CPI release
CPI report: July 2026
Consumer prices rose 3.4% in the 12 months through July 2026, down from 3.5% in June. Core inflation, which excludes food and energy, ran 2.5%. The CPI-U index stood at 333.918, a -0.0% change from the prior month (not seasonally adjusted).
The numbers
| Headline inflation (12-month) | 3.4% |
|---|---|
| Core inflation (12-month) | 2.5% |
| CPI-U index level | 333.918 |
| Change vs. prior month (NSA) | -0.0% |
What moved: inflation by category
Over the twelve months ending July 2026, prices rose fastest in airline fares (25.5%), gasoline (all types) (24.6%), energy (14.7%), while motor vehicle insurance prices fell (-4.5%).
| Category | 12-month rate | vs. prior month (NSA) |
|---|---|---|
| Airline fares | 25.5% | -3.9% |
| Gasoline (all types) | 24.6% | -2.1% |
| Energy | 14.7% | -1.2% |
| Transportation | 5.8% | -0.6% |
| Utility (piped) gas service | 4.3% | 0.5% |
| Electricity | 4.2% | -0.0% |
| Apparel | 3.9% | -1.3% |
| Food away from home | 3.4% | 0.3% |
| Housing | 3.3% | 0.1% |
| Owners' equivalent rent | 3.2% | 0.3% |
| Shelter | 3.2% | 0.1% |
| Food | 3.0% | 0.1% |
| Rent of primary residence | 2.9% | 0.2% |
| Food at home | 2.7% | 0.0% |
| Recreation | 2.6% | 0.2% |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 2.5% | 0.1% |
| College tuition and fees | 2.2% | 0.8% |
| Medical care | 1.7% | 0.2% |
| Education & communication | 0.5% | 0.7% |
| New vehicles | 0.5% | 0.1% |
| Used cars and trucks | -1.9% | 0.7% |
| Prescription drugs | -3.1% | -0.8% |
| Motor vehicle insurance | -4.5% | -0.3% |
Recent months
| Month | CPI-U | 12-month rate |
|---|---|---|
| July 2026 | 333.918 | 3.4% |
| June 2026 | 333.952 | 3.5% |
| May 2026 | 335.123 | 4.2% |
| April 2026 | 333.02 | 3.8% |
| March 2026 | 330.213 | 3.3% |
| February 2026 | 326.785 | 2.4% |
Put it in context
- The current inflation rate, to check whether this is still the latest reading
- What 2025 dollars are worth in 2026, 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.