The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) in the Northeast Region advanced 0.5 percent in February, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported today. Both, the all items less food and energy index and the food index increased 0.5 percent for the same period. The energy index was up 0.8 percent. (Data in this report are not seasonally adjusted. Accordingly, month-to-month changes may reflect seasonal influences.)

The Northeast Region all items CPI-U increased 2.7 percent for the 12 months ending in February. The index for all items less food and energy rose 2.6 percent over the year. Food prices rose 3.7 percent and energy prices increased 1.9 percent.

  

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Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in CPI-U, Northeast region, February 2023–February 2026

Month	All items	All items less food and energy
Feb 2023	5.9	5.1
Mar 2023	4.3	4.5
Apr 2023	3.8	4.2
May 2023	3.1	4.3
Jun 2023	2.2	3.8
Jul 2023	2.6	4.0
Aug 2023	2.8	3.7
Sep 2023	3.0	3.5
Oct 2023	2.7	3.4
Nov 2023	2.5	3.5
Dec 2023	2.6	3.5
Jan 2024	2.5	3.5
Feb 2024	2.4	3.2
Mar 2024	3.4	4.0
Apr 2024	3.6	4.1
May 2024	3.9	4.3
Jun 2024	3.8	4.3
Jul 2024	3.6	3.9
Aug 2024	3.4	4.0
Sep 2024	3.4	4.2
Oct 2024	3.5	4.4
Nov 2024	3.5	4.3
Dec 2024	3.5	3.9
Jan 2025	3.7	4.1
Feb 2025	3.9	4.2
Mar 2025	3.2	3.4
Apr 2025	3.1	3.5
May 2025	2.8	3.1
Jun 2025	3.0	3.2
Jul 2025	3.2	3.4
Aug 2025	3.3	3.4
Sep 2025	3.1	3.0
Oct 2025	-	-
Nov 2025	3.1	2.8
Dec 2025	3.3	3.1
Jan 2026	2.8	2.7
Feb 2026	2.7	2.6
Note: The October 2025 data values are not available due to the 2025 lapse in appropriations.

Food prices advanced 0.5 percent for the month of February. Prices for food at home increased 0.6 percent, and prices for food away from home rose 0.4 percent for the same period.

Food prices rose 3.7 percent over the year. Prices for food at home advanced 3.2 percent, and prices for food away from home rose 4.3 percent.

The energy index rose 0.8 percent over the month. Gasoline prices increased 1.0 percent. Prices for natural gas service advanced 0.7 percent, while prices for electricity decreased 1.2 percent for the same period.

Energy prices increased 1.9 percent over the year. Electricity prices increased 4.9 percent. Prices for natural gas service advanced 10.2 percent, while prices for gasoline fell 4.7 percent during the past year.

The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.5 percent in February. Among the index’s components, prices were higher for shelter (+0.4 percent) and apparel (+2.8 percent). In contrast, prices were lower for new and used motor vehicles down -0.3 percent as prices for used cars and trucks decreased 1.4 percent. Household furnishings and operations decreased -0.1 percent for the same period.

The index for all items less food and energy rose 2.6 percent over the year. Components contributing to the increase included shelter (+3.2 percent) and household furnishings and operations (+4.7 percent). In contrast, prices were lower for new and used motor vehicles (-1.0 percent).

The March 2026 Consumer Price Index for the Northeast Region is scheduled to be released on April 10, 2026.

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 Consumer Price Index for the Northeast region is published monthly. The set of components and sub-aggregates published for regional and metropolitan indexes is more limited than at the U.S. city average level; these indexes are byproducts of the national CPI program.

The Northeast region is comprised of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Refer to the national CPI news release technical note or the Handbook of Methods for more information.

If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

Table 1. Northeast region CPI-U by expenditure category for February 2026, not seasonally adjusted (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted)

Expenditure category	Indexes				Percent change from:
	Historical data	Dec. 2025	Jan. 2026	Feb. 2026	Feb. 2025	Dec. 2025	Jan. 2026
All items		337.880	339.104	340.945	2.7	0.9	0.5
All items (December 1977 = 100)		532.058	533.986	536.884	-	-	-
Food and beverages		343.296	344.911	346.783	3.5	1.0	0.5
Food		346.388	348.045	349.937	3.7	1.0	0.5
Food at home		319.676	321.550	323.595	3.2	1.2	0.6
Cereals and bakery products		393.911	404.599	401.042	3.3	1.8	-0.9
Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs		333.729	331.603	333.933	0.4	0.1	0.7
Dairy and related products		283.654	285.444	281.911	1.6	-0.6	-1.2
Fruits and vegetables		358.372	367.243	369.103	6.0	3.0	0.5
Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials		242.381	247.870	248.399	6.3	2.5	0.2
Other food at home		286.081	282.738	289.223	3.4	1.1	2.3
Food away from home		394.291	395.464	396.998	4.3	0.7	0.4
Alcoholic beverages		300.737	301.824	303.418	1.5	0.9	0.5
Housing		376.454	377.742	379.102	3.6	0.7	0.4
Shelter		372.496	374.359	376.263	3.9	1.0	0.5
Rent of primary residence		468.186	469.717	470.573	4.0	0.5	0.2
Owners' equivalent rent of residences(1)		481.287	483.234	484.168	3.7	0.6	0.2
Owners' equivalent rent of primary residence(1)		480.787	482.730	483.663	3.7	0.6	0.2
Fuels and utilities		339.425	341.988	344.367	5.9	1.5	0.7
Household energy		305.078	307.642	309.739	6.0	1.5	0.7
Energy services		307.749	311.840	309.814	6.5	0.7	-0.6
Electricity		311.925	316.807	312.873	4.9	0.3	-1.2
Utility (piped) gas service		278.065	280.305	282.197	10.2	1.5	0.7
Household furnishings and operations		153.423	154.036	153.937	4.7	0.3	-0.1
Apparel		129.514	132.651	136.318	0.8	5.3	2.8
Transportation		265.707	265.924	267.310	0.9	0.6	0.5
Private transportation		266.530	265.175	264.793	0.1	-0.7	-0.1
New and used motor vehicles(2)		125.853	124.676	124.286	-1.0	-1.2	-0.3
New vehicles		175.143	175.688	175.960	0.7	0.5	0.2
New cars(3)		165.371	165.940	166.378	1.0	0.6	0.3
Used cars and trucks		196.263	189.951	187.323	-3.5	-4.6	-1.4
Motor fuel		261.726	254.755	257.315	-4.6	-1.7	1.0
Gasoline (all types)		260.957	253.928	256.447	-4.7	-1.7	1.0
Gasoline, unleaded regular(3)		254.185	246.984	249.543	-5.1	-1.8	1.0
Gasoline, unleaded midgrade(3)(4)		294.564	287.855	290.125	-3.5	-1.5	0.8
Gasoline, unleaded premium(3)		295.573	289.685	291.868	-2.7	-1.3	0.8
Medical care		588.217	587.501	591.733	1.5	0.6	0.7
Medical care commodities		427.530	426.428	425.259	-0.3	-0.5	-0.3
Medical care services		635.311	634.723	640.642	1.9	0.8	0.9
Professional services		437.675	439.060	443.874	2.2	1.4	1.1
Recreation(2)		145.690	147.433	148.397	1.2	1.9	0.7
Education and communication(2)		159.273	159.496	160.679	1.0	0.9	0.7
Tuition, other school fees, and childcare(5)		1,529.402	1,530.170	1,531.788	3.6	0.2	0.1
Other goods and services		643.021	644.126	646.672	4.4	0.6	0.4
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.
- Data not available. Note: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.

Table 2. Northeast region CPI-U by special aggregate index for February 2026, not seasonally adjusted (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted)

Special aggregate index	Indexes				Percent change from:
	Historical data	Dec. 2025	Jan. 2026	Feb. 2026	Feb. 2025	Dec. 2025	Jan. 2026
All items		337.880	339.104	340.945	2.7	0.9	0.5
Food		346.388	348.045	349.937	3.7	1.0	0.5
Energy		288.129	286.700	289.000	1.9	0.3	0.8
All items less food and energy		348.887	350.321	352.149	2.6	0.9	0.5
All items less energy		346.640	348.100	349.928	2.7	0.9	0.5
All items less medical care		326.919	328.240	329.972	2.8	0.9	0.5
All items less shelter		294.405	295.610	297.525	2.4	1.1	0.6
Commodities		231.598	232.171	233.676	1.9	0.9	0.6
Commodities less food		179.651	179.800	181.100	0.7	0.8	0.7
Commodities less food & beverages		175.151	175.269	176.556	0.6	0.8	0.7
Durables		121.376	121.329	120.913	0.5	-0.4	-0.3
Nondurables		282.327	283.292	286.048	2.3	1.3	1.0
Nondurables less food & beverages		222.962	223.303	226.886	0.5	1.8	1.6
Nondurables less food		227.559	227.951	231.383	0.6	1.7	1.5
Services		439.931	441.792	443.945	3.1	0.9	0.5
Services less rent of shelter(1)		429.891	432.466	435.246	3.0	1.2	0.6
Services less medical care services		426.498	428.545	430.424	3.3	0.9	0.4
Footnotes (1) Indexes on a December 1982=100 base.
- Data not available. NOTE: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.