According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania are 2,053.43% higher in 2024 versus 1938 (a $410.69 difference in value).
Between 1938 and 2024: Philadelphia experienced an average inflation rate of 3.63% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $20 in Philadelphia in the year 1938 would cost $430.69 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.67% during this same period, inflation in Philadelphia was lower.
In the year 1938: Pricing changed by -2.08%, which is significantly below the average yearly change in Philadelphia during the 1938-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1938 (-2.03%), inflation in Philadelphia was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in Philadelphia, over time, for $20 beginning in 1938. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1938 | $20.00 | -2.08% |
| 1939 | $19.68 | -1.60% |
| 1940 | $19.70 | 0.12% |
| 1941 | $20.68 | 4.94% |
| 1942 | $23.00 | 11.25% |
| 1943 | $24.47 | 6.37% |
| 1944 | $24.80 | 1.36% |
| 1945 | $25.46 | 2.68% |
| 1946 | $27.64 | 8.55% |
| 1947 | $31.63 | 14.42% |
| 1948 | $34.14 | 7.93% |
| 1949 | $33.73 | -1.17% |
| 1950 | $33.94 | 0.61% |
| 1951 | $37.08 | 9.25% |
| 1952 | $37.79 | 1.92% |
| 1953 | $37.97 | 0.48% |
| 1954 | $38.36 | 1.03% |
| 1955 | $38.28 | -0.21% |
| 1956 | $38.81 | 1.38% |
| 1957 | $40.06 | 3.22% |
| 1958 | $40.85 | 1.97% |
| 1959 | $41.31 | 1.12% |
| 1960 | $42.04 | 1.77% |
| 1961 | $42.51 | 1.12% |
| 1962 | $42.89 | 0.89% |
| 1963 | $43.65 | 1.79% |
| 1964 | $44.34 | 1.57% |
| 1965 | $45.03 | 1.55% |
| 1966 | $46.32 | 2.87% |
| 1967 | $47.58 | 2.72% |
| 1968 | $49.86 | 4.79% |
| 1969 | $52.51 | 5.31% |
| 1970 | $56.04 | 6.72% |
| 1971 | $58.77 | 4.89% |
| 1972 | $60.40 | 2.77% |
| 1973 | $64.47 | 6.73% |
| 1974 | $72.12 | 11.87% |
| 1975 | $78.12 | 8.32% |
| 1976 | $81.98 | 4.94% |
| 1977 | $87.33 | 6.53% |
| 1978 | $92.43 | 5.84% |
| 1979 | $101.62 | 9.94% |
| 1980 | $114.88 | 13.05% |
| 1981 | $126.58 | 10.18% |
| 1982 | $132.73 | 4.86% |
| 1983 | $136.60 | 2.92% |
| 1984 | $143.01 | 4.70% |
| 1985 | $149.51 | 4.54% |
| 1986 | $153.22 | 2.48% |
| 1987 | $160.56 | 4.79% |
| 1988 | $168.25 | 4.79% |
| 1989 | $176.36 | 4.82% |
| 1990 | $186.72 | 5.88% |
| 1991 | $195.44 | 4.67% |
| 1992 | $201.49 | 3.09% |
| 1993 | $206.51 | 2.49% |
| 1994 | $212.57 | 2.93% |
| 1995 | $218.13 | 2.62% |
| 1996 | $223.84 | 2.62% |
| 1997 | $228.80 | 2.22% |
| 1998 | $231.09 | 1.00% |
| 1999 | $236.03 | 2.14% |
| 2000 | $242.34 | 2.67% |
| 2001 | $249.05 | 2.77% |
| 2002 | $253.86 | 1.93% |
| 2003 | $259.35 | 2.16% |
| 2004 | $269.62 | 3.96% |
| 2005 | $280.33 | 3.97% |
| 2006 | $291.12 | 3.85% |
| 2007 | $297.51 | 2.19% |
| 2008 | $308.14 | 3.57% |
| 2009 | $306.55 | -0.52% |
| 2010 | $312.83 | 2.05% |
| 2011 | $321.03 | 2.62% |
| 2012 | $327.04 | 1.87% |
| 2013 | $330.97 | 1.20% |
| 2014 | $335.38 | 1.33% |
| 2015 | $335.09 | -0.09% |
| 2016 | $337.05 | 0.59% |
| 2017 | $341.34 | 1.27% |
| 2018 | $345.89 | 1.33% |
| 2019 | $352.46 | 1.90% |
| 2020 | $355.69 | 0.92% |
| 2021 | $369.60 | 3.91% |
| 2022 | $398.47 | 7.81% |
| 2023 | $416.54 | 4.53% |
| 2024 | $430.69 | 3.40%* |
* 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 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania:
| 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 |
| CPI | 10.200 | 10.208 | 10.408 | 11.808 | 14.342 | 17.433 | 20.308 | 18.617 | 17.267 | 17.542 | 17.692 | 18.275 | 18.833 | 18.567 | 18.158 | 17.808 | 17.608 | 16.225 | 14.600 | 13.375 | 14.017 | 14.233 | 14.508 | 14.858 | 14.550 | 14.317 | 14.333 | 15.042 | 16.733 | 17.800 | 18.042 | 18.525 | 20.108 | 23.008 | 24.833 | 24.542 | 24.692 | 26.975 | 27.492 | 27.625 | 27.908 | 27.850 | 28.233 | 29.142 | 29.717 | 30.050 | 30.583 | 30.925 | 31.200 | 31.758 | 32.258 | 32.758 | 33.700 | 34.617 | 36.275 | 38.200 | 40.767 | 42.758 | 43.942 | 46.900 | 52.467 | 56.833 | 59.642 | 63.533 | 67.242 | 73.925 | 83.575 | 92.083 | 96.558 | 99.375 | 104.042 | 108.767 | 111.467 | 116.808 | 122.400 | 128.300 | 135.842 | 142.183 | 146.583 | 150.233 | 154.642 | 158.692 | 162.842 | 166.450 | 168.117 | 171.708 | 176.300 | 181.183 | 184.683 | 188.675 | 196.150 | 203.942 | 211.792 | 216.435 | 224.170 | 223.013 | 227.581 | 233.547 | 237.923 | 240.780 | 243.987 | 243.778 | 245.204 | 248.325 | 251.635 | 256.411 | 258.761 | 268.882 | 289.890 | 303.034 | 313.325 |