Postage price inflation, 1935→2024

Postage Inflation Calculator

Prices for Postage, 1935-2024 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for postage are 2,799.45% higher in 2024 versus 1935 (a $559.89 difference in value).

Between 1935 and 2024: Postage experienced an average inflation rate of 3.86% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, postage costing $20 in the year 1935 would cost $579.89 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.58% during this same period, inflation for postage was higher.

Price Inflation for Postage since 1935

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

Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1976 (26.73%), 1981 (17.32%), and 1971 (17.19%).

View price changes for other categories
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Buying power of $20.00 since 1935

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Postage, 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	$20.00	0.00% **
1937	$20.00	0.00% **
1938	$20.00	0.00% **
1939	$20.00	0.00% **
1940	$20.00	0.00% **
1941	$20.00	0.00% **
1942	$20.00	0.00% **
1943	$20.00	0.00% **
1944	$22.02	10.08%
1945	$22.95	4.23%
1946	$22.79	-0.68%
1947	$22.48	-1.36%
1948	$22.48	0.00% **
1949	$24.31	8.14%
1950	$24.34	0.13%
1951	$25.09	3.06%
1952	$27.44	9.39%
1953	$28.03	2.15%
1954	$29.92	6.75%
1955	$29.92	0.00% **
1956	$29.92	0.00% **
1957	$30.08	0.52%
1958	$32.62	8.45%
1959	$35.19	7.89%
1960	$36.56	3.88%
1961	$36.81	0.68%
1962	$37.05	0.67%
1963	$43.13	16.40%
1964	$44.24	2.56%
1965	$44.34	0.23%
1966	$44.68	0.77%
1967	$46.02	2.98%
1968	$52.74	14.62%
1969	$53.80	2.00%
1970	$54.11	0.58%
1971	$63.41	17.19%
1972	$67.29	6.11%
1973	$67.29	0.00% **
1974	$78.28	16.34%
1975	$80.54	2.88%
1976	$102.06	26.73%
1977	$103.57	1.47%
1978	$112.07	8.21%
1979	$118.14	5.42%
1980	$118.14	0.00% **
1981	$138.60	17.32%
1982	$155.04	11.86%
1983	$155.04	0.00% **
1984	$155.04	0.00% **
1985	$168.67	8.79%
1986	$170.85	1.29%
1987	$170.85	0.00% **
1988	$188.18	10.14%
1989	$193.95	3.07%
1990	$193.95	0.00% **
1991	$222.66	14.80%
1992	$225.27	1.17%
1993	$225.27	0.00% **
1994	$225.27	0.00% **
1995	$248.53	10.32%
1996	$248.53	0.00% **
1997	$248.53	0.00% **
1998	$248.53	0.00% **
1999	$255.97	2.99%
2000	$255.97	0.00% **
2001	$265.94	3.90%
2002	$281.86	5.99%
2003	$295.97	5.01%
2004	$295.97	0.00% **
2005	$295.97	0.00% **
2006	$311.78	5.34%
2007	$319.48	2.47%
2008	$330.38	3.41%
2009	$346.68	4.93%
2010	$356.35	2.79%
2011	$370.08	3.85%
2012	$383.14	3.53%
2013	$407.12	6.26%
2014	$424.38	4.24%
2015	$425.61	0.29%
2016	$428.81	0.75%
2017	$439.78	2.56%
2018	$449.06	2.11%
2019	$474.53	5.67%
2020	$495.48	4.41%
2021	$515.14	3.97%
2022	$531.75	3.22%
2023	$555.02	4.38%
2024	$579.89	4.48%*

* 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 Postage:

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	12.900	12.900	12.900	12.900	12.900	12.900	12.900	12.900	12.900	14.200	14.800	14.700	14.500	14.500	15.680	15.700	16.180	17.700	18.080	19.300	19.300	19.300	19.400	21.040	22.700	23.580	23.740	23.900	27.820	28.533	28.600	28.820	29.680	34.020	34.700	34.900	40.900	43.400	43.400	50.492	51.946	65.831	66.800	72.285	76.200	76.200	89.400	100.000	100.000	100.000	108.792	110.200	110.200	121.377	125.100	125.100	143.615	145.300	145.300	145.300	160.300	160.300	160.300	160.300	165.100	165.100	171.531	181.800	190.900	190.900	190.900	201.100	206.067	213.098	223.608	229.846	238.703	247.124	262.592	273.728	274.517	276.581	283.659	289.642	306.074	319.584	332.264	342.977	357.988	374.029

Adjust postage prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2024 / CPI in 1935 * 1935 USD value = 2024 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Postage was 12.900 in the year 1935 and 374.029 in 2024:

374.029 / 12.900 * $20 = $579.89

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1935 has the same "purchasing power" as $579.89 in 2024 (in the CPI category of Postage).

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