Apparel priced at $1 in 1996 $0.94 in 2019

Apparel Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Apparel, 1996-2019 ($1)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for apparel were 5.81% lower in 2019 versus 1996 (a $0.06 difference in value).

Between 1996 and 2019: Apparel experienced an average inflation rate of -0.26% per year. In other words, apparel costing $1 in the year 1996 would cost $0.94 in 2019 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.15% during this same period, inflation for apparel was lower.

In the year 1996: Pricing changed by -0.20%, which is above the average yearly change for apparel during the 1996-2019 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1996 (2.93%), 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%).

View price changes for other categories
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Buying power of $1.00 since 1996

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Apparel, over time, for $1 beginning in 1996. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1996$1.00-0.20%
1997$1.010.88%
1998$1.010.13%
1999$1.00-1.30%
2000$0.98-1.31%
2001$0.97-1.78%
2002$0.94-2.55%
2003$0.92-2.54%
2004$0.91-0.37%
2005$0.91-0.74%
2006$0.91-0.07%
2007$0.90-0.38%
2008$0.90-0.08%
2009$0.910.98%
2010$0.91-0.48%
2011$0.932.18%
2012$0.963.40%
2013$0.970.91%
2014$0.970.08%
2015$0.96-1.26%
2016$0.960.11%
2017$0.95-0.34%
2018$0.950.03%
2019$0.94-1.28%
2020$0.90-4.81%
2021$0.922.47%
2022$0.965.03%
2023$0.992.75%
2024$0.99-0.47%*

* 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 2019 / CPI in 1996 * 1996 USD value = 2019 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Apparel was 131.700 in the year 1996 and 124.052 in 2019:

124.052 / 131.700 * $1 = $0.94

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $1 in 1996 has the same "purchasing power" as $0.94 in 2019 (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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