Seattle price inflation, 1939→2024

Inflation in Washington

Prices in Seattle, 1939-2024 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Seattle, Washington are 2,578.57% higher in 2024 versus 1939 (a $515.71 difference in value).

Between 1939 and 2024: Seattle experienced an average inflation rate of 3.94% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $20 in Seattle in the year 1939 would cost $535.71 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.73% during this same period, inflation in Seattle was higher.

In the year 1939: Pricing changed by -0.69%, which is significantly below the average yearly change in Seattle during the 1939-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1939 (-1.31%), inflation in Seattle was higher.

Price Inflation in Seattle, Washington since 1914

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1998 (50.08%), 1919 (31.68%), and 1918 (22.53%).

View price changes for other categories
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Buying power of $20.00 since 1939

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in Seattle, over time, for $20 beginning in 1939. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

Year	USD Value	Inflation Rate
1939	$20.00	-0.69%
1940	$20.04	0.19%
1941	$21.28	6.19%
1942	$23.92	12.43%
1943	$25.29	5.71%
1944	$25.73	1.75%
1945	$26.30	2.21%
1946	$28.32	7.65%
1947	$31.85	12.47%
1948	$34.57	8.55%
1949	$34.58	0.04%
1950	$34.80	0.62%
1951	$37.59	8.04%
1952	$38.72	3.00%
1953	$39.10	0.98%
1954	$39.16	0.16%
1955	$39.33	0.42%
1956	$39.76	1.09%
1957	$41.44	4.23%
1958	$42.39	2.29%
1959	$43.16	1.82%
1960	$43.71	1.26%
1961	$44.44	1.68%
1962	$45.14	1.57%
1963	$45.84	1.54%
1964	$46.49	1.44%
1965	$46.95	0.98%
1966	$48.28	2.83%
1967	$49.70	2.94%
1968	$51.68	4.00%
1969	$54.19	4.85%
1970	$56.63	4.51%
1971	$57.87	2.19%
1972	$59.51	2.82%
1973	$63.08	6.00%
1974	$69.80	10.66%
1975	$77.16	10.55%
1976	$81.61	5.76%
1977	$87.87	7.68%
1978	$96.68	10.03%
1979	$107.06	10.74%
1980	$125.01	16.77%
1981	$138.76	11.00%
1982	$148.38	6.93%
1983	$150.61	1.50%
1984	$156.23	3.73%
1985	$160.25	2.58%
1986	$162.04	1.11%
1987	$162.23	0.12%
1988	$162.23	0.00% **
1989	$162.23	0.00% **
1990	$162.23	0.00% **
1991	$162.23	0.00% **
1992	$162.23	0.00% **
1993	$162.23	0.00% **
1994	$162.23	0.00% **
1995	$162.23	0.00% **
1996	$162.23	0.00% **
1997	$169.59	4.54%
1998	$254.53	50.08%
1999	$262.15	2.99%
2000	$271.76	3.66%
2001	$281.77	3.68%
2002	$287.35	1.98%
2003	$292.13	1.66%
2004	$295.51	1.16%
2005	$303.77	2.80%
2006	$314.86	3.65%
2007	$326.97	3.84%
2008	$341.12	4.33%
2009	$343.14	0.59%
2010	$344.26	0.33%
2011	$353.07	2.56%
2012	$362.33	2.62%
2013	$366.74	1.22%
2014	$373.45	1.83%
2015	$378.45	1.34%
2016	$386.91	2.24%
2017	$398.52	3.00%
2018	$411.33	3.21%
2019	$421.78	2.54%
2020	$428.98	1.71%
2021	$448.23	4.49%
2022	$488.08	8.89%
2023	$517.31	5.99%
2024	$535.71	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

Adjust Seattle prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2024 / CPI in 1939 * 1939 USD value = 2024 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Seattle, Washington was 13.167 in the year 1939 and 352.678 in 2024:

352.678 / 13.167 * $20 = $535.71

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1939 has the same "purchasing power" as $535.71 in 2024 (in the CPI category of Seattle, Washington).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Seattle, Washington in 1914. In addition to Seattle, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.