Durables priced at $20 in 1936 $136.16 in 2024

Durables Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Durables, 1936-2024 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for durables are 580.79% higher in 2024 versus 1936 (a $116.16 difference in value).

Between 1936 and 2024: Durables experienced an average inflation rate of 2.20% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, durables costing $20 in the year 1936 would cost $136.16 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.61% during this same period, inflation for durables was lower.

In the year 1936: Pricing changed by 1.59%, which is below the average yearly change for durables during the 1936-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1936 (1.07%), inflation for durables was higher.

Price Inflation for Durables since 1935

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1942 (12.81%), 1975 (11.41%), and 2021 (10.59%).

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Buying power of $20.00 since 1936

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Durables, over time, for $20 beginning in 1936. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1936$20.001.59%
1937$21.376.84%
1938$21.570.93%
1939$21.15-1.95%
1940$20.99-0.73%
1941$22.637.80%
1942$25.5312.81%
1943$26.413.47%
1944$28.989.72%
1945$31.017.02%
1946$32.474.71%
1947$35.218.45%
1948$37.787.29%
1949$38.090.82%
1950$38.711.63%
1951$41.657.60%
1952$42.030.90%
1953$41.70-0.79%
1954$40.63-2.55%
1955$39.84-1.96%
1956$39.910.18%
1957$41.193.22%
1958$41.811.51%
1959$42.421.44%
1960$42.18-0.56%
1961$42.180.00% **
1962$42.600.99%
1963$42.710.26%
1964$43.070.86%
1965$42.91-0.38%
1966$42.950.10%
1967$43.631.56%
1968$44.953.02%
1969$46.683.86%
1970$48.754.43%
1971$50.804.21%
1972$51.892.14%
1973$53.162.46%
1974$56.967.14%
1975$63.4611.41%
1976$67.336.10%
1977$71.205.75%
1978$75.856.52%
1979$83.369.90%
1980$91.7710.09%
1981$99.107.98%
1982$105.166.12%
1983$110.384.96%
1984$116.245.31%
1985$118.081.58%
1986$117.87-0.17%
1987$119.661.52%
1988$122.072.01%
1989$124.041.62%
1990$125.441.12%
1991$128.292.28%
1992$131.142.22%
1993$134.122.27%
1994$138.022.91%
1995$141.562.56%
1996$143.071.07%
1997$142.37-0.49%
1998$141.08-0.90%
1999$139.32-1.25%
2000$138.67-0.47%
2001$137.82-0.61%
2002$134.28-2.57%
2003$129.95-3.23%
2004$126.93-2.32%
2005$127.470.42%
2006$126.60-0.68%
2007$124.39-1.74%
2008$122.63-1.42%
2009$121.50-0.92%
2010$123.121.33%
2011$124.491.11%
2012$124.740.21%
2013$123.75-0.80%
2014$122.05-1.38%
2015$120.68-1.12%
2016$118.65-1.68%
2017$116.44-1.86%
2018$115.49-0.82%
2019$115.890.35%
2020$116.930.90%
2021$129.3210.59%
2022$141.659.54%
2023$139.81-1.30%
2024$136.16-2.61%*

* 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 Durables:

Year193519361937193819391940194119421943194419451946194719481949195019511952195319541955195619571958195919601961196219631964196519661967196819691970197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
CPI17.80018.08319.32019.50019.12018.98020.46023.08023.88026.20028.04029.36031.84034.16034.44035.00037.66038.00037.70036.74036.02036.08537.24637.80838.35438.13838.13838.51538.61538.94638.80038.83839.44640.63842.20844.07745.93146.91548.06951.50057.37760.87764.37768.57775.36982.97789.60095.08599.800105.100106.762106.577108.192110.369112.154113.415116.000118.577121.269124.792127.992129.362128.723127.562125.969125.377124.615121.415117.492114.769115.254114.469112.473110.877109.859111.324112.557112.790111.889110.349109.116107.279105.283104.420104.781105.723116.923128.077126.415123.110

Adjust durables prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2024 / CPI in 1936 * 1936 USD value = 2024 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Durables was 18.083 in the year 1936 and 123.110 in 2024:

123.110 / 18.083 * $20 = $136.16

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1936 has the same "purchasing power" as $136.16 in 2024 (in the CPI category of Durables).


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

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