Apparel priced at $20,000 in 1950 $62,383.31 in 2018

Apparel Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Apparel, 1950-2018 ($20,000)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for apparel were 211.92% higher in 2018 versus 1950 (a $42,383.31 difference in value).

Between 1950 and 2018: Apparel experienced an average inflation rate of 1.69% per year. In other words, apparel costing $20,000 in the year 1950 would cost $62,383.31 in 2018 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.51% during this same period, inflation for apparel was lower.

In the year 1950: Pricing changed by -1.34%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for apparel during the 1950-2018 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1950 (1.10%), inflation for apparel was lower.

Price Inflation for Apparel since 1913

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1918 (39.39%), 1919 (27.69%), and 1921 (-26.11%).

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Buying power of $20,000.00 since 1950

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Apparel, over time, for $20,000 beginning in 1950. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1950$20,000.00-1.34%
1951$21,806.389.03%
1952$21,573.42-1.07%
1953$21,432.12-0.65%
1954$21,359.56-0.34%
1955$21,290.82-0.32%
1956$21,718.542.01%
1957$22,092.801.72%
1958$22,176.820.38%
1959$22,352.490.79%
1960$22,688.561.50%
1961$22,868.050.79%
1962$22,994.080.55%
1963$23,276.691.23%
1964$23,475.270.85%
1965$23,700.590.96%
1966$24,334.542.67%
1967$25,327.484.08%
1968$26,679.405.34%
1969$28,214.635.75%
1970$29,379.424.13%
1971$30,330.343.24%
1972$30,956.652.06%
1973$32,090.893.66%
1974$34,470.127.41%
1975$36,005.354.45%
1976$37,353.453.74%
1977$39,026.164.48%
1978$40,397.173.51%
1979$42,165.364.38%
1980$45,147.997.07%
1981$47,301.894.77%
1982$48,543.062.62%
1983$49,742.222.47%
1984$50,658.771.84%
1985$52,140.542.92%
1986$52,583.540.85%
1987$54,897.844.40%
1988$57,280.894.34%
1989$58,873.402.78%
1990$61,603.974.64%
1991$63,899.183.73%
1992$65,472.602.46%
1993$66,358.601.35%
1994$66,228.76-0.20%
1995$65,514.61-1.08%
1996$65,384.76-0.20%
1997$65,957.610.88%
1998$66,041.630.13%
1999$65,182.36-1.30%
2000$64,330.72-1.31%
2001$63,185.03-1.78%
2002$61,573.42-2.55%
2003$60,011.46-2.54%
2004$59,789.96-0.37%
2005$59,346.95-0.74%
2006$59,304.95-0.07%
2007$59,078.75-0.38%
2008$59,033.42-0.08%
2009$59,614.890.98%
2010$59,329.39-0.48%
2011$60,623.982.18%
2012$62,686.273.40%
2013$63,255.570.91%
2014$63,306.660.08%
2015$62,506.51-1.26%
2016$62,577.390.11%
2017$62,362.27-0.34%
2018$62,383.310.03%
2019$61,587.63-1.28%
2020$58,622.23-4.81%
2021$60,068.932.47%
2022$63,091.465.03%
2023$64,828.072.75%
2024$64,523.64-0.47%*

* 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 Apparel:

Year1913191419151916191719181919192019211922192319241925192619271928192919301931193219331934193519361937193819391940194119421943194419451946194719481949195019511952195319541955195619571958195919601961196219631964196519661967196819691970197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
CPI14.90015.00015.45017.35021.20029.55037.73342.80031.62526.86027.10026.76026.30025.83325.26724.96724.66724.06721.60019.20019.06720.66720.80021.03322.14021.86021.62021.81422.81526.70027.85429.80831.34634.39239.86242.50840.83140.28543.92343.45443.16943.02342.88543.74644.50044.66945.02345.70046.06246.31546.88547.28547.73849.01551.01553.73856.83159.17761.09262.35464.63869.43172.52375.23878.60881.36984.93190.93895.27797.777100.192102.038105.023105.915110.577115.377118.585124.085128.708131.877133.662133.400131.962131.700132.854133.023131.292129.577127.269124.023120.877120.431119.538119.454118.998118.907120.078119.503122.111126.265127.411127.514125.903126.045125.612125.654124.052118.079120.993127.081130.579129.966

Adjust apparel prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2018 / CPI in 1950 * 1950 USD value = 2018 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Apparel was 40.285 in the year 1950 and 125.654 in 2018:

125.654 / 40.285 * $20,000 = $62,383.31

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20,000 in 1950 has the same "purchasing power" as $62,383.31 in 2018 (in the CPI category of Apparel).


Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Apparel in 1913. In addition to apparel, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.

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