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News Release Information

19-2036-PHI
Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:

Consumer Price Index, Northeast Region – October 2019

Regional prices down 0.1 percent over the month; up 1.5 percent over the year

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) in the Northeast inched down 0.1 percent in October, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Sheila Watkins, the Bureau’s regional commissioner, noted that over-the-month decreases in the all items less food and energy index (-0.1 percent) and the energy index (-0.8 percent) were nearly offset by an increase in the food index, up 0.3 percent. (Data in this report are not seasonally adjusted. Accordingly, month-to-month changes may reflect the impact of seasonal influences.)

Over the last 12 months, the Northeast all items CPI-U increased 1.5 percent. (See chart 1 and table A.) This was due almost entirely to an advance in the all items less food and energy index, up 2.2 percent. The food index also rose, up 2.0 percent since October 2018, while the energy index declined 6.5 percent. (See table 1.)

Food

The food index edged up 0.3 percent since September. Prices were higher for food at home (0.5 percent) and for food away from home (0.1 percent).

From October 2018 to October 2019, the food index increased 2.0 percent. Prices for food away from home increased over the year, up 3.1 percent; those for food at home rose 1.1 percent.

Energy

The energy index, which includes prices for household and transportation fuels, declined 0.8 percent in October, reflecting lower electricity prices, down 2.8 percent. Prices were also lower for gasoline (-0.7 percent) while those for utility (piped) gas service were higher (1.8 percent).

The energy index decreased 6.5 percent since October 2018. The decline reflected lower prices for gasoline (-9.9 percent) and electricity (-4.1 percent), while those for utility (piped) gas service increased (1.4 percent) over the year.

All items less food and energy

The index for all items less food and energy inched down 0.1 percent over the month. Lower prices for shelter (-0.3 percent) and apparel (-0.9 percent) were nearly offset by increases for medical care (0.7 percent) and recreation (0.4 percent), among others.

The index for all items less food and energy increased 2.2 percent since October 2018, led by higher prices for shelter and medical care, up 2.3 and 5.4 percent, respectively. Prices also rose over the year for education and communication (2.6 percent) and other goods and services (3.2 percent), among others.

Table A. Northeast region CPI-U 1-month and 12-month percent changes, all items index, not seasonally adjusted
Month 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
1-month 12-month 1-month 12-month 1-month 12-month 1-month 12-month 1-month 12-month

January

-0.2 -0.4 0.0 0.7 0.6 2.5 0.5 1.6 0.3 1.5

February

0.2 -0.2 0.2 0.7 0.3 2.6 0.4 1.7 0.2 1.3

March

0.3 -0.4 0.2 0.6 -0.1 2.2 0.1 2.0 0.5 1.7

April

0.1 -0.3 0.6 1.0 0.3 1.9 0.4 2.1 0.4 1.7

May

0.4 -0.3 0.3 0.9 0.1 1.7 0.4 2.5 0.3 1.5

June

0.3 0.0 0.2 0.7 0.0 1.5 0.0 2.6 0.1 1.6

July

-0.1 -0.2 0.0 0.8 -0.2 1.3 0.0 2.7 0.1 1.7

August

-0.2 -0.1 0.1 1.0 0.3 1.6 0.2 2.7 0.1 1.5

September

0.0 -0.1 0.2 1.3 0.5 1.9 0.1 2.2 0.0 1.4

October

-0.2 -0.1 0.2 1.6 -0.1 1.5 -0.1 2.3 -0.1 1.5

November

0.0 0.3 0.0 1.6 0.0 1.6 -0.4 1.9

December

-0.4 0.5 0.0 1.9 0.1 1.7 -0.1 1.7
Geographic divisions

Additional price indexes are now available for the two divisions of the Northeast. Over the month, the all items CPI-U decreased 0.3 percent in the New England division, while remaining unchanged in the Middle Atlantic division.

Over the year, the all items index advanced 1.6 percent in the New England division. (See table B.) Prices also rose in the Middle Atlantic division, up 1.4 percent.

 Table B. CPI-U 1-month and 12-month percent changes, all items index, Northeast region and divisions, not seasonally adjusted
Area 1-month change 12-month change

Northeast

-0.1 1.5

New England Division

-0.3 1.6

Middle Atlantic Division

0.0 1.4

The Consumer Price Index for November 2019 is scheduled to be released Wednesday, December 11, 2019, at 8:30 a.m. (ET).


Technical Note

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a measure of the average change in prices over time in a fixed market basket of goods and services. The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes CPIs for two population groups: (1) a CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) which covers approximately 93 percent of the total population and (2) a CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) which covers approximately 29 percent of the total population. The CPI-U includes, in addition to wage earners and clerical workers, groups such as professional, managerial, and technical workers, the self-employed, short-term workers, the unemployed, and retirees and others not in the labor force.

The CPI is based on prices of food, clothing, shelter, and fuels, transportation fares, charges for doctors' and dentists' services, drugs, and the other goods and services that people buy for day-to-day living. Each month, prices are collected in 75 urban areas across the country from about 5,000 housing units and approximately 22,000 retail establishments--department stores, supermarkets, hospitals, filling stations, and other types of stores and service establishments. All taxes directly associated with the purchase and use of items are included in the index.

The index measures price changes from a designated reference date (1982-84) that equals 100.0. An increase of 16.5 percent, for example, is shown as 116.5. This change can also be expressed in dollars as follows: the price of a base period "market basket" of goods and services in the CPI has risen from $10 in 1982-84 to $11.65. For further details see the CPI home page on the Internet at www.bls.gov/cpi and the BLS Handbook of Methods, Chapter 17, The Consumer Price Index, available on the Internet at www.bls.gov/opub/hom/pdf/homch17.pdf.

In calculating the index, price changes for the various items in each location are averaged together with weights that represent their importance in the spending of the appropriate population group. Local data are then combined to obtain a U.S. city average. Because the sample size of a local area is smaller, the local area index is subject to substantially more sampling and other measurement error than the national index. In addition, local indexes are not adjusted for seasonal influences. As a result, local area indexes show greater volatility than the national index, although their long-term trends are quite similar. Note: Area indexes do not measure differences in the level of prices between cities; they only measure the average change in prices for each area since the base period.

The Northeast region is comprised of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

The New England division is comprised of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

The Middle Atlantic division is comprised of New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.

Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Federal Relay Service: (800) 877-8339.

Table 1. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): Indexes and percent changes for selected periods, Northeast Region, (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted) (not seasonally adjusted)
Expenditure category Indexes Percent change from
Historical
data
Aug.
2019
Sep.
2019
Oct.
2019
Oct.
2018
Aug.
2019
Sep.
2019

All items

270.548 270.563 270.348 1.5 -0.1 -0.1

All items (December 1977 = 100)

426.030 426.053 425.715      

Food and beverages

264.398 264.364 265.226 1.8 0.3 0.3

Food

265.040 264.884 265.790 2.0 0.3 0.3

Food at home

250.784 250.048 251.386 1.1 0.2 0.5

Cereals and bakery products

301.038 296.708 294.753 2.1 -2.1 -0.7

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs

250.926 251.040 252.590 0.9 0.7 0.6

Dairy and related products

228.880 231.171 230.748 0.9 0.8 -0.2

Fruits and vegetables

310.602 308.132 318.688 1.7 2.6 3.4

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials

176.897 177.425 177.088 1.5 0.1 -0.2

Other food at home

225.010 224.071 223.231 -0.1 -0.8 -0.4

Food away from home

289.738 290.422 290.713 3.1 0.3 0.1

Alcoholic beverages

255.136 256.592 256.910 0.2 0.7 0.1

Housing

288.578 289.142 288.158 1.5 -0.1 -0.3

Shelter

360.222 361.023 359.999 2.3 -0.1 -0.3

Rent of primary residence

363.327 364.306 364.141 2.9 0.2 0.0

Owners' equivalent rent of residences(1)

371.150 372.187 372.237 2.1 0.3 0.0

Owners' equivalent rent of primary residence(1)

370.844 371.881 371.941 2.1 0.3 0.0

Fuels and utilities

224.096 223.836 222.250 -2.5 -0.8 -0.7

Household energy

196.855 196.550 194.836 -3.5 -1.0 -0.9

Energy services

194.676 194.092 191.649 -2.3 -1.6 -1.3

Electricity

201.494 201.717 196.035 -4.1 -2.7 -2.8

Utility (piped) gas service

168.411 166.552 169.593 1.4 0.7 1.8

Household furnishings and operations

119.941 120.344 119.838 -0.6 -0.1 -0.4

Apparel

128.731 133.298 132.042 -1.5 2.6 -0.9

Transportation

208.236 205.461 204.991 -1.7 -1.6 -0.2

Private transportation

200.355 197.262 196.710 -2.2 -1.8 -0.3

New and used motor vehicles(2)

97.267 95.594 95.380 0.7 -1.9 -0.2

New vehicles

143.365 142.589 142.586 0.0 -0.5 0.0

New cars and trucks(2)(3)

99.368 98.833 98.823 0.0 -0.5 0.0

New cars(3)

132.525 131.742 132.089 -0.6 -0.3 0.3

Used cars and trucks

150.275 144.821 144.517 1.8 -3.8 -0.2

Motor fuel

232.861 225.375 223.918 -9.8 -3.8 -0.6

Gasoline (all types)

231.814 224.264 222.797 -9.9 -3.9 -0.7

Gasoline, unleaded regular(3)

228.994 221.232 219.798 -10.2 -4.0 -0.6

Gasoline, unleaded midgrade(3)(4)

247.018 241.042 239.266 -8.2 -3.1 -0.7

Gasoline, unleaded premium(3)

241.819 236.103 234.466 -7.5 -3.0 -0.7

Motor vehicle insurance(5)

620.674 620.671 619.421 -0.6 -0.2 -0.2

Medical care

528.447 531.412 535.250 5.4 1.3 0.7

Medical care commodities

409.247 403.746 401.027 2.7 -2.0 -0.7

Medical care services

562.622 568.174 574.009 5.9 2.0 1.0

Professional services

393.389 398.975 398.920 3.4 1.4 0.0

Recreation(2)

127.197 125.380 125.822 1.8 -1.1 0.4

Education and communication(2)

145.094 145.964 145.951 2.6 0.6 0.0

Tuition, other school fees, and child care(5)

1,276.125 1,289.058 1,289.693 3.8 1.1 0.0

Other goods and services

502.699 502.159 503.443 3.2 0.1 0.3

Commodity and service group

Commodities

192.100 191.429 191.268 -0.4 -0.4 -0.1

Commodities less food and beverages

153.149 152.269 151.720 -1.9 -0.9 -0.4

Nondurables less food and beverages

199.319 198.855 198.011 -3.0 -0.7 -0.4

Durables

102.550 101.433 101.164 -0.3 -1.4 -0.3

Services

346.016 346.636 346.370 2.4 0.1 -0.1

Special aggregate indexes

All items less shelter

239.601 239.324 239.408 1.0 -0.1 0.0

All items less medical care

259.196 259.075 258.674 1.1 -0.2 -0.2

Commodities less food

156.855 156.038 155.511 -1.8 -0.9 -0.3

Nondurables

231.824 231.553 231.488 -0.5 -0.1 0.0

Nondurables less food

202.563 202.215 201.441 -2.7 -0.6 -0.4

Services less rent of shelter(1)

342.571 343.012 343.562 2.6 0.3 0.2

Services less medical care services

331.088 331.370 330.685 2.0 -0.1 -0.2

Energy

211.696 208.392 206.786 -6.5 -2.3 -0.8

All items less energy

279.332 279.697 279.627 2.1 0.1 0.0

All items less food and energy

283.631 284.084 283.854 2.2 0.1 -0.1

Footnotes
(1) Indexes on a December 1982=100 base.
(2) Indexes on a December 1997=100 base.
(3) Special index based on a substantially smaller sample.
(4) Indexes on a December 1993=100 base.
(5) Indexes on a December 1977=100 base.

 

Last Modified Date: Wednesday, November 13, 2019