According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for apparel are 495.02% higher in 2026 versus 1940 (a $8,415,266,335.50 difference in value).
Between 1940 and 2026:Apparel experienced an average inflation rate of 2.10% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, apparel costing $1,700,000,000 in the year 1940 would cost $10,115,266,335.50 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.72% during this same period, inflation for apparel was lower.
In the year 1940: Pricing changed by 0.85%, which is below the average yearly change for apparel during the 1940-2026 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 $1,700,000,000 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 | $1,700,000,000.00 | 0.85% |
| 1941 | $1,778,601,452.04 | 4.62% |
| 1942 | $2,081,314,482.23 | 17.02% |
| 1943 | $2,171,608,712.27 | 4.34% |
| 1944 | $2,323,614,826.14 | 7.00% |
| 1945 | $2,443,141,001.15 | 5.14% |
| 1946 | $2,680,894,153.61 | 9.73% |
| 1947 | $3,107,030,951.47 | 15.90% |
| 1948 | $3,313,603,362.63 | 6.65% |
| 1949 | $3,183,034,008.41 | -3.94% |
| 1950 | $3,140,160,489.11 | -1.35% |
| 1951 | $3,424,035,154.76 | 9.04% |
| 1952 | $3,387,008,024.46 | -1.08% |
| 1953 | $3,365,571,264.81 | -0.63% |
| 1954 | $3,353,228,888.04 | -0.37% |
| 1955 | $3,342,835,307.60 | -0.31% |
| 1956 | $3,410,393,580.44 | 2.02% |
| 1957 | $3,468,857,470.39 | 1.71% |
| 1958 | $3,482,499,044.71 | 0.39% |
| 1959 | $3,509,782,193.35 | 0.78% |
| 1960 | $3,562,399,694.31 | 1.50% |
| 1961 | $3,590,332,441.73 | 0.78% |
| 1962 | $3,610,470,003.82 | 0.56% |
| 1963 | $3,654,642,720.67 | 1.22% |
| 1964 | $3,685,823,461.98 | 0.85% |
| 1965 | $3,720,901,795.95 | 0.95% |
| 1966 | $3,820,940,007.64 | 2.69% |
| 1967 | $3,976,843,714.18 | 4.08% |
| 1968 | $4,189,262,514.33 | 5.34% |
| 1969 | $4,430,263,660.68 | 5.75% |
| 1970 | $4,612,800,917.08 | 4.12% |
| 1971 | $4,762,208,635.84 | 3.24% |
| 1972 | $4,860,947,649.98 | 2.07% |
| 1973 | $5,038,937,714.94 | 3.66% |
| 1974 | $5,412,457,011.85 | 7.41% |
| 1975 | $5,653,458,158.20 | 4.45% |
| 1976 | $5,865,227,359.57 | 3.75% |
| 1977 | $6,127,665,265.57 | 4.47% |
| 1978 | $6,342,682,460.83 | 3.51% |
| 1979 | $6,620,710,737.49 | 4.38% |
| 1980 | $7,089,071,455.87 | 7.07% |
| 1981 | $7,426,862,820.02 | 4.76% |
| 1982 | $7,621,742,453.19 | 2.62% |
| 1983 | $7,810,126,098.59 | 2.47% |
| 1984 | $7,953,687,428.35 | 1.84% |
| 1985 | $8,186,893,389.38 | 2.93% |
| 1986 | $8,256,400,458.54 | 0.85% |
| 1987 | $8,619,526,175.01 | 4.40% |
| 1988 | $8,993,695,070.69 | 4.34% |
| 1989 | $9,243,790,599.92 | 2.78% |
| 1990 | $9,672,525,792.89 | 4.64% |
| 1991 | $10,033,053,114.25 | 3.73% |
| 1992 | $10,279,900,649.60 | 2.46% |
| 1993 | $10,418,914,787.93 | 1.35% |
| 1994 | $10,398,777,225.83 | -0.19% |
| 1995 | $10,286,396,637.37 | -1.08% |
| 1996 | $10,266,259,075.28 | -0.20% |
| 1997 | $10,355,903,706.53 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $10,369,545,280.86 | 0.13% |
| 1999 | $10,234,428,735.19 | -1.30% |
| 2000 | $10,100,611,387.08 | -1.31% |
| 2001 | $9,920,672,525.79 | -1.78% |
| 2002 | $9,667,978,601.45 | -2.55% |
| 2003 | $9,422,430,263.66 | -2.54% |
| 2004 | $9,388,001,528.47 | -0.37% |
| 2005 | $9,318,494,459.30 | -0.74% |
| 2006 | $9,311,348,872.76 | -0.08% |
| 2007 | $9,276,134,123.04 | -0.38% |
| 2008 | $9,269,014,520.44 | -0.08% |
| 2009 | $9,360,315,628.58 | 0.99% |
| 2010 | $9,315,486,816.97 | -0.48% |
| 2011 | $9,518,752,770.35 | 2.18% |
| 2012 | $9,842,558,272.83 | 3.40% |
| 2013 | $9,931,949,560.57 | 0.91% |
| 2014 | $9,939,972,105.46 | 0.08% |
| 2015 | $9,814,333,205.96 | -1.26% |
| 2016 | $9,825,467,329.00 | 0.11% |
| 2017 | $9,791,688,192.59 | -0.34% |
| 2018 | $9,794,994,650.36 | 0.03% |
| 2019 | $9,670,057,317.54 | -1.28% |
| 2020 | $9,204,450,897.97 | -4.81% |
| 2021 | $9,431,602,598.40 | 2.47% |
| 2022 | $9,906,179,977.07 | 5.03% |
| 2023 | $10,178,849,063.81 | 2.75% |
| 2024 | $10,249,317,539.17 | 0.69% |
| 2025 | $10,287,667,488.80 | 0.37% |
| 2026 | $10,115,266,335.50 | -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 |