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News Release Information

15-481-KAN
Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (816) 285-7000

Consumer Price Index, Midwest Region – February 2015

Prices in the Midwest up 0.3 percent in February but 0.5 percent lower over the year

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) in the Midwest rose 0.3 percent in February, following four consecutive monthly declines, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The monthly increase was largely attributable to an 11.3-percent advance in motor fuel prices. Overall, the energy index was 3.8 percent higher. The indexes for food (-0.1 percent) and all items less food and energy (0.1 percent) registered little movement over the month.

The CPI-U for the Midwest declined 0.5 percent from February 2014 to February 2015. Food prices increased 2.6 percent and the energy index, which includes motor fuel and household fuels, fell 19.3 percent. Excluding food and energy, the CPI-U rose 1.3 percent over the year. (See chart 1.)

 

Food

Food prices in the Midwest were little changed (-0.1 percent) in February. The index for food at home declined 0.3 percent while costs for food away from home rose 0.2 percent.  

From February 2014 to February 2015, the index for food increased 2.6 percent. Rising costs for food at home (2.2 percent) and food away from home (3.3 percent) both contributed to the yearly advance.

Energy

The energy index turned up 3.8 percent in February following seven consecutive monthly declines and had the greatest upward impact on the all items index. Motor fuel prices rebounded 11.3 percent, the largest one-month gain since February 2013, after falling a total of 46.6 percent over the prior seven months. Costs for utility (piped) gas service and electricity were down 4.5 and 0.6 percent, respectively, over the month.

Despite the monthly increase, the index for energy fell 19.3 percent from February 2014 to February 2015, led by a drop of 33.1 percent in motor fuel prices. Costs for utility (piped) gas service were 9.4 percent lower over the year, while electricity prices advanced 5.0 percent.

All items less food and energy

The index for all items less food and energy for the Midwest registered little movement (0.1 percent) in February due to offsetting movements. Expenditure categories registering higher prices over the month included shelter (0.1 percent) and new and used motor vehicles (0.5 percent). In contrast, medical care services (-0.5 percent) and recreation (-0.4 percent) were among the expenditure categories posting lower prices over the month.

The index for all items less food and energy increased 1.3 percent from February 2014 to February 2015. Higher costs for shelter (2.2 percent) and medical care (2.3 percent) led the advance.

The Midwest Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) stood at 222.301 in February 2015. A typical market basket of goods and services that cost $100.00 in the 1982-84 base period cost $222.30 in February 2015. Because regional CPI data are not adjusted for seasonal price variation, consumers and businesses should be cautious in drawing conclusions about long-term retail price trends from short-term changes in the regional indexes.

CPI-W

In February, the Midwest Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) was 217.027, up 0.4 percent over the month. The CPI-W decreased 1.1 percent over the year.

Table A. Midwest region CPI-U 1-month and 12-month percent changes, all items index, not seasonally adjusted
Month20112012201320142015
1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month

January

0.51.90.62.80.11.30.51.4-0.6-0.3

February

0.32.20.22.71.12.20.60.90.3-0.5

March

0.92.71.02.80.21.40.91.5  

April

0.73.30.22.3-0.11.20.31.9  

May

0.63.8-0.11.50.51.80.21.6  

June

0.03.9-0.11.40.32.20.51.7  

July

0.13.80.01.3-0.41.8-0.31.8  

August

0.23.80.71.80.11.2-0.21.6  

September

0.23.90.31.90.11.00.11.6  

October

-0.63.3-0.32.2-0.50.8-0.51.6  

November

0.03.3-0.41.8-0.21.0-0.61.2  

December

-0.22.8-0.21.8-0.21.0-0.70.7  

The March 2015 Consumer Price Index for the Midwest region is scheduled to be released on Friday, April 17, 2015.


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 89 percent of the total population and (2) a CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) which covers approximately 28 percent of the total 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 87 urban areas across the country from about 6,000 housing units and approximately 24,000 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 (1982-84) that equals 100.0. An increase of 16.5 percent, for example, is shown as 116.5. This change can also be expressed in dollars as follows: the price of a base period "market basket" of goods and services in the CPI has risen from $10 in 1982-84 to $11.65. For further details see the CPI home page on the Internet at www.bls.gov/cpi and the BLS Handbook of Methods, Chapter 17, The Consumer Price Index, 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 areas; they only measure the average change in prices for each area since the base period.

The Midwest region is comprised of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: 202-691-5200; Federal Relay Service: 1-800-877-8339

Table 1. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): Indexes and percent changes for selected periods

Midwest (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted)
Item and Group

 
Indexes
 
Percent change from-
Dec.
2014
Jan.
2015
Feb.
2015
Feb.
2014
Dec.
2014
Jan.
2015

Expenditure category

 
 

All Items

222.821221.545222.301-0.5-0.20.3

All items (December 1977=100)

362.542360.466361.696   

Food and beverages

238.848239.433239.2752.50.2-0.1

Food

238.502239.148238.9162.60.2-0.1

Food at home

230.585231.378230.7472.20.1-0.3

Food away from home

251.640252.035252.4833.30.30.2

Alcoholic beverages

241.346240.980241.9661.30.30.4

Housing

210.686211.328211.1791.40.2-0.1

Shelter

245.502246.573246.8742.20.60.1

Rent of primary residence (1)

244.632244.939245.4102.60.30.2

Owners' equiv. rent of residences (1) (2)

249.958250.385250.6901.80.30.1

Owners' equiv. rent of primary residence (1) (2)

249.951250.378250.6851.80.30.1

Fuels and utilities

218.569217.721215.005-1.0-1.6-1.2

Household energy

184.385182.922179.695-2.3-2.5-1.8

Energy services (1)

190.767189.470186.0000.0-2.5-1.8

Electricity (1)

194.159196.851195.7555.00.8-0.6

Utility (piped) gas service (1)

176.334167.872160.257-9.4-9.1-4.5

Household furnishings and operations

115.787116.099116.183-1.30.30.1

Apparel

118.655115.993116.338-2.7-2.00.3

Transportation

196.890186.659192.031-10.0-2.52.9

Private transportation

191.399180.875186.370-10.5-2.63.0

New and used motor vehicles (3)

98.34698.02498.552-0.30.20.5

New vehicles

139.677139.278140.0171.00.20.5

New cars and trucks (3) (4)

98.80698.55799.0921.10.30.5

New cars (4)

136.115136.062136.7201.00.40.5

Used cars and trucks

142.324141.597143.466-3.20.81.3

Motor fuel

224.340179.847200.255-33.1-10.711.3

Gasoline (all types)

222.214178.034198.686-33.1-10.611.6

Gasoline, unleaded regular (4)

218.865174.164194.779-33.8-11.011.8

Gasoline, Unleaded midgrade (4) (5)

247.863203.169228.057-31.0-8.012.2

Gasoline, unleaded premium (4)

229.751190.240208.943-29.3-9.19.8

Medical Care

445.585448.542447.3002.30.4-0.3

Medical care commodities

361.396363.130365.2064.41.10.6

Medical care services

473.715477.121474.5841.70.2-0.5

Professional services

386.698389.035385.7060.6-0.3-0.9

Recreation (3)

116.968117.892117.4700.10.4-0.4

Education and communication (3)

139.531139.651139.6570.60.10.0

Other goods and services

394.717398.280397.7381.20.8-0.1
 

Commodity and Service Group

 
 

All Items

222.821221.545222.301-0.5-0.20.3

Commodities

178.370174.605176.435-4.0-1.11.0

Commodities less food & beverages

148.847143.337145.962-8.1-1.91.8

Nondurables less food & beverages

191.442179.848184.760-12.2-3.52.7

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel

239.170221.800229.659-14.8-4.03.5

Durables

106.551106.515107.062-1.30.50.5

Services

268.852270.031269.7301.90.3-0.1

Rent of shelter (2)

252.083253.195253.5092.20.60.1

Transportation services

289.221290.298290.8012.80.50.2

Other services

324.173326.324325.9801.30.6-0.1
 

Special aggregate indexes:

 
 

All items less medical care

212.278210.802211.653-0.8-0.30.4

All items less food

220.172218.584219.501-1.1-0.30.4

All items less shelter

216.928214.755215.691-1.7-0.60.4

Commodities less food

151.808146.403148.998-7.7-1.91.8

Nondurables

214.935209.039211.580-4.9-1.61.2

Nondurables less food

194.133183.107187.821-11.4-3.32.6

Nondurables less food and apparel

238.109222.209229.469-13.7-3.63.3

Services less rent of shelter (2)

302.904304.224303.2021.60.1-0.3

Services less medical care services

253.549254.568254.4241.90.3-0.1

Energy

202.495182.372189.377-19.3-6.53.8

All items less energy

227.440228.107228.2231.50.30.1

All items less food and energy

226.116226.789226.9691.30.40.1

Commodities less food and energy commodities

145.572145.105145.475-0.7-0.10.3

Energy commodities

225.032181.925201.538-33.2-10.410.8

Services less energy services

279.085280.543280.5892.00.50.0

Footnotes
(1) This index series was calculated using a Laspeyres estimator. All other item stratum index series were calculated using a geometric means estimator.
(2) Index is on a December 1982=100 base.
(3) Indexes on a December 1997=100 base.
(4) Special index based on a substantially smaller sample.
(5) Indexes on a December 1993=100 base.
 

Regions defined as the four Census regions. Midwest includes Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
NOTE: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date. Data not seasonally adjusted.
 

Table 2. Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W): Indexes and percent changes for selected periods

Midwest (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted)
Item and Group

 
Indexes
 
Percent change from-
Dec.
2014
Jan.
2015
Feb.
2015
Feb.
2014
Dec.
2014
Jan.
2015

Expenditure category

 
 

All Items

217.963216.078217.027-1.1-0.40.4

All items (December 1977=100)

352.495349.446350.981   

Food and beverages

239.338239.991239.6662.60.1-0.1

Food

239.080239.768239.3852.70.1-0.2

Food at home

231.515232.308231.5422.40.0-0.3

Food away from home

252.648253.129253.4903.40.30.1

Alcoholic beverages

241.812241.893242.5111.00.30.3

Housing

206.164206.640206.4141.30.1-0.1

Shelter

235.306236.119236.4062.20.50.1

Rent of primary residence (1)

245.286245.595246.0602.60.30.2

Owners' equiv. rent of residences (1) (2)

232.969233.400233.6911.80.30.1

Owners' equiv. rent of primary residence (1) (2)

232.975233.407233.7001.80.30.1

Fuels and utilities

219.178218.536215.810-0.8-1.5-1.2

Household energy

184.674183.411180.209-2.0-2.4-1.7

Energy services (1)

189.589188.456185.0790.0-2.4-1.8

Electricity (1)

192.669195.526194.3934.90.9-0.6

Utility (piped) gas service (1)

177.632168.633160.916-9.9-9.4-4.6

Household furnishings and operations

114.258114.507114.487-1.70.20.0

Apparel

117.288114.597114.419-2.2-2.4-0.2

Transportation

194.759183.096189.218-11.7-2.83.3

Private transportation

191.321179.522185.670-12.0-3.03.4

New and used motor vehicles (3)

97.87097.49898.217-1.10.40.7

New vehicles

143.063142.641143.3280.80.20.5

Used cars and trucks

142.955142.225144.095-3.20.81.3

Motor fuel

225.180180.515200.933-33.1-10.811.3

Gasoline (all types)

222.983178.650199.303-33.1-10.611.6

Gasoline, unleaded regular (4)

219.488174.659195.253-33.8-11.011.8

Gasoline, unleaded midgrade (4) (5)

247.730203.070228.044-31.0-7.912.3

Gasoline, unleaded premium (4)

229.935190.409208.996-29.3-9.19.8

Medical Care

450.786453.803452.5802.30.4-0.3

Medical care commodities

355.343356.996358.6834.30.90.5

Medical care services

480.157483.667481.2781.70.2-0.5

Professional services

387.930390.217387.2100.7-0.2-0.8

Recreation (3)

113.750114.132114.0570.10.3-0.1

Education and communication (3)

131.794131.951131.8850.20.1-0.1

Other goods and services

437.049441.322440.1611.00.7-0.3
 

Commodity and Service Group

 
 

All Items

217.963216.078217.027-1.1-0.40.4

Commodities

181.034176.612178.621-4.7-1.31.1

Commodities less food & beverages

152.744146.162149.165-9.3-2.32.1

Nondurables less food & beverages

199.315185.389191.073-13.9-4.13.1

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel

250.045229.357238.547-16.7-4.64.0

Durables

108.310108.200108.822-1.50.50.6

Services

261.968262.946262.7001.90.3-0.1

Rent of shelter (2)

233.619234.435234.7242.10.50.1

Transportation services

288.068289.670290.3583.40.80.2

Other services

301.171302.686302.7491.00.50.0
 

Special aggregate indexes:

 
 

All items less medical care

209.019206.957207.984-1.4-0.50.5

All items less food

213.894211.544212.734-1.9-0.50.6

All items less shelter

214.145211.281212.475-2.4-0.80.6

Commodities less food

155.460149.027151.978-8.9-2.22.0

Nondurables

219.550212.646215.436-5.7-1.91.3

Nondurables less food

201.438188.251193.667-13.0-3.92.9

Nondurables less food and apparel

247.696228.820237.257-15.5-4.23.7

Services less rent of shelter (2)

268.647269.714268.8901.60.1-0.3

Services less medical care services

247.483248.308248.1871.90.30.0

Energy

202.801181.292189.124-20.3-6.74.3

All items less energy

221.576222.101222.2071.50.30.0

All items less food and energy

218.259218.751218.9601.20.30.1

Commodities less food and energy commodities

148.382147.884148.147-0.8-0.20.2

Energy commodities

226.120182.538202.323-33.2-10.510.8

Services less energy services

271.540272.796272.9632.00.50.1

Footnotes
(1) This index series was calculated using a Laspeyres estimator. All other item stratum index series were calculated using a geometric means estimator.
(2) Index is on a December 1984=100 base.
(3) Indexes on a December 1997=100 base.
(4) Special index based on a substantially smaller sample.
(5) Indexes on a December 1993=100 base.
 

Regions defined as the four Census regions. Midwest includes Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
NOTE: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date. Data not seasonally adjusted.
 

 

Last Modified Date: Tuesday, March 24, 2015