What does US alternative core inflation measure?

It tracks underlying United States price pressures using Federal Reserve alternative gauges like sticky and median CPI, alongside Bureau of Labor Statistics special aggregate category indexes.

How often is the data published and how far back does it go?

The series are published monthly by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis via FRED, with historical data beginning in 1947.

What specific breakdowns are available in this table?

The table includes regional Fed alternative inflation models, goods and services sub-indexes, durable and nondurable goods categories, and shelter measures.

How do these measures differ from traditional core CPI?

Unlike traditional core CPI which permanently excludes food and energy, alternative measures filter out the most volatile monthly components dynamically or use trimmed means.

US Alternative Core Inflation

Name: US Alternative Core Inflation
Creator: FRED (Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis)
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

US alternative core inflation measures from the Fed and BLS.

Source: FRED (Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis)Last updated: Sep 21, 2026, 14:12Curated by Bui Thanh PhucAbout this data ↓

Indicator	09-2026	08-2026	07-2026	06-2026	05-2026	04-2026	03-2026	02-2026	01-2026	12-2025	11-2025	10-2025	09-2025	08-2025	07-2025	06-2025	05-2025	04-2025	03-2025	02-2025	01-2025	12-2024	11-2024	10-2024	09-2024	08-2024	07-2024	06-2024	05-2024	04-2024	03-2024	02-2024	01-2024	12-2023	11-2023	10-2023	09-2023
CORE INFLATION MEASURES (% YOY)5
Sticky CPI (Atlanta FED)		2.7	2.72	2.81	3.09	3.04	2.93	2.9	2.98	3.01	2.95	3.08	3.32	3.43	3.43	3.3	3.17	3.18	3.27	3.52	3.62	3.75	3.89	3.98	4.01	4.11	4.18	4.24	4.31	4.41	4.51	4.41	4.61	4.56	4.7	4.88	4.95
Median CPI (Cleveland FED)		2.58	2.69	2.71	2.85	2.8	2.72	2.85	2.97	3.1	3.1	3.28	3.49	3.63	3.65	3.58	3.48	3.42	3.44	3.52	3.6	3.73	3.82	4.01	4.06	4.18	4.22	4.28	4.46	4.67	4.74	4.73	4.96	5.06	5.17	5.18	5.43
Trimmed-mean CPI (Cleveland FED)		2.57	2.6	2.63	2.91	2.83	2.64	2.67	2.72	2.91	2.86	2.99	3.16	3.26	3.2	3.15	3.03	2.95	2.93	3.03	3.07	3.14	3.16	3.13	3.08	3.13	3.21	3.24	3.33	3.45	3.56	3.46	3.57	3.66	3.85	3.98	4.16
Trimmed-mean PCE (Dallas FED)			2.28	2.26	2.43	2.35	2.36	2.34	2.41	2.44	2.51	2.55	2.7	2.8	2.69	2.7	2.61	2.64	2.65	2.73	2.77	2.98	2.9	2.87	2.8	2.81	2.86	2.91	2.9	3.02	3.14	3.16	3.25	3.27	3.45	3.6	3.83
1-year inflation expectations (Cleveland FED model)	2.64	2.4	2.39	3.04	3.54	3.28	2.3	2.59	2.59	3.19	2.7	2.73	2.8	2.69	2.79	2.38	2.69	2.89	2.18	2.73	2.63	2.65	2.43	2.26	2.24	2.35	2.56	2.73	2.94	2.7	2.08	2.43	2.42	3.09	2.79	2.77	2.81
BY TYPE3
Goods5		233.9	232.61	233.05	235.64	233.88	232	227.49	226.83	227.23	226.69		226.28	225.2	224.28	224.13	223.62	223.79	224.12	224.64	224.48	223.72	222.68	222.09	221.97	222.16	222.52	222.64	223.56	224.09	224.07	223.45	222.76	223.18	223.42	224.49	225.01
Goods less food1		185.5	184.01	184.65	188.15	186.09	184.27	178.56	178.15	178.87	178.9		178.48	177.35	176.63	176.57	176.25	176.78	177.24	178.31	178.3	177.67	176.61	176.24	176.32	176.89	177.49	177.88	179.27	180.12	180.32	179.55	178.74	179.53	179.99	181.48	182.44
Goods less food and beverages		181.55	180.05	180.71	184.27	182.18	180.35	174.57	174.16	174.9	174.93		174.52	173.38	172.69	172.64	172.32	172.85	173.32	174.42	174.44	173.83	172.73	172.36	172.47	173.05	173.67	174.07	175.51	176.38	176.59	175.8	175	175.81	176.28	177.77	178.77
Goods less food and energy goods		167.94	167.76	167.43	167.58	167.77	167.71	167.53	167.39	167.33	167.27		167.17	166.84	166.47	166.11	165.81	165.87	165.72	165.83	165.51	165.01	165.02	164.7	164.63	164.4	164.67	165.08	165.38	165.6	165.78	165.9	165.64	166.12	166.25	166.7	166.56
Durable goods		123.07	123.06	122.67	122.7	122.81	122.99	122.89	123.46	124.25	124.46		124.27	123.48	123.26	122.89	122.85	122.94	122.93	122.82	122.91	122.75	122.68	122.37	122.08	121.1	121.71	122.16	122.86	123.47	124.16	124.38	124.42	124.99	125.18	125.41	125.74
Nondurable goods2		296.19	294.05	294.91	299.49	296.05	291.87	284.51	283.2	283.98	282.39		281.56	279.83	278.42	278.31	277.4	277.78	278.24	279.67	279.6	278.73	276.78	276	276.07	276.74	276.95	276.54	277.55	278.04	276.99	276.03	275.08	275.53	275.55	277.24	278.02
Nondurable goods less food3		251.05	247.67	249.74	258.07	252.46	245.79	233.01	231.69	233.47	232.46		231.74	229.28	227.97	228.42	227.23	228.61	228.81	232.63	233.06	232.34	229.48	229.22	229.93	231.95	232.69	232.88	234.69	236.03	234.03	232.79	231.43	233.12	233.4	236.86	239.12
Nondurable goods less food and beverages		247.93	244.34	246.59	255.39	249.48	242.44	228.98	227.58	229.46	228.44		227.74	225.19	223.87	224.4	223.16	224.59	224.76	228.86	229.38	228.65	225.6	225.34	226.16	228.32	229.09	229.35	231.29	232.73	230.59	229.32	227.89	229.72	230.06	233.69	236.11
Nondurable goods less food and apparel		318.83	313.59	316.97	329.82	321.23	311.41	291.53	290.66	293.57	292.45		291.14	287.1	285.45	286.2	284.63	286.54	286.84	292.83	294.16	292.27	287.88	287.3	288.15	291.51	292.73	292.83	295.8	297.82	295.52	293.61	291.91	294.47	295.09	299.84	304.21
Nondurable goods less food, beverages, and apparel		322.39	316.56	320.4	334.53	325.1	314.3	292.47	291.5	294.72	293.56		292.25	287.9	286.18	287.08	285.37	287.44	287.69	294.38	295.97	293.92	289.07	288.45	289.52	293.28	294.57	294.77	298.08	300.36	297.79	295.73	293.88	296.76	297.53	302.72	307.61
Apparel less footwear		128.03	127.9	127.94	128.74	128.5	127.99	126.61	124.32	123.99	123.76		124.1	123.52	122.94	123.19	122.9	123.3	123.41	123.02	122.22	123.41	123.43	123.4	124.62	123.59	123.45	123.83	123.78	123.99	122.56	121.95	121.61	121.68	121.77	123.07	121.97
Audio-video products		33.25	33.3	32.92	32.68	32.87	32.77	33.04	32.95	32.24	32.35		32.6	32.64	32.52	32.31	32	31.92	31.56	31.61	31.79	31.9	32.2	32.41	32.04	32.15	32.37	32.34	32.46	32.47	32.63	32.8	32.39	31.92	32.44	33.02	32.95
Services6		433.15	431.9	430.92	430.94	429.66	427.28	426.28	425.16	423.56	422.26		421.11	420.27	419.05	417.69	416.45	415.69	414.24	413.47	412.14	410.22	409.18	408.07	406.38	404.83	403.57	402.37	401.62	400.83	399.45	397.32	395.44	392.96	391.55	389.59	388.19
Services less energy services		447.08	445.62	444.6	444.46	443.15	440.95	439.96	438.78	437.09	435.9		435	433.98	432.62	431.11	429.91	429.19	427.91	427.42	426.2	424.23	423.28	422.04	420.38	418.85	417.36	416.08	415.25	414.37	412.73	410.54	408.58	406.16	404.7	402.79	401.29
Services less shelter ("supercore")		447.36	446	445.14	445.93	443.49	441.79	440.32	439.08	437.56	436.55		434.72	433.89	433.07	431.57	429.84	428.42	427.44	426.25	424.75	423.1	421.62	420.86	419.21	417.03	416.26	415.68	415.27	414.64	413.96	410.75	408.66	406.72	404.86	402.62	401.43
Services less medical care services		416.25	414.87	414.27	414.29	412.65	410.21	408.72	407.96	406.97	405.81		404.34	403.61	402.28	401.3	400.24	399.1	397.94	396.94	395.8	394.27	393.09	391.97	390.34	389.05	387.63	386.34	385.61	384.61	383.55	381.08	379.23	377.39	375.85	373.84	372.44
Shelter		449.4	448.26	447.64	447.05	445.59	442.81	441.48	440.66	439.79	438.07		437.16	436.2	434.56	433.59	432.64	431.54	430.02	428.97	427.92	426.49	425.3	423.9	422.24	421.04	419.28	417.72	416.56	414.98	413.47	411.48	409.79	407.65	405.9	404.03	402.58
Transportation services		460.54	458.46	457.17	458.77	461.43	459.91	457.11	456.03	449.95	448.09		450.73	449.48	445.56	442.8	441.62	442.69	441.66	446.78	449.76	442.69	441.8	441.34	438.99	433.52	430.23	428.96	430.72	432.5	428.46	421.55	415.76	412.18	412.52	407.9	404.03
Other services		440.94	436.84	435.93	436.93	433.29	432.56	433.27	433.09	430.58	429.87		428.53	427.69	427.7	426.31	425.35	425.15	425.67	424.01	421.54	419.33	418.73	417.98	417.12	417.45	416.82	415.78	415.07	415.03	413.24	412.28	411.25	409.55	407.73	407.2	406.8
Energy1		321.15	314.55	319.29	338.64	325.98	314.02	283.22	281.44	285.62	284.65		280.7	276.73	274.85	276.56	275.38	277.34	278.91	282.1	282.27	279.83	273.28	273	272.68	275.71	278.29	278.28	284.17	287.61	288.69	283.33	279.95	280.76	282.15	286.77	292.62
Energy goods		356.39	341.89	352.16	389.03	364.62	345.21	284.49	281.38	290.85	291.76		287.99	278.5	274.15	277.21	276.75	282.15	289.08	300.13	303.46	299.47	288.34	287.51	288.95	297.05	300.73	300.99	312.66	319.38	319.8	310.55	304.7	311.01	314.98	327.86	340.98
EXCLUSION-BASED FROM HEADLINE BASKET4
All items less energy		338.69	337.79	337.13	337.08	336.4	335.08	334.52	333.72	332.79	331.81		331.23	330.51	329.44	328.5	327.7	327.2	326.51	326.14	325.35	324.03	323.39	322.44	321.48	320.5	319.75	319.17	318.83	318.38	317.55	316.48	315.37	314.27	313.51	312.64	311.71
All items less food		331.61	330.16	329.92	331.64	329.92	327.75	324.5	323.69	323.15	322.37		321.48	320.5	319.42	318.64	317.85	317.63	317.06	317.13	316.4	314.98	313.87	313.02	312.09	311.47	310.96	310.47	310.72	310.61	309.94	308.37	306.95	306	305.4	304.95	304.62
All items less lodging		300.19	298.79	298.68	300.83	299.17	297.21	293.7	292.86	292.44	291.71		290.96	289.96	289.02	288.37	287.57	287.53	287.35	287.53	286.99	285.68	284.58	283.87	283.31	282.79	282.8	282.63	283.23	283.62	283.21	281.96	280.87	280.37	280.17	280.22	280.21
All items less medical care		321.64	320.18	320.03	321.47	319.91	317.68	314.66	313.89	313.37	312.46		311.66	310.71	309.5	308.92	308.18	307.93	307.5	307.43	306.77	305.4	304.31	303.44	302.58	301.98	301.44	300.88	301.05	301.03	300.41	299.07	297.76	296.87	296.34	295.99	295.61

Latest reading

Median CPI (Cleveland FED) stood at 2.58% in Aug 2026. That is −0.1 pp from Jul 2026 and −1.1 pp from a year earlier. The series on this page is monthly and runs from Dec 1983 to Aug 2026. Source: FRED (Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis).

Latest: 2.58%; Aug 2026
vs previous period: −0.1 pp; Jul 2026
vs a year earlier: −1.1 pp

About this data

US alternative core inflation measures from the Fed and BLS. It features sticky, median, and trimmed-mean CPI alongside special aggregate indexes by category. This monthly dataset starts in 1947 and is published by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis via FRED.

Frequently asked questions

What does US alternative core inflation measure?: It tracks underlying United States price pressures using Federal Reserve alternative gauges like sticky and median CPI, alongside Bureau of Labor Statistics special aggregate category indexes.
How often is the data published and how far back does it go?: The series are published monthly by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis via FRED, with historical data beginning in 1947.
What specific breakdowns are available in this table?: The table includes regional Fed alternative inflation models, goods and services sub-indexes, durable and nondurable goods categories, and shelter measures.
How do these measures differ from traditional core CPI?: Unlike traditional core CPI which permanently excludes food and energy, alternative measures filter out the most volatile monthly components dynamically or use trimmed means.