According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in San Francisco, California are 1,997.92% higher in 2025 versus 1920 (a $967,394.99 difference in value).
Between 1920 and 2025: San Francisco experienced an average inflation rate of 2.94% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $48,420 in San Francisco in the year 1920 would cost $1,015,814.99 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.68% during this same period, inflation in San Francisco was higher.
In the year 1920: Pricing changed by 16%, which is significantly above the average yearly change in San Francisco during the 1920-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1920 (15.62%), inflation in San Francisco was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in San Francisco, over time, for $48,420 beginning in 1920. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1920 | $48,420.00 | 16.00% |
| 1921 | $44,555.94 | -7.98% |
| 1922 | $41,979.90 | -5.78% |
| 1923 | $41,884.49 | -0.23% |
| 1924 | $42,099.16 | 0.51% |
| 1925 | $42,910.14 | 1.93% |
| 1926 | $43,291.77 | 0.89% |
| 1927 | $42,910.14 | -0.88% |
| 1928 | $42,528.50 | -0.89% |
| 1929 | $42,623.91 | 0.22% |
| 1930 | $42,027.61 | -1.40% |
| 1931 | $38,926.82 | -7.38% |
| 1932 | $35,706.77 | -8.27% |
| 1933 | $33,941.70 | -4.94% |
| 1934 | $34,943.50 | 2.95% |
| 1935 | $35,587.51 | 1.84% |
| 1936 | $35,348.99 | -0.67% |
| 1937 | $36,565.45 | 3.44% |
| 1938 | $36,732.41 | 0.46% |
| 1939 | $36,303.07 | -1.17% |
| 1940 | $36,231.52 | -0.20% |
| 1941 | $38,211.25 | 5.46% |
| 1942 | $42,814.73 | 12.05% |
| 1943 | $45,653.14 | 6.63% |
| 1944 | $46,821.90 | 2.56% |
| 1945 | $48,133.77 | 2.80% |
| 1946 | $51,950.13 | 7.93% |
| 1947 | $58,628.75 | 12.86% |
| 1948 | $62,850.59 | 7.20% |
| 1949 | $63,089.11 | 0.38% |
| 1950 | $62,755.18 | -0.53% |
| 1951 | $67,668.74 | 7.83% |
| 1952 | $70,340.19 | 3.95% |
| 1953 | $71,628.21 | 1.83% |
| 1954 | $71,771.32 | 0.20% |
| 1955 | $71,270.42 | -0.70% |
| 1956 | $72,582.30 | 1.84% |
| 1957 | $75,659.23 | 4.24% |
| 1958 | $78,449.94 | 3.69% |
| 1959 | $79,976.48 | 1.95% |
| 1960 | $81,622.29 | 2.06% |
| 1961 | $82,695.64 | 1.32% |
| 1962 | $83,959.80 | 1.53% |
| 1963 | $85,152.41 | 1.42% |
| 1964 | $86,464.29 | 1.54% |
| 1965 | $88,086.24 | 1.88% |
| 1966 | $90,232.94 | 2.44% |
| 1967 | $92,785.12 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $96,887.70 | 4.42% |
| 1969 | $101,992.08 | 5.27% |
| 1970 | $107,454.24 | 5.36% |
| 1971 | $111,532.97 | 3.80% |
| 1972 | $115,420.88 | 3.49% |
| 1973 | $121,837.12 | 5.56% |
| 1974 | $133,190.78 | 9.32% |
| 1975 | $147,120.47 | 10.46% |
| 1976 | $155,754.98 | 5.87% |
| 1977 | $167,108.63 | 7.29% |
| 1978 | $183,566.66 | 9.85% |
| 1979 | $198,641.26 | 8.21% |
| 1980 | $229,267.51 | 15.42% |
| 1981 | $258,152.54 | 12.60% |
| 1982 | $279,309.46 | 8.20% |
| 1983 | $281,169.93 | 0.67% |
| 1984 | $297,055.51 | 5.65% |
| 1985 | $309,697.18 | 4.26% |
| 1986 | $319,333.48 | 3.11% |
| 1987 | $330,281.65 | 3.43% |
| 1988 | $344,903.05 | 4.43% |
| 1989 | $361,647.31 | 4.85% |
| 1990 | $377,962.23 | 4.51% |
| 1991 | $394,730.33 | 4.44% |
| 1992 | $407,872.91 | 3.33% |
| 1993 | $418,868.78 | 2.70% |
| 1994 | $425,475.84 | 1.58% |
| 1995 | $433,824.12 | 1.96% |
| 1996 | $443,842.05 | 2.31% |
| 1997 | $459,059.76 | 3.43% |
| 1998 | $473,275.68 | 3.10% |
| 1999 | $492,810.65 | 4.13% |
| 2000 | $514,587.72 | 4.42% |
| 2001 | $542,852.60 | 5.49% |
| 2002 | $552,035.70 | 1.69% |
| 2003 | $562,029.78 | 1.81% |
| 2004 | $568,541.44 | 1.16% |
| 2005 | $579,728.13 | 1.97% |
| 2006 | $598,070.48 | 3.16% |
| 2007 | $617,431.09 | 3.24% |
| 2008 | $637,621.51 | 3.27% |
| 2009 | $641,599.59 | 0.62% |
| 2010 | $650,670.11 | 1.41% |
| 2011 | $667,232.13 | 2.55% |
| 2012 | $685,324.28 | 2.71% |
| 2013 | $700,586.36 | 2.23% |
| 2014 | $720,468.61 | 2.84% |
| 2015 | $738,877.75 | 2.56% |
| 2016 | $761,482.50 | 3.06% |
| 2017 | $786,374.43 | 3.27% |
| 2018 | $816,596.86 | 3.84% |
| 2019 | $843,734.72 | 3.32% |
| 2020 | $858,532.63 | 1.75% |
| 2021 | $885,924.52 | 3.19% |
| 2022 | $935,034.80 | 5.54% |
| 2023 | $969,643.42 | 3.70% |
| 2024 | $997,060.82 | 2.83% |
| 2025 | $1,015,814.99 | 1.88%* |
* 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 San Francisco, California:
| 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 |
| CPI | 9.200 | 9.200 | 9.267 | 10.133 | 11.808 | 14.583 | 16.917 | 15.567 | 14.667 | 14.633 | 14.708 | 14.992 | 15.125 | 14.992 | 14.858 | 14.892 | 14.683 | 13.600 | 12.475 | 11.858 | 12.208 | 12.433 | 12.350 | 12.775 | 12.833 | 12.683 | 12.658 | 13.350 | 14.958 | 15.950 | 16.358 | 16.817 | 18.150 | 20.483 | 21.958 | 22.042 | 21.925 | 23.642 | 24.575 | 25.025 | 25.075 | 24.900 | 25.358 | 26.433 | 27.408 | 27.942 | 28.517 | 28.892 | 29.333 | 29.750 | 30.208 | 30.775 | 31.525 | 32.417 | 33.850 | 35.633 | 37.542 | 38.967 | 40.325 | 42.567 | 46.533 | 51.400 | 54.417 | 58.383 | 64.133 | 69.400 | 80.100 | 90.192 | 97.583 | 98.233 | 103.783 | 108.200 | 111.567 | 115.392 | 120.500 | 126.350 | 132.050 | 137.908 | 142.500 | 146.342 | 148.650 | 151.567 | 155.067 | 160.383 | 165.350 | 172.175 | 179.783 | 189.658 | 192.867 | 196.358 | 198.633 | 202.542 | 208.950 | 215.714 | 222.768 | 224.158 | 227.327 | 233.113 | 239.434 | 244.766 | 251.713 | 258.144 | 266.042 | 274.738 | 285.297 | 294.779 | 299.949 | 309.519 | 326.676 | 338.768 | 348.347 | 354.899 |