According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Boston, Massachusetts are 2,319.38% higher in 2025 versus 1940 (a $57,984,513,385.04 difference in value).
Between 1940 and 2025: Boston experienced an average inflation rate of 3.82% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $2,500,000,000 in Boston in the year 1940 would cost $60,484,513,385.04 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.75% during this same period, inflation in Boston was higher.
In the year 1940: Pricing changed by 0.94%, which is below the average yearly change in Boston during the 1940-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1940 (0.72%), inflation in Boston was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in Boston, over time, for $2,500,000,000 beginning in 1940. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 | $2,500,000,000.00 | 0.94% |
| 1941 | $2,610,916,520.72 | 4.44% |
| 1942 | $2,889,667,250.44 | 10.68% |
| 1943 | $3,041,447,752.48 | 5.25% |
| 1944 | $3,075,014,594.28 | 1.10% |
| 1945 | $3,137,769,994.16 | 2.04% |
| 1946 | $3,394,629,305.31 | 8.19% |
| 1947 | $3,864,565,090.48 | 13.84% |
| 1948 | $4,182,720,373.61 | 8.23% |
| 1949 | $4,131,640,396.96 | -1.22% |
| 1950 | $4,185,639,229.42 | 1.31% |
| 1951 | $4,465,849,387.04 | 6.69% |
| 1952 | $4,563,631,056.63 | 2.19% |
| 1953 | $4,575,306,479.86 | 0.26% |
| 1954 | $4,592,819,614.71 | 0.38% |
| 1955 | $4,614,711,033.27 | 0.48% |
| 1956 | $4,741,681,260.95 | 2.75% |
| 1957 | $4,908,056,042.03 | 3.51% |
| 1958 | $5,065,674,255.69 | 3.21% |
| 1959 | $5,105,078,809.11 | 0.78% |
| 1960 | $5,201,401,050.79 | 1.89% |
| 1961 | $5,280,210,157.62 | 1.52% |
| 1962 | $5,394,045,534.15 | 2.16% |
| 1963 | $5,503,502,626.97 | 2.03% |
| 1964 | $5,577,933,450.09 | 1.35% |
| 1965 | $5,683,012,259.19 | 1.88% |
| 1966 | $5,858,143,607.71 | 3.08% |
| 1967 | $6,011,383,537.65 | 2.62% |
| 1968 | $6,247,810,858.14 | 3.93% |
| 1969 | $6,593,695,271.45 | 5.54% |
| 1970 | $6,996,497,373.03 | 6.11% |
| 1971 | $7,368,651,488.62 | 5.32% |
| 1972 | $7,631,348,511.38 | 3.57% |
| 1973 | $8,056,042,031.52 | 5.57% |
| 1974 | $8,887,915,936.95 | 10.33% |
| 1975 | $9,689,141,856.39 | 9.01% |
| 1976 | $10,477,232,924.69 | 8.13% |
| 1977 | $11,011,383,537.65 | 5.10% |
| 1978 | $11,599,532,983.07 | 5.34% |
| 1979 | $12,767,075,306.48 | 10.07% |
| 1980 | $14,387,040,280.21 | 12.69% |
| 1981 | $16,021,599,532.98 | 11.36% |
| 1982 | $16,707,530,647.99 | 4.28% |
| 1983 | $17,446,001,167.54 | 4.42% |
| 1984 | $18,304,144,775.25 | 4.92% |
| 1985 | $19,115,586,690.02 | 4.43% |
| 1986 | $19,638,061,879.74 | 2.73% |
| 1987 | $20,475,773,496.79 | 4.27% |
| 1988 | $21,678,342,089.90 | 5.87% |
| 1989 | $22,942,206,654.99 | 5.83% |
| 1990 | $24,270,286,047.87 | 5.79% |
| 1991 | $25,370,694,687.68 | 4.53% |
| 1992 | $25,989,492,119.09 | 2.44% |
| 1993 | $26,762,988,908.35 | 2.98% |
| 1994 | $27,101,576,182.14 | 1.27% |
| 1995 | $27,752,481,027.44 | 2.40% |
| 1996 | $28,563,922,942.21 | 2.92% |
| 1997 | $29,387,040,280.21 | 2.88% |
| 1998 | $30,049,620,548.74 | 2.25% |
| 1999 | $30,776,415,645.07 | 2.42% |
| 2000 | $32,095,738,470.52 | 4.29% |
| 2001 | $33,517,221,249.27 | 4.43% |
| 2002 | $34,372,446,001.17 | 2.55% |
| 2003 | $35,645,067,133.68 | 3.70% |
| 2004 | $36,666,666,666.67 | 2.87% |
| 2005 | $37,828,371,278.46 | 3.17% |
| 2006 | $39,036,777,583.19 | 3.19% |
| 2007 | $39,771,570,344.42 | 1.88% |
| 2008 | $41,229,976,649.15 | 3.67% |
| 2009 | $40,894,775,248.10 | -0.81% |
| 2010 | $41,565,791,009.92 | 1.64% |
| 2011 | $42,666,987,740.81 | 2.65% |
| 2012 | $43,356,158,785.76 | 1.62% |
| 2013 | $43,959,223,584.35 | 1.39% |
| 2014 | $44,680,385,288.97 | 1.64% |
| 2015 | $44,963,718,622.30 | 0.63% |
| 2016 | $45,583,537,653.24 | 1.38% |
| 2017 | $46,746,234,676.01 | 2.55% |
| 2018 | $48,254,086,398.13 | 3.23% |
| 2019 | $49,222,942,206.65 | 2.01% |
| 2020 | $49,752,860,478.69 | 1.08% |
| 2021 | $51,291,301,809.69 | 3.09% |
| 2022 | $54,987,332,165.79 | 7.21% |
| 2023 | $57,043,461,762.99 | 3.74% |
| 2024 | $58,868,943,374.20 | 3.20% |
| 2025 | $60,484,513,385.04 | 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 |