According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for apparel are 445.45% higher in 2026 versus 1930 (a $7,795,412,265.76 difference in value).
Between 1930 and 2026:Apparel experienced an average inflation rate of 1.78% per year. In other words, apparel costing $1,750,000,000 in the year 1930 would cost $9,545,412,265.76 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.14% 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 $1,750,000,000 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 | $1,750,000,000.00 | -1.28% |
| 1931 | $1,617,632,027.26 | -7.56% |
| 1932 | $1,422,657,580.92 | -12.05% |
| 1933 | $1,326,064,735.95 | -6.79% |
| 1934 | $1,464,828,867.90 | 10.46% |
| 1935 | $1,486,594,155.42 | 1.49% |
| 1936 | $1,503,151,618.40 | 1.11% |
| 1937 | $1,572,316,865.42 | 4.60% |
| 1938 | $1,572,913,117.55 | 0.04% |
| 1939 | $1,547,274,275.98 | -1.63% |
| 1940 | $1,560,391,822.83 | 0.85% |
| 1941 | $1,632,538,330.49 | 4.62% |
| 1942 | $1,910,391,822.83 | 17.02% |
| 1943 | $1,993,270,868.82 | 4.34% |
| 1944 | $2,132,793,867.12 | 7.00% |
| 1945 | $2,242,504,258.94 | 5.14% |
| 1946 | $2,460,732,538.33 | 9.73% |
| 1947 | $2,851,873,935.26 | 15.90% |
| 1948 | $3,041,482,112.44 | 6.65% |
| 1949 | $2,921,635,434.41 | -3.94% |
| 1950 | $2,882,282,793.87 | -1.35% |
| 1951 | $3,142,844,974.45 | 9.04% |
| 1952 | $3,108,858,603.07 | -1.08% |
| 1953 | $3,089,182,282.79 | -0.63% |
| 1954 | $3,077,853,492.33 | -0.37% |
| 1955 | $3,068,313,458.26 | -0.31% |
| 1956 | $3,130,323,679.73 | 2.02% |
| 1957 | $3,183,986,371.38 | 1.71% |
| 1958 | $3,196,507,666.10 | 0.39% |
| 1959 | $3,221,550,255.54 | 0.78% |
| 1960 | $3,269,846,678.02 | 1.50% |
| 1961 | $3,295,485,519.59 | 0.78% |
| 1962 | $3,313,969,335.60 | 0.56% |
| 1963 | $3,354,514,480.41 | 1.22% |
| 1964 | $3,383,134,582.62 | 0.85% |
| 1965 | $3,415,332,197.61 | 0.95% |
| 1966 | $3,507,155,025.55 | 2.69% |
| 1967 | $3,650,255,536.63 | 4.08% |
| 1968 | $3,845,229,982.96 | 5.34% |
| 1969 | $4,066,439,523.00 | 5.75% |
| 1970 | $4,233,986,371.38 | 4.12% |
| 1971 | $4,371,124,361.16 | 3.24% |
| 1972 | $4,461,754,684.84 | 2.07% |
| 1973 | $4,625,127,768.31 | 3.66% |
| 1974 | $4,967,972,742.76 | 7.41% |
| 1975 | $5,189,182,282.79 | 4.45% |
| 1976 | $5,383,560,477.00 | 3.75% |
| 1977 | $5,624,446,337.31 | 4.47% |
| 1978 | $5,821,805,792.16 | 3.51% |
| 1979 | $6,077,001,703.58 | 4.38% |
| 1980 | $6,506,899,488.93 | 7.07% |
| 1981 | $6,816,950,596.25 | 4.76% |
| 1982 | $6,995,826,235.09 | 2.62% |
| 1983 | $7,168,739,352.64 | 2.47% |
| 1984 | $7,300,511,073.25 | 1.84% |
| 1985 | $7,514,565,587.73 | 2.93% |
| 1986 | $7,578,364,565.59 | 0.85% |
| 1987 | $7,911,669,505.96 | 4.40% |
| 1988 | $8,255,110,732.54 | 4.34% |
| 1989 | $8,484,667,802.39 | 2.78% |
| 1990 | $8,878,194,207.84 | 4.64% |
| 1991 | $9,209,114,139.69 | 3.73% |
| 1992 | $9,435,689,948.89 | 2.46% |
| 1993 | $9,563,287,904.60 | 1.35% |
| 1994 | $9,544,804,088.59 | -0.19% |
| 1995 | $9,441,652,470.19 | -1.08% |
| 1996 | $9,423,168,654.17 | -0.20% |
| 1997 | $9,505,451,448.04 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $9,517,972,742.76 | 0.13% |
| 1999 | $9,393,952,299.83 | -1.30% |
| 2000 | $9,271,124,361.16 | -1.31% |
| 2001 | $9,105,962,521.29 | -1.78% |
| 2002 | $8,874,020,442.93 | -2.55% |
| 2003 | $8,648,637,137.99 | -2.54% |
| 2004 | $8,617,035,775.13 | -0.37% |
| 2005 | $8,553,236,797.27 | -0.74% |
| 2006 | $8,546,678,023.85 | -0.08% |
| 2007 | $8,514,355,195.91 | -0.38% |
| 2008 | $8,507,820,272.57 | -0.08% |
| 2009 | $8,591,623,509.37 | 0.99% |
| 2010 | $8,550,476,149.91 | -0.48% |
| 2011 | $8,737,049,403.75 | 2.18% |
| 2012 | $9,034,263,202.73 | 3.40% |
| 2013 | $9,116,313,458.26 | 0.91% |
| 2014 | $9,123,677,172.06 | 0.08% |
| 2015 | $9,008,356,047.70 | -1.26% |
| 2016 | $9,018,575,809.20 | 0.11% |
| 2017 | $8,987,570,698.47 | -0.34% |
| 2018 | $8,990,605,621.81 | 0.03% |
| 2019 | $8,875,928,449.74 | -1.28% |
| 2020 | $8,448,558,773.42 | -4.81% |
| 2021 | $8,657,056,218.06 | 2.47% |
| 2022 | $9,092,660,136.29 | 5.03% |
| 2023 | $9,342,936,967.63 | 2.75% |
| 2024 | $9,407,618,398.64 | 0.69% |
| 2025 | $9,419,847,529.81 | 0.13% |
| 2026 | $9,545,412,265.76 | 1.33%* |
* 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 | 133.409 |