Federal Executive Branch
Here's a look at documents from the U.S. Executive Branch
Federal Agencies
Featured Stories
Census Bureau: Business Formation Statistics Monthly Data Release -- August 2026
WASHINGTON, Sept. 12 -- The U.S. Census Bureau issued the following tip sheet on Sept. 11, 2026:
* * *
Business Formation Statistics Monthly Data Release -- August 2026
The U.S. Census Bureau today released new Business Formation Statistics (BFS) for August 2026. The BFS provide timely and high frequency information on new business applications and formations in the United States and Puerto Rico.
The BFS are a standard data product of the Census Bureau, developed in research collaboration with economists affiliated with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Reserve ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Sept. 12 -- The U.S. Census Bureau issued the following tip sheet on Sept. 11, 2026: * * * Business Formation Statistics Monthly Data Release -- August 2026 The U.S. Census Bureau today released new Business Formation Statistics (BFS) for August 2026. The BFS provide timely and high frequency information on new business applications and formations in the United States and Puerto Rico. The BFS are a standard data product of the Census Bureau, developed in research collaboration with economists affiliated with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal ReserveBank of Atlanta, the University of Maryland, and the University of Notre Dame.
The full BFS dataset with all 12 series (four application and eight formation) is released monthly with statistics for the nation, region and states. Four monthly business applications series are released for Puerto Rico as part of the standard monthly BFS product.
BFS includes seasonally and not seasonally adjusted data.
No news release associated with this announcement. Tip sheet only.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2026/business-formation-statistics-sep11.html
* * *
Business Formation Statistics Monthly Data Release -- August 2026
The U.S. Census Bureau today released new Business Formation Statistics (BFS) for August 2026. The BFS provide timely and high frequency information on new business applications and formations in the United States and Puerto Rico.
The BFS are a standard data product of the Census Bureau, developed in research collaboration with economists affiliated with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Reserve ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Sept. 12 -- The U.S. Census Bureau issued the following tip sheet on Sept. 11, 2026: * * * Business Formation Statistics Monthly Data Release -- August 2026 The U.S. Census Bureau today released new Business Formation Statistics (BFS) for August 2026. The BFS provide timely and high frequency information on new business applications and formations in the United States and Puerto Rico. The BFS are a standard data product of the Census Bureau, developed in research collaboration with economists affiliated with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal ReserveBank of Atlanta, the University of Maryland, and the University of Notre Dame.
The full BFS dataset with all 12 series (four application and eight formation) is released monthly with statistics for the nation, region and states. Four monthly business applications series are released for Puerto Rico as part of the standard monthly BFS product.
BFS includes seasonally and not seasonally adjusted data.
No news release associated with this announcement. Tip sheet only.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2026/business-formation-statistics-sep11.html
Bureau of Transportation Statistics: Transportation Consumer Price Index - August 2026
WASHINGTON, Sept. 12 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation Statistics issued the following news on Sept. 11, 2026:
* * *
Transportation Consumer Price Index - August 2026
Today, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) released the change in the costs faced by consumers for transportation goods and services, from August 2025 to August 2026, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The annual change in CPI is a measure of inflation.
The CPI for all transportation goods and services rose 6.2% from August 2025 to August 2026. Transportation contributed 30.2% ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Sept. 12 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation Statistics issued the following news on Sept. 11, 2026: * * * Transportation Consumer Price Index - August 2026 Today, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) released the change in the costs faced by consumers for transportation goods and services, from August 2025 to August 2026, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The annual change in CPI is a measure of inflation. The CPI for all transportation goods and services rose 6.2% from August 2025 to August 2026. Transportation contributed 30.2%to the 3.4% increase in the price of all goods and services, per the CPI. Gasoline (all types) contributed the most to inflation, rising 27.4% year-over-year and contributing 25.6% to the annual change in the price of all goods and services.
By item, the top three contributors to inflation in August 2026 were:
* Gasoline (all types): +25.6%
* Airline Fare: +6.0%
* Motor vehicle maintenance and repair: +1.6%
The top three items dampening transportation's contribution to inflation in August 2026 were:
* Motor vehicle insurance: -4.2%
* Used cars and trucks: -1.6%
* Other intercity (intercity bus, train, and ship fares: -0.3%
For additional information and for interactive charts on transportation's role in the economy and changes (trends) over time, please visit BTS' Transportation Economic Trends (https://data.bts.gov/stories/s/28tb-cpjy).
* * *
Original text here: https://www.bts.gov/newsroom/transportation-consumer-price-index-august-2026
* * *
Transportation Consumer Price Index - August 2026
Today, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) released the change in the costs faced by consumers for transportation goods and services, from August 2025 to August 2026, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The annual change in CPI is a measure of inflation.
The CPI for all transportation goods and services rose 6.2% from August 2025 to August 2026. Transportation contributed 30.2% ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Sept. 12 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation Statistics issued the following news on Sept. 11, 2026: * * * Transportation Consumer Price Index - August 2026 Today, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) released the change in the costs faced by consumers for transportation goods and services, from August 2025 to August 2026, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The annual change in CPI is a measure of inflation. The CPI for all transportation goods and services rose 6.2% from August 2025 to August 2026. Transportation contributed 30.2%to the 3.4% increase in the price of all goods and services, per the CPI. Gasoline (all types) contributed the most to inflation, rising 27.4% year-over-year and contributing 25.6% to the annual change in the price of all goods and services.
By item, the top three contributors to inflation in August 2026 were:
* Gasoline (all types): +25.6%
* Airline Fare: +6.0%
* Motor vehicle maintenance and repair: +1.6%
The top three items dampening transportation's contribution to inflation in August 2026 were:
* Motor vehicle insurance: -4.2%
* Used cars and trucks: -1.6%
* Other intercity (intercity bus, train, and ship fares: -0.3%
For additional information and for interactive charts on transportation's role in the economy and changes (trends) over time, please visit BTS' Transportation Economic Trends (https://data.bts.gov/stories/s/28tb-cpjy).
* * *
Original text here: https://www.bts.gov/newsroom/transportation-consumer-price-index-august-2026
BLS Western Region Issues Report on Consumer Price Index, Anchorage Area August 2026
SAN FRANCISCO, California, Sept. 12 (TNSLrpt) -- Consumer Price Index, Anchorage Area August 2026 - A report from U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics Western Region - Sept. 11, 2026
* * *
Area prices were up 0.8 percent over the past two months, up 3.3 percent from a year ago
-
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for Urban Alaska increased 0.8 percent for the two months ending in August 2026, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported today. Regional Commissioner Chris Rosenlund noted that the index for all items less food and energy increased 1.2 ... Show Full Article SAN FRANCISCO, California, Sept. 12 (TNSLrpt) -- Consumer Price Index, Anchorage Area August 2026 - A report from U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics Western Region - Sept. 11, 2026 * * * Area prices were up 0.8 percent over the past two months, up 3.3 percent from a year ago - The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for Urban Alaska increased 0.8 percent for the two months ending in August 2026, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported today. Regional Commissioner Chris Rosenlund noted that the index for all items less food and energy increased 1.2percent during the two-month period. The food index rose 0.1 percent, while the energy index fell 2.3 percent. (Data in this report are not seasonally adjusted. Accordingly, bi-monthly changes may reflect seasonal influences.)
The Anchorage area all items CPI-U advanced 3.3 percent for the 12 months ending in August. The index for all items less food and energy increased 2.3 percent over the year. Food prices rose 1.6 percent. Energy prices rose 18.5 percent.
* * *
Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in CPI-U, Urban Alaska, August 2023-August 2026
* * *
Food
Food prices increased 0.1 percent for the two months ending in August. Prices for food at home (grocery store purchases) increased 0.2 percent, with higher prices in 3 of the 6 major grocery store food groups. Prices for food away from home (restaurant, cafeteria, and vending purchases) decreased 0.2 percent for the same period.
Food prices rose 1.6 percent over the year. Prices for food at home advanced 1.7 percent, with higher prices in 4 of the 6 major grocery store food groups. Prices for food away from home rose 1.4 percent.
Energy
The energy index declined 2.3 percent for the two months ending in August. Gasoline prices fell 6.1 percent.
Energy prices rose 18.5 percent over the year. Gasoline prices increased 27.6 percent.
All items less food and energy
The index for all items less food and energy rose 1.2 percent during the two-month period. Among the index's components, prices were higher for education and communication (+2.7 percent), recreation (+2.3 percent), and shelter (+1.5 percent). In contrast, prices were lower for apparel (-4.0 percent) and new and used motor vehicles (-2.1 percent).
The index for all items less food and energy advanced 2.3 percent over the year. Components contributing to the increase included recreation (+8.5 percent) and shelter (+4.0 percent). In contrast, prices were lower for new and used motor vehicles (-2.7 percent) and household furnishings and operations (-1.6 percent).
* * *
Table A. Urban Alaska CPI-U 2-month and 12-month percent changes, all items index, not seasonally adjusted
* * *
The October 2026 Consumer Price Index for the Anchorage area is scheduled to be released on November 10, 2026.
* * *
Technical Note
The Consumer Price Index (https://www.bls.gov/cpi) (CPI) is a measure of the average change in prices over time in a fixed market basket of goods and services. The Consumer Price Index for Urban Alaska is published bi-monthly. The set of components and sub-aggregates published for regional and metropolitan indexes is more limited than at the U.S. city average level; these indexes are byproducts of the national CPI program. Each local index has a much smaller sample size than the national or regional indexes and is, therefore, subject to substantially more sampling and other measurement error. As a result, local-area indexes are more volatile than the national or regional indexes. In addition, local indexes are not adjusted for seasonal influences. NOTE: Area indexes do not measure differences in the level of prices between cities; they only measure the average change in prices for each area since the base period.
A full all-items data series history for the original index value and for 1-month, 2-month, 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month percent changes can be accessed via BLS data query tools. A direct link to the all-items series is provided in Table 1 of this release under historical data.
The Urban Alaska area covered in this release consists of Anchorage and Matanuska-Susitna Borough in the State of Alaska.
Refer to the national CPI news release technical note (https://www.bls.gov/cpi/technical-notes/) or the Handbook of Methods (https://www.bls.gov/opub/hom/cpi) for more information.
If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
* * *
Table 1. Urban Alaska, CPI-U by expenditure category for August 2026, not seasonally adjusted (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted)
Table 2. Urban Alaska, CPI-U by special aggregate index for August 2026, not seasonally adjusted (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted)
* * *
View original text plus charts and tables here: https://www.bls.gov/regions/west/news-release/2026/consumerpriceindex_anchorage_20260911.htm
* * *
Area prices were up 0.8 percent over the past two months, up 3.3 percent from a year ago
-
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for Urban Alaska increased 0.8 percent for the two months ending in August 2026, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported today. Regional Commissioner Chris Rosenlund noted that the index for all items less food and energy increased 1.2 ... Show Full Article SAN FRANCISCO, California, Sept. 12 (TNSLrpt) -- Consumer Price Index, Anchorage Area August 2026 - A report from U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics Western Region - Sept. 11, 2026 * * * Area prices were up 0.8 percent over the past two months, up 3.3 percent from a year ago - The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for Urban Alaska increased 0.8 percent for the two months ending in August 2026, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported today. Regional Commissioner Chris Rosenlund noted that the index for all items less food and energy increased 1.2percent during the two-month period. The food index rose 0.1 percent, while the energy index fell 2.3 percent. (Data in this report are not seasonally adjusted. Accordingly, bi-monthly changes may reflect seasonal influences.)
The Anchorage area all items CPI-U advanced 3.3 percent for the 12 months ending in August. The index for all items less food and energy increased 2.3 percent over the year. Food prices rose 1.6 percent. Energy prices rose 18.5 percent.
* * *
Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in CPI-U, Urban Alaska, August 2023-August 2026
* * *
Food
Food prices increased 0.1 percent for the two months ending in August. Prices for food at home (grocery store purchases) increased 0.2 percent, with higher prices in 3 of the 6 major grocery store food groups. Prices for food away from home (restaurant, cafeteria, and vending purchases) decreased 0.2 percent for the same period.
Food prices rose 1.6 percent over the year. Prices for food at home advanced 1.7 percent, with higher prices in 4 of the 6 major grocery store food groups. Prices for food away from home rose 1.4 percent.
Energy
The energy index declined 2.3 percent for the two months ending in August. Gasoline prices fell 6.1 percent.
Energy prices rose 18.5 percent over the year. Gasoline prices increased 27.6 percent.
All items less food and energy
The index for all items less food and energy rose 1.2 percent during the two-month period. Among the index's components, prices were higher for education and communication (+2.7 percent), recreation (+2.3 percent), and shelter (+1.5 percent). In contrast, prices were lower for apparel (-4.0 percent) and new and used motor vehicles (-2.1 percent).
The index for all items less food and energy advanced 2.3 percent over the year. Components contributing to the increase included recreation (+8.5 percent) and shelter (+4.0 percent). In contrast, prices were lower for new and used motor vehicles (-2.7 percent) and household furnishings and operations (-1.6 percent).
* * *
Table A. Urban Alaska CPI-U 2-month and 12-month percent changes, all items index, not seasonally adjusted
* * *
The October 2026 Consumer Price Index for the Anchorage area is scheduled to be released on November 10, 2026.
* * *
Technical Note
The Consumer Price Index (https://www.bls.gov/cpi) (CPI) is a measure of the average change in prices over time in a fixed market basket of goods and services. The Consumer Price Index for Urban Alaska is published bi-monthly. The set of components and sub-aggregates published for regional and metropolitan indexes is more limited than at the U.S. city average level; these indexes are byproducts of the national CPI program. Each local index has a much smaller sample size than the national or regional indexes and is, therefore, subject to substantially more sampling and other measurement error. As a result, local-area indexes are more volatile than the national or regional indexes. In addition, local indexes are not adjusted for seasonal influences. NOTE: Area indexes do not measure differences in the level of prices between cities; they only measure the average change in prices for each area since the base period.
A full all-items data series history for the original index value and for 1-month, 2-month, 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month percent changes can be accessed via BLS data query tools. A direct link to the all-items series is provided in Table 1 of this release under historical data.
The Urban Alaska area covered in this release consists of Anchorage and Matanuska-Susitna Borough in the State of Alaska.
Refer to the national CPI news release technical note (https://www.bls.gov/cpi/technical-notes/) or the Handbook of Methods (https://www.bls.gov/opub/hom/cpi) for more information.
If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
* * *
Table 1. Urban Alaska, CPI-U by expenditure category for August 2026, not seasonally adjusted (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted)
Table 2. Urban Alaska, CPI-U by special aggregate index for August 2026, not seasonally adjusted (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted)
* * *
View original text plus charts and tables here: https://www.bls.gov/regions/west/news-release/2026/consumerpriceindex_anchorage_20260911.htm
BLS Southeast Region Issues Report on Consumer Price Index, South Region August 2026
ATLANTA, Georgia, Sept. 12 (TNSLrpt) -- Consumer Price Index, South Region August 2026 - A report from U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics Southeast Region - Sept. 11, 2026
* * *
Regional prices rose 0.2 percent in August, up 3.1 percent over the year
-
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) in the South region increased 0.2 percent in August, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported today. The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.2 percent over the month. The energy index increased 1.0 percent in August while the index for food was unchanged. ... Show Full Article ATLANTA, Georgia, Sept. 12 (TNSLrpt) -- Consumer Price Index, South Region August 2026 - A report from U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics Southeast Region - Sept. 11, 2026 * * * Regional prices rose 0.2 percent in August, up 3.1 percent over the year - The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) in the South region increased 0.2 percent in August, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported today. The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.2 percent over the month. The energy index increased 1.0 percent in August while the index for food was unchanged.(Data in this report are not seasonally adjusted. Accordingly, month-to-month changes may reflect the impact of seasonal influences.)
The South all items CPI-U advanced 3.1 percent for the 12 months ending in August. The index for all items less food and energy rose 2.1 percent over the last 12 months. The energy index increased 15.8 percent for the 12 months ending August. The food index rose 2.3 percent over the last year.
* * *
Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in CPI-U, South region, August 2023-August 2026
* * *
Food
The food index was unchanged in August. The index for food at home (grocery store purchases) decreased 0.1 percent over the pricing period. The index for food away from home (restaurant, cafeteria, and vending purchases) was unchanged over the month.
Food prices advanced 2.3 percent over the year. The food away from home index rose 2.9 percent over the past year. The food at home index increased 1.9 percent for the 12 months ending August as prices increased in 5 of the 6 major grocery store food groups.
Energy
The index for energy increased 1.0 percent over the month. The gasoline index rose 1.6 percent over the same period. The index for electricity advanced 0.4 percent while the natural gas index fell 1.5 percent in August.
The energy index advanced 15.8 percent for the 12 months ending August. The gasoline index increased 28.5 percent over this 12-month span. The electricity index rose 2.5 percent, and the natural gas index rose 7.7 percent over the year.
All items less food and energy
The index for all items less food and energy increased 0.2 percent in August. The shelter index increased 0.1 percent over the month, led by a 0.2-percent increase in the owners' equivalent rent index. Education and communication (+1.5 percent) and apparel (+1.3 percent) were among the indexes that increased in August.
The index for all items less food and energy rose 2.1 percent over the last 12 months. The shelter index and the index for owners' equivalent rent both increased 2.1 percent over the last year.
* * *
The September 2026 Consumer Price Index for the South Region is scheduled to be released on October 14, 2026.
* * *
Technical Note
The Consumer Price Index (https://www.bls.gov/cpi) (CPI) is a measure of the average change in prices over time in a fixed market basket of goods and services. The Consumer Price Index for the South region is published monthly. The set of components and sub-aggregates published for regional and metropolitan indexes is more limited than at the U.S. city average level; these indexes are byproducts of the national CPI program.
The South region is comprised of Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Refer to the national CPI news release technical note (https://www.bls.gov/cpi/technical-notes/) or the Handbook of Methods (https://www.bls.gov/opub/hom/cpi) for more information.
If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
* * *
Table 1. South region CPI-U by expenditure category for August 2026, not seasonally adjusted (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted)
Table 2. South region CPI-U by special aggregate index for August 2026, not seasonally adjusted (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted)
* * *
View original text plus charts and tables here: https://www.bls.gov/regions/southeast/news-release/2026/consumerpriceindex_south_20260911.htm
* * *
Regional prices rose 0.2 percent in August, up 3.1 percent over the year
-
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) in the South region increased 0.2 percent in August, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported today. The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.2 percent over the month. The energy index increased 1.0 percent in August while the index for food was unchanged. ... Show Full Article ATLANTA, Georgia, Sept. 12 (TNSLrpt) -- Consumer Price Index, South Region August 2026 - A report from U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics Southeast Region - Sept. 11, 2026 * * * Regional prices rose 0.2 percent in August, up 3.1 percent over the year - The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) in the South region increased 0.2 percent in August, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported today. The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.2 percent over the month. The energy index increased 1.0 percent in August while the index for food was unchanged.(Data in this report are not seasonally adjusted. Accordingly, month-to-month changes may reflect the impact of seasonal influences.)
The South all items CPI-U advanced 3.1 percent for the 12 months ending in August. The index for all items less food and energy rose 2.1 percent over the last 12 months. The energy index increased 15.8 percent for the 12 months ending August. The food index rose 2.3 percent over the last year.
* * *
Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in CPI-U, South region, August 2023-August 2026
* * *
Food
The food index was unchanged in August. The index for food at home (grocery store purchases) decreased 0.1 percent over the pricing period. The index for food away from home (restaurant, cafeteria, and vending purchases) was unchanged over the month.
Food prices advanced 2.3 percent over the year. The food away from home index rose 2.9 percent over the past year. The food at home index increased 1.9 percent for the 12 months ending August as prices increased in 5 of the 6 major grocery store food groups.
Energy
The index for energy increased 1.0 percent over the month. The gasoline index rose 1.6 percent over the same period. The index for electricity advanced 0.4 percent while the natural gas index fell 1.5 percent in August.
The energy index advanced 15.8 percent for the 12 months ending August. The gasoline index increased 28.5 percent over this 12-month span. The electricity index rose 2.5 percent, and the natural gas index rose 7.7 percent over the year.
All items less food and energy
The index for all items less food and energy increased 0.2 percent in August. The shelter index increased 0.1 percent over the month, led by a 0.2-percent increase in the owners' equivalent rent index. Education and communication (+1.5 percent) and apparel (+1.3 percent) were among the indexes that increased in August.
The index for all items less food and energy rose 2.1 percent over the last 12 months. The shelter index and the index for owners' equivalent rent both increased 2.1 percent over the last year.
* * *
The September 2026 Consumer Price Index for the South Region is scheduled to be released on October 14, 2026.
* * *
Technical Note
The Consumer Price Index (https://www.bls.gov/cpi) (CPI) is a measure of the average change in prices over time in a fixed market basket of goods and services. The Consumer Price Index for the South region is published monthly. The set of components and sub-aggregates published for regional and metropolitan indexes is more limited than at the U.S. city average level; these indexes are byproducts of the national CPI program.
The South region is comprised of Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Refer to the national CPI news release technical note (https://www.bls.gov/cpi/technical-notes/) or the Handbook of Methods (https://www.bls.gov/opub/hom/cpi) for more information.
If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
* * *
Table 1. South region CPI-U by expenditure category for August 2026, not seasonally adjusted (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted)
Table 2. South region CPI-U by special aggregate index for August 2026, not seasonally adjusted (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted)
* * *
View original text plus charts and tables here: https://www.bls.gov/regions/southeast/news-release/2026/consumerpriceindex_south_20260911.htm
BLS Midwest Region Issues Report on Consumer Price Index, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin August 2026
CHICAGO, Illinois, Sept. 12 (TNSLrpt) -- Consumer Price Index, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin August 2026 - A report from U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics Midwest Region - Sept. 11, 2026
* * *
Area prices were up 0.5 percent over the past month, up 2.4 percent from a year ago
-
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin area increased 0.5 percent in August, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported today. Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Michael Hirniak noted that the energy index advanced 3.4 percent and both ... Show Full Article CHICAGO, Illinois, Sept. 12 (TNSLrpt) -- Consumer Price Index, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin August 2026 - A report from U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics Midwest Region - Sept. 11, 2026 * * * Area prices were up 0.5 percent over the past month, up 2.4 percent from a year ago - The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin area increased 0.5 percent in August, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported today. Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Michael Hirniak noted that the energy index advanced 3.4 percent and boththe index for food and the index for all items less food and energy rose 0.3 percent each in August. (Data in this report are not seasonally adjusted. Accordingly, monthly changes may reflect seasonal influences.)
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin area all items CPI-U advanced 2.4 percent for the 12 months ending in August. The index for all items less food and energy increased 1.8 percent over the year. The energy index was up 11.0 percent, and the food index rose 2.1 percent.
* * *
Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in CPI-U, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI, August 2023-August 2026
* * *
Food
The index for food increased 0.3 percent for the month of August. The food at home index (grocery store purchases) was up 0.3 percent, with higher prices seen in 3 of the 6 major grocery store food groups. The dairy and related products index led these increases, up 5.0 percent over the month. The food away from home index (restaurant, cafeteria, and vending purchases) rose 0.3 percent for the same period.
The index for food rose 2.1 percent over the year. The food at home index increased 0.9 percent as 5 of the 6 major grocery store food group indexes advanced over the year. Grocery store index increases ranged from 4.8 percent for cereals and bakery products to 0.5 percent for nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials. Over the year, the index for fruits and vegetables declined -3.0 percent. Prices for food away from home rose 4.3 percent.
Energy
The energy index increased 3.4 percent over the month. Gasoline prices increased 4.3 percent in August.
From August 2025 to August 2026, the index for energy rose 11.0 percent. The gasoline index increased 21.5 percent over the year.
All items less food and energy
The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.3 percent in August. Among the index's components, prices were higher for owners' equivalent rent of residences (+0.4 percent), education and communication (+1.3 percent), recreation (+1.2 percent), and household furnishings and operations (+1.6 percent). In contrast, prices were lower for lodging away from home as well as apparel (-1.0 percent).
The all items less food and energy index advanced 1.8 percent over the year. Components contributing to the increase included owners' equivalent rent of residences (+4.3 percent), rent of primary residence (+5.0 percent), public transportation, and recreation (+3.7 percent). In contrast, prices were lower for medical care (-1.6 percent).
* * *
The September 2026 Consumer Price Index for the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin area is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, October 14, 2026.
* * *
Technical Note
The Consumer Price Index (https://www.bls.gov/cpi) (CPI) is a measure of the average change in prices over time in a fixed market basket of goods and services. The Consumer Price Index for Chicago is published monthly. The set of components and sub-aggregates published for regional and metropolitan indexes is more limited than at the U.S. city average level; these indexes are byproducts of the national CPI program. Each local index has a much smaller sample size than the national or regional indexes and is, therefore, subject to substantially more sampling and other measurement error. As a result, local-area indexes are more volatile than the national or regional indexes. In addition, local indexes are not adjusted for seasonal influences. NOTE: Area indexes do not measure differences in the level of prices between cities; they only measure the average change in prices for each area since the base period.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI Core Based Statistical Area includes Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will Counties in Illinois; Jasper, Lake, Newton, and Porter Counties in Indiana; and Kenosha County in Wisconsin.
Refer to the national CPI news release technical note (https://www.bls.gov/cpi/technical-notes/) or the Handbook of Methods (https://www.bls.gov/opub/hom/cpi) for more information.
If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
* * *
Table 1. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI, CPI-U by expenditure category for August 2026, not seasonally adjusted (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted)
Table 2. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI, CPI-U by special aggregate index for August 2026, not seasonally adjusted (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted)
* * *
View original text plus charts and tables here: https://www.bls.gov/regions/midwest/news-release/2026/consumerpriceindex_chicago_20260911.htm
* * *
Area prices were up 0.5 percent over the past month, up 2.4 percent from a year ago
-
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin area increased 0.5 percent in August, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported today. Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Michael Hirniak noted that the energy index advanced 3.4 percent and both ... Show Full Article CHICAGO, Illinois, Sept. 12 (TNSLrpt) -- Consumer Price Index, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin August 2026 - A report from U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics Midwest Region - Sept. 11, 2026 * * * Area prices were up 0.5 percent over the past month, up 2.4 percent from a year ago - The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin area increased 0.5 percent in August, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported today. Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Michael Hirniak noted that the energy index advanced 3.4 percent and boththe index for food and the index for all items less food and energy rose 0.3 percent each in August. (Data in this report are not seasonally adjusted. Accordingly, monthly changes may reflect seasonal influences.)
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin area all items CPI-U advanced 2.4 percent for the 12 months ending in August. The index for all items less food and energy increased 1.8 percent over the year. The energy index was up 11.0 percent, and the food index rose 2.1 percent.
* * *
Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in CPI-U, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI, August 2023-August 2026
* * *
Food
The index for food increased 0.3 percent for the month of August. The food at home index (grocery store purchases) was up 0.3 percent, with higher prices seen in 3 of the 6 major grocery store food groups. The dairy and related products index led these increases, up 5.0 percent over the month. The food away from home index (restaurant, cafeteria, and vending purchases) rose 0.3 percent for the same period.
The index for food rose 2.1 percent over the year. The food at home index increased 0.9 percent as 5 of the 6 major grocery store food group indexes advanced over the year. Grocery store index increases ranged from 4.8 percent for cereals and bakery products to 0.5 percent for nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials. Over the year, the index for fruits and vegetables declined -3.0 percent. Prices for food away from home rose 4.3 percent.
Energy
The energy index increased 3.4 percent over the month. Gasoline prices increased 4.3 percent in August.
From August 2025 to August 2026, the index for energy rose 11.0 percent. The gasoline index increased 21.5 percent over the year.
All items less food and energy
The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.3 percent in August. Among the index's components, prices were higher for owners' equivalent rent of residences (+0.4 percent), education and communication (+1.3 percent), recreation (+1.2 percent), and household furnishings and operations (+1.6 percent). In contrast, prices were lower for lodging away from home as well as apparel (-1.0 percent).
The all items less food and energy index advanced 1.8 percent over the year. Components contributing to the increase included owners' equivalent rent of residences (+4.3 percent), rent of primary residence (+5.0 percent), public transportation, and recreation (+3.7 percent). In contrast, prices were lower for medical care (-1.6 percent).
* * *
The September 2026 Consumer Price Index for the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin area is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, October 14, 2026.
* * *
Technical Note
The Consumer Price Index (https://www.bls.gov/cpi) (CPI) is a measure of the average change in prices over time in a fixed market basket of goods and services. The Consumer Price Index for Chicago is published monthly. The set of components and sub-aggregates published for regional and metropolitan indexes is more limited than at the U.S. city average level; these indexes are byproducts of the national CPI program. Each local index has a much smaller sample size than the national or regional indexes and is, therefore, subject to substantially more sampling and other measurement error. As a result, local-area indexes are more volatile than the national or regional indexes. In addition, local indexes are not adjusted for seasonal influences. NOTE: Area indexes do not measure differences in the level of prices between cities; they only measure the average change in prices for each area since the base period.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI Core Based Statistical Area includes Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will Counties in Illinois; Jasper, Lake, Newton, and Porter Counties in Indiana; and Kenosha County in Wisconsin.
Refer to the national CPI news release technical note (https://www.bls.gov/cpi/technical-notes/) or the Handbook of Methods (https://www.bls.gov/opub/hom/cpi) for more information.
If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
* * *
Table 1. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI, CPI-U by expenditure category for August 2026, not seasonally adjusted (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted)
Table 2. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI, CPI-U by special aggregate index for August 2026, not seasonally adjusted (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted)
* * *
View original text plus charts and tables here: https://www.bls.gov/regions/midwest/news-release/2026/consumerpriceindex_chicago_20260911.htm
BLS Mid-Atlantic Region Issues Report on Consumer Price Index, Baltimore-Columbia-Towson August 2026
PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania, Sept. 12 (TNSLrpt) -- Consumer Price Index, Baltimore-Columbia-Towson August 2026 - A report from U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics Mid-Atlantic Region - Sept. 11, 2026
* * *
Area prices were down 0.2 percent over the past two months, up 2.3 percent over the year
-
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for Baltimore-Columbia-Towson was down 0.2 percent from June to August, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported today. Regional Commissioner Lori Keller noted that the all items less food and energy index declined as ... Show Full Article PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania, Sept. 12 (TNSLrpt) -- Consumer Price Index, Baltimore-Columbia-Towson August 2026 - A report from U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics Mid-Atlantic Region - Sept. 11, 2026 * * * Area prices were down 0.2 percent over the past two months, up 2.3 percent over the year - The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for Baltimore-Columbia-Towson was down 0.2 percent from June to August, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported today. Regional Commissioner Lori Keller noted that the all items less food and energy index declined asdid the food index, while the energy index increased. (Data in this report are not seasonally adjusted. Accordingly, month-to-month changes may reflect the impact of seasonal influences.)
The Baltimore area all items CPI-U increased 2.3 percent for the 12 months ending in August. The index for all items less food and energy rose 1.4 percent, the energy index was up 16.8 percent, and the food index advanced 2.4 percent over the same period.
* * *
Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in CPI-U, Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD, August 2023-August 2026
* * *
Food
The food index decreased 0.2 percent for the two months ending in August. The index for food at home was unchanged as prices for the grocery categories were a mix of increases and decreases. The food away from home index decreased 0.5 percent for the same period.
The food index rose 2.4 percent over the year. The food at home index was up 3.5 percent as prices increased for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs (+2.7 percent); other food at home (+4.4 percent); and cereals and bakery products (+4.9 percent). The food away from home index advanced 0.7 percent.
Energy
The energy index increased 1.8 percent over the August two-month pricing period. Gasoline prices were up 3.7 percent.
The energy index rose 16.8 percent from August 2025 to August 2026. Over the year, the gasoline index advanced 26.6 percent.
All items less food and energy
The index for all items less food and energy was down 0.3 percent from June to August. Among the index's components, prices were lower for medical care (-5.2 percent), apparel (-2.2 percent) and recreation (-1.5 percent). In contrast, prices were higher for shelter (+0.6 percent) and education and communication (+1.4 percent).
The index for all items less food and energy advanced 1.4 percent over the year. The shelter index was up 2.6 percent, with increases in the owners' equivalent rent of residences (+3.5 percent) and rent of primary residence (+3.3 percent) indexes. Other price increases include other goods and services (+5.9 percent), education and communication (+3.3 percent), and new and used motor vehicles (+1.4 percent). In contrast, prices were lower for medical care (-3.1 percent).
* * *
The Consumer Price Index for October 2026 is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. (ET).
* * *
Technical Note
The Consumer Price Index (https://www.bls.gov/cpi) (CPI) is a measure of the average change in prices over time in a fixed market basket of goods and services. The Consumer Price Index for Baltimore is published bi-monthly. The set of components and sub-aggregates published for regional and metropolitan indexes is more limited than at the U.S. city average level; these indexes are byproducts of the national CPI program. Each local index has a much smaller sample size than the national or regional indexes and is, therefore, subject to substantially more sampling and other measurement error. As a result, local-area indexes are more volatile than the national or regional indexes. In addition, local indexes are not adjusted for seasonal influences. NOTE: Area indexes do not measure differences in the level of prices between cities; they only measure the average change in prices for each area since the base period.
The Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD, Core Based Statistical Area includes Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Harford, Howard, and Queen Anne's counties, as well as Baltimore City, in Maryland.
Refer to the national CPI news release technical note (https://www.bls.gov/cpi/technical-notes/) or the Handbook of Methods (https://www.bls.gov/opub/hom/cpi) for more information.
If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
* * *
Table 1. Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD, CPI-U by expenditure category for August 2026, not seasonally adjusted (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted)
Table 2. Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD, CPI-U by special aggregate index for August 2026, not seasonally adjusted (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted)
* * *
View original text plus charts and tables here: https://www.bls.gov/regions/mid-atlantic/news-release/2026/consumerpriceindex_baltimore_20260911.htm
* * *
Area prices were down 0.2 percent over the past two months, up 2.3 percent over the year
-
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for Baltimore-Columbia-Towson was down 0.2 percent from June to August, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported today. Regional Commissioner Lori Keller noted that the all items less food and energy index declined as ... Show Full Article PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania, Sept. 12 (TNSLrpt) -- Consumer Price Index, Baltimore-Columbia-Towson August 2026 - A report from U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics Mid-Atlantic Region - Sept. 11, 2026 * * * Area prices were down 0.2 percent over the past two months, up 2.3 percent over the year - The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for Baltimore-Columbia-Towson was down 0.2 percent from June to August, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported today. Regional Commissioner Lori Keller noted that the all items less food and energy index declined asdid the food index, while the energy index increased. (Data in this report are not seasonally adjusted. Accordingly, month-to-month changes may reflect the impact of seasonal influences.)
The Baltimore area all items CPI-U increased 2.3 percent for the 12 months ending in August. The index for all items less food and energy rose 1.4 percent, the energy index was up 16.8 percent, and the food index advanced 2.4 percent over the same period.
* * *
Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in CPI-U, Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD, August 2023-August 2026
* * *
Food
The food index decreased 0.2 percent for the two months ending in August. The index for food at home was unchanged as prices for the grocery categories were a mix of increases and decreases. The food away from home index decreased 0.5 percent for the same period.
The food index rose 2.4 percent over the year. The food at home index was up 3.5 percent as prices increased for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs (+2.7 percent); other food at home (+4.4 percent); and cereals and bakery products (+4.9 percent). The food away from home index advanced 0.7 percent.
Energy
The energy index increased 1.8 percent over the August two-month pricing period. Gasoline prices were up 3.7 percent.
The energy index rose 16.8 percent from August 2025 to August 2026. Over the year, the gasoline index advanced 26.6 percent.
All items less food and energy
The index for all items less food and energy was down 0.3 percent from June to August. Among the index's components, prices were lower for medical care (-5.2 percent), apparel (-2.2 percent) and recreation (-1.5 percent). In contrast, prices were higher for shelter (+0.6 percent) and education and communication (+1.4 percent).
The index for all items less food and energy advanced 1.4 percent over the year. The shelter index was up 2.6 percent, with increases in the owners' equivalent rent of residences (+3.5 percent) and rent of primary residence (+3.3 percent) indexes. Other price increases include other goods and services (+5.9 percent), education and communication (+3.3 percent), and new and used motor vehicles (+1.4 percent). In contrast, prices were lower for medical care (-3.1 percent).
* * *
The Consumer Price Index for October 2026 is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. (ET).
* * *
Technical Note
The Consumer Price Index (https://www.bls.gov/cpi) (CPI) is a measure of the average change in prices over time in a fixed market basket of goods and services. The Consumer Price Index for Baltimore is published bi-monthly. The set of components and sub-aggregates published for regional and metropolitan indexes is more limited than at the U.S. city average level; these indexes are byproducts of the national CPI program. Each local index has a much smaller sample size than the national or regional indexes and is, therefore, subject to substantially more sampling and other measurement error. As a result, local-area indexes are more volatile than the national or regional indexes. In addition, local indexes are not adjusted for seasonal influences. NOTE: Area indexes do not measure differences in the level of prices between cities; they only measure the average change in prices for each area since the base period.
The Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD, Core Based Statistical Area includes Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Harford, Howard, and Queen Anne's counties, as well as Baltimore City, in Maryland.
Refer to the national CPI news release technical note (https://www.bls.gov/cpi/technical-notes/) or the Handbook of Methods (https://www.bls.gov/opub/hom/cpi) for more information.
If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
* * *
Table 1. Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD, CPI-U by expenditure category for August 2026, not seasonally adjusted (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted)
Table 2. Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD, CPI-U by special aggregate index for August 2026, not seasonally adjusted (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted)
* * *
View original text plus charts and tables here: https://www.bls.gov/regions/mid-atlantic/news-release/2026/consumerpriceindex_baltimore_20260911.htm
BLS Issues Report on Consumer Price Index August 2026
WASHINGTON, Sept. 12 (TNSLrpt) -- Consumer Price Index August 2026 - A report from U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics - Sept. 11, 2026 (38 pages)
* * *
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.4 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis in August after rising 0.1 percent in July, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 3.4 percent before seasonal adjustment.
The index for gasoline rose 3.9 percent in August, accounting for over one third of the monthly all items increase. The index for ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Sept. 12 (TNSLrpt) -- Consumer Price Index August 2026 - A report from U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics - Sept. 11, 2026 (38 pages) * * * The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.4 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis in August after rising 0.1 percent in July, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 3.4 percent before seasonal adjustment. The index for gasoline rose 3.9 percent in August, accounting for over one third of the monthly all items increase. The index forenergy increased 2.1 percent over the month. The shelter index rose 0.3 percent in August after rising 0.1 percent in July. The index for food increased 0.1 percent over the month, as the index for food away from home increased 0.3 percent.
The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.3 percent after increasing 0.2 percent in July. Indexes that increased over the month include communication, lodging away from home, airline fares, education, and used cars and trucks. Conversely, the index for medical care and the index for motor vehicle insurance were among the major indexes that decreased in August.
The all items index rose 3.4 percent for the 12 months ending August as it did for the 12 months ending July. The all items less food and energy index rose 2.4 percent over the year, following a 2.5-percent increase over the 12 months ending July. The energy index increased 16.3 percent for the 12 months ending August. The food index increased 2.7 percent over the last year.
* * *
Chart 1. One-month percent change in CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), seasonally adjusted, Aug. 2025 - Aug. 2026
Chart 2. 12-month percent change in CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), not seasonally adjusted, Aug. 2025 - Aug. 2026
Table A. Percent changes in CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average
* * *
Food
The food index rose 0.1 percent in August, as it did in July. The index for food at home was unchanged over the month. Four of the six major grocery store food group indexes increased in August. The meats, poultry, fish, and eggs index increased 0.1 percent over the month, as the eggs index rose 2.9 percent. The index for other food at home also increased 0.1 percent in August. The nonalcoholic beverages index increased 0.2 percent over the month, and the dairy and related products index rose 0.3 percent. The index for cereals and bakery products was unchanged in August.
In contrast, the fruits and vegetables index declined 0.4 percent in August after falling in the preceding 2 months. The index for lettuce continued to fall, declining 6.2 percent in August after decreasing 16.4 percent in July.
The food away from home index rose 0.3 percent in August. The index for full service meals rose 0.4 percent, and the index for limited service meals was unchanged over the month.
The food at home index rose 2.2 percent over the 12 months ending in August. The index for other food at home increased 2.4 percent, and the index for fruits and vegetables rose 3.2 percent over the year. The nonalcoholic beverages index increased 3.7 percent over the 12 months ending in August, and the cereals and bakery products index rose 2.6 percent over the same period. The index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs increased 1.1 percent over the last 12 months. In contrast, the dairy and related products index fell 0.3 percent over the year.
The food away from home index rose 3.4 percent over the last year. The index for full service meals rose 3.5 percent, and the index for limited service meals rose 3.2 percent over the 12 months ending in August.
Energy
The index for energy increased 2.1 percent in August after falling 1.5 percent in July. The gasoline index increased 3.9 percent over the month. (Before seasonal adjustment, gasoline prices increased 2.5 percent in August.) Conversely, the index for natural gas decreased 1.1 percent in August, and the index for electricity fell 0.2 percent.
The index for energy increased 16.3 percent over the past 12 months due in large part to the index for gasoline rising 27.4 percent over the same period. The natural gas index increased 4.4 percent over the 12 months ending in August, and the electricity index rose 3.8 percent.
All items less food and energy
The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.3 percent in August after rising 0.2 percent in July. The shelter index increased 0.3 percent over the month after rising 0.1 percent in July. The index for owners' equivalent rent rose 0.2 percent in August as did the index for rent. The lodging away from home index rose 2.4 percent in August after falling 2.8 percent the previous month.
The index for communication increased 2.3 percent over the month after rising 0.6 percent in July. The airline fares index rose 2.7 percent in August, and the education index increased 0.8 percent. The index for used cars and trucks increased 0.4 percent in August, and the index for new vehicles rose 0.3 percent.
The personal care index and the household furnishings and operations index also increased over the month.
The medical care index decreased 0.2 percent in August after rising 0.4 percent in July. The index for dental services fell 0.6 percent over the month. The hospital services index, physicians' services index, and prescription drugs index were all unchanged in August.
The motor vehicle insurance index declined 0.8 percent in August after falling 0.3 percent in July. The index for apparel was unchanged in August as was the index for recreation.
The index for all items less food and energy rose 2.4 percent over the past 12 months. The shelter index increased 3.0 percent over the last year. Other indexes with notable increases over the last year include airline fares (+23.4 percent), recreation (+2.7 percent), medical care (+1.6 percent), and personal care (+3.8 percent).
Not seasonally adjusted CPI measures
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 3.4 percent over the last 12 months to an index level of 334.980 (1982-84=100). For the month, the index rose 0.3 percent prior to seasonal adjustment.
The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) increased 3.5 percent over the last 12 months to an index level of 328.481 (1982-84=100). For the month, the index increased 0.4 percent prior to seasonal adjustment.
The Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U) increased 3.3 percent over the last 12 months. For the month, the index increased 0.3 percent on a not seasonally adjusted basis. Please note that the indexes for the past 10 to 12 months are subject to revision.
* * *
The Consumer Price Index news release for September 2026 is scheduled to be published on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. (ET).
* * *
Technical Note
Brief Explanation of the CPI
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures the change in prices paid by consumers for goods and services. The CPI reflects spending patterns for each of two population groups: all urban consumers and urban wage earners and clerical workers. The all urban consumer group represents over 90 percent of the total U.S. population. It is based on the expenditures of almost all residents of urban or metropolitan areas, including professionals, the self-employed, the poor, the unemployed, and retired people, as well as urban wage earners and clerical workers. Not included in the CPI are the spending patterns of people living in rural nonmetropolitan areas, farming families, people in the Armed Forces, and those in institutions, such as prisons and mental hospitals. Consumer inflation for all urban consumers is measured by two indexes, namely, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) and the Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U).
The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) is based on the expenditures of households included in the CPI-U definition that meet two requirements: more than one-half of the household's income must come from clerical or wage occupations, and at least one of the household's earners must have been employed for at least 37 weeks during the previous 12 months. The CPI-W population represents approximately 30 percent of the total U.S. population and is a subset of the CPI-U population.
The CPIs are based on prices of food, clothing, shelter, fuels, transportation, doctors' and dentists' services, drugs, and other goods and services that people buy for day-to-day living. Prices are collected each month in 75 urban areas across the country from about 6,000 housing units and approximately 22,000 retail establishments (department stores, supermarkets, hospitals, and other types of stores and service establishments). All taxes directly associated with the purchase and use of items are included in the index. Prices of fuels and a few other items are obtained every month in all 75 locations. Prices of most other commodities and services are collected every month in the three largest geographic areas and every other month in other areas. Prices of most goods and services are obtained by personal visit, telephone call, web, or app collection by the Bureau's trained representatives.
In calculating the index, price changes for the various items in each location are aggregated using weights, which represent their importance in the spending of the appropriate population group. Local data are then combined to obtain a U.S. city average. For the CPI-U and CPI-W, separate indexes are also published by size of city, by region of the country, for cross-classifications of regions and population-size classes, and for 23 selected local areas. Area indexes do not measure differences in the level of prices among cities; they only measure the average change in prices for each area since the base period. For the C-CPI-U, data are issued only at the national level. The CPI-U and CPI-W are considered final when released, but the C-CPI-U is issued in preliminary form and subject to three subsequent quarterly revisions.
The index measures price change from a designed reference date. For most of the CPI-U and the CPI-W, the reference base is 1982-84 equals 100. The reference base for the C-CPI-U is December 1999 equals 100. An increase of 7 percent from the reference base, for example, is shown as 107.000. Alternatively, that relationship can also be expressed as the price of a base period market basket of goods and services rising from $100 to $107.
Sampling Error in the CPI
The CPI is a statistical estimate that is subject to sampling error because it is based upon a sample of retail prices and not the complete universe of all prices. BLS calculates and publishes estimates of the 1month, 2-month, 6-month, and 12-month percent change standard errors annually for the CPI-U. These standard error estimates can be used to construct confidence intervals for hypothesis testing. For example, the estimated standard error of the 1-month percent change is 0.04 percent for the U.S. all items CPI. This means that if we repeatedly sample from the universe of all retail prices using the same methodology, and estimate a percentage change for each sample, then 95 percent of these estimates will be within 0.08 percent of the 1-month percentage change based on all retail prices. For example, for a 1month change of 0.2 percent in the all items CPI-U, we are 95 percent confident that the actual percent change based on all retail prices would fall between 0.12 and 0.28 percent. For the latest data, including information on how to use the estimates of standard error, see www.bls.gov/cpi/tables/varianceestimates/home.htm.
Calculating Index Changes
Movements of the indexes from 1 month to another are usually expressed as percent changes rather than changes in index points, because index point changes are affected by the level of the index in relation to its base period, while percent changes are not. The following table shows an example of using index values to calculate percent changes:
Item A ... Item B ... Item C
Year I ... 112.500 ... 225.000 ... 110.000
Year II ... 121.500 ... 243.000 ... 128.000
Change in index points ... 9.000 ... 18.000 ... 18.000
Percent change ... 9.0/112.500 x 100 = 8.0 ... 18.0/225.000 x 100 = 8.0 ... 18.0/110.000 x 100 = 16.4
Use of Seasonally Adjusted and Unadjusted Data
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) program produces both unadjusted and seasonally adjusted data. Seasonally adjusted data are computed using seasonal factors derived by the X-13ARIMA-SEATS seasonal adjustment method. These factors are updated each February, and the new factors are used to revise the previous 5 years of seasonally adjusted data. The factors are available at www.bls.gov/web/cpi/cpi-seasonal-factors.xlsx. For more information on data revision scheduling, please see the Seasonal Adjustment questions and answers page at www.bls.gov/cpi/seasonaladjustment/questions-and-answers.htm and the Timeline of Seasonal Adjustment Methodological Changes at www.bls.gov/cpi/seasonal-adjustment/timeline-seasonal-adjustment-methodologychanges.htm.
How to Use Seasonally Adjusted and Unadjusted Data
For analyzing short-term price trends in the economy, seasonally adjusted changes are usually preferred since they eliminate the effect of changes that normally occur at the same time and in about the same magnitude every year--such as price movements resulting from weather events, production cycles, model changeovers, holidays, and sales. This allows data users to focus on changes that are not typical for the time of year.
The unadjusted data are of primary interest to consumers concerned about the prices they actually pay. Unadjusted data are also used extensively for escalation purposes. Many collective bargaining contract agreements and pension plans, for example, tie compensation changes to the Consumer Price Index before adjustment for seasonal variation. BLS advises against the use of seasonally adjusted data in escalation agreements because seasonally adjusted series are revised annually for five years.
Intervention Analysis
The Bureau of Labor Statistics uses intervention analysis seasonal adjustment (IASA) for some CPI series. Sometimes extreme values or sharp movements can distort the underlying seasonal pattern of price change. Intervention analysis seasonal adjustment is a process by which the distortions caused by such unusual events are estimated and removed from the data prior to calculation of seasonal factors. The resulting seasonal factors, which more accurately represent the seasonal pattern, are then applied to the unadjusted data.
For example, this procedure was used for the motor fuel series to offset the effects of the 2009 return to normal pricing after the worldwide economic downturn in 2008. Retaining this outlier data during seasonal factor calculation would distort the computation of the seasonal portion of the time series data for motor fuel, so it was estimated and removed from the data prior to seasonal adjustment. Following that, seasonal factors were calculated based on this "prior adjusted" data. These seasonal factors represent a clearer picture of the seasonal pattern in the data. The last step is for motor fuel seasonal factors to be applied to the unadjusted data.
For the seasonal factors introduced for January 2026, BLS adjusted 57 series using intervention analysis seasonal adjustment, including selected food and beverage items, motor fuels and vehicles.
Revision of Seasonally Adjusted Indexes
Seasonally adjusted data, including the U.S. city average all items index levels, are subject to revision for up to 5 years after their original release. Every year, economists in the CPI calculate new seasonal factors for seasonally adjusted series and apply them to the last 5 years of data. Seasonally adjusted indexes beyond the last 5 years of data are considered to be final and not subject to revision. For January 2026, revised seasonal factors and seasonally adjusted indexes for 2021 to 2025 were calculated and published. For series which are directly adjusted using the Census X-13ARIMA-SEATS seasonal adjustment software, the seasonal factors for 2025 will be applied to data for 2026 to produce the seasonally adjusted 2026 indexes. Series which are indirectly seasonally adjusted by summing seasonally adjusted component series have seasonal factors which are derived and are therefore not available in advance.
Determining Seasonal Status
Each year the seasonal status of every series is reevaluated based upon certain statistical criteria. Using these criteria, BLS economists determine whether a series should change its status from "not seasonally adjusted" to "seasonally adjusted", or vice versa. If any of the 81 components of the U.S. city average all items index change their seasonal adjustment status from seasonally adjusted to not seasonally adjusted, not seasonally adjusted data will be used in the aggregation of the dependent series for the last 5 years, but the seasonally adjusted indexes before that period will not be changed. For 2026, 36 of the 81 components of the U.S. city average all items index are not seasonally adjusted.
Contact Information
For additional information about the CPI visit www.bls.gov/cpi or contact the CPI Information and Analysis Section at 202-691-7000 or cpi_info@bls.gov.
For additional information on seasonal adjustment in the CPI visit www.bls.gov/cpi/seasonaladjustment/home.htm If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
* * *
Table 1. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category, August 2026
Table 2. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by detailed expenditure category, August 2026
Table 2. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by detailed expenditure category, August 2026 -- Continued
Table 2. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by detailed expenditure category, August 2026 -- Continued
Table 2. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by detailed expenditure category, August 2026 -- Continued
Table 2. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by detailed expenditure category, August 2026 -- Continued
Table 2. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by detailed expenditure category, August 2026 -- Continued
Table 2. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by detailed expenditure category, August 2026 -- Continued
Table 3. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, special aggregate indexes, August 2026
Table 4. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): Selected areas, all items index, August 2026
Table 5. Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U) and the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, all items index, August 2026
Table 6. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category, August 2026, 1-month analysis table
Table 6. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category, August 2026, 1-month analysis table -- Continued
Table 6. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category, August 2026, 1-month analysis table -- Continued
Table 6. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category, August 2026, 1-month analysis table -- Continued
Table 6. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category, August 2026, 1-month analysis table -- Continued
Table 6. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category, August 2026, 1-month analysis table -- Continued
Table 6. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category, August 2026, 1-month analysis table -- Continued
Table 6. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category, August 2026, 1-month analysis table -- Continued
Table 7. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category, August 2026, 12-month analysis table
Table 7. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category, August 2026, 12-month analysis table -- Continued
Table 7. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category, August 2026, 12-month analysis table -- Continued
Table 7. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category, August 2026, 12-month analysis table -- Continued
Table 7. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category, August 2026, 12-month analysis table -- Continued
Table 7. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category, August 2026, 12-month analysis table -- Continued
Table 7. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category, August 2026, 12-month analysis table -- Continued
Table 7. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category, August 2026, 12-month analysis table -- Continued
* * *
View original text plus charts and tables here: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/cpi.pdf
* * *
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.4 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis in August after rising 0.1 percent in July, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 3.4 percent before seasonal adjustment.
The index for gasoline rose 3.9 percent in August, accounting for over one third of the monthly all items increase. The index for ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Sept. 12 (TNSLrpt) -- Consumer Price Index August 2026 - A report from U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics - Sept. 11, 2026 (38 pages) * * * The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.4 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis in August after rising 0.1 percent in July, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 3.4 percent before seasonal adjustment. The index for gasoline rose 3.9 percent in August, accounting for over one third of the monthly all items increase. The index forenergy increased 2.1 percent over the month. The shelter index rose 0.3 percent in August after rising 0.1 percent in July. The index for food increased 0.1 percent over the month, as the index for food away from home increased 0.3 percent.
The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.3 percent after increasing 0.2 percent in July. Indexes that increased over the month include communication, lodging away from home, airline fares, education, and used cars and trucks. Conversely, the index for medical care and the index for motor vehicle insurance were among the major indexes that decreased in August.
The all items index rose 3.4 percent for the 12 months ending August as it did for the 12 months ending July. The all items less food and energy index rose 2.4 percent over the year, following a 2.5-percent increase over the 12 months ending July. The energy index increased 16.3 percent for the 12 months ending August. The food index increased 2.7 percent over the last year.
* * *
Chart 1. One-month percent change in CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), seasonally adjusted, Aug. 2025 - Aug. 2026
Chart 2. 12-month percent change in CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), not seasonally adjusted, Aug. 2025 - Aug. 2026
Table A. Percent changes in CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average
* * *
Food
The food index rose 0.1 percent in August, as it did in July. The index for food at home was unchanged over the month. Four of the six major grocery store food group indexes increased in August. The meats, poultry, fish, and eggs index increased 0.1 percent over the month, as the eggs index rose 2.9 percent. The index for other food at home also increased 0.1 percent in August. The nonalcoholic beverages index increased 0.2 percent over the month, and the dairy and related products index rose 0.3 percent. The index for cereals and bakery products was unchanged in August.
In contrast, the fruits and vegetables index declined 0.4 percent in August after falling in the preceding 2 months. The index for lettuce continued to fall, declining 6.2 percent in August after decreasing 16.4 percent in July.
The food away from home index rose 0.3 percent in August. The index for full service meals rose 0.4 percent, and the index for limited service meals was unchanged over the month.
The food at home index rose 2.2 percent over the 12 months ending in August. The index for other food at home increased 2.4 percent, and the index for fruits and vegetables rose 3.2 percent over the year. The nonalcoholic beverages index increased 3.7 percent over the 12 months ending in August, and the cereals and bakery products index rose 2.6 percent over the same period. The index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs increased 1.1 percent over the last 12 months. In contrast, the dairy and related products index fell 0.3 percent over the year.
The food away from home index rose 3.4 percent over the last year. The index for full service meals rose 3.5 percent, and the index for limited service meals rose 3.2 percent over the 12 months ending in August.
Energy
The index for energy increased 2.1 percent in August after falling 1.5 percent in July. The gasoline index increased 3.9 percent over the month. (Before seasonal adjustment, gasoline prices increased 2.5 percent in August.) Conversely, the index for natural gas decreased 1.1 percent in August, and the index for electricity fell 0.2 percent.
The index for energy increased 16.3 percent over the past 12 months due in large part to the index for gasoline rising 27.4 percent over the same period. The natural gas index increased 4.4 percent over the 12 months ending in August, and the electricity index rose 3.8 percent.
All items less food and energy
The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.3 percent in August after rising 0.2 percent in July. The shelter index increased 0.3 percent over the month after rising 0.1 percent in July. The index for owners' equivalent rent rose 0.2 percent in August as did the index for rent. The lodging away from home index rose 2.4 percent in August after falling 2.8 percent the previous month.
The index for communication increased 2.3 percent over the month after rising 0.6 percent in July. The airline fares index rose 2.7 percent in August, and the education index increased 0.8 percent. The index for used cars and trucks increased 0.4 percent in August, and the index for new vehicles rose 0.3 percent.
The personal care index and the household furnishings and operations index also increased over the month.
The medical care index decreased 0.2 percent in August after rising 0.4 percent in July. The index for dental services fell 0.6 percent over the month. The hospital services index, physicians' services index, and prescription drugs index were all unchanged in August.
The motor vehicle insurance index declined 0.8 percent in August after falling 0.3 percent in July. The index for apparel was unchanged in August as was the index for recreation.
The index for all items less food and energy rose 2.4 percent over the past 12 months. The shelter index increased 3.0 percent over the last year. Other indexes with notable increases over the last year include airline fares (+23.4 percent), recreation (+2.7 percent), medical care (+1.6 percent), and personal care (+3.8 percent).
Not seasonally adjusted CPI measures
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 3.4 percent over the last 12 months to an index level of 334.980 (1982-84=100). For the month, the index rose 0.3 percent prior to seasonal adjustment.
The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) increased 3.5 percent over the last 12 months to an index level of 328.481 (1982-84=100). For the month, the index increased 0.4 percent prior to seasonal adjustment.
The Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U) increased 3.3 percent over the last 12 months. For the month, the index increased 0.3 percent on a not seasonally adjusted basis. Please note that the indexes for the past 10 to 12 months are subject to revision.
* * *
The Consumer Price Index news release for September 2026 is scheduled to be published on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. (ET).
* * *
Technical Note
Brief Explanation of the CPI
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures the change in prices paid by consumers for goods and services. The CPI reflects spending patterns for each of two population groups: all urban consumers and urban wage earners and clerical workers. The all urban consumer group represents over 90 percent of the total U.S. population. It is based on the expenditures of almost all residents of urban or metropolitan areas, including professionals, the self-employed, the poor, the unemployed, and retired people, as well as urban wage earners and clerical workers. Not included in the CPI are the spending patterns of people living in rural nonmetropolitan areas, farming families, people in the Armed Forces, and those in institutions, such as prisons and mental hospitals. Consumer inflation for all urban consumers is measured by two indexes, namely, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) and the Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U).
The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) is based on the expenditures of households included in the CPI-U definition that meet two requirements: more than one-half of the household's income must come from clerical or wage occupations, and at least one of the household's earners must have been employed for at least 37 weeks during the previous 12 months. The CPI-W population represents approximately 30 percent of the total U.S. population and is a subset of the CPI-U population.
The CPIs are based on prices of food, clothing, shelter, fuels, transportation, doctors' and dentists' services, drugs, and other goods and services that people buy for day-to-day living. Prices are collected each month in 75 urban areas across the country from about 6,000 housing units and approximately 22,000 retail establishments (department stores, supermarkets, hospitals, and other types of stores and service establishments). All taxes directly associated with the purchase and use of items are included in the index. Prices of fuels and a few other items are obtained every month in all 75 locations. Prices of most other commodities and services are collected every month in the three largest geographic areas and every other month in other areas. Prices of most goods and services are obtained by personal visit, telephone call, web, or app collection by the Bureau's trained representatives.
In calculating the index, price changes for the various items in each location are aggregated using weights, which represent their importance in the spending of the appropriate population group. Local data are then combined to obtain a U.S. city average. For the CPI-U and CPI-W, separate indexes are also published by size of city, by region of the country, for cross-classifications of regions and population-size classes, and for 23 selected local areas. Area indexes do not measure differences in the level of prices among cities; they only measure the average change in prices for each area since the base period. For the C-CPI-U, data are issued only at the national level. The CPI-U and CPI-W are considered final when released, but the C-CPI-U is issued in preliminary form and subject to three subsequent quarterly revisions.
The index measures price change from a designed reference date. For most of the CPI-U and the CPI-W, the reference base is 1982-84 equals 100. The reference base for the C-CPI-U is December 1999 equals 100. An increase of 7 percent from the reference base, for example, is shown as 107.000. Alternatively, that relationship can also be expressed as the price of a base period market basket of goods and services rising from $100 to $107.
Sampling Error in the CPI
The CPI is a statistical estimate that is subject to sampling error because it is based upon a sample of retail prices and not the complete universe of all prices. BLS calculates and publishes estimates of the 1month, 2-month, 6-month, and 12-month percent change standard errors annually for the CPI-U. These standard error estimates can be used to construct confidence intervals for hypothesis testing. For example, the estimated standard error of the 1-month percent change is 0.04 percent for the U.S. all items CPI. This means that if we repeatedly sample from the universe of all retail prices using the same methodology, and estimate a percentage change for each sample, then 95 percent of these estimates will be within 0.08 percent of the 1-month percentage change based on all retail prices. For example, for a 1month change of 0.2 percent in the all items CPI-U, we are 95 percent confident that the actual percent change based on all retail prices would fall between 0.12 and 0.28 percent. For the latest data, including information on how to use the estimates of standard error, see www.bls.gov/cpi/tables/varianceestimates/home.htm.
Calculating Index Changes
Movements of the indexes from 1 month to another are usually expressed as percent changes rather than changes in index points, because index point changes are affected by the level of the index in relation to its base period, while percent changes are not. The following table shows an example of using index values to calculate percent changes:
Item A ... Item B ... Item C
Year I ... 112.500 ... 225.000 ... 110.000
Year II ... 121.500 ... 243.000 ... 128.000
Change in index points ... 9.000 ... 18.000 ... 18.000
Percent change ... 9.0/112.500 x 100 = 8.0 ... 18.0/225.000 x 100 = 8.0 ... 18.0/110.000 x 100 = 16.4
Use of Seasonally Adjusted and Unadjusted Data
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) program produces both unadjusted and seasonally adjusted data. Seasonally adjusted data are computed using seasonal factors derived by the X-13ARIMA-SEATS seasonal adjustment method. These factors are updated each February, and the new factors are used to revise the previous 5 years of seasonally adjusted data. The factors are available at www.bls.gov/web/cpi/cpi-seasonal-factors.xlsx. For more information on data revision scheduling, please see the Seasonal Adjustment questions and answers page at www.bls.gov/cpi/seasonaladjustment/questions-and-answers.htm and the Timeline of Seasonal Adjustment Methodological Changes at www.bls.gov/cpi/seasonal-adjustment/timeline-seasonal-adjustment-methodologychanges.htm.
How to Use Seasonally Adjusted and Unadjusted Data
For analyzing short-term price trends in the economy, seasonally adjusted changes are usually preferred since they eliminate the effect of changes that normally occur at the same time and in about the same magnitude every year--such as price movements resulting from weather events, production cycles, model changeovers, holidays, and sales. This allows data users to focus on changes that are not typical for the time of year.
The unadjusted data are of primary interest to consumers concerned about the prices they actually pay. Unadjusted data are also used extensively for escalation purposes. Many collective bargaining contract agreements and pension plans, for example, tie compensation changes to the Consumer Price Index before adjustment for seasonal variation. BLS advises against the use of seasonally adjusted data in escalation agreements because seasonally adjusted series are revised annually for five years.
Intervention Analysis
The Bureau of Labor Statistics uses intervention analysis seasonal adjustment (IASA) for some CPI series. Sometimes extreme values or sharp movements can distort the underlying seasonal pattern of price change. Intervention analysis seasonal adjustment is a process by which the distortions caused by such unusual events are estimated and removed from the data prior to calculation of seasonal factors. The resulting seasonal factors, which more accurately represent the seasonal pattern, are then applied to the unadjusted data.
For example, this procedure was used for the motor fuel series to offset the effects of the 2009 return to normal pricing after the worldwide economic downturn in 2008. Retaining this outlier data during seasonal factor calculation would distort the computation of the seasonal portion of the time series data for motor fuel, so it was estimated and removed from the data prior to seasonal adjustment. Following that, seasonal factors were calculated based on this "prior adjusted" data. These seasonal factors represent a clearer picture of the seasonal pattern in the data. The last step is for motor fuel seasonal factors to be applied to the unadjusted data.
For the seasonal factors introduced for January 2026, BLS adjusted 57 series using intervention analysis seasonal adjustment, including selected food and beverage items, motor fuels and vehicles.
Revision of Seasonally Adjusted Indexes
Seasonally adjusted data, including the U.S. city average all items index levels, are subject to revision for up to 5 years after their original release. Every year, economists in the CPI calculate new seasonal factors for seasonally adjusted series and apply them to the last 5 years of data. Seasonally adjusted indexes beyond the last 5 years of data are considered to be final and not subject to revision. For January 2026, revised seasonal factors and seasonally adjusted indexes for 2021 to 2025 were calculated and published. For series which are directly adjusted using the Census X-13ARIMA-SEATS seasonal adjustment software, the seasonal factors for 2025 will be applied to data for 2026 to produce the seasonally adjusted 2026 indexes. Series which are indirectly seasonally adjusted by summing seasonally adjusted component series have seasonal factors which are derived and are therefore not available in advance.
Determining Seasonal Status
Each year the seasonal status of every series is reevaluated based upon certain statistical criteria. Using these criteria, BLS economists determine whether a series should change its status from "not seasonally adjusted" to "seasonally adjusted", or vice versa. If any of the 81 components of the U.S. city average all items index change their seasonal adjustment status from seasonally adjusted to not seasonally adjusted, not seasonally adjusted data will be used in the aggregation of the dependent series for the last 5 years, but the seasonally adjusted indexes before that period will not be changed. For 2026, 36 of the 81 components of the U.S. city average all items index are not seasonally adjusted.
Contact Information
For additional information about the CPI visit www.bls.gov/cpi or contact the CPI Information and Analysis Section at 202-691-7000 or cpi_info@bls.gov.
For additional information on seasonal adjustment in the CPI visit www.bls.gov/cpi/seasonaladjustment/home.htm If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
* * *
Table 1. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category, August 2026
Table 2. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by detailed expenditure category, August 2026
Table 2. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by detailed expenditure category, August 2026 -- Continued
Table 2. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by detailed expenditure category, August 2026 -- Continued
Table 2. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by detailed expenditure category, August 2026 -- Continued
Table 2. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by detailed expenditure category, August 2026 -- Continued
Table 2. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by detailed expenditure category, August 2026 -- Continued
Table 2. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by detailed expenditure category, August 2026 -- Continued
Table 3. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, special aggregate indexes, August 2026
Table 4. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): Selected areas, all items index, August 2026
Table 5. Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U) and the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, all items index, August 2026
Table 6. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category, August 2026, 1-month analysis table
Table 6. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category, August 2026, 1-month analysis table -- Continued
Table 6. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category, August 2026, 1-month analysis table -- Continued
Table 6. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category, August 2026, 1-month analysis table -- Continued
Table 6. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category, August 2026, 1-month analysis table -- Continued
Table 6. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category, August 2026, 1-month analysis table -- Continued
Table 6. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category, August 2026, 1-month analysis table -- Continued
Table 6. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category, August 2026, 1-month analysis table -- Continued
Table 7. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category, August 2026, 12-month analysis table
Table 7. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category, August 2026, 12-month analysis table -- Continued
Table 7. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category, August 2026, 12-month analysis table -- Continued
Table 7. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category, August 2026, 12-month analysis table -- Continued
Table 7. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category, August 2026, 12-month analysis table -- Continued
Table 7. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category, August 2026, 12-month analysis table -- Continued
Table 7. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category, August 2026, 12-month analysis table -- Continued
Table 7. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category, August 2026, 12-month analysis table -- Continued
* * *
View original text plus charts and tables here: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/cpi.pdf