Nondurables less food price inflation, 1935→2021

Nondurables Less Food Inflation Calculator

Prices for Nondurables Less Food, 1935-2021 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for nondurables less food are 1,187.37% higher in 2021 versus 1935 (a $237.47 difference in value).

Between 1935 and 2021: Nondurables less food experienced an average inflation rate of 3.02% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, nondurables less food costing $20 in the year 1935 would cost $257.47 in 2021 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.53% during this same period, inflation for nondurables less food was lower.

Price Inflation for Nondurables less food since 1935

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

Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1980 (18.41%), 1947 (14.50%), and 1979 (13.94%).

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 Nondurables less food, over time, for $20 beginning in 1935. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

Year	USD Value	Inflation Rate
1935	$20.00	-
1936	$20.20	0.98%
1937	$21.04	4.20%
1938	$20.87	-0.82%
1939	$20.55	-1.54%
1940	$20.82	1.32%
1941	$21.79	4.63%
1942	$24.11	10.67%
1943	$25.10	4.10%
1944	$26.34	4.93%
1945	$27.25	3.47%
1946	$29.50	8.26%
1947	$33.78	14.50%
1948	$36.28	7.39%
1949	$35.36	-2.52%
1950	$35.51	0.42%
1951	$38.18	7.52%
1952	$38.28	0.26%
1953	$38.65	0.97%
1954	$38.75	0.26%
1955	$38.85	0.26%
1956	$39.60	1.92%
1957	$40.71	2.81%
1958	$40.97	0.65%
1959	$41.48	1.23%
1960	$42.12	1.54%
1961	$42.37	0.61%
1962	$42.61	0.56%
1963	$43.04	1.00%
1964	$43.43	0.91%
1965	$44.03	1.38%
1966	$45.06	2.33%
1967	$46.45	3.10%
1968	$48.34	4.05%
1969	$50.51	4.51%
1970	$52.57	4.07%
1971	$54.36	3.40%
1972	$55.67	2.41%
1973	$57.93	4.07%
1974	$65.46	12.99%
1975	$70.46	7.64%
1976	$73.52	4.35%
1977	$77.34	5.19%
1978	$80.98	4.71%
1979	$92.27	13.94%
1980	$109.26	18.41%
1981	$119.59	9.45%
1982	$121.49	1.59%
1983	$123.69	1.81%
1984	$125.77	1.68%
1985	$128.74	2.36%
1986	$121.79	-5.39%
1987	$125.84	3.32%
1988	$130.83	3.97%
1989	$138.15	5.60%
1990	$148.21	7.28%
1991	$153.94	3.87%
1992	$157.76	2.48%
1993	$159.87	1.33%
1994	$160.36	0.31%
1995	$161.82	0.91%
1996	$166.25	2.74%
1997	$168.53	1.37%
1998	$166.41	-1.26%
1999	$172.41	3.61%
2000	$184.34	6.92%
2001	$184.39	0.03%
2002	$182.24	-1.17%
2003	$187.82	3.06%
2004	$196.94	4.86%
2005	$210.27	6.77%
2006	$220.28	4.76%
2007	$227.53	3.29%
2008	$243.95	7.22%
2009	$224.36	-8.03%
2010	$237.31	5.77%
2011	$259.18	9.22%
2012	$265.79	2.55%
2013	$264.12	-0.63%
2014	$261.75	-0.89%
2015	$237.83	-9.14%
2016	$231.46	-2.68%
2017	$239.60	3.52%
2018	$249.66	4.20%
2019	$246.98	-1.07%
2020	$234.60	-5.02%
2021	$257.47	9.75%*

* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.

Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for Nondurables less food:

Year	1935	1936	1937	1938	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	16.175	16.333	17.020	16.880	16.620	16.840	17.620	19.500	20.300	21.300	22.040	23.860	27.320	29.340	28.600	28.720	30.880	30.960	31.260	31.340	31.420	32.023	32.923	33.138	33.546	34.062	34.269	34.462	34.808	35.123	35.608	36.438	37.569	39.092	40.854	42.515	43.962	45.023	46.854	52.938	56.985	59.462	62.546	65.492	74.623	88.362	96.715	98.254	100.031	101.715	104.115	98.500	101.769	105.808	111.731	119.862	124.500	127.592	129.292	129.692	130.869	134.454	136.300	134.585	139.438	149.085	149.123	147.385	151.900	159.277	170.054	178.154	184.012	197.297	181.453	191.927	209.615	214.954	213.604	211.693	192.345	187.194	193.775	201.916	199.748	189.731	208.232

Adjust nondurables less food prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2021 / CPI in 1935 * 1935 USD value = 2021 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Nondurables less food was 16.175 in the year 1935 and 208.232 in 2021:

208.232 / 16.175 * $20 = $257.47

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1935 has the same "purchasing power" as $257.47 in 2021 (in the CPI category of Nondurables less food).

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