According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Boston, Massachusetts are 771.95% higher in 2026 versus 1970 (a $1,686,705,143,929.91 difference in value).
Between 1970 and 2026:Boston experienced an average inflation rate of 3.94% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $218,500,000,000 in Boston in the year 1970 would cost $1,905,205,143,929.91 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.87% during this same period, inflation in Boston was higher.
In the year 1970: Pricing changed by 6.11%, which is above the average yearly change in Boston during the 1970-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1970 (5.84%), inflation in Boston was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in Boston, over time, for $218,500,000,000 beginning in 1970. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | $218,500,000,000.00 | 6.11% |
| 1971 | $230,122,340,425.53 | 5.32% |
| 1972 | $238,326,345,431.79 | 3.57% |
| 1973 | $251,589,486,858.57 | 5.57% |
| 1974 | $277,568,836,045.06 | 10.33% |
| 1975 | $302,591,051,314.14 | 9.01% |
| 1976 | $327,203,066,332.92 | 8.13% |
| 1977 | $343,884,543,178.97 | 5.10% |
| 1978 | $362,252,398,831.87 | 5.34% |
| 1979 | $398,714,643,304.13 | 10.07% |
| 1980 | $449,306,007,509.39 | 12.69% |
| 1981 | $500,353,149,770.55 | 11.36% |
| 1982 | $521,774,718,398.00 | 4.28% |
| 1983 | $544,837,088,026.70 | 4.42% |
| 1984 | $571,636,837,713.81 | 4.92% |
| 1985 | $596,978,097,622.03 | 4.43% |
| 1986 | $613,294,952,023.36 | 2.73% |
| 1987 | $639,456,612,432.21 | 4.27% |
| 1988 | $677,012,724,238.63 | 5.87% |
| 1989 | $716,483,103,879.85 | 5.83% |
| 1990 | $757,958,906,967.04 | 5.79% |
| 1991 | $792,324,572,382.14 | 4.53% |
| 1992 | $811,649,561,952.44 | 2.44% |
| 1993 | $835,805,798,915.31 | 2.98% |
| 1994 | $846,379,849,812.27 | 1.27% |
| 1995 | $866,707,551,105.55 | 2.40% |
| 1996 | $892,048,811,013.77 | 2.92% |
| 1997 | $917,754,693,366.71 | 2.88% |
| 1998 | $938,447,017,104.71 | 2.25% |
| 1999 | $961,144,764,288.69 | 2.42% |
| 2000 | $1,002,347,100,542.34 | 4.29% |
| 2001 | $1,046,739,883,187.32 | 4.43% |
| 2002 | $1,073,448,477,263.25 | 2.55% |
| 2003 | $1,113,192,323,738.01 | 3.70% |
| 2004 | $1,145,096,787,651.23 | 2.87% |
| 2005 | $1,181,376,720,901.13 | 3.17% |
| 2006 | $1,219,115,143,929.91 | 3.19% |
| 2007 | $1,242,062,657,488.53 | 1.88% |
| 2008 | $1,287,608,558,614.94 | 3.67% |
| 2009 | $1,277,140,248,226.95 | -0.81% |
| 2010 | $1,298,096,011,681.27 | 1.64% |
| 2011 | $1,332,486,289,111.39 | 2.65% |
| 2012 | $1,354,009,040,467.25 | 1.62% |
| 2013 | $1,372,842,701,293.28 | 1.39% |
| 2014 | $1,395,364,518,147.68 | 1.64% |
| 2015 | $1,404,212,993,324.99 | 0.63% |
| 2016 | $1,423,569,887,359.20 | 1.38% |
| 2017 | $1,459,880,813,516.90 | 2.55% |
| 2018 | $1,506,970,890,696.70 | 3.23% |
| 2019 | $1,537,228,172,715.89 | 2.01% |
| 2020 | $1,553,777,473,925.74 | 1.08% |
| 2021 | $1,601,822,861,910.72 | 3.09% |
| 2022 | $1,717,249,566,124.32 | 7.21% |
| 2023 | $1,781,462,313,308.30 | 3.74% |
| 2024 | $1,838,471,944,096.79 | 3.20% |
| 2025 | $1,895,466,078,431.37 | 3.10% |
| 2026 | $1,905,205,143,929.91 | 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 |