Lettuce priced at $1.41 in 1939 → $48.82 in 2024

Lettuce Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Lettuce, 1939-2024 ($1.41)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for lettuce are 3,362.45% higher in 2024 versus 1939 (a $47.41 difference in value).

The current national average price is $1.41 for "Lettuce, iceberg, per lb. (453.6 gm)". This data is collected by a national survey and can vary from region to region.

Between 1939 and 2024: Lettuce experienced an average inflation rate of 4.26% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, lettuce costing $1.41 in the year 1939 would cost $48.82 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.73% during this same period, inflation for lettuce was higher.

Price Inflation for Lettuce since 1939

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1978 (36.12%), 1995 (29.84%), and 1942 (24.85%).

Price history

The average price for Lettuce is calculated from a weighted average of retailer data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Inflation rate is also calculated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The table below shows average prices and their corresponding "real" prices adjusted for inflation rate. To understand how price levels differ from inflation rates, see this article published by the BLS.

Average prices for Lettuce, iceberg, per lb. (453.6 gm):

YearAverage price (Lettuce)Inflation adjusted price (2024 dollars)
2024$1.41 (latest available value)$1.41
2023$1.62$1.62
2022$1.29$1.31
2021$1.29$1.49
2020$1.29$1.55
2019$1.18$1.47
2018$0.94$1.30
2017$1.03$1.39
2016$1.06$1.45
2015$1.16$1.49
2014$1.05$1.42
2013$1.01$1.30
2012$0.86$1.21
2011$0.99$1.29
2010$0.87$1.24
2009$0.91$1.27
2008$0.91$1.27
2007$0.93$1.33
2006$0.87$1.30
2005$0.87$1.36
2004$0.80$1.33
2003$0.82$1.34
2002$0.86$1.37
2001$0.79$1.36
2000$0.74$1.29
1999$0.67$1.30
1998$0.76$1.33
1997$0.69$1.39
1996$0.65$1.40
1995$0.80$1.45
1994$0.61$1.43
1993$0.66$1.48
1992$0.58$1.49
1991$0.60$1.52
1990$0.58$1.54
1989$0.60$1.60
1988$0.63$1.70
1987$0.62$1.82
1986$0.53$1.88
1985$0.54$2.03
1984$0.51$2.14
1983$0.55$2.15
1982$0.57$2.28
1981$0.49$2.32
1980$0.45$2.33
View price changes for other categories
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Buying power of $1.41 since 1939

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Lettuce, over time, for $1.41 beginning in 1939. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1939$1.41-
1940$1.421.06%
1941$1.5810.78%
1942$1.9724.85%
1943$2.3117.01%
1944$2.01-12.95%
1945$2.136.11%
1946$2.02-5.05%
1947$2.3516.44%
1948$2.360.36%
1949$2.8219.37%
1950$2.39-15.10%
1951$2.7916.30%
1952$2.64-5.14%
1953$2.640.04%
1954$2.660.71%
1955$2.867.32%
1956$2.880.72%
1957$3.066.51%
1958$3.04-0.70%
1959$3.174.18%
1960$3.05-3.78%
1961$2.93-3.90%
1962$3.3514.18%
1963$3.453.19%
1964$3.542.47%
1965$3.653.07%
1966$3.999.27%
1967$3.98-0.19%
1968$3.95-0.59%
1969$4.4713.02%
1970$4.31-3.60%
1971$4.9314.47%
1972$4.960.47%
1973$6.0822.65%
1974$6.161.29%
1975$6.04-1.95%
1976$6.8713.85%
1977$6.84-0.44%
1978$9.3136.12%
1979$9.734.48%
1980$9.47-2.71%
1981$10.288.55%
1982$12.2619.27%
1983$12.562.47%
1984$11.69-6.92%
1985$12.9210.48%
1986$13.716.13%
1987$16.6121.11%
1988$18.098.94%
1989$18.441.92%
1990$18.30-0.76%
1991$19.456.30%
1992$18.95-2.56%
1993$21.6914.43%
1994$20.73-4.40%
1995$26.9229.84%
1996$22.60-16.04%
1997$24.357.74%
1998$27.8814.50%
1999$25.35-9.07%
2000$27.769.50%
2001$28.462.51%
2002$30.687.81%
2003$29.97-2.33%
2004$29.18-2.61%
2005$31.327.32%
2006$32.393.41%
2007$34.115.31%
2008$34.872.24%
2009$35.040.46%
2010$34.53-1.44%
2011$37.358.16%
2012$34.70-7.10%
2013$38.089.76%
2014$36.31-4.66%
2015$38.104.94%
2016$35.77-6.13%
2017$36.070.85%
2018$35.51-1.57%
2019$39.2210.47%
2020$40.834.10%
2021$42.564.22%
2022$48.2613.40%
2023$48.881.29%
2024$48.82-0.13%*

* 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 Lettuce:

Year19391940194119421943194419451946194719481949195019511952195319541955195619571958195919601961196219631964196519661967196819691970197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
CPI11.58511.70812.96916.19218.94616.49217.50016.61519.34619.41523.17719.67722.88521.70821.71521.86923.46923.63825.17725.00026.04625.06224.08527.50028.37729.07729.96932.74632.68532.49236.72335.40040.52340.71549.93850.58549.60056.46956.22376.53179.96277.79284.446100.723103.20896.069106.138112.646136.431148.623151.477150.323159.800155.715178.185170.338221.162185.692200.062229.062208.285228.077233.792252.062246.200239.769257.331266.108280.230286.518287.850283.713306.853285.068312.889298.322313.067293.879296.391291.734322.266335.477349.644396.498401.616401.112

Adjust lettuce prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2024 / CPI in 1939 * 1939 USD value = 2024 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Lettuce was 11.585 in the year 1939 and 401.112 in 2024:

401.112 / 11.585 * $1.41 = $48.82

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $1.41 in 1939 has the same "purchasing power" as $48.82 in 2024 (in the CPI category of Lettuce).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Lettuce in 1939. In addition to lettuce, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.

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