CPI Inflation Rate
Year-over-year percent change in CPI-U — the number quoted in headlines
CPI inflation was 2.4% year-over-year in January 2026 — the number you see in the headlines.
Then
2019
1.8%
Now
2026
2.4%
Change
2019–2026
+0.6 pts
↑ Rising
CPI Inflation Rate: 2015–2026
Year-over-year percent change in CPI-U — the number quoted in headlines
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics (FRED CPIAUCSL, YoY % change)keepingupwithinflation.com
Historical Datakeepingupwithinflation.com
| Year | Rate | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 0.1% | — |
| 2016 | 1.3% | +1200.0% |
| 2017 | 2.1% | +61.5% |
| 2018 | 2.4% | +14.3% |
| 2019 | 1.8% | -25.0% |
| 2020 | 1.2% | -33.3% |
| 2021 | 4.7% | +291.7% |
| 2022 | 8.0% | +70.2% |
| 2023 | 4.1% | -48.8% |
| 2024 | 3.0% | -26.8% |
| 2025 | 2.7% | -10.0% |
| 2026 | 2.4% | -11.1% |
Analysis
This is the number that gets quoted in the news: "Inflation was 2.4% last month" or "CPI rose 2.4% over the past year." It's the year-over-year percent change in the Consumer Price Index — how much higher prices are than 12 months ago, not the level of the index itself.
In 2019 the rate was 1.8%; it dipped to 1.2% in 2020, then surged to 4.7% in 2021 and peaked at 8.0% in 2022 — the highest in 40 years. Since then it has cooled: 4.1% in 2023, 3.0% in 2024, 2.7% in 2025, and 2.4% in the 12 months through January 2026. The Fed targets 2%, so we're close but not quite there.
When headlines say "inflation," they almost always mean this CPI year-over-year rate. It's the same data as the Inflation Index (CPI level) — just expressed as the annual percent change so you can see whether inflation is speeding up or slowing down.