---
title: "US energy prices and inflation in September 2026 compared to Biden administration 2021-2025"
analysis_id: "RU1tSjqdol0SpA6TveEN"
model: accounts/fireworks/models/kimi-k2p6
success: true
---

# Data analysis: US energy prices and inflation in September 2026 compared to Biden administration 2021-2025

Model: Kimi K2.6
Checked on: 21/09/2026

## Findings

**US energy prices and inflation in September 2026 compared to the Biden administration (2021‑2025)**

OECD consumer price data for the United States are currently available only through **August 2026**; September 2026 figures have not yet been published.

###### Headline inflation

- The latest year‑over‑year all‑items CPI inflation rate stood at **3.40 % in August 2026**.
- During the Biden administration (averaging the full calendar years 2021‑2024 that Biden was in office), headline inflation averaged **4.95 %**.
- Consequently, the most recent reading is roughly **1.5 percentage points below** the Biden‑era average.
- In level terms, the all‑items price index rose **20.7 % during the Biden years** (January 2021 to December 2024) and has climbed a further **6.1 %** since then, for a total increase of **28.1 %** from January 2021 to August 2026.

###### Energy inflation

Energy is tracked through the combined OECD “Energy” category (housing fuels plus transport fuels)[^3].

- Energy prices were rising far faster than the overall basket: **16.28 % year‑over‑year in August 2026**.
- During 2021‑2024, energy inflation averaged **10.27 %**.
- The August 2026 energy inflation rate is therefore **about 6 percentage points higher** than the average under the Biden administration.
- Cumulatively, the energy price index surged **30.8 % during the Biden years** and has jumped an additional **22.9 %** since December 2024, bringing the total increase from January 2021 to August 2026 to **60.7 %**.

###### Sub‑components (available through December 2024 only)

- **Housing fuels** (electricity, gas and other fuels) averaged **7.46 %** annual inflation during 2021‑2024, slowing to **2.74 %** by December 2024.
- **Transport fuels** (gasoline and motor oil) averaged **13.12 %** annual inflation during 2021‑2024, but had cooled to just **1.66 %** by December 2024.
- The sharp **re‑acceleration of the combined energy index to 16.3 %** in August 2026 therefore reflects a strong post‑2024 resurgence in energy costs rather than a continuation of the late‑Biden trend.

A visual summary of headline versus energy price levels, year‑over‑year rates, and the cumulative change since January 2021 is shown in the chart generated during the analysis.

[^3]:
    [OECD dataset: Consumer price indices (CPIs, HICPs), COICOP 1999](https://data-explorer.oecd.org/vis?lc=en&df%5Bds%5D=dsDisseminateFinalDMZ&df%5Bid%5D=DSD_PRICES%40DF_PRICES_ALL&df%5Bag%5D=OECD.SDD.TPS)