CPI release
CPI report: August 2025
Consumer prices rose 2.9% in the 12 months through August 2025, up from 2.7% in July. Core inflation, which excludes food and energy, ran 3.1%. The CPI-U index stood at 323.976, a 0.3% change from the prior month (not seasonally adjusted).
The numbers
| Headline inflation (12-month) | 2.9% |
|---|---|
| Core inflation (12-month) | 3.1% |
| CPI-U index level | 323.976 |
| Change vs. prior month (NSA) | 0.3% |
What moved: inflation by category
Over the twelve months ending August 2025, prices rose fastest in utility (piped) gas service (13.8%), electricity (6.2%), used cars and trucks (6.0%), while gasoline (all types) prices fell (-6.6%).
| Category | 12-month rate | vs. prior month (NSA) |
|---|---|---|
| Utility (piped) gas service | 13.8% | -1.0% |
| Electricity | 6.2% | -0.1% |
| Used cars and trucks | 6.0% | 0.4% |
| Motor vehicle insurance | 4.7% | -0.2% |
| Owners' equivalent rent | 4.0% | 0.4% |
| Housing | 4.0% | 0.3% |
| Food away from home | 3.9% | 0.3% |
| Shelter | 3.6% | 0.4% |
| Rent of primary residence | 3.5% | 0.3% |
| Medical care | 3.4% | 0.0% |
| Airline fares | 3.3% | 1.3% |
| Food | 3.2% | 0.4% |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 3.1% | 0.3% |
| Food at home | 2.7% | 0.4% |
| Recreation | 2.3% | -0.1% |
| College tuition and fees | 2.2% | 0.7% |
| Transportation | 0.9% | 0.2% |
| Prescription drugs | 0.9% | -0.2% |
| New vehicles | 0.7% | 0.1% |
| Education & communication | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Apparel | 0.2% | 2.2% |
| Energy | 0.2% | -0.1% |
| Gasoline (all types) | -6.6% | 0.3% |
Recent months
| Month | CPI-U | 12-month rate |
|---|---|---|
| August 2025 | 323.976 | 2.9% |
| July 2025 | 323.048 | 2.7% |
| June 2025 | 322.561 | 2.7% |
| May 2025 | 321.465 | 2.4% |
| April 2025 | 320.795 | 2.3% |
| March 2025 | 319.799 | 2.4% |
Put it in context
- The current inflation rate, to check whether this is still the latest reading
- What 2024 dollars are worth in 2025, 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.