As we like to say here at Fact Pack HQ, you can never be too wealthy or have too much inflation data so here is this week’s featured set of stats and graphs from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Atlanta Fed:

As of September 2025 Source: BLS

Seasonally adjusted energy commodities and gasoline prices were up in September over August (3.8 percent and 4.1 percent, respectively):

As of September 2025 Source: BLS

Comparative inflation measures from a host of sources in this Atlanta Fed table are helpful for assessing progress, or lack thereof:

As of September 2025 Source: Atlanta Fed

Trend graph showing inflation has yet to “normalize” around averages derived from the target PCE rate of 2 percent:

As of September 2024 Source: Atlanta Fed

Job Openings Rate by State

As we wait for October data, we note that in July as the third quarter of the year got underway, New Mexico, Montana, Wyoming and Idaho topped the Mountain West states when it came to the job opening rate, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

As of July 2025

Oklahoma had the highest job opening rate in July (5.5 percent), driven mostly by an uptick in oil drilling activities.

Three other states rose into the top 15 for job openings rate after the Trump administration rolled back certain protections on the use of public land to expand domestic energy production: Alaska (5.3 percent), Montana (4.9 percent), and North Dakota (4.9 percent).

As of July 2025

Health care and social assistances jobs are the largest source of job openings nationally. More data and sources here.

Note: The openings rate is the number of job openings on the last business day of the month divided by the total of employed persons plus job openings, then multiplied by 100 to express it as a percentage.

Disappearing Job Types

A visualization of projections for the fastest shrinking jobs in America by 2034, based on projections from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS):

As of 2024

Home Price Forecasts

Zillow just published an updated 12-month forecast, projecting that U.S. home prices—as measured by the Zillow Home Value Index—will see an annual increase of +1.9 percent as of September 2026.

Zillow’s initial 12-month forecast for U.S. home prices going into 2025 was +2.6 percent, but many markets softened faster than expected, prompting revisions. The 12-month increase estimate for the Las Vegas Metro is +1.2 percent, and for Reno-Sparks is +1.0 percent. Forecasts for other Nevada markets:

• Winnemucca (+3.0 percent)

• Fallon (+1.9 percent)

• Pahrump (+1.9 percent)

• Carson City (+1.2 percent)

• Elko (+1.1 percent)

• Gardnerville Ranchos (+0.6 percent)

Infomap (click here to view gobs of scroll-over data for markets across the country):

Top 15 metros as of Zillow’s September update:

12-month home price forecasts as of September 2025

Vegas Loop

Even the sharpest Fact Pack readers could be forgiven if they occasionally need a reminder that the Vegas Loop is a thing, and that Elon Musk’s Boring Company is busy turning a 4-mile network of tunnels into 68 miles of underground roadway.

The project includes above ground add-ons, as well. The team at The Nevada Independent helpfully connected the property purchase dots this weekend, mapping eight so far.

On Oct. 9, the Nevada Transportation Authority approved Boring’s application to bring its Teslas above ground, with the caveat that they must at some point travel through a Loop tunnel and can travel no more than 4 miles aboveground. Map of the vision:

Map of the proposed Las Vegas Loop

Source: www.boringcompany.com

As of 10/27/25

Nevada Ranking of Note

From 2023 to 2024, Nevada saw the greatest increase among states in the share of adults who are obese, and increase of just over 3 percentage points, according to a report from Trust for America’s Health based on data collected by the CDC.

Nineteen states had adult obesity rates at or above 35 percent in 2024, a state down from 23 states the prior year, marking first-time decrease in the number of states at or above the 35 percent level for the metric.

Amid a doctor shortage and federal funding cuts to food assistance programs that enable low-income families access to healthy foods, the Nevada Legislature this year considered (but did not pass) bills to expand insurance coverage for anti-obesity medication and surgery.

Wine Crime?

Cost overruns and global grape glut are leading growers to abandon vineyards across California, according to Farm Press, despite the removal, on net, of 20,000 acres of grapes since the 2024 harvest season.

California is still the leading grape-producing state, with more than 5 million tons produced in 2025, followed by Washington state, New York, and Oregon.

Grapes are the highest-value fruit crop in the U.S., with a 2024 production value of over $6.5 billion and an economic impact of $323.6 billion, according to data from the National Association of American Wineries.

As of 2024

On the Horizon

Marketwatch calendar for this week:

Data & Dialogue About the Economy



The Fact Pack is a monthly business e-report co-authored by Mike PeQueen of Hightower Las Vegas and John Restrepo of RCG Economics, which combines important metrics relevant to business decision makers and financial commentary on the current issues facing the economy.

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