According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Boston, Massachusetts are 1,221.98% higher in 2026 versus 1955 (a $35,727,243,811.38 difference in value).
Between 1955 and 2026:Boston experienced an average inflation rate of 3.70% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $2,923,706,026 in Boston in the year 1955 would cost $38,650,949,837.38 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.58% during this same period, inflation in Boston was higher.
In the year 1955: Pricing changed by 0.48%, which is significantly below the average yearly change in Boston during the 1955-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1955 (-0.28%), inflation in Boston was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in Boston, over time, for $2,923,706,026 beginning in 1955. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1955 | $2,923,706,026.00 | 0.48% |
| 1956 | $3,004,149,550.43 | 2.75% |
| 1957 | $3,109,558,306.59 | 3.51% |
| 1958 | $3,209,419,233.47 | 3.21% |
| 1959 | $3,234,384,465.20 | 0.78% |
| 1960 | $3,295,410,587.18 | 1.89% |
| 1961 | $3,345,341,050.62 | 1.52% |
| 1962 | $3,417,462,831.15 | 2.16% |
| 1963 | $3,486,810,697.04 | 2.03% |
| 1964 | $3,533,967,245.85 | 1.35% |
| 1965 | $3,600,541,197.10 | 1.88% |
| 1966 | $3,711,497,782.53 | 3.08% |
| 1967 | $3,808,584,794.78 | 2.62% |
| 1968 | $3,958,376,185.11 | 3.93% |
| 1969 | $4,177,515,441.32 | 5.54% |
| 1970 | $4,432,715,587.81 | 6.11% |
| 1971 | $4,668,498,331.84 | 5.32% |
| 1972 | $4,834,933,209.98 | 3.57% |
| 1973 | $5,104,002,929.64 | 5.57% |
| 1974 | $5,631,046,710.42 | 10.33% |
| 1975 | $6,138,673,088.75 | 9.01% |
| 1976 | $6,637,977,723.17 | 8.13% |
| 1977 | $6,976,395,308.72 | 5.10% |
| 1978 | $7,349,024,508.11 | 5.34% |
| 1979 | $8,088,735,077.62 | 10.07% |
| 1980 | $9,115,083,492.82 | 12.69% |
| 1981 | $10,150,678,290.14 | 11.36% |
| 1982 | $10,585,258,249.73 | 4.28% |
| 1983 | $11,053,125,184.95 | 4.42% |
| 1984 | $11,596,812,453.54 | 4.92% |
| 1985 | $12,110,911,299.35 | 4.43% |
| 1986 | $12,441,931,779.21 | 2.73% |
| 1987 | $12,972,674,112.83 | 4.27% |
| 1988 | $13,734,575,999.43 | 5.87% |
| 1989 | $14,535,312,690.93 | 5.83% |
| 1990 | $15,376,733,463.75 | 5.79% |
| 1991 | $16,073,910,675.52 | 4.53% |
| 1992 | $16,465,957,277.36 | 2.44% |
| 1993 | $16,956,015,529.66 | 2.98% |
| 1994 | $17,170,531,594.82 | 1.27% |
| 1995 | $17,582,920,237.32 | 2.40% |
| 1996 | $18,097,019,083.13 | 2.92% |
| 1997 | $18,618,515,034.64 | 2.88% |
| 1998 | $19,038,300,782.84 | 2.25% |
| 1999 | $19,498,770,612.36 | 2.42% |
| 2000 | $20,334,643,555.91 | 4.29% |
| 2001 | $21,235,241,174.29 | 4.43% |
| 2002 | $21,777,079,166.46 | 2.55% |
| 2003 | $22,583,363,687.23 | 3.70% |
| 2004 | $23,230,610,435.55 | 2.87% |
| 2005 | $23,966,622,452.22 | 3.17% |
| 2006 | $24,732,222,891.67 | 3.19% |
| 2007 | $25,197,759,738.59 | 1.88% |
| 2008 | $26,121,750,703.73 | 3.67% |
| 2009 | $25,909,379,799.22 | -0.81% |
| 2010 | $26,334,509,956.29 | 1.64% |
| 2011 | $27,032,186,472.69 | 2.65% |
| 2012 | $27,468,819,129.11 | 1.62% |
| 2013 | $27,850,898,131.03 | 1.39% |
| 2014 | $28,307,798,857.05 | 1.64% |
| 2015 | $28,487,308,119.51 | 0.63% |
| 2016 | $28,880,001,968.10 | 1.38% |
| 2017 | $29,616,642,738.75 | 2.55% |
| 2018 | $30,571,960,446.51 | 3.23% |
| 2019 | $31,185,790,769.85 | 2.01% |
| 2020 | $31,521,526,904.59 | 1.08% |
| 2021 | $32,496,225,029.27 | 3.09% |
| 2022 | $34,837,889,793.65 | 7.21% |
| 2023 | $36,140,575,584.86 | 3.74% |
| 2024 | $37,297,131,553.06 | 3.20% |
| 2025 | $38,453,373,144.26 | 3.10% |
| 2026 | $38,650,949,837.38 | 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 |