The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) in the Northeast inched down 0.1 percent in December, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Sheila Watkins, the Bureau’s regional commissioner, noted that the recent over-the-month decrease was due to a 0.1-percent decline in the all items less food and energy index. The food index and energy index were unchanged from November to December. (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 1.9 percent. (See chart 1 and table A.) This was due largely to an advance in the all items less food and energy index, up 2.1 percent. The food index and energy index also rose, up 2.0 and 0.1 percent, respectively, since December 2018. (See table 1.)

Food

The food index was unchanged since November. Higher prices for food away from home (0.5 percent) were offset by lower prices for food at home (-0.3 percent).

From December 2018 to December 2019, the food index increased 2.0 percent. Prices for food away from home increased over the year, up 3.2 percent; those for food at home also rose, up 1.0 percent.

Energy

The energy index, which includes prices for household and transportation fuels, was unchanged in December. Lower prices for gasoline (-0.3 percent) and electricity (-0.1 percent) were offset by higher prices for utility (piped) gas service (0.1 percent).

The energy index inched up 0.1 percent since December 2018. The increase reflected higher prices for gasoline (1.8 percent), while those for utility (piped) gas service and electricity decreased, down 3.2 and 0.8 percent, respectively, 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 were led by apparel (-5.0 percent) while prices increased for a number of items including medical care and recreation, up 0.6 percent each.

The index for all items less food and energy increased 2.1 percent since December 2018, led by higher prices for shelter and medical care, up 2.0 and 5.9 percent, respectively. Prices also rose over the year for education and communication (3.2 percent) and recreation (2.0 percent).

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	0.1	1.9
December	-0.4	0.5	0.0	1.9	0.1	1.7	-0.1	1.7	-0.1	1.9

Geographic divisions

Additional price indexes are now available for the two divisions of the Northeast. Over the month, the all items CPI-U decreased 0.1 percent in both the New England division and the Middle Atlantic division.

Over the year, the all items index advanced 2.1 percent in the New England division. (See table B.) Prices also rose in the Middle Atlantic division, up 1.9 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	1.9
New England Division	-0.1	2.1
Middle Atlantic Division	-0.1	1.9

The Consumer Price Index for January 2020 is scheduled to be released Thursday, February 13, 2020, 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	Oct. 2019	Nov. 2019	Dec. 2019	Dec. 2018	Oct. 2019	Nov. 2019
All items		270.348	270.643	270.429	1.9	0.0	-0.1
All items (December 1977 = 100)		425.715	426.181	425.844
Food and beverages		265.226	265.506	265.571	1.9	0.1	0.0
Food		265.790	266.106	266.209	2.0	0.2	0.0
Food at home		251.386	251.867	251.134	1.0	-0.1	-0.3
Cereals and bakery products		294.753	299.492	300.008	2.5	1.8	0.2
Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs		252.590	252.509	253.674	1.6	0.4	0.5
Dairy and related products		230.748	231.561	231.914	1.7	0.5	0.2
Fruits and vegetables		318.688	316.866	312.132	-1.6	-2.1	-1.5
Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials		177.088	175.343	174.040	1.1	-1.7	-0.7
Other food at home		223.231	224.830	224.169	1.3	0.4	-0.3
Food away from home		290.713	290.793	292.114	3.2	0.5	0.5
Alcoholic beverages		256.910	256.753	256.346	1.0	-0.2	-0.2
Housing		288.158	289.297	289.370	1.6	0.4	0.0
Shelter		359.999	360.772	360.599	2.0	0.2	0.0
Rent of primary residence		364.141	365.561	366.084	3.0	0.5	0.1
Owners' equivalent rent of residences(1)		372.237	373.820	374.302	2.2	0.6	0.1
Owners' equivalent rent of primary residence(1)		371.941	373.516	373.986	2.2	0.5	0.1
Fuels and utilities		222.250	227.679	228.305	-0.5	2.7	0.3
Household energy		194.836	200.435	200.981	-1.1	3.2	0.3
Energy services		191.649	197.678	197.669	-1.6	3.1	0.0
Electricity		196.035	199.705	199.567	-0.8	1.8	-0.1
Utility (piped) gas service		169.593	179.008	179.213	-3.2	5.7	0.1
Household furnishings and operations		119.838	119.253	119.756	-0.1	-0.1	0.4
Apparel		132.042	125.174	118.918	-4.2	-9.9	-5.0
Transportation		204.991	205.488	204.829	1.1	-0.1	-0.3
Private transportation		196.710	196.995	197.333	0.9	0.3	0.2
New and used motor vehicles(2)		95.380	95.305	95.505	-0.1	0.1	0.2
New vehicles		142.586	142.643	142.726	0.5	0.1	0.1
New cars and trucks(2)(3)		98.823	98.869	98.926	0.4	0.1	0.1
New cars(3)		132.089	132.003	131.898	0.4	-0.1	-0.1
Used cars and trucks		144.517	143.758	143.268	-0.3	-0.9	-0.3
Motor fuel		223.918	223.968	223.213	1.8	-0.3	-0.3
Gasoline (all types)		222.797	222.833	222.068	1.8	-0.3	-0.3
Gasoline, unleaded regular(3)		219.798	219.820	219.082	1.8	-0.3	-0.3
Gasoline, unleaded midgrade(3)(4)		239.266	239.249	238.347	1.6	-0.4	-0.4
Gasoline, unleaded premium(3)		234.466	234.633	233.712	1.9	-0.3	-0.4
Motor vehicle insurance(5)		619.421	624.748	629.013	1.1	1.5	0.7
Medical care		535.250	536.649	539.822	5.9	0.9	0.6
Medical care commodities		401.027	396.928	397.493	1.1	-0.9	0.1
Medical care services		574.009	577.091	581.050	7.0	1.2	0.7
Professional services		398.920	399.567	399.880	4.1	0.2	0.1
Recreation(2)		125.822	125.770	126.481	2.0	0.5	0.6
Education and communication(2)		145.951	146.347	146.595	3.2	0.4	0.2
Tuition, other school fees, and child care(5)		1,289.693	1,289.786	1,291.441	3.6	0.1	0.1
Other goods and services		503.443	502.804	502.127	2.4	-0.3	-0.1
Commodity and service group
Commodities		191.268	190.262	189.415	0.7	-1.0	-0.4
Commodities less food and beverages		151.720	150.271	149.119	0.0	-1.7	-0.8
Nondurables less food and beverages		198.011	195.560	193.215	0.4	-2.4	-1.2
Durables		101.164	100.633	100.516	-0.6	-0.6	-0.1
Services		346.370	347.822	348.163	2.5	0.5	0.1
Special aggregate indexes
All items less shelter		239.408	239.529	239.298	1.9	0.0	-0.1
All items less medical care		258.674	258.919	258.549	1.6	0.0	-0.1
Commodities less food		155.511	154.093	152.956	0.0	-1.6	-0.7
Nondurables		231.488	230.270	229.011	1.2	-1.1	-0.5
Nondurables less food		201.441	199.129	196.902	0.4	-2.3	-1.1
Services less rent of shelter(1)		343.562	345.780	346.682	3.0	0.9	0.3
Services less medical care services		330.685	332.025	332.117	2.0	0.4	0.0
Energy		206.786	210.061	210.063	0.1	1.6	0.0
All items less energy		279.627	279.611	279.372	2.1	-0.1	-0.1
All items less food and energy		283.854	283.784	283.487	2.1	-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.