According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for fruits and vegetables are 3,264.28% higher in 2024 versus 1938 (a $652.86 difference in value).
Between 1938 and 2024: Fruits and vegetables experienced an average inflation rate of 4.17% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, fruits and vegetables costing $20 in the year 1938 would cost $672.86 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.67% during this same period, inflation for fruits and vegetables was higher.
In the year 1938: Pricing changed by -13.59%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for fruits and vegetables during the 1938-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1938 (-2.03%), inflation for fruits and vegetables was much lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for 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 | -13.59% |
| 1939 | $20.28 | 1.40% |
| 1940 | $20.75 | 2.32% |
| 1941 | $22.15 | 6.73% |
| 1942 | $28.08 | 26.81% |
| 1943 | $36.19 | 28.89% |
| 1944 | $36.06 | -0.37% |
| 1945 | $37.97 | 5.30% |
| 1946 | $39.10 | 2.98% |
| 1947 | $42.76 | 9.36% |
| 1948 | $44.00 | 2.89% |
| 1949 | $44.63 | 1.44% |
| 1950 | $42.72 | -4.28% |
| 1951 | $46.73 | 9.39% |
| 1952 | $51.34 | 9.87% |
| 1953 | $49.67 | -3.26% |
| 1954 | $48.98 | -1.39% |
| 1955 | $49.71 | 1.50% |
| 1956 | $52.11 | 4.82% |
| 1957 | $51.95 | -0.31% |
| 1958 | $55.64 | 7.10% |
| 1959 | $54.78 | -1.53% |
| 1960 | $56.18 | 2.55% |
| 1961 | $56.39 | 0.37% |
| 1962 | $56.83 | 0.78% |
| 1963 | $60.12 | 5.79% |
| 1964 | $62.45 | 3.89% |
| 1965 | $62.37 | -0.14% |
| 1966 | $63.66 | 2.07% |
| 1967 | $63.63 | -0.05% |
| 1968 | $68.61 | 7.83% |
| 1969 | $69.49 | 1.29% |
| 1970 | $72.12 | 3.79% |
| 1971 | $75.75 | 5.03% |
| 1972 | $79.56 | 5.02% |
| 1973 | $90.62 | 13.91% |
| 1974 | $105.47 | 16.38% |
| 1975 | $108.77 | 3.14% |
| 1976 | $111.54 | 2.54% |
| 1977 | $121.84 | 9.24% |
| 1978 | $135.44 | 11.17% |
| 1979 | $146.30 | 8.02% |
| 1980 | $156.91 | 7.25% |
| 1981 | $175.77 | 12.02% |
| 1982 | $185.33 | 5.44% |
| 1983 | $185.88 | 0.29% |
| 1984 | $201.90 | 8.62% |
| 1985 | $207.17 | 2.61% |
| 1986 | $209.07 | 0.92% |
| 1987 | $227.54 | 8.84% |
| 1988 | $244.78 | 7.58% |
| 1989 | $263.57 | 7.68% |
| 1990 | $284.57 | 7.97% |
| 1991 | $297.65 | 4.60% |
| 1992 | $296.83 | -0.28% |
| 1993 | $303.72 | 2.32% |
| 1994 | $315.22 | 3.79% |
| 1995 | $339.44 | 7.68% |
| 1996 | $351.36 | 3.51% |
| 1997 | $358.16 | 1.94% |
| 1998 | $378.59 | 5.70% |
| 1999 | $387.98 | 2.48% |
| 2000 | $390.92 | 0.76% |
| 2001 | $405.35 | 3.69% |
| 2002 | $421.97 | 4.10% |
| 2003 | $431.57 | 2.27% |
| 2004 | $444.56 | 3.01% |
| 2005 | $461.15 | 3.73% |
| 2006 | $483.17 | 4.78% |
| 2007 | $501.71 | 3.84% |
| 2008 | $532.86 | 6.21% |
| 2009 | $521.42 | -2.15% |
| 2010 | $522.40 | 0.19% |
| 2011 | $543.81 | 4.10% |
| 2012 | $540.30 | -0.64% |
| 2013 | $554.07 | 2.55% |
| 2014 | $562.41 | 1.51% |
| 2015 | $561.34 | -0.19% |
| 2016 | $566.00 | 0.83% |
| 2017 | $564.86 | -0.20% |
| 2018 | $568.89 | 0.71% |
| 2019 | $574.74 | 1.03% |
| 2020 | $582.52 | 1.35% |
| 2021 | $601.40 | 3.24% |
| 2022 | $652.71 | 8.53% |
| 2023 | $668.96 | 2.49% |
| 2024 | $672.86 | 0.58%* |
* 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 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 | 11.200 | 11.777 | 12.115 | 10.469 | 10.615 | 10.862 | 11.592 | 14.700 | 18.946 | 18.877 | 19.877 | 20.469 | 22.385 | 23.031 | 23.362 | 22.362 | 24.462 | 26.877 | 26.000 | 25.638 | 26.023 | 27.277 | 27.192 | 29.123 | 28.677 | 29.408 | 29.515 | 29.746 | 31.469 | 32.692 | 32.646 | 33.323 | 33.308 | 35.915 | 36.377 | 37.754 | 39.654 | 41.646 | 47.438 | 55.208 | 56.938 | 58.385 | 63.777 | 70.900 | 76.585 | 82.138 | 92.008 | 97.015 | 97.300 | 105.685 | 108.446 | 109.438 | 119.108 | 128.131 | 137.969 | 148.962 | 155.808 | 155.377 | 158.985 | 165.008 | 177.685 | 183.923 | 187.485 | 198.177 | 203.092 | 204.631 | 212.185 | 220.885 | 225.908 | 232.708 | 241.392 | 252.923 | 262.628 | 278.932 | 272.945 | 273.458 | 284.662 | 282.827 | 290.033 | 294.398 | 293.840 | 296.277 | 295.684 | 297.793 | 300.854 | 304.929 | 314.809 | 341.671 | 350.175 | 352.215 |