Advertisement

These metros had the highest inflation in the US – and you'll be surprised by No. 1

Most U.S. cities caught a break in skyrocketing prices last month, as a decline in gas prices helped slow inflation.

But despite inflation dipping in July, some metro areas still have high individual inflation rates, and the four metro areas with the highest rates of inflation have seen greater increases in prices than the national average.

More: Local food banks, dealing with the pressures of inflation, see an increase in food demand.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the gas-price index fell 7.7% in July, which helped offset price increases in core items such as food. But the all-items index remained unchanged, keeping the total rate of inflation for the nation at a still-high 8.5%.

What did the Consumer Price Index look like across the country?

The CPI increased an overall 8.5%, down from the previous month's 9.1% annual increase, a rate that was a 40-year high, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

As USA TODAY has reported, while gas prices fell, the cost of necessities such as food and rent continued to climb.

More: July inflation fell to 8.5%, CPI report shows, but small businesses continue to struggle

.

Overall, consumer prices change compared with the 1.3% increase in June.

Which metro areas are seeing the highest inflation?

Here's how the top 12 metro areas ranked, from lowest to highest, Bloomberg reports:

  • New York-Newark-Jersey City, New Jersey (6.5%).

  • Urban Hawaii (6.8%).

  • Boston-Cambridge-Newton, Massachusetts (7%).

  • San Diego-Carlsbad, California (7.3%).

  • Washington, D.C.,-Arlington-Alexandria, Virginia (7.5%).

  • Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, California (7.7%).

  • Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, Colorado (8.2%).

  • Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, Minnesota (8.2%).

  • Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, Illinois (8.8%).

  • Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, California (9.2%).

  • Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas (9.4%).

  • Tampa-St, Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida (11.2%).

Sara Edwards is a consumer news intern at USA TODAY. You can follow her on Twitter @sedwards380.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Highest inflation rates by US cities and metro areas, ranked