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News Release Information

21-680-PHI
Tuesday, April 13, 2021

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:

Consumer Price Index, Northeast Region – March 2021

Regional prices up 0.6 percent over the month; up 2.1 percent over the year

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) in the Northeast increased 0.6 percent in March, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Alexandra Hall Bovee noted that the recent increase reflected advances in the all items less food and energy index (0.5 percent) and the energy index (2.3 percent) since February. The food index also increased over the month, up 0.6 percent. (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 2.1 percent (See chart 1 and table A.) This reflected an advance in the all items less food and energy index, up 1.3 percent. The energy index and the food index also rose since March 2020, up 9.9 and 3.3 percent, respectively. (See table 1.)

Food

The food index increased 0.6 percent since February. Prices were higher for both food away from home and food at home, up 1.0 and 0.3 percent, respectively.

From March 2020 to March 2021, the food index increased 3.3 percent. Prices for food away from home increased over the year, up 4.5 percent; those for food at home also rose, up 2.5 percent.

Energy

The energy index, which includes prices for household and transportation fuels, rose 2.3 percent in March, due to a 9.1-percent advance in gasoline prices. Prices were lower for electricity (-5.0 percent), while those for utility (piped) gas service were unchanged over the month.

The energy index rose 9.9 percent since March 2020. The increase reflected a rise in prices for gasoline (19.4 percent). Prices for utility (piped) gas service also advanced over the year, up 4.7 percent, as did fuel oil prices, up 21.5 percent, while they were lower for electricity (-0.8 percent) over the year.

All items less food and energy

The index for all items less food and energy increased 0.5 percent since February. Over-the-month price increases were led by shelter (0.5 percent), particularly those for lodging away from home (13.1 percent), as well as used cars and trucks (2.3 percent) and other goods and services (1.4 percent), while prices for medical care edged down 0.2 percent.

The index for all items less food and energy increased 1.3 percent since March 2020, led by higher prices for shelter (1.3 percent), particularly those for owners’ equivalent rent of residences (1.6 percent). Prices also increased for used cars and trucks (9.3 percent), household furnishings and operations (4.4 percent), and education and communication (1.7 percent) over the year.

Table A. Northeast region CPI-U 1-month and 12-month percent changes, all items index, not seasonally adjusted
Month20172018201920202021
1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month

January

0.62.50.51.60.31.50.72.30.41.1

February

0.32.60.41.70.21.30.32.40.41.2

March

-0.12.20.12.00.51.7-021.70.62.1

April

0.31.90.42.10.41.7-0.40.8

May

0.11.70.42.50.31.50.00.6

June

0.01.50.02.60.11.60.30.8

July

-0.21.30.02.70.11.70.41.1

August

0.31.60.22.70.11.50.11.1

September

0.51.90.12.20.01.40.11.2

October

-0.11.5-0.12.3-0.11.5-0.21.1

November

0.01.6-0.41.90.11.90.11.1

December

0.11.7-0.11.7-0.11.90.21.4
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 division, up 1.0 percent, and the Middle Atlantic division, up 0.5 percent.

Over the year, prices rose in the Middle Atlantic division, up 2.2 percent. The all items index also rose in the New England division (1.8 percent). (See table B.)

 Table B. CPI-U 1-month and 12-month percent changes, all items index, Northeast region and divisions, not seasonally adjusted
Area1-month change12-month change

Northeast

0.62.1

New England Division

1.01.8

Middle Atlantic Division

0.52.2

The Consumer Price Index for April 2021 is scheduled to be released Wednesday, May 12, 2021, at 8:30 a.m. (ET).

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic Impact on March 2021 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 March 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 (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 U.S. population and (2) a CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) which covers approximately 29 percent of the total U.S. 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 6,000 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; for most of the CPI-U the reference base is 1982-84 equals 100. An increase of 7 percent from the reference base, for example, is shown as 107.000.  Alternatively, that relationship can also be expressed as the price of a base period market basket of goods and services rising from $100 to $107. For further details see the CPI home page on the Internet at www.bls.gov/cpi and the CPI section of the BLS Handbook of Methods available on the internet at www.bls.gov/opub/hom/cpi/.

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 categoryIndexesPercent change from
Historical
data
Jan.
2021
Feb.
2021
Mar.
2021
Mar.
2020
Jan.
2021
Feb.
2021

All items

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0
275.427276.473278.1972.11.00.6

All items (December 1977 = 100)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100AA0
433.714435.361438.075   

Food and beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF
276.544275.338276.7833.20.10.5

Food

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF1
277.329276.024277.6613.30.10.6

Food at home

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF11
260.725259.405260.2432.5-0.20.3

Cereals and bakery products

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF111
305.756305.845305.9422.40.10.0

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF112
266.652264.981267.0334.30.10.8

Dairy and related products

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEFJ
241.290239.434239.0612.0-0.9-0.2

Fruits and vegetables

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF113
327.414323.135325.2733.7-0.70.7

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF114
180.068180.307180.9142.00.50.3

Other food at home

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF115
230.810230.211230.2280.5-0.30.0

Food away from home

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEFV
305.716304.423307.3194.50.51.0

Alcoholic beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF116
265.307265.449264.2732.0-0.4-0.4

Housing

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH
295.732296.629297.2911.80.50.2

Shelter

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH1
367.500368.060369.9371.30.70.5

Rent of primary residence

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHA
372.819373.037373.3511.40.10.1

Owners' equivalent rent of residences(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHC
382.489382.844383.5261.60.30.2

Owners' equivalent rent of primary residence(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHC01
382.164382.520383.1961.60.30.2

Fuels and utilities

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH2
232.598236.725231.8073.5-0.3-2.1

Household energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH21
203.821207.974202.6463.4-0.6-2.6

Energy services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHF
205.451207.387200.2050.9-2.6-3.5

Electricity

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHF01
210.217212.415201.762-0.8-4.0-5.0

Utility (piped) gas service

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHF02
180.929182.220182.2074.70.70.0

Household furnishings and operations

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH3
125.433125.504125.8264.40.30.3

Apparel

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAA
123.651125.518126.937-2.62.71.1

Transportation

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAT
201.972204.854210.4764.84.22.7

Private transportation

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAT1
197.348200.630207.1966.65.03.3

New and used motor vehicles(2)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETA
98.97199.098101.2465.02.32.2

New vehicles

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETA01
146.504145.605146.1361.2-0.30.4

New cars and trucks(2)(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS4501A
101.528100.909101.2851.2-0.20.4

New cars(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS45011
136.581137.258137.1742.40.4-0.1

Used cars and trucks

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETA02
156.320157.018160.5719.32.72.3

Motor fuel

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETB
208.047222.021242.18319.216.49.1

Gasoline (all types)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETB01
207.088221.060241.20819.416.59.1

Gasoline, unleaded regular(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS47014
203.807218.055238.43820.117.09.3

Gasoline, unleaded midgrade(3)(4)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS47015
225.269237.307256.05215.413.77.9

Gasoline, unleaded premium(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS47016
221.546232.903250.49315.313.17.6

Motor vehicle insurance(5)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETE
597.820603.610610.393-4.02.11.1

Medical care

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAM
547.280549.824548.7300.50.3-0.2

Medical care commodities

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAM1
379.575378.260378.497-3.8-0.30.1

Medical care services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAM2
596.446600.187598.6821.40.4-0.3

Professional services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEMC
414.716417.577415.4053.70.2-0.5

Recreation(2)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAR
127.887128.468128.6840.30.60.2

Education and communication(2)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAE
148.860149.138149.3491.70.30.1

Tuition, other school fees, and child care(5)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEEB
1,311.1061,310.6431,311.7270.80.00.1

Other goods and services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAG
513.920513.550520.5722.11.31.4

Commodity and service group

Commodities

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAC
193.696194.769197.2543.71.81.3

Commodities less food and beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SACL11
150.477152.419155.1994.03.11.8

Nondurables less food and beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SANL11
190.216194.410199.4224.04.82.6

Durables

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAD
104.661104.831105.7494.11.00.9

Services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAS
353.853354.874355.8731.20.60.3

Special aggregate indexes

All items less shelter

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0L2
243.636244.859246.5342.51.20.7

All items less medical care

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0L5
263.441264.420266.2732.21.10.7

Commodities less food

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SACL1
154.529156.434159.1243.93.01.7

Nondurables

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAN
232.745234.350237.6623.62.11.4

Nondurables less food

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SANL1
194.615198.566203.2083.84.42.3

Services less rent of shelter(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SASL2RS
351.242352.782352.8581.20.50.0

Services less medical care services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SASL5
337.139337.972339.1441.20.60.3

Energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0E
205.613213.744218.7369.96.42.3

All items less energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0LE
285.295285.709287.1571.60.70.5

All items less food and energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0L1E
288.524289.246290.6701.30.70.5

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.

 

Last Modified Date: Tuesday, April 13, 2021