CPI release
CPI report: April 2023
Consumer prices rose 4.9% in the 12 months through April 2023, down from 5.0% in March. Core inflation, which excludes food and energy, ran 5.5%. The CPI-U index stood at 303.363, a 0.5% change from the prior month (not seasonally adjusted).
The numbers
| Headline inflation (12-month) | 4.9% |
|---|---|
| Core inflation (12-month) | 5.5% |
| CPI-U index level | 303.363 |
| Change vs. prior month (NSA) | 0.5% |
What moved: inflation by category
Over the twelve months ending April 2023, prices rose fastest in motor vehicle insurance (15.5%), rent of primary residence (8.8%), food away from home (8.6%), while gasoline (all types) prices fell (-12.2%).
| Category | 12-month rate | vs. prior month (NSA) |
|---|---|---|
| Motor vehicle insurance | 15.5% | 1.0% |
| Rent of primary residence | 8.8% | 0.5% |
| Food away from home | 8.6% | 0.4% |
| Electricity | 8.4% | -0.7% |
| Owners' equivalent rent | 8.1% | 0.5% |
| Shelter | 8.1% | 0.4% |
| Food | 7.7% | 0.2% |
| Housing | 7.5% | 0.2% |
| Food at home | 7.1% | 0.1% |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 5.5% | 0.5% |
| New vehicles | 5.4% | 0.3% |
| Recreation | 5.0% | 0.5% |
| Apparel | 3.6% | -1.0% |
| Prescription drugs | 2.9% | 0.3% |
| College tuition and fees | 2.3% | 0.0% |
| Education & communication | 1.6% | -0.0% |
| Medical care | 1.1% | -0.1% |
| Transportation | 0.2% | 2.1% |
| Airline fares | -0.9% | 2.7% |
| Utility (piped) gas service | -2.1% | -5.1% |
| Energy | -5.1% | 1.5% |
| Used cars and trucks | -6.6% | 4.5% |
| Gasoline (all types) | -12.2% | 5.2% |
Recent months
| Month | CPI-U | 12-month rate |
|---|---|---|
| April 2023 | 303.363 | 4.9% |
| March 2023 | 301.836 | 5.0% |
| February 2023 | 300.84 | 6.0% |
| January 2023 | 299.17 | 6.4% |
| December 2022 | 296.797 | 6.5% |
| November 2022 | 297.711 | 7.1% |
Put it in context
- The current inflation rate, to check whether this is still the latest reading
- What 2022 dollars are worth in 2023, the year-over-year conversion
- How the BLS turns 80,000 prices into this number
- How to read a CPI report, headline vs. core and what moves after release day
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI-U, not seasonally adjusted (official CPI news releases). Category series are listed on the data sources page. See the methodology.