Inflation Since 1872: A Long-Term Look at the CPI
Published on March 11, 2026
The Consumer Price Index for Urban Consumers (CPI-U) release for February puts the year-over-year inflation rate at 2.41%. The latest reading keeps inflation below the 3.72% average since the end of the Second World War for a 32nd consecutive month. Additionally, for a 12th straight month, inflation sits below the 10-year moving average which is at 3.20%.