Shoe prices in 1980
What happened to U.S. shoe prices in 1980, how that year ranks, and what 1980 prices come to in September 2026 money.
at September 2026 shoe prices (all footwear). Overall inflation would make it $408.87.
Ranks 4th of 78 years since 1948, largest rise first. All items: +13.5%.
Shoes measured against everything else. Shoes got relatively cheaper.
Each shoe group in 1980
- Men’s shoes +7.6% Average index 90.5 · $100 then = $178.72 now · 2nd of 47 years
- Women’s shoes +6.1% Average index 92.2 · $100 then = $154.16 now · 2nd of 47 years
- Boys’ and girls’ shoes +10.5% Average index 93.0 · $100 then = $180.41 now · 1st of 47 years
- All footwear +7.7% Average index 91.8 · $100 then = $168.26 now · 4th of 78 years
1980 in context
All footwear rose 7.7% in 1980, while the consumer price index for all items rose 13.5% and clothing rose 7.1%. That left shoes 5.1% cheaper relative to everything else people bought.
Men’s shoes rose 7.6% and women’s rose 6.1%, so men’s shoes rose faster by 1.5 points. Men’s vs women’s over time →
Before the store: the producer price index for footwear made in the United States rose 6.9%. Factory to store →
Ranked by yearly change, 1980 sits between 1979 (+7.9%) and 1969 (+6.2%).
Month by month in 1980 (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