August 2026 Consumer Price Index

Historical release narrative reproduced from the official public-domain source. Statistical tables, standard technical appendices, administrative material and attendance rosters are omitted; formatting is adapted for reading. Figures retain the release's historical context and may have been revised. Consult the linked source for the complete document.

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.4 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis in August after rising 0.1 percent in July, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 3.4 percent before seasonal adjustment.

The index for gasoline rose 3.9 percent in August, accounting for over one third of the monthly all items increase. The index for energy increased 2.1 percent over the month. The shelter index rose 0.3 percent in August after rising 0.1 percent in July. The index for food increased 0.1 percent over the month, as the index for food away from home increased 0.3 percent.

The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.3 percent after increasing 0.2 percent in July. Indexes that increased over the month include communication, lodging away from home, airline fares, education, and used cars and trucks. Conversely, the index for medical care and the index for motor vehicle insurance were among the major indexes that decreased in August.

The all items index rose 3.4 percent for the 12 months ending August as it did for the 12 months ending July. The all items less food and energy index rose 2.4 percent over the year, following a 2.5-percent increase over the 12 months ending July. The energy index increased 16.3 percent for the 12 months ending August. The food index increased 2.7 percent over the last year.

Food

The food index rose 0.1 percent in August, as it did in July. The index for food at home was unchanged over the month. Four of the six major grocery store food group indexes increased in August. The meats, poultry, fish, and eggs index increased 0.1 percent over the month, as the eggs index rose 2.9 percent. The index for other food at home also increased 0.1 percent in August. The nonalcoholic beverages index increased 0.2 percent over the month, and the dairy and related products index rose 0.3 percent. The index for cereals and bakery products was unchanged in August.

In contrast, the fruits and vegetables index declined 0.4 percent in August after falling in the preceding 2 months. The index for lettuce continued to fall, declining 6.2 percent in August after decreasing 16.4 percent in July.

The food away from home index rose 0.3 percent in August. The index for full service meals rose 0.4 percent, and the index for limited service meals was unchanged over the month.

The food at home index rose 2.2 percent over the 12 months ending in August. The index for other food at home increased 2.4 percent, and the index for fruits and vegetables rose 3.2 percent over the year. The nonalcoholic beverages index increased 3.7 percent over the 12 months ending in August, and the cereals and bakery products index rose 2.6 percent over the same period. The index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs increased 1.1 percent over the last 12 months. In contrast, the dairy and related products index fell 0.3 percent over the year.

The food away from home index rose 3.4 percent over the last year. The index for full service meals rose 3.5 percent, and the index for limited service meals rose 3.2 percent over the 12 months ending in August.

Energy

The index for energy increased 2.1 percent in August after falling 1.5 percent in July. The gasoline index increased 3.9 percent over the month. (Before seasonal adjustment, gasoline prices increased 2.5 percent in August.) Conversely, the index for natural gas decreased 1.1 percent in August, and the index for electricity fell 0.2 percent.

The index for energy increased 16.3 percent over the past 12 months due in large part to the index for gasoline rising 27.4 percent over the same period. The natural gas index increased 4.4 percent over the 12 months ending in August, and the electricity index rose 3.8 percent.

All items less food and energy

The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.3 percent in August after rising 0.2 percent in July. The shelter index increased 0.3 percent over the month after rising 0.1 percent in July. The index for owners' equivalent rent rose 0.2 percent in August as did the index for rent. The lodging away from home index rose 2.4 percent in August after falling 2.8 percent the previous month.

The index for communication increased 2.3 percent over the month after rising 0.6 percent in July. The airline fares index rose 2.7 percent in August, and the education index increased 0.8 percent. The index for used cars and trucks increased 0.4 percent in August, and the index for new vehicles rose 0.3 percent. The personal care index and the household furnishings and operations index also increased over the month.

The medical care index decreased 0.2 percent in August after rising 0.4 percent in July. The index for dental services fell 0.6 percent over the month. The hospital services index, physicians' services index, and prescription drugs index were all unchanged in August.

The motor vehicle insurance index declined 0.8 percent in August after falling 0.3 percent in July. The index for apparel was unchanged in August as was the index for recreation.

The index for all items less food and energy rose 2.4 percent over the past 12 months. The shelter index increased 3.0 percent over the last year. Other indexes with notable increases over the last year include airline fares (+23.4 percent), recreation (+2.7 percent), medical care (+1.6 percent), and personal care (+3.8 percent).

Not seasonally adjusted CPI measures

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 3.4 percent over the last 12 months to an index level of 334.980 (1982-84=100). For the month, the index rose 0.3 percent prior to seasonal adjustment.

The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) increased 3.5 percent over the last 12 months to an index level of 328.481 (1982-84=100). For the month, the index increased 0.4 percent prior to seasonal adjustment.

The Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U) increased 3.3 percent over the last 12 months. For the month, the index increased 0.3 percent on a not seasonally adjusted basis. Please note that the indexes for the past 10 to 12 months are subject to revision.

The Consumer Price Index news release for September 2026 is scheduled to be published on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. (ET).