According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Boston, Massachusetts are 2,337.07% higher in 2026 versus 1940 (a $209,213,569.46 difference in value).
Between 1940 and 2026: Boston experienced an average inflation rate of 3.78% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $8,951,953 in Boston in the year 1940 would cost $218,165,522.46 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.72% 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 1940-2026 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 $8,951,953 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 | $8,951,953.00 | 0.94% |
| 1941 | $9,349,120.79 | 4.44% |
| 1942 | $10,347,266.16 | 10.68% |
| 1943 | $10,890,758.93 | 5.25% |
| 1944 | $11,010,954.45 | 1.10% |
| 1945 | $11,235,667.81 | 2.04% |
| 1946 | $12,155,424.80 | 8.19% |
| 1947 | $13,838,162.02 | 13.84% |
| 1948 | $14,977,406.48 | 8.23% |
| 1949 | $14,794,500.26 | -1.22% |
| 1950 | $14,987,858.26 | 1.31% |
| 1951 | $15,991,229.53 | 6.69% |
| 1952 | $16,341,364.29 | 2.19% |
| 1953 | $16,383,171.43 | 0.26% |
| 1954 | $16,445,882.13 | 0.38% |
| 1955 | $16,524,270.51 | 0.48% |
| 1956 | $16,978,923.12 | 2.75% |
| 1957 | $17,574,674.80 | 3.51% |
| 1958 | $18,139,071.14 | 3.21% |
| 1959 | $18,280,170.22 | 0.78% |
| 1960 | $18,625,079.10 | 1.89% |
| 1961 | $18,907,277.26 | 1.52% |
| 1962 | $19,314,896.84 | 2.16% |
| 1963 | $19,706,838.74 | 2.03% |
| 1964 | $19,973,359.23 | 1.35% |
| 1965 | $20,349,623.46 | 1.88% |
| 1966 | $20,976,730.50 | 3.08% |
| 1967 | $21,525,449.16 | 2.62% |
| 1968 | $22,372,043.66 | 3.93% |
| 1969 | $23,610,580.07 | 5.54% |
| 1970 | $25,052,926.26 | 6.11% |
| 1971 | $26,385,528.72 | 5.32% |
| 1972 | $27,326,189.28 | 3.57% |
| 1973 | $28,846,923.85 | 5.57% |
| 1974 | $31,825,682.29 | 10.33% |
| 1975 | $34,694,697.00 | 9.01% |
| 1976 | $37,516,678.68 | 8.13% |
| 1977 | $39,429,355.16 | 5.10% |
| 1978 | $41,535,389.63 | 5.34% |
| 1979 | $45,716,103.24 | 10.07% |
| 1980 | $51,516,843.36 | 12.69% |
| 1981 | $57,369,842.40 | 11.36% |
| 1982 | $59,826,011.64 | 4.28% |
| 1983 | $62,470,313.00 | 4.42% |
| 1984 | $65,543,137.49 | 4.92% |
| 1985 | $68,448,733.45 | 4.43% |
| 1986 | $70,319,602.78 | 2.73% |
| 1987 | $73,319,264.79 | 4.27% |
| 1988 | $77,625,399.80 | 5.87% |
| 1989 | $82,151,022.28 | 5.83% |
| 1990 | $86,906,584.00 | 5.79% |
| 1991 | $90,846,906.57 | 4.53% |
| 1992 | $93,062,684.78 | 2.44% |
| 1993 | $95,832,407.54 | 2.98% |
| 1994 | $97,044,814.48 | 1.27% |
| 1995 | $99,375,562.32 | 2.40% |
| 1996 | $102,281,158.27 | 2.92% |
| 1997 | $105,228,561.36 | 2.88% |
| 1998 | $107,601,116.33 | 2.25% |
| 1999 | $110,203,610.55 | 2.42% |
| 2000 | $114,927,816.92 | 4.29% |
| 2001 | $120,017,835.73 | 4.43% |
| 2002 | $123,080,208.44 | 2.55% |
| 2003 | $127,637,186.27 | 3.70% |
| 2004 | $131,295,310.67 | 2.87% |
| 2005 | $135,455,120.70 | 3.17% |
| 2006 | $139,782,159.28 | 3.19% |
| 2007 | $142,413,291.38 | 1.88% |
| 2008 | $147,635,525.26 | 3.67% |
| 2009 | $146,435,242.39 | -0.81% |
| 2010 | $148,838,003.01 | 1.64% |
| 2011 | $152,781,147.56 | 2.65% |
| 2012 | $155,248,918.28 | 1.62% |
| 2013 | $157,408,361.38 | 1.39% |
| 2014 | $159,990,683.65 | 1.64% |
| 2015 | $161,005,238.32 | 0.63% |
| 2016 | $163,224,674.66 | 1.38% |
| 2017 | $167,388,038.30 | 2.55% |
| 2018 | $172,787,325.40 | 3.23% |
| 2019 | $176,256,586.06 | 2.01% |
| 2020 | $178,154,107.45 | 1.08% |
| 2021 | $183,662,929.24 | 3.09% |
| 2022 | $196,897,605.26 | 7.21% |
| 2023 | $204,260,155.46 | 3.74% |
| 2024 | $210,796,805.70 | 3.20% |
| 2025 | $217,255,875.19 | 3.06% |
| 2026 | $218,165,522.46 | 0.42%* |
* 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 | 2026 |
| 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 | 346.441 | 347.892 |