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News Release Information

20-1538-KAN
Wednesday, August 12, 2020

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

Consumer Price Index, Midwest Region – July 2020

Area prices up 0.5 percent over the month and up 0.7 percent over the year

Prices in the Midwest Region, as measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), advanced 0.5 percent in July, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (See table A.) The July increase was influenced by higher prices for motor fuel, as well as non-energy sub-components within transportation. (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 increased 0.7 percent. (See chart 1 and table A.) The index for all items less food and energy increased 1.6 percent over the year. Food prices rose 3.4 percent. Energy prices fell 12.6 percent, largely the result of a decrease in the price of gasoline. (See table 1.)

Food

Food prices decreased 0.3 percent for the month of July. (See table 1.) Prices for food at home declined 1.0 percent, and prices for food away from home rose 0.7 percent for the same period.

Over the year, food prices rose 3.4 percent. Prices for food at home advanced 4.3 percent since a year ago, and prices for food away from home increased 2.3 percent.

Energy

The energy index advanced 1.5 percent over the month. The increase was mainly due to higher prices for gasoline (3.9 percent). Prices for electricity rose 0.5 percent, while prices for natural gas service decreased 2.1 percent for the same period.

Energy prices fell 12.6 percent over the year, largely due to lower prices for gasoline (-22.1 percent). Prices paid for electricity decreased 1.2 percent, and prices for natural gas service decreased 2.3 percent during the past year.

All items less food and energy

The index for all items less food and energy advanced 0.5 percent in July. Higher prices for motor vehicle insurance (11.2 percent) and new and used motor vehicles (2.1 percent) were partially offset by lower prices for recreation (-1.3 percent).

Over the year, the index for all items less food and energy increased 1.6 percent. Components contributing the most to the increase included shelter (2.0 percent) and medical care services (6.2 percent). Partly offsetting the increases was a price decrease in apparel (-6.8 percent).

Table A. Midwest region CPI-U 1-month and 12-month percent changes, all items index, not seasonally adjusted
Month20162017201820192020
1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month

January

-0.30.80.72.20.41.6-0.20.80.42.5

February

0.20.40.82.40.91.70.91.30.32.1

March

0.60.50.21.90.41.81.31.7-0.51.0

April

1.10.80.51.80.61.80.91.5-1.1-0.4

May

0.80.80.41.40.92.30.61.30.3-0.4

June

1.00.80.00.90.72.50.31.20.80.4

July

0.10.40.11.30.12.40.21.50.50.7

August

-0.30.60.31.5-0.12.10.21.5

September

0.41.10.51.50.11.90.01.4

October

0.11.00.11.50.22.20.21.5

November

-0.41.20.01.9-0.51.40.01.9

December

-0.21.80.01.7-0.91.3-0.22.3

The August 2020 Consumer Price Index for the Midwest Region is scheduled to be released on Friday, September 11, 2020.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic Impact on July 2020 Consumer Price Index Data

Data collection by personal visit for the Consumer Price Index (CPI) program has been suspended since March 16, 2020. When possible, data normally collected by personal visit were collected either online or by phone. Additionally, data collection in July was affected by the temporary closing or limited operations of certain types of establishments. These factors resulted in an increase in the number of prices considered temporarily unavailable and imputed. While the CPI program attempted to collect as much data as possible, many indexes are based on smaller amounts of collected prices than usual, and a small number of indexes that are normally published were not published this month. Additional information is available at https://www.bls.gov/covid19/effects-of-covid-19-pandemic-on-consumer-price-index.htm.


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 categoryIndexesPercent change from
May
2020
Jun.
2020
Jul.
2020
Jul.
2019
May
2020
Jun.
2020

All items

237.291239.259240.4300.71.30.5

All items (December 1977 = 100)

386.086389.287391.193   

Food and beverages

255.163256.156255.6513.30.2-0.2

Food

255.009255.935255.2513.40.1-0.3

Food at home

238.881238.991236.5104.3-1.0-1.0

Cereals and bakery products

262.661263.866263.3151.10.2-0.2

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs

277.320284.075270.3719.0-2.5-4.8

Dairy and related products

205.984205.087205.1395.0-0.40.0

Fruits and vegetables

276.653270.590270.5421.5-2.20.0

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials

168.831168.144168.5823.1-0.10.3

Other food at home

205.651204.792205.3554.0-0.10.3

Food away from home

282.357284.520286.5242.31.50.7

Alcoholic beverages

255.647257.467259.2021.61.40.7

Housing

236.766237.990238.1781.70.60.1

Shelter

285.288286.137286.4632.00.40.1

Rent of primary residence(1)

286.833287.804288.1533.30.50.1

Owners' equivalent rent of residences(1)(2)

291.630292.443292.8602.90.40.1

Owners' equivalent rent of primary residence(1)(2)

291.555292.368292.7802.90.40.1

Fuels and utilities

219.552224.767224.181-0.62.1-0.3

Household energy

174.911180.265179.607-1.72.7-0.4

Energy services(1)

182.028187.706187.152-1.52.8-0.3

Electricity(1)

201.876211.431212.409-1.25.20.5

Utility (piped) gas service(1)

138.616137.785134.840-2.3-2.7-2.1

Household furnishings and operations

117.020117.208117.4192.10.30.2

Apparel

106.846105.982106.074-6.8-0.70.1

Transportation

183.753189.894195.695-5.66.53.1

Private transportation

181.347187.562193.504-4.56.73.2

New and used motor vehicles(3)

97.55397.56599.6561.22.22.1

New vehicles

138.248138.803140.3272.01.51.1

New cars and trucks(3)(4)

97.73698.12699.1922.01.51.1

New cars(4)

135.386136.532139.0993.92.71.9

Used cars and trucks

137.421135.976141.128-0.62.73.8

Motor fuel

165.162187.467194.554-22.117.83.8

Gasoline (all types)

163.573186.295193.576-22.118.33.9

Gasoline, unleaded regular(4)

158.112180.505187.675-22.518.74.0

Gasoline, unleaded midgrade(4)(5)

195.278222.849230.053-20.017.83.2

Gasoline, unleaded premium(4)

193.170214.002221.246-18.514.53.4

Motor vehicle insurance(6)

608.167661.029735.0870.520.911.2

Medical care

515.567517.940519.0894.80.70.2

Medical care commodities

381.313382.917383.436-1.40.60.1

Medical care services

560.384563.012564.3656.20.70.2

Professional services

427.548428.816429.4621.90.40.2

Recreation(3)

123.004123.040121.4760.2-1.2-1.3

Education and communication(3)

138.892139.006140.5502.61.21.1

Tuition, other school fees, and child care(6)

1,199.6841,203.3481,207.9691.10.70.4

Other goods and services

444.549447.885446.8542.50.5-0.2

Commodity and service group

Commodities

175.525177.371178.516-1.31.70.6

Commodities less food and beverages

138.769140.840142.530-4.02.71.2

Nondurables less food and beverages

174.352179.304181.492-8.34.11.2

Durables

101.686101.808103.0081.01.31.2

Services

301.252303.312304.4872.01.10.4

Special aggregate indexes

All items less shelter

222.583224.930226.3870.11.70.6

All items less medical care

224.095226.046227.2200.31.40.5

Commodities less food

142.313144.385146.082-3.82.61.2

Nondurables

213.574216.663217.579-2.21.90.4

Nondurables less food

178.893183.633185.786-7.53.91.2

Services less rent of shelter(2)

327.416330.832332.9551.91.70.6

Services less medical care services

281.842283.866285.0321.41.10.4

Energy

170.732183.717186.542-12.69.31.5

All items less energy

246.660247.634248.6681.80.80.4

All items less food and energy

245.905246.892248.2331.60.90.5

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.

 

Last Modified Date: Wednesday, August 12, 2020