According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for apparel are 500.06% higher in 2026 versus 1939 (a $485,058.31 difference in value).
Between 1939 and 2026: Apparel experienced an average inflation rate of 2.08% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, apparel costing $97,000 in the year 1939 would cost $582,058.31 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.69% during this same period, inflation for apparel was lower.
In the year 1939: Pricing changed by -1.63%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for apparel during the 1939-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1939 (-1.30%), inflation for apparel was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Apparel, over time, for $97,000 beginning in 1939. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1939 | $97,000.00 | -1.63% |
| 1940 | $97,822.35 | 0.85% |
| 1941 | $102,345.28 | 4.62% |
| 1942 | $119,764.16 | 17.02% |
| 1943 | $124,959.92 | 4.34% |
| 1944 | $133,706.74 | 7.00% |
| 1945 | $140,584.59 | 5.14% |
| 1946 | $154,265.51 | 9.73% |
| 1947 | $178,786.51 | 15.90% |
| 1948 | $190,673.22 | 6.65% |
| 1949 | $183,159.92 | -3.94% |
| 1950 | $180,692.87 | -1.35% |
| 1951 | $197,027.75 | 9.04% |
| 1952 | $194,897.11 | -1.08% |
| 1953 | $193,663.58 | -0.63% |
| 1954 | $192,953.37 | -0.37% |
| 1955 | $192,355.30 | -0.31% |
| 1956 | $196,242.77 | 2.02% |
| 1957 | $199,606.94 | 1.71% |
| 1958 | $200,391.91 | 0.39% |
| 1959 | $201,961.85 | 0.78% |
| 1960 | $204,989.60 | 1.50% |
| 1961 | $206,596.92 | 0.78% |
| 1962 | $207,755.68 | 0.56% |
| 1963 | $210,297.50 | 1.22% |
| 1964 | $212,091.71 | 0.85% |
| 1965 | $214,110.21 | 0.95% |
| 1966 | $219,866.67 | 2.69% |
| 1967 | $228,837.76 | 4.08% |
| 1968 | $241,060.89 | 5.34% |
| 1969 | $254,928.71 | 5.75% |
| 1970 | $265,432.37 | 4.12% |
| 1971 | $274,029.67 | 3.24% |
| 1972 | $279,711.37 | 2.07% |
| 1973 | $289,953.37 | 3.66% |
| 1974 | $311,446.63 | 7.41% |
| 1975 | $325,314.45 | 4.45% |
| 1976 | $337,500.19 | 3.75% |
| 1977 | $352,601.54 | 4.47% |
| 1978 | $364,974.18 | 3.51% |
| 1979 | $380,972.64 | 4.38% |
| 1980 | $407,923.31 | 7.07% |
| 1981 | $427,360.69 | 4.76% |
| 1982 | $438,574.57 | 2.62% |
| 1983 | $449,414.64 | 2.47% |
| 1984 | $457,675.53 | 1.84% |
| 1985 | $471,094.80 | 2.93% |
| 1986 | $475,094.41 | 0.85% |
| 1987 | $495,989.60 | 4.40% |
| 1988 | $517,520.23 | 4.34% |
| 1989 | $531,911.37 | 2.78% |
| 1990 | $556,581.89 | 4.64% |
| 1991 | $577,327.55 | 3.73% |
| 1992 | $591,531.79 | 2.46% |
| 1993 | $599,531.02 | 1.35% |
| 1994 | $598,372.25 | -0.19% |
| 1995 | $591,905.59 | -1.08% |
| 1996 | $590,746.82 | -0.20% |
| 1997 | $595,905.20 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $596,690.17 | 0.13% |
| 1999 | $588,915.22 | -1.30% |
| 2000 | $581,215.03 | -1.31% |
| 2001 | $570,860.89 | -1.78% |
| 2002 | $556,320.23 | -2.55% |
| 2003 | $542,190.75 | -2.54% |
| 2004 | $540,209.63 | -0.37% |
| 2005 | $536,210.02 | -0.74% |
| 2006 | $535,798.84 | -0.08% |
| 2007 | $533,772.50 | -0.38% |
| 2008 | $533,362.82 | -0.08% |
| 2009 | $538,616.52 | 0.99% |
| 2010 | $536,036.95 | -0.48% |
| 2011 | $547,733.39 | 2.18% |
| 2012 | $566,365.99 | 3.40% |
| 2013 | $571,509.80 | 0.91% |
| 2014 | $571,971.43 | 0.08% |
| 2015 | $564,741.85 | -1.26% |
| 2016 | $565,382.54 | 0.11% |
| 2017 | $563,438.80 | -0.34% |
| 2018 | $563,629.06 | 0.03% |
| 2019 | $556,439.85 | -1.28% |
| 2020 | $529,647.66 | -4.81% |
| 2021 | $542,718.55 | 2.47% |
| 2022 | $570,026.95 | 5.03% |
| 2023 | $585,717.03 | 2.75% |
| 2024 | $589,771.96 | 0.69% |
| 2025 | $591,978.72 | 0.37% |
| 2026 | $582,058.31 | -1.68%* |
* 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 | 131.975 | 129.763 |