Spotlight on Inflation

ChartTalk: Inflation is taking a bite out of people’s wallets. But some products are seeing greater price increases than others. The infographic breaks down inflation by a variety of products.

Prices are going up, with some products seeing greater inflation than others.

Food items like beef and essentials such as car maintenance are showing the strongest upward pressure. Service-related costs, including home insurance, healthcare, and utilities, continue to rise faster than most goods.

The infographic breaks down inflation by product type, revealing where Americans are seeing the biggest price changes

The data come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, accessed via USAFacts. The data describe year-over-year inflation rates from September 2024 to September 2025, based on CPI-U (a measure of the average change over time in prices paid by urban consumers).

Among the categories shown, beef and veal prices jumped 14.7%, leading the pack. Food inflation has been a major pain point in recent years, with a recent survey finding that 90% of American adults are stressed about the cost of groceries.

While some prices continue to climb, other categories are seeing declines. IT hardware and services (-2%), women’s apparel (-2%), and gasoline (-0.4%) have all recorded price decreases over the past year ending September 2025.

Inflation as a Cornerstone of Planning

Inflation, however, isn’t just a short-term annoyance — it’s a long-term financial force that compounds quietly over time. Even modest annual increases can erode purchasing power, shrink retirement income, and gradually reshape everyday budgets if they aren’t intentionally accounted for. Many of the categories experiencing the sharpest price pressures today — healthcare, insurance, food, and essential services — also tend to be the same items that play a major role in retirement and long-range financial planning.