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 December 2024, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Jason Palmer noted that the food index was unchanged, while the indexes for both energy and all items less food and energy were lower. Within the all items less food and energy group, price decreases were noted for lodging away from home, apparel, and other goods and services. (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 2.8 percent. (See chart 1 and table A.) The index for all items less food and energy increased 3.3 percent over the year. Food prices rose 1.5 percent. Energy prices declined 0.2 percent, largely the result of a decrease in the price of utility (piped) gas service. (See table 1.)

  

View Chart Data

Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in CPI-U, Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI, December 2021–December 2024

Month	All items	All items less food and energy
Dec 2021	7.0	5.0
Feb 2022	7.5	6.2
Apr 2022	8.3	6.3
Jun 2022	9.7	6.1
Aug 2022	8.6	6.7
Oct 2022	8.5	6.2
Dec 2022	6.2	5.5
Feb 2023	7.0	6.8
Apr 2023	6.6	7.6
Jun 2023	4.7	7.8
Aug 2023	5.9	7.7
Oct 2023	3.4	5.6
Dec 2023	4.5	5.5
Feb 2024	2.8	3.3
Apr 2024	3.5	4.0
Jun 2024	3.4	3.8
Aug 2024	3.5	4.2
Oct 2024	3.3	3.9
Dec 2024	2.8	3.3

Food prices were unchanged for the two months ending in December. (See table 1.) Prices for food at home (groceries) fell 0.7 percent, and prices for food away from home (restaurant, cafeteria, and vending purchases) rose 1.4 percent for the same period.

Over the year, food prices rose 1.5 percent. Prices for food at home increased 0.2 percent since a year ago. Three of the six major grocery store food group indexes were higher over the year. Categories with increases were cereals and bakery products, 4.7 percent; nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials, 1.5 percent; and other food at home (includes sugar, sweets, fats, and oils, for example), 0.3 percent. The index for dairy and related products decreased 3.4 percent, followed by the index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs (-1.4 percent), and fruits and vegetables (-0.3 percent).

The energy index decreased 4.6 percent for the two months ending in December. The decrease was mainly due to lower prices for gasoline (-9.0 percent). Prices for utility (piped) gas service advanced 0.8 percent.

Energy prices declined 0.2 percent over the year, largely due to lower prices for utility (piped) gas service (-1.6 percent). Prices paid for gasoline declined 0.3 percent.

The index for all items less food and energy declined 0.2 percent in the latest two-month period. Lower prices for lodging away from home, apparel (-5.3 percent), and other goods and services (-2.9 percent), were partially offset by an increase in the index for owners' equivalent rent of residences (+0.7 percent).

Over the year, the index for all items less food and energy increased 3.3 percent. Components contributing to the increase included shelter (+5.8 percent) and medical care (+2.5 percent).

The February 2025 Consumer Price Index for the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn area is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, March 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 Detroit 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 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI, Core Based Statistical Area includes Lapeer, Livingston, Macomb, Oakland, St. Clair, and Wayne Counties in Michigan.

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.