The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell declined 0.4 percent from August to October, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (See table A.) Regional Commissioner Victoria G. Lee noted that the decrease in the bi-monthly all items index was largely attributed to declines in the electricity and gasoline indexes. (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 1.9 percent for the 12 months ending in October. (See chart 1 and table A.) The index for all items less food and energy rose 2.6 percent over the past year. The food index also increased over the past 12 months, up 0.5 percent. In contrast, the energy index fell 3.1 percent over the same period. (See table 1.)

  

View Chart Data

Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in CPI-U, Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA, October 2021–October 2024

Month	All items	All items less food and energy
Oct 2021	7.9	7.0
Dec 2021	9.8	9.3
Feb 2022	10.6	10.1
Apr 2022	10.8	9.8
Jun 2022	11.5	9.7
Aug 2022	11.7	11.0
Oct 2022	10.7	10.4
Dec 2022	8.1	8.2
Feb 2023	7.2	7.5
Apr 2023	5.8	6.6
Jun 2023	4.6	5.6
Aug 2023	4.4	3.9
Oct 2023	3.2	3.4
Dec 2023	3.6	3.3
Feb 2024	3.3	3.2
Apr 2024	3.1	2.8
Jun 2024	2.6	2.5
Aug 2024	1.7	2.3
Oct 2024	1.9	2.6

The food index was little changed from August to October, up 0.1 percent. The index for food away from home rose 0.3 percent from August to October, while the food at home index was unchanged over the two-month period. Two of the six major grocery store food group indexes declined from August to October: nonalcoholic beverage and beverage materials (-6.4 percent) and cereals and bakery products (-1.2 percent). In comparison, the remaining four grocery store food components increased over the bi-monthly period, led by other food at home (+1.1 percent) and meats, poultry, fish, and eggs (+1.0 percent).

The food index rose 0.5 percent for the 12 months ending in October, reflecting a 2.1-percent increase in the food away from home index. In comparison, the food at home index declined 0.6 percent over the same period. Four of the six major grocery store food group indexes declined over the past 12 months, led by dairy and related products (-3.8 percent) and fruit and vegetables (-1.7 percent).

The energy index fell 11.3 percent from August to October, reflecting declines in the electricity (-14.0 percent) and gasoline (-12.5 percent) indexes. In contrast, the natural gas index rose 2.4 percent over the same period.

The energy index declined 3.1 percent for the 12 months ending in October, reflecting a 9.5-percent fall in the gasoline index. In contrast, the electricity (+2.4 percent) and natural gas (+6.0 percent) indexes increased over the 12-month span.  

The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.6 percent from August to October. The index for shelter continued to increase, up 0.4 percent over the bi-monthly period. The index for owners’ equivalent rose 0.6 percent from August to October, while the index for rent of primary residence increased 0.5 percent over the same period.

Among the notable indexes to decline from August to October include apparel (-3.0 percent) and other goods and services (-1.3 percent).

The index for all items less food and energy advanced 2.6 percent for the 12 months ending in October. The index for shelter (+3.4 percent) was the largest contributor to the total 12-month increase in the all items less food and energy index. The indexes for owners’ equivalent rent (+4.3 percent) and rent of primary residence (+0.9 percent) also increased over the past year.

The Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell Consumer Price Index for December 2024 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. (ET).

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 Atlanta is published bi-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 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.

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

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.