This tracker follows the local CPI-U index for Washington-Arlington-Alexandria — the official measure of how the cost of living is changing in this metro area. A salary here needs to keep pace with local inflation to hold its purchasing power.
Local inflation can diverge sharply from the national headline, because housing — the largest part of the index — is priced locally. A metro with fast-rising rents runs hotter than the U.S. average even when national inflation cools, which is why the cost of the same lifestyle varies so much between cities. The figures here track the BLS-published series for Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, with year-over-year, five-year, and ten-year change.
Compare other metros: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim · San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward · Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue · San Diego-Carlsbad · Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario · Denver-Aurora-Lakewood.
Check your raise against this metro's inflation.
Updated July 2026