Consumer Price Index U.S. Urban Areas

How to use this dashboard

Explore CPI across U.S. urban areas

1. Start with the map. Hover and click a region, division, or metro area to focus it.
2. Use the time slider. Drag the handle to move through quarters, or drag the edges to select a range.
3. Read the charts. The line chart shows trends over time, and the bar chart shows a category breakdown.
   Click a category in the line chart legend to make that line more or less visible.
   Click a bar in the bar chart to get more detailed information about that category.
4. Adjust filters. Open the Filters box to choose categories, change the geographic level, and turn on the colorblind friendly lines toggle if you need it.
5. Compare vs. U.S. average. Toggle the national comparison to see how your selection stacks up.
6. Hidden treasure hunt. Look for hidden insights with keywords: Unusual Data, Point Mode, and When.

What is CPI?

What the Consumer Price Index Shows

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) tracks how the prices of everyday goods and services — like food, rent, and transportation — change over time for people living in U.S. cities. It’s one of the main ways economists measure inflation and the cost of living.

• Basket of goods. CPI is based on a fixed set of common purchases, from groceries and gas to medical care and clothing.
• Tracking inflation. When CPI increases, it means the overall cost of that basket is rising — prices are higher than before.
• In this dashboard. You can explore how price changes differ by region and by category over time, compared to the U.S. average.