According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Seattle, Washington are 2,673.35% higher in 2024 versus 1936 (a $534.67 difference in value).
Between 1936 and 2024: Seattle experienced an average inflation rate of 3.85% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $20 in Seattle in the year 1936 would cost $554.67 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.61% during this same period, inflation in Seattle was higher.
In the year 1936: Pricing changed by 1.33%, which is below the average yearly change in Seattle during the 1936-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1936 (1.07%), inflation in Seattle was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in Seattle, over time, for $20 beginning in 1936. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1936 | $20.00 | 1.33% |
| 1937 | $20.90 | 4.52% |
| 1938 | $20.85 | -0.25% |
| 1939 | $20.71 | -0.69% |
| 1940 | $20.75 | 0.19% |
| 1941 | $22.03 | 6.19% |
| 1942 | $24.77 | 12.43% |
| 1943 | $26.19 | 5.71% |
| 1944 | $26.64 | 1.75% |
| 1945 | $27.23 | 2.21% |
| 1946 | $29.32 | 7.65% |
| 1947 | $32.98 | 12.47% |
| 1948 | $35.79 | 8.55% |
| 1949 | $35.81 | 0.04% |
| 1950 | $36.03 | 0.62% |
| 1951 | $38.93 | 8.04% |
| 1952 | $40.09 | 3.00% |
| 1953 | $40.48 | 0.98% |
| 1954 | $40.55 | 0.16% |
| 1955 | $40.72 | 0.42% |
| 1956 | $41.17 | 1.09% |
| 1957 | $42.91 | 4.23% |
| 1958 | $43.89 | 2.29% |
| 1959 | $44.69 | 1.82% |
| 1960 | $45.26 | 1.26% |
| 1961 | $46.02 | 1.68% |
| 1962 | $46.74 | 1.57% |
| 1963 | $47.46 | 1.54% |
| 1964 | $48.14 | 1.44% |
| 1965 | $48.61 | 0.98% |
| 1966 | $49.99 | 2.83% |
| 1967 | $51.45 | 2.94% |
| 1968 | $53.51 | 4.00% |
| 1969 | $56.11 | 4.85% |
| 1970 | $58.64 | 4.51% |
| 1971 | $59.92 | 2.19% |
| 1972 | $61.61 | 2.82% |
| 1973 | $65.31 | 6.00% |
| 1974 | $72.27 | 10.66% |
| 1975 | $79.90 | 10.55% |
| 1976 | $84.50 | 5.76% |
| 1977 | $90.98 | 7.68% |
| 1978 | $100.10 | 10.03% |
| 1979 | $110.85 | 10.74% |
| 1980 | $129.44 | 16.77% |
| 1981 | $143.67 | 11.00% |
| 1982 | $153.63 | 6.93% |
| 1983 | $155.94 | 1.50% |
| 1984 | $161.76 | 3.73% |
| 1985 | $165.92 | 2.58% |
| 1986 | $167.77 | 1.11% |
| 1987 | $167.97 | 0.12% |
| 1988 | $167.97 | 0.00% ** |
| 1989 | $167.97 | 0.00% ** |
| 1990 | $167.97 | 0.00% ** |
| 1991 | $167.97 | 0.00% ** |
| 1992 | $167.97 | 0.00% ** |
| 1993 | $167.97 | 0.00% ** |
| 1994 | $167.97 | 0.00% ** |
| 1995 | $167.97 | 0.00% ** |
| 1996 | $167.97 | 0.00% ** |
| 1997 | $175.60 | 4.54% |
| 1998 | $263.54 | 50.08% |
| 1999 | $271.43 | 2.99% |
| 2000 | $281.38 | 3.66% |
| 2001 | $291.74 | 3.68% |
| 2002 | $297.52 | 1.98% |
| 2003 | $302.46 | 1.66% |
| 2004 | $305.96 | 1.16% |
| 2005 | $314.52 | 2.80% |
| 2006 | $326.00 | 3.65% |
| 2007 | $338.54 | 3.84% |
| 2008 | $353.19 | 4.33% |
| 2009 | $355.29 | 0.59% |
| 2010 | $356.45 | 0.33% |
| 2011 | $365.56 | 2.56% |
| 2012 | $375.15 | 2.62% |
| 2013 | $379.72 | 1.22% |
| 2014 | $386.66 | 1.83% |
| 2015 | $391.85 | 1.34% |
| 2016 | $400.60 | 2.24% |
| 2017 | $412.62 | 3.00% |
| 2018 | $425.88 | 3.21% |
| 2019 | $436.70 | 2.54% |
| 2020 | $444.16 | 1.71% |
| 2021 | $464.10 | 4.49% |
| 2022 | $505.35 | 8.89% |
| 2023 | $535.62 | 5.99% |
| 2024 | $554.67 | 3.56%* |
* 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 Seattle, Washington:
| 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 | 9.200 | 9.192 | 9.150 | 9.875 | 12.100 | 15.933 | 18.875 | 16.975 | 15.658 | 15.433 | 15.550 | 15.833 | 15.875 | 15.725 | 15.350 | 15.458 | 15.408 | 14.067 | 12.892 | 12.050 | 12.192 | 12.550 | 12.717 | 13.292 | 13.258 | 13.167 | 13.192 | 14.008 | 15.750 | 16.650 | 16.942 | 17.317 | 18.642 | 20.967 | 22.758 | 22.767 | 22.908 | 24.750 | 25.492 | 25.742 | 25.783 | 25.892 | 26.175 | 27.283 | 27.908 | 28.417 | 28.775 | 29.258 | 29.717 | 30.175 | 30.608 | 30.908 | 31.783 | 32.717 | 34.025 | 35.675 | 37.283 | 38.100 | 39.175 | 41.525 | 45.950 | 50.800 | 53.725 | 57.850 | 63.650 | 70.483 | 82.300 | 91.350 | 97.683 | 99.150 | 102.850 | 105.500 | 106.675 | 106.800 | 106.800 | 106.800 | 106.800 | 106.800 | 106.800 | 106.800 | 106.800 | 106.800 | 106.800 | 111.650 | 167.567 | 172.583 | 178.908 | 185.500 | 189.175 | 192.317 | 194.542 | 199.983 | 207.283 | 215.253 | 224.571 | 225.903 | 226.640 | 232.435 | 238.531 | 241.436 | 245.853 | 249.149 | 254.718 | 262.357 | 270.789 | 277.671 | 282.413 | 295.088 | 321.317 | 340.564 | 352.678 |