According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in San Francisco, California are 1,325.30% higher in 2025 versus 1955 (a $250,481.07 difference in value).
Between 1955 and 2025: San Francisco experienced an average inflation rate of 3.87% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $18,900 in San Francisco in the year 1955 would cost $269,381.07 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.61% during this same period, inflation in San Francisco was higher.
In the year 1955: Pricing changed by -0.70%, which is significantly below the average yearly change in San Francisco during the 1955-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1955 (-0.29%), inflation in San Francisco was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in San Francisco, over time, for $18,900 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 | $18,900.00 | -0.70% |
| 1956 | $19,247.89 | 1.84% |
| 1957 | $20,063.86 | 4.24% |
| 1958 | $20,803.92 | 3.69% |
| 1959 | $21,208.73 | 1.95% |
| 1960 | $21,645.18 | 2.06% |
| 1961 | $21,929.82 | 1.32% |
| 1962 | $22,265.06 | 1.53% |
| 1963 | $22,581.33 | 1.42% |
| 1964 | $22,929.22 | 1.54% |
| 1965 | $23,359.34 | 1.88% |
| 1966 | $23,928.61 | 2.44% |
| 1967 | $24,605.42 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $25,693.37 | 4.42% |
| 1969 | $27,046.99 | 5.27% |
| 1970 | $28,495.48 | 5.36% |
| 1971 | $29,577.11 | 3.80% |
| 1972 | $30,608.13 | 3.49% |
| 1973 | $32,309.64 | 5.56% |
| 1974 | $35,320.48 | 9.32% |
| 1975 | $39,014.46 | 10.46% |
| 1976 | $41,304.22 | 5.87% |
| 1977 | $44,315.06 | 7.29% |
| 1978 | $48,679.52 | 9.85% |
| 1979 | $52,677.11 | 8.21% |
| 1980 | $60,798.80 | 15.42% |
| 1981 | $68,458.73 | 12.60% |
| 1982 | $74,069.28 | 8.20% |
| 1983 | $74,562.65 | 0.67% |
| 1984 | $78,775.30 | 5.65% |
| 1985 | $82,127.71 | 4.26% |
| 1986 | $84,683.13 | 3.11% |
| 1987 | $87,586.45 | 3.43% |
| 1988 | $91,463.86 | 4.43% |
| 1989 | $95,904.22 | 4.85% |
| 1990 | $100,230.72 | 4.51% |
| 1991 | $104,677.41 | 4.44% |
| 1992 | $108,162.65 | 3.33% |
| 1993 | $111,078.61 | 2.70% |
| 1994 | $112,830.72 | 1.58% |
| 1995 | $115,044.58 | 1.96% |
| 1996 | $117,701.20 | 2.31% |
| 1997 | $121,736.75 | 3.43% |
| 1998 | $125,506.63 | 3.10% |
| 1999 | $130,687.05 | 4.13% |
| 2000 | $136,462.05 | 4.42% |
| 2001 | $143,957.53 | 5.49% |
| 2002 | $146,392.77 | 1.69% |
| 2003 | $149,043.07 | 1.81% |
| 2004 | $150,769.88 | 1.16% |
| 2005 | $153,736.45 | 1.97% |
| 2006 | $158,600.60 | 3.16% |
| 2007 | $163,734.79 | 3.24% |
| 2008 | $169,089.03 | 3.27% |
| 2009 | $170,143.96 | 0.62% |
| 2010 | $172,549.35 | 1.41% |
| 2011 | $176,941.38 | 2.55% |
| 2012 | $181,739.19 | 2.71% |
| 2013 | $185,786.49 | 2.23% |
| 2014 | $191,059.01 | 2.84% |
| 2015 | $195,940.88 | 2.56% |
| 2016 | $201,935.37 | 3.06% |
| 2017 | $208,536.39 | 3.27% |
| 2018 | $216,550.99 | 3.84% |
| 2019 | $223,747.60 | 3.32% |
| 2020 | $227,671.82 | 1.75% |
| 2021 | $234,935.79 | 3.19% |
| 2022 | $247,959.21 | 5.54% |
| 2023 | $257,136.97 | 3.70% |
| 2024 | $264,407.71 | 2.83% |
| 2025 | $269,381.07 | 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 |