Inflation (CPI) under Barack Obama
Inflation (CPI) went from −0.1% in Barack Obama's first month to 1.8% at month 48: a change of +1.9 pts. At that point in office it ranks #2 of 9 administrations since 1969. Official data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
All administrations at month 48
| Rank | Administration | Value at month 48 | Change since month 1 | Latest / end of month 48 | Primary federal source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Donald Trump (first term) | 1.3% | −1.2 pts | 1.3% (month 48) | Bureau of Labor Statistics · CPIAUCSL |
| #2 | Barack Obama | 1.8% | +1.9 pts | 1.8% (month 48) | Bureau of Labor Statistics · CPIAUCSL |
| #3 | Joe Biden | 2.9% | +1.5 pts | 2.9% (month 48) | Bureau of Labor Statistics · CPIAUCSL |
| #4 | George H. W. Bush | 3.0% | −1.5 pts | 3.0% (month 48) | Bureau of Labor Statistics · CPIAUCSL |
| #5 | George W. Bush | 3.3% | −0.4 pts | 3.3% (month 48) | Bureau of Labor Statistics · CPIAUCSL |
| #6 | Bill Clinton | 3.4% | +0.1 pts | 3.4% (month 48) | Bureau of Labor Statistics · CPIAUCSL |
| #7 | Richard Nixon | 3.4% | −1.3 pts | 3.4% (month 48) | Bureau of Labor Statistics · CPIAUCSL |
| #8 | Ronald Reagan | 4.0% | −7.7 pts | 4.0% (month 48) | Bureau of Labor Statistics · CPIAUCSL |
| #9 | Jimmy Carter | 12.3% | +7.1 pts | 12.3% (month 48) | Bureau of Labor Statistics · CPIAUCSL |
Methodology and source verification
Year-over-year % change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), seasonally adjusted. Lower ranks better.
Every administration is aligned to its own inauguration: month 1 is the month it took office, and the comparison runs to month 48 (the first term). Each administration is compared at the same month in office, so a president halfway through a term is never measured against another's full four years.
Primary source: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Retrieved from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED), series CPIAUCSL, refreshed hourly. Latest observation 2026-09-01, first published 2026-10-14. Full methods: methodology.