According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Boston, Massachusetts are 1,516.69% higher in 2024 versus 1920 (a $7,431.76 difference in value).
Between 1920 and 2024: Boston experienced an average inflation rate of 2.71% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $490 in Boston in the year 1920 would cost $7,921.76 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.67% 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 1920-2024 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 $490 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 | $490.00 | 17.25% |
1921 | $446.10 | -8.96% |
1922 | $406.58 | -8.86% |
1923 | $412.74 | 1.51% |
1924 | $415.52 | 0.67% |
1925 | $420.09 | 1.10% |
1926 | $435.58 | 3.69% |
1927 | $431.01 | -1.05% |
1928 | $422.67 | -1.94% |
1929 | $420.68 | -0.47% |
1930 | $417.70 | -0.71% |
1931 | $385.33 | -7.75% |
1932 | $347.39 | -9.85% |
1933 | $324.35 | -6.63% |
1934 | $334.48 | 3.12% |
1935 | $341.43 | 2.08% |
1936 | $343.42 | 0.58% |
1937 | $351.16 | 2.26% |
1938 | $342.23 | -2.55% |
1939 | $337.06 | -1.51% |
1940 | $340.24 | 0.94% |
1941 | $355.33 | 4.44% |
1942 | $393.27 | 10.68% |
1943 | $413.93 | 5.25% |
1944 | $418.50 | 1.10% |
1945 | $427.04 | 2.04% |
1946 | $461.99 | 8.19% |
1947 | $525.95 | 13.84% |
1948 | $569.25 | 8.23% |
1949 | $562.30 | -1.22% |
1950 | $569.65 | 1.31% |
1951 | $607.78 | 6.69% |
1952 | $621.09 | 2.19% |
1953 | $622.68 | 0.26% |
1954 | $625.06 | 0.38% |
1955 | $628.04 | 0.48% |
1956 | $645.32 | 2.75% |
1957 | $667.97 | 3.51% |
1958 | $689.42 | 3.21% |
1959 | $694.78 | 0.78% |
1960 | $707.89 | 1.89% |
1961 | $718.61 | 1.52% |
1962 | $734.11 | 2.16% |
1963 | $749.00 | 2.03% |
1964 | $759.13 | 1.35% |
1965 | $773.43 | 1.88% |
1966 | $797.27 | 3.08% |
1967 | $818.12 | 2.62% |
1968 | $850.30 | 3.93% |
1969 | $897.37 | 5.54% |
1970 | $952.19 | 6.11% |
1971 | $1,002.84 | 5.32% |
1972 | $1,038.59 | 3.57% |
1973 | $1,096.39 | 5.57% |
1974 | $1,209.61 | 10.33% |
1975 | $1,318.65 | 9.01% |
1976 | $1,425.91 | 8.13% |
1977 | $1,498.60 | 5.10% |
1978 | $1,578.65 | 5.34% |
1979 | $1,737.54 | 10.07% |
1980 | $1,958.01 | 12.69% |
1981 | $2,180.47 | 11.36% |
1982 | $2,273.82 | 4.28% |
1983 | $2,374.33 | 4.42% |
1984 | $2,491.11 | 4.92% |
1985 | $2,601.55 | 4.43% |
1986 | $2,672.66 | 2.73% |
1987 | $2,786.66 | 4.27% |
1988 | $2,950.33 | 5.87% |
1989 | $3,122.33 | 5.83% |
1990 | $3,303.08 | 5.79% |
1991 | $3,452.84 | 4.53% |
1992 | $3,537.06 | 2.44% |
1993 | $3,642.33 | 2.98% |
1994 | $3,688.41 | 1.27% |
1995 | $3,776.99 | 2.40% |
1996 | $3,887.43 | 2.92% |
1997 | $3,999.45 | 2.88% |
1998 | $4,089.62 | 2.25% |
1999 | $4,188.54 | 2.42% |
2000 | $4,368.09 | 4.29% |
2001 | $4,561.55 | 4.43% |
2002 | $4,677.94 | 2.55% |
2003 | $4,851.14 | 3.70% |
2004 | $4,990.17 | 2.87% |
2005 | $5,148.28 | 3.17% |
2006 | $5,312.74 | 3.19% |
2007 | $5,412.74 | 1.88% |
2008 | $5,611.22 | 3.67% |
2009 | $5,565.60 | -0.81% |
2010 | $5,656.92 | 1.64% |
2011 | $5,806.79 | 2.65% |
2012 | $5,900.59 | 1.62% |
2013 | $5,982.66 | 1.39% |
2014 | $6,080.81 | 1.64% |
2015 | $6,119.37 | 0.63% |
2016 | $6,203.72 | 1.38% |
2017 | $6,361.96 | 2.55% |
2018 | $6,567.17 | 3.23% |
2019 | $6,699.03 | 2.01% |
2020 | $6,771.15 | 1.08% |
2021 | $6,980.52 | 3.09% |
2022 | $7,483.54 | 7.21% |
2023 | $7,763.37 | 3.74% |
2024 | $7,921.76 | 2.04%* |
* 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 |
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 | 332.364 |