Prices in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin area, as measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), increased 0.1 percent in December, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (See table A.) Regional Commissioner Jason Palmer noted that energy prices rose 0.9 percent while food prices were 0.8 percent lower in December. The all items less food and energy index was up 0.2 percent over the month. Among the indexes within the all items less food and energy category, prices were higher for shelter, apparel, and household furnishings and operations, while prices were lower for other goods and services, new vehicles, and education and communication. (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 CPI-U advanced 3.9 percent. (See chart 1 and table A.) The index for all items less food and energy increased 4.4 percent over the year. Food prices rose 1.7 percent and energy prices increased 1.9 percent, largely the result of an increase in the price of utility (piped) gas service. (See table 1.)

  

View Chart Data

Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in CPI-U, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI, December 2021–December 2024

Month	All items	All items less food and energy
Dec 2021	6.6	4.4
Jan 2022	6.8	4.8
Feb 2022	7.1	5.2
Mar 2022	7.8	5.3
Apr 2022	7.2	4.8
May 2022	8.0	4.7
Jun 2022	8.9	5.0
Jul 2022	8.4	5.0
Aug 2022	8.3	6.0
Sep 2022	8.2	6.4
Oct 2022	7.7	6.1
Nov 2022	6.8	5.7
Dec 2022	5.5	5.3
Jan 2023	5.4	5.3
Feb 2023	5.0	5.0
Mar 2023	4.4	5.5
Apr 2023	4.8	5.6
May 2023	3.3	5.2
Jun 2023	2.1	5.1
Jul 2023	2.2	4.7
Aug 2023	2.3	4.0
Sep 2023	2.3	3.6
Oct 2023	2.4	4.1
Nov 2023	2.5	4.1
Dec 2023	3.3	4.1
Jan 2024	3.3	3.9
Feb 2024	3.4	3.8
Mar 2024	3.1	3.2
Apr 2024	3.0	3.3
May 2024	3.1	3.3
Jun 2024	3.0	3.4
Jul 2024	3.7	3.9
Aug 2024	3.8	4.3
Sep 2024	4.1	5.0
Oct 2024	3.5	4.1
Nov 2024	3.8	4.5
Dec 2024	3.9	4.4

Food prices decreased 0.8 percent in December. (See table 1.) Prices for food at home (groceries) fell 1.2 percent, and prices for food away from home (restaurant, cafeteria, and vending purchases) declined 0.1 percent for the same period. Within the food at home group, categories experiencing declines included other meats, soups, and uncooked beef steaks, while the categories of other fresh vegetables, other fresh fruits, and eggs increased.

Over the year, food prices rose 1.7 percent. The food at home index increased 1.2 percent as five of the six major grocery store food group indexes advanced over the year. Increasing indexes included nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials (+7.2 percent); fruits and vegetables (+2.6 percent); meats, poultry, fish, and eggs (+1.1 percent); dairy and related products (+1.4 percent); and cereals and bakery products (+0.1 percent). Prices for food away from home were up 2.5 percent. 

The energy index increased 0.9 percent over the month. The increase was mainly due to higher prices for electricity (+2.0 percent). Prices for gasoline rose 0.5 percent, and prices for utility (piped) gas service were unchanged for the same period.

Energy prices increased 1.9 percent over the year, largely due to higher prices for utility (piped) gas service (+8.1 percent). Prices paid for gasoline increased 1.6 percent, while prices for electricity declined 0.2 percent during the past year.

The index for all items less food and energy increased 0.2 percent in December. Higher prices for shelter (+0.5 percent), apparel (+1.7 percent), and household furnishings and operations (+0.6 percent), were partially offset by lower prices for other goods and services (-0.6 percent), new vehicles (-0.2 percent), and education and communication (-0.2 percent).

Over the year, the index for all items less food and energy rose 4.4 percent. Shelter contributed to the increase, up 5.9 percent for the period. Prices for medical care services also rose over the year.

The January 2025 Consumer Price Index for the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin area is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, February 12, 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 Chicago 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI Core Based Statistical Area includes Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will Counties in Illinois; Jasper, Lake, Newton, and Porter Counties in Indiana; and Kenosha County 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.