Prices in the Northeast Region, as measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), inched up 0.1 percent in September, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The over-the-month increase was influenced by higher prices for the all items less food and energy index, up 0.1 percent. The energy index and the food index also rose in September, up 0.4 and 0.1 percent, respectively. (Data in this report are not seasonally adjusted. Accordingly, month-to-month changes may reflect seasonal influences.)

Over the last 12 months, the CPI-U rose 1.2 percent. (See chart 1 and table A.) The index for all items less food and energy increased 1.5 percent over the year. Food prices also rose, up 3.9 percent, while energy prices declined 8.1 percent. (See table 1.)

Food

Food prices inched up 0.1 percent for the month of September. Prices for food away from home edged up 0.2 percent, while those for food at home were unchanged.

Over the year, food prices rose 3.9 percent. Prices for food at home increased 4.3 percent from September 2019 to September 2020, and prices for food away from home advanced 3.4 percent.

Energy

The energy index rose 0.4 percent over the month. The increase was mostly due to higher prices for gasoline (1.3 percent). Prices for electricity also increased, up 0.1 percent, while prices for utility (piped) gas service decreased 0.4 percent in September.

Energy prices declined 8.1 percent over the year, largely due to lower prices for gasoline (-14.6 percent). Prices paid for utility (piped) gas service declined 2.6 percent, while prices for electricity rose 1.7 percent from September 2019 to September 2020.

All items less food and energy

The index for all items less food and energy inched up 0.1 percent in September. Higher prices for apparel (3.2 percent) and shelter (0.1 percent) were nearly offset by lower prices for recreation (-1.4 percent) and medical care (-0.5 percent).

Over the year, the index for all items less food and energy increased 1.5 percent. Price increases were led by shelter (2.0 percent) and medical care (3.2 percent). Partly offsetting the increases was a 5.9-percent decline for apparel prices.

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	0.3	0.8
July	0.0	0.8	-0.2	1.3	0.0	2.7	0.1	1.7	0.4	1.1
August	0.1	1.0	0.3	1.6	0.2	2.7	0.1	1.5	0.1	1.1
September	0.2	1.3	0.5	1.9	0.1	2.2	0.0	1.4	0.1	1.2
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 increased in the New England and Middle Atlantic divisions, both up 0.1 percent.

Over the year, the all items index advanced in the New England division (0.6 percent). (See table B.) Prices rose in the Middle Atlantic division, up 1.5 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	1.2
New England Division	0.1	0.6
Middle Atlantic Division	0.1	1.5

The October 2020 Consumer Price Index for the Northeast Region is scheduled to be released on November 12, 2020.

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	Jul. 2020	Aug. 2020	Sep. 2020	Sep. 2019	Jul. 2020	Aug. 2020
All items		273.347	273.597	273.925	1.2	0.2	0.1
All items (December 1977 = 100)		430.438	430.831	431.348
Food and beverages		274.510	274.094	274.500	3.8	0.0	0.1
Food		275.506	275.002	275.304	3.9	-0.1	0.1
Food at home		261.877	260.775	260.903	4.3	-0.4	0.0
Cereals and bakery products		316.387	312.808	308.929	4.1	-2.4	-1.2
Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs		269.532	266.995	265.933	5.9	-1.3	-0.4
Dairy and related products		237.521	240.498	240.369	4.0	1.2	-0.1
Fruits and vegetables		323.536	322.093	326.289	5.9	0.9	1.3
Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials		179.745	178.804	180.309	1.6	0.3	0.8
Other food at home		232.015	231.653	231.546	3.3	-0.2	0.0
Food away from home		299.243	299.666	300.242	3.4	0.3	0.2
Alcoholic beverages		260.391	261.181	263.005	2.5	1.0	0.7
Housing		293.550	293.417	293.749	1.6	0.1	0.1
Shelter		367.962	367.753	368.205	2.0	0.1	0.1
Rent of primary residence		370.379	370.806	371.903	2.1	0.4	0.3
Owners' equivalent rent of residences(1)		380.755	381.116	381.502	2.5	0.2	0.1
Owners' equivalent rent of primary residence(1)		380.423	380.786	381.171	2.5	0.2	0.1
Fuels and utilities		222.193	220.042	219.623	-1.9	-1.2	-0.2
Household energy		193.728	191.319	190.773	-2.9	-1.5	-0.3
Energy services		198.819	195.555	195.499	0.7	-1.7	0.0
Electricity		210.574	205.000	205.218	1.7	-2.5	0.1
Utility (piped) gas service		161.440	162.837	162.261	-2.6	0.5	-0.4
Household furnishings and operations		120.699	121.806	122.193	1.5	1.2	0.3
Apparel		117.501	121.598	125.434	-5.9	6.8	3.2
Transportation		197.215	197.217	198.368	-3.5	0.6	0.6
Private transportation		191.958	193.697	193.484	-1.9	0.8	-0.1
New and used motor vehicles(2)		97.670	98.838	98.091	2.6	0.4	-0.8
New vehicles		145.364	144.638	143.211	0.4	-1.5	-1.0
New cars and trucks(2)(3)		100.738	100.232	99.268	0.4	-1.5	-1.0
New cars(3)		135.118	134.639	133.480	1.3	-1.2	-0.9
Used cars and trucks		147.569	156.307	159.375	10.0	8.0	2.0
Motor fuel		190.439	190.108	192.586	-14.5	1.1	1.3
Gasoline (all types)		189.428	189.108	191.608	-14.6	1.2	1.3
Gasoline, unleaded regular(3)		185.855	185.523	188.066	-15.0	1.2	1.4
Gasoline, unleaded midgrade(3)(4)		209.462	209.337	211.145	-12.4	0.8	0.9
Gasoline, unleaded premium(3)		206.943	206.731	208.863	-11.5	0.9	1.0
Motor vehicle insurance(5)		606.423	620.243	609.713	-1.8	0.5	-1.7
Medical care		554.273	551.685	548.668	3.2	-1.0	-0.5
Medical care commodities		392.571	393.671	387.697	-4.0	-1.2	-1.5
Medical care services		601.504	597.772	595.705	4.8	-1.0	-0.3
Professional services		407.557	407.372	407.281	2.1	-0.1	0.0
Recreation(2)		128.781	130.317	128.545	2.5	-0.2	-1.4
Education and communication(2)		148.820	148.796	148.939	2.0	0.1	0.1
Tuition, other school fees, and child care(5)		1,305.924	1,304.488	1,310.985	1.7	0.4	0.5
Other goods and services		511.039	513.366	513.994	2.4	0.6	0.1
Commodity and service group
Commodities		189.329	190.604	191.124	-0.2	0.9	0.3
Commodities less food and beverages		145.387	147.281	147.821	-2.9	1.7	0.4
Nondurables less food and beverages		183.094	185.291	186.528	-6.2	1.9	0.7
Durables		101.585	103.037	103.037	1.6	1.4	0.0
Services		353.955	353.224	353.370	1.9	-0.2	0.0
Special aggregate indexes
All items less shelter		240.644	241.058	241.343	0.8	0.3	0.1
All items less medical care		260.950	261.327	261.807	1.1	0.3	0.2
Commodities less food		149.411	151.287	151.865	-2.7	1.6	0.4
Nondurables		228.048	228.994	229.835	-0.7	0.8	0.4
Nondurables less food		187.627	189.739	191.010	-5.5	1.8	0.7
Services less rent of shelter(1)		350.931	349.624	349.445	1.9	-0.4	-0.1
Services less medical care services		336.899	336.376	336.674	1.6	-0.1	0.1
Energy		192.472	190.904	191.582	-8.1	-0.5	0.4
All items less energy		284.195	284.613	284.914	1.9	0.3	0.1
All items less food and energy		287.546	288.130	288.433	1.5	0.3	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.