Prices in the Midwest Region, as measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), advanced 0.4 percent in January, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (See table A.) The January increase was broad based and influenced by higher prices for all items less food and energy. (Data in this report are not seasonally adjusted. Accordingly, month-to-month changes may reflect seasonal influences.)

Over the last 12 months, the CPI-U rose 2.5 percent. (See chart 1 and table A.) The index for all items less food and energy advanced 2.1 percent. Energy prices rose 8.5 percent, largely the result of higher prices for gasoline. Food prices rose 1.7 percent over the year. (See table 1.)

Food

Food prices advanced 0.4 percent for the month of January. (See table 1.) Prices for food at home advanced 0.6 percent, and prices for food away from home were virtually unchanged (0.1 percent) for the same period.

Over the year, food prices rose 1.7 percent. Prices for food at home advanced 1.0 percent since a year ago, and prices for food away from home increased 2.6 percent.

Energy

The energy index was little changed (0.1 percent) over the month. Prices for electricity rose 0.7 percent. Prices for gasoline declined 0.6 percent, while prices for natural gas service were virtually unchanged (-0.1 percent) for the same period.

Energy prices rose 8.5 percent over the year, largely due to higher prices for gasoline (20.5 percent). Prices paid for electricity decreased 0.8 percent, and prices for natural gas service declined 5.3 percent during the past year.

All items less food and energy

The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.5 percent in January. Higher prices for apparel (2.0 percent), medical care services (0.8 percent), and shelter (0.3 percent) led the increase.

Over the year, the index for all items less food and energy advanced 2.1 percent. Components contributing to the increase included medical care services (4.9 percent) and shelter (3.2 percent). Lower prices for medical care commodities (-4.0 percent) and used cars and trucks (-1.9 percent) did little to moderate the increase.

CPI-W 

In January, the Midwest Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) was 233.506. The CPI-W increased 0.4 percent in January and advanced 2.7 percent over the year.

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

Month	2016		2017		2018		2019		2020
	1-month	12-month	1-month	12-month	1-month	12-month	1-month	12-month	1-month	12-month
January	0.3	0.8	0.7	2.2	0.6	1.6	0.2	0.8	0.4	2.5
February	0.0	0.4	0.2	2.4	0.2	1.7	0.7	1.3
March	0.6	0.5	0.1	1.9	0.2	1.8	0.6	1.7
April	0.4	0.8	0.4	1.8	0.4	1.8	0.3	1.5
May	0.4	0.8	0.0	1.4	0.5	2.3	0.3	1.3
June	0.6	0.8	0.0	0.9	0.2	2.5	0.0	1.2
July	-0.5	0.4	0.0	1.3	0.0	2.4	0.2	1.5
August	0.1	0.6	0.3	1.5	0.0	2.1	0.0	1.5
September	0.2	1.1	0.3	1.5	0.1	1.9	0.0	1.4
October	-0.1	1.0	-0.2	1.5	0.1	2.2	0.2	1.5
November	-0.3	1.2	0.2	1.9	-0.6	1.4	-0.2	1.9
December	0.1	1.8	-0.2	1.7	-0.4	1.3	0.0	2.3

The February 2020 Consumer Price Index for the Midwest Region is scheduled to be released on March 11, 2020.

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 93 percent of the total population and (2) a CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) which covers approximately 29 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 75 urban areas across the country from about 6,000 housing units and approximately 22,000 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/pdf/homch17.pdf.

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 cities; 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 Region, (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted) (not seasonally adjusted)

Expenditure category	Indexes			Percent change from
	Nov. 2019	Dec. 2019	Jan. 2020	Jan. 2019	Nov. 2019	Dec. 2019
All items	238.850	238.734	239.690	2.5	0.4	0.4
All items (December 1977 = 100)	388.623	388.433	389.988
Food and beverages	248.594	248.802	249.749	1.6	0.5	0.4
Food	248.037	248.223	249.149	1.7	0.4	0.4
Food at home	227.343	227.074	228.471	1.0	0.5	0.6
Cereals and bakery products	257.379	255.745	258.395	0.3	0.4	1.0
Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs	247.506	250.039	249.974	2.2	1.0	0.0
Dairy and related products	199.956	200.690	198.996	3.5	-0.5	-0.8
Fruits and vegetables	267.102	266.927	273.091	-0.8	2.2	2.3
Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials	163.499	163.199	164.544	1.3	0.6	0.8
Other food at home	198.624	196.659	197.375	0.4	-0.6	0.4
Food away from home	282.151	283.025	283.255	2.6	0.4	0.1
Alcoholic beverages	254.112	254.606	255.820	0.9	0.7	0.5
Housing	234.223	234.889	235.848	2.5	0.7	0.4
Shelter	281.961	283.184	284.095	3.2	0.8	0.3
Rent of primary residence(1)	282.272	283.508	284.503	3.3	0.8	0.4
Owners' equivalent rent of residences(1)(2)	287.810	288.794	289.737	3.2	0.7	0.3
Owners' equivalent rent of primary residence(1)(2)	287.753	288.732	289.674	3.2	0.7	0.3
Fuels and utilities	218.851	218.912	220.145	-0.9	0.6	0.6
Household energy	175.396	175.374	176.012	-2.1	0.4	0.4
Energy services(1)	181.746	181.397	182.261	-2.2	0.3	0.5
Electricity(1)	197.018	195.839	197.280	-0.8	0.1	0.7
Utility (piped) gas service(1)	145.580	146.584	146.477	-5.3	0.6	-0.1
Household furnishings and operations	115.714	115.164	116.081	0.9	0.3	0.8
Apparel	116.404	111.711	113.913	-0.8	-2.1	2.0
Transportation	201.087	200.968	201.165	4.4	0.0	0.1
Private transportation	196.275	196.613	196.607	4.7	0.2	0.0
New and used motor vehicles(3)	96.757	96.680	96.750	-0.4	0.0	0.1
New vehicles	137.122	138.099	137.921	1.4	0.6	-0.1
New cars and trucks(3)(4)	96.939	97.634	97.498	1.4	0.6	-0.1
New cars(4)	133.498	134.600	134.980	1.4	1.1	0.3
Used cars and trucks	136.124	135.959	134.978	-1.9	-0.8	-0.7
Motor fuel	225.226	226.932	225.542	20.1	0.1	-0.6
Gasoline (all types)	223.631	225.330	224.003	20.5	0.2	-0.6
Gasoline, unleaded regular(4)	217.335	219.041	217.738	20.9	0.2	-0.6
Gasoline, unleaded midgrade(4)(5)	261.727	262.622	260.923	19.5	-0.3	-0.6
Gasoline, unleaded premium(4)	249.865	251.566	250.064	16.4	0.1	-0.6
Motor vehicle insurance(6)	740.197	738.741	738.436	-0.1	-0.2	0.0
Medical care	507.577	505.493	507.573	3.1	0.0	0.4
Medical care commodities	387.962	387.320	382.508	-4.0	-1.4	-1.2
Medical care services	547.734	545.161	549.439	4.9	0.3	0.8
Professional services	422.292	422.628	423.023	0.5	0.2	0.1
Recreation(3)	122.834	123.028	123.725	2.1	0.7	0.6
Education and communication(3)	138.572	138.550	138.804	0.7	0.2	0.2
Tuition, other school fees, and child care(6)	1,203.735	1,198.388	1,198.577	-0.1	-0.4	0.0
Other goods and services	441.087	439.894	442.284	3.1	0.3	0.5
Commodity and service group
Commodities	179.046	178.697	179.077	2.2	0.0	0.2
Commodities less food and beverages	145.789	145.246	145.404	2.6	-0.3	0.1
Nondurables less food and beverages	192.755	191.477	192.027	4.9	-0.4	0.3
Durables	101.082	101.094	101.002	-0.3	-0.1	-0.1
Services	300.597	300.727	302.305	2.7	0.6	0.5
Special aggregate indexes
All items less shelter	225.788	225.207	226.182	2.2	0.2	0.4
All items less medical care	226.127	226.104	227.006	2.4	0.4	0.4
Commodities less food	149.133	148.614	148.801	2.5	-0.2	0.1
Nondurables	220.187	219.594	220.336	3.2	0.1	0.3
Nondurables less food	196.005	194.827	195.416	4.6	-0.3	0.3
Services less rent of shelter(2)	329.750	328.666	331.000	2.1	0.4	0.7
Services less medical care services	282.161	282.494	283.863	2.4	0.6	0.5
Energy	197.989	198.773	198.499	8.5	0.3	-0.1
All items less energy	245.871	245.661	246.743	2.0	0.4	0.4
All items less food and energy	246.210	245.930	247.043	2.1	0.3	0.5
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) Indexes 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. (6) Indexes on a December 1977=100 base.
Note: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.