According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for apparel are 189.65% higher in 2026 versus 1961 (a $758,604,667,993,486.50 difference in value).
Between 1961 and 2026:Apparel experienced an average inflation rate of 1.65% per year. In other words, apparel costing $400,000,000,000,000 in the year 1961 would cost $1,158,604,667,993,486.50 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.74% during this same period, inflation for apparel was lower.
In the year 1961: Pricing changed by 0.78%, which is below the average yearly change for apparel during the 1961-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1961 (1.07%), inflation for apparel was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Apparel, over time, for $400,000,000,000,000 beginning in 1961. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | $400,000,000,000,000.00 | 0.78% |
| 1962 | $402,243,531,753,211.50 | 0.56% |
| 1963 | $407,164,827,211,868.94 | 1.22% |
| 1964 | $410,638,682,829,744.88 | 0.85% |
| 1965 | $414,546,770,399,855.25 | 0.95% |
| 1966 | $425,692,057,173,873.75 | 2.69% |
| 1967 | $443,061,335,263,253.19 | 4.08% |
| 1968 | $466,726,976,660,032.63 | 5.34% |
| 1969 | $493,576,985,706,531.69 | 5.75% |
| 1970 | $513,913,515,469,513.25 | 4.12% |
| 1971 | $530,559,073,638,501.94 | 3.24% |
| 1972 | $541,559,616,428,442.25 | 2.07% |
| 1973 | $561,389,542,247,150.38 | 3.66% |
| 1974 | $603,003,437,669,622.00 | 7.41% |
| 1975 | $629,853,446,716,120.88 | 4.45% |
| 1976 | $653,446,716,120,861.25 | 3.75% |
| 1977 | $682,685,000,904,649.88 | 4.47% |
| 1978 | $706,640,130,269,585.63 | 3.51% |
| 1979 | $737,615,342,862,312.38 | 4.38% |
| 1980 | $789,795,549,122,489.63 | 7.07% |
| 1981 | $827,428,984,982,811.88 | 4.76% |
| 1982 | $849,140,582,594,536.00 | 2.62% |
| 1983 | $870,128,460,285,869.50 | 2.47% |
| 1984 | $886,122,670,526,506.38 | 1.84% |
| 1985 | $912,104,215,668,536.38 | 2.93% |
| 1986 | $919,848,018,816,718.13 | 0.85% |
| 1987 | $960,303,962,366,564.13 | 4.40% |
| 1988 | $1,001,990,229,781,074.88 | 4.34% |
| 1989 | $1,029,853,446,716,121.00 | 2.78% |
| 1990 | $1,077,618,961,461,914.25 | 4.64% |
| 1991 | $1,117,785,417,043,604.13 | 3.73% |
| 1992 | $1,145,286,774,018,455.00 | 2.46% |
| 1993 | $1,160,774,380,314,818.25 | 1.35% |
| 1994 | $1,158,530,848,561,606.75 | -0.19% |
| 1995 | $1,146,010,493,938,845.75 | -1.08% |
| 1996 | $1,143,766,962,185,634.50 | -0.20% |
| 1997 | $1,153,754,297,087,027.50 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $1,155,274,108,919,848.00 | 0.13% |
| 1999 | $1,140,220,734,575,719.25 | -1.30% |
| 2000 | $1,125,312,104,215,668.75 | -1.31% |
| 2001 | $1,105,265,062,420,843.00 | -1.78% |
| 2002 | $1,077,112,357,517,640.75 | -2.55% |
| 2003 | $1,049,755,744,526,868.13 | -2.54% |
| 2004 | $1,045,920,028,948,797.00 | -0.37% |
| 2005 | $1,038,176,225,800,615.38 | -0.74% |
| 2006 | $1,037,380,133,888,185.50 | -0.08% |
| 2007 | $1,033,456,848,199,746.88 | -0.38% |
| 2008 | $1,032,663,651,166,998.50 | -0.08% |
| 2009 | $1,042,835,534,648,091.38 | 0.99% |
| 2010 | $1,037,841,143,477,474.38 | -0.48% |
| 2011 | $1,060,487,063,506,423.00 | 2.18% |
| 2012 | $1,096,562,330,378,143.88 | 3.40% |
| 2013 | $1,106,521,440,202,641.75 | 0.91% |
| 2014 | $1,107,415,234,304,324.13 | 0.08% |
| 2015 | $1,093,417,767,324,045.50 | -1.26% |
| 2016 | $1,094,658,223,267,595.38 | 0.11% |
| 2017 | $1,090,894,879,681,563.38 | -0.34% |
| 2018 | $1,091,263,253,121,042.38 | 0.03% |
| 2019 | $1,077,343,947,892,165.75 | -1.28% |
| 2020 | $1,025,470,598,878,234.13 | -4.81% |
| 2021 | $1,050,777,637,054,460.00 | 2.47% |
| 2022 | $1,103,650,443,278,451.38 | 5.03% |
| 2023 | $1,134,028,586,936,855.50 | 2.75% |
| 2024 | $1,141,879,500,633,255.00 | 0.69% |
| 2025 | $1,143,363,850,189,976.50 | 0.13% |
| 2026 | $1,158,604,667,993,486.50 | 1.33%* |
* 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 | 133.409 |