CPI release
CPI report: December 2024
Consumer prices rose 2.9% in the 12 months through December 2024, up from 2.7% in November. Core inflation, which excludes food and energy, ran 3.2%. The CPI-U index stood at 315.605, a 0.0% change from the prior month (not seasonally adjusted).
The numbers
| Headline inflation (12-month) | 2.9% |
|---|---|
| Core inflation (12-month) | 3.2% |
| CPI-U index level | 315.605 |
| Change vs. prior month (NSA) | 0.0% |
What moved: inflation by category
Over the twelve months ending December 2024, prices rose fastest in motor vehicle insurance (11.3%), airline fares (7.9%), utility (piped) gas service (4.9%), while gasoline (all types) prices fell (-3.4%).
| Category | 12-month rate | vs. prior month (NSA) |
|---|---|---|
| Motor vehicle insurance | 11.3% | 0.3% |
| Airline fares | 7.9% | -2.5% |
| Utility (piped) gas service | 4.9% | 2.6% |
| Owners' equivalent rent | 4.8% | 0.3% |
| Shelter | 4.6% | 0.2% |
| Rent of primary residence | 4.3% | 0.4% |
| Housing | 4.1% | 0.2% |
| Food away from home | 3.6% | 0.3% |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 3.2% | 0.0% |
| Medical care | 2.8% | 0.1% |
| Electricity | 2.8% | 0.3% |
| College tuition and fees | 2.6% | 0.0% |
| Food | 2.5% | 0.2% |
| Food at home | 1.8% | 0.1% |
| Transportation | 1.6% | -0.3% |
| Apparel | 1.2% | -1.7% |
| Recreation | 1.1% | 0.0% |
| Prescription drugs | 1.1% | 0.0% |
| Education & communication | 0.6% | -0.1% |
| New vehicles | -0.4% | 0.0% |
| Energy | -0.5% | -0.1% |
| Used cars and trucks | -3.3% | 0.2% |
| Gasoline (all types) | -3.4% | -1.1% |
Recent months
| Month | CPI-U | 12-month rate |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 315.605 | 2.9% |
| November 2024 | 315.493 | 2.7% |
| October 2024 | 315.664 | 2.6% |
| September 2024 | 315.301 | 2.4% |
| August 2024 | 314.796 | 2.5% |
| July 2024 | 314.54 | 2.9% |
Put it in context
- The current inflation rate, to check whether this is still the latest reading
- What 2023 dollars are worth in 2024, 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.