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(Midwest) -- February saw inflation rise in the Midwest while holding steady nationally.
A new report from Common Sense Institute of Iowa finds year-over-year inflation for the Midwest rose from 2.4% in February of 2025 to 2.8% in February of this year. That's the third highest level in the Midwest in the post-pandemic period. Inflation nationwide held steady in February 2026 at 2.4%.
Compared to 2020, the average Iowa household is spending $1,323 per month in 2026 just to maintain the same standard of living. The CSI report finds that increase is driven largely by rising costs for groceries, housing, and transportation. Overall consumer prices are up 26.9% in 2026 compared to 2020, and since then, Iowa households have lost more than $51,000 due to inflation.
The CSI report is based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Price Index (CPI) database for the Midwest region, including Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin The full report is available on the Common Sense Institute of Iowa website.