According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Boston, Massachusetts are 699.41% higher in 2026 versus 1972 (a $3,497,051,061,388,411 difference in value).
Between 1972 and 2026:Boston experienced an average inflation rate of 3.92% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $500,000,000,000,000 in Boston in the year 1972 would cost $3,997,051,061,388,411 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.88% during this same period, inflation in Boston was higher.
In the year 1972: Pricing changed by 3.57%, which is below the average yearly change in Boston during the 1972-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1972 (3.27%), inflation in Boston was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in Boston, over time, for $500,000,000,000,000 beginning in 1972. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | $500,000,000,000,000.00 | 3.57% |
| 1973 | $527,825,588,066,552.00 | 5.57% |
| 1974 | $582,329,317,269,076.38 | 10.33% |
| 1975 | $634,825,014,343,086.50 | 9.01% |
| 1976 | $686,460,126,219,162.38 | 8.13% |
| 1977 | $721,457,257,601,836.00 | 5.10% |
| 1978 | $759,992,350,353,796.13 | 5.34% |
| 1979 | $836,488,812,392,426.88 | 10.07% |
| 1980 | $942,627,653,471,026.88 | 12.69% |
| 1981 | $1,049,722,700,325,110.13 | 11.36% |
| 1982 | $1,094,664,371,772,805.50 | 4.28% |
| 1983 | $1,143,048,384,012,239.50 | 4.42% |
| 1984 | $1,199,273,283,610,633.25 | 4.92% |
| 1985 | $1,252,438,324,727,481.25 | 4.43% |
| 1986 | $1,286,670,491,489,768.75 | 2.73% |
| 1987 | $1,341,556,703,002,486.25 | 4.27% |
| 1988 | $1,420,348,058,902,276.00 | 5.87% |
| 1989 | $1,503,155,479,059,093.75 | 5.83% |
| 1990 | $1,590,170,204,628,036.25 | 5.79% |
| 1991 | $1,662,268,120,099,445.75 | 4.53% |
| 1992 | $1,702,811,244,979,919.75 | 2.44% |
| 1993 | $1,753,490,151,080,512.75 | 2.98% |
| 1994 | $1,775,674,125,071,715.50 | 1.27% |
| 1995 | $1,818,320,902,658,252.25 | 2.40% |
| 1996 | $1,871,485,943,775,100.50 | 2.92% |
| 1997 | $1,925,415,949,512,335.00 | 2.88% |
| 1998 | $1,968,827,691,719,258.25 | 2.25% |
| 1999 | $2,016,446,739,338,306.00 | 2.42% |
| 2000 | $2,102,887,741,441,958.50 | 4.29% |
| 2001 | $2,196,022,183,973,991.00 | 4.43% |
| 2002 | $2,252,055,842,417,288.50 | 2.55% |
| 2003 | $2,335,436,986,039,396.00 | 3.70% |
| 2004 | $2,402,371,390,323,198.00 | 2.87% |
| 2005 | $2,478,485,370,051,635.50 | 3.17% |
| 2006 | $2,557,659,208,261,618.00 | 3.19% |
| 2007 | $2,605,802,256,645,630.50 | 1.88% |
| 2008 | $2,701,355,899,789,635.00 | 3.67% |
| 2009 | $2,679,393,765,538,344.50 | -0.81% |
| 2010 | $2,723,358,194,683,495.50 | 1.64% |
| 2011 | $2,795,507,745,266,781.50 | 2.65% |
| 2012 | $2,840,661,694,396,634.50 | 1.62% |
| 2013 | $2,880,174,029,451,138.50 | 1.39% |
| 2014 | $2,927,423,981,640,849.50 | 1.64% |
| 2015 | $2,945,987,760,566,073.50 | 0.63% |
| 2016 | $2,986,597,819,850,832.00 | 1.38% |
| 2017 | $3,062,776,821,572,002.50 | 2.55% |
| 2018 | $3,161,570,089,883,342.50 | 3.23% |
| 2019 | $3,225,048,766,494,550.00 | 2.01% |
| 2020 | $3,259,768,598,202,333.00 | 1.08% |
| 2021 | $3,360,566,073,819,086.00 | 3.09% |
| 2022 | $3,602,727,098,871,678.00 | 7.21% |
| 2023 | $3,737,443,105,756,359.50 | 3.74% |
| 2024 | $3,857,047,236,565,309.00 | 3.20% |
| 2025 | $3,976,618,856,377,892.50 | 3.10% |
| 2026 | $3,997,051,061,388,411.00 | 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 |