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News Release Information

22-1192-PHI
Friday, June 10, 2022

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:

Consumer Price Index, Northeast Region – May 2022

Area prices were up 0.9 percent over the past month, up 7.5 percent from a year ago

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) in the Northeast rose 0.9 percent in May, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Alexandra Hall Bovee noted that higher prices for energy, up 7.4 percent, was responsible for over two-thirds of the overall increase as gasoline prices rose 10.8 percent over the month. Increases were broad based: the food index, up 1.1 percent, and the all items less food and energy index, up 0.2 percent, also contributed overall increase. (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 7.5 percent, the largest increase since December 1981. (See chart 1 and table A.) The all items less food and energy index, up 4.6 percent, was responsible for nearly half of the over-the-year increase but the energy index jumped 40.2 percent, largely the result of higher gasoline prices. The food index advanced 9.0 percent over-the-year. (See table 1.)

Food

Food prices rose 1.1 percent for the month of May representing the 15th consecutive month of increases, ranging from 0.2 to 1.1 percent. (See table 1.) Of the two major components within the food index, prices for food at home increased 1.4 percent, matching the April increase, while prices for food away from home rose 0.5 percent for the same period. Food at home prices were higher for other food at home (1.9 percent); meats, poultry, fish, and eggs (1.9 percent); and cereals and bakery products (1.8 percent), among other categories.

From May 2021 to May 2022, the food index increased 9.0 percent – the highest 12-month change since April 1981. Prices for food at home advanced 10.4 percent since a year ago, the greatest such increase in over 41 years. The food away from home index increased 6.3 percent.

Energy

The energy index increased 7.4 percent over the month mainly due to higher prices for gasoline (10.8 percent) and fuel oil (18.4 percent). Electricity and utility (piped) gas service advanced 1.5 percent and 2.4 percent, respectively.

Energy prices advanced 40.2 percent over the year, the 16th consecutive increase and the largest since May 1980. Gasoline prices rose 51.9 percent, below the November peak of 57.1 percent. Fuel oil prices jumped 112.5 percent while electricity prices were up 15.3 percent. The utility (piped) gas service index was up 31.1 percent, the largest increase since October 2005.

All items less food and energy

The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.2 percent in May, the smallest increase in 2022. The shelter index (up 0.4 percent after increases of 0.5 percent in March and April) was pushed by a 0.4 percent increase in owners' equivalent rent of residences which accounted for more than two-thirds of the shelter rise.  For more than 7 years, over-the-month changes in owners' equivalent rent of residences have ranged from 0 to 0.4 percent and rent of primary residence has had a similar pattern for the last 3 years. Public transportation prices were up since April. Other components posted declines: new and used motor vehicles prices were down 1.7 percent, the largest drop since September 2019; the other goods and services index was down 0.4 percent; and education and communication prices edged down 0.1 percent.

Over the year, the index for all items less food and energy increased 4.6 percent, moderating slightly after rises of 4.9 and 5.0 in the previous 3 months. The shelter index advanced 3.2 percent as owners’ equivalent rent of residences was up 3.1 percent, the largest increase since November 2016. Household furnishings and operations prices increased 9.0 percent, down slightly from April’s historical high of 9.3 percent. The new and used motor vehicles index increased 12.5 percent – the smallest increase in the last year - as prices for used cars and trucks and new vehicle generally moderated.

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

0.42.50.31.50.00.60.63.90.97.5

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 1.1 percent higher in the New England division, while prices in the Middle Atlantic division rose 0.8 percent.

Over the year, prices rose 7.9 percent in the New England division and in the Middle Atlantic division, prices increased 7.3 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

0.97.5

New England Division

1.17.9

Middle Atlantic Division

0.87.3

The June 2022 Consumer Price Index for the Northeast Region is scheduled to be released on July 13, 2022.


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
Mar.
2022
Apr.
2022
May
2022
May
2021
Mar.
2022
Apr.
2022

All items

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0
298.403300.325302.9397.51.50.9

All items (December 1977 = 100)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100AA0
469.894472.920477.036   

Food and beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF
297.203300.047303.2418.72.01.1

Food

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF1
298.883301.840305.0749.02.11.1

Food at home

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF11
282.730286.582290.64810.42.81.4

Cereals and bakery products

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF111
335.526340.416346.68511.43.31.8

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF112
297.267300.953306.53711.73.11.9

Dairy and related products

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEFJ
253.603262.070262.47110.63.50.2

Fruits and vegetables

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF113
345.908350.638352.8578.02.00.6

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF114
192.256195.044197.7549.72.91.4

Other food at home

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF115
252.079253.600258.32810.82.51.9

Food away from home

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEFV
325.521326.649328.1736.30.80.5

Alcoholic beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF116
273.704275.062277.7104.91.51.0

Housing

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH
313.196315.371317.9756.21.50.8

Shelter

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH1
380.887382.640384.3433.20.90.4

Rent of primary residence

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHA
382.076383.169384.6702.80.70.4

Owners' equivalent rent of residences(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHC
394.432395.373397.0643.10.70.4

Owners' equivalent rent of primary residence(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHC01
394.084395.028396.7123.10.70.4

Fuels and utilities

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH2
279.655285.467296.64526.36.13.9

Household energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH21
251.512257.473269.07330.97.04.5

Energy services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHF
236.042241.446245.80020.14.11.8

Electricity

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHF01
235.572240.543244.12715.33.61.5

Utility (piped) gas service

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHF02
219.386225.203230.68331.15.12.4

Household furnishings and operations

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH3
137.074138.292138.5649.01.10.2

Apparel

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAA
134.447129.657130.5433.7-2.90.7

Transportation

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAT
252.063255.695261.07316.93.62.1

Private transportation

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAT1
251.301253.535257.74918.42.61.7

New and used motor vehicles(2)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETA
121.692124.792122.67812.50.8-1.7

New vehicles

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETA01
163.078164.492166.08911.71.81.0

New cars and trucks(2)(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS4501A
113.060     

New cars(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS45011
154.520156.487157.87113.62.20.9

Used cars and trucks

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETA02
219.614217.988219.44416.9-0.10.7

Motor fuel

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETB
357.632348.980386.95552.28.210.9

Gasoline (all types)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETB01
356.041347.219384.78651.98.110.8

Gasoline, unleaded regular(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS47014
354.027344.584382.73152.68.111.1

Gasoline, unleaded midgrade(3)(4)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS47015
371.363366.408400.53349.07.99.3

Gasoline, unleaded premium(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS47016
355.314350.883383.20646.97.89.2

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
563.166568.472568.8773.41.00.1

Medical care commodities

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAM1
383.644386.322386.5031.50.70.0

Medical care services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAM2
616.008622.123622.5973.81.10.1

Professional services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEMC
423.664428.561427.0731.70.8-0.3

Recreation(2)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAR
135.923136.369136.3525.60.30.0

Education and communication(2)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAE
152.753152.381152.2491.8-0.3-0.1

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

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEEB
1,342.2341,342.6341,343.8762.20.10.1

Other goods and services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAG
552.074552.518550.5776.0-0.3-0.4

Commodity and service group

Commodities

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAC
223.384223.370227.65913.11.91.9

Commodities less food and beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SACL11
182.158181.058185.51016.01.82.5

Nondurables less food and beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SANL11
236.826234.083244.70021.03.34.5

Durables

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAD
123.348123.360123.59311.30.20.2

Services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAS
370.184374.044374.9184.41.30.2

Special aggregate indexes

All items less shelter

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0L2
270.076272.061275.0019.71.81.1

All items less medical care

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0L5
286.740288.517291.2187.81.60.9

Commodities less food

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SACL1
185.784184.742189.17515.61.82.4

Nondurables

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAN
266.941266.906273.94714.02.62.6

Nondurables less food

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SANL1
238.860236.376246.48119.73.24.3

Services less rent of shelter(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SASL2RS
371.135377.423377.3995.71.70.0

Services less medical care services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SASL5
353.256356.960357.8584.51.30.3

Energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0E
293.911294.285316.10740.27.67.4

All items less energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0LE
302.683304.768305.7055.21.00.3

All items less food and energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0L1E
305.285307.228307.7654.60.80.2

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: Friday, June 10, 2022