Prices in the Honolulu area, as measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), increased 0.1 percent for the two months ending in November 2024, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (See table A.) Regional Commissioner Chris Rosenlund noted that the November increase was influenced by higher prices for shelter. (Data in this report are not seasonally adjusted. Accordingly, bi-monthly changes may reflect seasonal influences.)

Over the last 12 months, the CPI-U advanced 3.5 percent. (See chart 1 and table A.) Food prices advanced 3.1 percent. Energy prices declined 5.1 percent, largely the result of a decrease in the price of electricity. The index for all items less food and energy rose 4.4 percent over the year. (See table 1.)

  

View Chart Data

Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in CPI-U, Urban Hawaii, November 2021–November 2024

Month	All items	All items less food and energy
Nov 2021	5.4	3.4
Jan 2022	6.0	3.9
Mar 2022	7.5	5.3
May 2022	7.0	4.3
Jul 2022	6.8	3.9
Sep 2022	6.6	4.1
Nov 2022	5.8	3.6
Jan 2023	5.2	3.7
Mar 2023	3.3	3.0
May 2023	2.0	2.5
Jul 2023	2.1	3.3
Sep 2023	2.2	3.0
Nov 2023	3.6	4.8
Jan 2024	3.9	4.7
Mar 2024	4.8	5.6
May 2024	5.2	5.8
Jul 2024	4.5	5.0
Sep 2024	4.2	4.9
Nov 2024	3.5	4.4

Food prices increased 0.1 percent for the two months ending in November. (See table 1.) Prices for food at home decreased 0.6 percent, led by lower prices for fruits and vegetables (-1.4 percent) and meats, poultry, fish, and eggs (-1.3 percent). Prices for food away from home increased 1.0 percent for the same period.

Over the year, food prices advanced 3.1 percent. Prices for food at home increased 1.7 percent since a year ago, with higher prices in four of the six grocery categories. Prices for food away from home increased 4.9 percent.

The energy index decreased 2.4 percent for the two months ending in November. The decrease was mainly due to lower prices for electricity (-5.2 percent). Prices for gasoline declined 0.6 percent, while prices for natural gas service rose 3.6 percent for the same period.

Energy prices declined 5.1 percent over the year, largely due to lower prices for electricity (-7.8 percent). Prices paid for natural gas service declined 5.8 percent, and prices for gasoline decreased 3.1 percent during the past year.

The index for all items less food and energy increased 0.3 percent in the latest two-month period. Higher prices for other goods and services (4.7 percent) and shelter (0.5 percent) were partially offset by lower prices for apparel (-8.1 percent) and education and communication (-2.5 percent).

Over the year, the index for all items less food and energy rose 4.4 percent. Components contributing to the increase included shelter (6.4 percent) and recreation (3.4 percent). Partly offsetting the increases were price decreases in used cars and trucks (-2.9 percent) and education and communication (-1.7 percent).

The January 2025 Consumer Price Index for the Honolulu area is scheduled to be released on February 12, 2025.

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 Urban Hawaii 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 Urban Hawaii Core Based Statistical Area includes Honolulu County in the State of Hawaii.

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

Urban Hawaii (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted)

Item and Group	Indexes				Percent change from-
	Historical data	Sep. 2024	Oct. 2024	Nov. 2024	Nov. 2023	Sep. 2024	Oct. 2024
Expenditure category
All items		342.676	-	343.189	3.5	0.1	-
All items (1967=100)		943.379	-	944.788	-	-	-
Food and beverages		370.540	-	370.895	3.2	0.1	-
Food		374.553	-	374.870	3.1	0.1	-
Food at home		354.572	356.916	352.270	1.7	-0.6	-1.3
Cereals and bakery products		408.870	406.453	404.250	-1.1	-1.1	-0.5
Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs		335.918	329.669	331.613	-0.8	-1.3	0.6
Dairy and related products		289.683	296.270	295.509	4.4	2.0	-0.3
Fruits and vegetables		410.297	408.783	404.635	1.9	-1.4	-1.0
Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials(1)		436.678	455.681	439.513	7.1	0.6	-3.5
Other food at home		353.556	361.680	351.216	2.5	-0.7	-2.9
Food away from home		392.532	-	396.615	4.9	1.0	-
Alcoholic beverages		305.331	-	306.766	6.1	0.5	-
Housing		375.246	-	375.561	5.1	0.1	-
Shelter		409.854	409.194	411.835	6.4	0.5	0.6
Rent of primary residence(2)		411.309	411.749	412.877	5.5	0.4	0.3
Owners' equiv. rent of residences(2)		420.308	419.814	421.893	6.1	0.4	0.5
Owners' equiv. rent of primary residence(2)		420.308	419.814	421.893	6.1	0.4	0.5
Fuels and utilities		463.563	-	450.102	-3.1	-2.9	-
Household energy		384.955	376.195	367.445	-7.5	-4.5	-2.3
Energy services		378.424	369.637	360.976	-7.6	-4.6	-2.3
Electricity		378.083	369.116	358.584	-7.8	-5.2	-2.9
Utility (piped) gas service		320.230	315.171	331.617	-5.8	3.6	5.2
Household furnishings and operations		168.854	-	166.674	0.6	-1.3	-
Apparel		135.559	-	124.574	1.7	-8.1	-
Transportation		272.769	-	275.977	2.7	1.2	-
Private transportation		277.075	-	281.094	1.0	1.5	-
New and used motor vehicles(3)		121.012	-	122.461	-1.2	1.2	-
New vehicles(1)		186.261	-	188.052	0.4	1.0	-
Used cars and trucks(1)		307.235	-	310.813	-2.9	1.2	-
Motor fuel		357.303	356.098	355.087	-3.1	-0.6	-0.3
Gasoline (all types)		366.721	365.466	364.448	-3.1	-0.6	-0.3
Gasoline, unleaded regular(4)		379.925	378.584	377.538	-3.2	-0.6	-0.3
Gasoline, unleaded midgrade(4)(5)		307.383	305.919	305.196	-2.5	-0.7	-0.2
Gasoline, unleaded premium(4)		346.354	345.339	344.338	-2.7	-0.6	-0.3
Medical care		-	-	521.072	0.5	-	-
Recreation(3)		156.191	-	154.757	3.4	-0.9	-
Education and communication(3)		155.141	-	151.326	-1.7	-2.5	-
Tuition, other school fees, and child care(1)		2,058.264	-	2,056.458	2.4	-0.1	-
Other goods and services		613.867	-	642.561	3.2	4.7	-
Commodity and service group
All items		342.676	-	343.189	3.5	0.1	-
Commodities		253.501	-	253.143	1.2	-0.1	-
Commodities less food & beverages		184.945	-	184.257	-0.6	-0.4	-
Nondurables less food & beverages		247.389	-	246.297	1.4	-0.4	-
Durables		124.189	-	123.818	-2.7	-0.3	-
Services		420.547	-	421.802	4.8	0.3	-
Special aggregate indexes
All items less medical care		333.692	-	333.644	3.8	0.0	-
All items less shelter		313.034	-	312.754	1.6	-0.1	-
Commodities less food		189.373	-	188.714	-0.5	-0.3	-
Nondurables		311.382	-	311.104	2.6	-0.1	-
Nondurables less food		250.852	-	249.866	1.7	-0.4	-
Services less rent of shelter(2)		428.834	-	428.759	2.1	0.0	-
Services less medical care services		412.126	-	413.030	5.4	0.2	-
Energy		369.807	365.366	361.041	-5.1	-2.4	-1.2
All items less energy		343.151	-	344.189	4.1	0.3	-
All items less food and energy		339.644	-	340.825	4.4	0.3	-
Footnotes (1) Indexes on a December 1977=100 base. (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.
- Data not available NOTE: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.