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News Release Information

25-29-CH
Wednesday, January 15, 2025

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

Consumer Price Index, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin – December 2024

Area prices were up 0.1 percent over the past month, up 3.9 percent from a year ago

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.)


Food

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. 

Energy

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.

All items less food and energy

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.

Table A. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI, CPI-U 1-month and 12-month percent changes, all items index, not seasonally adjusted
Month20202021202220232024
1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month

January

0.92.60.70.70.96.80.95.40.83.3

February

0.02.00.61.20.87.10.45.00.53.4

March

-0.71.10.62.61.47.80.84.40.63.1

April

-0.90.31.04.60.47.20.84.80.63.0

May

1.00.41.04.71.88.00.43.30.43.1

June

0.31.10.44.71.3(r)8.9(r)0.12.10.03.0

July

0.21.00.44.9-0.2(r)8.4(r)0.02.20.63.7

August

0.11.00.14.80.1(r)8.3(r)0.22.30.23.8

September

0.61.40.34.50.2(r)8.2(r)0.12.30.54.1

October

-0.11.00.75.30.1(r)7.7(r)0.32.4-0.33.5

November

-0.40.80.26.0-0.66.8-0.52.5-0.23.8

December

-0.20.90.46.6-0.85.50.03.30.13.9

(r) Revised

The January 2025 Consumer Price Index for the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin area is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, February 12, 2024.

Notice Regarding Ceasing Publication of Utility Indexes

With the publication of January 2025 data in February 2025, several indexes and average price series will be discontinued.

The following CPI indexes will continue to be published at the national level, but will be discontinued for all metropolitan areas, census divisions, and regional size classes:

  • Electricity

  • Utility (piped) gas (often referred to as natural gas)

  • Energy services

  • Fuels and utilities

  • Household energy

The following CPI average price series will continue to be published at the national level, but will be discontinued for all metropolitan areas, census divisions, and regional size classes:

  • Electricity per KWH

  • Utility (piped) gas per therm


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 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.

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

IndexesPercent change from-
Oct.
2024
Nov.
2024
Dec.
2024
Dec.
2023
Oct.
2024
Nov.
2024

Expenditure category

All items

295.239294.542294.7573.9-0.20.1

All items (1967=100)

882.052879.970880.612---

Food and beverages

324.422325.673323.1171.6-0.4-0.8

Food

324.732326.037323.5211.7-0.4-0.8

Food at home

300.250301.782298.0891.2-0.7-1.2

Cereals and bakery products

345.110338.165340.0520.1-1.50.6

Meats, poultry, fish and eggs

323.022323.697316.8021.1-1.9-2.1

Dairy and related products

265.766269.487264.2911.4-0.6-1.9

Fruits and vegetables

360.780358.858362.4012.60.41.0

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials(1)

255.434264.984260.6057.22.0-1.7

Other food at home

246.844249.374243.475-1.5-1.4-2.4

Food away from home

350.853351.685351.3892.50.2-0.1

Alcoholic beverages

318.814319.334316.2650.3-0.8-1.0

Housing

315.058314.819316.6114.80.50.6

Shelter

404.964405.476407.5835.90.60.5

Rent of primary residence(2)

430.573433.196434.6145.10.90.3

Owners' equiv. rent of residences(2)(3)

418.404420.176422.4156.11.00.5

Owners' equiv. rent of primary residence(2)(3)

418.404420.176422.4156.11.00.5

Fuels and utilities

256.107250.504252.8613.3-1.30.9

Household energy

199.536193.677196.1422.5-1.71.3

Energy services(2)

203.699197.762200.2392.6-1.71.3

Electricity(2)

191.734181.063184.603-0.2-3.72.0

Utility (piped) gas service(2)

196.121200.182200.2428.12.10.0

Household furnishings and operations

102.340102.611103.251-2.00.90.6

Apparel

93.33789.17090.7056.5-2.81.7

Transportation

245.876243.384241.0533.9-2.0-1.0

Private transportation

248.600245.407244.7833.7-1.5-0.3

New and used motor vehicles(4)

117.052117.424116.834-3.4-0.2-0.5

New vehicles(1)

213.095213.517213.165-1.00.0-0.2

Used cars and trucks(1)

348.545350.973352.019-2.41.00.3

Motor fuel

305.692287.120288.4191.3-5.70.5

Gasoline (all types)

303.961285.248286.6041.6-5.70.5

Gasoline, unleaded regular(5)

292.157273.702275.0371.5-5.90.5

Gasoline, unleaded midgrade(5)(6)

347.442328.984329.9832.5-5.00.3

Gasoline, unleaded premium(5)

341.313325.049326.3022.6-4.40.4

Medical care

570.538570.463571.8763.60.20.2

Recreation(4)

135.351135.233135.5451.70.10.2

Education and communication(4)

143.686143.982143.6981.60.0-0.2

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare(1)

1,334.6991,334.6991,334.6994.90.00.0

Other goods and services

511.480511.684508.6447.9-0.6-0.6

Commodity and service group

All items

295.239294.542294.7573.9-0.20.1

Commodities

200.824199.311198.4870.4-1.2-0.4

Commodities less food and beverages

143.119140.737140.581-0.6-1.8-0.1

Nondurables less food and beverages

197.137192.849193.1161.6-2.00.1

Durables

93.50792.88192.334-4.5-1.3-0.6

Services

384.837384.910386.1095.70.30.3

Special aggregate indexes

All items less medical care

283.670282.940283.0993.9-0.20.1

All items less shelter

257.991256.860256.4052.7-0.6-0.2

Commodities less food

148.887146.550146.322-0.5-1.7-0.2

Nondurables

260.249258.239257.2751.6-1.1-0.4

Nondurables less food

204.863200.771200.8781.5-1.90.1

Services less rent of shelter(3)

382.188381.857382.1685.40.00.1

Services less medical care services

369.549369.625370.7435.70.30.3

Energy

240.950230.083232.0801.9-3.70.9

All items less energy

302.671302.818302.8864.00.10.0

All items less food and energy

299.519299.485299.9604.40.10.2

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.

 

Last Modified Date: Wednesday, January 15, 2025