as $462.44 in 2024 (in the CPI category of Motor fuel).


Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Motor fuel in 1935. In addition to motor fuel, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.

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