According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Boston, Massachusetts are 1,579.93% higher in 2025 versus 1920 (a $189,592,161,676.99 difference in value).
Between 1920 and 2025: Boston experienced an average inflation rate of 2.72% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $12,000,000,000 in Boston in the year 1920 would cost $201,592,161,676.99 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.68% during this same period, inflation in Boston was higher.
In the year 1920: Pricing changed by 17.25%, which is significantly above the average yearly change in Boston during the 1920-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1920 (15.62%), inflation in Boston was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in Boston, over time, for $12,000,000,000 beginning in 1920. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1920 | $12,000,000,000.00 | 17.25% |
| 1921 | $10,925,010,133.77 | -8.96% |
| 1922 | $9,957,032,833.40 | -8.86% |
| 1923 | $10,107,823,267.13 | 1.51% |
| 1924 | $10,175,922,172.68 | 0.67% |
| 1925 | $10,287,798,946.09 | 1.10% |
| 1926 | $10,667,207,134.17 | 3.69% |
| 1927 | $10,555,330,360.76 | -1.05% |
| 1928 | $10,351,033,644.10 | -1.94% |
| 1929 | $10,302,391,568.71 | -0.47% |
| 1930 | $10,229,428,455.61 | -0.71% |
| 1931 | $9,436,562,626.67 | -7.75% |
| 1932 | $8,507,498,986.62 | -9.85% |
| 1933 | $7,943,250,912.04 | -6.63% |
| 1934 | $8,191,325,496.55 | 3.12% |
| 1935 | $8,361,572,760.44 | 2.08% |
| 1936 | $8,410,214,835.83 | 0.58% |
| 1937 | $8,599,918,929.87 | 2.26% |
| 1938 | $8,381,029,590.60 | -2.55% |
| 1939 | $8,254,560,194.57 | -1.51% |
| 1940 | $8,332,387,515.20 | 0.94% |
| 1941 | $8,702,067,288.20 | 4.44% |
| 1942 | $9,631,130,928.25 | 10.68% |
| 1943 | $10,137,008,512.36 | 5.25% |
| 1944 | $10,248,885,285.77 | 1.10% |
| 1945 | $10,458,046,209.97 | 2.04% |
| 1946 | $11,314,146,736.93 | 8.19% |
| 1947 | $12,880,421,564.65 | 13.84% |
| 1948 | $13,940,818,808.27 | 8.23% |
| 1949 | $13,770,571,544.39 | -1.22% |
| 1950 | $13,950,547,223.35 | 1.31% |
| 1951 | $14,884,475,070.94 | 6.69% |
| 1952 | $15,210,376,976.08 | 2.19% |
| 1953 | $15,249,290,636.40 | 0.26% |
| 1954 | $15,307,661,126.87 | 0.38% |
| 1955 | $15,380,624,239.97 | 0.48% |
| 1956 | $15,803,810,295.91 | 2.75% |
| 1957 | $16,358,329,955.41 | 3.51% |
| 1958 | $16,883,664,369.68 | 3.21% |
| 1959 | $17,014,997,973.25 | 0.78% |
| 1960 | $17,336,035,670.86 | 1.89% |
| 1961 | $17,598,702,877.99 | 1.52% |
| 1962 | $17,978,111,066.07 | 2.16% |
| 1963 | $18,342,926,631.54 | 2.03% |
| 1964 | $18,591,001,216.05 | 1.35% |
| 1965 | $18,941,224,158.90 | 1.88% |
| 1966 | $19,524,929,063.64 | 3.08% |
| 1967 | $20,035,670,855.29 | 2.62% |
| 1968 | $20,823,672,476.69 | 3.93% |
| 1969 | $21,976,489,663.56 | 5.54% |
| 1970 | $23,319,010,944.47 | 6.11% |
| 1971 | $24,559,383,867.04 | 5.32% |
| 1972 | $25,434,941,224.16 | 3.57% |
| 1973 | $26,850,425,618.16 | 5.57% |
| 1974 | $29,623,023,915.69 | 10.33% |
| 1975 | $32,293,473,854.88 | 9.01% |
| 1976 | $34,920,145,926.23 | 8.13% |
| 1977 | $36,700,445,885.69 | 5.10% |
| 1978 | $38,660,721,524.12 | 5.34% |
| 1979 | $42,552,087,555.74 | 10.07% |
| 1980 | $47,951,357,924.60 | 12.69% |
| 1981 | $53,399,270,368.87 | 11.36% |
| 1982 | $55,685,447,912.44 | 4.28% |
| 1983 | $58,146,736,927.44 | 4.42% |
| 1984 | $61,006,890,960.68 | 4.92% |
| 1985 | $63,711,390,352.66 | 4.43% |
| 1986 | $65,452,776,651.80 | 2.73% |
| 1987 | $68,244,831,779.49 | 4.27% |
| 1988 | $72,252,938,792.06 | 5.87% |
| 1989 | $76,465,342,521.28 | 5.83% |
| 1990 | $80,891,771,382.25 | 5.79% |
| 1991 | $84,559,383,867.05 | 4.53% |
| 1992 | $86,621,807,863.80 | 2.44% |
| 1993 | $89,199,837,859.75 | 2.98% |
| 1994 | $90,328,334,008.92 | 1.27% |
| 1995 | $92,497,770,571.54 | 2.40% |
| 1996 | $95,202,269,963.52 | 2.92% |
| 1997 | $97,945,683,015.81 | 2.88% |
| 1998 | $100,154,033,238.75 | 2.25% |
| 1999 | $102,576,408,593.43 | 2.42% |
| 2000 | $106,973,652,209.16 | 4.29% |
| 2001 | $111,711,390,352.66 | 4.43% |
| 2002 | $114,561,815,970.81 | 2.55% |
| 2003 | $118,803,404,945.28 | 3.70% |
| 2004 | $122,208,350,222.94 | 2.87% |
| 2005 | $126,080,259,424.40 | 3.17% |
| 2006 | $130,107,823,267.13 | 3.19% |
| 2007 | $132,556,854,479.12 | 1.88% |
| 2008 | $137,417,657,073.37 | 3.67% |
| 2009 | $136,300,445,885.69 | -0.81% |
| 2010 | $138,536,911,228.21 | 1.64% |
| 2011 | $142,207,150,385.08 | 2.65% |
| 2012 | $144,504,126,469.40 | 1.62% |
| 2013 | $146,514,114,308.88 | 1.39% |
| 2014 | $148,917,713,822.46 | 1.64% |
| 2015 | $149,862,051,074.18 | 0.63% |
| 2016 | $151,927,880,016.21 | 1.38% |
| 2017 | $155,803,096,878.80 | 2.55% |
| 2018 | $160,828,698,824.48 | 3.23% |
| 2019 | $164,057,851,641.67 | 2.01% |
| 2020 | $165,824,045,399.27 | 1.08% |
| 2021 | $170,951,601,134.98 | 3.09% |
| 2022 | $183,270,304,012.97 | 7.21% |
| 2023 | $190,123,291,447.10 | 3.74% |
| 2024 | $196,207,539,521.69 | 3.20% |
| 2025 | $201,592,161,676.99 | 2.74%* |
* 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 Boston, Massachusetts:
| Year | 1914 | 1915 | 1916 | 1917 | 1918 | 1919 | 1920 | 1921 | 1922 | 1923 | 1924 | 1925 | 1926 | 1927 | 1928 | 1929 | 1930 | 1931 | 1932 | 1933 | 1934 | 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 | 2025 |
| CPI | 10.500 | 10.517 | 10.817 | 12.275 | 14.458 | 17.533 | 20.558 | 18.717 | 17.058 | 17.317 | 17.433 | 17.625 | 18.275 | 18.083 | 17.733 | 17.650 | 17.525 | 16.167 | 14.575 | 13.608 | 14.033 | 14.325 | 14.408 | 14.733 | 14.358 | 14.142 | 14.275 | 14.908 | 16.500 | 17.367 | 17.558 | 17.917 | 19.383 | 22.067 | 23.883 | 23.592 | 23.900 | 25.500 | 26.058 | 26.125 | 26.225 | 26.350 | 27.075 | 28.025 | 28.925 | 29.150 | 29.700 | 30.150 | 30.800 | 31.425 | 31.850 | 32.450 | 33.450 | 34.325 | 35.675 | 37.650 | 39.950 | 42.075 | 43.575 | 46.000 | 50.750 | 55.325 | 59.825 | 62.875 | 66.233 | 72.900 | 82.150 | 91.483 | 95.400 | 99.617 | 104.517 | 109.150 | 112.133 | 116.917 | 123.783 | 131.000 | 138.583 | 144.867 | 148.400 | 152.817 | 154.750 | 158.467 | 163.100 | 167.800 | 171.583 | 175.733 | 183.267 | 191.383 | 196.267 | 203.533 | 209.367 | 216.000 | 222.900 | 227.096 | 235.423 | 233.509 | 237.341 | 243.629 | 247.564 | 251.007 | 255.125 | 256.743 | 260.282 | 266.921 | 275.531 | 281.063 | 284.089 | 292.873 | 313.978 | 325.718 | 336.142 | 345.367 |