According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for apparel are 43.20% higher in 2026 versus 1981 (a $2,332.63 difference in value).
Between 1981 and 2026, Apparel experienced an average inflation rate of 0.80% per year. In other words, apparel costing $5,400 in the year 1981 would cost $7,732.63 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.92% during this same period, inflation for apparel was lower.
In the year 1981: Pricing changed by 4.76%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for apparel during the 1981-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1981 (10.33%), inflation for apparel was much lower.
Apparel prices are up 3.4% over the past year, but your own inflation rate depends on everything you buy. The personal inflation calculator works it out from your budget.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Apparel, over time, for $5,400 beginning in 1981. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | $5,400.00 | 4.76% |
| 1982 | $5,541.70 | 2.62% |
| 1983 | $5,678.67 | 2.47% |
| 1984 | $5,783.05 | 1.84% |
| 1985 | $5,952.61 | 2.93% |
| 1986 | $6,003.15 | 0.85% |
| 1987 | $6,267.17 | 4.40% |
| 1988 | $6,539.23 | 4.34% |
| 1989 | $6,721.07 | 2.78% |
| 1990 | $7,032.80 | 4.64% |
| 1991 | $7,294.94 | 3.73% |
| 1992 | $7,474.42 | 2.46% |
| 1993 | $7,575.49 | 1.35% |
| 1994 | $7,560.85 | -0.19% |
| 1995 | $7,479.14 | -1.08% |
| 1996 | $7,464.50 | -0.20% |
| 1997 | $7,529.68 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $7,539.60 | 0.13% |
| 1999 | $7,441.35 | -1.30% |
| 2000 | $7,344.06 | -1.31% |
| 2001 | $7,213.22 | -1.78% |
| 2002 | $7,029.49 | -2.55% |
| 2003 | $6,850.96 | -2.54% |
| 2004 | $6,825.92 | -0.37% |
| 2005 | $6,775.39 | -0.74% |
| 2006 | $6,770.19 | -0.08% |
| 2007 | $6,744.59 | -0.38% |
| 2008 | $6,739.41 | -0.08% |
| 2009 | $6,805.79 | 0.99% |
| 2010 | $6,773.20 | -0.48% |
| 2011 | $6,920.99 | 2.18% |
| 2012 | $7,156.43 | 3.40% |
| 2013 | $7,221.42 | 0.91% |
| 2014 | $7,227.26 | 0.08% |
| 2015 | $7,135.91 | -1.26% |
| 2016 | $7,144.00 | 0.11% |
| 2017 | $7,119.44 | -0.34% |
| 2018 | $7,121.85 | 0.03% |
| 2019 | $7,031.00 | -1.28% |
| 2020 | $6,692.47 | -4.81% |
| 2021 | $6,857.63 | 2.47% |
| 2022 | $7,202.69 | 5.03% |
| 2023 | $7,400.94 | 2.75% |
| 2024 | $7,452.18 | 0.69% |
| 2025 | $7,461.87 | 0.13% |
| 2026 | $7,732.63 | 3.63%* |
* 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 | 136.431 |