Apparel priced at $20 in 1990 $19.50 in 2021

Apparel Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Apparel, 1990-2021 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for apparel were 2.49% lower in 2021 versus 1990 (a $0.50 difference in value).

Between 1990 and 2021: Apparel experienced an average inflation rate of -0.08% per year. In other words, apparel costing $20 in the year 1990 would cost $19.50 in 2021 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.38% during this same period, inflation for apparel was lower.

In the year 1990: Pricing changed by 4.64%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for apparel during the 1990-2021 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1990 (5.40%), inflation for apparel was lower.

Price Inflation for Apparel since 1913

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1918 (39.39%), 1919 (27.69%), and 1921 (-26.11%).

View price changes for other categories
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Buying power of $20.00 since 1990

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Apparel, over time, for $20 beginning in 1990. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1990$20.004.64%
1991$20.753.73%
1992$21.262.46%
1993$21.541.35%
1994$21.50-0.20%
1995$21.27-1.08%
1996$21.23-0.20%
1997$21.410.88%
1998$21.440.13%
1999$21.16-1.30%
2000$20.89-1.31%
2001$20.51-1.78%
2002$19.99-2.55%
2003$19.48-2.54%
2004$19.41-0.37%
2005$19.27-0.74%
2006$19.25-0.07%
2007$19.18-0.38%
2008$19.17-0.08%
2009$19.350.98%
2010$19.26-0.48%
2011$19.682.18%
2012$20.353.40%
2013$20.540.91%
2014$20.550.08%
2015$20.29-1.26%
2016$20.320.11%
2017$20.25-0.34%
2018$20.250.03%
2019$19.99-1.28%
2020$19.03-4.81%
2021$19.502.47%
2022$20.485.03%
2023$21.052.75%
2024$21.271.06%*

* 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:

Year1913191419151916191719181919192019211922192319241925192619271928192919301931193219331934193519361937193819391940194119421943194419451946194719481949195019511952195319541955195619571958195919601961196219631964196519661967196819691970197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
CPI14.90015.00015.45017.35021.20029.55037.73342.80031.62526.86027.10026.76026.30025.83325.26724.96724.66724.06721.60019.20019.06720.66720.80021.03322.14021.86021.62021.81422.81526.70027.85429.80831.34634.39239.86242.50840.83140.28543.92343.45443.16943.02342.88543.74644.50044.66945.02345.70046.06246.31546.88547.28547.73849.01551.01553.73856.83159.17761.09262.35464.63869.43172.52375.23878.60881.36984.93190.93895.27797.777100.192102.038105.023105.915110.577115.377118.585124.085128.708131.877133.662133.400131.962131.700132.854133.023131.292129.577127.269124.023120.877120.431119.538119.454118.998118.907120.078119.503122.111126.265127.411127.514125.903126.045125.612125.654124.052118.079120.993127.081130.579131.969

Adjust apparel prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2021 / CPI in 1990 * 1990 USD value = 2021 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Apparel was 124.085 in the year 1990 and 120.993 in 2021:

120.993 / 124.085 * $20 = $19.50

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1990 has the same "purchasing power" as $19.50 in 2021 (in the CPI category of Apparel).


Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Apparel in 1913. In addition to apparel, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.

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