US inflation map: Which regions have the highest rates?
While inflation remains a widespread issue in the United States, its rate varies across the country.
Newsweek cited research conducted by WalletHub, an online financial platform, which analyzed short- and long-term growth in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in 23 U.S. counties and ranked them based on these jumps.
According to the website, inflation in the United States has risen sharply since 2021, when the surge in demand following the Covid-19 pandemic coincided with disruptions in global supply chains, pushing the 12-month rate to 9.1 percent in June 2022.
The inflation rate in 2025 is also expected to remain high, exceeding the central bank’s 2 percent target, adding to the financial pressures on American families. Reports also suggest that commodity prices are now under further upward pressure due to Donald Trump’s trade policies and the Federal Reserve’s expected rate cut.
The 12-month inflation rate rose to 2.9 percent in August, up from 2.7 percent in July, according to the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The rate of growth in food and vehicle prices, as well as many imported goods, and energy costs, also increased for the first time in seven months, according to the report.
Using the latest CPI reports, WalletHub has charted inflation in 23 major metropolitan areas. The Tampa Bay area topped the list with a 12-month inflation rate of 3.3 percent and a recent increase of 1.1 percent, earning an overall score of 89.4 out of 100. San Diego, Carlsbad, California, is in second place with a score of 89.3, followed by Philadelphia with a score of 68.