Commodities less food price inflation, 1935→2026

Commodities Less Food Inflation Calculator

Prices for Commodities Less Food, 1935-2026 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for commodities less food are 899.83% higher in 2026 versus 1935 (a $179.97 difference in value).

Between 1935 and 2026: Commodities less food experienced an average inflation rate of 2.56% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, commodities less food costing $20 in the year 1935 would cost $199.97 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.54% during this same period, inflation for commodities less food was lower.

Price Inflation for Commodities less food since 1935

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

Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1980 (13.81%), 1947 (13.15%), and 1942 (11.75%).

View price changes for other categories
Wine at home · Gasoline (all types) · Milk · San Diego, California · More

Buying power of $20.00 since 1935

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Commodities 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	$20.17	0.87%
1937	$21.01	4.14%
1938	$21.11	0.49%
1939	$20.75	-1.73%
1940	$20.89	0.68%
1941	$21.71	3.95%
1942	$24.26	11.75%
1943	$25.32	4.37%
1944	$26.66	5.30%
1945	$27.79	4.22%
1946	$29.31	5.47%
1947	$33.16	13.15%
1948	$35.77	7.86%
1949	$35.57	-0.58%
1950	$35.22	-0.98%
1951	$37.94	7.72%
1952	$38.36	1.11%
1953	$38.42	0.15%
1954	$38.11	-0.81%
1955	$37.76	-0.91%
1956	$38.18	1.12%
1957	$39.33	3.00%
1958	$39.76	1.10%
1959	$40.27	1.30%
1960	$40.50	0.56%
1961	$40.60	0.25%
1962	$40.91	0.76%
1963	$41.18	0.66%
1964	$41.56	0.91%
1965	$41.81	0.61%
1966	$42.38	1.37%
1967	$43.44	2.50%
1968	$45.04	3.67%
1969	$46.96	4.27%
1970	$48.90	4.13%
1971	$50.74	3.76%
1972	$51.89	2.27%
1973	$53.69	3.45%
1974	$59.34	10.53%
1975	$64.79	9.18%
1976	$68.05	5.04%
1977	$71.74	5.42%
1978	$75.92	5.83%
1979	$84.77	11.65%
1980	$96.47	13.81%
1981	$104.81	8.64%
1982	$109.03	4.03%
1983	$112.57	3.24%
1984	$116.06	3.10%
1985	$118.45	2.06%
1986	$114.49	-3.34%
1987	$117.43	2.56%
1988	$121.19	3.20%
1989	$126.02	3.99%
1990	$132.17	4.88%
1991	$136.50	3.28%
1992	$139.74	2.37%
1993	$142.10	1.69%
1994	$143.91	1.27%
1995	$146.11	1.53%
1996	$149.21	2.12%
1997	$150.19	0.65%
1998	$148.51	-1.12%
1999	$150.82	1.55%
2000	$156.64	3.86%
2001	$156.28	-0.23%
2002	$153.10	-2.03%
2003	$153.58	0.31%
2004	$156.22	1.72%
2005	$162.61	4.09%
2006	$166.52	2.41%
2007	$168.51	1.20%
2008	$174.80	3.73%
2009	$165.53	-5.30%
2010	$172.19	4.02%
2011	$182.79	6.16%
2012	$186.00	1.76%
2013	$184.73	-0.69%
2014	$182.69	-1.10%
2015	$171.32	-6.23%
2016	$167.26	-2.37%
2017	$169.39	1.28%
2018	$172.93	2.09%
2019	$172.09	-0.49%
2020	$168.03	-2.35%
2021	$185.08	10.14%
2022	$206.28	11.46%
2023	$203.69	-1.26%
2024	$200.43	-1.60%
2025	$200.20	-0.11%
2026	$199.97	-0.12%*

* 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 Commodities 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	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
CPI	17.770	17.925	18.667	18.758	18.433	18.558	19.292	21.558	22.500	23.692	24.692	26.042	29.467	31.783	31.600	31.292	33.708	34.083	34.133	33.858	33.550	33.925	34.942	35.325	35.783	35.983	36.075	36.350	36.592	36.925	37.150	37.658	38.600	40.017	41.725	43.450	45.083	46.108	47.700	52.725	57.567	60.467	63.742	67.458	75.317	85.717	93.125	96.875	100.017	103.117	105.242	101.725	104.333	107.675	111.967	117.433	121.283	124.158	126.258	127.867	129.817	132.575	133.442	131.950	134.000	139.175	138.858	136.033	136.458	138.800	144.475	147.950	149.720	155.310	147.071	152.990	162.409	165.264	164.129	162.323	152.217	148.608	150.505	153.646	152.898	149.298	164.441	183.284	180.980	178.083	177.878	177.669

Adjust commodities less food prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2026 / CPI in 1935 * 1935 USD value = 2026 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Commodities less food was 17.770 in the year 1935 and 177.669 in 2026:

177.669 / 17.770 * $20 = $199.97

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1935 has the same "purchasing power" as $199.97 in 2026 (in the CPI category of Commodities less food).

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