CPI release
CPI report: November 2021
Consumer prices rose 6.8% in the 12 months through November 2021, up from 6.2% in October. Core inflation, which excludes food and energy, ran 4.9%. The CPI-U index stood at 277.948, a 0.5% change from the prior month (not seasonally adjusted).
The numbers
| Headline inflation (12-month) | 6.8% |
|---|---|
| Core inflation (12-month) | 4.9% |
| CPI-U index level | 277.948 |
| Change vs. prior month (NSA) | 0.5% |
What moved: inflation by category
Over the twelve months ending November 2021, prices rose fastest in gasoline (all types) (58.1%), energy (33.3%), used cars and trucks (31.4%), while airline fares prices fell (-3.7%).
| Category | 12-month rate | vs. prior month (NSA) |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline (all types) | 58.1% | 2.8% |
| Energy | 33.3% | 1.5% |
| Used cars and trucks | 31.4% | 2.6% |
| Utility (piped) gas service | 25.1% | 1.6% |
| Transportation | 21.1% | 1.9% |
| New vehicles | 11.1% | 1.2% |
| Electricity | 6.5% | -0.9% |
| Food at home | 6.4% | 0.3% |
| Food | 6.1% | 0.5% |
| Food away from home | 5.8% | 0.6% |
| Motor vehicle insurance | 5.7% | 0.7% |
| Apparel | 5.0% | -1.6% |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 4.9% | 0.4% |
| Housing | 4.8% | 0.3% |
| Shelter | 3.8% | 0.4% |
| Owners' equivalent rent | 3.5% | 0.5% |
| Recreation | 3.2% | -0.3% |
| Rent of primary residence | 3.0% | 0.5% |
| College tuition and fees | 1.9% | 0.0% |
| Medical care | 1.7% | 0.2% |
| Education & communication | 1.7% | -0.1% |
| Prescription drugs | -0.3% | 0.1% |
| Airline fares | -3.7% | 4.4% |
Recent months
| Month | CPI-U | 12-month rate |
|---|---|---|
| November 2021 | 277.948 | 6.8% |
| October 2021 | 276.589 | 6.2% |
| September 2021 | 274.31 | 5.4% |
| August 2021 | 273.567 | 5.3% |
| July 2021 | 273.003 | 5.4% |
| June 2021 | 271.696 | 5.4% |
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.