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News Release Information

25-60-PHI
Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:

Consumer Price Index, Northeast Region – December 2024

Area prices were unchanged over the past month, up 3.5 percent from a year ago.

Prices in the Northeast Region, as measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), were unchanged in December, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (See table A.) Regional Commissioner Alexandra Hall Bovee noted that price changes were mixed throughout each major category. The all items less food and energy index declined 0.1 percent, counterbalancing an increase of 0.3 percent in the food index and 0.7 percent in the energy index. (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 3.5 percent, mostly due to rises in the shelter index which contributed to the 3.9-percent increase in the all items less food and energy index. (See chart 1.) Food prices rose 2.3 percent and energy prices increased 0.9 percent. (See table 1.)

Food

In December, the food index was up 0.3 percent over the month. This was mainly due to an equivalent rise in prices for food at home. (See table 1.) Within food at home, the advance was led by a 0.9-percent rise in the meats, poultry, fish, and eggs index and a 1.4-percent increase in the cereals and bakery products index. The other food at home index rose 0.6 percent. Some indexes declined, including the fruits and vegetables index, down 0.8 percent. Prices for food away from home rose 0.4 percent over the month.

From December 2023 to December 2024, the food index increased 2.3 percent as the food away from home index advanced 3.5 percent. Prices for food at home were up 1.5 percent. The meats, poultry, fish, and eggs index increased 4.0 percent, and the nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials index advanced 4.3 percent. Prices for fruits and vegetables declined 0.8 percent over the year.

Energy

The energy index increased 0.7 percent over the month, due to a 2.3-percent rise in the utility (piped) gas service index and a 0.9-percent rise in the electricity index. Prices for fuel oil also rose. The gasoline index offset some of the overall rise as it decreased 0.4 percent.

Over the year, energy prices were up 0.9 percent, the first rise in this index since July 2024. The electricity index advanced 9.0 percent and the utility (piped) gas service index rose 12.9 percent. Prices for gasoline decreased, down 7.2 percent from December 2023 to December 2024. The fuel oil index also declined.

All items less food and energy

The index for all items less food and energy edged down 0.1 percent in December, the same as in November. This was led by a 1.6-percent decline in prices for apparel, which is typical in December. There was also a decrease in the public transportation index, and a 0.6-percent decline in the recreation index. Other indexes contributed to the overall decrease, including the other goods and services index, down 0.7 percent, and the new and used motor vehicle index, down 0.3 percent. The shelter index tempered the decrease as it rose 0.2 percent over the month. Within shelter, the owners’ equivalent rent of residences index was also up 0.2 percent, and the rent of primary residence index increased 0.5 percent.

Over the year, the all items less food and energy index was up 3.9 percent, mainly because of the 5.3-percent rise in the shelter index. Within shelter, the owners’ equivalent rent of residences index rose 5.9 percent, and the rent of primary residence index increased 5.7 percent. The medical care index rose 3.9 percent, driven by a 4.3-percent advance in prices for medical care services.

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 Middle Atlantic division was down 0.1 percent while the New England division was up 0.1 percent.

Over the year, the all items index rose 3.6 percent in the Middle Atlantic division and 3.3 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 0.4 3.6

May

0.0 0.6 0.6 3.9 0.9 7.5 0.1 3.1 0.4 3.9

June

0.3 0.8 1.0 4.6 1.2 7.6 0.3 2.2 0.3 3.8

July

0.4 1.1 0.2 4.3 -0.2 7.3 0.2 2.6 0.0 3.6

August

0.1 1.1 0.1 4.4 0.3 7.4 0.5 2.8 0.2 3.4

September

0.1 1.2 0.3 4.6 0.1 7.2 0.3 3.0 0.3 3.4

October

-0.2 1.1 0.6 5.4 0.3 6.9 0.0 2.7 0.1 3.5

November

0.1 1.1 0.6 6.0 0.1 6.4 0.0 2.5 0.0 3.5

December

0.2 1.4 0.2 5.9 -0.1 6.1 0.0 2.6 0.0 3.5
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

0.0 3.5

New England Division

0.1 3.3

Middle Atlantic Division

-0.1 3.6

The January Consumer Price Index for the Northeast Region is scheduled to be released on February 12, 2025.

Notice Regarding Ceasing Publication of Utility Indexes

With the publication of January 2025 data in February 2025, several indexes and average price series will be discontinued.

The following CPI indexes will continue to be published at the national level, but will be discontinued for all metropolitan areas, census divisions, and regional size classes:

  • Electricity
  • Utility (piped) gas (often referred to as natural gas)
  • Energy services
  • Fuels and utilities
  • Household energy

The following CPI average price series will continue to be published at the national level, but will be discontinued for all metropolitan areas, census divisions, and regional size classes:

  • Electricity per KWH
  • Utility (piped) gas per therm

 


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 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. Each local index has a much smaller sample size than the national or regional indexes and is, therefore, subject to substantially more sampling and other measurement error. As a result, local-area indexes are more volatile than the national or regional indexes. In addition, local indexes are not adjusted for seasonal influences. 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.

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

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
Oct.
2024
Nov.
2024
Dec.
2024
Dec.
2023
Oct.
2024
Nov.
2024

All items

327.421 327.277 327.240 3.5 -0.1 0.0

All items (December 1977 = 100)

515.588 515.361 515.303      

Food and beverages

331.010 331.460 332.474 2.2 0.4 0.3

Food

333.548 333.979 335.063 2.3 0.5 0.3

Food at home

309.656 309.891 310.743 1.5 0.4 0.3

Cereals and bakery products

387.878 380.141 385.432 0.7 -0.6 1.4

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs

316.945 317.261 320.237 4.0 1.0 0.9

Dairy and related products

281.335 280.266 279.658 0.1 -0.6 -0.2

Fruits and vegetables

354.236 357.800 354.808 -0.8 0.2 -0.8

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials

225.595 228.314 226.638 4.3 0.5 -0.7

Other food at home

277.371 277.729 279.461 0.9 0.8 0.6

Food away from home

376.241 377.043 378.562 3.5 0.6 0.4

Alcoholic beverages

296.095 296.810 296.882 0.6 0.3 0.0

Housing

358.275 359.129 360.210 5.2 0.5 0.3

Shelter

442.607 443.365 444.459 5.3 0.4 0.2

Rent of primary residence

445.347 447.338 449.357 5.7 0.9 0.5

Owners' equivalent rent of residences(1)

461.175 462.352 463.344 5.9 0.5 0.2

Owners' equivalent rent of primary residence(1)

460.710 461.882 462.883 5.9 0.5 0.2

Fuels and utilities

302.948 307.171 310.797 7.1 2.6 1.2

Household energy

269.507 274.004 277.860 7.5 3.1 1.4

Energy services

268.850 274.049 277.749 10.2 3.3 1.4

Electricity

284.796 280.868 283.513 9.0 -0.5 0.9

Utility (piped) gas service

218.843 241.584 247.097 12.9 12.9 2.3

Household furnishings and operations

146.415 145.936 145.767 2.5 -0.4 -0.1

Apparel

134.796 130.635 128.493 1.0 -4.7 -1.6

Transportation

265.975 264.331 262.634 2.0 -1.3 -0.6

Private transportation

264.142 262.828 261.579 1.9 -1.0 -0.5

New and used motor vehicles(2)

124.739 125.297 124.960 0.4 0.2 -0.3

New vehicles

174.392 174.541 174.458 -0.1 0.0 0.0

New cars(3)

163.540 164.087 164.012 -0.4 0.3 0.0

Used cars and trucks

191.294 192.566 192.995 -2.7 0.9 0.2

Motor fuel

270.546 265.748 264.669 -7.3 -2.2 -0.4

Gasoline (all types)

269.998 265.179 264.156 -7.2 -2.2 -0.4

Gasoline, unleaded regular(3)

263.796 258.941 257.865 -7.5 -2.2 -0.4

Gasoline, unleaded midgrade(3)(4)

302.024 296.899 296.001 -6.3 -2.0 -0.3

Gasoline, unleaded premium(3)

301.101 296.595 295.907 -5.6 -1.7 -0.2

Medical care

572.947 574.290 573.478 3.9 0.1 -0.1

Medical care commodities

414.876 417.234 413.516 2.1 -0.3 -0.9

Medical care services

619.330 620.342 620.459 4.3 0.2 0.0

Professional services

425.238 429.761 429.193 1.0 0.9 -0.1

Recreation(2)

142.810 142.989 142.170 0.7 -0.4 -0.6

Education and communication(2)

158.250 157.764 157.890 2.1 -0.2 0.1

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

1,472.856 1,472.663 1,472.117 4.4 -0.1 0.0

Other goods and services

612.540 612.907 608.820 1.6 -0.6 -0.7

Commodity and service group

Commodities

227.665 226.767 226.458 0.2 -0.5 -0.1

Commodities less food and beverages

174.707 173.306 172.476 -1.3 -1.3 -0.5

Nondurables less food and beverages

223.393 220.522 219.134 -1.8 -1.9 -0.6

Durables

120.383 120.102 119.738 -0.6 -0.5 -0.3

Services

423.155 423.731 423.954 5.3 0.2 0.1

Special aggregate indexes

All items less shelter

287.046 286.558 286.093 2.5 -0.3 -0.2

All items less medical care

316.663 316.452 316.450 3.5 -0.1 0.0

Commodities less food

179.086 177.735 176.925 -1.2 -1.2 -0.5

Nondurables

276.491 275.244 275.031 0.5 -0.5 -0.1

Nondurables less food

227.675 225.030 223.734 -1.6 -1.7 -0.6

Services less rent of shelter(1)

415.166 415.541 414.687 5.2 -0.1 -0.2

Services less medical care services

409.649 410.194 410.425 5.4 0.2 0.1

Energy

270.508 271.093 272.876 0.9 0.9 0.7

All items less energy

336.585 336.381 336.200 3.7 -0.1 -0.1

All items less food and energy

339.254 338.937 338.533 3.9 -0.2 -0.1

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, January 15, 2025