Seattle, Washington prices: $400 in 1945 $6,255 in 2018

Inflation in Washington

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Prices in Seattle, 1945-2018 ($400)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Seattle, Washington were 1,463.75% higher in 2018 versus 1945 (a $5,855 difference in value).

Between 1945 and 2018: Seattle experienced an average inflation rate of 3.84% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $400 in Seattle in the year 1945 would cost $6,255 in 2018 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.68% during this same period, inflation in Seattle was higher.

In the year 1945: Pricing changed by 2.21%, which is below the average yearly change in Seattle during the 1945-2018 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1945 (2.27%), inflation in Seattle was lower.

Price Inflation in Seattle, Washington since 1914

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1998 (50.08%), 1919 (31.68%), and 1918 (22.53%).

View price changes for other categories
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Buying power of $400.00 since 1945

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in Seattle, over time, for $400 beginning in 1945. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1945$400.002.21%
1946$430.617.65%
1947$484.3112.47%
1948$525.708.55%
1949$525.890.04%
1950$529.160.62%
1951$571.708.04%
1952$588.843.00%
1953$594.610.98%
1954$595.570.16%
1955$598.080.42%
1956$604.621.09%
1957$630.224.23%
1958$644.662.29%
1959$656.401.82%
1960$664.681.26%
1961$675.841.68%
1962$686.431.57%
1963$697.021.54%
1964$707.031.44%
1965$713.960.98%
1966$734.172.83%
1967$755.732.94%
1968$785.954.00%
1969$824.064.85%
1970$861.214.51%
1971$880.082.19%
1972$904.912.82%
1973$959.196.00%
1974$1,061.4110.66%
1975$1,173.4410.55%
1976$1,241.005.76%
1977$1,336.287.68%
1978$1,470.2610.03%
1979$1,628.1010.74%
1980$1,901.0616.77%
1981$2,110.1111.00%
1982$2,256.406.93%
1983$2,290.281.50%
1984$2,375.753.73%
1985$2,436.962.58%
1986$2,464.101.11%
1987$2,466.990.12%
1988$2,466.990.00% **
1989$2,466.990.00% **
1990$2,466.990.00% **
1991$2,466.990.00% **
1992$2,466.990.00% **
1993$2,466.990.00% **
1994$2,466.990.00% **
1995$2,466.990.00% **
1996$2,466.990.00% **
1997$2,579.024.54%
1998$3,870.6450.08%
1999$3,986.532.99%
2000$4,132.633.66%
2001$4,284.893.68%
2002$4,369.781.98%
2003$4,442.351.66%
2004$4,493.741.16%
2005$4,619.442.80%
2006$4,788.073.65%
2007$4,972.163.84%
2008$5,187.394.33%
2009$5,218.150.59%
2010$5,235.190.33%
2011$5,369.042.56%
2012$5,509.862.62%
2013$5,576.971.22%
2014$5,679.001.83%
2015$5,755.131.34%
2016$5,883.762.24%
2017$6,060.213.00%
2018$6,255.003.21%
2019$6,413.962.54%
2020$6,523.501.71%
2021$6,816.274.49%
2022$7,422.148.89%
2023$7,866.745.99%
2024$8,018.521.93%*

* 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 Seattle, Washington:

Year191419151916191719181919192019211922192319241925192619271928192919301931193219331934193519361937193819391940194119421943194419451946194719481949195019511952195319541955195619571958195919601961196219631964196519661967196819691970197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
CPI9.2009.1929.1509.87512.10015.93318.87516.97515.65815.43315.55015.83315.87515.72515.35015.45815.40814.06712.89212.05012.19212.55012.71713.29213.25813.16713.19214.00815.75016.65016.94217.31718.64220.96722.75822.76722.90824.75025.49225.74225.78325.89226.17527.28327.90828.41728.77529.25829.71730.17530.60830.90831.78332.71734.02535.67537.28338.10039.17541.52545.95050.80053.72557.85063.65070.48382.30091.35097.68399.150102.850105.500106.675106.800106.800106.800106.800106.800106.800106.800106.800106.800106.800111.650167.567172.583178.908185.500189.175192.317194.542199.983207.283215.253224.571225.903226.640232.435238.531241.436245.853249.149254.718262.357270.789277.671282.413295.088321.317340.564347.135

Adjust Seattle prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2018 / CPI in 1945 * 1945 USD value = 2018 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Seattle, Washington was 17.317 in the year 1945 and 270.789 in 2018:

270.789 / 17.317 * $400 = $6,255

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $400 in 1945 has the same "purchasing power" as $6,255 in 2018 (in the CPI category of Seattle, Washington).


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

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