According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for apparel less footwear are 157.46% higher in 2024 versus 1949 (a $31.49 difference in value).
Between 1949 and 2024: Apparel less footwear experienced an average inflation rate of 1.27% per year. In other words, apparel less footwear costing $20 in the year 1949 would cost $51.49 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.50% during this same period, inflation for apparel less footwear was lower.
In the year 1949: Pricing changed by -4.63%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for apparel less footwear during the 1949-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1949 (-0.99%), inflation for apparel less footwear was much lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Apparel less footwear, over time, for $20 beginning in 1949. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1949 | $20.00 | -4.63% |
| 1950 | $19.60 | -1.98% |
| 1951 | $21.18 | 8.03% |
| 1952 | $21.01 | -0.80% |
| 1953 | $20.80 | -0.99% |
| 1954 | $20.63 | -0.83% |
| 1955 | $20.46 | -0.81% |
| 1956 | $20.67 | 1.01% |
| 1957 | $20.85 | 0.87% |
| 1958 | $20.81 | -0.17% |
| 1959 | $20.84 | 0.14% |
| 1960 | $21.05 | 1.01% |
| 1961 | $21.19 | 0.62% |
| 1962 | $21.22 | 0.17% |
| 1963 | $21.42 | 0.96% |
| 1964 | $21.60 | 0.81% |
| 1965 | $21.76 | 0.77% |
| 1966 | $22.16 | 1.82% |
| 1967 | $23.03 | 3.92% |
| 1968 | $24.34 | 5.69% |
| 1969 | $25.78 | 5.92% |
| 1970 | $26.78 | 3.88% |
| 1971 | $27.60 | 3.07% |
| 1972 | $28.15 | 2.00% |
| 1973 | $29.13 | 3.48% |
| 1974 | $31.24 | 7.24% |
| 1975 | $32.38 | 3.63% |
| 1976 | $33.37 | 3.07% |
| 1977 | $34.68 | 3.92% |
| 1978 | $35.52 | 2.42% |
| 1979 | $36.49 | 2.74% |
| 1980 | $38.64 | 5.89% |
| 1981 | $40.06 | 3.66% |
| 1982 | $40.76 | 1.75% |
| 1983 | $41.64 | 2.16% |
| 1984 | $42.19 | 1.33% |
| 1985 | $43.34 | 2.71% |
| 1986 | $43.48 | 0.34% |
| 1987 | $45.52 | 4.69% |
| 1988 | $47.51 | 4.38% |
| 1989 | $48.64 | 2.37% |
| 1990 | $51.01 | 4.86% |
| 1991 | $52.93 | 3.76% |
| 1992 | $54.08 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $54.79 | 1.30% |
| 1994 | $54.48 | -0.55% |
| 1995 | $53.69 | -1.45% |
| 1996 | $53.36 | -0.61% |
| 1997 | $53.75 | 0.74% |
| 1998 | $53.72 | -0.07% |
| 1999 | $53.07 | -1.20% |
| 2000 | $52.41 | -1.25% |
| 2001 | $51.34 | -2.05% |
| 2002 | $49.89 | -2.83% |
| 2003 | $48.50 | -2.79% |
| 2004 | $48.31 | -0.38% |
| 2005 | $47.52 | -1.63% |
| 2006 | $47.40 | -0.26% |
| 2007 | $47.29 | -0.25% |
| 2008 | $47.08 | -0.43% |
| 2009 | $47.42 | 0.72% |
| 2010 | $47.05 | -0.79% |
| 2011 | $48.28 | 2.61% |
| 2012 | $50.01 | 3.59% |
| 2013 | $50.28 | 0.55% |
| 2014 | $50.28 | -0.01% |
| 2015 | $49.34 | -1.86% |
| 2016 | $49.37 | 0.05% |
| 2017 | $49.22 | -0.31% |
| 2018 | $49.30 | 0.17% |
| 2019 | $48.43 | -1.76% |
| 2020 | $45.79 | -5.45% |
| 2021 | $46.74 | 2.09% |
| 2022 | $49.17 | 5.18% |
| 2023 | $50.85 | 3.42% |
| 2024 | $51.49 | 1.27%* |
* 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 less footwear:
| Year | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
| CPI | 47.654 | 50.492 | 48.154 | 47.200 | 50.992 | 50.585 | 50.085 | 49.669 | 49.269 | 49.769 | 50.200 | 50.115 | 50.185 | 50.692 | 51.008 | 51.092 | 51.585 | 52.000 | 52.400 | 53.354 | 55.446 | 58.600 | 62.069 | 64.477 | 66.454 | 67.785 | 70.146 | 75.223 | 77.954 | 80.346 | 83.492 | 85.515 | 87.862 | 93.038 | 96.446 | 98.131 | 100.254 | 101.585 | 104.338 | 104.692 | 109.600 | 114.400 | 117.115 | 122.808 | 127.431 | 130.215 | 131.908 | 131.177 | 129.269 | 128.477 | 129.423 | 129.338 | 127.785 | 126.192 | 123.608 | 120.115 | 116.762 | 116.315 | 114.423 | 114.131 | 113.848 | 113.358 | 114.172 | 113.272 | 116.234 | 120.403 | 121.068 | 121.059 | 118.807 | 118.866 | 118.496 | 118.693 | 116.601 | 110.241 | 112.542 | 118.375 | 122.422 | 123.975 |