U.S. consumer prices accelerated in September, with gasoline accounting for more than half of the month’s increase, according to data released Wednesday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) rose 0.6% from August and 3.7% over the past 12 months, up from 3.4% in August.
Gasoline drove much of the monthly rise
The gasoline index climbed 9.1% in September after rising 3.9% in August. The BLS said that increase accounted for more than half of the monthly advance in the overall CPI. The broader energy index rose 5.2% in September and was 20.4% higher than a year earlier.
Not every household expense moved higher. Food prices were unchanged overall in September. Grocery-store food prices fell 0.1%, while food away from home rose 0.2%. Shelter costs increased 0.4% during the month.
Core inflation also edged up over the year
The core CPI, which excludes food and energy, rose 0.3% in September, matching August’s monthly increase. It was up 2.6% from a year earlier, compared with 2.4% in August. The measure includes housing, services and goods, but leaves out two categories that can fluctuate sharply from month to month.
The headline and core figures describe different slices of consumer prices. The overall index captures what households pay across the basket, including fuel and groceries. The core measure can help show whether price changes are spreading beyond food and energy, but it does not represent a separate bill paid by consumers.
What the report means for Social Security COLA
The BLS also reported that CPI-W, the index used in Social Security’s cost-of-living adjustment formula, was 3.9% higher than a year earlier in September. That annual figure is not the same as the 2027 COLA percentage. Social Security calculates a COLA by comparing the average CPI-W for July through September with the third-quarter average from the last year a COLA took effect. The final adjustment is based on that comparison, not on September’s CPI-U headline alone.
Why CPI is drawing attention
In a U.S. Google Trends check at about 9:02 a.m. Eastern on October 14, the search topic “CPI” was marked active in the 10,000-plus band and up 900%. Trends bands and growth indicators are directional snapshots, not audited search totals, and they do not establish why each person searched. The sharp rise in gasoline prices and the fresh inflation release are timely context for the increased attention.
Figures and status checked October 14, 2026, after the 8:30 a.m. Eastern BLS release. The image is illustrative and does not show a specific U.S. price observation.