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Consumer Price Index rose 5.3 percent over the year ending August 2021

September 17, 2021

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers rose 5.3 percent for the 12 months ending August 2021, a smaller increase than the 5.4-percent rise for the year ending July. Prices for all items less food and energy rose 4.0 percent over the last 12 months, also a smaller increase than the year ending July. Energy prices rose 25.0 percent over the last 12 months, and food prices increased 3.7 percent; both were larger than the increases for the year ending July.

12-month percentage change, Consumer Price Index, selected categories, August 2021
Category 12-month percent change

All items

5.3%

Food

3.7

Food at home

3.0

Cereals and bakery products

1.6

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs

8.0

Dairy and related products

-0.5

Fruits and vegetables

2.3

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials

2.0

Other food at home

1.5

Food away from home

4.7

Full service meals and snacks

4.9

Limited service meals and snacks

6.9

Energy

25.0

Energy commodities

41.9

Fuel oil

33.2

Gasoline (all types)

42.7

Energy services

8.6

Electricity

5.2

Natural gas (piped)

21.1

All items less food and energy

4.0

Commodities less food and energy commodities

7.7

Apparel

4.2

New vehicles

7.6

Used cars and trucks

31.9

Medical care commodities

-2.5

Alcoholic beverages

2.6

Tobacco and smoking products

6.3

Services less energy services

2.7

Shelter

2.8

Rent of primary residence

2.1

Owners' equivalent rent of residences

2.6

Medical care services

1.0

Physicians' services

3.9

Hospital services

3.5

Transportation services

4.6

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair

4.2

Motor vehicle insurance

1.0

Airline fare

6.7

Prices for food at home rose 3.0 percent over the year ending August. Prices for five of the six major grocery store food groups increased over the year. Prices for food away from home rose 4.7 percent over the last year. Prices for limited service meals rose 6.9 percent, while prices for full service meals rose 4.9 percent.

Gasoline prices rose 42.7 percent over the last year. Prices for electricity increased 5.2 percent, its largest 12-month increase since the year ending March 2014. Natural gas prices rose 21.1 percent over the last 12 months, the largest increase since the year ending August 2008.

Prices for all items less food and energy rose 4.0 percent over the year ending August. Used car and truck prices increased 31.9 percent, while prices for new vehicles rose 7.6 percent, the largest 12-month increase since the year ending June 1981. Prices for shelter increased 2.8 percent over the year ending August, and medical care prices rose 0.4 percent. Prices for physicians’ services rose 3.9 percent and prices for hospital services increased 3.5 percent.

These data are from the Consumer Price Index program and are not seasonally adjusted. To learn more, see "Consumer Price Index — August 2021." Also see more charts on consumer prices.

SUGGESTED CITATION

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Consumer Price Index rose 5.3 percent over the year ending August 2021 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2021/consumer-price-index-rose-5-3-percent-over-the-year-ending-august-2021.htm (visited April 17, 2024).

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