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News Release Information

18-1310-BOS
Friday, August 10, 2018

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (617) 565-4141

Consumer Price Index, Boston-Cambridge-Newton — July 2018

Area prices up 0.3 percent over two months; up 3.4 percent from a year ago

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton area increased 0.3 percent in July, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today.  Regional Commissioner Deborah A. Brown noted that this was mainly attributable to higher prices within all items less food and energy, up 0.3 percent and to a lesser extent higher food prices, up 0.7 percent. Lower energy prices particularly offset the overall increase. (Data in this report are not seasonally adjusted. Accordingly, bimonthly changes may reflect the impact of seasonal influences.)

Over the last 12 months, the Boston CPI-U rose 3.4 percent. The increase was largely attributable to higher prices within all items less food and energy up 2.7 percent and to a lesser extent higher energy prices paid by area consumers, up 14.8 percent(See chart 1.).

Food

Food prices edged up 0.7 percent since May, mainly due to higher food at home and restaurant prices up 0.7 percent each. Higher food at home prices were mainly driven by higher prices for fruits and vegetables; and nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials which was mainly offset by other food at home prices.

Food prices increased 1.4 percent over the year, mainly due to higher food away from home prices, up 2.2 percent, and to a lesser extent, food at home prices, up 1.0 percent.

Energy

The energy index decreased 1.0 percent over the two months, mainly driven by lower electricity prices, down 2.5 percent and to a lesser extent, utility piped gas prices down 1.3 percent.

Energy prices were up 14.8 percent from a year ago, largely attributable to gasoline prices, up 27.6 percent and to a lesser extent electricity prices, up 4.6 percent.

All items less food and energy

The index for all items less food and energy increased from May (0.3 percent) mainly due to higher shelter costs, up 0.6 percent which was offset by lower apparel costs. Within shelter, higher prices in owners’ equivalent rent of residences, up 0.5 percent and lodging away from home drove the increase. Higher recreation and new and used motor vehicles costs also contributed to the increase, up 2.2 percent and 3.1 percent respectively.

Over the year, the index for all items less food and energy rose 2.7 percent, with higher shelter costs being the main driver of the increase, up 4.3 percent. Within shelter, higher costs for owners’ equivalent rent of residences, up 4.0 percent and rent of primary residence, up 4.8 percent led the increase. To a lesser extent, higher prices for education and communication, up 4.6 percent, also contributed to the increase.

 CPI-W

In July, the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) was 274.186. The CPI-W increased 0.2 percent over two months and increased 3.5 percent over the year.

The September 2018 Consumer Price Index for Boston-Cambridge-Newton is scheduled to be released on Thursday, October 11, 2018, at 8:30 a.m. (ET).


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 94 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 75 urban areas across the country from about 5,000 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 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, Mass.-N.H. Core Based Statistical Area covered in this release is comprised of Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk Counties in Massachusetts; Rockingham, Strafford Counties in New Hampshire.

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

Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): Indexes and percent changes for selected periods, Boston-Cambridge-Newton, Ma.-N.H. (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted) (not seasonally adjusted)
Expenditure categoryIndexesPercent change from
Historical
data
May
2018
Jun.
2018
Jul.
2018
Jul.
2017
May
2018
Jun.
2018

All items

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASA0
274.668 275.4023.40.3 

All items (1967 = 100)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11AAA0
798.331 800.463   

Food and beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASAF
263.450 264.6991.30.5 

Food

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASAF1
264.892 266.7551.40.7 

Food at home

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASAF11
249.383248.792251.1171.00.70.9

Cereal and bakery products

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASAF111
292.255 292.678 0.1 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASAF112
255.324 255.168 -0.1 

Dairy and related products

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASEFJ
269.595 277.616 3.0 

Fruits and vegetables

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASAF113
329.680 339.768 3.1 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASAF114
160.060 166.914 4.3 

Other food at home

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASAF115
197.815 191.362 -3.3 

Food away from home

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASEFV
291.991 294.0802.20.7 

Alcoholic beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASAF116
251.274 245.495-0.4-2.3 

Housing

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASAH
282.202 283.4374.20.4 

Shelter

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASAH1
334.416335.400336.5394.30.60.3

Rent of primary residence(2)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASEHA
348.172347.370348.0954.80.00.2

Owners' equivalent rent of residences(2)(3)(4)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASEHC
354.210356.026356.0944.00.50.0

Owners' equivalent rent of primary residence(2)(3)(4)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASEHC01
354.210356.026356.0944.00.50.0

Fuels and utilities

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASAH2
280.596 276.6855.1-1.4 

Household energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASAH21
236.437236.251232.3085.9-1.7-1.7

Energy services(2)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASEHF
242.149242.192236.9990.9-2.1-2.1

Electricity(2)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASEHF01
295.163295.163287.7664.6-2.5-2.5

Utility (piped) gas service(2)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASEHF02
155.159155.249153.190-2.4-1.3-1.3

Household furnishings and operations

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASAH3
127.078 127.7780.00.6 

Apparel

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASAA
140.783 127.662-6.6-9.3 

Transportation

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASAT
198.836 199.6977.60.4 

Private transportation

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASAT1
198.693 201.4719.31.4 

New and used motor vehicles(5)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASETA
102.925 106.101 3.1 

New Vehicles(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASETA01
205.615 205.905 0.1 

Used cars and trucks(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASETA02
317.195 321.191 1.3 

Motor fuel

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASETB
252.026254.713251.90327.70.0-1.1

Gasoline (all types)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASETB01
249.162251.819249.02827.6-0.1-1.1

Gasoline, unleaded regular(6)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASS47014
242.607245.178242.42628.4-0.1-1.1

Gasoline, unleaded midgrade(6)(7)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASS47015
258.530262.664259.45723.90.4-1.2

Gasoline, unleaded premium(6)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASS47016
254.673257.268254.76321.90.0-1.0

Motor vehicle insurance(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASETE
      

Medical care

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASAM
649.745 654.2202.40.7 

Recreation(5)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASAR
120.157 122.787-1.02.2 

Education and communication(5)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASAE
164.946 165.4674.60.3 

Tuition, other fees, and child care(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASEEB
1,317.577 1,328.680 0.8 

Other goods and services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASAG
486.417 485.2000.6-0.3 

Commodity and service group

Commodities

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASAC
193.580 192.3962.4-0.6 

Commodities less food and beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASACL11
156.827 154.5743.2-1.4 

Nondurables less food and beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASANL11
208.402 203.3726.1-2.4 

Durables

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASAD
107.992 108.134-0.80.1 

Services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASAS
348.157 350.5163.90.7 

Special aggregate indexes

All items less shelter

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASA0L2
253.770 253.8542.80.0 

All items less medical care

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASA0L5
260.204 260.8173.40.2 

Commodities less food

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASACL1
160.659 158.2753.0-1.5 

Nondurables

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASAN
235.081 233.1563.5-0.8 

Nondurables less food

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASANL1
210.535 205.4745.6-2.4 

Services less rent of shelter(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASASL2RS
380.963 383.7313.10.7 

Services less medical care services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASASL5
327.050 329.1693.90.6 

Energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASA0E
241.495242.558239.13614.8-1.0-1.4

All items less energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASA0LE
281.716 282.7362.50.4 

All items less food and energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUURS11ASA0L1E
285.461 286.3402.70.3 

Footnotes
(1) Indexes on a January 1978=100 base.
(2) This index series was calculated using a Laspeyres estimator. All other item stratum index series were calculated using a geometric means estimator.
(3) Indexes on a November 1982=100 base.
(4) This index series underwent a change in composition in January 2010. The expenditure class now includes weight from secondary residences, and has been re-titled "Owners' equivalent rent of residences." The item stratum "Owners' equivalent rent of primary residence" excludes secondary residences.
(5) Indexes on a December 1997=100 base.
(6) Special index based on a substantially smaller sample.
(7) Indexes on a December 1993=100 base.

Note: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.

 

Last Modified Date: Friday, August 10, 2018