Department of Labor Logo United States Department of Labor
Dot gov

The .gov means it's official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

News Release Information

17-1372-CHI
Friday, October 13, 2017

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (312) 353-1138

Consumer Price Index, Chicago-Gary-Kenosha — September 2017

Local prices rose 2.1 percent over the year

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) in the Chicago-Gary-Kenosha area rose 0.4 percent in September, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Charlene Peiffer noted that in September the food index edged down 0.1 percent and the energy index increased 2.2 percent. The all items less food and energy index rose 0.4 percent over the month. Among the indexes within the all items less food and energy category, prices were higher for shelter and apparel. (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 Chicago area all items CPI-U increased 2.1 percent. (See chart 1 and table A.) Over the year the food index increased 1.3 percent and energy costs rose 7.6 percent. Energy costs rose primarily due to an increase in gasoline prices. The all items less food and energy index was 1.8 percent higher over the year. (See table 1.)

Food

Food prices edged down 0.1 percent in September. The food at home index (groceries) fell 0.4 percent, while the food away from home (restaurant, cafeteria, and vending purchases) index rose 0.3 percent. Within the food at home group, prices were lower in September for carbonated drinks, pork chops, and potatoes. In contrast, the indexes for other fresh vegetables, uncooked ground beef, and uncooked beef roasts were higher.

From September 2016 to September 2017, the food index increased 1.3 percent. Grocery prices rose 0.9 percent, while food away from home prices rose 1.9 percent over the year.

Energy

The energy index advanced 2.2 percent in September, primarily due to a 5.5-percent increase in gasoline prices. Electricity costs rose 0.2 percent over the month. In contrast, utility (piped) gas service costs fell 1.8 percent.

Over the year, the Chicago area energy index rose 7.6 percent. From September 2016 to September 2017 gasoline prices increased 11.6 percent. Costs for electricity and utility (piped) gas service were up 6.8 percent and 0.3 percent, respectively over the year.

All items less food and energy

The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.4 percent in September. Among the index’s components, prices were higher for shelter (0.6 percent) and apparel (4.3 percent).

Over the year, the index for all items less food and energy increased 1.8 percent. Increases in the indexes for shelter (2.2 percent), recreation (7.6 percent), and medical care (4.2 percent) were major contributing factors.

Table A. Chicago CPI-U 1-month and 12-month percent changes, all items index, not seasonally adjusted
Month 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
1-month 12-month 1-month 12-month 1-month 12-month 1-month 12-month 1-month 12-month

January

0.2 1.2 0.9 1.2 -0.2 0.4 0.8 0.9 0.7 1.8

February

1.1 2.3 0.5 0.7 0.0 -0.2 -0.2 0.7 0.1 2.2

March

-0.1 0.9 1.1 1.9 0.7 -0.6 0.1 0.2 -0.1 2.0

April

0.0 0.9 0.5 2.4 0.1 -0.9 0.6 0.7 0.4 1.7

May

0.5 1.5 -0.1 1.8 0.3 -0.5 0.0 0.3 0.2 1.8

June

0.1 1.7 0.4 2.0 0.2 -0.7 0.5 0.7 0.0 1.3

July

-0.2 1.7 -0.4 1.9 -0.1 -0.5 -0.8 -0.1 0.0 2.2

August

0.1 1.1 0.1 1.9 0.4 -0.1 0.2 -0.2 0.3 2.3

September

-0.2 0.7 0.0 2.1 -0.3 -0.4 0.6 0.6 0.4 2.1

October

-0.3 0.5 -0.4 2.0 -0.1 -0.2 0.1 0.8    

November

-0.3 0.6 -0.8 1.6 -0.4 0.2 0.2 1.5    

December

-0.3 0.5 -0.4 1.5 -0.6 0.0 -0.2 1.9    

The October 2017 Consumer Price Index for Chicago is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, November 15, 2017.

Consumer Price Index Geographic Revision for 2018

In January 2018, BLS will introduce a new geographic area sample for the Consumer Price Index (CPI). As part of the new sample, the index for this area will be renamed. The first indexes using the new structure will be published in February 2018. Additional information on the geographic revision is available at: www.bls.gov/cpi/additional-resources/geographic-revision-2018.htm.


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 Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes CPIs for two population groups: (1) a CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) which covers approximately 89 percent of the total population and (2) a CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) which covers 28 percent of the total 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, and 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 87 urban areas across the country from about 6,000 housing units and approximately 24,000 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 (1982-84) that equals 100.0. An increase of 16.5 percent, for example, is shown as 116.5. This change can also be expressed in dollars as follows: the price of a base period "market basket" of goods and services in the CPI has risen from $10 in 1982-84 to $11.65. For further details see the CPI home page on the Internet at www.bls.gov/cpi and the BLS Handbook of Methods, Chapter 17, The Consumer Price Index, available on the Internet at www.bls.gov/opub/hom/pdf/homch17.pdf.

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 Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, Ill.-Ind.-Wis. consolidated area covered in this release is comprised of Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will Counties in Illinois; Lake and Porter Counties in Indiana; and Kenosha County in Wisconsin.

Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Federal Relay Service: (800) 877-8339.

Table 1. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): Indexes and percent changes for selected periods
Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted)
Item and Group

 
IndexesPercent change from-
Jul.
2017
Aug.
2017
Sep.
2017
Sep.
2016
Jul.
2017
Aug.
2017

Expenditure category

 
 

All items

233.514234.200235.1772.10.70.4

All items (1967=100)

697.641699.692702.611---

Food and beverages

243.386245.149244.9641.40.6-0.1

Food

243.068244.996244.6441.30.6-0.1

Food at home

232.826235.909234.9020.90.9-0.4

Food away from home

252.940253.003253.6901.90.30.3

Alcoholic beverages

246.352245.675247.9562.40.70.9

Housing

241.360241.825242.9952.10.70.5

Shelter

302.201302.997304.8102.20.90.6

Rent of primary residence(1)

321.965322.751324.4473.20.80.5

Owners' equiv. rent of residences(1)(2)

307.155307.579309.0502.20.60.5

Owners' equiv. rent of primary residence(1)(2)

307.155307.579309.0502.20.60.5

Fuels and utilities

209.382208.785207.8844.2-0.7-0.4

Household energy

165.919165.293164.3494.1-0.9-0.6

Energy services(1)

169.326168.648167.6394.2-1.0-0.6

Electricity(1)

162.332163.078163.3566.80.60.2

Utility (piped) gas service(1)

165.876162.964159.9710.3-3.6-1.8

Household furnishings and operations

90.02290.18790.768-1.90.80.6

Apparel

86.21488.34492.127-0.46.94.3

Transportation

180.240180.249182.3922.11.21.2

Private transportation

177.533177.959179.7712.41.31.0

Motor fuel

217.704223.744236.09011.68.45.5

Gasoline (all types)

215.557221.547233.69111.68.45.5

Gasoline, unleaded regular(3)

206.487212.454224.18711.88.65.5

Gasoline, unleaded midgrade(3)(4)

242.664248.336261.93810.97.95.5

Gasoline, unleaded premium(3)

242.568248.044260.71810.57.55.1

Medical care

502.061502.922501.1614.2-0.2-0.4

Recreation(5)

116.208115.755115.1797.6-0.9-0.5

Education and communication(5)

142.370143.216143.088-0.30.5-0.1

Other goods and services

386.977385.543384.7660.1-0.6-0.2
 

Commodity and service group

 
 

All items

233.514234.200235.1772.10.70.4

Commodities

165.247166.368167.6331.41.40.8

Commodities less food & beverages

125.786126.594128.3791.42.11.4

Nondurables less food & beverages

167.476170.015174.4994.14.22.6

Durables

87.18286.69286.418-2.2-0.9-0.3

Services

298.359298.606299.2842.50.30.2
 

Special aggregate indexes

 
 

All items less medical care

221.980222.660223.7581.90.80.5

All items less shelter

210.359211.010211.6992.10.60.3

Commodities less food

130.108130.887132.7031.52.01.4

Nondurables

205.943208.132210.3982.62.21.1

Nondurables less food

172.709175.082179.4664.03.92.5

Services less rent of shelter(2)

309.785309.448308.9292.9-0.3-0.2

Services less medical care services

283.512283.734284.7812.60.40.4

Energy

185.685187.641191.8437.63.32.2

All items less energy

239.964240.539241.2261.70.50.3

All items less food and energy

240.247240.578241.4561.80.50.4

Footnotes
(1) This index series was calculated using a Laspeyres estimator. All other item stratum index series were calculated using a geometric means estimator.
(2) Index is on a December 1982=100 base.
(3) Special index based on a substantially smaller sample.
(4) Indexes on a December 1993=100 base.
(5) Indexes on a December 1997=100 base.
 

- Data not available.
Note: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date. Data not seasonally adjusted.
 

 

Last Modified Date: Friday, October 13, 2017