According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for apparel are 511.73% higher in 2026 versus 1940 (a $14,961,532,126.22 difference in value).
Between 1940 and 2026:Apparel experienced an average inflation rate of 2.13% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, apparel costing $2,923,706,026 in the year 1940 would cost $17,885,238,152.22 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.73% 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 $2,923,706,026 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 | $2,923,706,026.00 | 0.85% |
| 1941 | $3,058,886,931.29 | 4.62% |
| 1942 | $3,579,500,996.29 | 17.02% |
| 1943 | $3,734,791,457.74 | 4.34% |
| 1944 | $3,996,215,687.81 | 7.00% |
| 1945 | $4,201,780,039.66 | 5.14% |
| 1946 | $4,610,674,348.22 | 9.73% |
| 1947 | $5,343,555,950.46 | 15.90% |
| 1948 | $5,698,824,775.94 | 6.65% |
| 1949 | $5,474,268,065.49 | -3.94% |
| 1950 | $5,400,533,026.25 | -1.35% |
| 1951 | $5,888,748,361.88 | 9.04% |
| 1952 | $5,825,068,100.71 | -1.08% |
| 1953 | $5,788,200,581.09 | -0.63% |
| 1954 | $5,766,973,827.36 | -0.37% |
| 1955 | $5,749,098,666.33 | -0.31% |
| 1956 | $5,865,287,213.03 | 2.02% |
| 1957 | $5,965,834,993.82 | 1.71% |
| 1958 | $5,989,296,142.68 | 0.39% |
| 1959 | $6,036,218,440.38 | 0.78% |
| 1960 | $6,126,711,443.10 | 1.50% |
| 1961 | $6,174,750,938.37 | 0.78% |
| 1962 | $6,209,384,062.86 | 0.56% |
| 1963 | $6,285,353,497.24 | 1.22% |
| 1964 | $6,338,978,980.33 | 0.85% |
| 1965 | $6,399,307,648.81 | 0.95% |
| 1966 | $6,571,356,073.72 | 2.69% |
| 1967 | $6,839,483,489.18 | 4.08% |
| 1968 | $7,204,807,092.73 | 5.34% |
| 1969 | $7,619,287,389.12 | 5.75% |
| 1970 | $7,933,219,904.71 | 4.12% |
| 1971 | $8,190,175,344.52 | 3.24% |
| 1972 | $8,359,989,374.31 | 2.07% |
| 1973 | $8,666,101,506.95 | 3.66% |
| 1974 | $9,308,490,106.47 | 7.41% |
| 1975 | $9,722,970,402.86 | 4.45% |
| 1976 | $10,087,176,808.85 | 3.75% |
| 1977 | $10,538,524,624.86 | 4.47% |
| 1978 | $10,908,317,018.67 | 3.51% |
| 1979 | $11,386,477,576.23 | 4.38% |
| 1980 | $12,191,977,020.15 | 7.07% |
| 1981 | $12,772,919,753.63 | 4.76% |
| 1982 | $13,108,079,022.95 | 2.62% |
| 1983 | $13,432,066,316.62 | 2.47% |
| 1984 | $13,678,966,978.35 | 1.84% |
| 1985 | $14,080,040,903.97 | 2.93% |
| 1986 | $14,199,581,043.35 | 0.85% |
| 1987 | $14,824,094,481.85 | 4.40% |
| 1988 | $15,467,600,278.93 | 4.34% |
| 1989 | $15,897,721,341.22 | 2.78% |
| 1990 | $16,635,071,733.72 | 4.64% |
| 1991 | $17,255,116,381.95 | 3.73% |
| 1992 | $17,679,651,456.42 | 2.46% |
| 1993 | $17,918,731,735.20 | 1.35% |
| 1994 | $17,884,098,610.70 | -0.19% |
| 1995 | $17,690,823,432.06 | -1.08% |
| 1996 | $17,656,190,307.57 | -0.20% |
| 1997 | $17,810,363,571.45 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $17,833,824,720.30 | 0.13% |
| 1999 | $17,601,447,626.91 | -1.30% |
| 2000 | $17,371,304,928.65 | -1.31% |
| 2001 | $17,061,841,203.31 | -1.78% |
| 2002 | $16,627,251,350.77 | -2.55% |
| 2003 | $16,204,950,671.43 | -2.54% |
| 2004 | $16,145,739,200.52 | -0.37% |
| 2005 | $16,026,199,061.13 | -0.74% |
| 2006 | $16,013,909,887.92 | -0.08% |
| 2007 | $15,953,346,607.95 | -0.38% |
| 2008 | $15,941,102,122.65 | -0.08% |
| 2009 | $16,098,124,240.32 | 0.99% |
| 2010 | $16,021,026,436.40 | -0.48% |
| 2011 | $16,370,608,726.28 | 2.18% |
| 2012 | $16,927,498,196.20 | 3.40% |
| 2013 | $17,081,235,753.03 | 0.91% |
| 2014 | $17,095,033,142.95 | 0.08% |
| 2015 | $16,878,955,962.02 | -1.26% |
| 2016 | $16,898,104,728.28 | 0.11% |
| 2017 | $16,840,010,454.93 | -0.34% |
| 2018 | $16,845,696,990.53 | 0.03% |
| 2019 | $16,630,826,382.97 | -1.28% |
| 2020 | $15,830,063,856.72 | -4.81% |
| 2021 | $16,220,725,501.04 | 2.47% |
| 2022 | $17,036,916,525.65 | 5.03% |
| 2023 | $17,505,860,203.30 | 2.75% |
| 2024 | $17,627,053,795.09 | 0.69% |
| 2025 | $17,649,967,517.13 | 0.13% |
| 2026 | $17,885,238,152.22 | 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 |