According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for apparel are 505.52% higher in 2024 versus 1940 (a $101.10 difference in value).
Between 1940 and 2024: Apparel experienced an average inflation rate of 2.17% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, apparel costing $20 in the year 1940 would cost $121.10 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.77% during this same period, inflation for apparel was lower.
In the year 1940: Pricing changed by 0.90%, which is below the average yearly change for apparel during the 1940-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1940 (0.72%), inflation for apparel was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Apparel, over time, for $20 beginning in 1940. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 | $20.00 | 0.90% |
| 1941 | $20.92 | 4.59% |
| 1942 | $24.48 | 17.03% |
| 1943 | $25.54 | 4.32% |
| 1944 | $27.33 | 7.01% |
| 1945 | $28.74 | 5.16% |
| 1946 | $31.53 | 9.72% |
| 1947 | $36.55 | 15.90% |
| 1948 | $38.97 | 6.64% |
| 1949 | $37.43 | -3.94% |
| 1950 | $36.93 | -1.34% |
| 1951 | $40.27 | 9.03% |
| 1952 | $39.84 | -1.07% |
| 1953 | $39.58 | -0.65% |
| 1954 | $39.44 | -0.34% |
| 1955 | $39.32 | -0.32% |
| 1956 | $40.11 | 2.01% |
| 1957 | $40.80 | 1.72% |
| 1958 | $40.95 | 0.38% |
| 1959 | $41.28 | 0.79% |
| 1960 | $41.90 | 1.50% |
| 1961 | $42.23 | 0.79% |
| 1962 | $42.46 | 0.55% |
| 1963 | $42.99 | 1.23% |
| 1964 | $43.35 | 0.85% |
| 1965 | $43.77 | 0.96% |
| 1966 | $44.94 | 2.67% |
| 1967 | $46.77 | 4.08% |
| 1968 | $49.27 | 5.34% |
| 1969 | $52.10 | 5.75% |
| 1970 | $54.26 | 4.13% |
| 1971 | $56.01 | 3.24% |
| 1972 | $57.17 | 2.06% |
| 1973 | $59.26 | 3.66% |
| 1974 | $63.66 | 7.41% |
| 1975 | $66.49 | 4.45% |
| 1976 | $68.98 | 3.74% |
| 1977 | $72.07 | 4.48% |
| 1978 | $74.60 | 3.51% |
| 1979 | $77.87 | 4.38% |
| 1980 | $83.38 | 7.07% |
| 1981 | $87.35 | 4.77% |
| 1982 | $89.64 | 2.62% |
| 1983 | $91.86 | 2.47% |
| 1984 | $93.55 | 1.84% |
| 1985 | $96.29 | 2.92% |
| 1986 | $97.11 | 0.85% |
| 1987 | $101.38 | 4.40% |
| 1988 | $105.78 | 4.34% |
| 1989 | $108.72 | 2.78% |
| 1990 | $113.76 | 4.64% |
| 1991 | $118.00 | 3.73% |
| 1992 | $120.91 | 2.46% |
| 1993 | $122.54 | 1.35% |
| 1994 | $122.31 | -0.20% |
| 1995 | $120.99 | -1.08% |
| 1996 | $120.75 | -0.20% |
| 1997 | $121.80 | 0.88% |
| 1998 | $121.96 | 0.13% |
| 1999 | $120.37 | -1.30% |
| 2000 | $118.80 | -1.31% |
| 2001 | $116.68 | -1.78% |
| 2002 | $113.71 | -2.55% |
| 2003 | $110.82 | -2.54% |
| 2004 | $110.41 | -0.37% |
| 2005 | $109.60 | -0.74% |
| 2006 | $109.52 | -0.07% |
| 2007 | $109.10 | -0.38% |
| 2008 | $109.02 | -0.08% |
| 2009 | $110.09 | 0.98% |
| 2010 | $109.56 | -0.48% |
| 2011 | $111.95 | 2.18% |
| 2012 | $115.76 | 3.40% |
| 2013 | $116.81 | 0.91% |
| 2014 | $116.91 | 0.08% |
| 2015 | $115.43 | -1.26% |
| 2016 | $115.56 | 0.11% |
| 2017 | $115.16 | -0.34% |
| 2018 | $115.20 | 0.03% |
| 2019 | $113.73 | -1.28% |
| 2020 | $108.26 | -4.81% |
| 2021 | $110.93 | 2.47% |
| 2022 | $116.51 | 5.03% |
| 2023 | $119.72 | 2.75% |
| 2024 | $121.10 | 1.16%* |
* 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 | 1913 | 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 |
| CPI | 14.900 | 15.000 | 15.450 | 17.350 | 21.200 | 29.550 | 37.733 | 42.800 | 31.625 | 26.860 | 27.100 | 26.760 | 26.300 | 25.833 | 25.267 | 24.967 | 24.667 | 24.067 | 21.600 | 19.200 | 19.067 | 20.667 | 20.800 | 21.033 | 22.140 | 21.860 | 21.620 | 21.814 | 22.815 | 26.700 | 27.854 | 29.808 | 31.346 | 34.392 | 39.862 | 42.508 | 40.831 | 40.285 | 43.923 | 43.454 | 43.169 | 43.023 | 42.885 | 43.746 | 44.500 | 44.669 | 45.023 | 45.700 | 46.062 | 46.315 | 46.885 | 47.285 | 47.738 | 49.015 | 51.015 | 53.738 | 56.831 | 59.177 | 61.092 | 62.354 | 64.638 | 69.431 | 72.523 | 75.238 | 78.608 | 81.369 | 84.931 | 90.938 | 95.277 | 97.777 | 100.192 | 102.038 | 105.023 | 105.915 | 110.577 | 115.377 | 118.585 | 124.085 | 128.708 | 131.877 | 133.662 | 133.400 | 131.962 | 131.700 | 132.854 | 133.023 | 131.292 | 129.577 | 127.269 | 124.023 | 120.877 | 120.431 | 119.538 | 119.454 | 118.998 | 118.907 | 120.078 | 119.503 | 122.111 | 126.265 | 127.411 | 127.514 | 125.903 | 126.045 | 125.612 | 125.654 | 124.052 | 118.079 | 120.993 | 127.081 | 130.579 | 132.090 |