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News Release Information

20-1412-PHI
Tuesday, July 14, 2020

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:

Consumer Price Index, Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington – June 2020

Area prices up 0.6 percent since April; up 0.1 percent over the year

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington increased 0.6 percent from April to June, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Sheila Watkins noted that the recent two-month increase reflected a 0.6-percent rise in the all items less food and energy index. The food index and energy index also increased since April, up 0.7 and 1.5 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 CPI-U inched up 0.1 percent. (See chart 1 and table A.) The over-the-year rise was led by an increase in the food index (5.2 percent). The all items less food and energy index also advanced since June 2019, up 0.5 percent, while the energy index declined 13.7 percent. (See table 1.)

Food

The food index increased 0.7 percent over the last two months. Prices for food at home increased since April, up 0.7 percent, and those for food away from home rose 0.6 percent. Within the food at home component, prices were higher for items such as spices, seasonings, condiments, sauces, and bread, while prices were lower for cheese and related products and rice, pasta, cornmeal.

Over the year, the food index increased 5.2 percent. Prices for food at home rose 5.9 percent, and those for food away from home were up 4.5 percent.

Energy

The energy index, which includes prices for household and transportation fuels, rose 1.5 percent since April. The two-month rise was led by a 4.5-percent increase in gasoline prices. Prices were also higher for electricity, up 1.8 percent, while those for utility (piped) gas service decreased, down 2.2 percent.

Over the year, the energy index decreased 13.7 percent, due to a drop in gasoline prices, down 20.6 percent. Prices were also lower for utility (piped) gas service and electricity, down 9.2 and 1.3 percent, respectively.

All items less food and energy

The index for all items less food and energy increased 0.6 percent from April to June. Higher prices were led by shelter (0.6 percent) and medical care (0.9 percent), while lower prices were led by apparel (-2.2 percent) and education and communication (-0.4 percent).

Since June 2019, the index for all items less food and energy increased 0.5 percent. Prices were higher for a number of items including shelter (2.1 percent) and medical care (3.2 percent), among others.

Table A. Philadelphia CPI-U 2-month and 12-month percent changes, all items index, not seasonally adjusted
Month20162017201820192020
2-month12-month2-month12-month2-month12-month2-month12-month2-month12-month

February

0.30.30.72.10.40.50.81.51.02.6

April

0.90.60.01.30.91.41.31.9-1.3-0.1

June

0.30.1-0.30.70.21.90.52.10.60.1

August

-0.20.40.51.40.31.70.52.3

October

0.61.30.00.80.01.6-0.41.9

December

-0.11.7-0.10.8-0.71.0-0.32.4

The Consumer Price Index for August 2020 is scheduled to be released Friday, September 11, 2020 at 8:30 am (ET).

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic Impact on June 2020 Consumer Price Index Data

Data collection by personal visit for the Consumer Price Index (CPI) program has been suspended since March 16, 2020. When possible, data normally collected by personal visit were collected either online or by phone. Additionally, data collection in June was affected by the temporary closing or limited operations of certain types of establishments. These factors resulted in an increase in the number of prices considered temporarily unavailable and imputed.

While the CPI program attempted to collect as much data as possible, many indexes are based on smaller amounts of collected prices than usual, and a small number of indexes that are normally published were not published this month. Additional information is available at www.bls.gov/covid19/effects-of-covid-19-pandemic-on-consumer-price-index.htm.


Technical Note

The Consumer Price Index for Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington is published bi-monthly. 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD, Core Based Statistical Area includes Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia Counties in Pennsylvania; Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, and Salem Counties in New Jersey; New Castle County in Delaware; and Cecil County in Maryland.

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, Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD, (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted) (not seasonally adjusted)
Expenditure categoryIndexesPercent change from
Historical
data
Apr.
2020
May
2020
Jun.
2020
Jun.
2019
Apr.
2020
May
2020

All items

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSA0
256.353 257.9830.10.6 

All items (1967 = 100)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BAA0
740.588 745.298   

Food and beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAF
247.073 249.1435.00.8 

Food

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAF1
248.266 249.9125.20.7 

Food at home

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAF11
252.920253.526254.6715.90.70.5

Cereals and bakery products

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAF111
327.034 333.0418.91.8 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAF112
284.276 297.80712.64.8 

Dairy and related products

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSEFJ
217.414 210.9644.9-3.0 

Fruits and vegetables

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAF113
280.538 277.8440.0-1.0 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAF114
162.962 167.2596.82.6 

Other food at home

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAF115
229.341 225.4072.4-1.7 

Food away from home

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSEFV
236.638 238.1184.50.6 

Alcoholic beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAF116
226.835 235.4091.73.8 

Housing

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAH
269.467 270.4970.60.4 

Shelter

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAH1
338.542338.812340.4672.10.60.5

Rent of primary residence

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSEHA
317.499315.729316.6672.6-0.30.3

Owners' equivalent rent of residences(2)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSEHC
348.840349.086351.6013.30.80.7

Owners' equivalent rent of primary residence(2)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSEHC01
348.840349.086351.6013.30.80.7

Fuels and utilities

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAH2
203.716 202.892-6.6-0.4 

Household energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAH21
163.492161.058162.727-7.9-0.51.0

Energy services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSEHF
179.011178.470180.030-4.10.60.9

Electricity

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSEHF01
177.855176.849181.037-1.31.82.4

Utility (piped) gas service

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSEHF02
169.586170.080165.909-9.2-2.2-2.5

Household furnishings and operations

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAH3
115.743 115.511-3.2-0.2 

Apparel

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAA
103.217 100.976-4.6-2.2 

Transportation

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAT
195.070 200.284-7.02.7 

Private transportation

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAT1
196.799 201.663-6.22.5 

New and used motor vehicles(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSETA
97.640 97.625-2.00.0 

New vehicles(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSETA01
174.320 174.854-2.80.3 

Used cars and trucks(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSETA02
257.994 253.189-2.4-1.9 

Motor fuel

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSETB
195.937190.171204.322-20.64.37.4

Gasoline (all types)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSETB01
192.992187.332201.645-20.64.57.6

Gasoline, unleaded regular(4)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSS47014
189.323183.919197.968-21.04.67.6

Gasoline, unleaded midgrade(4)(5)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSS47015
207.208198.147212.952-18.42.87.5

Gasoline, unleaded premium(4)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSS47016
202.850196.208211.291-17.34.27.7

Motor vehicle insurance(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSETE
617.242 692.479-4.412.2 

Medical care

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAM
552.219 556.9773.20.9 

Recreation(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAR
125.139 125.3000.80.1 

Education and communication(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAE
132.942 132.3970.5-0.4 

Tuition, other school fees, and child care(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSEEB
1,055.951 1,055.5771.20.0 

Other goods and services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAG
553.826 552.2260.3-0.3 

Commodity and service group

Commodities

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAC
178.932 179.290-1.60.2 

Commodities less food and beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSACL11
142.877 142.508-5.7-0.3 

Nondurables less food and beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSANL11
180.323 178.514-7.9-1.0 

Durables

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAD
100.943 101.604-2.80.7 

Services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAS
334.435 337.3631.00.9 

Special aggregate indexes

All items less shelter

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSA0L2
229.187 230.722-0.90.7 

All items less medical care

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSA0L5
243.844 245.342-0.20.6 

Commodities less food

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSACL1
145.882 145.734-5.4-0.1 

Nondurables

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAN
214.557 214.641-1.20.0 

Nondurables less food

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSANL1
183.075 181.836-7.3-0.7 

Services less rent of shelter(2)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSASL2RS
337.546 341.586-0.21.2 

Services less medical care services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSASL5
318.142 320.8820.60.9 

Energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSA0E
175.098171.458177.655-13.71.53.6

All items less energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSA0LE
266.930 268.4961.20.6 

All items less food and energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSA0L1E
272.608 274.1710.50.6 

Footnotes
(1) Indexes on a December 1977=100 base
(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.

 

Last Modified Date: Tuesday, July 14, 2020