Seattle, Washington prices: $72,000 in 1919 → $1,595,651.80 in 2024

Inflation in Washington

$

Prices in Seattle, 1919-2024 ($72,000)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Seattle, Washington are 2,116.18% higher in 2024 versus 1919 (a $1,523,651.80 difference in value).

Between 1919 and 2024: Seattle experienced an average inflation rate of 2.99% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $72,000 in Seattle in the year 1919 would cost $1,595,651.80 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.80% during this same period, inflation in Seattle was higher.

In the year 1919: Pricing changed by 31.68%, which is significantly above the average yearly change in Seattle during the 1919-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1919 (15.18%), inflation in Seattle was much higher.

Price Inflation in Seattle, Washington since 1914

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
1915192019251930193519401945195019551960196519701975198019851990199520002005201020152020-200204060
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1998 (50.08%), 1919 (31.68%), and 1918 (22.53%).
View price changes for other categories
College tuition and fees · Admission to sporting events · Airline fares · Women's apparel · More

Buying power of $72,000.00 since 1919

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in Seattle, over time, for $72,000 beginning in 1919. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1919$72,000.0031.68%
1920$85,292.8918.46%
1921$76,707.11-10.07%
1922$70,757.32-7.76%
1923$69,740.59-1.44%
1924$70,267.780.76%
1925$71,548.121.82%
1926$71,736.400.26%
1927$71,058.58-0.94%
1928$69,364.02-2.38%
1929$69,853.560.71%
1930$69,627.62-0.32%
1931$63,564.85-8.71%
1932$58,255.23-8.35%
1933$54,451.88-6.53%
1934$55,092.051.18%
1935$56,711.302.94%
1936$57,464.441.33%
1937$60,062.764.52%
1938$59,912.13-0.25%
1939$59,497.91-0.69%
1940$59,610.880.19%
1941$63,301.266.19%
1942$71,171.5512.43%
1943$75,238.495.71%
1944$76,556.491.75%
1945$78,251.052.21%
1946$84,238.497.65%
1947$94,744.7712.47%
1948$102,841.008.55%
1949$102,878.660.04%
1950$103,518.830.62%
1951$111,841.008.04%
1952$115,192.473.00%
1953$116,322.180.98%
1954$116,510.460.16%
1955$117,000.000.42%
1956$118,280.331.09%
1957$123,288.704.23%
1958$126,112.972.29%
1959$128,410.041.82%
1960$130,029.291.26%
1961$132,213.391.68%
1962$134,284.521.57%
1963$136,355.651.54%
1964$138,313.811.44%
1965$139,669.460.98%
1966$143,623.432.83%
1967$147,841.002.94%
1968$153,753.144.00%
1969$161,209.214.85%
1970$168,476.994.51%
1971$172,167.362.19%
1972$177,025.102.82%
1973$187,644.356.00%
1974$207,640.1710.66%
1975$229,556.4910.55%
1976$242,774.065.76%
1977$261,414.237.68%
1978$287,623.4310.03%
1979$318,502.0910.74%
1980$371,899.5816.77%
1981$412,794.9811.00%
1982$441,414.236.93%
1983$448,041.841.50%
1984$464,761.513.73%
1985$476,736.402.58%
1986$482,046.031.11%
1987$482,610.880.12%
1988$482,610.880.00% **
1989$482,610.880.00% **
1990$482,610.880.00% **
1991$482,610.880.00% **
1992$482,610.880.00% **
1993$482,610.880.00% **
1994$482,610.880.00% **
1995$482,610.880.00% **
1996$482,610.880.00% **
1997$504,527.204.54%
1998$757,205.0250.08%
1999$779,874.482.99%
2000$808,456.073.66%
2001$838,242.683.68%
2002$854,849.371.98%
2003$869,046.031.66%
2004$879,100.421.16%
2005$903,690.382.80%
2006$936,677.823.65%
2007$972,692.133.84%
2008$1,014,797.074.33%
2009$1,020,814.640.59%
2010$1,024,148.030.33%
2011$1,050,333.142.56%
2012$1,077,880.292.62%
2013$1,091,010.131.22%
2014$1,110,968.661.83%
2015$1,125,861.971.34%
2016$1,151,025.442.24%
2017$1,185,545.153.00%
2018$1,223,650.923.21%
2019$1,254,746.862.54%
2020$1,276,176.651.71%
2021$1,333,450.924.49%
2022$1,451,975.278.89%
2023$1,538,950.675.99%
2024$1,595,651.803.68%*

* 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:

Year191419151916191719181919192019211922192319241925192619271928192919301931193219331934193519361937193819391940194119421943194419451946194719481949195019511952195319541955195619571958195919601961196219631964196519661967196819691970197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
CPI9.2009.1929.1509.87512.10015.93318.87516.97515.65815.43315.55015.83315.87515.72515.35015.45815.40814.06712.89212.05012.19212.55012.71713.29213.25813.16713.19214.00815.75016.65016.94217.31718.64220.96722.75822.76722.90824.75025.49225.74225.78325.89226.17527.28327.90828.41728.77529.25829.71730.17530.60830.90831.78332.71734.02535.67537.28338.10039.17541.52545.95050.80053.72557.85063.65070.48382.30091.35097.68399.150102.850105.500106.675106.800106.800106.800106.800106.800106.800106.800106.800106.800106.800111.650167.567172.583178.908185.500189.175192.317194.542199.983207.283215.253224.571225.903226.640232.435238.531241.436245.853249.149254.718262.357270.789277.671282.413295.088321.317340.564353.112

Adjust Seattle prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2024 / CPI in 1919 * 1919 USD value = 2024 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Seattle, Washington was 15.933 in the year 1919 and 353.112 in 2024:

353.112 / 15.933 * $72,000 = $1,595,651.80

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $72,000 in 1919 has the same "purchasing power" as $1,595,651.80 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.

» Read more about inflation and investment.