According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for fresh fruits and vegetables are 4,326.91% higher in 2024 versus 1938 (a $865.38 difference in value).
Between 1938 and 2024: Fresh fruits and vegetables experienced an average inflation rate of 4.51% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, fresh fruits and vegetables costing $20 in the year 1938 would cost $885.38 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.67% during this same period, inflation for fresh fruits and vegetables was higher.
In the year 1938: Pricing changed by -14.87%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for fresh fruits and vegetables during the 1938-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1938 (-2.03%), inflation for fresh fruits and vegetables was much lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Fresh fruits and vegetables, over time, for $20 beginning in 1938. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1938 | $20.00 | -14.87% |
| 1939 | $20.64 | 3.18% |
| 1940 | $21.10 | 2.25% |
| 1941 | $22.56 | 6.93% |
| 1942 | $28.76 | 27.46% |
| 1943 | $38.57 | 34.11% |
| 1944 | $38.42 | -0.40% |
| 1945 | $40.76 | 6.09% |
| 1946 | $41.34 | 1.44% |
| 1947 | $43.67 | 5.62% |
| 1948 | $46.01 | 5.36% |
| 1949 | $47.42 | 3.07% |
| 1950 | $44.70 | -5.74% |
| 1951 | $48.42 | 8.32% |
| 1952 | $56.33 | 16.35% |
| 1953 | $53.05 | -5.84% |
| 1954 | $52.07 | -1.85% |
| 1955 | $53.06 | 1.92% |
| 1956 | $56.13 | 5.77% |
| 1957 | $56.56 | 0.77% |
| 1958 | $60.59 | 7.12% |
| 1959 | $57.75 | -4.69% |
| 1960 | $61.31 | 6.17% |
| 1961 | $60.33 | -1.60% |
| 1962 | $61.91 | 2.62% |
| 1963 | $65.65 | 6.03% |
| 1964 | $69.48 | 5.85% |
| 1965 | $70.95 | 2.11% |
| 1966 | $72.22 | 1.80% |
| 1967 | $72.41 | 0.26% |
| 1968 | $79.26 | 9.46% |
| 1969 | $80.48 | 1.54% |
| 1970 | $84.22 | 4.64% |
| 1971 | $87.66 | 4.09% |
| 1972 | $92.74 | 5.79% |
| 1973 | $109.28 | 17.84% |
| 1974 | $117.80 | 7.80% |
| 1975 | $120.34 | 2.16% |
| 1976 | $123.34 | 2.49% |
| 1977 | $140.09 | 13.58% |
| 1978 | $158.26 | 12.97% |
| 1979 | $170.24 | 7.57% |
| 1980 | $183.01 | 7.50% |
| 1981 | $204.96 | 11.99% |
| 1982 | $216.35 | 5.56% |
| 1983 | $215.66 | -0.32% |
| 1984 | $239.24 | 10.93% |
| 1985 | $245.51 | 2.62% |
| 1986 | $252.93 | 3.02% |
| 1987 | $283.67 | 12.15% |
| 1988 | $304.53 | 7.35% |
| 1989 | $330.46 | 8.52% |
| 1990 | $360.19 | 8.99% |
| 1991 | $389.55 | 8.15% |
| 1992 | $382.67 | -1.77% |
| 1993 | $399.57 | 4.42% |
| 1994 | $417.78 | 4.56% |
| 1995 | $460.90 | 10.32% |
| 1996 | $473.94 | 2.83% |
| 1997 | $482.05 | 1.71% |
| 1998 | $517.40 | 7.33% |
| 1999 | $530.72 | 2.57% |
| 2000 | $534.32 | 0.68% |
| 2001 | $554.68 | 3.81% |
| 2002 | $578.12 | 4.23% |
| 2003 | $593.53 | 2.66% |
| 2004 | $614.56 | 3.54% |
| 2005 | $638.33 | 3.87% |
| 2006 | $672.20 | 5.31% |
| 2007 | $698.34 | 3.89% |
| 2008 | $734.57 | 5.19% |
| 2009 | $699.57 | -4.76% |
| 2010 | $704.44 | 0.70% |
| 2011 | $735.89 | 4.47% |
| 2012 | $721.12 | -2.01% |
| 2013 | $744.61 | 3.26% |
| 2014 | $758.97 | 1.93% |
| 2015 | $755.54 | -0.45% |
| 2016 | $764.56 | 1.19% |
| 2017 | $766.06 | 0.20% |
| 2018 | $774.34 | 1.08% |
| 2019 | $782.09 | 1.00% |
| 2020 | $788.28 | 0.79% |
| 2021 | $814.65 | 3.34% |
| 2022 | $875.64 | 7.49% |
| 2023 | $882.25 | 0.76% |
| 2024 | $885.38 | 0.35%* |
* 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 Fresh fruits and vegetables:
| 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 |
| CPI | 9.562 | 10.285 | 10.500 | 8.938 | 9.223 | 9.431 | 10.085 | 12.854 | 17.238 | 17.169 | 18.215 | 18.477 | 19.515 | 20.562 | 21.192 | 19.977 | 21.638 | 25.177 | 23.708 | 23.269 | 23.715 | 25.085 | 25.277 | 27.077 | 25.808 | 27.400 | 26.962 | 27.669 | 29.338 | 31.054 | 31.708 | 32.277 | 32.362 | 35.423 | 35.969 | 37.638 | 39.177 | 41.446 | 48.838 | 52.646 | 53.785 | 55.123 | 62.608 | 70.731 | 76.085 | 81.792 | 91.600 | 96.692 | 96.385 | 106.923 | 109.723 | 113.038 | 126.777 | 136.100 | 147.692 | 160.977 | 174.100 | 171.023 | 178.577 | 186.715 | 205.985 | 211.815 | 215.438 | 231.238 | 237.192 | 238.800 | 247.900 | 258.377 | 265.262 | 274.662 | 285.285 | 300.423 | 312.105 | 328.297 | 312.654 | 314.830 | 328.888 | 322.283 | 332.785 | 339.202 | 337.668 | 341.699 | 342.371 | 346.073 | 349.534 | 352.302 | 364.085 | 391.342 | 394.300 | 395.697 |