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News Release Information

17-336-KAN
Wednesday, March 15, 2017

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

Consumer Price Index, Midwest Region – February 2017

Prices in the Midwest up 0.2 percent in February, and 2.4 percent higher over the year

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) in the Midwest rose 0.2 percent in February, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The monthly advance was led by a 0.4-percent increase in the index for all items less food and energy. Food prices were 0.2 percent higher over the month and also contributed to the upward movement. Partially offsetting the increases was a 2.3-percent decline in energy costs. (Data in this report are not seasonally adjusted. Accordingly, month-to-month changes may reflect the impact of seasonal influences.)

The CPI-U for the Midwest rose 2.4 percent from February 2016 to February 2017, the largest over-the-year increase since March 2012. (See chart 1 and table A.) The energy index, which includes motor fuel and household fuels, was up 17.7 percent, but food prices decreased 0.2 percent. Excluding food and energy, the CPI-U advanced 1.7 percent over the year. (See table 1.)

Food

Food prices increased 0.2 percent in February. Higher costs for food at home and for food away from home, each up 0.2 percent, contributed to the monthly advance.

From February 2016 to February 2017, the index for food decreased 0.2 percent. Prices for food at home registered their seventeenth consecutive over-the-year decrease, down 1.8 percent. Costs for food away from home rose 2.3 percent over the year.

Energy

The energy index turned down 2.3 percent in February and had the largest downward impact on the all items index. Lower motor fuel prices, down 4.5 percent, led the decrease in the energy component. Also contributing to the decline, costs for electricity and utility (piped) gas service decreased 0.4 and 0.5 percent, respectively, over the month.

Despite the monthly decline, energy costs advanced 17.7 percent from February 2016 to February 2017. Motor fuel prices jumped 38.3 percent over the year, the largest 12-month gain since June 2011. Costs for utility (piped) gas service increased 11.8 percent and prices for electricity were up 0.5 percent over the year.

All items less food and energy

The index for all items less food and energy for the Midwest rose 0.4 percent in February. Expenditure categories registering higher prices over the month included recreation (1.6 percent), apparel (2.7 percent), and shelter (0.2 percent).

The index for all items less food and energy was up 1.7 percent from February 2016 to February 2017. Higher costs for shelter (2.6 percent) and medical care services (3.9 percent) led the advance.

The Midwest Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) stood at 228.633 in February 2017. A typical market basket of goods and services that cost $100.00 in the 1982-84 base period cost $228.63 in February 2017.

CPI-W

In February, the Midwest Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) was 222.507, unchanged over the month. The CPI-W increased 2.5 percent over the year.

Table A. Midwest region CPI-U 1-month and 12-month percent changes, all items index, not seasonally adjusted
Month20132014201520162017
1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month

January

0.11.30.51.4-0.6-0.30.30.80.72.2

February

1.12.20.60.90.3-0.50.00.40.22.4

March

0.21.40.91.50.6-0.90.60.5  

April

-0.11.20.31.90.1-1.10.40.8  

May

0.51.80.21.60.4-0.80.40.8  

June

0.32.20.51.70.5-0.70.60.8  

July

-0.41.8-0.31.80.0-0.5-0.50.4  

August

0.11.2-0.21.60.0-0.30.10.6  

September

0.11.00.11.6-0.3-0.80.21.1  

October

-0.50.8-0.51.6-0.1-0.3-0.11.0  

November

-0.21.0-0.61.2-0.5-0.2-0.31.2  

December

-0.21.0-0.70.7-0.60.00.11.8  

The March 2017 Consumer Price Index for the Midwest region is scheduled to be released on Friday, April 14, 2017.


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: (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.
2016
Jan.
2017
Feb.
2017
Feb.
2016
Dec.
2016
Jan.
2017

Expenditure category

 
 

All Items

226.794228.279228.6332.40.80.2

All items (December 1977=100)

369.006371.422371.998   

Food and beverages

239.494240.077240.532-0.10.40.2

Food

238.923239.464240.000-0.20.50.2

Food at home

224.151225.083225.558-1.80.60.2

Food away from home

263.767263.637264.2782.30.20.2

Alcoholic beverages

245.204246.391245.6620.60.2-0.3

Housing

217.867219.369219.7112.40.80.2

Shelter

258.348259.528260.0162.60.60.2

Rent of primary residence(1)

258.228258.736259.0032.60.30.1

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

263.042263.522263.8342.70.30.1

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

263.028263.506263.8122.70.30.1

Fuels and utilities

214.249218.703218.3214.41.9-0.2

Household energy

175.144179.422178.8544.42.1-0.3

Energy services(1)

182.197186.608185.7453.91.9-0.5

Electricity(1)

196.059198.684197.8110.50.9-0.4

Utility (piped) gas service(1)

148.229155.269154.47611.84.2-0.5

Household furnishings and operations

113.109113.896114.268-0.91.00.3

Apparel

113.436113.754116.785-0.73.02.7

Transportation

192.164195.395193.8506.40.9-0.8

Private transportation

186.910190.013188.2096.80.7-0.9

New and used motor vehicles(3)

96.62696.98497.207-1.90.60.2

New vehicles

138.938140.162140.337-0.61.00.1

New cars and trucks(3)(4)

98.26198.99999.121-0.80.90.1

New cars(4)

134.687136.756137.6720.22.20.7

Used cars and trucks

138.152138.051138.424-4.10.20.3

Motor fuel

199.912212.034202.46138.31.3-4.5

Gasoline (all types)

198.809210.904201.27838.51.2-4.6

Gasoline, unleaded regular(4)

192.964204.966195.19739.61.2-4.8

Gasoline, Unleaded midgrade(4)(5)

232.281246.015237.97336.02.5-3.3

Gasoline, unleaded premium(4)

223.666234.328226.25132.01.2-3.4

Medical Care

477.476479.115480.5733.80.60.3

Medical care commodities

382.672386.773388.3553.51.50.4

Medical care services

509.346510.100511.5083.90.40.3

Professional services

412.901413.960415.6104.00.70.4

Recreation(3)

117.984118.860120.7812.42.41.6

Education and communication(3)

140.552140.444140.076-0.2-0.3-0.3

Other goods and services

412.612412.612412.2321.6-0.1-0.1
 

Commodity and Service Group

 
 

All Items

226.794228.279228.6332.40.80.2

Commodities

174.645176.159176.1192.00.80.0

Commodities less food & beverages

143.331145.170144.9353.41.1-0.2

Nondurables less food & beverages

184.435187.971187.1547.91.5-0.4

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel

230.989236.605233.32111.01.0-1.4

Durables

103.073103.529103.741-2.10.60.2

Services

280.562282.021282.7772.70.80.3

Rent of shelter(2)

265.482266.708267.2122.60.70.2

Transportation services

300.775302.297303.3832.60.90.4

Other services

334.126335.288337.3882.01.00.6
 

Special aggregate indexes:

 
 

All items less medical care

214.926216.404216.7052.30.80.1

All items less food

224.706226.341226.6662.90.90.1

All items less shelter

217.663219.271219.5802.40.90.1

Commodities less food

146.503148.333148.0843.31.1-0.2

Nondurables

211.481213.626213.4123.50.9-0.1

Nondurables less food

187.658191.061190.2507.41.4-0.4

Nondurables less food and apparel

230.886236.083233.04010.00.9-1.3

Services less rent of shelter(2)

313.347315.145316.2202.80.90.3

Services less medical care services

263.516265.024265.7322.60.80.3

Energy

186.581194.261189.80617.71.7-2.3

All items less energy

233.578234.471235.3031.40.70.4

All items less food and energy

233.317234.276235.1651.70.80.4

Commodities less food and energy commodities

143.124143.776144.568-0.91.00.6

Energy commodities

199.799211.647202.78637.11.5-4.2

Services less energy services

293.096294.254295.1872.70.70.3

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.
2016
Jan.
2017
Feb.
2017
Feb.
2016
Dec.
2016
Jan.
2017

Expenditure category

 
 

All Items

220.938222.428222.5072.50.70.0

All items (December 1977=100)

357.306359.715359.843   

Food and beverages

239.052239.662240.160-0.30.50.2

Food

238.435239.048239.608-0.40.50.2

Food at home

224.477225.479226.040-1.90.70.2

Food away from home

264.918264.722265.2742.30.10.2

Alcoholic beverages

247.365247.930247.4130.80.0-0.2

Housing

213.121214.425214.6832.50.70.1

Shelter

247.677248.484248.8572.60.50.2

Rent of primary residence(1)

258.864259.386259.6622.60.30.1

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

245.159245.616245.8642.60.30.1

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

245.154245.613245.8592.60.30.1

Fuels and utilities

215.230219.798219.5244.52.0-0.1

Household energy

175.838180.218179.7544.42.2-0.3

Energy services(1)

181.470185.951185.1753.92.0-0.4

Electricity(1)

194.292196.983196.2740.61.0-0.4

Utility (piped) gas service(1)

149.344156.744155.89212.04.4-0.5

Household furnishings and operations

111.177111.826112.130-1.30.90.3

Apparel

111.581111.766114.376-0.82.52.3

Transportation

188.866192.194190.2817.20.7-1.0

Private transportation

185.507188.762186.7407.40.7-1.1

New and used motor vehicles(3)

95.89096.08696.353-2.50.50.3

New vehicles

141.986143.211143.513-0.71.10.2

Used cars and trucks

138.710138.600138.957-4.20.20.3

Motor fuel

200.289212.443202.92438.61.3-4.5

Gasoline (all types)

199.100211.212201.65438.81.3-4.5

Gasoline, unleaded regular(4)

193.094205.094195.43339.91.2-4.7

Gasoline, unleaded midgrade(4)(5)

232.155245.895237.78636.22.4-3.3

Gasoline, unleaded premium(4)

223.429234.083225.94132.01.1-3.5

Medical Care

482.922484.842486.2183.80.70.3

Medical care commodities

374.113378.327380.0043.01.60.4

Medical care services

516.854517.937519.1924.00.50.2

Professional services

415.482416.489418.3634.00.70.4

Recreation(3)

113.785114.699116.2701.82.21.4

Education and communication(3)

132.022132.040131.596-0.5-0.3-0.3

Other goods and services

460.687460.918459.7981.7-0.2-0.2
 

Commodity and Service Group

 
 

All Items

220.938222.428222.5072.50.70.0

Commodities

176.770178.454178.1092.40.8-0.2

Commodities less food & beverages

146.688148.741148.0754.20.9-0.4

Nondurables less food & beverages

191.593195.810194.0049.91.3-0.9

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel

240.701247.231242.97413.10.9-1.7

Durables

104.580104.938105.138-2.60.50.2

Services

273.020274.339274.8702.70.70.2

Rent of shelter(2)

246.088246.898247.2712.60.50.2

Transportation services

303.158304.157304.8102.70.50.2

Other services

308.316309.487310.8901.50.80.5
 

Special aggregate indexes:

 
 

All items less medical care

210.897212.369212.3992.40.70.0

All items less food

217.398219.023219.0253.10.70.0

All items less shelter

213.810215.559215.5352.50.80.0

Commodities less food

149.676151.706151.0404.00.9-0.4

Nondurables

215.492218.012217.2964.30.8-0.3

Nondurables less food

194.430198.467196.7249.31.2-0.9

Nondurables less food and apparel

239.670245.708241.76112.00.9-1.6

Services less rent of shelter(2)

277.067278.810279.4622.70.90.2

Services less medical care services

256.947258.273258.7582.50.70.2

Energy

186.445194.410189.75118.91.8-2.4

All items less energy

227.018227.750228.3941.20.60.3

All items less food and energy

224.878225.632226.2921.50.60.3

Commodities less food and energy commodities

145.844146.357146.977-1.20.80.4

Energy commodities

200.280212.152203.33837.21.5-4.2

Services less energy services

285.116286.055286.7472.60.60.2

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: Wednesday, March 15, 2017