According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for women's footwear are 62.03% higher in 2024 versus 1978 (a $12.41 difference in value).
Between 1978 and 2024: Women's footwear experienced an average inflation rate of 1.05% per year. In other words, women's footwear costing $20 in the year 1978 would cost $32.41 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.47% during this same period, inflation for women's footwear was lower.
In the year 1978: Pricing changed by 2.70%, which is above the average yearly change for women's footwear during the 1978-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1978 (7.63%), inflation for women's footwear was much lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Women's footwear, over time, for $20 beginning in 1978. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | $20.00 | 2.70% |
| 1979 | $21.26 | 6.29% |
| 1980 | $22.55 | 6.09% |
| 1981 | $23.68 | 5.02% |
| 1982 | $24.43 | 3.15% |
| 1983 | $24.46 | 0.14% |
| 1984 | $24.51 | 0.18% |
| 1985 | $24.69 | 0.75% |
| 1986 | $24.10 | -2.40% |
| 1987 | $24.70 | 2.48% |
| 1988 | $25.57 | 3.52% |
| 1989 | $26.67 | 4.31% |
| 1990 | $27.06 | 1.46% |
| 1991 | $28.03 | 3.57% |
| 1992 | $29.29 | 4.49% |
| 1993 | $29.85 | 1.93% |
| 1994 | $29.46 | -1.31% |
| 1995 | $29.20 | -0.87% |
| 1996 | $29.61 | 1.39% |
| 1997 | $29.84 | 0.78% |
| 1998 | $30.12 | 0.93% |
| 1999 | $29.73 | -1.30% |
| 2000 | $29.27 | -1.55% |
| 2001 | $29.57 | 1.05% |
| 2002 | $29.11 | -1.57% |
| 2003 | $28.97 | -0.47% |
| 2004 | $28.97 | -0.01% |
| 2005 | $29.81 | 2.91% |
| 2006 | $30.05 | 0.80% |
| 2007 | $29.96 | -0.29% |
| 2008 | $29.99 | 0.08% |
| 2009 | $30.19 | 0.68% |
| 2010 | $30.65 | 1.54% |
| 2011 | $30.25 | -1.30% |
| 2012 | $31.12 | 2.85% |
| 2013 | $31.90 | 2.51% |
| 2014 | $31.31 | -1.84% |
| 2015 | $31.53 | 0.71% |
| 2016 | $31.46 | -0.22% |
| 2017 | $31.10 | -1.15% |
| 2018 | $30.55 | -1.77% |
| 2019 | $30.38 | -0.55% |
| 2020 | $29.50 | -2.92% |
| 2021 | $30.45 | 3.24% |
| 2022 | $31.94 | 4.89% |
| 2023 | $32.28 | 1.05% |
| 2024 | $32.41 | 0.40%* |
* 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 footwear:
| Year | 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 | 79.600 | 81.746 | 86.885 | 92.177 | 96.800 | 99.854 | 99.992 | 100.169 | 100.923 | 98.500 | 100.946 | 104.500 | 109.008 | 110.600 | 114.554 | 119.700 | 122.008 | 120.415 | 119.369 | 121.031 | 121.969 | 123.108 | 121.508 | 119.623 | 120.877 | 118.985 | 118.423 | 118.408 | 121.854 | 122.823 | 122.465 | 122.562 | 123.396 | 125.293 | 123.661 | 127.188 | 130.374 | 127.972 | 128.884 | 128.604 | 127.125 | 124.871 | 124.185 | 120.559 | 124.462 | 130.551 | 131.923 | 132.450 |