CPI release
CPI report: June 2021
Consumer prices rose 5.4% in the 12 months through June 2021, up from 5.0% in May. Core inflation, which excludes food and energy, ran 4.5%. The CPI-U index stood at 271.696, a 0.9% change from the prior month (not seasonally adjusted).
The numbers
| Headline inflation (12-month) | 5.4% |
|---|---|
| Core inflation (12-month) | 4.5% |
| CPI-U index level | 271.696 |
| Change vs. prior month (NSA) | 0.9% |
What moved: inflation by category
Over the twelve months ending June 2021, prices rose fastest in used cars and trucks (45.2%), gasoline (all types) (45.1%), airline fares (24.6%), while prescription drugs prices fell (-2.5%).
| Category | 12-month rate | vs. prior month (NSA) |
|---|---|---|
| Used cars and trucks | 45.2% | 10.8% |
| Gasoline (all types) | 45.1% | 2.2% |
| Airline fares | 24.6% | 2.6% |
| Energy | 24.5% | 2.3% |
| Transportation | 21.5% | 3.5% |
| Utility (piped) gas service | 15.6% | 1.8% |
| Motor vehicle insurance | 11.3% | 0.1% |
| New vehicles | 5.3% | 1.8% |
| Apparel | 4.9% | -0.5% |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 4.5% | 0.8% |
| Food away from home | 4.2% | 0.7% |
| Electricity | 3.8% | 2.5% |
| Housing | 3.1% | 0.6% |
| Shelter | 2.6% | 0.5% |
| Food | 2.4% | 0.7% |
| Recreation | 2.4% | 0.1% |
| Owners' equivalent rent | 2.3% | 0.3% |
| Education & communication | 2.1% | 0.1% |
| Rent of primary residence | 1.9% | 0.2% |
| Food at home | 0.9% | 0.7% |
| Medical care | 0.4% | -0.2% |
| College tuition and fees | 0.4% | 0.2% |
| Prescription drugs | -2.5% | -0.4% |
Recent months
| Month | CPI-U | 12-month rate |
|---|---|---|
| June 2021 | 271.696 | 5.4% |
| May 2021 | 269.195 | 5.0% |
| April 2021 | 267.054 | 4.2% |
| March 2021 | 264.877 | 2.6% |
| February 2021 | 263.014 | 1.7% |
| January 2021 | 261.582 | 1.4% |
Put it in context
- The current inflation rate, to check whether this is still the latest reading
- What 2020 dollars are worth in 2021, the year-over-year conversion
- Inflation in 2021, the full year in review
- 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.