Seattle, Washington prices: $20,000 in 1915 → $775,097.73 in 2025

Inflation in Washington

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Prices in Seattle, 1915-2025 ($20,000)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Seattle, Washington are 3,775.49% higher in 2025 versus 1915 (a $755,097.73 difference in value).

Between 1915 and 2025: Seattle experienced an average inflation rate of 3.38% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $20,000 in Seattle in the year 1915 would cost $775,097.73 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.19% during this same period, inflation in Seattle was higher.

In the year 1915: Pricing changed by -0.09%, which is significantly below the average yearly change in Seattle during the 1915-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1915 (0.92%), inflation in Seattle was lower.

Price Inflation in Seattle, Washington since 1914

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
19151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025-200204060
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1998 (50.08%), 1919 (31.68%), and 1918 (22.53%).
View price changes for other categories
Legal services · Alcoholic beverages · Medical care · Gasoline (all types) · More

Buying power of $20,000.00 since 1915

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in Seattle, over time, for $20,000 beginning in 1915. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1915$20,000.00-0.09%
1916$19,909.34-0.45%
1917$21,486.857.92%
1918$26,328.2022.53%
1919$34,669.0831.68%
1920$41,069.8118.46%
1921$36,935.63-10.07%
1922$34,070.72-7.76%
1923$33,581.14-1.44%
1924$33,835.000.76%
1925$34,451.501.82%
1926$34,542.160.26%
1927$34,215.78-0.94%
1928$33,399.82-2.38%
1929$33,635.540.71%
1930$33,526.75-0.32%
1931$30,607.43-8.71%
1932$28,050.77-8.35%
1933$26,219.40-6.53%
1934$26,527.651.18%
1935$27,307.342.94%
1936$27,669.991.33%
1937$28,921.124.52%
1938$28,848.59-0.25%
1939$28,649.14-0.69%
1940$28,703.540.19%
1941$30,480.516.19%
1942$34,270.1712.43%
1943$36,228.475.71%
1944$36,863.101.75%
1945$37,679.062.21%
1946$40,562.107.65%
1947$45,621.0312.47%
1948$49,519.498.55%
1949$49,537.620.04%
1950$49,845.870.62%
1951$53,853.138.04%
1952$55,466.913.00%
1953$56,010.880.98%
1954$56,101.540.16%
1955$56,337.260.42%
1956$56,953.761.09%
1957$59,365.374.23%
1958$60,725.292.29%
1959$61,831.371.82%
1960$62,611.061.26%
1961$63,662.741.68%
1962$64,660.021.57%
1963$65,657.301.54%
1964$66,600.181.44%
1965$67,252.950.98%
1966$69,156.842.83%
1967$71,187.672.94%
1968$74,034.454.00%
1969$77,624.664.85%
1970$81,124.214.51%
1971$82,901.182.19%
1972$85,240.252.82%
1973$90,353.586.00%
1974$99,981.8710.66%
1975$110,534.9010.55%
1976$116,899.375.76%
1977$125,874.897.68%
1978$138,495.0110.03%
1979$153,363.5510.74%
1980$179,075.2516.77%
1981$198,767.0011.00%
1982$212,547.606.93%
1983$215,738.891.50%
1984$223,789.663.73%
1985$229,555.762.58%
1986$232,112.421.11%
1987$232,384.410.12%
1988$232,384.410.00% **
1989$232,384.410.00% **
1990$232,384.410.00% **
1991$232,384.410.00% **
1992$232,384.410.00% **
1993$232,384.410.00% **
1994$232,384.410.00% **
1995$232,384.410.00% **
1996$232,384.410.00% **
1997$242,937.444.54%
1998$364,605.6250.08%
1999$375,521.312.99%
2000$389,283.773.66%
2001$403,626.473.68%
2002$411,622.851.98%
2003$418,458.751.66%
2004$423,300.091.16%
2005$435,140.532.80%
2006$451,024.483.65%
2007$468,365.913.84%
2008$488,640.074.33%
2009$491,537.620.59%
2010$493,142.700.33%
2011$505,751.222.56%
2012$519,015.592.62%
2013$525,337.811.22%
2014$534,948.141.83%
2015$542,119.491.34%
2016$554,236.082.24%
2017$570,857.843.00%
2018$589,206.353.21%
2019$604,179.512.54%
2020$614,498.281.71%
2021$642,076.704.49%
2022$699,147.968.89%
2023$741,027.925.99%
2024$768,330.373.68%
2025$775,097.730.88%*

* 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 Seattle, Washington:

Year1914191519161917191819191920192119221923192419251926192719281929193019311932193319341935193619371938193919401941194219431944194519461947194819491950195119521953195419551956195719581959196019611962196319641965196619671968196919701971197219731974197519761977197819791980198119821983198419851986198719881989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
CPI9.2009.1929.1509.87512.10015.93318.87516.97515.65815.43315.55015.83315.87515.72515.35015.45815.40814.06712.89212.05012.19212.55012.71713.29213.25813.16713.19214.00815.75016.65016.94217.31718.64220.96722.75822.76722.90824.75025.49225.74225.78325.89226.17527.28327.90828.41728.77529.25829.71730.17530.60830.90831.78332.71734.02535.67537.28338.10039.17541.52545.95050.80053.72557.85063.65070.48382.30091.35097.68399.150102.850105.500106.675106.800106.800106.800106.800106.800106.800106.800106.800106.800106.800111.650167.567172.583178.908185.500189.175192.317194.542199.983207.283215.253224.571225.903226.640232.435238.531241.436245.853249.149254.718262.357270.789277.671282.413295.088321.317340.564353.112356.222

Adjust Seattle prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2025 / CPI in 1915 * 1915 USD value = 2025 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Seattle, Washington was 9.192 in the year 1915 and 356.222 in 2025:

356.222 / 9.192 * $20,000 = $775,097.73

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20,000 in 1915 has the same "purchasing power" as $775,097.73 in 2025 (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.

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