The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) in the Northeast was unchanged in May, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Sheila Watkins, the Bureau’s regional commissioner, noted that a 0.7-percent increase in the food index was offset by a 1.8-percent decline in the energy index. The all items less food and energy index was unchanged since April. (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 0.6 percent. (See chart 1 and table A.) This reflected an advance in the all items less food and energy index, up 1.4 percent. The food index also rose, up 4.8, while the energy index fell 16.5 percent since May 2019. (See table 1.)

Food

The food index increased 0.7 percent since April. Prices were higher for both food at home and for food away from home, up 0.7 and 0.5 percent, respectively.

From May 2019 to May 2020, the food index increased 4.8 percent. Prices for food at home increased over the year, up 5.4 percent; those for food away from home also rose, up 4.0 percent.

Energy

The energy index, which includes prices for household and transportation fuels, declined 1.8 percent in May, due largely to a 2.4-percent decrease in gasoline prices. Prices were also lower for utility (piped) gas service (-3.9 percent) while prices were higher for electricity (0.5 percent) over the month.

The energy index decreased 16.5 percent since May 2019. The decrease reflected a drop in prices for gasoline (-29.4 percent). Prices for utility (piped) gas service also decreased over the year, down 3.9 percent, while those for electricity increased 1.0 percent.

All items less food and energy

The index for all items less food and energy was unchanged over the month. Higher prices for recreation (3.1 percent) were offset by lower prices for apparel (-3.5 percent), among others.

The index for all items less food and energy increased 1.4 percent since May 2019, led by higher prices for shelter and medical care, up 2.1 and 5.3 percent, respectively. Prices also rose over the year for recreation (5.1 percent), education and communication, and other goods and services (2.7 percent each).

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

Month	2016		2017		2018		2019		2020
	1-month	12-month	1-month	12-month	1-month	12-month	1-month	12-month	1-month	12-month
January	0.0	0.7	0.6	2.5	0.5	1.6	0.3	1.5	0.7	2.3
February	0.2	0.7	0.3	2.6	0.4	1.7	0.2	1.3	0.3	2.4
March	0.2	0.6	-0.1	2.2	0.1	2.0	0.5	1.7	-0.2	1.7
April	0.6	1.0	0.3	1.9	0.4	2.1	0.4	1.7	-0.4	0.8
May	0.3	0.9	0.1	1.7	0.4	2.5	0.3	1.5	0.0	0.6
June	0.2	0.7	0.0	1.5	0.0	2.6	0.1	1.6
July	0.0	0.8	-0.2	1.3	0.0	2.7	0.1	1.7
August	0.1	1.0	0.3	1.6	0.2	2.7	0.1	1.5
September	0.2	1.3	0.5	1.9	0.1	2.2	0.0	1.4
October	0.2	1.6	-0.1	1.5	-0.1	2.3	-0.1	1.5
November	0.0	1.6	0.0	1.6	-0.4	1.9	0.1	1.9
December	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 in the New England division, down 0.6 percent, and rose in the Middle Atlantic division, up 0.2 percent.

Over the year, the all items index decreased in the New England division (-0.1 percent). (See table B.) Prices rose in the Middle Atlantic division, up 0.9 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	0.0	0.6
New England Division	-0.6	-0.1
Middle Atlantic Division	0.2	0.9

The Consumer Price Index for June 2020 is scheduled to be released Tuesday, July 14, 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	Mar. 2020	Apr. 2020	May 2020	May 2019	Mar. 2020	Apr. 2020
All items		272.531	271.325	271.345	0.6	-0.4	0.0
All items (December 1977 = 100)		429.153	427.254	427.285
Food and beverages		268.092	273.573	275.327	4.6	2.7	0.6
Food		268.721	274.617	276.418	4.8	2.9	0.7
Food at home		253.922	262.180	264.135	5.4	4.0	0.7
Cereals and bakery products		298.906	313.438	312.739	4.4	4.6	-0.2
Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs		256.063	268.731	279.088	11.4	9.0	3.9
Dairy and related products		234.361	241.163	242.054	5.9	3.3	0.4
Fruits and vegetables		313.699	320.523	321.906	1.8	2.6	0.4
Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials		177.412	181.651	181.340	3.1	2.2	-0.2
Other food at home		229.146	234.059	232.173	4.0	1.3	-0.8
Food away from home		294.219	296.492	298.070	4.0	1.3	0.5
Alcoholic beverages		258.990	258.802	259.914	1.9	0.4	0.4
Housing		292.049	291.569	291.328	1.3	-0.2	-0.1
Shelter		365.343	365.383	365.728	2.1	0.1	0.1
Rent of primary residence		368.227	369.142	369.469	2.6	0.3	0.1
Owners' equivalent rent of residences(1)		377.615	379.025	379.410	2.9	0.5	0.1
Owners' equivalent rent of primary residence(1)		377.302	378.705	379.093	2.9	0.5	0.1
Fuels and utilities		224.048	219.796	217.304	-4.0	-3.0	-1.1
Household energy		196.018	191.620	188.822	-5.4	-3.7	-1.5
Energy services		198.364	197.091	195.422	-0.4	-1.5	-0.8
Electricity		203.304	202.391	203.446	1.0	0.1	0.5
Utility (piped) gas service		174.043	172.177	165.428	-3.9	-4.9	-3.9
Household furnishings and operations		120.472	120.596	119.994	-0.5	-0.4	-0.5
Apparel		130.385	122.783	118.529	-7.4	-9.1	-3.5
Transportation		200.823	192.380	190.787	-9.8	-5.0	-0.8
Private transportation		194.453	186.784	185.148	-9.1	-4.8	-0.9
New and used motor vehicles(2)		96.408	95.942	96.679	-0.1	0.3	0.8
New vehicles		144.375	144.030	145.786	-0.7	1.0	1.2
New cars and trucks(2)(3)		100.063	99.818	101.004	-0.7	0.9	1.2
New cars(3)		133.994	133.004	135.082	0.0	0.8	1.6
Used cars and trucks		146.882	145.373	144.269	-0.5	-1.8	-0.8
Motor fuel		203.111	180.260	175.899	-29.3	-13.4	-2.4
Gasoline (all types)		201.992	179.103	174.767	-29.4	-13.5	-2.4
Gasoline, unleaded regular(3)		198.608	175.315	171.025	-30.3	-13.9	-2.4
Gasoline, unleaded midgrade(3)(4)		221.847	201.686	195.799	-24.7	-11.7	-2.9
Gasoline, unleaded premium(3)		217.336	198.540	194.354	-23.3	-10.6	-2.1
Motor vehicle insurance(5)		636.101	568.633	529.141	-15.0	-16.8	-6.9
Medical care		545.933	549.330	548.862	5.3	0.5	-0.1
Medical care commodities		393.296	390.261	390.799	-3.0	-0.6	0.1
Medical care services		590.365	595.764	594.982	7.2	0.8	-0.1
Professional services		400.697	401.080	403.512	4.0	0.7	0.6
Recreation(2)		128.309	128.377	132.380	5.1	3.2	3.1
Education and communication(2)		146.924	147.043	146.915	2.7	0.0	-0.1
Tuition, other school fees, and child care(5)		1,301.033	1,301.052	1,301.458	3.8	0.0	0.0
Other goods and services		509.650	511.241	509.456	2.7	0.0	-0.3
Commodity and service group
Commodities		190.212	188.826	188.241	-2.5	-1.0	-0.3
Commodities less food and beverages		149.178	145.084	143.583	-7.3	-3.8	-1.0
Nondurables less food and beverages		191.808	183.337	179.901	-11.3	-6.2	-1.9
Durables		101.562	100.951	100.950	-1.7	-0.6	0.0
Services		351.513	350.479	351.075	2.2	-0.1	0.2
Special aggregate indexes
All items less shelter		240.467	238.814	238.717	-0.2	-0.7	0.0
All items less medical care		260.472	259.058	259.099	0.2	-0.5	0.0
Commodities less food		153.086	149.072	147.632	-6.9	-3.6	-1.0
Nondurables		229.494	227.723	226.778	-2.8	-1.2	-0.4
Nondurables less food		195.736	187.760	184.597	-10.3	-5.7	-1.7
Services less rent of shelter(1)		348.615	346.404	347.273	2.2	-0.4	0.3
Services less medical care services		335.057	333.579	334.271	1.6	-0.2	0.2
Energy		198.967	187.095	183.663	-16.5	-7.7	-1.8
All items less energy		282.702	282.453	282.786	1.9	0.0	0.1
All items less food and energy		286.984	285.641	285.717	1.4	-0.4	0.0
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.