Prices in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington area, as measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), declined 0.6 percent for the two months ending in November 2024, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (See table A.) Regional Commissioner Jason Palmer noted that the energy index declined 8.8 percent, and the food index rose 0.2 percent from September to November. The all items less food and energy index decreased 0.1 percent over the past two months. Within the all items less food and energy category, price declines were noted for apparel and education and communication, while the indexes for shelter and recreation rose. (Data in this report are not seasonally adjusted. Accordingly, bi-monthly changes may reflect seasonal influences.)

Over the last 12 months, the CPI-U advanced 1.7 percent. (See chart 1 and table A.) The index for all items less food and energy rose 1.9 percent over the year. Food prices increased 2.5 percent. Energy prices declined 2.9 percent, largely the result of a decrease in the price of gasoline. (See table 1.)

  

View Chart Data

Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in CPI-U, Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI, November 2021–November 2024

Month	All items	All items less food and energy
Nov 2021	6.9	5.0
Jan 2022	7.2	5.7
Mar 2022	8.2	6.6
May 2022	8.7	5.8
Jul 2022	8.2	5.0
Sep 2022	7.4	5.3
Nov 2022	5.3	3.7
Jan 2023	5.1	3.8
Mar 2023	3.4	3.0
May 2023	1.8	2.4
Jul 2023	1.0	2.4
Sep 2023	2.2	3.2
Nov 2023	2.8	3.7
Jan 2024	2.6	3.5
Mar 2024	2.7	3.2
May 2024	2.6	3.0
Jul 2024	3.5	3.8
Sep 2024	1.9	2.4
Nov 2024	1.7	1.9

Food prices advanced 0.2 percent for the two months ending in November. (See table 1.) Prices for food at home (groceries) were unchanged, and prices for food away from home (restaurant, cafeteria, and vending purchases) rose 0.4 percent for the same period.

Over the year, food prices advanced 2.5 percent. Prices for food at home increased 1.2 percent since a year ago. Five of the six major grocery store food group indexes were higher over the year. The index for nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials rose 4.7 percent; the meats, poultry, fish, and eggs index was up 3.4 percent; and the index for cereals and bakery products rose 3.2 percent. The index for fruits and vegetables was down 2.6 percent. Prices for food away from home rose 4.5 percent over the year.

The energy index decreased 8.8 percent for the two months ending in November. The decrease was mainly due to lower prices for electricity (-15.5 percent). Prices for gasoline declined 4.1 percent, and prices for utility (piped) gas service decreased 8.6 percent.

Energy prices declined 2.9 percent over the year, largely due to lower prices for gasoline (-8.2 percent). Prices paid for utility (piped) gas service rose 11.4 percent, while prices for electricity decreased 1.0 percent during the past year.

The index for all items less food and energy declined 0.1 percent in the latest two-month period. Lower prices for apparel (-6.8 percent) and education and communication (-1.9 percent) were partially offset by higher prices for shelter (+0.5 percent) and recreation (+2.1 percent).

Over the year, the index for all items less food and energy rose 1.9 percent. Components contributing to the increase included shelter (+3.7 percent) and medical care services. Partly offsetting the increases were declines in the indexes for new and used motor vehicles (-4.9 percent) and medical care commodities.

The January 2025 Consumer Price Index for the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington area is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, February 12, 2025.

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 Minneapolis is published bi-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 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI Core Based Statistical Area includes Anoka, Carver, Chisago, Dakota, Hennepin, Isanti, Le Sueur, Mille Lacs, Ramsey, Scott, Sherburne, Sibley, Washington, and Wright Counties in Minnesota and Pierce and St. Croix Counties in Wisconsin.

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.