In February 2026, the monthly annual inflation rate in the United States was 2.4 percent higher. This measure tracks how the average cost of a broad basket of goods and services changes over a 12-month period. Looking ahead, inflation is expected to ease, with the annual rate projected to fall to around 2.2 percent in 2027. Inflation and the consumer price index The consumer price index (CPI) sits at the heart of how America measures inflation. It tracks the cost of a representative basket of goods and services. In 2022, annual price growth surged by eight percent, driven first by COVID 19 disruptions and later by turmoil in energy and commodity markets after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The spike prompted the Federal Reserve to initiate a series of interest rate hikes to bring price growth back under control. Purchasing power parity Purchasing power parity (PPP) is a way of comparing currencies by what they can buy rather than by their exchange rates. It asks whether the same bundle of goods costs more in one country than another. The Big Mac Index uses the price of McDonald’s signature burger to illustrate how far different currencies stretch. In January 2025, a Big Mac cost about 5.79 U.S. dollars in the U.S. while in Switzerland it was 7.99 U.S. dollars. This implies that the Swiss franc buys less burger per dollar than the market exchange rate alone might suggest.

Graph and download economic data for Inflation, consumer prices for the United States (FPCPITOTLZGUSA) from 1960 to 2024 about consumer, CPI, inflation, price index, indexes, price, and USA.

In 2025, the annual rate of inflation in the United States, was *** percent. This reflected a further slowing in inflation after the 2024 rate reached *** percent. Most recently, U.S. inflation peaked in 2022 at * percent. What is inflation? Inflation measures the rate of change in the prices of goods and services in the economy. The most common gauge for this is the consumer price index (CPI). When inflation is high, it decreases the purchasing power of money, meaning that each dollar can buy a little less than it did before. This is why high inflation is so disruptive. It erodes the value of people’s incomes. Inflation and purchasing power Interest rates are policymakers' main tool for taming inflation. In the U.S. the Federal Reserve has the capacity to set the federal interest rate. Raising interest rates limits the supply of money in the economy, which can slow price increases. After COVID-19 lockdowns, government stimulus checks increased households' access to cash, driving up demand. At the same time, supply chain bottlenecks reduced the supply of goods available to buy. This resulted in a price spike after years of relative stability.

Inflation Rate in the United States remained unchanged at 2.40 percent in February. This dataset provides - United States Inflation Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

View monthly updates and historical trends for US Inflation Rate. from United States. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics. Track economic data with YCharts…

The Consumer Price Index in the United States increased 0.30 percent in February of 2026 over the previous month. This dataset provides - United States Inflation Rate MoM - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Graph and download economic data for Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: All Items Less Food in U.S. City Average (CPIULFSL) from Jan 1947 to Feb 2026 about all items, food, urban, consumer, CPI, inflation, price index, indexes, price, and USA.

The inflation rate in the United States is expected to ease to 2.2 percent by 2027 and then remain at that level through 2030. This reflects a decline of 0.8 percentage points below 2024 levels. It marks a significant turn from the post-pandemic surge, when inflation peaked at around eight percent. To tame price pressures, the Federal Reserve launched a series of interest rate hikes aimed at bringing inflation back towards its target range. Economic outlook and global context In 2022 and 2023, inflation in many rich countries rose to heights unseen in decades. Like in the U.S., price growth in G7 countries is expected to cool in 2025, offering some respite to global economies. Even so, renewed strains on trade and fresh tariffs introduced by U.S. President Donald Trump, could yet rekindle price pressures. How is inflation measured? Inflation is the rate at which prices for goods and services rise over time. In the U.S. it is commonly tracked using the consumer price index (CPI). The CPI measures change in price of a preselected basket of consumer goods and services.

Core consumer prices in the United States increased 2.50 percent in February of 2026 over the same month in the previous year. This dataset provides - United States Core Inflation Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Graph and download economic data for Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Food Away from Home in U.S. City Average (CUUR0000SEFV) from Jan 1953 to Feb 2026 about food, urban, consumer, CPI, housing, inflation, price index, indexes, price, and USA.

View monthly updates and historical trends for US Consumer Price Index YoY. from United States. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics. Track economic data wi…

In 2025, the annual average consumer price index (CPI) was ******. Data represents U.S. city averages. The CPI is a useful measure, as it indicates how the cost of urban living in the United States has changed over time, compared to a base period. CPI is also used to calculate inflation, or change in the purchasing power of money. United States urban consumer price index The U.S. consumer price index is a measure of change in the price of consumer goods and services purchased by households. The CPI is defined by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics as "a measure of the average change over time in the prices paid by urban consumers for a market basket of consumer goods and services." How is the CPI calculated? To calculate the CPI, the Bureau of Labor Statistics considers the price of goods and services from various categories: housing, transportation, apparel, food & beverage, medical care, recreation, education, and other/uncategorized.

The inflation rate in the United States declined significantly between June 2022 and October 2025, despite rising inflationary pressures towards the end of 2024. The peak inflation rate was recorded in June 2022, at *** percent. In August 2023, the Federal Reserve's interest rate hit its highest level during the observed period, at **** percent, and remained unchanged until September 2024, when the Federal Reserve implemented its first rate cut since September 2021. By February 2026, the rate dropped to **** percent. What is the Federal Reserve interest rate? The Federal Reserve interest rate, or the federal funds rate, is the rate at which banks and credit unions lend to and borrow from each other. It is one of the Federal Reserve's key tools for maintaining strong employment rates, stable prices, and reasonable interest rates. The rate is determined by the Federal Reserve and adjusted eight times a year, though it can be changed through emergency meetings during times of crisis. The Fed doesn't directly control the interest rate but sets a target rate. It then uses open market operations to influence rates toward this target. Ways of measuring inflation Inflation is typically measured using several methods, with the most common being the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The CPI tracks the price of a fixed basket of goods and services over time, providing a measure of the price changes consumers face. By mid 2024, the CPI in the United States was ****** percent, up from ***** a year earlier. A more business-focused measure is the producer price index (PPI), which represents the costs of firms.

View monthly updates and historical trends for US Core Inflation Rate. from United States. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics. Track economic data with YC…

In 2023, the U.S. Consumer Price Index was 309.42, and is projected to increase to 352.27 by 2029. The base period was 1982-84. The monthly CPI for all urban consumers in the U.S. can be accessed here. After a time of high inflation, the U.S. inflation rateis projected fall to two percent by 2027. United States Consumer Price Index ForecastIt is projected that the CPI will continue to rise year over year, reaching 325.6 in 2027. The Consumer Price Index of all urban consumers in previous years was lower, and has risen every year since 1992, except in 2009, when the CPI went from 215.30 in 2008 to 214.54 in 2009. The monthly unadjusted Consumer Price Index was 296.17 for the month of August in 2022. The U.S. CPI measures changes in the price of consumer goods and services purchased by households and is thought to reflect inflation in the U.S. as well as the health of the economy. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics calculates the CPI and defines it as, "a measure of the average change over time in the prices paid by urban consumers for a market basket of consumer goods and services." The BLS records the price of thousands of goods and services month by month. They consider goods and services within eight main categories: food and beverage, housing, apparel, transportation, medical care, recreation, education, and other goods and services. They aggregate the data collected in order to compare how much it would cost a consumer to buy the same market basket of goods and services within one month or one year compared with the previous month or year. Given that the CPI is used to calculate U.S. inflation, the CPI influences the annual adjustments of many financial institutions in the United States, both private and public. Wages, social security payments, and pensions are all affected by the CPI.

View monthly updates and historical trends for US Health Care Inflation Rate. from United States. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics. Track economic data …

Graph and download economic data for Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Information Technology, Hardware and Services in U.S. City Average (CUSR0000SEEE) from Jan 2006 to Feb 2026 about information technology, hardware, information, urban, consumer, CPI, services, inflation, price index, indexes, price, and USA.

Year-by-year US inflation rates using annual average CPI, 1913–2025, with a cumulative inflation calculator.

Graph and download economic data for Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Food in U.S. City Average (CPIUFDNS) from Jan 1913 to Feb 2026 about food, urban, consumer, CPI, inflation, price index, indexes, price, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Medical Care in U.S. City Average (CPIMEDSL) from Jan 1947 to Feb 2026 about medical, urban, consumer, CPI, inflation, price index, indexes, price, and USA.