According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for apparel are 231.18% higher in 2026 versus 1950 (a $360,633,661,563.92 difference in value).
Between 1950 and 2026:Apparel experienced an average inflation rate of 1.59% per year. In other words, apparel costing $156,000,000,000 in the year 1950 would cost $516,633,661,563.92 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.49% during this same period, inflation for apparel was lower.
In the year 1950: Pricing changed by -1.35%, which is below the average yearly change for apparel during the 1950-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1950 (1.09%), inflation for apparel was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Apparel, over time, for $156,000,000,000 beginning in 1950. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | $156,000,000,000.00 | -1.35% |
| 1951 | $170,102,606,537.03 | 9.04% |
| 1952 | $168,263,136,119.16 | -1.08% |
| 1953 | $167,198,179,561.44 | -0.63% |
| 1954 | $166,585,022,755.48 | -0.37% |
| 1955 | $166,068,680,182.04 | -0.31% |
| 1956 | $169,424,906,909.39 | 2.02% |
| 1957 | $172,329,333,884.98 | 1.71% |
| 1958 | $173,007,033,512.62 | 0.39% |
| 1959 | $174,362,432,767.89 | 0.78% |
| 1960 | $176,976,417,045.92 | 1.50% |
| 1961 | $178,364,087,712.04 | 0.78% |
| 1962 | $179,364,501,448.08 | 0.56% |
| 1963 | $181,558,957,385.19 | 1.22% |
| 1964 | $183,107,985,105.50 | 0.85% |
| 1965 | $184,850,641,290.86 | 0.95% |
| 1966 | $189,820,438,560.20 | 2.69% |
| 1967 | $197,565,577,161.77 | 4.08% |
| 1968 | $208,118,328,506.41 | 5.34% |
| 1969 | $220,091,021,928.01 | 5.75% |
| 1970 | $229,159,288,374.02 | 4.12% |
| 1971 | $236,581,712,867.19 | 3.24% |
| 1972 | $241,486,967,314.85 | 2.07% |
| 1973 | $250,329,333,884.98 | 3.66% |
| 1974 | $268,885,395,117.91 | 7.41% |
| 1975 | $280,858,088,539.51 | 4.45% |
| 1976 | $291,378,568,473.31 | 3.75% |
| 1977 | $304,416,218,452.63 | 4.47% |
| 1978 | $315,098,055,440.63 | 3.51% |
| 1979 | $328,910,219,280.10 | 4.38% |
| 1980 | $352,177,906,495.66 | 7.07% |
| 1981 | $368,959,040,132.40 | 4.76% |
| 1982 | $378,640,463,384.36 | 2.62% |
| 1983 | $387,999,172,527.93 | 2.47% |
| 1984 | $395,131,154,323.54 | 1.84% |
| 1985 | $406,716,590,815.06 | 2.93% |
| 1986 | $410,169,631,774.93 | 0.85% |
| 1987 | $428,209,350,434.42 | 4.40% |
| 1988 | $446,797,683,078.20 | 4.34% |
| 1989 | $459,222,176,251.55 | 2.78% |
| 1990 | $480,521,307,405.88 | 4.64% |
| 1991 | $498,431,940,422.01 | 3.73% |
| 1992 | $510,695,076,541.17 | 2.46% |
| 1993 | $517,601,158,460.90 | 1.35% |
| 1994 | $516,600,744,724.87 | -0.19% |
| 1995 | $511,017,790,649.57 | -1.08% |
| 1996 | $510,017,376,913.53 | -0.20% |
| 1997 | $514,470,831,609.43 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $515,148,531,237.07 | 0.13% |
| 1999 | $508,436,077,782.37 | -1.30% |
| 2000 | $501,788,167,149.36 | -1.31% |
| 2001 | $492,848,986,346.71 | -1.78% |
| 2002 | $480,295,407,530.00 | -2.55% |
| 2003 | $468,096,814,232.52 | -2.54% |
| 2004 | $466,386,429,458.01 | -0.37% |
| 2005 | $462,933,388,498.14 | -0.74% |
| 2006 | $462,578,402,978.90 | -0.08% |
| 2007 | $460,828,969,797.27 | -0.38% |
| 2008 | $460,475,275,134.46 | -0.08% |
| 2009 | $465,011,021,928.01 | 0.99% |
| 2010 | $462,783,971,865.95 | -0.48% |
| 2011 | $472,882,019,031.86 | 2.18% |
| 2012 | $488,968,349,193.21 | 3.40% |
| 2013 | $493,409,218,038.89 | 0.91% |
| 2014 | $493,807,769,962.76 | 0.08% |
| 2015 | $487,566,156,392.22 | -1.26% |
| 2016 | $488,119,288,374.02 | 0.11% |
| 2017 | $486,441,175,010.34 | -0.34% |
| 2018 | $486,605,436,491.52 | 0.03% |
| 2019 | $480,398,676,044.68 | -1.28% |
| 2020 | $457,267,819,611.09 | -4.81% |
| 2021 | $468,552,486,553.58 | 2.47% |
| 2022 | $492,129,011,170.87 | 5.03% |
| 2023 | $505,674,935,870.91 | 2.75% |
| 2024 | $509,175,738,518.82 | 0.69% |
| 2025 | $509,837,625,155.15 | 0.13% |
| 2026 | $516,633,661,563.92 | 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 |