Inflation rose to 3.7% in August 2026
The Consumer Price Index tracks what a fixed basket of goods and services costs a typical urban household. The headline figure quoted here is the change over twelve months, which is what most people mean by “inflation”.
| This release | 3.7% |
|---|---|
| Previous (July 2026) | 3.5% |
| Change | +0.17 pp |
| A year earlier | 2.9% |
Each bar is one published observation. No smoothing, no projection.
| Aug 1, | 2.9386 |
|---|---|
| Sep 1, | 3.0226 |
| Nov 1, | 2.9883 |
| Dec 1, | 3.0023 |
| Jan 1, | 2.8287 |
| Feb 1, | 2.6646 |
| Mar 1, | 3.3202 |
| Apr 1, | 3.947 |
| May 1, | 4.27 |
| Jun 1, | 3.7265 |
| Jul 1, | 3.5398 |
| Aug 1, | 3.713 |
What this measures
The Consumer Price Index tracks what a fixed basket of goods and services costs a typical urban household. The headline figure quoted here is the change over twelve months, which is what most people mean by “inflation”.
Why it matters
The Federal Reserve targets 2% inflation, measured on a different index (PCE) that usually runs a few tenths below CPI. CPI still matters directly to households because Social Security cost-of-living adjustments, many union contracts and some rent escalators are tied to it by law or contract.
What to be careful about
A single month is noisy. The twelve-month figure smooths that, but it also means a sharp move a year ago can drop out of the calculation and shift the headline without anything new happening this month.
Recent readings
| Period | Inflation (CPI) |
|---|---|
| Aug 1, 2025 | 2.9% |
| Sep 1, 2025 | 3.0% |
| Nov 1, 2025 | 3.0% |
| Dec 1, 2025 | 3.0% |
| Jan 1, 2026 | 2.8% |
| Feb 1, 2026 | 2.7% |
| Mar 1, 2026 | 3.3% |
| Apr 1, 2026 | 3.9% |
| May 1, 2026 | 4.3% |
| Jun 1, 2026 | 3.7% |
| Jul 1, 2026 | 3.5% |
| Aug 1, 2026 | 3.7% |