Prices in the Northeast Region, as measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), ticked up 0.1 percent in October, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (See table A.) Regional Commissioner Alexandra Hall Bovee noted that the rise was primarily due to increases in the shelter index. This contributed to the 0.2-percent rise in the all items less food and energy index. The food index was down 0.2 percent over the month while the energy index declined 1.1 percent. (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, mainly due to rises in the shelter index which contributed to the 4.4-percent increase in the all items less food and energy index. (See chart 1.)  Food prices rose 1.6 percent, the smallest increase in that index since May 2021. Energy prices decreased 2.9 percent. (See table 1.)

  

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

Month	All items	All items less food and energy
Oct 2021	5.4	3.7
Nov 2021	6.0	4.1
Dec 2021	5.9	4.3
Jan 2022	6.3	4.6
Feb 2022	6.6	5.0
Mar 2022	7.3	5.0
Apr 2022	7.2	4.9
May 2022	7.5	4.6
Jun 2022	7.6	4.4
Jul 2022	7.3	4.3
Aug 2022	7.4	5.0
Sep 2022	7.2	5.4
Oct 2022	6.9	5.2
Nov 2022	6.4	4.7
Dec 2022	6.1	4.8
Jan 2023	6.0	4.9
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

In October, the food index was down 0.2 percent over the month. It was mainly due to a 0.4-percent decline in prices for food at home. (See table 1.) Within food at home, the decrease was led by the miscellaneous other food at home index, down 1.2 percent as prices for snacks and candy and chewing gum were down. The meats, poultry, fish, and eggs index declined 1.4 percent, the largest decline in the index since May 2023, as prices for eggs and chicken were down. The cereals and bakery products index counteracted the decline as it increased 1.1 percent this month. The food away from home index rose 0.1 percent.

From October 2023 to October 2024, the food index increased 1.6 percent as the food away from home index advanced 3.7 percent. Prices for food at home were up 0.4 percent. The nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials index had a 4.5-percent increase while the meats, poultry, fish, and eggs index rose 2.6 percent, moderating from 4.5 percent in September. Two indexes were down over the year, fruits and vegetables with a 2.3-percent decline and other food at home with a decrease of 1.2 percent.

The energy index decreased 1.1 percent over the month, mostly due to a 3.4-percent decrease in prices for gasoline. The electricity index ticked down 0.2 percent. Tempering the index decline, utility (piped) gas service rose 1.5 percent, and the fuel oil index also increased.

Over the year, energy prices were down 2.9 percent, predominantly due to the gasoline index as it declined 13.7 percent. The fuel oil index also decreased. Prices for electricity increased 11.0 percent over the year, the first double-digit increase in the index in 2024. Utility (piped) gas service prices rose 8.4 percent.

The index for all items less food and energy was up 0.2 percent in October. This was primarily because of the shelter index, which rose 0.3 percent over the month. Within shelter, the owners’ equivalent rent of residences index and the rent of primary residence index were up 0.6 percent and 0.5 percent, respectively. The lodging away from home index declined. Prices for public transportation and motor vehicle maintenance repair were up over the month as the recreation index rose 0.9 percent and the other goods and services index was up 0.5 percent. A 0.2-percent increase in the medical care index, and within that a 0.4-percent rise in prices for medical care services, contributed as well. Prices for medical care commodities were down 0.9 percent over the month. Other indexes also declined over the month and reduced the overall increase. These included prices for apparel, down 2.4 percent, and a 0.3-percent decline in prices for education and communication.

Over the year, the index for all items less food and energy was up 4.4 percent, mainly because of the 6.0-percent rise in the shelter index. Within shelter, the owners’ equivalent rent of residences index rose 6.5 percent, and the rent of primary residence index increased 5.7 percent. The medical care index rose 4.5 percent, driven by a 4.6-percent advance in prices for medical care services. Two indexes declined over the year- apparel was down 0.4 percent while new and used motor vehicles declined 1.2 percent.

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 up 0.1 percent while the New England division remained unchanged.

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.)

The November Consumer Price Index for the Northeast Region is scheduled to be released on December 11, 2024.

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.

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	Aug. 2024	Sep. 2024	Oct. 2024	Oct. 2023	Aug. 2024	Sep. 2024
All items		326.140	327.156	327.421	3.5	0.4	0.1
All items (December 1977 = 100)		513.571	515.171	515.588
Food and beverages		329.911	331.677	331.010	1.5	0.3	-0.2
Food		332.435	334.297	333.548	1.6	0.3	-0.2
Food at home		308.935	311.030	309.656	0.4	0.2	-0.4
Cereals and bakery products		387.374	383.808	387.878	0.3	0.1	1.1
Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs		318.729	321.462	316.945	2.6	-0.6	-1.4
Dairy and related products		279.124	280.619	281.335	0.5	0.8	0.3
Fruits and vegetables		352.107	354.844	354.236	-2.3	0.6	-0.2
Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials		221.129	224.999	225.595	4.5	2.0	0.3
Other food at home		278.451	280.835	277.371	-1.2	-0.4	-1.2
Food away from home		374.390	375.790	376.241	3.7	0.5	0.1
Alcoholic beverages		295.188	295.662	296.095	0.4	0.3	0.1
Housing		355.938	357.067	358.275	5.6	0.7	0.3
Shelter		439.750	441.126	442.607	6.0	0.6	0.3
Rent of primary residence		441.048	443.231	445.347	5.7	1.0	0.5
Owners' equivalent rent of residences(1)		456.323	458.636	461.175	6.5	1.1	0.6
Owners' equivalent rent of primary residence(1)		455.868	458.182	460.710	6.5	1.1	0.6
Fuels and utilities		299.076	300.684	302.948	5.9	1.3	0.8
Household energy		266.603	267.917	269.507	6.0	1.1	0.6
Energy services		265.459	268.020	268.850	10.4	1.3	0.3
Electricity		285.238	285.266	284.796	11.0	-0.2	-0.2
Utility (piped) gas service		208.168	215.519	218.843	8.4	5.1	1.5
Household furnishings and operations		146.292	146.491	146.415	2.1	0.1	-0.1
Apparel		134.137	138.114	134.796	-0.4	0.5	-2.4
Transportation		267.101	266.495	265.975	1.1	-0.4	-0.2
Private transportation		267.717	266.229	264.142	0.7	-1.3	-0.8
New and used motor vehicles(2)		125.016	124.902	124.739	-1.2	-0.2	-0.1
New vehicles		174.634	174.659	174.392	-0.7	-0.1	-0.2
New cars(3)		164.462	164.021	163.540	-1.2	-0.6	-0.3
Used cars and trucks		190.911	190.349	191.294	-2.7	0.2	0.5
Motor fuel		295.782	279.895	270.546	-13.8	-8.5	-3.3
Gasoline (all types)		295.432	279.428	269.998	-13.7	-8.6	-3.4
Gasoline, unleaded regular(3)		289.880	273.394	263.796	-14.2	-9.0	-3.5
Gasoline, unleaded midgrade(3)(4)		325.231	311.312	302.024	-11.7	-7.1	-3.0
Gasoline, unleaded premium(3)		322.489	309.385	301.101	-10.6	-6.6	-2.7
Medical care		573.346	572.052	572.947	4.5	-0.1	0.2
Medical care commodities		423.427	418.825	414.876	3.7	-2.0	-0.9
Medical care services		617.137	616.903	619.330	4.6	0.4	0.4
Professional services		425.014	423.270	425.238	0.5	0.1	0.5
Recreation(2)		142.980	141.504	142.810	1.2	-0.1	0.9
Education and communication(2)		156.370	158.684	158.250	2.1	1.2	-0.3
Tuition, other school fees, and child care(5)		1,434.313	1,471.231	1,472.856	4.2	2.7	0.1
Other goods and services		606.702	609.443	612.540	2.3	1.0	0.5
Commodity and service group
Commodities		229.046	228.994	227.665	-1.0	-0.6	-0.6
Commodities less food and beverages		177.027	176.240	174.707	-2.8	-1.3	-0.9
Nondurables less food and beverages		228.710	226.642	223.393	-4.2	-2.3	-1.4
Durables		120.490	120.621	120.383	-1.1	-0.1	-0.2
Services		419.327	421.367	423.155	6.0	0.9	0.4
Special aggregate indexes
All items less shelter		286.349	287.240	287.046	2.1	0.2	-0.1
All items less medical care		315.305	316.426	316.663	3.4	0.4	0.1
Commodities less food		181.332	180.575	179.086	-2.7	-1.2	-0.8
Nondurables		278.671	278.479	276.491	-0.9	-0.8	-0.7
Nondurables less food		232.598	230.690	227.675	-3.9	-2.1	-1.3
Services less rent of shelter(1)		410.055	412.921	415.166	5.9	1.2	0.5
Services less medical care services		405.710	407.905	409.649	6.1	1.0	0.4
Energy		279.467	273.529	270.508	-2.9	-3.2	-1.1
All items less energy		334.475	336.057	336.585	4.0	0.6	0.2
All items less food and energy		336.956	338.498	339.254	4.4	0.7	0.2
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.