Department of Labor Logo United States Department of Labor
Dot gov

The .gov means it's official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

News Release Information

18-267-PHI
Wednesday, February 14, 2018

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:

Consumer Price Index, Northeast Region – January 2018

Regional prices up 0.5 percent over the month and 1.6 percent over the year

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) in the Northeast rose 0.5 percent in January, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Sheila Watkins, the Bureau’s regional commissioner, noted that the recent one-month increase reflected a rise in the all items less food and energy index, up 0.4 percent. The energy index and food index also increased since December, up 2.0 and 0.5 percent, respectively. (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 1.6 percent, due largely to an advance in the all items less food and energy index, up 1.1 percent. (See chart 1 and table A.) The energy index (6.7 percent) and the food index (2.0 percent) also increased over the year. (See table 1.)

Food

The food index increased 0.5 percent since December. Prices increased for both food at home (0.6 percent) and for food away from home (0.4 percent).

From January 2017 to January 2018 the food index increased 2.0 percent, as prices for food away from home increased 2.7 percent and prices for food at home rose 1.4 percent.

Energy

The energy index, which includes prices for household and transportation fuels, increased 2.0 percent in January, reflecting a 2.5-percent increase in gasoline prices. Prices were also higher for electricity, up 2.3 percent, while prices for utility (piped) gas service decreased 3.2 percent.

The energy index advanced 6.7 percent since January 2017. The increase was mostly due to a 7.6-percent rise in gasoline prices. Prices also increased over the year for electricity (3.9 percent) and utility (piped) gas service (4.4 percent).

All items less food and energy

The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.4 percent over the month. Prices increased for categories including shelter (0.2 percent), apparel (2.5 percent), medical care (0.6 percent), and recreation (0.6 percent), among others.

The index for all items less food and energy increased 1.1 percent since January 2017, led by higher prices for shelter (1.9 percent) and medical care (2.6 percent), among others. Meanwhile, prices were lower over the year for education and communication (-1.8 percent) and household furnishings and operations (-2.6 percent).

Table A. Northeast region CPI-U 1-month and 12-month percent changes, all items index, not seasonally adjusted
Month20142015201620172018
1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month

January

0.61.5-0.2-0.40.00.70.62.50.51.6

February

0.11.00.2-0.20.20.70.32.6  

March

0.51.50.3-0.40.20.6-0.12.2  

April

0.01.60.1-0.30.61.00.31.9  

May

0.42.00.4-0.30.30.90.11.7  

June

0.01.90.30.00.20.70.01.5  

July

0.11.8-0.1-0.20.00.8-0.21.3  

August

-0.31.3-0.2-0.10.11.00.31.6  

September

0.01.20.0-0.10.21.30.51.9  

October

-0.21.4-0.2-0.10.21.6-0.11.5  

November

-0.40.90.00.30.01.60.01.6  

December

-0.50.4-0.40.50.01.90.11.7  

The Consumer Price Index for February 2018 is scheduled to be released Tuesday, March 13, 2018, 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 94 percent of the total population and (2) a CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) which covers approximately 28 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.

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 categoryIndexesPercent change from
 
Historical
data
Nov.
2017
Dec.
2017
Jan.
2018
Jan.
2017
Nov.
2017
Dec.
2017

All items

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0
260.630260.791262.1881.60.60.5

All items (December 1977 = 100)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100AA0
410.412410.666412.865   
 

Food and beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF
256.073256.487257.7641.80.70.5

Food

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF1
256.209256.764258.0972.00.70.5

Food at home

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF11
245.920246.424247.9441.40.80.6

Cereals and bakery products

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF111
 286.389290.452  1.4

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF112
 251.499249.705  -0.7

Dairy and related products

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEFJ
 224.869226.407  0.7

Fruits and vegetables

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF113
 309.997315.809  1.9

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF114
 171.841172.791  0.6

Other food at home

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF115
 219.860220.752  0.4

Food away from home

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEFV
275.002275.644276.7242.70.60.4

Alcoholic beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF116
253.128251.711252.3120.4-0.30.2
 

Housing

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH
276.736277.693278.6901.90.70.4

Shelter

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH1
343.275344.282345.0891.90.50.2

Rent of primary residence(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHA
346.118346.920347.8882.40.50.3

Owners' equivalent rent of residences(1)(2)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHC
355.348356.255357.4981.90.60.3

Owners' equivalent rent of primary residence(1)(2)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHC01
355.098356.008357.2461.90.60.3

Fuels and utilities

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH2
220.163223.688227.0925.43.11.5

Household energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH21
194.829198.709201.9726.03.71.6

Energy services(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHF
193.258196.735197.4513.72.20.4

Electricity(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHF01
195.921199.636204.1673.94.22.3

Utility (piped) gas service(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHF02
173.984176.712171.1384.4-1.6-3.2

Household furnishings and operations

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH3
118.572117.530117.541-2.6-0.90.0
 

Apparel

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAA
129.241124.143127.247-2.2-1.52.5
 

Transportation

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAT
202.467202.378204.2712.50.90.9

Private transportation

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAT1
194.728195.138197.2402.91.31.1

New and used motor vehicles(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETA
94.74495.75296.1920.41.50.5

New vehicles

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETA01
144.217145.987146.7250.11.70.5

New cars and trucks(3)(4)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS4501A
99.909101.144101.6780.11.80.5

New cars(4)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS45011
133.886135.740136.039-0.91.60.2

Used cars and trucks

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETA02
140.030141.272141.690-1.21.20.3

Motor fuel

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETB
223.902220.329225.9707.70.92.6

Gasoline (all types)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETB01
222.946219.332224.8587.60.92.5

Gasoline, unleaded regular(4)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS47014
220.589216.786222.4397.70.82.6

Gasoline, unleaded midgrade(4)(5)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS47015
235.207233.187237.4176.80.91.8

Gasoline, unleaded premium(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS47016
230.205227.876232.3716.90.92.0

Motor vehicle insurance

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETE
 615.509623.148  1.2
 

Medical care

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAM
498.864499.765502.7152.60.80.6

Medical care commodities

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAM1
387.946388.522392.7682.01.21.1

Medical care services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAM2
530.627531.627534.1662.70.70.5

Professional services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEMC
377.680378.179380.0651.10.60.5
 

Recreation(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAR
123.233123.466124.2601.50.80.6
 

Education and communication(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAE
140.409140.206140.376-1.80.00.1

Tuition, other school fees, and child care

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEEB
 1,212.2791,212.253  0.0
 

Other goods and services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAG
480.950480.873482.0131.80.20.2
 

Commodity and service group

 

Commodities

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAC
187.525186.904188.9201.30.71.1

Commodities less food and beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SACL11
150.311149.301151.4910.90.81.5

Nondurables less food and beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SANL11
194.777192.319196.2862.40.82.1

Durables

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAD
101.303101.516102.118-1.10.80.6

Services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAS
331.150332.006332.8861.70.50.3
 

Special aggregate indexes

 

All items less shelter

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0L2
232.203232.054233.6811.40.60.7

All items less medical care

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0L5
250.163250.291251.6191.50.60.5

Commodities less food

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SACL1
154.027153.001155.1560.90.71.4

Nondurables

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAN
225.444224.318227.0892.10.71.2

Nondurables less food

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SANL1
198.177195.781199.5452.20.71.9

Services less rent of shelter(2)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SASL2RS
329.515330.302331.2821.50.50.3

Services less medical care services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SASL5
317.401318.247319.0131.60.50.2

Energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0E
206.616207.538211.7916.72.52.0

All items less energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0LE
268.806268.892270.0001.20.40.4

All items less food and energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0L1E
272.756272.764273.8441.10.40.4

Footnotes
(1) This index series was calculated using a Laspeyres estimator. All other item stratum index series were calculated using a geometric means estimator.
(2) Indexes on a December 1982=100 base.
(3) Indexes on a December 1997=100 base.
(4) Special index based on a substantially smaller sample.
(5) Indexes on a December 1993=100 base.

Note: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.

 

Last Modified Date: Wednesday, February 14, 2018