United States Inflation Rate (CPI) Statistics – 1948 to October 2026

Summary of the Latest Inflation Rate statistics (Sep. 2026)

Consumer Price Index (CPI) breakdown

Food inflation

1. The current food inflation rate rose by 2.5% in Sep. 2026 following an increase of 2.7% in Aug. 2026.⁽¹⁾

Energy inflation

1. The current Energy inflation rate is 20.4%.⁽¹⁾

Services inflation

1. The current services inflation rate is 3.1%, holding steady month-over-month. ⁽¹⁾

Shelter inflation

1. The current shelter inflation rate is 3.2% an decrease from last month’s Services inflation rate of 300%. ⁽¹⁾

US Historical Inflation Rate

Significant world events that influence supply and demand have effects on inflation.

1. Inflation rose post World War 2, and changes would impact macroeconomic events such as The Great Inflation, which lasted from 1965 until 1982. ⁽⁵⁾
2. We’re seeing similar effects due to the Ukraine war and the COVID-19 pandemic, with inflation the highest it’s been in 40 years. ⁽⁵⁾

• Historical inflation rate - table
• YoY comparison - graph
• MoM comparison - graph

US Historical Inflation: 1948 – Now

The average US inflation rate compares yearly average inflation rates since 1948.

1. 1921 saw the lowest recorded average of -10.9% ⁽¹⁾
2. 1917 recorded the highest at 17.8%. ⁽¹⁾

CPI release dates for 2026

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) releases the previous months’ CPI figures in the first half of the following month. For example the first release for 2026 will be the figures for December 2025 and so on.

Calculating inflation rate

Inflation rates affect purchasing power or the value of a dollar over time. The same amount of currency may be worth less and be able to purchase fewer items compared to years before. The below formula can be used to calculate the percentage difference in inflation to measure the dollar’s buying power over time, which helps anticipate changes in the cost of living.

To calculate the inflation, get the CPI rate for the year you want to compare from the Consumer Price Index as your starting point and the CPI for the current or chosen year as your endpoint.

Subtract the starting CPI from the end CPI. Then divide by the starting CPI and multiply it by 100 to get the inflation percentage.

The formula is: (starting CPI-end CPI/starting CPI)X100

How the US inflation rate compares to other countries

1. Russia has the highest inflation rate at 6.3% ⁽²⁾
2. China has the lowest inflation rate at 0.9% ⁽²⁾
3. The US ranks number 6 for inflation when compared to these select countries, with current inflation sitting at 3.7% ⁽²⁾

Inflation concerns impacting how Americans are spending and saving

Inflation is a top concern for Americans with 61.8% saying it has impacted their spending habits, according to Finder’s Consumer Confidence Index. This is by far the most common reason given as to why people are changing their spending and saving habits, followed by pandemic (31.2%) and politics (22%).

Frequently asked questions

• What is the current US inflation rate?

  The current US inflation rate is 3.7% for the 12 months ending Sep. 2026, up from 3.4% the previous month. Core inflation, which strips out food and energy, sits at 2.6%.

• What is the Consumer Price Index (CPI)?

  The CPI is a measure published monthly by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics that tracks the average change in prices urban consumers pay for a basket of goods and services, including food, shelter, energy, transportation and medical care. The annual percentage change in the CPI is the most widely cited measure of US inflation.

• What's the difference between headline and core inflation?

  Headline inflation is the change in the full CPI basket, including food and energy. Core inflation excludes food and energy because their prices can swing sharply month to month. Economists and the Federal Reserve often watch core inflation for a cleaner read on underlying price trends.

• When is the next CPI report released?

  The Bureau of Labor Statistics releases CPI data for the previous month in the first half of the following month. The next inflation report is scheduled for Nov. 10, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. ET.

• What is the Federal Reserve's inflation target?

  The Federal Reserve targets 2% inflation over the medium term as part of its mandate for price stability. When inflation runs above target, the Fed may raise interest rates to cool demand; when it runs below, the Fed may cut rates to stimulate spending.

• How is the inflation rate calculated?

  To calculate inflation between two periods, subtract the starting CPI from the ending CPI, divide by the starting CPI, and multiply by 100. The formula is: ((end CPI − start CPI) / start CPI) × 100. The result is the percentage change in prices over that period.

• What has the average US inflation rate been over the past decade?

  The average US inflation rate over the past 10 years is 3.2%. Annual averages have ranged from 1.2% in 2020 to 8% in 2022, with 2025 averaging 2.7%.

• How does US inflation compare to other countries?

  Among a select group of major economies, Russia currently has the highest inflation rate at 6.3%, while China has the lowest at 0.9%. The US ranks fourth in this comparison, with inflation at 3.4%.

• What were the highest and lowest US inflation rates on record?

  The highest annual CPI inflation rate on record was 23.7% in 1920, and the lowest was -15.8% in 1921.

• How does inflation affect my purchasing power?

  Inflation reduces the buying power of a dollar over time, meaning the same amount of money buys fewer goods and services. For example, something that cost $1 in June 2010 would have cost roughly $1.82 in June 2022 based on the change in CPI over that period.

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Written by

Richard Laycock

Editorial & PR Lead

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Richard Laycock is Finder’s NYC-based lead editor & insights editor, spending the last decade data diving, writing and editing articles about all things personal finance. His musings can be found across the web including on NASDAQ, MoneyMag, Yahoo Finance and Travel Weekly. Richard studied Media at Macquarie University, including a semester abroad at The Missouri School of Journalism (MIZZOU). See full bio