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News Release Information

24-684-PHI
Wednesday, April 10, 2024

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:

Consumer Price Index, Northeast Region – March 2024

Area prices were up 0.7 percent over the past month, up 3.4 percent from a year ago.

Prices in the Northeast Region, as measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), were up 0.7 percent in March, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (See table A.) Regional Commissioner Alexandra Hall Bovee noted that the rise was mainly due to a 0.7 percent increase in the all items less food and energy index, driven by higher shelter and medical care prices. The energy index also rose, up 1.3 percent over the month. The index for food was unchanged over the month. (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 increased 3.4 percent, up from 2.4 percent in February. (See chart 1.) The March advance was primarily due to a 4.0-percent rise in the all items less food and energy index (which has been above the all items index since March 2023). The food index rose 1.9 percent, mainly due to increased prices for food away from home. The energy index decreased 0.7 percent over the year. (See table 1.) 

  Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in CPI-U, Northeast region, March 2021-March 2024
Food

In March, the food index was unchanged over the month as the food away from home index rose 0.2 percent and the food at home index declined 0.1 percent. (See table 1.)  The indexes that contributed to the food at home decline were fruits and vegetables (down 1.8 percent—the largest decrease in the index since last March), dairy and related products (down 1.3 percent), and cereals and bakery products (down 0.7 percent). These were tempered by increases in the nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials index (up 2.3 percent), the meats, poultry, fish, and eggs index (up 0.6 percent), and the other food at home index (up 0.1 percent).

From March 2023 to March 2024, the food index increased 1.9 percent as the food away from home index advanced 4.6 percent (the smallest increase since August 2021). Prices for food at home were up 0.5 percent, led by a 4.7-percent increase in the index for nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials. Two indexes declined and offset some of the rise: meats, poultry, fish, and eggs (down 0.3 percent) and dairy and related products (down 2.4 percent, down further from February’s 1.5-percent decline).

Energy

The energy index increased 1.3 percent over the month, driven primarily by a 2.5-percent rise in the gasoline index. Prices for electricity also rose, up 1.6 percent. The utility (piped) gas service index (down 0.7 percent) and the fuel oil index both declined.

Over the year, energy prices were down 0.7 percent, moderating from February’s 5.2-percent decline. The March decrease was driven by lower prices for utility (piped) gas service (down 6.4 percent, the first single-digit decrease since May 2023). The gasoline index was down 0.1 percent, and fuel oil prices also declined. Prices for electricity were up 2.4 percent over the year, rising after three consecutive months of declines.

All items less food and energy

The index for all items less food and energy was up 0.7 percent in March, led by an equivalent rise in the shelter index. Within shelter, the owners’ equivalent rent of residences index was up 0.4 percent and lodging away from home index prices rose as well. Prices for medical care were up 1.9 percent over the month, mainly due to a 2.1-percent increase in prices for medical care services. The index for apparel rose 2.7 percent.

Over the year, the index for all items less food and energy was up 4.0 percent. This was mostly due to a 5.9-percent rise in the shelter index. Within shelter, the owners’ equivalent rent of residences index was up 6.1 percent and the rent of primary residence index increased 5.5 percent. The medical care index was up 2.2 percent after 12 consecutive months of declines. Also contributing to the overall index increase was the recreation index (up 2.5 percent) and other goods and services (up 4.1 percent).

Geographic divisions

Additional price indexes are available for the two divisions of the Northeast. Over the month, the all items CPI-U index for the New England division was up 1.0 percent. The CPI-U for the Middle Atlantic division rose 0.6 percent.

Over the year, the all items index rose 3.5 percent in the Middle Atlantic division and 3.1 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
Month 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
1-month 12-month 1-month 12-month 1-month 12-month 1-month 12-month 1-month 12-month

January

0.7 2.3 0.4 1.1 0.8 6.3 0.7 6.0 0.6 2.5

February

0.3 2.4 0.4 1.2 0.7 6.6 0.5 5.9 0.5 2.4

March

-0.2 1.7 0.6 2.1 1.3 7.3 -0.2 4.3 0.7 3.4

April

-0.4 0.8 0.7 3.3 0.6 7.2 0.2 3.8

May

0.0 0.6 0.6 3.9 0.9 7.5 0.1 3.1

June

0.3 0.8 1.0 4.6 1.2 7.6 0.3 2.2

July

0.4 1.1 0.2 4.3 -0.2 7.3 0.2 2.6

August

0.1 1.1 0.1 4.4 0.3 7.4 0.5 2.8

September

0.1 1.2 0.3 4.6 0.1 7.2 0.3 3.0

October

-0.2 1.1 0.6 5.4 0.3 6.9 0.0 2.7

November

0.1 1.1 0.6 6.0 0.1 6.4 0.0 2.5

December

0.2 1.4 0.2 5.9 -0.1 6.1 0.0 2.6
Table B. CPI-U 1-month and 12-month percent changes, all items index, Northeast region and divisions, not seasonally adjusted
Area 1-month change 12-month change

Northeast

0.7 3.4

New England Division

1.0 3.1

Middle Atlantic Division

0.6 3.5

The April 2024 Consumer Price Index for the Northeast Region is scheduled to be released on May 15, 2024.


Technical Note

The Consumer Price Index for the Northeast Region is published monthly. 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, 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 category Indexes Percent change from
Historical
data
Jan.
2024
Feb.
2024
Mar.
2024
Mar.
2023
Jan.
2024
Feb.
2024

All items

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0
318.133 319.577 321.741 3.4 1.1 0.7

All items (December 1977 = 100)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100AA0
500.963 503.237 506.645      

Food and beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF
327.728 327.137 327.161 1.8 -0.2 0.0

Food

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF1
330.070 329.662 329.700 1.9 -0.1 0.0

Food at home

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF11
309.247 308.361 307.985 0.5 -0.4 -0.1

Cereals and bakery products

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF111
387.418 387.709 385.043 0.6 -0.6 -0.7

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF112
311.662 308.753 310.715 -0.3 -0.3 0.6

Dairy and related products

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEFJ
280.637 277.943 274.334 -2.4 -2.2 -1.3

Fruits and vegetables

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF113
363.066 360.819 354.327 0.8 -2.4 -1.8

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF114
220.846 221.102 226.084 4.7 2.4 2.3

Other food at home

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF115
278.172 279.156 279.385 0.1 0.4 0.1

Food away from home

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEFV
366.928 367.438 368.267 4.6 0.4 0.2

Alcoholic beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF116
295.446 292.405 292.242 1.3 -1.1 -0.1

Housing

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH
345.324 346.555 348.586 4.6 0.9 0.6

Shelter

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH1
424.528 425.974 428.807 5.9 1.0 0.7

Rent of primary residence

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHA
426.573 428.770 430.137 5.5 0.8 0.3

Owners' equivalent rent of residences(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHC
439.046 441.139 443.041 6.1 0.9 0.4

Owners' equivalent rent of primary residence(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHC01
438.611 440.700 442.589 6.1 0.9 0.4

Fuels and utilities

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH2
299.492 299.600 301.048 -0.1 0.5 0.5

Household energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH21
268.337 268.062 269.460 -0.6 0.4 0.5

Energy services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHF
262.967 261.801 264.152 -0.4 0.5 0.9

Electricity

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHF01
274.352 272.024 276.287 2.4 0.7 1.6

Utility (piped) gas service

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHF02
222.316 223.513 221.949 -6.4 -0.2 -0.7

Household furnishings and operations

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH3
143.500 144.672 144.696 -0.1 0.8 0.0

Apparel

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAA
130.013 133.770 137.397 -0.4 5.7 2.7

Transportation

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAT
256.583 258.911 261.965 4.0 2.1 1.2

Private transportation

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAT1
255.959 257.930 260.322 4.4 1.7 0.9

New and used motor vehicles(2)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETA
123.947 124.644 125.142 0.4 1.0 0.4

New vehicles

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETA01
174.821 174.890 174.742 0.7 0.0 -0.1

New cars(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS45011
165.225 164.792 164.540 -0.3 -0.4 -0.2

Used cars and trucks

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETA02
190.773 191.771 192.925 -1.0 1.1 0.6

Motor fuel

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETB
275.692 280.019 286.761 -0.3 4.0 2.4

Gasoline (all types)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETB01
274.708 279.095 285.969 -0.1 4.1 2.5

Gasoline, unleaded regular(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS47014
268.749 273.415 280.617 -0.2 4.4 2.6

Gasoline, unleaded midgrade(3)(4)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS47015
305.778 308.449 314.144 0.4 2.7 1.8

Gasoline, unleaded premium(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS47016
304.373 307.156 312.090 0.8 2.5 1.6

Medical care

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAM
561.852 562.889 573.512 2.2 2.1 1.9

Medical care commodities

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAM1
412.457 412.870 415.865 4.7 0.8 0.7

Medical care services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAM2
605.554 606.782 619.757 1.7 2.3 2.1

Professional services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEMC
428.919 428.869 428.332 -0.6 -0.1 -0.1

Recreation(2)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAR
140.023 141.310 141.669 2.5 1.2 0.3

Education and communication(2)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAE
155.018 155.401 155.399 0.4 0.2 0.0

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

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEEB
1,409.045 1,410.151 1,410.245 2.2 0.1 0.0

Other goods and services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAG
602.977 608.833 610.058 4.1 1.2 0.2

Commodity and service group

Commodities

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAC
226.532 227.473 228.379 0.5 0.8 0.4

Commodities less food and beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SACL11
174.501 176.018 177.238 -0.5 1.6 0.7

Nondurables less food and beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SANL11
223.281 226.697 229.285 0.9 2.7 1.1

Durables

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAD
120.145 120.252 120.441 -2.1 0.2 0.2

Services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAS
406.062 407.988 411.357 5.0 1.3 0.8

Special aggregate indexes

All items less shelter

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0L2
280.996 282.454 284.386 2.0 1.2 0.7

All items less medical care

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0L5
307.449 308.913 310.700 3.5 1.1 0.6

Commodities less food

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SACL1
178.867 180.268 181.457 -0.4 1.4 0.7

Nondurables

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAN
274.825 276.282 277.617 1.4 1.0 0.5

Nondurables less food

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SANL1
227.529 230.540 232.953 0.9 2.4 1.0

Services less rent of shelter(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SASL2RS
398.991 401.467 405.547 3.8 1.6 1.0

Services less medical care services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SASL5
392.334 394.307 397.019 5.3 1.2 0.7

Energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0E
272.000 273.665 277.320 -0.7 2.0 1.3

All items less energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0LE
326.312 327.759 329.836 3.7 1.1 0.6

All items less food and energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0L1E
327.723 329.505 331.953 4.0 1.3 0.7

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, April 10, 2024