According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for apparel are 184.87% higher in 2026 versus 1965 (a $8,689.02 difference in value).
Between 1965 and 2026, Apparel experienced an average inflation rate of 1.73% per year. In other words, apparel costing $4,700 in the year 1965 would cost $13,389.02 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.93% during this same period, inflation for apparel was lower.
In the year 1965: Pricing changed by 0.95%, which is below the average yearly change for apparel during the 1965-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1965 (1.59%), 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 $4,700 beginning in 1965. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | $4,700.00 | 0.95% |
| 1966 | $4,826.36 | 2.69% |
| 1967 | $5,023.29 | 4.08% |
| 1968 | $5,291.60 | 5.34% |
| 1969 | $5,596.02 | 5.75% |
| 1970 | $5,826.59 | 4.12% |
| 1971 | $6,015.31 | 3.24% |
| 1972 | $6,140.03 | 2.07% |
| 1973 | $6,364.86 | 3.66% |
| 1974 | $6,836.66 | 7.41% |
| 1975 | $7,141.08 | 4.45% |
| 1976 | $7,408.57 | 3.75% |
| 1977 | $7,740.07 | 4.47% |
| 1978 | $8,011.66 | 3.51% |
| 1979 | $8,362.85 | 4.38% |
| 1980 | $8,954.45 | 7.07% |
| 1981 | $9,381.13 | 4.76% |
| 1982 | $9,627.29 | 2.62% |
| 1983 | $9,865.24 | 2.47% |
| 1984 | $10,046.58 | 1.84% |
| 1985 | $10,341.15 | 2.93% |
| 1986 | $10,428.95 | 0.85% |
| 1987 | $10,887.62 | 4.40% |
| 1988 | $11,360.25 | 4.34% |
| 1989 | $11,676.15 | 2.78% |
| 1990 | $12,217.70 | 4.64% |
| 1991 | $12,673.10 | 3.73% |
| 1992 | $12,984.90 | 2.46% |
| 1993 | $13,160.49 | 1.35% |
| 1994 | $13,135.06 | -0.19% |
| 1995 | $12,993.10 | -1.08% |
| 1996 | $12,967.67 | -0.20% |
| 1997 | $13,080.90 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $13,098.13 | 0.13% |
| 1999 | $12,927.46 | -1.30% |
| 2000 | $12,758.43 | -1.31% |
| 2001 | $12,531.15 | -1.78% |
| 2002 | $12,211.96 | -2.55% |
| 2003 | $11,901.80 | -2.54% |
| 2004 | $11,858.31 | -0.37% |
| 2005 | $11,770.51 | -0.74% |
| 2006 | $11,761.49 | -0.08% |
| 2007 | $11,717.01 | -0.38% |
| 2008 | $11,708.01 | -0.08% |
| 2009 | $11,823.34 | 0.99% |
| 2010 | $11,766.71 | -0.48% |
| 2011 | $12,023.47 | 2.18% |
| 2012 | $12,432.48 | 3.40% |
| 2013 | $12,545.39 | 0.91% |
| 2014 | $12,555.52 | 0.08% |
| 2015 | $12,396.82 | -1.26% |
| 2016 | $12,410.89 | 0.11% |
| 2017 | $12,368.22 | -0.34% |
| 2018 | $12,372.40 | 0.03% |
| 2019 | $12,214.58 | -1.28% |
| 2020 | $11,626.46 | -4.81% |
| 2021 | $11,913.38 | 2.47% |
| 2022 | $12,512.84 | 5.03% |
| 2023 | $12,857.26 | 2.75% |
| 2024 | $12,946.27 | 0.69% |
| 2025 | $12,963.10 | 0.13% |
| 2026 | $13,389.02 | 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 |