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

24-512-SAN
Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (415) 625-2270

Consumer Price Index, West Region — February 2024

Area prices were up 0.4 percent over the past month, up 3.2 percent from a year ago

Prices in the West Region, as measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), advanced 0.4 percent in February, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (See table A.) The February increase was influenced by higher prices for shelter and gasoline. (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 3.2 percent. (See chart 1 and table A.) Food prices advanced 2.3 percent. Energy prices advanced 0.6 percent, largely the result of an increase in the price of electricity. The index for all items less food and energy advanced 3.6 percent over the year. (See table 1.)

Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in CPI-U, West Region, February 2021-February 2024
Food

Food prices were unchanged for the month of February. (See table 1.) Prices for food at home rose 0.1 percent, led by higher prices for cereals and bakery products (1.0 percent). Prices for food away from home were unchanged for the same period.

Over the year, food prices advanced 2.3 percent. Prices for food at home advanced 1.1 percent since a year ago, with higher prices in five of the six grocery categories. Prices for food away from home rose 4.4 percent.

Energy

The energy index increased 1.0 percent over the month. The increase was mainly due to higher prices for gasoline (1.6 percent). Prices for natural gas service rose 0.8 percent, and prices for electricity increased 0.2 percent for the same period.

Energy prices advanced 0.6 percent over the year, largely due to higher prices for electricity (11.5 percent). Prices paid for natural gas service declined 5.3 percent, and prices for gasoline fell 4.0 percent during the past year.

All items less food and energy

The index for all items less food and energy advanced 0.4 percent in February. Higher prices for shelter (0.4 percent) were partially offset by lower prices for other goods and services (-2.5 percent) and recreation (-0.4 percent).

Over the year, the index for all items less food and energy advanced 3.6 percent. Components contributing to the increase included medical care (5.5 percent) and shelter (4.6 percent). Partly offsetting the increases were price decreases in apparel (-2.2 percent) and new and used motor vehicles (-0.7 percent).

Table A. West region CPI-U 1-month and 12-month percent changes, all items index, not seasonally adjusted
Month20202021202220232024
1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month

January

0.32.90.21.40.97.70.96.30.73.3

February

0.43.10.51.60.88.10.56.00.43.2

March

-0.22.50.72.41.38.70.55.1

April

-0.41.31.03.90.78.30.54.9

May

0.10.80.84.70.88.30.44.5

June

0.41.20.95.11.28.80.33.5

July

0.51.70.65.20.18.30.13.5

August

0.31.90.25.00.08.10.43.9

September

0.01.60.25.30.38.30.43.9

October

0.21.20.86.00.78.10.13.3

November

0.01.40.56.5-0.47.1-0.43.3

December

-0.11.50.47.1-0.46.2-0.13.6

The March 2024 Consumer Price Index for the West Region is scheduled to be released on April 10, 2024.


Technical Note

The Consumer Price Index for the West Region is published 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 West Region covered in this release is comprised of the following thirteen states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals 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

West (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted)
Item and Group

IndexesPercent change from-
Historical
data
Dec.
2023
Jan.
2024
Feb.
2024
Feb.
2023
Dec.
2023
Jan.
2024

Expenditure category

All Items

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SA0
325.932328.053329.3393.21.00.4

All items (December 1977=100)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400AA0
526.851530.280532.359---

Food and beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SAF
336.099338.646338.8292.30.80.1

Food

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SAF1
338.478341.068341.2192.30.80.0

Food at home

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SAF11
316.944319.595319.7791.10.90.1

Cereals and bakery products

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SAF111
332.779331.333334.5831.00.51.0

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SAF112
344.486343.304344.5641.00.00.4

Dairy and related products

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SEFJ
283.943283.177282.035-2.7-0.7-0.4

Fruits and vegetables

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SAF113
393.629403.229400.2010.91.7-0.8

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SAF114
221.911227.536226.2481.22.0-0.6

Other food at home

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SAF115
274.641277.074278.1312.61.30.4

Food away from home

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SEFV
368.744371.193371.2904.40.70.0

Alcoholic beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SAF116
299.663301.567302.2202.70.90.2

Housing

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SAH
365.434368.627370.0124.21.30.4

Shelter

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SAH1
420.452422.948424.7704.61.00.4

Rent of primary residence(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SEHA
450.336451.299452.4494.80.50.3

Owners' equiv. rent of residences(1)(2)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SEHC
444.763446.985448.4155.00.80.3

Owners' equiv. rent of primary residence(1)(2)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SEHC01
444.556446.778448.2055.00.80.3

Fuels and utilities

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SAH2
410.166424.202426.4126.74.00.5

Household energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SAH21
360.040374.501375.8406.94.40.4

Energy services(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SEHF
362.837377.989379.3077.24.50.3

Electricity(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SEHF01
397.308416.928417.89311.55.20.2

Utility (piped) gas service(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SEHF02
302.884307.590309.948-5.32.30.8

Household furnishings and operations

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SAH3
156.869158.462158.131-0.40.8-0.2

Apparel

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SAA
120.719123.555124.638-2.23.20.9

Transportation

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SAT
271.388269.967274.0322.11.01.5

Private transportation

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SAT1
270.826268.437271.0092.00.11.0

New and used motor vehicles(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SETA
123.366122.166123.013-0.7-0.30.7

New vehicles

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SETA01
175.712176.123176.172-0.10.30.0

New cars and trucks(3)(4)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SS4501A
------

New cars(4)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SS45011
174.694175.287175.062-0.60.2-0.1

Used cars and trucks

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SETA02
179.115172.443172.957-2.0-3.40.3

Motor fuel

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SETB
337.053324.445329.490-4.2-2.21.6

Gasoline (all types)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SETB01
334.565322.269327.367-4.0-2.21.6

Gasoline, unleaded regular(4)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SS47014
330.231317.806322.947-4.3-2.21.6

Gasoline, unleaded midgrade(4)(5)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SS47015
320.846309.601314.318-3.4-2.01.5

Gasoline, unleaded premium(4)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SS47016
330.653319.526324.173-3.0-2.01.5

Medical Care

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SAM
598.854599.698601.8715.50.50.4

Medical care commodities

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SAM1
461.457462.342462.3333.80.20.0

Medical care services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SAM2
641.361642.190645.0575.90.60.4

Professional services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SEMC
420.718420.967420.7836.10.00.0

Recreation(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SAR
130.609132.189131.6001.70.8-0.4

Education and communication(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SAE
142.559143.688144.5440.61.40.6

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

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SEEB
1,650.5691,655.9281,662.2151.90.70.4

Other goods and services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SAG
547.520553.901540.2024.7-1.3-2.5

Commodity and Service Group

All Items

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SA0
325.932328.053329.3393.21.00.4

Commodities

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SAC
224.793225.376225.6530.00.40.1

Commodities less food & beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SACL11
172.490172.341172.637-1.40.10.2

Nondurables less food & beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SANL11
227.825226.246227.669-1.2-0.10.6

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SANL113
302.904298.333300.005-0.9-1.00.6

Durables

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SAD
123.523124.230123.833-1.50.3-0.3

Services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SAS
419.994423.617425.8915.11.40.5

Rent of shelter(2)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SAS2RS
448.326450.979452.9404.61.00.4

Transportation services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SAS4
385.594391.805402.7049.14.42.8

Other services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SAS367
409.393412.587411.2003.00.4-0.3

Special aggregate indexes:

All items less medical care

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SA0L5
313.376315.543316.7883.01.10.4

All items less food

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SA0L1
324.090326.141327.5983.31.10.4

All items less shelter

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SA0L2
288.635290.616291.6862.41.10.4

Commodities less food

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SACL1
177.180177.073177.380-1.20.10.2

Nondurables

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SAN
281.772282.155282.9970.70.40.3

Nondurables less food

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SANL1
233.298231.891233.284-1.00.00.6

Nondurables less food and apparel

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SANL13
302.113298.102299.683-0.6-0.80.5

Services less rent of shelter(2)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SASL2RS
431.036436.415439.3885.91.90.7

Services less medical care services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SASL5
404.452408.246410.4755.01.50.5

Energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SA0E
353.908352.784356.3240.60.71.0

All items less energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SA0LE
326.774329.111330.2693.41.10.4

All items less food and energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SA0L1E
325.647327.948329.2733.61.10.4

Commodities less food and energy commodities

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SACL1E
159.826160.886160.749-0.60.6-0.1

Energy commodities

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SACE
343.570330.784335.880-4.3-2.21.5

Services less energy services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0400SASLE
424.978428.035430.3695.01.30.5

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.

- Data not available
Regions defined as the four Census regions. West includes Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.
NOTE: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date. Data not seasonally adjusted.

 

Last Modified Date: Tuesday, March 12, 2024