San Francisco, California prices: $100 in 1938 $98.83 in 1939

Inflation in California

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Prices in San Francisco, 1938-1939 ($100)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in San Francisco, California were 1.17% lower in 1939 versus 1938 (a $1.17 difference in value).

Between 1938 and 1939: San Francisco experienced an average inflation rate of -1.17% per year. In other words, $100 in San Francisco in the year 1938 would cost $98.83 in 1939 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of -1.31% during this same period, inflation in San Francisco was higher.

In the year 1938: Pricing changed by 0.46%, which is above the average yearly change in San Francisco during the 1938-1939 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1938 (-2.03%), inflation in San Francisco was higher.

Price Inflation in San Francisco, California since 1914

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1919 (23.50%), 1918 (16.53%), and 1920 (16%).

View price changes for other categories
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Buying power of $100.00 since 1938

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in San Francisco, over time, for $100 beginning in 1938. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1938$100.000.46%
1939$98.83-1.17%
1940$98.64-0.20%
1941$104.035.46%
1942$116.5612.05%
1943$124.296.63%
1944$127.472.56%
1945$131.042.80%
1946$141.437.93%
1947$159.6112.86%
1948$171.107.20%
1949$171.750.38%
1950$170.84-0.53%
1951$184.227.83%
1952$191.493.95%
1953$195.001.83%
1954$195.390.20%
1955$194.03-0.70%
1956$197.601.84%
1957$205.974.24%
1958$213.573.69%
1959$217.731.95%
1960$222.212.06%
1961$225.131.32%
1962$228.571.53%
1963$231.821.42%
1964$235.391.54%
1965$239.811.88%
1966$245.652.44%
1967$252.602.83%
1968$263.774.42%
1969$277.665.27%
1970$292.535.36%
1971$303.643.80%
1972$314.223.49%
1973$331.695.56%
1974$362.609.32%
1975$400.5210.46%
1976$424.035.87%
1977$454.947.29%
1978$499.749.85%
1979$540.788.21%
1980$624.1615.42%
1981$702.7912.60%
1982$760.398.20%
1983$765.450.67%
1984$808.705.65%
1985$843.124.26%
1986$869.353.11%
1987$899.163.43%
1988$938.964.43%
1989$984.554.85%
1990$1,028.964.51%
1991$1,074.614.44%
1992$1,110.393.33%
1993$1,140.322.70%
1994$1,158.311.58%
1995$1,181.041.96%
1996$1,208.312.31%
1997$1,249.743.43%
1998$1,288.443.10%
1999$1,341.624.13%
2000$1,400.914.42%
2001$1,477.865.49%
2002$1,502.861.69%
2003$1,530.061.81%
2004$1,547.791.16%
2005$1,578.251.97%
2006$1,628.183.16%
2007$1,680.893.24%
2008$1,735.863.27%
2009$1,746.690.62%
2010$1,771.381.41%
2011$1,816.472.55%
2012$1,865.722.71%
2013$1,907.272.23%
2014$1,961.402.84%
2015$2,011.512.56%
2016$2,073.053.06%
2017$2,140.823.27%
2018$2,223.103.84%
2019$2,296.983.32%
2020$2,337.261.75%
2021$2,411.833.19%
2022$2,545.535.54%
2023$2,639.753.70%
2024$2,669.091.11%*

* 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 San Francisco, California:

Year191419151916191719181919192019211922192319241925192619271928192919301931193219331934193519361937193819391940194119421943194419451946194719481949195019511952195319541955195619571958195919601961196219631964196519661967196819691970197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
CPI9.2009.2009.26710.13311.80814.58316.91715.56714.66714.63314.70814.99215.12514.99214.85814.89214.68313.60012.47511.85812.20812.43312.35012.77512.83312.68312.65813.35014.95815.95016.35816.81718.15020.48321.95822.04221.92523.64224.57525.02525.07524.90025.35826.43327.40827.94228.51728.89229.33329.75030.20830.77531.52532.41733.85035.63337.54238.96740.32542.56746.53351.40054.41758.38364.13369.40080.10090.19297.58398.233103.783108.200111.567115.392120.500126.350132.050137.908142.500146.342148.650151.567155.067160.383165.350172.175179.783189.658192.867196.358198.633202.542208.950215.714222.768224.158227.327233.113239.434244.766251.713258.144266.042274.738285.297294.779299.949309.519326.676338.768342.533

Adjust San Francisco prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 1939 / CPI in 1938 * 1938 USD value = 1939 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for San Francisco, California was 12.833 in the year 1938 and 12.683 in 1939:

12.683 / 12.833 * $100 = $98.83

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $100 in 1938 has the same "purchasing power" as $98.83 in 1939 (in the CPI category of San Francisco, California).


Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for San Francisco, California in 1914. In addition to San Francisco, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.

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