According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for apparel are 445.45% higher in 2026 versus 1930 (a $217,545.46 difference in value).
Between 1930 and 2026:Apparel experienced an average inflation rate of 1.78% per year. In other words, apparel costing $48,837 in the year 1930 would cost $266,382.46 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 $48,837 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 | $48,837.00 | -1.28% |
| 1931 | $45,143.03 | -7.56% |
| 1932 | $39,701.90 | -12.05% |
| 1933 | $37,006.30 | -6.79% |
| 1934 | $40,878.77 | 10.46% |
| 1935 | $41,486.17 | 1.49% |
| 1936 | $41,948.24 | 1.11% |
| 1937 | $43,878.42 | 4.60% |
| 1938 | $43,895.06 | 0.04% |
| 1939 | $43,179.56 | -1.63% |
| 1940 | $43,545.63 | 0.85% |
| 1941 | $45,559.01 | 4.62% |
| 1942 | $53,313.03 | 17.02% |
| 1943 | $55,625.93 | 4.34% |
| 1944 | $59,519.57 | 7.00% |
| 1945 | $62,581.25 | 5.14% |
| 1946 | $68,671.31 | 9.73% |
| 1947 | $79,586.84 | 15.90% |
| 1948 | $84,878.21 | 6.65% |
| 1949 | $81,533.66 | -3.94% |
| 1950 | $80,435.45 | -1.35% |
| 1951 | $87,706.93 | 9.04% |
| 1952 | $86,758.47 | -1.08% |
| 1953 | $86,209.37 | -0.63% |
| 1954 | $85,893.22 | -0.37% |
| 1955 | $85,626.99 | -0.31% |
| 1956 | $87,357.50 | 2.02% |
| 1957 | $88,855.05 | 1.71% |
| 1958 | $89,204.48 | 0.39% |
| 1959 | $89,903.34 | 0.78% |
| 1960 | $91,251.14 | 1.50% |
| 1961 | $91,966.64 | 0.78% |
| 1962 | $92,482.47 | 0.56% |
| 1963 | $93,613.96 | 1.22% |
| 1964 | $94,412.65 | 0.85% |
| 1965 | $95,311.19 | 0.95% |
| 1966 | $97,873.67 | 2.69% |
| 1967 | $101,867.16 | 4.08% |
| 1968 | $107,308.28 | 5.34% |
| 1969 | $113,481.55 | 5.75% |
| 1970 | $118,157.25 | 4.12% |
| 1971 | $121,984.34 | 3.24% |
| 1972 | $124,513.55 | 2.07% |
| 1973 | $129,072.78 | 3.66% |
| 1974 | $138,640.51 | 7.41% |
| 1975 | $144,813.77 | 4.45% |
| 1976 | $150,238.25 | 3.75% |
| 1977 | $156,960.62 | 4.47% |
| 1978 | $162,468.30 | 3.51% |
| 1979 | $169,590.02 | 4.38% |
| 1980 | $181,587.11 | 7.07% |
| 1981 | $190,239.67 | 4.76% |
| 1982 | $195,231.52 | 2.62% |
| 1983 | $200,056.99 | 2.47% |
| 1984 | $203,734.32 | 1.84% |
| 1985 | $209,707.91 | 2.93% |
| 1986 | $211,488.34 | 0.85% |
| 1987 | $220,789.83 | 4.40% |
| 1988 | $230,374.20 | 4.34% |
| 1989 | $236,780.41 | 2.78% |
| 1990 | $247,762.50 | 4.64% |
| 1991 | $256,997.43 | 3.73% |
| 1992 | $263,320.45 | 2.46% |
| 1993 | $266,881.31 | 1.35% |
| 1994 | $266,365.48 | -0.19% |
| 1995 | $263,486.85 | -1.08% |
| 1996 | $262,971.02 | -0.20% |
| 1997 | $265,267.28 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $265,616.71 | 0.13% |
| 1999 | $262,155.68 | -1.30% |
| 2000 | $258,727.94 | -1.31% |
| 2001 | $254,118.80 | -1.78% |
| 2002 | $247,646.02 | -2.55% |
| 2003 | $241,356.28 | -2.54% |
| 2004 | $240,474.39 | -0.37% |
| 2005 | $238,693.96 | -0.74% |
| 2006 | $238,510.92 | -0.08% |
| 2007 | $237,608.89 | -0.38% |
| 2008 | $237,426.52 | -0.08% |
| 2009 | $239,765.21 | 0.99% |
| 2010 | $238,616.92 | -0.48% |
| 2011 | $243,823.59 | 2.18% |
| 2012 | $252,117.89 | 3.40% |
| 2013 | $254,407.66 | 0.91% |
| 2014 | $254,613.16 | 0.08% |
| 2015 | $251,394.91 | -1.26% |
| 2016 | $251,680.11 | 0.11% |
| 2017 | $250,814.85 | -0.34% |
| 2018 | $250,899.55 | 0.03% |
| 2019 | $247,699.27 | -1.28% |
| 2020 | $235,772.72 | -4.81% |
| 2021 | $241,591.23 | 2.47% |
| 2022 | $253,747.57 | 5.03% |
| 2023 | $260,732.01 | 2.75% |
| 2024 | $262,537.06 | 0.69% |
| 2025 | $262,878.34 | 0.13% |
| 2026 | $266,382.46 | 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 |