US Recreation Consumer Price Index
US Recreation Consumer Price Index stood at 145.94 in Sep 2026, according to FRED (Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis). It is one of the indicators in the CPI table (Value · Monthly), with a complete series running from Jan 1993 to Sep 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the CPI table
| Indicator | 09-2026 | 08-2026 | 07-2026 | 06-2026 | 05-2026 | 04-2026 | 03-2026 | 02-2026 | 01-2026 | 12-2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recreation7 | 145.94 | 145.2 | 145.19 | 144.86 | 144.11 | 143.7 | 143.59 | 143.64 | 143.62 | 142.93 | |
| Audio and video equipment and services | 124.1 | 124.24 | 124.08 | 123.02 | 122.38 | 122.65 | 121.64 | 121.8 | 123.76 | 122.41 | |
| Pet food | 194.44 | 194.49 | 194.69 | 193.65 | 193.23 | 193.97 | 194.38 | 193.56 | 192.55 | 191.08 |
Understanding US Recreation Consumer Price Index
The recreation basket records price changes of goods and services serving leisure time, spanning audiovisual equipment, toys, pets, performance tickets, club memberships, and athletic activities. This index is broader than individual sub-group tables due to aggregating diverse spending types, yet narrower than headline CPI as it excludes housing, food, transportation, healthcare, and other needs. This is a price index, not spending levels or measured recreation consumption volumes.
When reading charts, index levels should be translated into growth rates between periods rather than interpreting index points as monetary prices. Year-on-year comparisons are generally more useful than month-on-month comparisons because tourism, performance, athletic, and gifting demand exhibits seasonality; monthly comparisons remain valuable for identifying new shocks if series are seasonally adjusted. Weight alterations, sample modifications, or quality treatment methods can shift relationships among sub-groups. Recent figures are likewise subject to revision, precluding conclusions drawn from single observations.
Frequently asked questions
- Does a rising recreation index mean Americans are going out more?
- No. The index reflects prices of a recreation spending basket, while usage volume and total spending can move in another direction.
- Why might the general index rise when audio-video equipment drops in price?
- Services, event tickets, or other commodity groups can rise strongly enough to offset the equipment decline.
- How should the recreation index be compared with headline CPI?
- Compare the rate of change of the two baskets to see if recreation prices rise faster or slower than consumer levels, rather than directly comparing index points.