Women's dresses priced at $20 in 1972 $27.26 in 2024

Women's Dresses Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Women's Dresses, 1972-2024 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for women's dresses are 36.30% higher in 2024 versus 1972 (a $7.26 difference in value).

Between 1972 and 2024: Women's dresses experienced an average inflation rate of 0.60% per year. In other words, women's dresses costing $20 in the year 1972 would cost $27.26 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.95% during this same period, inflation for women's dresses was significantly lower.

In the year 1972: Pricing changed by 1.97%, which is above the average yearly change for women's dresses during the 1972-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1972 (3.27%), inflation for women's dresses was lower.

Price Inflation for Women's dresses since 1935

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1942 (20.20%), 2020 (-16.05%), and 1949 (-15.90%).

View price changes for other categories
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Buying power of $20.00 since 1972

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Women's dresses, over time, for $20 beginning in 1972. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1972$20.001.97%
1973$20.884.39%
1974$21.653.69%
1975$22.172.40%
1976$22.963.57%
1977$23.803.68%
1978$24.352.31%
1979$25.233.59%
1980$25.23-0.02%
1981$25.250.08%
1982$24.56-2.71%
1983$25.403.40%
1984$26.574.63%
1985$27.112.02%
1986$26.78-1.21%
1987$29.7411.04%
1988$31.505.91%
1989$31.510.04%
1990$32.924.48%
1991$34.153.74%
1992$34.09-0.18%
1993$34.741.89%
1994$32.75-5.73%
1995$30.93-5.55%
1996$28.70-7.19%
1997$28.32-1.34%
1998$29.002.40%
1999$27.58-4.89%
2000$25.66-6.94%
2001$25.12-2.12%
2002$26.505.48%
2003$26.10-1.51%
2004$25.86-0.92%
2005$26.442.26%
2006$28.397.37%
2007$28.771.35%
2008$28.76-0.04%
2009$29.843.74%
2010$28.41-4.78%
2011$29.654.37%
2012$30.924.26%
2013$31.090.55%
2014$32.002.93%
2015$31.31-2.14%
2016$30.67-2.07%
2017$31.392.37%
2018$32.413.23%
2019$29.71-8.31%
2020$24.95-16.05%
2021$25.773.30%
2022$27.105.18%
2023$27.340.87%
2024$27.26-0.29%*

* 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 Women's dresses:

Year193519361937193819391940194119421943194419451946194719481949195019511952195319541955195619571958195919601961196219631964196519661967196819691970197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
CPI29.57529.66730.66030.02030.06030.10031.07737.35438.99242.66945.00845.82352.13856.86047.82044.37547.54047.40047.54047.56047.94048.38048.66049.00050.18050.28050.48050.60050.96052.10053.10055.70060.74068.00073.96978.00076.88578.40081.83884.86286.90090.00093.31595.46998.90098.88598.96296.28599.562104.169106.277104.992116.585123.477123.523129.054133.877133.638136.162128.362121.238112.515111.008113.669108.108100.60098.469103.869102.300101.362103.654111.292112.797112.748116.963111.375116.246121.196121.864125.433122.750120.207123.058127.034116.48197.790101.016106.246107.174106.860

Adjust women's dresses prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2024 / CPI in 1972 * 1972 USD value = 2024 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Women's dresses was 78.400 in the year 1972 and 106.860 in 2024:

106.860 / 78.400 * $20 = $27.26

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1972 has the same "purchasing power" as $27.26 in 2024 (in the CPI category of Women's dresses).


Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Women's dresses in 1935. In addition to women's dresses, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.

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