CPI release
CPI report: March 2025
Consumer prices rose 2.4% in the 12 months through March 2025, down from 2.8% in February. Core inflation, which excludes food and energy, ran 2.8%. The CPI-U index stood at 319.799, a 0.2% change from the prior month (not seasonally adjusted).
The numbers
| Headline inflation (12-month) | 2.4% |
|---|---|
| Core inflation (12-month) | 2.8% |
| CPI-U index level | 319.799 |
| Change vs. prior month (NSA) | 0.2% |
What moved: inflation by category
Over the twelve months ending March 2025, prices rose fastest in utility (piped) gas service (9.4%), motor vehicle insurance (7.5%), owners' equivalent rent (4.4%), while gasoline (all types) prices fell (-9.8%).
| Category | 12-month rate | vs. prior month (NSA) |
|---|---|---|
| Utility (piped) gas service | 9.4% | 0.7% |
| Motor vehicle insurance | 7.5% | -0.6% |
| Owners' equivalent rent | 4.4% | 0.3% |
| Rent of primary residence | 4.0% | 0.3% |
| Shelter | 4.0% | 0.3% |
| Food away from home | 3.8% | 0.4% |
| Housing | 3.7% | 0.3% |
| Food | 3.0% | 0.4% |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 2.8% | 0.2% |
| Electricity | 2.8% | 1.0% |
| Medical care | 2.6% | 0.2% |
| Food at home | 2.4% | 0.5% |
| College tuition and fees | 2.3% | 0.1% |
| Prescription drugs | 2.1% | -2.0% |
| Recreation | 1.9% | -0.0% |
| Used cars and trucks | 0.6% | 0.3% |
| Education & communication | 0.5% | 0.1% |
| Apparel | 0.3% | 1.0% |
| New vehicles | -0.0% | 0.1% |
| Transportation | -0.9% | -0.4% |
| Energy | -3.3% | -0.0% |
| Airline fares | -5.2% | -3.6% |
| Gasoline (all types) | -9.8% | -0.9% |
Recent months
| Month | CPI-U | 12-month rate |
|---|---|---|
| March 2025 | 319.799 | 2.4% |
| February 2025 | 319.082 | 2.8% |
| January 2025 | 317.671 | 3.0% |
| December 2024 | 315.605 | 2.9% |
| November 2024 | 315.493 | 2.7% |
| October 2024 | 315.664 | 2.6% |
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.