Consumer Price Index & Inflation

Annual CPI

     
  2005 2006 2007
All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) 3.4% 2.5% 2.7%
Urban Wage Earners & Clerical Workers (CPI-W) 3.6% 2.5% 2.8%
     * based on December 1996 dollars      

SOURCE: USDC, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2005 - 2007

Current CPI

 

Change from 1 year ago

Index

All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) 5.9% 134.6
Urban Wage Earners & Clerical Workers (CPI-W) 6.5% 135.1
     * based on December 1996 dollars    

SOURCE: USDC, Bureau of Labor Statistics, July 2008

 

All the data above is for B/C Size Class cities (population of 50,000-1,500,000)
located in the Midwest Region.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a measure of the average change in prices over time in a market basket of goods and services.  It is a good indicator of consumer inflation rates and in terms of salary adjustments it is often referred to as "the cost of living increase."

For a full explanation and the CPI equation, click here.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics provides an inflation calculator which allows users to figure inflation over a designated period of time.  (i.e. $1 in 1956 equals $ ?? in 2005.)

Click to pull up the BLS Inflation Calculator.