Shoe prices in 1978
What happened to U.S. shoe prices in 1978, how that year ranks, and what 1978 prices come to in September 2026 money.
at September 2026 shoe prices (all footwear). Overall inflation would make it $516.52.
Ranks 17th of 78 years since 1948, largest rise first. All items: +7.6%.
Shoes measured against everything else. Shoes got relatively cheaper.
Each shoe group in 1978
- Men’s shoes first year Average index 76.7 · $100 then = $210.98 now
- Women’s shoes first year Average index 81.8 · $100 then = $173.82 now
- Boys’ and girls’ shoes first year Average index 77.9 · $100 then = $215.40 now
- All footwear +4.4% Average index 79.0 · $100 then = $195.54 now · 17th of 78 years
1978 in context
All footwear rose 4.4% in 1978, while the consumer price index for all items rose 7.6% and clothing rose 3.5%. That left shoes 3.0% cheaper relative to everything else people bought.
Before the store: the producer price index for footwear made in the United States rose 8.5%. Factory to store →
Ranked by yearly change, 1978 sits between 1975 (+4.5%) and 1973 (+4.2%).
Month by month in 1978 (January = 100)
- Men’s shoes
- Women’s shoes
- Boys’ and girls’ shoes
Neighboring years
Yearly figures are averages of the twelve monthly BLS CPI-U values; 2026 uses the months published so far. How we calculate