Apparel priced at $38,000 in 1978 $58,864.04 in 2016

Apparel Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Apparel, 1978-2016 ($38,000)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for apparel were 54.91% higher in 2016 versus 1978 (a $20,864.04 difference in value).

Between 1978 and 2016: Apparel experienced an average inflation rate of 1.16% per year. In other words, apparel costing $38,000 in the year 1978 would cost $58,864.04 in 2016 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.49% during this same period, inflation for apparel was lower.

In the year 1978: Pricing changed by 3.51%, which is above the average yearly change for apparel during the 1978-2016 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1978 (7.63%), inflation for apparel was much 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 $38,000.00 since 1978

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Apparel, over time, for $38,000 beginning in 1978. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1978$38,000.003.51%
1979$39,663.264.38%
1980$42,468.907.07%
1981$44,494.994.77%
1982$45,662.512.62%
1983$46,790.512.47%
1984$47,652.681.84%
1985$49,046.512.92%
1986$49,463.230.85%
1987$51,640.204.40%
1988$53,881.834.34%
1989$55,379.842.78%
1990$57,948.384.64%
1991$60,107.393.73%
1992$61,587.452.46%
1993$62,420.871.35%
1994$62,298.73-0.20%
1995$61,626.96-1.08%
1996$61,504.82-0.20%
1997$62,043.680.88%
1998$62,122.710.13%
1999$61,314.43-1.30%
2000$60,513.33-1.31%
2001$59,435.62-1.78%
2002$57,919.64-2.55%
2003$56,450.37-2.54%
2004$56,242.01-0.37%
2005$55,825.30-0.74%
2006$55,785.78-0.07%
2007$55,573.01-0.38%
2008$55,530.36-0.08%
2009$56,077.340.98%
2010$55,808.77-0.48%
2011$57,026.552.18%
2012$58,966.463.40%
2013$59,501.970.91%
2014$59,550.040.08%
2015$58,797.37-1.26%
2016$58,864.040.11%
2017$58,661.68-0.34%
2018$58,681.480.03%
2019$57,933.01-1.28%
2020$55,143.58-4.81%
2021$56,504.432.47%
2022$59,347.615.03%
2023$60,981.162.75%
2024$60,694.80-0.47%*

* 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 2016 / CPI in 1978 * 1978 USD value = 2016 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Apparel was 81.369 in the year 1978 and 126.045 in 2016:

126.045 / 81.369 * $38,000 = $58,864.04

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $38,000 in 1978 has the same "purchasing power" as $58,864.04 in 2016 (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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