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News Release Information

24-999-PHI
Wednesday, May 15, 2024

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:

Consumer Price Index, Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington – April 2024

Area prices were up 0.7 percent over the past 2 months, up 4.1 percent from a year ago

Prices in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington area, as measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), advanced 0.7 percent for the 2 months ending in April, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (See table A). Regional Commissioner Alexandra Hall Bovee noted that April’s rise was mainly due to an increase in the all items less food and energy index (0.5 percent), influenced by higher prices for shelter and medical care. The energy index and food index were up 4.1 percent and 0.5 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 CPI-U increased 4.1 percent, led by the index for all items less food and energy, up 4.6 percent largely due to rising shelter prices. (See chart 1 and table A.) Food prices also rose, up 2.5 percent. The energy index, after six bi-months of over-the-year declines, advanced 1.6 percent. (See table 1). 

Food

In the two months ending in April, the food index advanced 0.5 percent. The food at home index also rose 0.5 percent, led by higher prices for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs up 3.1 percent (the largest increase since August 2022), due in part to processed fish and seafood price increases. Prices in the other food at home index advanced 2.3 percent and the cereals and bakery products index increased 0.7 percent (down from February’s 3.5 percent). Declines in the remaining grocery categories tempered the index rise. The food away from home index increased 0.4 percent.

Over the year, food prices rose 2.5 percent. For the same period, prices for food away from home increased 4.1 percent and prices for food at home were up 1.5 percent. Leading the increase for food at home was the nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials index (6.2 percent), the cereals and bakery products index, (3.8 percent), and the other food at home index (2.0 percent). Prices for fruits and vegetables decreased -0.8 percent, the first decline since December 2021. Declining prices continued since June 2023 for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs (-0.5 percent) whereas prices for dairy and related products declined (-1.5 percent) for the first time since December 2021.

Energy

The energy index increased 4.1 percent for the 2 months ending in April. The increase was mainly due to rising prices in the gasoline index, up 7.6 percent after February’s decline of -1.0 percent. Prices for electricity rose 2.3 percent, and prices for natural gas service increased 1.8 percent for the same period.

Energy prices were up 1.6 percent over the year, largely due to a higher electricity index. Prices for electricity increased 7.0 percent. The utility (piped) gas service index was down -7.0 percent, and the gasoline index decreased -0.1 percent.

All items less food and energy

The index for all items less food and energy advanced 0.5 percent in the latest 2-month period. The rise was led by higher prices for shelter (0.2 percent—the smallest bi-monthly rise since February 2021) and medical care (0.9 percent). Within the shelter index, owners’ equivalent rent of residences was up 0.8 percent; rent of primary residence increased 1.0 percent; and lodging away from home declined. Other major categories in the all items less food and energy index also increased, medical care increased 0.9 percent and public transportation prices rose as well. Partially offsetting the rises were lower prices for apparel (down -1.7 percent after an increase of 12.8 percent in February) and other goods and services (down -1.2 percent).

During the past year, the index for all items less food and energy increased 4.6 percent, mainly driven by a 6.1-percent increase in the shelter index. Within shelter, the indexes owners’ equivalent rent of residences advanced 6.8 percent, rent of primary residence rose 7.2 percent and lodging away from home decreased. The apparel index rose 5.9 percent over the year. Other categories also had increases— prices for recreation were up 3.7 percent, prices for education and communication advanced 3.0 percent, and prices for household furnishings and operations rose 1.5 percent. Prices for new and used motor vehicles rose 0.3 percent, the smallest increase since December 2019. New vehicles within the index increased 0.6 percent and used cars and trucks decreased -6.0 percent—continuing a nine bi-month trend of over-the-year declines. Also partially tempering the overall increase was a decrease in the medical care index, down -0.4 percent, and a decline in prices for public transportation.

Table A. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD, CPI-U 2-month and 12-month percent changes, all items index, not seasonally adjusted
Month20202021202220232024
2-month12-month2-month12-month2-month12-month2-month12-month2-month12-month

February

1.02.60.81.01.57.32.06.91.63.4

April

-1.3-0.11.23.52.28.40.14.70.74.1

June

0.60.11.94.92.38.80.73.1

August

0.80.40.64.60.08.10.83.9

October

0.00.81.05.60.67.80.23.5

December

0.01.10.96.6-0.46.40.03.9

The June 2024 Consumer Price Index for the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington area is scheduled to be released on July 11, 2024.


Technical Note

The Consumer Price Index for Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington is published bi-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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD, Core Based Statistical Area includes Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia Counties in Pennsylvania; Burlington, Camden, Cumberland, Gloucester, and Salem Counties in New Jersey; New Castle County in Delaware; and Cecil County in Maryland.

 

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, Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD, (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted) (not seasonally adjusted)
Expenditure categoryIndexesPercent change from
Historical
data
Feb.
2024
Mar.
2024
Apr.
2024
Apr.
2023
Feb.
2024
Mar.
2024

All items

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSA0
311.227 313.5054.10.7 

All items (1967 = 100)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BAA0
899.117 905.699   

Food and beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAF
299.224 300.4712.30.4 

Food

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAF1
301.941 303.3692.50.5 

Food at home

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAF11
307.428307.840309.0601.50.50.4

Cereals and bakery products

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAF111
423.500417.025426.3763.80.72.2

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAF112
329.907339.282340.135-0.53.10.3

Dairy and related products

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSEFJ
244.772234.431240.800-1.5-1.62.7

Fruits and vegetables

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAF113
309.358303.867304.571-0.8-1.50.2

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAF114
215.273224.843209.9646.2-2.5-6.6

Other food at home

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAF115
292.541291.335299.2622.02.32.7

Food away from home

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSEFV
285.902 287.0004.10.4 

Alcoholic beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAF116
257.737 256.6150.1-0.4 

Housing

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAH
332.272 333.4015.20.3 

Shelter

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAH1
411.157412.391412.1796.10.2-0.1

Rent of primary residence

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSEHA
384.693387.091388.5987.21.00.4

Owners' equivalent rent of residences(2)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSEHC
420.585421.393423.8146.80.80.6

Owners' equivalent rent of primary residence(2)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSEHC01
420.585421.393423.8146.80.80.6

Fuels and utilities

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAH2
270.348 274.1322.31.4 

Household energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAH21
223.270226.969226.8282.71.6-0.1

Energy services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSEHF
231.664236.717236.7282.92.20.0

Electricity

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSEHF01
235.682241.199241.1447.02.30.0

Utility (piped) gas service

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSEHF02
204.396207.862208.047-7.01.80.1

Household furnishings and operations

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAH3
145.796 145.9581.50.1 

Apparel

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAA
116.760 114.8185.9-1.7 

Transportation

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAT
267.752 278.6465.34.1 

Private transportation

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAT1
280.386 292.4767.34.3 

New and used motor vehicles(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSETA
133.543 133.7310.30.1 

New vehicles(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSETA01
239.207 238.9930.6-0.1 

Used cars and trucks(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSETA02
338.359 339.717-6.00.4 

Motor fuel

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSETB
304.734308.621327.702-0.17.56.2

Gasoline (all types)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSETB01
300.759304.647323.599-0.17.66.2

Gasoline, unleaded regular(4)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSS47014
295.166299.382319.068-0.28.16.6

Gasoline, unleaded midgrade(4)(5)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSS47015
317.325319.338335.1530.65.65.0

Gasoline, unleaded premium(4)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSS47016
316.025318.004332.1801.05.14.5

Medical care

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAM
590.637 595.658-0.40.9 

Recreation(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAR
139.497 139.4343.70.0 

Education and communication(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAE
138.809 139.4303.00.4 

Tuition, other school fees, and child care(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSEEB
1,158.191 1,158.5884.50.0 

Other goods and services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAG
701.676 693.1910.2-1.2 

Commodity and service group

Commodities

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAC
222.901 224.0881.30.5 

Commodities less food and beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSACL11
182.307 183.4630.90.6 

Nondurables less food and beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSANL11
226.961 229.9443.11.3 

Durables

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAD
130.612 130.144-2.2-0.4 

Services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAS
398.727 402.0795.40.8 

Special aggregate indexes

All items less shelter

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSA0L2
276.974 279.7692.81.0 

All items less medical care

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSA0L5
299.310 301.4724.40.7 

Commodities less food

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSACL1
185.379 186.4520.80.6 

Nondurables

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSAN
263.717 265.7702.50.8 

Nondurables less food

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSANL1
228.846 231.5162.81.2 

Services less rent of shelter(2)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSASL2RS
392.568 398.7674.51.6 

Services less medical care services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSASL5
383.699 387.0156.00.9 

Energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSA0E
255.086258.908265.4361.64.12.5

All items less energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSA0LE
320.033 321.7454.30.5 

All items less food and energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS12BSA0L1E
326.390 328.1764.60.5 

Footnotes
(1) Indexes on a December 1977=100 base
(2) Indexes on a December 1982=100 base.
(3) Indexes on a December 1997=100 base.
(4) Special index based on a substantially smaller sample.
(5) Indexes on a December 1993=100 base.

 

Last Modified Date: Wednesday, May 15, 2024