According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for apparel are 430.55% higher in 2026 versus 1930 (a $4,520,745,485.52 difference in value).
Between 1930 and 2026: Apparel experienced an average inflation rate of 1.75% per year. In other words, apparel costing $1,050,000,000 in the year 1930 would cost $5,570,745,485.52 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.14% during this same period, inflation for apparel was lower.
In the year 1930: Pricing changed by -1.28%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for apparel during the 1930-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1930 (-2.67%), inflation for apparel was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Apparel, over time, for $1,050,000,000 beginning in 1930. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1930 | $1,050,000,000.00 | -1.28% |
| 1931 | $970,579,216.35 | -7.56% |
| 1932 | $853,594,548.55 | -12.05% |
| 1933 | $795,638,841.57 | -6.79% |
| 1934 | $878,897,320.74 | 10.46% |
| 1935 | $891,956,493.25 | 1.49% |
| 1936 | $901,890,971.04 | 1.11% |
| 1937 | $943,390,119.25 | 4.60% |
| 1938 | $943,747,870.53 | 0.04% |
| 1939 | $928,364,565.59 | -1.63% |
| 1940 | $936,235,093.70 | 0.85% |
| 1941 | $979,522,998.30 | 4.62% |
| 1942 | $1,146,235,093.70 | 17.02% |
| 1943 | $1,195,962,521.29 | 4.34% |
| 1944 | $1,279,676,320.27 | 7.00% |
| 1945 | $1,345,502,555.37 | 5.14% |
| 1946 | $1,476,439,523.00 | 9.73% |
| 1947 | $1,711,124,361.16 | 15.90% |
| 1948 | $1,824,889,267.46 | 6.65% |
| 1949 | $1,752,981,260.65 | -3.94% |
| 1950 | $1,729,369,676.32 | -1.35% |
| 1951 | $1,885,706,984.67 | 9.04% |
| 1952 | $1,865,315,161.84 | -1.08% |
| 1953 | $1,853,509,369.68 | -0.63% |
| 1954 | $1,846,712,095.40 | -0.37% |
| 1955 | $1,840,988,074.96 | -0.31% |
| 1956 | $1,878,194,207.84 | 2.02% |
| 1957 | $1,910,391,822.83 | 1.71% |
| 1958 | $1,917,904,599.66 | 0.39% |
| 1959 | $1,932,930,153.32 | 0.78% |
| 1960 | $1,961,908,006.81 | 1.50% |
| 1961 | $1,977,291,311.75 | 0.78% |
| 1962 | $1,988,381,601.36 | 0.56% |
| 1963 | $2,012,708,688.25 | 1.22% |
| 1964 | $2,029,880,749.57 | 0.85% |
| 1965 | $2,049,199,318.57 | 0.95% |
| 1966 | $2,104,293,015.33 | 2.69% |
| 1967 | $2,190,153,321.98 | 4.08% |
| 1968 | $2,307,137,989.78 | 5.34% |
| 1969 | $2,439,863,713.80 | 5.75% |
| 1970 | $2,540,391,822.83 | 4.12% |
| 1971 | $2,622,674,616.70 | 3.24% |
| 1972 | $2,677,052,810.90 | 2.07% |
| 1973 | $2,775,076,660.99 | 3.66% |
| 1974 | $2,980,783,645.66 | 7.41% |
| 1975 | $3,113,509,369.68 | 4.45% |
| 1976 | $3,230,136,286.20 | 3.75% |
| 1977 | $3,374,667,802.39 | 4.47% |
| 1978 | $3,493,083,475.30 | 3.51% |
| 1979 | $3,646,201,022.15 | 4.38% |
| 1980 | $3,904,139,693.36 | 7.07% |
| 1981 | $4,090,170,357.75 | 4.76% |
| 1982 | $4,197,495,741.06 | 2.62% |
| 1983 | $4,301,243,611.58 | 2.47% |
| 1984 | $4,380,306,643.95 | 1.84% |
| 1985 | $4,508,739,352.64 | 2.93% |
| 1986 | $4,547,018,739.35 | 0.85% |
| 1987 | $4,747,001,703.58 | 4.40% |
| 1988 | $4,953,066,439.52 | 4.34% |
| 1989 | $5,090,800,681.43 | 2.78% |
| 1990 | $5,326,916,524.70 | 4.64% |
| 1991 | $5,525,468,483.82 | 3.73% |
| 1992 | $5,661,413,969.34 | 2.46% |
| 1993 | $5,737,972,742.76 | 1.35% |
| 1994 | $5,726,882,453.15 | -0.19% |
| 1995 | $5,664,991,482.11 | -1.08% |
| 1996 | $5,653,901,192.50 | -0.20% |
| 1997 | $5,703,270,868.82 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $5,710,783,645.66 | 0.13% |
| 1999 | $5,636,371,379.90 | -1.30% |
| 2000 | $5,562,674,616.70 | -1.31% |
| 2001 | $5,463,577,512.78 | -1.78% |
| 2002 | $5,324,412,265.76 | -2.55% |
| 2003 | $5,189,182,282.79 | -2.54% |
| 2004 | $5,170,221,465.08 | -0.37% |
| 2005 | $5,131,942,078.36 | -0.74% |
| 2006 | $5,128,006,814.31 | -0.08% |
| 2007 | $5,108,613,117.55 | -0.38% |
| 2008 | $5,104,692,163.54 | -0.08% |
| 2009 | $5,154,974,105.62 | 0.99% |
| 2010 | $5,130,285,689.95 | -0.48% |
| 2011 | $5,242,229,642.25 | 2.18% |
| 2012 | $5,420,557,921.64 | 3.40% |
| 2013 | $5,469,788,074.96 | 0.91% |
| 2014 | $5,474,206,303.24 | 0.08% |
| 2015 | $5,405,013,628.62 | -1.26% |
| 2016 | $5,411,145,485.52 | 0.11% |
| 2017 | $5,392,542,419.08 | -0.34% |
| 2018 | $5,394,363,373.08 | 0.03% |
| 2019 | $5,325,557,069.85 | -1.28% |
| 2020 | $5,069,135,264.05 | -4.81% |
| 2021 | $5,194,233,730.83 | 2.47% |
| 2022 | $5,455,596,081.77 | 5.03% |
| 2023 | $5,605,762,180.58 | 2.75% |
| 2024 | $5,644,571,039.18 | 0.69% |
| 2025 | $5,665,691,373.70 | 0.37% |
| 2026 | $5,570,745,485.52 | -1.68%* |
* 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:
| Year | 1914 | 1915 | 1916 | 1917 | 1918 | 1919 | 1920 | 1921 | 1922 | 1923 | 1924 | 1925 | 1926 | 1927 | 1928 | 1929 | 1930 | 1931 | 1932 | 1933 | 1934 | 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 | 2025 | 2026 |
| CPI | 15.000 | 15.050 | 15.792 | 18.258 | 23.000 | 34.000 | 43.608 | 34.883 | 27.158 | 27.000 | 26.883 | 26.383 | 26.008 | 25.500 | 25.033 | 24.775 | 24.458 | 22.608 | 19.883 | 18.533 | 20.473 | 20.777 | 21.008 | 21.975 | 21.983 | 21.625 | 21.808 | 22.817 | 26.700 | 27.858 | 29.808 | 31.342 | 34.392 | 39.858 | 42.508 | 40.833 | 40.283 | 43.925 | 43.450 | 43.175 | 43.017 | 42.883 | 43.750 | 44.500 | 44.675 | 45.025 | 45.700 | 46.058 | 46.317 | 46.883 | 47.283 | 47.733 | 49.017 | 51.017 | 53.742 | 56.833 | 59.175 | 61.092 | 62.358 | 64.642 | 69.433 | 72.525 | 75.242 | 78.608 | 81.367 | 84.933 | 90.942 | 95.275 | 97.775 | 100.192 | 102.033 | 105.025 | 105.917 | 110.575 | 115.375 | 118.583 | 124.083 | 128.708 | 131.875 | 133.658 | 133.400 | 131.958 | 131.700 | 132.850 | 133.025 | 131.292 | 129.575 | 127.267 | 124.025 | 120.875 | 120.433 | 119.542 | 119.450 | 118.998 | 118.907 | 120.078 | 119.503 | 122.111 | 126.265 | 127.411 | 127.514 | 125.902 | 126.045 | 125.612 | 125.654 | 124.052 | 118.079 | 120.993 | 127.081 | 130.579 | 131.483 | 131.975 | 129.763 |