US Economy at a Glance: A Free One-Page Dashboard Built on Federal Reserve Data
Most people hear about the economy through headlines: inflation is up, rates are high, jobs are strong. Each headline covers one number, and the numbers rarely sit next to each other. This dashboard puts seven of the most-watched US indicators on a single page so you can see how they move together.
It uses data from FRED, the Federal Reserve Economic Data service run by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. The dashboard is free to view here, and the original Power BI file is free to download. You only need to send us an email.
What the dashboard shows
The page is built from seven indicators. The first four are headline cards with a small trend line. The last three get more room because they tell a longer story. The latest data point on the screenshot we built this from is dated 23 October 2026.
| Indicator | Latest reading | Change shown |
|---|---|---|
| Inflation (CPI, year over year) | 3.7% | Up 0.4 pt vs last month |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | Up 0.1 pt vs last month |
| Fed funds rate (effective) | 3.88% | Unchanged vs 30 days ago |
| 30-year mortgage rate | 7.32% | Down 0.08 pt vs last week |
| 10-year Treasury yield | 4.96% | Down 0.17 pt vs prior day |
| Average gas price (regular) | $4.28 | Down $0.05 vs last week |
| Real GDP growth (annualized) | 2.2% | Down 0.3 pt vs prior quarter |
How to read each card
Inflation and unemployment
CPI year over year tells you how much more expensive a typical basket of goods is compared with a year ago. The unemployment rate shows the share of people looking for work who cannot find it. Both update monthly, so their month-over-month change is the most useful signal. On the dashboard, the unemployment trend line makes the sharp spike around 2020 easy to spot, followed by a long, steady recovery.
The Fed funds rate and your mortgage
The effective Fed funds rate is the interest rate banks charge each other overnight. The Federal Reserve moves it in steps, which is why its line looks like a staircase. Mortgage rates do not follow it exactly. They tend to track longer-term yields, so it is worth reading the mortgage card next to the 10-year Treasury chart.
The 10-year Treasury yield and the yield curve
The 10-year Treasury yield is one of the most widely used benchmarks for long-term borrowing costs. Below it, a second chart plots the 10Y minus 2Y spread. When the 10-year yield is higher than the 2-year yield, the spread is positive and shown above the line. When it drops below zero, the yield curve is inverted. Analysts watch inversions closely because they have often appeared before economic slowdowns, although the timing varies and an inversion is not a guarantee. The current spread on the dashboard is +0.31 pt.
Gas prices and GDP growth
Gas prices are one of the few economic numbers people feel every week, so they get their own chart. Real GDP growth is shown as bars, one per quarter, in annualized terms. Real means adjusted for inflation, so the bars show growth in actual output, not just higher prices.
Use the time filters
The buttons at the top right of the page switch the date range between 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and Max. Use 1Y when you care about what changed recently. Use Max to see how today compares with earlier cycles, such as the rate hikes, the 2020 shock and the inverted yield curve.
Where the data comes from and how often it updates
Every indicator is pulled from a FRED series. Each one is published on its own schedule, so some cards change daily and others only once a month or once a quarter.
| Indicator | FRED series | Update frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Inflation (CPI) | CPIAUCSL family (CPI) | Monthly |
| Unemployment rate | UNRATE | Monthly |
| Fed funds (effective) | DFF | Daily |
| 10-year Treasury yield | DGS10 | Daily |
| 10Y minus 2Y spread | T10Y2Y | Daily |
| 30-year mortgage rate | MORTGAGE30US | Weekly |
| Gas price, regular | GASREGW | Weekly |
| Real GDP growth | GDPC1 | Quarterly |
Because of these different schedules, the comparison label on each card changes too: "vs last month", "vs last week", "vs prior day" or "vs prior quarter". Always compare a card with its own label.
Download the PBIX file for free
The dashboard file is not a premium feature. To get it, send an email to contact@docynx.com and we will send you the .pbix file. You can open it in the free Power BI Desktop, change the layout, add your own indicators or use it as a learning project.
About the FRED API key
The dashboard refreshes by calling the FRED API, which needs an API key. You have two options:
- Use the key already in the file. The PBIX comes with a working key, so it refreshes as soon as you open it. Because many people may share it, it can run into FRED's rate limits.
- Use your own key. FRED API keys are free. Create an account on the FRED website, request a key, and replace the key value in Power Query. Your own key gives you your own usage limit.
Either way, the data comes straight from FRED, so no manual downloads are needed.
A note on interpretation: This dashboard is for learning and general information. It is not financial or investment advice. Economic data is often revised after it is first published, so values may change slightly after the dashboard refreshes.
Conclusion
Seven numbers, one page, and one time filter. That is enough to see whether inflation is cooling, whether the labor market is holding up, how the Fed's rate path connects to mortgage costs, and whether the yield curve is signaling stress. If you build your own version, start with the FRED series listed above and add the indicators that matter to you.
