United States politics
The recordFiled October 15, 2026Checked October 15, 2026
Did inflation rise to 3.7% in September?
Yes, up from 3.4% in August, driven by energy. Pay is up about 3%, so it fell behind prices.
FP verdict
The main point holds, with a caveat.
Confidence score: 8/10 — BLS confirms 3.7% and 3.4% and the energy-led rise; the 3% wage figure is derived, not printed by BLS.
Sourced from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the main point holds, with a caveat.
“US inflation rose to 3.7% in September, from 3.4% in August, driven by energy; wages are up 3% year over year.”
BLS confirms the 3.7% and 3.4% figures and the energy-led rise. BLS doesn't print the 3% wage figure directly: it reports real hourly pay down 0.7%, which implies nominal growth of roughly 3%.
Primary source: Consumer Price Index News Release — September 2026 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Left
Lean left · Left-leaning US report
NBC News
Inflation jumps to 3.7% as gas and diesel prices squeeze consumers ahead of the midterms
Steve Kopack · October 14, 2026
The Bureau of Labor Statistics said Wednesday that overall prices rose 3.7% from a year ago and 0.6% from August.
Right
Right · Right-leaning US report
The Washington Times
Inflation is speeding up, not slowing down, weeks before the midterm elections
Tom Howell Jr. · October 14, 2026
The Bureau of Labor Statistics said the Consumer Price Index rose 3.7% for the year ending in September, up from the 3.4% annual reading in August.
How the coverage differs
We haven't compared these two articles yet.
Shows its work
How this rating was reached
- Lie
- False
- Misleading
- Mostly false
- Half true
- Mostly true
- True
- Unproven
This verdict partly aligns with the primary source, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: BLS confirms 3.7% in September versus 3.4% in August and an energy-led rise; the 3% wage figure is not in this release.
01
Headline rate
BLS: the all items index rose 3.7 percent for the 12 months ending September, up from 3.4 percent for the 12 months ending August.
02
Energy
BLS: energy rose 20.4 percent over the year, while core rose 2.6 percent. Gasoline accounted for over half of the monthly increase.
03
Wages
BLS Real Earnings: real average hourly earnings fell 0.7 percent from September 2025 to September 2026. With CPI at 3.7 percent, that implies nominal pay growth of about 3 percent.
| Figure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| CPI-U, 12 months to SeptemberUp from 3.4% in August. | 3.7% | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| Real average hourly earnings, year over year | -0.7% | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
Caveats and limits
Caveats
- The 3% wage figure is derived from BLS numbers. It isn't a figure BLS printed.
Sources
Primary · official record
Consumer Price Index Summary, September 2026U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · October 14, 2026
Primary · official record
Real Earnings Summary, September 2026U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · October 14, 2026
Secondary reporting
Consumer prices rose 0.6% in September, putting annual inflation rate at 3.7%CNBC · October 14, 2026
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