Consumer Price Index- CPI

The Current US Consumer Price Index - All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) is compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics monthly and is based upon a 1984 base of 100. An Index of 185 indicates 85% inflation since 1984 (actually the average of 1982-1984). Since this is an index it only tells you the total inflation since the base year. See the Historical CPI-U for the Consumer Price Index on a monthly basis since 1913. An index of 9.8 in 1913 indicates that prices multiplied over ten times from 1913 to 1982. It as doubled again from 1982 to 2006 when the index topped 200. In 2007 the Bureau of Labor Statistics began publishing the index to three decimal places.

For more information see "What is the Difference between Inflation and the Consumer Price Index?"

We can calculate the Current Annual Inflation Rate  by determining the rate of change for exactly one year and expressing it as a percent. This is done by taking the current CPI-U Index and subtracting the Consumer Price index from a year ago and dividing the result by the Consumer Price index from a year ago. See How to Calculate the Inflation Rate for more information. Or you may use our proprietary Inflation Calculator.

Our Historical Inflation Data is calculated to two decimal places while the government only calculates to one decimal place. Our data provides a "finer" view. The government may say the rate for two consecutive months was 3.2% while our data may show it as 3.15% and 3.24% respectively.

Our Projected Inflation Rate is our projection of the future direction and magnitude of the inflation rate based on our proprietary Moore Inflation Predictor©.

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Other Helpful Links:

• Consumer Price Index (CPI) Release Dates
• Bureau of Labor Statistics: A Massive information source for all Government generated data including the Consumer Price Index but a bit difficult to navigate.
• Economagic.com: Economic Time Series Page. This is an excellent source of all forms of financial data
• Current Value of Old Money Page: About one page down it contains a great list of resources.
• Fight Back against the High Cost of Living: Save 5% on Gas, Groceries and Drugs 

For the complete database text and tables of the detailed consumer price index for all Urban Consumers see CPI-U U.S. City average.

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Calculators

• Inflation Calculator
• Salary Inflation Calculator
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About Tim McMahon

Work by editor and author, Tim McMahon, has been featured in Bloomberg, CBS News, Wall Street Journal, Christian Science Monitor, Forbes, Washington Post, Drudge Report, The Atlantic, Business Insider, American Thinker, Lew Rockwell, Huffington Post, Rolling Stone, Oakland Press, Free Republic, Education World, Realty Trac, Reason, Coin News, and Council for Economic Education. Connect with Tim on Google+