Department of Labor Logo United States Department of Labor
Dot gov

The .gov means it's official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

News Release Information

22-894-PHI
Wednesday, May 11, 2022

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:

Consumer Price Index, Northeast Region – April 2022

Area prices were up 0.6 percent over the past month, up 7.2 percent from a year ago

Prices in the Northeast Region, as measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), advanced 0.6 percent in April, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (See table A.) Regional Commissioner Alexandra Hall Bovee noted that the increase was the smallest in 2022, following a 1.3 percent rise in March. The all items less food and energy index was up 0.6 percent; the food index also increased in April, up 1.0 percent; and the energy index inched up 0.1 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 7.2 percent about the same as in March (7.3 percent). (See chart 1 and table A.) The all items less food and energy index was mostly responsible for the over-the-year increase, up 4.9 percent. The energy index jumped 33.2 percent over the year, as the price of gasoline was 43.6 percent higher than the year before. The food index advanced 8.0 percent over-the-year. (See table 1.)

Food

Food prices rose 1.0 percent for the month of April. (See table 1.) Of the two major components within the food index, prices for food at home increased 1.4 percent, while prices for food away from home were up 0.3 percent for the same period. Within food at home, prices were higher for dairy and related products (3.3 percent); meats, poultry, fish, and eggs (1.2 percent); and fruits and vegetables (1.4 percent).

From April 2021 to April 2022, the food index increased 8.0 percent – the highest 12-month change since June 1981. Prices for food at home advanced 9.3 percent since a year ago, the greatest such increase since April 1981. Prices for food away from home increased 5.8 percent, continuing slight deceleration since January 2022.

Energy

The energy index inched up 0.1 percent over the month, following a 11.2 percent increase in March. Gasoline prices decreased 2.5 percent, the largest gasoline price decrease in a year. Prices for electricity increased 2.1 percent for the same period. The utility (piped) gas service index advanced 2.7 percent over the month, the largest increase for the natural gas index since the start of 2022 but below the recent peak of 3.5 percent in November 2021.

Energy prices soared 33.2 percent over the year, largely due to higher prices for gasoline (43.6 percent), which was the 15th consecutive month of increase, peaking at 57.1 percent in November. Prices for electricity advanced 14.9 percent during the past year while fuel oil prices jumped 81.6 percent. Prices paid for utility (piped) gas service jumped 23.7 percent. The price increase for utility (piped) gas service represents the 16th month of consecutive price increases.

All items less food and energy

The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.6 percent in April, it has ranged from 0.5 to 0.7 percent so far in 2022. Higher prices for shelter (0.5 percent) - largely lodging away from home (up 7.7 percent) – as well as higher prices for medical care (up 0.9 percent) and public transportation pushed the overall index up but they were somewhat offset by decreases in apparel (3.6 percent) and education and communication (0.2 percent). The new and used motor vehicles index was up 2.5 percent.

Over the year, the index for all items less food and energy increased 4.9 percent after 2 consecutive months of 5.0 percent increases. The 17.6 percent 12-month increase in the new and used motor vehicles index and the 3.1 percent increase in the shelter index accounted for well over half of the increase in the all items less food and energy index. The shelter increase was the largest over-the-year shelter increase since January 2017. The increase in shelter was led by gains in the indexes for owners’ equivalent rent of residences (2.8 percent) and household operations and furnishings, up 9.3 percent - the largest increase in over 41 years.

Table A. Northeast region CPI-U 1-month and 12-month percent changes, all items index, not seasonally adjusted
Month20182019202020212022
1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month

January

0.51.60.31.50.72.30.41.10.86.3

February

0.41.70.21.30.32.40.41.20.76.6

March

0.12.00.51.7-0.21.70.62.11.37.3

April

0.42.10.41.7-0.40.80.73.30.67.2

May

0.42.50.31.50.00.60.63.9

June

0.02.60.11.60.30.81.04.6

July

0.02.70.11.70.41.10.24.3

August

0.22.70.11.50.11.10.14.4

September

0.12.20.01.40.11.20.34.6

October

-0.12.3-0.11.5-0.21.10.65.4

November

-0.41.90.11.90.11.10.66.0

December

-0.11.7-0.11.90.21.40.25.9
Geographic divisions

Additional price indexes are now available for the two divisions of the Northeast. Over the month, the all items CPI-U was 0.1 percent higher in the New England division, while prices in the Middle Atlantic division rose 0.8 percent.

Over the year, the all items index rose 7.0 percent in the New England division and also rose in the Middle Atlantic division, up 7.2 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

0.67.2

New England Division

0.17.0

Middle Atlantic Division

0.87.2

The Consumer Price Index for May 2022 is scheduled to be released on Friday, June 10, 2022, 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 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 individuals with sensory impairments upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Telecommunications Relay Service: 7-1-1.

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
Feb.
2022
Mar.
2022
Apr.
2022
Apr.
2021
Feb.
2022
Mar.
2022

All items

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0
294.605298.403300.3257.21.90.6

All items (December 1977 = 100)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100AA0
463.912469.894472.920   

Food and beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF
295.233297.203300.0477.81.61.0

Food

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF1
296.880298.883301.8408.01.71.0

Food at home

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF11
280.327282.730286.5829.32.21.4

Cereals and bakery products

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF111
333.363335.526340.4169.82.11.5

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF112
296.569297.267300.95310.91.51.2

Dairy and related products

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEFJ
252.336253.603262.07010.83.93.3

Fruits and vegetables

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF113
342.776345.908350.6387.42.31.4

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF114
192.892192.256195.0448.01.11.5

Other food at home

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF115
246.557252.079253.6009.02.90.6

Food away from home

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEFV
324.347325.521326.6495.80.70.3

Alcoholic beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF116
272.179273.704275.0624.11.10.5

Housing

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH
310.168313.196315.3715.61.70.7

Shelter

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH1
379.166380.887382.6403.10.90.5

Rent of primary residence

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHA
381.549382.076383.1692.50.40.3

Owners' equivalent rent of residences(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHC
393.611394.432395.3732.80.40.2

Owners' equivalent rent of primary residence(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHC01
393.266394.084395.0282.80.40.2

Fuels and utilities

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH2
266.556279.655285.46721.37.12.1

Household energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH21
237.801251.512257.47325.08.32.4

Energy services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHF
229.158236.042241.44617.65.42.3

Electricity

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHF01
225.379235.572240.54314.96.72.1

Utility (piped) gas service

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHF02
219.240219.386225.20323.72.72.7

Household furnishings and operations

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH3
136.146137.074138.2929.31.60.9

Apparel

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAA
130.827134.447129.6573.0-0.9-3.6

Transportation

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAT
243.040252.063255.69518.25.21.4

Private transportation

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAT1
242.462251.301253.53519.44.60.9

New and used motor vehicles(2)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETA
122.080121.692124.79217.62.22.5

New vehicles

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETA01
164.588163.078164.49211.5-0.10.9

New cars and trucks(2)(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS4501A
114.105113.060    

New cars(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS45011
155.361154.520156.48713.20.71.3

Used cars and trucks

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETA02
223.773219.614217.98823.8-2.6-0.7

Motor fuel

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETB
302.827357.632348.98043.715.2-2.4

Gasoline (all types)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETB01
301.617356.041347.21943.615.1-2.5

Gasoline, unleaded regular(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS47014
299.401354.027344.58444.215.1-2.7

Gasoline, unleaded midgrade(3)(4)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS47015
316.597371.363366.40841.715.7-1.3

Gasoline, unleaded premium(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS47016
304.471355.314350.88339.415.2-1.2

Motor vehicle insurance(5)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETE
      

Medical care

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAM
559.364563.166568.4723.31.60.9

Medical care commodities

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAM1
381.715383.644386.3222.01.20.7

Medical care services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAM2
611.630616.008622.1233.61.71.0

Professional services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEMC
423.559423.664428.5612.41.21.2

Recreation(2)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAR
135.169135.923136.3695.00.90.3

Education and communication(2)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAE
153.193152.753152.3811.9-0.5-0.2

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

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEEB
1,342.4061,342.2341,342.6342.40.00.0

Other goods and services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAG
546.304552.074552.5185.71.10.1

Commodity and service group

Commodities

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAC
218.530223.384223.37012.12.20.0

Commodities less food and beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SACL11
176.494182.158181.05815.22.6-0.6

Nondurables less food and beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SANL11
221.564236.826234.08317.25.7-1.2

Durables

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAD
124.063123.348123.36013.5-0.60.0

Services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAS
367.514370.184374.0444.51.81.0

Special aggregate indexes

All items less shelter

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0L2
265.539270.076272.0619.32.50.7

All items less medical care

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0L5
282.949286.740288.5177.52.00.6

Commodities less food

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SACL1
180.192185.784184.74214.72.5-0.6

Nondurables

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAN
258.094266.941266.90611.93.40.0

Nondurables less food

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SANL1
224.476238.860236.37616.25.3-1.0

Services less rent of shelter(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SASL2RS
367.351371.135377.4236.02.71.7

Services less medical care services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SASL5
350.704353.256356.9604.61.81.0

Energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0E
264.302293.911294.28533.211.30.1

All items less energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0LE
301.134302.683304.7685.41.20.7

All items less food and energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0L1E
303.806305.285307.2284.91.10.6

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: Wednesday, May 11, 2022