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News Release Information

24-2133-SAN
Thursday, October 10, 2024

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

Consumer Price Index, San Diego Area — September 2024

Area prices were up 0.3 percent over the past two months, up 2.5 percent from a year ago

Prices in the San Diego area, as measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), increased 0.3 percent for the two months ending in September 2024, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (See table A.) Regional Commissioner Chris Rosenlund noted that the September increase was influenced by higher prices for education and communication. (Data in this report are not seasonally adjusted. Accordingly, bi-monthly changes may reflect seasonal influences.)

Over the last 12 months, the CPI-U rose 2.5 percent. (See chart 1 and table A.) Food prices advanced 5.7 percent. Energy prices declined 15.6 percent, largely the result of a decrease in the price of gasoline. The index for all items less food and energy increased 3.4 percent over the year. (See table 1.)

Food

Food prices advanced 0.8 percent for the two months ending in September. (See table 1.) Prices for food at home increased 0.9 percent, led by higher prices for fruits and vegetables (3.1 percent) and meats, poultry, fish, and eggs (2.6 percent). Prices for food away from home rose 0.6 percent for the same period.

Over the year, food prices advanced 5.7 percent. Prices for food at home advanced 2.4 percent since a year ago, led by higher prices for fruits and vegetables (4.3 percent). Overall, prices rose for five of the six grocery categories. Prices for food away from home rose 10.3 percent.

Energy

The energy index fell 1.5 percent for the two months ending in September. The decrease was mainly due to lower prices for gasoline (-2.1 percent). Prices for electricity and natural gas service were unchanged for the same period.

Energy prices declined 15.6 percent over the year, largely due to lower prices for gasoline (-18.4 percent). Prices paid for electricity fell 12.4 percent, and prices for natural gas service decreased 11.9 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 the latest two-month period. Higher prices for education and communication (3.5 percent) and shelter (0.2 percent) were partially offset by lower prices for recreation (-1.6 percent) and new and used motor vehicles (-1.5 percent).

Over the year, the index for all items less food and energy increased 3.4 percent. Components contributing to the increase included shelter (5.1 percent) and education and communication (4.2 percent). Partly offsetting the increases were price decreases in new and used motor vehicles (-3.5 percent) and household furnishings and operations (-0.4 percent).

Table A. San Diego-Carlsbad, CA, 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

January

0.3 2.3 0.4 1.7 2.0 8.2 1.8 6.4 0.4 3.8

March

0.0 1.8 2.4 4.1 2.1 7.9 1.0 5.3 0.8 3.6

May

-0.4 0.3 0.7 5.3 1.1 8.3 0.9 5.2 0.5 3.2

July

1.4 2.1 2.1 6.0 1.2 7.3 0.3 4.3 0.6 3.5

September

-0.4 1.1 0.1 6.5 0.9 8.2 1.3 4.7 0.3 2.5

November

0.6 1.6 0.7 6.6 -0.7 6.7 -0.2 5.2

The November 2024 Consumer Price Index for the San Diego area is scheduled to be released on December 11, 2024.


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 Consumer Price Index for San Diego 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 San Diego-Carlsbad, CA Core Based Statistical Area includes San Diego County in California.

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.

Table 1. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): Indexes and percent changes for selected periods

San Diego-Carlsbad (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted)
Item and Group

Indexes Percent change from-
Historical
data
Jul.
2024
Aug.
2024
Sep.
2024
Sep.
2023
Jul.
2024
Aug.
2024

Expenditure category

All items

375.072 - 376.221 2.5 0.3 -

All items (1967=100)

1,268.232 - 1,272.117 - - -

Food and beverages

330.805 - 333.569 5.3 0.8 -

Food

329.972 - 332.654 5.7 0.8 -

Food at home

290.669 289.771 293.419 2.4 0.9 1.3

Cereals and bakery products

394.104 385.549 385.503 2.8 -2.2 0.0

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs

277.955 284.056 285.257 1.0 2.6 0.4

Dairy and related products

234.712 239.226 234.754 -1.2 0.0 -1.9

Fruits and vegetables

290.019 287.254 299.107 4.3 3.1 4.1

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials(1)

319.859 315.318 321.948 3.8 0.7 2.1

Other food at home

286.445 283.908 286.467 2.0 0.0 0.9

Food away from home

383.685 - 386.126 10.3 0.6 -

Alcoholic beverages

323.370 - 327.270 0.7 1.2 -

Housing

457.909 - 459.138 3.9 0.3 -

Shelter

525.179 522.978 526.294 5.1 0.2 0.6

Rent of primary residence(2)

522.273 523.000 528.064 6.2 1.1 1.0

Owners' equiv. rent of residences(2)

557.021 555.465 558.133 5.0 0.2 0.5

Owners' equiv. rent of primary residence(2)

557.021 555.465 558.133 5.0 0.2 0.5

Fuels and utilities

462.372 - 462.475 -5.9 0.0 -

Household energy

438.777 438.058 438.405 -11.9 -0.1 0.1

Energy services

434.435 434.583 434.473 -12.0 0.0 0.0

Electricity

431.711 431.711 431.711 -12.4 0.0 0.0

Utility (piped) gas service

290.807 291.285 290.931 -11.9 0.0 -0.1

Household furnishings and operations

215.624 - 217.854 -0.4 1.0 -

Apparel

177.667 - 182.764 4.5 2.9 -

Transportation

294.030 - 290.951 -3.8 -1.0 -

Private transportation

295.322 - 292.050 -3.5 -1.1 -

New and used motor vehicles(3)

130.972 - 129.047 -3.5 -1.5 -

New vehicles(1)

258.594 - 257.738 -1.5 -0.3 -

Used cars and trucks(1)

299.105 - 296.532 -4.5 -0.9 -

Motor fuel

380.074 371.837 371.541 -18.7 -2.2 -0.1

Gasoline (all types)

379.958 372.018 371.924 -18.4 -2.1 0.0

Gasoline, unleaded regular(4)

392.805 384.327 384.270 -18.7 -2.2 0.0

Gasoline, unleaded midgrade(4)(5)

332.705 325.983 325.952 -17.8 -2.0 0.0

Gasoline, unleaded premium(4)

390.941 383.738 383.488 -17.4 -1.9 -0.1

Medical care

569.408 - 572.179 0.4 0.5 -

Recreation(3)

193.252 - 190.107 -0.3 -1.6 -

Education and communication(3)

142.188 - 147.140 4.2 3.5 -

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

1,681.739 - 1,842.120 10.4 9.5 -

Other goods and services

522.177 - 525.634 4.4 0.7 -

Commodity and service group

All items

375.072 - 376.221 2.5 0.3 -

Commodities

243.891 - 244.408 -1.7 0.2 -

Commodities less food & beverages

200.404 - 199.982 -5.8 -0.2 -

Nondurables less food & beverages

246.949 - 245.514 -7.3 -0.6 -

Durables

154.418 - 154.779 -3.8 0.2 -

Services

490.739 - 492.451 4.5 0.3 -

Special aggregate indexes

All items less medical care

365.720 - 366.796 2.6 0.3 -

All items less shelter

314.288 - 315.494 0.5 0.4 -

Commodities less food

205.617 - 205.294 -5.5 -0.2 -

Nondurables

290.186 - 290.777 -0.9 0.2 -

Nondurables less food

254.147 - 252.976 -6.7 -0.5 -

Services less rent of shelter(2)

471.845 - 474.780 3.4 0.6 -

Services less medical care services

478.423 - 479.983 4.7 0.3 -

Energy

399.196 393.166 393.060 -15.6 -1.5 0.0

All items less energy

376.951 - 378.507 3.7 0.4 -

All items less food and energy

386.614 - 387.989 3.4 0.4 -

Footnotes
(1) Indexes on a November 1977=100 base.
(2) Indexes on a November 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.

 

Last Modified Date: Thursday, October 10, 2024