c1d6b0b9f8
Created new US-Inflation data directory with: - 945 monthly CPI-U observations from FRED/BLS (Jan 1947 - Aug 2025) - Comprehensive metadata documentation with methodology - README with source research and justification - UPDATES.md change log and update procedures - RESOURCES.md with data sources and API access - Structure mirrors existing COVID wastewater dataset Data source: FRED Series CPIAUCSL (CPI for All Urban Consumers, Seasonally Adjusted) Update frequency: Monthly (mid-month BLS releases) 🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.com/claude-code) Co-Authored-By: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
3.3 KiB
U.S. Inflation Data Resources
Primary Data Source
FRED Series CPIAUCSL: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CPIAUCSL
- CPI for All Urban Consumers: All Items in U.S. City Average
- Seasonally Adjusted
- Monthly updates (mid-month release)
- Direct CSV download available
Direct CSV Download: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/graph/fredgraph.csv?id=CPIAUCSL&cosd=1947-01-01
- No authentication required
- Clean CSV format
- Historical data from 1947 to present
Official Government Sources
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS): https://www.bls.gov/cpi/
- Official source of CPI data
- Comprehensive documentation and methodology
- Interactive data tools
BLS CPI Data Page: https://data.bls.gov/timeseries/CPIAUCSL
- Official BLS data viewer
- Multiple download formats
- Historical archives
BLS API: https://www.bls.gov/developers/
- Free tier: 500 queries/day
- JSON format
- Multiple series access
Interactive Dashboards
BLS CPI Dashboard: https://www.bls.gov/charts/consumer-price-index/consumer-price-index-overview.htm
- Visual charts and graphs
- Latest release information
- Interactive exploration
FRED CPIAUCSL Graph: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/graph/?g=1qGKs
- Customizable time series charts
- Add comparison series
- Export graphs and data
Related CPI Series
Core CPI (Excluding Food & Energy): https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CPILFESL
- Better indicator of underlying inflation trends
- Used by Federal Reserve for policy decisions
CPI Not Seasonally Adjusted: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CPIAUCNS
- Raw data without seasonal adjustment
CPI Components:
- Food: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CPIFABSL
- Energy: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CPIENGSL
- Housing: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CPIHOSSL
- Medical Care: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CPIMEDSL
Documentation & Methodology
BLS Handbook of Methods: https://www.bls.gov/opub/hom/cpi/
- Complete methodology documentation
- Data collection procedures
- Calculation formulas
BLS CPI FAQ: https://www.bls.gov/cpi/questions-and-answers.htm
- Common questions answered
- Interpretation guidance
Federal Reserve Inflation Info: https://www.federalreserve.gov/faqs/economy_14400.htm
- Fed's 2% inflation target explanation
- PCE vs CPI comparison
Alternative Inflation Measures
PCE Price Index: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/PCEPI
- Federal Reserve's preferred inflation measure
- Personal Consumption Expenditures price index
Producer Price Index (PPI): https://www.bls.gov/ppi/
- Wholesale/producer price inflation
- Leading indicator for CPI
Employment Cost Index: https://www.bls.gov/ncs/ect/
- Labor cost inflation
- Wages and benefits
API Access
FRED API Documentation: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/docs/api/fred/
- Free API key registration
- Comprehensive time series access
- JSON and XML formats
Example API Call:
https://api.stlouisfed.org/fred/series/observations?series_id=CPIAUCSL&api_key=YOUR_KEY&file_type=json
Research & Analysis Tools
Inflation Calculator: https://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm
- Convert dollars across time periods
- Based on CPI-U data
FRED Economic Research: https://research.stlouisfed.org/
- Academic papers using FRED data
- Economic analysis and commentary
Last Updated: 2025-10-07