According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for apparel are 217.09% higher in 2026 versus 1955 (a $21,274.93 difference in value).
Between 1955 and 2026, Apparel experienced an average inflation rate of 1.64% per year. In other words, apparel costing $9,800 in the year 1955 would cost $31,074.93 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.61% during this same period, inflation for apparel was lower.
In the year 1955: Pricing changed by -0.31%, which is below the average yearly change for apparel during the 1955-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1955 (-0.28%), inflation for apparel was lower.
Apparel prices are up 3.6% over the past year, but your own inflation rate depends on everything you buy. The personal inflation calculator works it out from your budget.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Apparel, over time, for $9,800 beginning in 1955. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1955 | $9,800.00 | -0.31% |
| 1956 | $9,998.06 | 2.02% |
| 1957 | $10,169.45 | 1.71% |
| 1958 | $10,209.44 | 0.39% |
| 1959 | $10,289.43 | 0.78% |
| 1960 | $10,443.68 | 1.50% |
| 1961 | $10,525.57 | 0.78% |
| 1962 | $10,584.61 | 0.56% |
| 1963 | $10,714.11 | 1.22% |
| 1964 | $10,805.52 | 0.85% |
| 1965 | $10,908.36 | 0.95% |
| 1966 | $11,201.63 | 2.69% |
| 1967 | $11,658.69 | 4.08% |
| 1968 | $12,281.42 | 5.34% |
| 1969 | $12,987.95 | 5.75% |
| 1970 | $13,523.09 | 4.12% |
| 1971 | $13,961.10 | 3.24% |
| 1972 | $14,250.56 | 2.07% |
| 1973 | $14,772.37 | 3.66% |
| 1974 | $15,867.39 | 7.41% |
| 1975 | $16,573.92 | 4.45% |
| 1976 | $17,194.75 | 3.75% |
| 1977 | $17,964.13 | 4.47% |
| 1978 | $18,594.48 | 3.51% |
| 1979 | $19,409.56 | 4.38% |
| 1980 | $20,782.63 | 7.07% |
| 1981 | $21,772.91 | 4.76% |
| 1982 | $22,344.23 | 2.62% |
| 1983 | $22,896.50 | 2.47% |
| 1984 | $23,317.37 | 1.84% |
| 1985 | $24,001.05 | 2.93% |
| 1986 | $24,204.82 | 0.85% |
| 1987 | $25,269.37 | 4.40% |
| 1988 | $26,366.30 | 4.34% |
| 1989 | $27,099.49 | 2.78% |
| 1990 | $28,356.39 | 4.64% |
| 1991 | $29,413.33 | 3.73% |
| 1992 | $30,137.00 | 2.46% |
| 1993 | $30,544.54 | 1.35% |
| 1994 | $30,485.50 | -0.19% |
| 1995 | $30,156.04 | -1.08% |
| 1996 | $30,097.01 | -0.20% |
| 1997 | $30,359.81 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $30,399.81 | 0.13% |
| 1999 | $30,003.69 | -1.30% |
| 2000 | $29,611.39 | -1.31% |
| 2001 | $29,083.87 | -1.78% |
| 2002 | $28,343.06 | -2.55% |
| 2003 | $27,623.20 | -2.54% |
| 2004 | $27,522.27 | -0.37% |
| 2005 | $27,318.50 | -0.74% |
| 2006 | $27,297.55 | -0.08% |
| 2007 | $27,194.31 | -0.38% |
| 2008 | $27,173.44 | -0.08% |
| 2009 | $27,441.10 | 0.99% |
| 2010 | $27,309.68 | -0.48% |
| 2011 | $27,905.59 | 2.18% |
| 2012 | $28,854.87 | 3.40% |
| 2013 | $29,116.93 | 0.91% |
| 2014 | $29,140.45 | 0.08% |
| 2015 | $28,772.12 | -1.26% |
| 2016 | $28,804.76 | 0.11% |
| 2017 | $28,705.73 | -0.34% |
| 2018 | $28,715.43 | 0.03% |
| 2019 | $28,349.16 | -1.28% |
| 2020 | $26,984.16 | -4.81% |
| 2021 | $27,650.09 | 2.47% |
| 2022 | $29,041.38 | 5.03% |
| 2023 | $29,840.75 | 2.75% |
| 2024 | $30,047.34 | 0.69% |
| 2025 | $30,086.40 | 0.13% |
| 2026 | $31,074.93 | 3.29%* |
* 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 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 | 131.654 | 135.979 |