Men's and boys' apparel priced at $20 in 1971 $41.14 in 2025

Men's And Boys' Apparel Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Men's And Boys' Apparel, 1971-2025 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for men's and boys' apparel are 105.70% higher in 2025 versus 1971 (a $21.14 difference in value).

Between 1971 and 2025: Men's and boys' apparel experienced an average inflation rate of 1.34% per year. In other words, men's and boys' apparel costing $20 in the year 1971 would cost $41.14 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.90% during this same period, inflation for men's and boys' apparel was lower.

In the year 1971: Pricing changed by 2.75%, which is above the average yearly change for men's and boys' apparel during the 1971-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1971 (4.30%), inflation for men's and boys' apparel was lower.

Price Inflation for Men's and boys' apparel since 1935

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1947 (18.47%), 1942 (16.38%), and 1946 (13.59%).

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Buying power of $20.00 since 1971

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Men's and boys' apparel, over time, for $20 beginning in 1971. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1971$20.002.75%
1972$20.271.33%
1973$21.013.69%
1974$22.687.92%
1975$23.644.25%
1976$24.483.56%
1977$25.604.59%
1978$26.162.16%
1979$26.732.21%
1980$28.014.76%
1981$29.515.37%
1982$30.593.64%
1983$31.412.69%
1984$31.981.83%
1985$32.902.88%
1986$33.261.09%
1987$34.192.79%
1988$35.523.88%
1989$36.643.15%
1990$37.712.93%
1991$38.913.18%
1992$39.631.85%
1993$39.930.78%
1994$39.59-0.87%
1995$39.54-0.12%
1996$40.011.19%
1997$40.761.88%
1998$41.291.29%
1999$41.06-0.57%
2000$40.63-1.04%
2001$39.37-3.10%
2002$38.13-3.13%
2003$36.95-3.09%
2004$36.79-0.44%
2005$36.36-1.17%
2006$35.75-1.69%
2007$35.20-1.54%
2008$35.410.59%
2009$35.590.53%
2010$35.06-1.51%
2011$35.932.49%
2012$37.444.21%
2013$38.091.73%
2014$37.78-0.82%
2015$37.47-0.82%
2016$37.22-0.65%
2017$36.72-1.35%
2018$37.000.75%
2019$37.130.37%
2020$35.43-4.57%
2021$36.352.59%
2022$38.355.51%
2023$39.663.41%
2024$40.231.42%
2025$41.142.27%*

* 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 Men's and boys' apparel:

Year1935193619371938193919401941194219431944194519461947194819491950195119521953195419551956195719581959196019611962196319641965196619671968196919701971197219731974197519761977197819791980198119821983198419851986198719881989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
CPI20.80021.10022.20022.10021.70022.10023.20027.00028.30029.70030.90035.10041.58543.90842.72342.48546.00846.23145.91545.66245.15445.87746.56946.39246.33847.14647.71548.00048.60849.26949.86251.20053.04656.07759.70062.13863.84664.69267.07772.39275.46978.15481.73883.50085.34689.40894.20897.638100.262102.100105.038106.185109.146113.377116.954120.385124.208126.500127.485126.377126.223127.723130.123131.808131.062129.692125.669121.731117.969117.454116.085114.123112.368113.032113.628111.914114.698119.530121.593120.601119.615118.834117.231118.106118.538113.116116.042122.440126.611128.414131.332

Adjust men's and boys' apparel prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2025 / CPI in 1971 * 1971 USD value = 2025 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Men's and boys' apparel was 63.846 in the year 1971 and 131.332 in 2025:

131.332 / 63.846 * $20 = $41.14

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1971 has the same "purchasing power" as $41.14 in 2025 (in the CPI category of Men's and boys' apparel).


Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Men's and boys' apparel in 1935. In addition to men's and boys' 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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