According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Boston, Massachusetts are 1,358.52% higher in 2026 versus 1948 (a $203,777,878,576.41 difference in value).
Between 1948 and 2026:Boston experienced an average inflation rate of 3.50% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $15,000,000,000 in Boston in the year 1948 would cost $218,777,878,576.41 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.40% during this same period, inflation in Boston was higher.
In the year 1948: Pricing changed by 8.23%, which is significantly above the average yearly change in Boston during the 1948-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1948 (7.69%), inflation in Boston was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in Boston, over time, for $15,000,000,000 beginning in 1948. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1948 | $15,000,000,000.00 | 8.23% |
| 1949 | $14,816,817,864.62 | -1.22% |
| 1950 | $15,010,467,550.59 | 1.31% |
| 1951 | $16,015,352,407.54 | 6.69% |
| 1952 | $16,366,015,352.41 | 2.19% |
| 1953 | $16,407,885,554.78 | 0.26% |
| 1954 | $16,470,690,858.34 | 0.38% |
| 1955 | $16,549,197,487.79 | 0.48% |
| 1956 | $17,004,535,938.59 | 2.75% |
| 1957 | $17,601,186,322.40 | 3.51% |
| 1958 | $18,166,434,054.43 | 3.21% |
| 1959 | $18,307,745,987.44 | 0.78% |
| 1960 | $18,653,175,157.01 | 1.89% |
| 1961 | $18,935,799,023.03 | 1.52% |
| 1962 | $19,344,033,496.16 | 2.16% |
| 1963 | $19,736,566,643.41 | 2.03% |
| 1964 | $20,003,489,183.53 | 1.35% |
| 1965 | $20,380,321,004.88 | 1.88% |
| 1966 | $21,008,374,040.47 | 3.08% |
| 1967 | $21,557,920,446.62 | 2.62% |
| 1968 | $22,405,792,044.66 | 3.93% |
| 1969 | $23,646,196,789.95 | 5.54% |
| 1970 | $25,090,718,771.81 | 6.11% |
| 1971 | $26,425,331,472.44 | 5.32% |
| 1972 | $27,367,411,025.82 | 3.57% |
| 1973 | $28,890,439,637.12 | 5.57% |
| 1974 | $31,873,691,556.18 | 10.33% |
| 1975 | $34,747,034,194.00 | 9.01% |
| 1976 | $37,573,272,854.15 | 8.13% |
| 1977 | $39,488,834,612.70 | 5.10% |
| 1978 | $41,598,046,057.22 | 5.34% |
| 1979 | $45,785,066,294.49 | 10.07% |
| 1980 | $51,594,556,873.69 | 12.69% |
| 1981 | $57,456,385,205.86 | 11.36% |
| 1982 | $59,916,259,595.25 | 4.28% |
| 1983 | $62,564,549,895.32 | 4.42% |
| 1984 | $65,642,009,769.71 | 4.92% |
| 1985 | $68,551,988,834.61 | 4.43% |
| 1986 | $70,425,680,390.79 | 2.73% |
| 1987 | $73,429,867,411.03 | 4.27% |
| 1988 | $77,742,498,255.41 | 5.87% |
| 1989 | $82,274,947,662.25 | 5.83% |
| 1990 | $87,037,683,182.14 | 5.79% |
| 1991 | $90,983,949,755.76 | 4.53% |
| 1992 | $93,203,070,481.51 | 2.44% |
| 1993 | $95,976,971,388.70 | 2.98% |
| 1994 | $97,191,207,257.50 | 1.27% |
| 1995 | $99,525,471,039.78 | 2.40% |
| 1996 | $102,435,450,104.68 | 2.92% |
| 1997 | $105,387,299,371.95 | 2.88% |
| 1998 | $107,763,433,356.59 | 2.25% |
| 1999 | $110,369,853,454.29 | 2.42% |
| 2000 | $115,101,186,322.40 | 4.29% |
| 2001 | $120,198,883,461.27 | 4.43% |
| 2002 | $123,265,875,785.07 | 2.55% |
| 2003 | $127,829,727,843.68 | 3.70% |
| 2004 | $131,493,370,551.29 | 2.87% |
| 2005 | $135,659,455,687.37 | 3.17% |
| 2006 | $139,993,021,632.94 | 3.19% |
| 2007 | $142,628,122,819.26 | 1.88% |
| 2008 | $147,858,234,473.13 | 3.67% |
| 2009 | $146,656,140,963.01 | -0.81% |
| 2010 | $149,062,526,168.88 | 1.64% |
| 2011 | $153,011,618,981.16 | 2.65% |
| 2012 | $155,483,112,351.71 | 1.62% |
| 2013 | $157,645,812,979.76 | 1.39% |
| 2014 | $160,232,030,704.82 | 1.64% |
| 2015 | $161,248,115,840.89 | 0.63% |
| 2016 | $163,470,900,209.35 | 1.38% |
| 2017 | $167,640,544,312.63 | 2.55% |
| 2018 | $173,047,976,273.55 | 3.23% |
| 2019 | $176,522,470,341.94 | 2.01% |
| 2020 | $178,422,854,152.13 | 1.08% |
| 2021 | $183,939,986,043.27 | 3.09% |
| 2022 | $197,194,626,657.36 | 7.21% |
| 2023 | $204,568,283,321.70 | 3.74% |
| 2024 | $211,114,794,138.17 | 3.20% |
| 2025 | $217,659,525,471.04 | 3.10% |
| 2026 | $218,777,878,576.41 | 0.51%* |
* 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 | 346.562 | 348.343 |