What were the BLS calendar‑year average CPI inflation rates for 2019–2024 in table form?

1. The question and the official data source — what “calendar‑year average” means

The phrase “BLS calendar‑year average CPI inflation rate” refers to the annual average percent change in the CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI‑U) over the calendar year as reported or compiled from BLS monthly indexes; the BLS provides those annual and historical series in its CPI databases and regional historical tables ^{[1] [4]}, and summary tables and charts make the annual averages accessible to the public ^{[5] [6]}.

2. The compact table: BLS calendar‑year average CPI inflation rates, 2019–2024

Year — Annual average CPI inflation rate: 2019 — 1.8% (annual average percent change) ^[2]; 2020 — 1.2% (annual average percent change) ^[2]; 2021 — 4.7% (annual average percent change) ^[2]; 2022 — 8.0% (annual average percent change) ^[2]; 2023 — 4.1% (annual average percent change) ^[2]; 2024 — 2.9% (annual average percent change) ^{[3] [2]}. These figures reflect the BLS convention of reporting an annual (calendar‑year) average percent change derived from monthly CPI-U index levels, and contemporary aggregates and CPI trackers echo the same annual values ^{[1] [2]}.

3. How to read the table — nuance behind “annual average” versus “year‑end” numbers

The calendar‑year average listed above differs from month‑to‑month 12‑month changes (for example, December‑to‑December); the BLS publishes both seasonally adjusted month‑to‑month changes and non‑seasonally adjusted 12‑month percent changes, and in public discussion those two measures are sometimes conflated ^{[3] [7]}. For clarity, the table uses the BLS annual average percent change (the standard “calendar‑year average” measure found in CPI annual tables), while other headline figures—like “CPI increased 2.9 percent from December 2023 to December 2024”—are 12‑month end‑point comparisons that can differ from the calendar average ^[3].

4. Interpretation and the recent arc: from low inflation to a spike and back toward moderation

The sequence in the table shows a low‑inflation period in 2019–2020, rapid acceleration in 2021–2022 that peaked in 2022, then a retreat through 2023–2024 toward more moderate rates—reflecting the pandemic shock, supply and demand imbalances, and subsequent disinflationary dynamics; these patterns are visible in BLS charts and annual summaries that underpin the numeric series ^{[5] [2]}. Alternative viewpoints—such as critics who argue the CPI understates or overstates real cost‑of‑living pressures—point to differences in basket composition, owner’s equivalent rent treatment, and substitution effects; the BLS documents methodology, seasonal adjustments, and revisions that underlie the published series ^{[8] [1]}.

5. Where to verify and next steps for readers who want the primary files

All figures above trace to BLS primary data feeds and CPI tables that publish annual averages and month‑by‑month indexes; users seeking the original tables or wanting to compute alternative measures (CPI‑W, trimmed means, or chained CPI) should consult the BLS CPI database and the regional historical tables for the full index levels and methodology notes ^{[1] [4]}. The BLS also issues monthly PDF releases and charts that explain seasonal factors, revisions, and the difference