Department of Labor Logo United States Department of Labor
Dot gov

The .gov means it's official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

News Release Information

24-1902-ATL
Wednesday, September 11, 2024

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (404) 893-4220

Consumer Price Index, Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell — August 2024

Area prices up 1.7 percent over the past 12 months

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell rose 0.1 percent from June to August, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (See table A.) Regional Commissioner Victoria G. Lee noted that the bi-monthly all items increase was largely attributed to an increase in the shelter index. (Data in this report are not seasonally adjusted. Accordingly, bi-monthly changes may reflect the impact of seasonal influences.)

The all items CPI-U advanced 1.7 percent for the 12 months ending in August. (See chart 1 and table A.) The index for all items less food and energy rose 2.3 percent over the past year. The food index continued to increase, up 1.5 percent over the past 12 months, while the energy index fell 4.5 percent over the same period. (See table 1.)


Food

The food index declined 0.4 percent from June to August. The food at home index fell 0.5 percent over the same period. Three of the six major grocery store food group indexes declined over the bi-monthly period: other food at home (-2.4 percent), fruits and vegetables (-2.6 percent), and dairy and related products (-2.2 percent). The remaining three major grocery store food group indexes rose from June to August, led by a 3.2-percent increase in the cereals and bakery products index.

The index for food away from home also decreased from June to August, down 0.2 percent.

The food index rose 1.5 percent for the 12 months ending in August, led by a 2.9-percent increase in the food away from home index. The food at home index also increased over the past year, up 0.5 percent. The six major grocery store food group indexes were split over the year, with three increases and three decreases. Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials (+8.4 percent) was among the indexes to increase over the year, while dairy and related products (-4.5 percent) was among the indexes to decline over the past 12 months.

Energy

The energy index fell 1.5 percent from June to August, primarily due to a 2.6-percent decline in the gasoline index. The natural gas and electricity indexes also declined over the bi-monthly period, down 2.0 percent and 0.1 percent, respectively.

The energy index declined 4.5 percent for the 12 months ending in August, reflecting a 10.6-percent fall in the gasoline index. In contrast, the electricity (+1.1 percent) and natural gas (+0.7 percent) indexes increased over the 12-month span.  

All items less food and energy

The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.4 percent from June to August. The index for shelter continued to increase, up 0.7 percent over the bi-monthly period. Within shelter, the index for owners’ equivalent rose 0.6 percent from June to August, while the index for rent of primary residence declined 0.7 percent over the same period.

Apparel (+3.4 percent) and household furnishings and operations (+1.3 percent) were among the indexes to increase from June to August. In comparison, the index for used cars and trucks declined 2.2 percent over the two-month period.

The index for all items less food and energy advanced 2.3 percent for the 12 months ending in August. Shelter (+3.3 percent) was the largest contributor as owners’ equivalent (+4.3 percent) and rent of primary residence (+1.5 percent) also increased over the past year. In contrast, the index for used cars and trucks declined 11.0 percent over the past 12 months.

Table A. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA, CPI-U 2-month and 12-month percent changes, all items index, not seasonally adjusted
Month 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
2-month 12-month 2-month 12-month 2-month 12-month 2-month 12-month 2-month 12-month

February

0.8 2.9 1.6 2.4 2.3 10.6 1.5 7.2 1.3 3.3

April

-1.8 -0.3 1.6 6.0 1.9 10.8 0.5 5.8 0.3 3.1

June

1.1 0.9 1.8 6.7 2.4 11.5 1.2 4.6 0.7 2.6

August

1.2 0.7 1.1 6.6 1.3 11.7 1.1 4.4 0.1 1.7

October

0.3 1.2 1.5 7.9 0.5 10.7 -0.6 3.2

December

0.1 1.6 1.9 9.8 -0.5 8.1 -0.1 3.6

The Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell Consumer Price Index for October 2024 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, November 13, 2024, at 8:30 a.m. (ET).


Technical Note

The Consumer Price Index for Atlanta is published bi-monthly. 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 U.S. population and (2) a CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) which covers approximately 29 percent of the total U.S. 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, 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; for most of the CPI-U the reference base is 1982-84 equals 100. An increase of 7 percent from the reference base, for example, is shown as 107.000.  Alternatively, that relationship can also be expressed as the price of a base period market basket of goods and services rising from $100 to $107. For further details see the CPI home page on the internet at www.bls.gov/cpi and the CPI section of the BLS Handbook of Methods 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 cities; they only measure the average change in prices for each area since the base period.

The Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA Core Based Statistical Area is comprised of Barrow, Bartow, Butts, Carroll, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, Dawson, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Haralson, Heard, Henry, Jasper, Lamar, Meriwether, Morgan, Newton, Paulding, Pickens, Pike, Rockdale, Spalding, and Walton Counties in Georgia.

Information in this release will be made available to individuals with sensory impairments upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Telecommunications Relay Service: 7-1-1.

Table 1. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): Indexes and percent changes for selected periods
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted)
Item and Group

Indexes Percent change from-
Jun.
2024
Jul.
2024
Aug.
2024
Aug.
2023
Jun.
2024
Jul.
2024

Expenditure category

All Items

313.010 - 313.437 1.7 0.1 -

All items (1967=100)

943.941 - 945.231 - - -

Food and beverages

325.313 - 324.227 1.5 -0.3 -

Food

343.180 - 341.940 1.5 -0.4 -

Food at home

310.421 309.627 308.913 0.5 -0.5 -0.2

Cereals and bakery products

259.086 259.495 267.250 0.8 3.2 3.0

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs

360.473 358.938 362.878 2.6 0.7 1.1

Dairy and related products

270.276 274.177 264.216 -4.5 -2.2 -3.6

Fruits and vegetables

334.884 333.241 326.272 -2.3 -2.6 -2.1

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials(1)

349.084 353.774 357.806 8.4 2.5 1.1

Other food at home

274.262 270.906 267.545 -0.9 -2.4 -1.2

Food away from home

399.399 - 398.692 2.9 -0.2 -

Alcoholic beverages

171.106 - 171.646 3.2 0.3 -

Housing

338.977 - 341.055 3.0 0.6 -

Shelter

382.394 384.137 384.954 3.3 0.7 0.2

Rent of primary residence

405.754 405.428 402.729 1.5 -0.7 -0.7

Owners' equiv. rent of residences(2)

379.109 379.449 381.284 4.3 0.6 0.5

Owners' equiv. rent of primary residence(2)

379.109 379.449 381.284 4.3 0.6 0.5

Fuels and utilities

410.871 - 409.517 2.1 -0.3 -

Household energy

355.826 354.681 354.318 1.3 -0.4 -0.1

Energy Services

355.956 354.506 354.132 1.4 -0.5 -0.1

Electricity

310.636 308.175 310.280 1.1 -0.1 0.7

Utility (piped) gas service

383.067 386.861 375.566 0.7 -2.0 -2.9

Household furnishings and operations

144.025 - 145.925 1.3 1.3 -

Apparel

160.034 - 165.403 3.1 3.4 -

Transportation

283.189 - 280.416 -0.9 -1.0 -

Private transportation

287.456 - 284.809 -0.9 -0.9 -

New and used motor vehicles(3)

134.271 - 132.321 -6.0 -1.5 -

New vehicles(1)

301.409 - 299.403 -2.3 -0.7 -

Used cars and trucks(1)

268.712 - 262.827 -11.0 -2.2 -

Motor fuel

293.823 297.627 286.123 -10.5 -2.6 -3.9

Gasoline (all types)

292.151 296.046 284.486 -10.6 -2.6 -3.9

Unleaded regular(4)

285.614 289.554 277.911 -11.0 -2.7 -4.0

Unleaded midgrade(4)(5)

373.825 377.912 364.384 -8.7 -2.5 -3.6

Unleaded premium(4)

322.452 325.902 315.444 -7.6 -2.2 -3.2

Medical Care

- - - - - -

Recreation(3)

100.099 - 99.411 1.8 -0.7 -

Education and communication(3)

142.325 - 141.924 -0.2 -0.3 -

Tuition, other school fees, and child care(1)

1,564.959 - 1,574.174 2.1 0.6 -

Other goods and services

514.809 - 513.279 4.7 -0.3 -

Commodity and service group

All Items

313.010 - 313.437 1.7 0.1 -

Commodities

223.361 - 222.315 -1.2 -0.5 -

Commodities less food & beverages

176.815 - 175.835 -3.1 -0.6 -

Nondurables less food & beverages

229.304 - 228.915 -2.2 -0.2 -

Durables

127.908 - 126.528 -4.8 -1.1 -

Services

397.932 - 399.756 3.3 0.5 -

Special aggregate indexes

All items less medical care

302.078 - 302.568 2.0 0.2 -

All items less shelter

289.132 - 288.576 0.7 -0.2 -

Commodities less food

176.219 - 175.281 -2.9 -0.5 -

Nondurables

272.427 - 271.729 0.1 -0.3 -

Nondurables less food

223.386 - 223.053 -1.8 -0.1 -

Services less rent of shelter(2)

428.670 - 429.351 3.4 0.2 -

Services less medical care services

384.314 - 386.111 3.9 0.5 -

Energy

296.660 297.949 292.354 -4.5 -1.5 -1.9

All items less energy

314.575 - 315.428 2.2 0.3 -

All items less food and energy

310.306 - 311.469 2.3 0.4 -

Footnotes
(1) Index is on a December 1977=100 base.
(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.

- Data not available.
NOTE: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date. Data not seasonally adjusted.

 

Last Modified Date: Wednesday, September 11, 2024