How to Find Inflation Data Faster than FRED
FRED is slow and clunky. DataSetIQ normalizes inflation data instantly—find CPI, PCE, and breakeven rates in 3 clicks instead of 20+.
The FRED Problem Every Economist Knows
If you've ever searched for inflation data on FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data), you know the drill. You type "inflation" and get hit with 13,000+ results. Consumer Price Index? Producer Price Index? PCE? Core vs headline? Seasonally adjusted or not?
The average FRED search takes 20+ clicks to find the right dataset. That's time you could spend on actual analysis.
Enter DataSetIQ: Search Smarter, Not Harder
DataSetIQ aggregates data from 15+ official sources including FRED, BLS, Eurostat, and IMF. But here's what makes it different:
1. Semantic Search That Understands Context
Type "US inflation 2024" and we show you:
- CPI-U (All Urban Consumers) - the headline number
- Core CPI (excluding food and energy)
- PCE Price Index (Fed's preferred measure)
- Real-time inflation expectations
No more sifting through thousands of tangentially related series.
2. IQ Scores for Every Dataset
Every dataset gets a quality score (0-100) based on:
- Freshness: How recently was it updated?
- Completeness: Are there gaps in the data?
- Reliability: Is the source authoritative?
- Usability: How clean is the data format?
A dataset with an IQ of 95 saves you hours of data cleaning.
3. One-Click Comparison
Found three CPI variants? Compare them side-by-side with synchronized time ranges and automatic unit conversion.
Real-World Example: Finding Core PCE
On FRED:
- Go to fred.stlouisfed.org
- Search "PCE"
- Get 2,400+ results
- Filter by "Price Indexes"
- Still 200+ results
- Click through to find "PCEPILFE"
- Check frequency, adjust dates
- Finally download
On DataSetIQ:
- Search "core pce price index"
- See top result with IQ score 96
- Download with one click
Time saved: 15 minutes per search
Try It Free
DataSetIQ offers 100 free dataset views per month. For most researchers, that's enough to supercharge your workflow.
*Have questions about finding specific economic data? Reach out to our team or check our data source documentation.*
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