Shoe prices in 1985
What happened to U.S. shoe prices in 1985, how that year ranks, and what 1985 prices come to in September 2026 money.
at September 2026 shoe prices (all footwear). Overall inflation would make it $313.24.
Ranks 41st of 78 years since 1948, largest rise first. All items: +3.5%.
Shoes measured against everything else. Shoes got relatively cheaper.
Each shoe group in 1985
- Men’s shoes +1.9% Average index 103.9 · $100 then = $155.66 now · 19th of 47 years
- Women’s shoes +0.8% Average index 100.9 · $100 then = $140.80 now · 24th of 47 years
- Boys’ and girls’ shoes +1.2% Average index 102.4 · $100 then = $163.74 now · 22nd of 47 years
- All footwear +1.3% Average index 102.4 · $100 then = $150.95 now · 41st of 78 years
1985 in context
All footwear rose 1.3% in 1985, while the consumer price index for all items rose 3.5% and clothing rose 2.9%. That left shoes 2.2% cheaper relative to everything else people bought.
Men’s shoes rose 1.9% and women’s rose 0.8%, so men’s shoes rose faster by 1.2 points. Men’s vs women’s over time →
Before the store: the producer price index for footwear made in the United States rose 2.0%. Factory to store →
Ranked by yearly change, 1985 sits between 1962 (+1.4%) and 1984 (+1.2%).
Month by month in 1985 (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