San Francisco, California prices: $20,000 in 1950 $260,248.42 in 2018

Inflation in California

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Prices in San Francisco, 1950-2018 ($20,000)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in San Francisco, California were 1,201.24% higher in 2018 versus 1950 (a $240,248.42 difference in value).

Between 1950 and 2018: San Francisco experienced an average inflation rate of 3.85% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $20,000 in San Francisco in the year 1950 would cost $260,248.42 in 2018 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.51% during this same period, inflation in San Francisco was higher.

In the year 1950: Pricing changed by -0.53%, which is significantly below the average yearly change in San Francisco during the 1950-2018 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1950 (1.10%), inflation in San Francisco was lower.

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
Financial services · San Francisco, California · Bread · Women's apparel · More

Buying power of $20,000.00 since 1950

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in San Francisco, over time, for $20,000 beginning in 1950. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1950$20,000.00-0.53%
1951$21,565.947.83%
1952$22,417.333.95%
1953$22,827.821.83%
1954$22,873.430.20%
1955$22,713.80-0.70%
1956$23,131.891.84%
1957$24,112.504.24%
1958$25,001.903.69%
1959$25,488.411.95%
1960$26,012.922.06%
1961$26,355.001.32%
1962$26,757.891.53%
1963$27,137.971.42%
1964$27,556.061.54%
1965$28,072.981.88%
1966$28,757.132.44%
1967$29,570.512.83%
1968$30,877.994.42%
1969$32,504.755.27%
1970$34,245.535.36%
1971$35,545.423.80%
1972$36,784.493.49%
1973$38,829.345.56%
1974$42,447.749.32%
1975$46,887.1210.46%
1976$49,638.925.87%
1977$53,257.327.29%
1978$58,502.479.85%
1979$63,306.738.21%
1980$73,067.2715.42%
1981$82,272.9012.60%
1982$89,015.588.20%
1983$89,608.510.67%
1984$94,671.235.65%
1985$98,700.114.26%
1986$101,771.193.11%
1987$105,260.363.43%
1988$109,920.184.43%
1989$115,256.564.85%
1990$120,456.104.51%
1991$125,800.084.44%
1992$129,988.603.33%
1993$133,492.972.70%
1994$135,598.631.58%
1995$138,259.221.96%
1996$141,451.922.31%
1997$146,301.793.43%
1998$150,832.383.10%
1999$157,058.154.13%
2000$163,998.484.42%
2001$173,006.465.49%
2002$175,933.111.69%
2003$179,118.211.81%
2004$181,193.461.16%
2005$184,758.651.97%
2006$190,604.333.16%
2007$196,774.533.24%
2008$203,209.203.27%
2009$204,477.000.62%
2010$207,367.771.41%
2011$212,646.072.55%
2012$218,412.012.71%
2013$223,276.022.23%
2014$229,612.472.84%
2015$235,479.442.56%
2016$242,683.543.06%
2017$250,616.573.27%
2018$260,248.423.84%
2019$268,897.233.32%
2020$273,613.301.75%
2021$282,343.063.19%
2022$297,994.455.54%
2023$309,024.173.70%
2024$312,458.841.11%*

* 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 2018 / CPI in 1950 * 1950 USD value = 2018 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for San Francisco, California was 21.925 in the year 1950 and 285.297 in 2018:

285.297 / 21.925 * $20,000 = $260,248.42

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20,000 in 1950 has the same "purchasing power" as $260,248.42 in 2018 (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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