Prices in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn area, as measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), declined 0.5 percent for the two months ending in August 2022, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (See table A.)  Regional Commissioner Jason Palmer noted that the energy index fell 14.1 percent, and the food index increased 2.8 percent from June to August. The all items less food and energy index rose 0.7 percent over the past two months. Within the all items less food and energy category, prices were higher over the two-month period for new and used motor vehicles and apparel, but lower for household furnishings and operations. (Data in this report are not seasonally adjusted. Accordingly, bi-monthly changes may reflect seasonal influences.)

Over the last 12 months, the CPI-U increased 8.6 percent. (See chart 1 and table A.) The index for all items less food and energy rose 6.7 percent over the year. Energy prices were up 18.6 percent, largely the result of an increase in gasoline prices. Food prices advanced 13.9 percent. (See table 1.)

Food

Food prices increased 2.8 percent for the two months ending in August. Food at home prices (groceries) advanced 1.8 percent as five of the six major grocery store food group indexes increased over the two-month period. The index for other food at home (includes sugar, sweets, fats, and oils, for example) was up 3.2 percent, and the meats, poultry, fish, and eggs index rose 1.9 percent. The index for fruits and vegetables fell 0.3 percent. Food prices away from home (restaurant, cafeteria, and vending purchases) were up 4.8 percent for the same period.

Over the year, food prices increased 13.9 percent. Food at home prices were up 14.9 percent since a year ago. All six major grocery store food group indexes increased over the year. The index for other food at home was up 21.8 percent over the year, and the index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs rose 9.5 percent. The index for dairy and related products increased 22.8 percent. Food prices away from home were up 11.6 percent compared to August 2021.

Energy

The energy index declined 14.1 percent for the two months ending in August. The decrease was mainly due to lower gasoline prices (-22.4 percent). Electricity prices decreased 0.8 percent, and prices for utility (piped) gas service fell 6.7 percent for the same period.

Energy prices rose 18.6 percent over the year, largely due to higher gasoline prices (21.0 percent). Prices paid for utility (piped) gas service increased 34.8 percent, and electricity prices rose 2.8 percent during the past year.

All items less food and energy

The index for all items less food and energy increased 0.7 percent in the latest two-month period. Higher prices for new and used motor vehicles (1.7 percent) and apparel (2.6 percent) were partially offset by lower prices for household furnishings and operations (-1.4 percent).

Over the year, the index for all items less food and energy rose 6.7 percent. Shelter costs, up 5.4 percent, were a major contributing factor.

Table A. Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI, CPI-U 2-month and 12-month percent changes, all items index, not seasonally adjusted

Month	2018		2019		2020		2021		2022
	2-month	12-month	2-month	12-month	2-month	12-month	2-month	12-month	2-month	12-month
February	0.3	2.1	0.4	1.2	0.5	2.6	0.6	0.8	1.1	7.5
April	0.9	2.3	0.6	1.0	-2.7	-0.8	1.7	5.4	2.5	8.3
June	1.3	3.6	0.4	0.1	1.7	0.5	1.7	5.4	3.0	9.7
August	-0.6	2.8	0.6	1.4	1.9	1.8	0.5	3.9	-0.5	8.6
October	0.0	1.9	1.0	2.4	-0.3	0.5	1.2	5.5
December	-0.6	1.2	-0.6	2.5	-0.3	0.7	1.1	7.0

The October 2022 Consumer Price Index for the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn area is scheduled to be released on November 10, 2022.

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 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, 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 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 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI, Core Based Statistical Area covered in this release is comprised of Lapeer, Livingston, Macomb, Oakland, St. Clair, and Wayne Counties in Michigan.

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
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted)

Item and Group	Indexes			Percent change from-
	Jun. 2022	Jul. 2022	Aug. 2022	Aug. 2021	Jun. 2022	Jul. 2022
Expenditure category
All items	272.911	-	271.554	8.6	-0.5	-
All items (1967=100)	811.204	-	807.171	-	-	-
Food and beverages	268.449	-	275.578	13.2	2.7	-
Food	270.528	-	278.183	13.9	2.8	-
Food at home	262.950	264.099	267.640	14.9	1.8	1.3
Cereals and bakery products	322.691	-	325.002	12.4	0.7	-
Meats, poultry, fish and eggs	281.910	-	287.335	9.5	1.9	-
Dairy and related products	207.637	-	210.297	22.8	1.3	-
Fruits and vegetables	266.147	-	265.362	8.2	-0.3	-
Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials(1)	245.662	-	251.943	15.8	2.6	-
Other food at home	246.006	-	253.911	21.8	3.2	-
Food away from home	280.216	-	293.616	11.6	4.8	-
Alcoholic beverages	237.340	-	237.545	3.9	0.1	-
Housing	257.977	-	256.842	6.9	-0.4	-
Shelter	290.358	289.683	290.513	5.4	0.1	0.3
Rent of primary residence(2)	304.065	306.166	309.413	6.7	1.8	1.1
Owners' equiv. rent of residences(2)(3)	289.941	289.842	291.329	5.7	0.5	0.5
Owners' equiv. rent of primary residence(2)(3)	289.941	289.842	291.329	5.7	0.5	0.5
Fuels and utilities	326.888	-	319.251	13.2	-2.3	-
Household energy	265.164	264.044	255.423	15.8	-3.7	-3.3
Energy services(2)	266.737	265.643	257.054	15.5	-3.6	-3.2
Electricity(2)	274.160	274.160	271.933	2.8	-0.8	-0.8
Utility (piped) gas service(2)	238.489	236.450	222.550	34.8	-6.7	-5.9
Household furnishings and operations	141.248	-	139.234	10.4	-1.4	-
Apparel	102.610	-	105.242	12.4	2.6	-
Transportation	320.249	-	303.715	12.5	-5.2	-
Private transportation	328.309	-	311.676	12.4	-5.1	-
New and used motor vehicles(4)	136.500	-	138.866	-	1.7	-
New vehicles(1)	240.711	-	244.663	-	1.6	-
Used cars and trucks(1)	441.093	-	441.964	7.5	0.2	-
Motor fuel	457.373	413.444	355.845	21.5	-22.2	-13.9
Gasoline (all types)	454.639	410.371	352.683	21.0	-22.4	-14.1
Gasoline, unleaded regular(5)	460.908	414.464	355.643	20.9	-22.8	-14.2
Gasoline, unleaded midgrade(5)(6)	520.192	484.380	419.869	21.8	-19.3	-13.3
Gasoline, unleaded premium(5)	430.548	405.209	354.590	21.3	-17.6	-12.5
Medical care	-	-	-	-	-	-
Recreation(4)	121.738	-	122.972	8.3	1.0	-
Education and communication(4)	152.806	-	154.053	2.7	0.8	-
Tuition, other school fees, and childcare(1)	1,389.009	-	1,410.160	5.0	1.5	-
Other goods and services	495.668	-	490.765	6.9	-1.0	-
Commodity and service group
All items	272.911	-	271.554	8.6	-0.5	-
Commodities	216.524	-	212.887	11.5	-1.7	-
Commodities less food and beverages	188.446	-	180.497	10.5	-4.2	-
Nondurables less food and beverages	233.219	-	214.653	14.7	-8.0	-
Durables	137.085	-	137.866	6.0	0.6	-
Services	330.055	-	330.974	6.8	0.3	-
Special aggregate indexes
All items less medical care	264.542	-	262.657	8.9	-0.7	-
All items less shelter	269.619	-	267.658	10.0	-0.7	-
Commodities less food	190.576	-	182.831	10.3	-4.1	-
Nondurables	251.252	-	244.870	13.9	-2.5	-
Nondurables less food	233.529	-	216.107	13.9	-7.5	-
Services less rent of shelter(3)	388.174	-	390.174	8.1	0.5	-
Services less medical care services	319.464	-	319.676	7.0	0.1	-
Energy	354.931	335.112	304.933	18.6	-14.1	-9.0
All items less energy	269.861	-	272.574	7.8	1.0	-
All items less food and energy	270.466	-	272.300	6.7	0.7	-
Footnotes (1) Index on a December 1977=100 base. (2) This index series was calculated using a Laspeyres estimator. All other item stratum index series were calculated using a geometric means estimator. (3) Index on a December 1982=100 base. (4) Indexes on a December 1997=100 base. (5) Special index based on a substantially smaller sample. (6) Index on a December 1993=100 base.
- Data not available. Note: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date. Data not seasonally adjusted.