According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for apparel are 452.50% higher in 2026 versus 1930 (a $490,965,642,248.72 difference in value).
Between 1930 and 2026:Apparel experienced an average inflation rate of 1.80% per year. In other words, apparel costing $108,500,000,000 in the year 1930 would cost $599,465,642,248.72 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.15% during this same period, inflation for apparel was lower.
In the year 1930: Pricing changed by -1.28%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for apparel during the 1930-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1930 (-2.67%), inflation for apparel was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Apparel, over time, for $108,500,000,000 beginning in 1930. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1930 | $108,500,000,000.00 | -1.28% |
| 1931 | $100,293,185,689.95 | -7.56% |
| 1932 | $88,204,770,017.04 | -12.05% |
| 1933 | $82,216,013,628.62 | -6.79% |
| 1934 | $90,819,389,809.51 | 10.46% |
| 1935 | $92,168,837,635.96 | 1.49% |
| 1936 | $93,195,400,340.72 | 1.11% |
| 1937 | $97,483,645,655.88 | 4.60% |
| 1938 | $97,520,613,287.90 | 0.04% |
| 1939 | $95,931,005,110.73 | -1.63% |
| 1940 | $96,744,293,015.33 | 0.85% |
| 1941 | $101,217,376,490.63 | 4.62% |
| 1942 | $118,444,293,015.33 | 17.02% |
| 1943 | $123,582,793,867.12 | 4.34% |
| 1944 | $132,233,219,761.50 | 7.00% |
| 1945 | $139,035,264,054.51 | 5.14% |
| 1946 | $152,565,417,376.49 | 9.73% |
| 1947 | $176,816,183,986.37 | 15.90% |
| 1948 | $188,571,890,971.04 | 6.65% |
| 1949 | $181,141,396,933.56 | -3.94% |
| 1950 | $178,701,533,219.76 | -1.35% |
| 1951 | $194,856,388,415.67 | 9.04% |
| 1952 | $192,749,233,390.12 | -1.08% |
| 1953 | $191,529,301,533.22 | -0.63% |
| 1954 | $190,826,916,524.70 | -0.37% |
| 1955 | $190,235,434,412.27 | -0.31% |
| 1956 | $194,080,068,143.10 | 2.02% |
| 1957 | $197,407,155,025.55 | 1.71% |
| 1958 | $198,183,475,298.13 | 0.39% |
| 1959 | $199,736,115,843.27 | 0.78% |
| 1960 | $202,730,494,037.48 | 1.50% |
| 1961 | $204,320,102,214.65 | 0.78% |
| 1962 | $205,466,098,807.50 | 0.56% |
| 1963 | $207,979,897,785.35 | 1.22% |
| 1964 | $209,754,344,122.66 | 0.85% |
| 1965 | $211,750,596,252.13 | 0.95% |
| 1966 | $217,443,611,584.33 | 2.69% |
| 1967 | $226,315,843,270.87 | 4.08% |
| 1968 | $238,404,258,943.78 | 5.34% |
| 1969 | $252,119,250,425.89 | 5.75% |
| 1970 | $262,507,155,025.55 | 4.12% |
| 1971 | $271,009,710,391.82 | 3.24% |
| 1972 | $276,628,790,459.97 | 2.07% |
| 1973 | $286,757,921,635.43 | 3.66% |
| 1974 | $308,014,310,051.11 | 7.41% |
| 1975 | $321,729,301,533.22 | 4.45% |
| 1976 | $333,780,749,574.11 | 3.75% |
| 1977 | $348,715,672,913.12 | 4.47% |
| 1978 | $360,951,959,114.14 | 3.51% |
| 1979 | $376,774,105,621.81 | 4.38% |
| 1980 | $403,427,768,313.46 | 7.07% |
| 1981 | $422,650,936,967.63 | 4.76% |
| 1982 | $433,741,226,575.81 | 2.62% |
| 1983 | $444,461,839,863.71 | 2.47% |
| 1984 | $452,631,686,541.74 | 1.84% |
| 1985 | $465,903,066,439.52 | 2.93% |
| 1986 | $469,858,603,066.44 | 0.85% |
| 1987 | $490,523,509,369.68 | 4.40% |
| 1988 | $511,816,865,417.38 | 4.34% |
| 1989 | $526,049,403,747.87 | 2.78% |
| 1990 | $550,448,040,885.86 | 4.64% |
| 1991 | $570,965,076,660.99 | 3.73% |
| 1992 | $585,012,776,831.35 | 2.46% |
| 1993 | $592,923,850,085.18 | 1.35% |
| 1994 | $591,777,853,492.33 | -0.19% |
| 1995 | $585,382,453,151.62 | -1.08% |
| 1996 | $584,236,456,558.77 | -0.20% |
| 1997 | $589,337,989,778.53 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $590,114,310,051.11 | 0.13% |
| 1999 | $582,425,042,589.44 | -1.30% |
| 2000 | $574,809,710,391.82 | -1.31% |
| 2001 | $564,569,676,320.27 | -1.78% |
| 2002 | $550,189,267,461.67 | -2.55% |
| 2003 | $536,215,502,555.37 | -2.54% |
| 2004 | $534,256,218,057.92 | -0.37% |
| 2005 | $530,300,681,431.01 | -0.74% |
| 2006 | $529,894,037,478.71 | -0.08% |
| 2007 | $527,890,022,146.51 | -0.38% |
| 2008 | $527,484,856,899.49 | -0.08% |
| 2009 | $532,680,657,580.92 | 0.99% |
| 2010 | $530,129,521,294.72 | -0.48% |
| 2011 | $541,697,063,032.37 | 2.18% |
| 2012 | $560,124,318,568.99 | 3.40% |
| 2013 | $565,211,434,412.27 | 0.91% |
| 2014 | $565,667,984,667.80 | 0.08% |
| 2015 | $558,518,074,957.41 | -1.26% |
| 2016 | $559,151,700,170.36 | 0.11% |
| 2017 | $557,229,383,304.94 | -0.34% |
| 2018 | $557,417,548,551.96 | 0.03% |
| 2019 | $550,307,563,884.16 | -1.28% |
| 2020 | $523,810,643,952.30 | -4.81% |
| 2021 | $536,737,485,519.59 | 2.47% |
| 2022 | $563,744,928,449.74 | 5.03% |
| 2023 | $579,262,091,993.19 | 2.75% |
| 2024 | $583,272,340,715.50 | 0.69% |
| 2025 | $584,030,546,848.38 | 0.13% |
| 2026 | $599,465,642,248.72 | 2.64%* |
* 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:
| Year | 1914 | 1915 | 1916 | 1917 | 1918 | 1919 | 1920 | 1921 | 1922 | 1923 | 1924 | 1925 | 1926 | 1927 | 1928 | 1929 | 1930 | 1931 | 1932 | 1933 | 1934 | 1935 | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 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 | 2025 | 2026 |
| CPI | 15.000 | 15.050 | 15.792 | 18.258 | 23.000 | 34.000 | 43.608 | 34.883 | 27.158 | 27.000 | 26.883 | 26.383 | 26.008 | 25.500 | 25.033 | 24.775 | 24.458 | 22.608 | 19.883 | 18.533 | 20.473 | 20.777 | 21.008 | 21.975 | 21.983 | 21.625 | 21.808 | 22.817 | 26.700 | 27.858 | 29.808 | 31.342 | 34.392 | 39.858 | 42.508 | 40.833 | 40.283 | 43.925 | 43.450 | 43.175 | 43.017 | 42.883 | 43.750 | 44.500 | 44.675 | 45.025 | 45.700 | 46.058 | 46.317 | 46.883 | 47.283 | 47.733 | 49.017 | 51.017 | 53.742 | 56.833 | 59.175 | 61.092 | 62.358 | 64.642 | 69.433 | 72.525 | 75.242 | 78.608 | 81.367 | 84.933 | 90.942 | 95.275 | 97.775 | 100.192 | 102.033 | 105.025 | 105.917 | 110.575 | 115.375 | 118.583 | 124.083 | 128.708 | 131.875 | 133.658 | 133.400 | 131.958 | 131.700 | 132.850 | 133.025 | 131.292 | 129.575 | 127.267 | 124.025 | 120.875 | 120.433 | 119.542 | 119.450 | 118.998 | 118.907 | 120.078 | 119.503 | 122.111 | 126.265 | 127.411 | 127.514 | 125.902 | 126.045 | 125.612 | 125.654 | 124.052 | 118.079 | 120.993 | 127.081 | 130.579 | 131.483 | 131.654 | 135.133 |