The Inflation Index
Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), 1982–84 = 100, seasonally adjusted
The CPI-U in January 2026 was 327 — 28% above its 2019 level.
Then
2019
254
Now
2026
327
Change
2019–2026
+28%
↑ Rising
The Inflation Index: 2015–2026
Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), 1982–84 = 100, seasonally adjusted
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics (FRED CPIAUCSL)keepingupwithinflation.com
Historical Datakeepingupwithinflation.com
| Year | Index | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 237.02 | — |
| 2016 | 240.01 | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 245.12 | +2.1% |
| 2018 | 251.11 | +2.4% |
| 2019 | 254.41 | +1.3% |
| 2020 | 257.56 | +1.2% |
| 2021 | 266.24 | +3.4% |
| 2022 | 288.35 | +8.3% |
| 2023 | 302.41 | +4.9% |
| 2024 | 312.15 | +3.2% |
| 2025 | 320.23 | +2.6% |
| 2026 | 326.59 | +2.0% |
Analysis
The Inflation Index is the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), the most widely cited measure of U.S. inflation. The BLS sets the index to 100 for the 1982–84 period; by 2019 it had reached 254, and by January 2026 it stood at 327 — a 28% increase over seven years.
That climb captures the full sweep of post-2019 inflation: the pandemic supply shocks, the 2022 surge (when CPI rose 8% in a single year), and the gradual cooling that followed. Even after inflation rates eased from their 2022 peaks, the level of prices kept rising. A 3% annual rate still adds 3% to the index every year.
CPI-U covers a broad basket of goods and services — housing, food, energy, healthcare, transportation, and more — weighted by typical consumer spending. It's the number behind "inflation is up X%" in the news and the benchmark many people use to judge whether wages or specific prices are keeping pace. Compare this index to individual categories (rent, eggs, gas) to see what's rising faster or slower than overall inflation.