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News Release Information

23-315-PHI
Tuesday, February 14, 2023

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:

Consumer Price Index, Northeast Region – January 2023

Area prices were up 0.7 percent over the past month, up 6.0 percent from a year ago

Prices in the Northeast Region, as measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), increased by 0.7 percent in January, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (See table A.) Regional Commissioner Alexandra Hall Bovee noted that the January increase was largely due to an 0.8 percent increase in the shelter index, which also pulled the all items less food and energy index up 0.6 percent. The other major components of the CPI, food and energy, rose 0.9 percent and 1.1 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 Northeast all items CPI-U index rose 6.0 percent; since August 2022, 12-month increases have ranged from 6.0 to 7.4 percent. (See chart 1 and table A.) The all items less food and energy index, up 4.9 percent, was predominantly responsible for the over-the-year increase in January. The food index increased 9.7 percent, while the energy index advanced 11.3 percent, the smallest increase March 2021 and well below June’s peak of 44.2 percent. (See table 1.)

Food

In January, food prices rose 0.9 percent, above November and December’s 0.2-percent gain. (See table 1.) Of the two major components within the food index, prices for food at home increased 1.0 percent, the highest increase since July 2022, and were responsible for most of the rise in food prices. Notably, prices for nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials rose 3.4 percent over the month, the highest increase since the index began in 2018, and contributed the most to the food at home index increase. Within the category, higher prices for carbonated drinks and coffee led to the record high. The other food at home index was up 1.1 percent; among the other grocery categories, both the meats, poultry, fish, and eggs index and the cereals and bakery products index advanced 0.9 percent; dairy and related products prices increased 0.8 percent.  Slightly offsetting the increase, the fruits and vegetables index was down 0.5-percent, as lettuce and tomato prices were lower. Food away from home prices advanced 0.6 percent.

From January 2022 to January 2023, the food index increased 9.7 percent. The food at home index advanced 11.1 percent since a year ago—continuing a trend of increases in the 10.1 to 12.0 percent range since May 2022—as prices in all grocery categories rose over the year. This was led by a 13.1-percent increase in the other food at home index and a 15.6-percent increase in the cereals and bakery products index, each continuing double-digit increases since last May although they were also down from recent over-the-year peaks. The food away from home index increased 7.2 percent.

Energy

The energy index increased 1.1 percent over the month, following last month’s decrease of 4.0 percent. The January increase was nearly entirely due to higher prices for electricity, which advanced 5.9 percent; for the last decade, the electricity index has increased every January. Declines in utility (piped) gas and gasoline held down the overall energy increase. Gasoline prices, which have largely declined since peaking at 18.0 percent in March 2022, were down 1.7 percent following December's 8.5 percent drop. Utility (piped) gas service prices were down 0.6 percent.

Energy prices increased over the year, up 11.3 percent, mainly due to higher prices for electricity (up 14.9 percent although it was the smallest 12-month increase since April 2022). Over the year, prices for utility (piped) gas services were up 23.5 percent; similar to last quarter’s increases and moderately lower than September’s peak of 39.6 percent. The fuel oil index also rose. Gasoline prices were up 0.6 percent since last January, continuing the rapid deceleration in over the year price increases from June 2022’s peak-high of 60.0 percent.

All items less food and energy

The index for all items less food and energy increased 0.6 percent in January, led by the rise in the shelter index (up 0.8 percent). All of the shelter components were higher: the owners’ equivalent rent of residences index rose 0.6 percent, lodging away from home advanced, and rent of primary residence was up 0.7 percent. The apparel index increase of 5.1 percent also contributed to the overall index rise. The household furnishing and operations index increased 0.9 percent. Other component indexes increased as well, including education and communication (0.3 percent), recreation (0.4 percent), and other goods and services (0.5 percent). Medical care was unchanged. Partially offsetting the overall index rise were lower prices since December for new and used motor vehicles—down 1.4 percent, as used cars and trucks had a 5th consecutive month of lower prices, down 1.7 percent in January.

Over the year, the index for all items less food and energy was up 4.9 percent, mostly due to the 5.9 percent higher shelter index.  The shelter rise was driven by the owners’ equivalent rent of residences index, up 5.4 percent. Although it had less impact on the overall shelter change, the 6.2-percent rise in rent of primary residence was the largest since April 1988. All of the other components of the all items less food and energy index were up over the year except for used cars and trucks, down 11.6 percent, the third such decline since November.

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 increased by 0.9 percent. For the Middle Atlantic division, the all items CPI-U index increased by 0.6 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
Month20192020202120222023
1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month

January

0.31.50.72.30.41.10.86.30.76.0

February

0.21.30.32.40.41.20.76.6

March

0.51.7-0.21.70.62.11.37.3

April

0.41.7-0.40.80.73.30.67.2

May

0.31.50.00.60.63.90.97.5

June

0.11.60.30.81.04.61.27.6

July

0.11.70.41.10.24.3-0.27.3

August

0.11.50.11.10.14.40.37.4

September

0.01.40.11.20.34.60.17.2

October

-0.11.5-0.21.10.65.40.36.9

November

0.11.90.11.10.66.00.16.4

December

-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

0.76.0

New England Division

0.95.5

Middle Atlantic Division

0.66.3

The February 2022 Consumer Price Index for the Northeast Region is scheduled to be released on March 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
Nov.
2022
Dec.
2022
Jan.
2023
Jan.
2022
Nov.
2022
Dec.
2022

All items

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0
308.394308.150310.3236.00.60.7

All items (December 1977 = 100)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100AA0
485.626485.242488.664   

Food and beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF
316.523317.382319.9899.41.10.8

Food

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF1
318.887319.678322.4209.71.10.9

Food at home

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF11
302.349302.872305.90411.11.21.0

Cereals and bakery products

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF111
375.754373.637377.05015.60.30.9

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF112
312.165310.878313.7887.50.50.9

Dairy and related products

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEFJ
280.700279.412281.74613.20.40.8

Fruits and vegetables

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF113
354.639360.229358.6017.31.1-0.5

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF114
207.156206.688213.78313.23.23.4

Other food at home

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF115
270.593272.247275.31613.11.71.1

Food away from home

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEFV
345.927347.234349.2057.20.90.6

Alcoholic beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF116
283.983285.726286.4966.50.90.3

Housing

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH
327.183328.787332.2307.21.51.0

Shelter

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH1
394.293396.479399.7845.91.40.8

Rent of primary residence

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHA
397.558400.696403.6546.21.50.7

Owners' equivalent rent of residences(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHC
408.421410.917413.4625.41.20.6

Owners' equivalent rent of primary residence(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHC01
408.076410.569413.0975.41.20.6

Fuels and utilities

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH2
313.359311.112319.25417.01.92.6

Household energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH21
284.900282.523291.08318.92.23.0

Energy services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHF
265.897272.890282.73117.66.33.6

Electricity

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHF01
258.147264.855280.47114.98.65.9

Utility (piped) gas service

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHF02
260.721267.730266.18223.52.1-0.6

Household furnishings and operations

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH3
141.357143.378144.6446.72.30.9

Apparel

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAA
128.061126.325132.7604.03.75.1

Transportation

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAT
254.786251.234249.8074.7-2.0-0.6

Private transportation

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAT1
252.467249.600248.3594.2-1.6-0.5

New and used motor vehicles(2)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETA
124.517125.228123.4822.0-0.8-1.4

New vehicles

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETA01
171.645171.762172.3145.40.40.3

New cars(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS45011
162.974163.378163.8516.40.50.3

Used cars and trucks

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETA02
204.870199.703196.267-11.6-4.2-1.7

Motor fuel

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETB
325.173297.637292.1880.9-10.1-1.8

Gasoline (all types)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETB01
322.845295.478290.3480.6-10.1-1.7

Gasoline, unleaded regular(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS47014
318.386290.229285.242-0.3-10.4-1.7

Gasoline, unleaded midgrade(3)(4)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS47015
348.141325.398317.7994.0-8.7-2.3

Gasoline, unleaded premium(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS47016
340.474320.008314.2496.8-7.7-1.8

Medical care

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAM
577.943576.835576.9803.3-0.20.0

Medical care commodities

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAM1
390.358393.020396.5523.91.60.9

Medical care services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAM2
633.285630.938630.0563.1-0.5-0.1

Professional services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEMC
430.991431.227432.0781.90.30.2

Recreation(2)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAR
137.815137.393137.9642.90.10.4

Education and communication(2)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAE
154.693154.234154.7541.40.00.3

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

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEEB
1,374.3351,375.9191,378.1712.70.30.2

Other goods and services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAG
568.889565.841568.8195.60.00.5

Commodity and service group

Commodities

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAC
227.522224.898226.5595.1-0.40.7

Commodities less food and beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SACL11
180.282176.488177.6852.4-1.40.7

Nondurables less food and beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SANL11
232.770224.480227.0905.1-2.41.2

Durables

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAD
123.010122.375122.504-0.5-0.40.1

Services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAS
385.971388.149390.8166.61.30.7

Special aggregate indexes

All items less shelter

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0L2
278.888277.789279.5556.10.20.6

All items less medical care

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0L5
296.511296.304298.5736.30.70.8

Commodities less food

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SACL1
184.218180.546181.7382.5-1.30.7

Nondurables

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAN
274.240270.372272.9867.6-0.51.0

Nondurables less food

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SANL1
235.706228.054230.5495.2-2.21.1

Services less rent of shelter(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SASL2RS
390.053392.279394.2467.31.10.5

Services less medical care services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SASL5
368.905371.370374.2867.01.50.8

Energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0E
302.168290.095293.38811.3-2.91.1

All items less energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0LE
312.958313.764315.8695.60.90.7

All items less food and energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0L1E
313.904314.717316.7244.90.90.6

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: Tuesday, February 14, 2023