Footwear price inflation, 1947→2026

Footwear Inflation Calculator

Prices for Footwear, 1947-2026 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for footwear are 425.96% higher in 2026 versus 1947 (a $85.19 difference in value).

Between 1947 and 2026: Footwear experienced an average inflation rate of 2.12% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, footwear costing $20 in the year 1947 would cost $105.19 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.44% during this same period, inflation for footwear was lower.

Price Inflation for Footwear since 1947

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1951 (13.10%), 1948 (9.23%), and 1979 (7.87%).

View price changes for other categories
Airline fares · Wireless telephone services · San Diego, California · Houston, Texas · More

Buying power of $20.00 since 1947

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Footwear, over time, for $20 beginning in 1947. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

Year	USD Value	Inflation Rate
1947	$20.00	-
1948	$21.85	9.23%
1949	$21.69	-0.72%
1950	$22.03	1.58%
1951	$24.92	13.10%
1952	$24.43	-1.98%
1953	$24.40	-0.12%
1954	$24.67	1.13%
1955	$24.92	1.02%
1956	$26.22	5.19%
1957	$27.09	3.33%
1958	$27.50	1.53%
1959	$28.63	4.11%
1960	$29.63	3.49%
1961	$29.89	0.85%
1962	$30.31	1.43%
1963	$30.65	1.11%
1964	$30.79	0.45%
1965	$31.29	1.64%
1966	$33.17	6.01%
1967	$34.82	4.97%
1968	$36.66	5.28%
1969	$38.92	6.17%
1970	$40.95	5.21%
1971	$42.30	3.29%
1972	$43.48	2.79%
1973	$45.32	4.25%
1974	$48.08	6.09%
1975	$50.22	4.45%
1976	$52.21	3.95%
1977	$54.63	4.64%
1978	$57.02	4.37%
1979	$61.50	7.87%
1980	$66.26	7.73%
1981	$69.76	5.28%
1982	$71.53	2.54%
1983	$72.02	0.68%
1984	$72.92	1.24%
1985	$73.86	1.29%
1986	$73.55	-0.42%
1987	$75.84	3.12%
1988	$79.33	4.59%
1989	$82.51	4.02%
1990	$84.69	2.64%
1991	$87.23	3.00%
1992	$90.16	3.36%
1993	$90.83	0.74%
1994	$90.92	0.10%
1995	$90.51	-0.46%
1996	$91.37	0.96%
1997	$92.04	0.74%
1998	$92.39	0.37%
1999	$90.72	-1.80%
2000	$89.33	-1.54%
2001	$88.75	-0.65%
2002	$87.59	-1.31%
2003	$86.27	-1.50%
2004	$86.05	-0.26%
2005	$88.48	2.82%
2006	$89.14	0.75%
2007	$88.30	-0.94%
2008	$89.59	1.46%
2009	$91.54	2.17%
2010	$92.35	0.89%
2011	$92.71	0.39%
2012	$95.13	2.61%
2013	$97.43	2.41%
2014	$97.74	0.32%
2015	$98.70	0.99%
2016	$99.08	0.39%
2017	$98.63	-0.46%
2018	$98.17	-0.46%
2019	$98.64	0.47%
2020	$96.13	-2.54%
2021	$99.69	3.70%
2022	$104.28	4.61%
2023	$104.52	0.23%
2024	$105.20	0.65%
2025	$105.47	0.26%
2026	$105.19	-0.27%*

* 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 Footwear:

Year	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	27.717	30.275	30.058	30.533	34.533	33.850	33.808	34.192	34.542	36.333	37.542	38.117	39.683	41.067	41.417	42.008	42.475	42.667	43.367	45.975	48.258	50.808	53.942	56.750	58.617	60.250	62.808	66.633	69.600	72.350	75.708	79.017	85.233	91.825	96.675	99.133	99.808	101.050	102.358	101.925	105.108	109.933	114.350	117.367	120.883	124.950	125.875	126.000	125.425	126.625	127.558	128.033	125.725	123.792	122.992	121.383	119.558	119.250	122.617	123.533	122.374	124.157	126.854	127.988	128.482	131.834	135.016	135.452	136.787	137.315	136.689	136.054	136.692	133.220	138.148	144.518	144.846	145.790	146.167	145.778

Adjust footwear prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2026 / CPI in 1947 * 1947 USD value = 2026 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Footwear was 27.717 in the year 1947 and 145.778 in 2026:

145.778 / 27.717 * $20 = $105.19

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1947 has the same "purchasing power" as $105.19 in 2026 (in the CPI category of Footwear).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Footwear in 1947. In addition to footwear, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.