According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Boston, Massachusetts are 2,203.51% higher in 2024 versus 1938 (a $22,035,124,782.36 difference in value).
Between 1938 and 2024: Boston experienced an average inflation rate of 3.72% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $1,000,000,000 in Boston in the year 1938 would cost $23,035,124,782.36 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.66% during this same period, inflation in Boston was higher.
In the year 1938: Pricing changed by -2.55%, which is significantly below the average yearly change in Boston during the 1938-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1938 (-2.03%), inflation in Boston was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in Boston, over time, for $1,000,000,000 beginning in 1938. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
---|---|---|
1938 | $1,000,000,000.00 | -2.55% |
1939 | $984,910,040.63 | -1.51% |
1940 | $994,196,169.47 | 0.94% |
1941 | $1,038,305,281.49 | 4.44% |
1942 | $1,149,158,444.57 | 10.68% |
1943 | $1,209,518,282.07 | 5.25% |
1944 | $1,222,867,092.28 | 1.10% |
1945 | $1,247,823,563.55 | 2.04% |
1946 | $1,349,970,980.85 | 8.19% |
1947 | $1,536,854,323.85 | 13.84% |
1948 | $1,663,377,829.37 | 8.23% |
1949 | $1,643,064,422.52 | -1.22% |
1950 | $1,664,538,595.47 | 1.31% |
1951 | $1,775,972,141.61 | 6.69% |
1952 | $1,814,857,806.15 | 2.19% |
1953 | $1,819,500,870.57 | 0.26% |
1954 | $1,826,465,467.21 | 0.38% |
1955 | $1,835,171,213.00 | 0.48% |
1956 | $1,885,664,538.60 | 2.75% |
1957 | $1,951,828,206.62 | 3.51% |
1958 | $2,014,509,576.32 | 3.21% |
1959 | $2,030,179,918.75 | 0.78% |
1960 | $2,068,485,200.23 | 1.89% |
1961 | $2,099,825,885.08 | 1.52% |
1962 | $2,145,095,763.20 | 2.16% |
1963 | $2,188,624,492.16 | 2.03% |
1964 | $2,218,224,027.86 | 1.35% |
1965 | $2,260,011,607.66 | 1.88% |
1966 | $2,329,657,574.00 | 3.08% |
1967 | $2,390,597,794.54 | 2.62% |
1968 | $2,484,619,849.10 | 3.93% |
1969 | $2,622,170,632.62 | 5.54% |
1970 | $2,782,356,355.19 | 6.11% |
1971 | $2,930,354,033.66 | 5.32% |
1972 | $3,034,822,983.17 | 3.57% |
1973 | $3,203,714,451.54 | 5.57% |
1974 | $3,534,532,791.64 | 10.33% |
1975 | $3,853,163,087.64 | 9.01% |
1976 | $4,166,569,936.16 | 8.13% |
1977 | $4,378,990,133.49 | 5.10% |
1978 | $4,612,884,503.77 | 5.34% |
1979 | $5,077,190,946.02 | 10.07% |
1980 | $5,721,416,134.65 | 12.69% |
1981 | $6,371,445,153.80 | 11.36% |
1982 | $6,644,225,188.62 | 4.28% |
1983 | $6,937,899,013.35 | 4.42% |
1984 | $7,279,164,248.40 | 4.92% |
1985 | $7,601,857,225.77 | 4.43% |
1986 | $7,809,634,358.68 | 2.73% |
1987 | $8,142,774,230.99 | 4.27% |
1988 | $8,621,009,866.51 | 5.87% |
1989 | $9,123,621,590.25 | 5.83% |
1990 | $9,651,770,168.31 | 5.79% |
1991 | $10,089,378,990.13 | 4.53% |
1992 | $10,335,461,404.53 | 2.44% |
1993 | $10,643,064,422.52 | 2.98% |
1994 | $10,777,713,290.77 | 1.27% |
1995 | $11,036,564,132.33 | 2.40% |
1996 | $11,359,257,109.69 | 2.92% |
1997 | $11,686,593,151.48 | 2.88% |
1998 | $11,950,087,057.46 | 2.25% |
1999 | $12,239,117,817.76 | 2.42% |
2000 | $12,763,784,097.50 | 4.29% |
2001 | $13,329,077,190.95 | 4.43% |
2002 | $13,669,181,659.90 | 2.55% |
2003 | $14,175,275,681.95 | 3.70% |
2004 | $14,581,543,818.92 | 2.87% |
2005 | $15,043,528,728.96 | 3.17% |
2006 | $15,524,085,896.69 | 3.19% |
2007 | $15,816,297,156.12 | 1.88% |
2008 | $16,396,273,940.80 | 3.67% |
2009 | $16,262,971,561.23 | -0.81% |
2010 | $16,529,820,081.25 | 1.64% |
2011 | $16,967,742,309.92 | 2.65% |
2012 | $17,241,810,795.12 | 1.62% |
2013 | $17,481,636,680.21 | 1.39% |
2014 | $17,768,427,161.93 | 1.64% |
2015 | $17,881,102,727.80 | 0.63% |
2016 | $18,127,591,410.33 | 1.38% |
2017 | $18,589,970,980.85 | 2.55% |
2018 | $19,189,611,143.35 | 3.23% |
2019 | $19,574,904,236.80 | 2.01% |
2020 | $19,785,641,323.27 | 1.08% |
2021 | $20,397,446,314.57 | 3.09% |
2022 | $21,867,278,003.48 | 7.21% |
2023 | $22,684,956,471.27 | 3.74% |
2024 | $23,035,124,782.36 | 1.54%* |
* 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 | 330.746 |