According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in San Francisco, California are 845.35% higher in 2025 versus 1970 (a $355,045.58 difference in value).
Between 1970 and 2025: San Francisco experienced an average inflation rate of 4.17% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $42,000 in San Francisco in the year 1970 would cost $397,045.58 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.92% during this same period, inflation in San Francisco was higher.
In the year 1970: Pricing changed by 5.36%, which is above the average yearly change in San Francisco during the 1970-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1970 (5.83%), inflation in San Francisco was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in San Francisco, over time, for $42,000 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 | $42,000.00 | 5.36% |
| 1971 | $43,594.23 | 3.80% |
| 1972 | $45,113.87 | 3.49% |
| 1973 | $47,621.75 | 5.56% |
| 1974 | $52,059.49 | 9.32% |
| 1975 | $57,504.11 | 10.46% |
| 1976 | $60,879.02 | 5.87% |
| 1977 | $65,316.76 | 7.29% |
| 1978 | $71,749.61 | 9.85% |
| 1979 | $77,641.73 | 8.21% |
| 1980 | $89,612.43 | 15.42% |
| 1981 | $100,902.55 | 12.60% |
| 1982 | $109,172.03 | 8.20% |
| 1983 | $109,899.22 | 0.67% |
| 1984 | $116,108.32 | 5.65% |
| 1985 | $121,049.50 | 4.26% |
| 1986 | $124,815.98 | 3.11% |
| 1987 | $129,095.23 | 3.43% |
| 1988 | $134,810.21 | 4.43% |
| 1989 | $141,354.94 | 4.85% |
| 1990 | $147,731.85 | 4.51% |
| 1991 | $154,285.90 | 4.44% |
| 1992 | $159,422.86 | 3.33% |
| 1993 | $163,720.75 | 2.70% |
| 1994 | $166,303.22 | 1.58% |
| 1995 | $169,566.26 | 1.96% |
| 1996 | $173,481.91 | 2.31% |
| 1997 | $179,429.97 | 3.43% |
| 1998 | $184,986.46 | 3.10% |
| 1999 | $192,621.98 | 4.13% |
| 2000 | $201,133.85 | 4.42% |
| 2001 | $212,181.58 | 5.49% |
| 2002 | $215,770.92 | 1.69% |
| 2003 | $219,677.25 | 1.81% |
| 2004 | $222,222.42 | 1.16% |
| 2005 | $226,594.89 | 1.97% |
| 2006 | $233,764.26 | 3.16% |
| 2007 | $241,331.63 | 3.24% |
| 2008 | $249,223.34 | 3.27% |
| 2009 | $250,778.22 | 0.62% |
| 2010 | $254,323.56 | 1.41% |
| 2011 | $260,797.07 | 2.55% |
| 2012 | $267,868.63 | 2.71% |
| 2013 | $273,834.03 | 2.23% |
| 2014 | $281,605.29 | 2.84% |
| 2015 | $288,800.76 | 2.56% |
| 2016 | $297,636.15 | 3.06% |
| 2017 | $307,365.51 | 3.27% |
| 2018 | $319,178.37 | 3.84% |
| 2019 | $329,785.58 | 3.32% |
| 2020 | $335,569.56 | 1.75% |
| 2021 | $346,276.06 | 3.19% |
| 2022 | $365,471.51 | 5.54% |
| 2023 | $378,998.77 | 3.70% |
| 2024 | $389,715.25 | 2.83% |
| 2025 | $397,045.58 | 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 |