According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for footwear are 873.40% higher in 2024 versus 1938 (a $174.68 difference in value).
Between 1938 and 2024: Footwear experienced an average inflation rate of 2.68% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, footwear costing $20 in the year 1938 would cost $194.68 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.67% during this same period, inflation for footwear was lower.
In the year 1938: Pricing changed by 0%, which is below the average yearly change for footwear during the 1938-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1938 (-2.03%), inflation for footwear was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Footwear, over time, for $20 beginning in 1938. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1938 | $20.00 | - |
| 1939 | $19.73 | -1.33% |
| 1940 | $20.00 | 1.35% |
| 1941 | $20.80 | 4.00% |
| 1942 | $23.47 | 12.82% |
| 1943 | $24.67 | 5.11% |
| 1944 | $25.73 | 4.32% |
| 1945 | $26.40 | 2.59% |
| 1946 | $29.60 | 12.12% |
| 1947 | $36.95 | 24.84% |
| 1948 | $40.37 | 9.24% |
| 1949 | $40.08 | -0.71% |
| 1950 | $40.71 | 1.56% |
| 1951 | $46.04 | 13.10% |
| 1952 | $45.13 | -1.98% |
| 1953 | $45.08 | -0.11% |
| 1954 | $45.59 | 1.14% |
| 1955 | $46.05 | 1.01% |
| 1956 | $48.45 | 5.21% |
| 1957 | $50.05 | 3.30% |
| 1958 | $50.82 | 1.54% |
| 1959 | $52.91 | 4.12% |
| 1960 | $54.76 | 3.49% |
| 1961 | $55.22 | 0.84% |
| 1962 | $56.01 | 1.43% |
| 1963 | $56.64 | 1.12% |
| 1964 | $56.88 | 0.43% |
| 1965 | $57.83 | 1.66% |
| 1966 | $61.30 | 6.01% |
| 1967 | $64.34 | 4.95% |
| 1968 | $67.74 | 5.29% |
| 1969 | $71.92 | 6.16% |
| 1970 | $75.67 | 5.22% |
| 1971 | $78.15 | 3.28% |
| 1972 | $80.34 | 2.80% |
| 1973 | $83.74 | 4.24% |
| 1974 | $88.84 | 6.09% |
| 1975 | $92.80 | 4.46% |
| 1976 | $96.46 | 3.95% |
| 1977 | $100.94 | 4.65% |
| 1978 | $105.35 | 4.37% |
| 1979 | $113.65 | 7.88% |
| 1980 | $122.43 | 7.72% |
| 1981 | $128.90 | 5.29% |
| 1982 | $132.17 | 2.54% |
| 1983 | $133.08 | 0.68% |
| 1984 | $134.74 | 1.25% |
| 1985 | $136.47 | 1.29% |
| 1986 | $135.90 | -0.42% |
| 1987 | $140.14 | 3.12% |
| 1988 | $146.57 | 4.59% |
| 1989 | $152.47 | 4.02% |
| 1990 | $156.49 | 2.64% |
| 1991 | $161.18 | 3.00% |
| 1992 | $166.61 | 3.37% |
| 1993 | $167.84 | 0.74% |
| 1994 | $168.00 | 0.10% |
| 1995 | $167.23 | -0.46% |
| 1996 | $168.83 | 0.96% |
| 1997 | $170.08 | 0.74% |
| 1998 | $170.71 | 0.37% |
| 1999 | $167.63 | -1.80% |
| 2000 | $165.06 | -1.54% |
| 2001 | $163.99 | -0.65% |
| 2002 | $161.85 | -1.31% |
| 2003 | $159.42 | -1.50% |
| 2004 | $159.01 | -0.26% |
| 2005 | $163.49 | 2.82% |
| 2006 | $164.71 | 0.75% |
| 2007 | $163.17 | -0.94% |
| 2008 | $165.54 | 1.46% |
| 2009 | $169.14 | 2.17% |
| 2010 | $170.65 | 0.89% |
| 2011 | $171.31 | 0.39% |
| 2012 | $175.78 | 2.61% |
| 2013 | $180.02 | 2.41% |
| 2014 | $180.60 | 0.32% |
| 2015 | $182.38 | 0.99% |
| 2016 | $183.09 | 0.39% |
| 2017 | $182.25 | -0.46% |
| 2018 | $181.40 | -0.46% |
| 2019 | $182.26 | 0.47% |
| 2020 | $177.63 | -2.54% |
| 2021 | $184.20 | 3.70% |
| 2022 | $192.69 | 4.61% |
| 2023 | $193.13 | 0.23% |
| 2024 | $194.68 | 0.80%* |
* 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 Footwear:
| Year | 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 |
| CPI | 14.000 | 14.200 | 15.000 | 15.000 | 14.800 | 15.000 | 15.600 | 17.600 | 18.500 | 19.300 | 19.800 | 22.200 | 27.715 | 30.277 | 30.062 | 30.531 | 34.531 | 33.846 | 33.808 | 34.192 | 34.538 | 36.338 | 37.538 | 38.115 | 39.685 | 41.069 | 41.415 | 42.008 | 42.477 | 42.662 | 43.369 | 45.977 | 48.254 | 50.808 | 53.938 | 56.754 | 58.615 | 60.254 | 62.808 | 66.631 | 69.600 | 72.346 | 75.708 | 79.015 | 85.238 | 91.823 | 96.677 | 99.131 | 99.808 | 101.054 | 102.354 | 101.923 | 105.108 | 109.931 | 114.354 | 117.369 | 120.885 | 124.954 | 125.877 | 126.000 | 125.423 | 126.623 | 127.562 | 128.031 | 125.723 | 123.792 | 122.992 | 121.385 | 119.562 | 119.254 | 122.615 | 123.531 | 122.374 | 124.157 | 126.854 | 127.988 | 128.482 | 131.834 | 135.016 | 135.452 | 136.787 | 137.315 | 136.689 | 136.054 | 136.692 | 133.220 | 138.148 | 144.518 | 144.846 | 146.010 |