Prices in the Los Angeles area, as measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), increased 0.2 percent in September, 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 food and new and used motor vehicles. (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 rose 2.8 percent. (See chart 1 and table A.) Food prices advanced 3.4 percent. Energy prices declined 13.2 percent, largely the result of a decrease in the price of gasoline. The index for all items less food and energy increased 4.1 percent over the year. (See table 1.)

  

View Chart Data

Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in CPI-U, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA, September 2021–September 2024

Month	All items	All items less food and energy
Sep 2021	4.6	3.0
Oct 2021	5.4	3.4
Nov 2021	6.0	3.6
Dec 2021	6.6	4.4
Jan 2022	7.5	5.5
Feb 2022	7.4	5.9
Mar 2022	8.5	6.2
Apr 2022	7.9	5.8
May 2022	8.0	5.8
Jun 2022	8.6	6.0
Jul 2022	7.7	5.7
Aug 2022	7.6	6.2
Sep 2022	7.8	6.3
Oct 2022	7.5	6.0
Nov 2022	6.0	5.2
Dec 2022	4.9	4.5
Jan 2023	5.8	4.5
Feb 2023	5.1	4.5
Mar 2023	3.7	4.3
Apr 2023	3.8	4.5
May 2023	3.2	4.3
Jun 2023	2.5	4.0
Jul 2023	2.7	3.4
Aug 2023	3.3	3.5
Sep 2023	3.2	3.2
Oct 2023	2.4	2.7
Nov 2023	2.8	2.8
Dec 2023	3.5	3.4
Jan 2024	2.5	3.7
Feb 2024	3.4	3.8
Mar 2024	4.0	4.3
Apr 2024	3.9	3.8
May 2024	3.9	3.8
Jun 2024	3.2	3.6
Jul 2024	3.4	4.2
Aug 2024	2.9	3.9
Sep 2024	2.8	4.1

Food prices advanced 0.6 percent for the month of September. (See table 1.) Prices for food at home increased 0.8 percent, due to higher prices for fruits and vegetables (4.8 percent) and meats, poultry, fish, and eggs (1.5 percent). Prices for food away from home rose 0.4 percent for the same period.

Over the year, food prices advanced 3.4 percent. Prices for food at home advanced 2.1 percent since a year ago, led by higher prices for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs (6.6 percent). Overall, prices rose in five of the six grocery categories. Prices for food away from home rose 4.8 percent.

The energy index advanced 0.2 percent over the month. The increase was mainly due to higher prices for gasoline (0.4 percent). Prices for electricity were unchanged, while prices for natural gas service decreased 0.3 percent for the same period.

Energy prices declined 13.2 percent over the year, largely due to lower prices for gasoline (-20.7 percent). Prices paid for natural gas service decreased 10.0 percent, while prices for electricity increased 0.6 percent during the past year.

The index for all items less food and energy advanced 0.2 percent in September. Higher prices for apparel (2.5 percent) and new and used motor vehicles (1.5 percent) were partially offset by lower prices for medical care (-0.6 percent) and shelter (-0.2 percent).

Over the year, the index for all items less food and energy increased 4.1 percent. Components contributing to the increase included medical care (7.7 percent) and shelter (4.7 percent). Partly offsetting the increases were price decreases in recreation (-1.6 percent) and new and used motor vehicles (-0.2 percent).

The October 2024 Consumer Price Index for the Los Angeles area is scheduled to be released on November 13, 2024.

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 Los Angeles is published 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 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Core Based Statistical Area includes Los Angeles and Orange Counties 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

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim (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		332.928	333.359	334.123	2.8	0.4	0.2
All items (1967=100)		983.616	984.889	987.147	-	-	-
Food and beverages		337.127	337.593	339.387	3.1	0.7	0.5
Food		339.651	340.205	342.150	3.4	0.7	0.6
Food at home		318.628	320.037	322.561	2.1	1.2	0.8
Cereals and bakery products		341.760	344.645	341.141	-1.7	-0.2	-1.0
Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs		355.284	357.951	363.435	6.6	2.3	1.5
Dairy and related products		300.092	304.786	303.643	1.3	1.2	-0.4
Fruits and vegetables		404.396	400.070	419.455	2.2	3.7	4.8
Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials(1)		294.232	300.188	298.498	0.1	1.4	-0.6
Other food at home		263.174	263.081	260.715	1.3	-0.9	-0.9
Food away from home		358.686	358.273	359.542	4.8	0.2	0.4
Alcoholic beverages		280.061	279.126	278.483	-2.2	-0.6	-0.2
Housing		384.559	385.413	385.198	4.2	0.2	-0.1
Shelter		442.490	443.826	443.082	4.7	0.1	-0.2
Rent of primary residence(2)		467.990	469.096	470.122	4.6	0.5	0.2
Owners' equiv. rent of residences(2)(3)		459.086	460.341	460.540	5.0	0.3	0.0
Owners' equiv. rent of primary residence(1)(2)		459.060	460.315	460.514	5.0	0.3	0.0
Fuels and utilities		482.383	483.364	483.048	3.2	0.1	-0.1
Household energy		415.012	415.114	414.717	-1.8	-0.1	-0.1
Energy services(2)		413.420	413.511	413.158	-1.8	-0.1	-0.1
Electricity(2)		490.758	490.679	490.626	0.6	0.0	0.0
Utility (piped) gas service(2)		295.848	296.299	295.293	-10.0	-0.2	-0.3
Household furnishings and operations		128.799	127.973	129.511	-0.2	0.6	1.2
Apparel		118.044	121.681	124.739	1.8	5.7	2.5
Transportation		269.571	267.380	269.876	-1.0	0.1	0.9
Private transportation		272.088	269.340	271.598	-1.3	-0.2	0.8
New and used motor vehicles(4)		110.712	109.425	111.031	-0.2	0.3	1.5
New vehicles(1)		191.569	191.152	191.352	-2.3	-0.1	0.1
Used cars and trucks(1)		344.608	342.987	341.642	-4.5	-0.9	-0.4
Motor fuel		354.443	344.816	346.131	-20.7	-2.3	0.4
Gasoline (all types)		345.473	336.083	337.383	-20.7	-2.3	0.4
Gasoline, unleaded regular(4)		345.558	335.970	337.319	-21.0	-2.4	0.4
Gasoline, unleaded midgrade(4)(5)		331.239	322.562	323.757	-20.3	-2.3	0.4
Gasoline, unleaded premium(4)		333.101	324.718	325.798	-19.6	-2.2	0.3
Medical care		592.969	591.787	588.494	7.7	-0.8	-0.6
Recreation(6)		121.592	122.005	123.403	-1.6	1.5	1.1
Education and communication(6)		160.733	161.702	161.704	1.7	0.6	0.0
Tuition, other school fees, and child care(1)		2,316.780	2,336.334	2,339.901	1.9	1.0	0.2
Other goods and services		540.020	541.422	538.001	1.6	-0.4	-0.6
Commodity and service group
All items		332.928	333.359	334.123	2.8	0.4	0.2
Commodities		216.573	216.614	217.593	-1.7	0.5	0.5
Commodities less food & beverages		157.442	157.308	157.910	-4.7	0.3	0.4
Nondurables less food & beverages		220.300	221.020	221.939	-7.2	0.7	0.4
Durables		99.474	98.884	99.222	-2.7	-0.3	0.3
Services		436.796	437.591	438.132	5.2	0.3	0.1
Special aggregate indexes
All items less medical care		321.609	322.097	323.007	2.5	0.4	0.3
All items less shelter		284.266	284.270	285.761	1.5	0.5	0.5
Commodities less food		162.700	162.545	163.125	-4.6	0.3	0.4
Nondurables		279.864	280.455	281.819	-1.6	0.7	0.5
Nondurables less food		226.847	227.477	228.315	-6.9	0.6	0.4
Services less rent of shelter(3)		440.527	440.439	443.129	6.0	0.6	0.6
Services less medical care services		421.710	422.746	423.315	5.0	0.4	0.1
Energy		380.754	374.923	375.567	-13.2	-1.4	0.2
All items less energy		332.087	332.847	333.621	4.0	0.5	0.2
All items less food and energy		330.897	331.692	332.264	4.1	0.4	0.2
Footnotes (1) Indexes on a December 1977=100 base. (2) This index series was calculated using a Laspeyres estimator. All other item stratum index series were calculated using a geometric means estimator. (3) Indexes on a December 1982=100 base. (4) Special index based on a substantially smaller sample. (5) Indexes on a December 1993=100 base. (6) Indexes on a December 1997=100 base.
- Data not available NOTE: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.