According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Boston, Massachusetts are 1,570.79% higher in 2025 versus 1920 (a $78,539.36 difference in value).
Between 1920 and 2025: Boston experienced an average inflation rate of 2.72% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $5,000 in Boston in the year 1920 would cost $83,539.36 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.67% during this same period, inflation in Boston was higher.
In the year 1920: Pricing changed by 17.25%, which is significantly above the average yearly change in Boston during the 1920-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1920 (15.62%), inflation in Boston was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in Boston, over time, for $5,000 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 | $5,000.00 | 17.25% |
1921 | $4,552.09 | -8.96% |
1922 | $4,148.76 | -8.86% |
1923 | $4,211.59 | 1.51% |
1924 | $4,239.97 | 0.67% |
1925 | $4,286.58 | 1.10% |
1926 | $4,444.67 | 3.69% |
1927 | $4,398.05 | -1.05% |
1928 | $4,312.93 | -1.94% |
1929 | $4,292.66 | -0.47% |
1930 | $4,262.26 | -0.71% |
1931 | $3,931.90 | -7.75% |
1932 | $3,544.79 | -9.85% |
1933 | $3,309.69 | -6.63% |
1934 | $3,413.05 | 3.12% |
1935 | $3,483.99 | 2.08% |
1936 | $3,504.26 | 0.58% |
1937 | $3,583.30 | 2.26% |
1938 | $3,492.10 | -2.55% |
1939 | $3,439.40 | -1.51% |
1940 | $3,471.83 | 0.94% |
1941 | $3,625.86 | 4.44% |
1942 | $4,012.97 | 10.68% |
1943 | $4,223.75 | 5.25% |
1944 | $4,270.37 | 1.10% |
1945 | $4,357.52 | 2.04% |
1946 | $4,714.23 | 8.19% |
1947 | $5,366.84 | 13.84% |
1948 | $5,808.67 | 8.23% |
1949 | $5,737.74 | -1.22% |
1950 | $5,812.73 | 1.31% |
1951 | $6,201.86 | 6.69% |
1952 | $6,337.66 | 2.19% |
1953 | $6,353.87 | 0.26% |
1954 | $6,378.19 | 0.38% |
1955 | $6,408.59 | 0.48% |
1956 | $6,584.92 | 2.75% |
1957 | $6,815.97 | 3.51% |
1958 | $7,034.86 | 3.21% |
1959 | $7,089.58 | 0.78% |
1960 | $7,223.35 | 1.89% |
1961 | $7,332.79 | 1.52% |
1962 | $7,490.88 | 2.16% |
1963 | $7,642.89 | 2.03% |
1964 | $7,746.25 | 1.35% |
1965 | $7,892.18 | 1.88% |
1966 | $8,135.39 | 3.08% |
1967 | $8,348.20 | 2.62% |
1968 | $8,676.53 | 3.93% |
1969 | $9,156.87 | 5.54% |
1970 | $9,716.25 | 6.11% |
1971 | $10,233.08 | 5.32% |
1972 | $10,597.89 | 3.57% |
1973 | $11,187.68 | 5.57% |
1974 | $12,342.93 | 10.33% |
1975 | $13,455.61 | 9.01% |
1976 | $14,550.06 | 8.13% |
1977 | $15,291.85 | 5.10% |
1978 | $16,108.63 | 5.34% |
1979 | $17,730.04 | 10.07% |
1980 | $19,979.73 | 12.69% |
1981 | $22,249.70 | 11.36% |
1982 | $23,202.27 | 4.28% |
1983 | $24,227.81 | 4.42% |
1984 | $25,419.54 | 4.92% |
1985 | $26,546.41 | 4.43% |
1986 | $27,271.99 | 2.73% |
1987 | $28,435.35 | 4.27% |
1988 | $30,105.39 | 5.87% |
1989 | $31,860.56 | 5.83% |
1990 | $33,704.90 | 5.79% |
1991 | $35,233.08 | 4.53% |
1992 | $36,092.42 | 2.44% |
1993 | $37,166.60 | 2.98% |
1994 | $37,636.81 | 1.27% |
1995 | $38,540.74 | 2.40% |
1996 | $39,667.61 | 2.92% |
1997 | $40,810.70 | 2.88% |
1998 | $41,730.85 | 2.25% |
1999 | $42,740.17 | 2.42% |
2000 | $44,572.36 | 4.29% |
2001 | $46,546.41 | 4.43% |
2002 | $47,734.09 | 2.55% |
2003 | $49,501.42 | 3.70% |
2004 | $50,920.15 | 2.87% |
2005 | $52,533.44 | 3.17% |
2006 | $54,211.59 | 3.19% |
2007 | $55,232.02 | 1.88% |
2008 | $57,257.36 | 3.67% |
2009 | $56,791.85 | -0.81% |
2010 | $57,723.71 | 1.64% |
2011 | $59,252.98 | 2.65% |
2012 | $60,210.05 | 1.62% |
2013 | $61,047.55 | 1.39% |
2014 | $62,049.05 | 1.64% |
2015 | $62,442.52 | 0.63% |
2016 | $63,303.28 | 1.38% |
2017 | $64,917.96 | 2.55% |
2018 | $67,011.96 | 3.23% |
2019 | $68,357.44 | 2.01% |
2020 | $69,093.35 | 1.08% |
2021 | $71,229.83 | 3.09% |
2022 | $76,362.63 | 7.21% |
2023 | $79,218.04 | 3.74% |
2024 | $81,753.14 | 3.20% |
2025 | $83,539.36 | 2.18%* |
* 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 Boston, Massachusetts:
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 | 10.500 | 10.517 | 10.817 | 12.275 | 14.458 | 17.533 | 20.558 | 18.717 | 17.058 | 17.317 | 17.433 | 17.625 | 18.275 | 18.083 | 17.733 | 17.650 | 17.525 | 16.167 | 14.575 | 13.608 | 14.033 | 14.325 | 14.408 | 14.733 | 14.358 | 14.142 | 14.275 | 14.908 | 16.500 | 17.367 | 17.558 | 17.917 | 19.383 | 22.067 | 23.883 | 23.592 | 23.900 | 25.500 | 26.058 | 26.125 | 26.225 | 26.350 | 27.075 | 28.025 | 28.925 | 29.150 | 29.700 | 30.150 | 30.800 | 31.425 | 31.850 | 32.450 | 33.450 | 34.325 | 35.675 | 37.650 | 39.950 | 42.075 | 43.575 | 46.000 | 50.750 | 55.325 | 59.825 | 62.875 | 66.233 | 72.900 | 82.150 | 91.483 | 95.400 | 99.617 | 104.517 | 109.150 | 112.133 | 116.917 | 123.783 | 131.000 | 138.583 | 144.867 | 148.400 | 152.817 | 154.750 | 158.467 | 163.100 | 167.800 | 171.583 | 175.733 | 183.267 | 191.383 | 196.267 | 203.533 | 209.367 | 216.000 | 222.900 | 227.096 | 235.423 | 233.509 | 237.341 | 243.629 | 247.564 | 251.007 | 255.125 | 256.743 | 260.282 | 266.921 | 275.531 | 281.063 | 284.089 | 292.873 | 313.978 | 325.718 | 336.142 | 343.486 |