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News Release Information

23-56-PHI
Thursday, January 12, 2023

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:

Consumer Price Index, Northeast Region – December 2022

Area prices were down 0.1 percent over the past month, up 6.1 percent from a year ago

Prices in the Northeast Region, as measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), decreased by 0.1 percent in December, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (See table A.) Regional Commissioner Alexandra Hall Bovee noted that the December decrease was due predominately to lower prices for gasoline, which declined 8.5 percent over the month. As a result, the energy index was down 4.0 percent. The all items less food and energy index was up 0.3 percent while the food index rose 0.2 percent, representing a mix of increases and decreases within their categories. (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 index rose 6.1 percent, the smallest increase since December 2021. (See chart 1 and table A.) The all items less food and energy index, up 4.8 percent, was predominantly responsible for the over-the-year increase in December. The food index increased 9.5 percent while the energy index advanced 14.6 percent, both moderating from recent peaks earlier in the year. (See table 1.)

Food

In December, food prices rose 0.2 percent for the second month in a row, well below the recent peak of 1.3 percent in July. (See table 1.) Of the two major components within the food index, prices for food away from home increased 0.4 percent and were responsible for much of the rise in food prices. Food at home prices advanced 0.2 percent. Prices for fruits and vegetables noticeably rose 1.6 percent over the month after 2 months of declines in the index, contributing the most to the food index increase. Within the fruits and vegetables index, prices for tomatoes were up while citrus fruits were down over the month. The other food at home index was up 0.6 percent; but decreases in other grocery categories moderated the overall rise, including meats, poultry, fish, and eggs—down 0.4 percent, resulting from diverging price changes between fresh fish and seafood (down), chicken (down), and eggs (up). Other indexes tempering the increase were cereals and bakery products (down 0.6 percent and the first decline in the index since January 2021), dairy and related products (down 0.5 percent and the first decrease in the index since August 2021), and nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials (down 0.2 percent).

From December 2021 to December 2022, the food index increased 9.5 percent, moderating from the recent 10.3-percent peak in October. The food at home index advanced 10.8 percent since a year ago—continuing a trend of double-digit increases since May 2022—as prices in all grocery categories rose over the year. This was led by a 12.4-percent increase in the other food at home index and a 16.2-percent rise in the cereals and bakery products index; both indexes declined from their recent peaks earlier in the year but continued to report double-digit rises. The food away from home index increased 7.3 percent.

Energy

The energy index decreased 4.0 percent over the month, on par with decreases seen in July, August, and September. The December decline was primarily due to lower prices for gasoline, which dropped 8.5 percent following a 4.8 percent rise in November. Throughout 2022, changes in the gasoline index ranged from -11.0 percent (September) to 18.0 percent (March). Fuel oil prices were also down. Increases in the indexes for electricity (up 2.6 percent) and utility (piped) gas service (up 2.7 percent) tempered the decrease in the overall index.

Energy prices increased over the year, up 14.6 percent, the lowest rise since March 2021 and well below the peak of 44.2 percent in June. Over the year, prices for electricity were up 21.9 percent, the highest they have risen since the series began in 1978. The utility (piped) gas service index was up 23.6 percent, and the fuel oil index also rose. Gasoline prices advanced 1.6 percent, notably below the peak in June of 60.0 percent and the smallest over-the-year increase in nearly 2 years.

All items less food and energy

The index for all items less food and energy increased 0.3 percent in December, led by the shelter index rise of 0.6 percent over the month. Within shelter, the owners’ equivalent rent of residences index also increased 0.6 percent while rent of primary residence rose 0.8 percent (the highest since November 1999). The household furnishing and operations index advanced 1.4 percent. Prices for new and used motor vehicles were up 0.6 percent. Other component indexes moderated the overall increase, including used cars and trucks—down 2.5 percent, marking the 4th consecutive month of decline. Other indexes with lower prices were apparel (down 1.4 percent), education and communication (down 0.3 percent), other goods and services (down 0.5 percent), recreation (down 0.3 percent), and medical care (down 0.2 percent).

Over the year, the index for all items less food and energy was up 4.8 percent; in 2022, increases in the index ranged from 4.3 to 5.4 percent. Increases in the shelter index were driven by the owners’ equivalent rent of residences index, up 5.1 and 5.0 percent respectively; both were the highest 12-month change since January 2007. The 5.8-percent rise in rent of primary residence was the largest since November 1989. Increases in prices for household furnishings and operations (up 7.3 percent), new and used motor vehicles (up 4.0 percent, well below the high of 23.2 percent in February), and medical care (up 4.2 percent) also contributed to the all items less food and energy increase. The only major category to decline over the year was the index for used cars and trucks, down 8.7 percent, the lowest since May 2009 and well below the 42.5 percent increase posted in February 2022.

Geographic divisions

Additional price indexes are now available for the two divisions of the Northeast. Over the month, the all items CPI-U index for the New England division decreased by 0.5 percent. For the Middle Atlantic division, the all items CPI-U index increased by 0.1 percent over the month.

Over the year, the all items index advanced 6.3 percent in the Middle Atlantic division and 5.5 percent in the New England division. (See table B.)

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

0.02.60.11.60.30.81.04.61.27.6

July

0.02.70.11.70.41.10.24.3-0.27.3

August

0.22.70.11.50.11.10.14.40.37.4

September

0.12.20.01.40.11.20.34.60.17.2

October

-0.12.3-0.11.5-0.21.10.65.40.36.9

November

-0.41.90.11.90.11.10.66.00.16.4

December

-0.11.7-0.11.90.21.40.25.9-0.16.1
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

-0.16.1

New England Division

-0.55.5

Middle Atlantic Division

0.16.3

The January 2022 Consumer Price Index for the Northeast Region is scheduled to be released on February 14, 2023.


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
Oct.
2022
Nov.
2022
Dec.
2022
Dec.
2021
Oct.
2022
Nov.
2022

All items

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0
308.001308.394308.1506.10.0-0.1

All items (December 1977 = 100)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100AA0
485.007485.626485.242   

Food and beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF
316.024316.523317.3829.30.40.3

Food

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF1
318.362318.887319.6789.50.40.2

Food at home

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF11
302.019302.349302.87210.80.30.2

Cereals and bakery products

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF111
373.078375.754373.63716.20.1-0.6

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF112
311.783312.165310.8786.8-0.3-0.4

Dairy and related products

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEFJ
278.263280.700279.41214.10.4-0.5

Fruits and vegetables

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF113
355.404354.639360.2298.61.41.6

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF114
207.291207.156206.6889.8-0.3-0.2

Other food at home

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF115
271.297270.593272.24712.40.40.6

Food away from home

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEFV
345.023345.927347.2347.30.60.4

Alcoholic beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF116
283.842283.983285.7266.90.70.6

Housing

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH
326.092327.183328.7877.20.80.5

Shelter

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH1
392.926394.293396.4795.10.90.6

Rent of primary residence

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHA
394.859397.558400.6965.81.50.8

Owners' equivalent rent of residences(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHC
406.433408.421410.9175.01.10.6

Owners' equivalent rent of primary residence(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHC01
406.081408.076410.5695.01.10.6

Fuels and utilities

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH2
312.110313.359311.11221.8-0.3-0.7

Household energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH21
283.553284.900282.52324.7-0.4-0.8

Energy services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHF
264.661265.897272.89022.53.12.6

Electricity

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHF01
258.006258.147264.85521.92.72.6

Utility (piped) gas service

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHF02
257.518260.721267.73023.64.02.7

Household furnishings and operations

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH3
141.125141.357143.3787.31.61.4

Apparel

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAA
131.933128.061126.3252.6-4.3-1.4

Transportation

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAT
254.525254.786251.2345.3-1.3-1.4

Private transportation

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAT1
252.491252.467249.6004.9-1.1-1.1

New and used motor vehicles(2)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETA
126.999124.517125.2284.0-1.40.6

New vehicles

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETA01
171.359171.645171.7625.30.20.1

New cars(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS45011
162.928162.974163.3786.20.30.2

Used cars and trucks

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETA02
210.817204.870199.703-8.7-5.3-2.5

Motor fuel

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETB
310.168325.173297.6371.9-4.0-8.5

Gasoline (all types)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETB01
308.192322.845295.4781.6-4.1-8.5

Gasoline, unleaded regular(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS47014
303.711318.386290.2290.6-4.4-8.8

Gasoline, unleaded midgrade(3)(4)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS47015
333.902348.141325.3985.9-2.5-6.5

Gasoline, unleaded premium(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS47016
326.586340.474320.0088.2-2.0-6.0

Medical care

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAM
579.822577.943576.8354.2-0.5-0.2

Medical care commodities

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAM1
387.913390.358393.0203.31.30.7

Medical care services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAM2
636.577633.285630.9384.4-0.9-0.4

Professional services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEMC
431.627430.991431.2271.7-0.10.1

Recreation(2)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAR
137.813137.815137.3933.4-0.3-0.3

Education and communication(2)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAE
153.585154.693154.2341.10.4-0.3

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

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEEB
1,374.3111,374.3351,375.9192.50.10.1

Other goods and services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAG
569.966568.889565.8415.4-0.7-0.5

Commodity and service group

Commodities

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAC
227.437227.522224.8985.5-1.1-1.2

Commodities less food and beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SACL11
180.359180.282176.4883.0-2.1-2.1

Nondurables less food and beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SANL11
231.542232.770224.4805.6-3.0-3.6

Durables

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAD
123.827123.010122.3750.4-1.2-0.5

Services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAS
385.271385.971388.1496.50.70.6

Special aggregate indexes

All items less shelter

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0L2
278.836278.888277.7896.6-0.4-0.4

All items less medical care

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0L5
296.023296.511296.3046.30.1-0.1

Commodities less food

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SACL1
184.289184.218180.5463.2-2.0-2.0

Nondurables

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAN
273.362274.240270.3727.7-1.1-1.4

Nondurables less food

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SANL1
234.547235.706228.0545.7-2.8-3.2

Services less rent of shelter(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SASL2RS
390.075390.053392.2798.00.60.6

Services less medical care services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SASL5
367.948368.905371.3706.70.90.7

Energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0E
295.557302.168290.09514.6-1.8-4.0

All items less energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0LE
313.113312.958313.7645.50.20.3

All items less food and energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0L1E
314.180313.904314.7174.80.20.3

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: Thursday, January 12, 2023