
New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania are Hurting Badly – Cities with the Worst Inflation Problems
You might’ve heard a lot about inflation lately—basically, it’s how much prices for everyday things like groceries, gas, and rent go up over time.
After the pandemic, inflation in the U.S. hit its highest level in 40 years, but it’s started to settle down.

As of December 2024, prices are rising slower—about 2.9% compared to last year. That’s still a little higher than the Federal Reserve’s goal of 2%, but it’s much better than before.
Still, we feel the effects, especially when hitting the grocery store.
Why does inflation happen?
A few things play a role.
For example, the war in Ukraine has made some goods more expensive, and fewer workers in specific industries means higher labor costs.
Put these two factors together, and we've got a bit of a "perfect storm."
Even though we’re not quite at the goal yet, the Federal Reserve decided to lower interest rates slightly in December to help keep the economy moving.
READ MORE: You'll Have to Take out a Loan to Dine at NJ's Most Expensive Restaurant
Here’s the thing: inflation isn’t the same everywhere.
Prices in one part of the country might go up more—or less—than in another.
WalletHub examined 21 major U.S. cities, suburbs, and surrounding regions called Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) to understand how it affects different areas.
They used the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which tracks how prices change over time.
When added together, these two metrics gave Wallet Hub an overall score.
By comparing the latest numbers to those from two months and one year ago, they got a clearer picture of how inflation is shifting in the short and long term.
It’s complicated stuff. Digging in was enough to make my head spin.
Hopefully, this will help you better understand the cost of things and how that impacts our daily lives.
Take a look at how badly we are feeling the pinch locally compared to other parts of the country.
Cities with the Worst Inflation Problems
Gallery Credit: Matt Ryan
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Gallery Credit: Matt Ryan
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