Prices in the Midwest Region, as measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), increased 0.2 percent in December, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (See table A.) The December advance was led by a 0.1-percent rise in the all items less food and energy index, with owners’ equivalent rent of residences contributing most to the increase. The energy index was up 1.3 percent in December, while the food index was down 0.2 percent. (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 advanced 3.0 percent. (See chart 1.) The index for all items less food and energy increased 3.3 percent over the year, the food index rose 2.1 percent, and the energy index was up 2.0 percent. (See table 1.)

  

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Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in CPI-U, Midwest region, December 2021–December 2024

Month	All items	All items less food and energy
Dec 2021	7.5	5.7
Jan 2022	7.9	6.4
Feb 2022	8.0	6.4
Mar 2022	8.6	6.4
Apr 2022	8.2	6.0
May 2022	8.8	5.9
Jun 2022	9.5	5.7
Jul 2022	8.6	5.4
Aug 2022	8.1	5.8
Sep 2022	8.1	6.2
Oct 2022	7.4	5.8
Nov 2022	6.8	5.5
Dec 2022	6.0	5.2
Jan 2023	6.0	4.9
Feb 2023	5.6	5.0
Mar 2023	4.9	5.4
Apr 2023	4.9	5.5
May 2023	3.7	5.0
Jun 2023	2.4	4.8
Jul 2023	2.9	5.0
Aug 2023	3.4	4.5
Sep 2023	3.2	4.2
Oct 2023	2.9	4.3
Nov 2023	2.9	4.2
Dec 2023	3.2	4.1
Jan 2024	2.7	3.7
Feb 2024	2.8	3.4
Mar 2024	2.8	3.2
Apr 2024	2.8	3.1
May 2024	2.7	3.0
Jun 2024	2.5	2.9
Jul 2024	2.7	2.9
Aug 2024	2.6	3.2
Sep 2024	2.5	3.4
Oct 2024	2.6	3.1
Nov 2024	2.6	3.2
Dec 2024	3.0	3.3

Food prices decreased 0.2 percent for the month of December. Prices for food at home (grocery store prices) fell 0.4 percent, and prices for food away from home (restaurant, cafeteria, and vending purchases) rose 0.3 percent within the same period. Within the index for food at home, other food at home (-0.9 percent) and nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials (-1.4 percent) led price declines.

Over the year, food prices rose 2.1 percent. Prices for food away from home were up 3.1 percent, and prices for food at home increased 1.5 percent. The index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs (+2.9 percent) led grocery store item advances, but all major index categories contributed to the rise.  

The energy index rose 1.3 percent over the month. The increase was mainly due to higher prices for natural gas service (+5.7 percent), but an increase to gasoline prices (+0.7 percent) also contributed. The index for electricity advanced 0.3 percent for the same period.

From December 2023 to December 2024, the energy index increased 2.0 percent. The rise was largely due to higher prices for natural gas service, (+8.1 percent), but gasoline (+1.6 percent) and electricity (+0.7 percent) also contributed.

The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.1 percent in December. Higher prices for owners’ equivalent rent of residences (+0.4 percent), medical care services (+0.3 percent), and rent of primary residence (+0.3 percent) were the top influences on the change. These increases were almost entirely offset by declines, with lower prices for apparel (-2.5 percent) and other goods and services (-0.4 percent) contributing most over the month.

Over the year, the index for all items less food and energy advanced 3.3 percent. Components contributing most to the increase included shelter (+5.5 percent) and medical care services (+2.9 percent). A decrease in the index for new and used motor vehicles (-2.4 percent) led declines.

The January 2025 Consumer Price Index for the Midwest Region is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, February 12th, 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 Midwest is published 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 Midwest region is comprised of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

Refer to the national CPI news release technical note or the Handbook of Methods for more information.

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