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

22-462-PHI
Thursday, March 10, 2022

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:

Consumer Price Index, Northeast Region – February 2022

Regional prices were up 0.7 percent over the past month, up 6.6 percent from a year ago

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) in the Northeast rose 0.7 percent in February, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Alexandra Hall Bovee noted that the increase was largely due to higher prices within the all items less food and energy index, up 0.7 percent, led by higher shelter costs among widespread increases. The food index also increased in February, up 1.0 percent, as did the energy index, up 0.2 percent. (Data in this report are not seasonally adjusted. Accordingly, month-to-month changes may reflect the impact of seasonal influences.)

Over the last 12 months, the Northeast all items CPI-U increased 6.6 percent. (See chart 1 and table A.) The all items less food and energy index was mostly responsible for the over-the-year increase, up 5.0 percent. The energy index jumped 23.7 percent over the year, largely the result of an increase in the price of gasoline. The food index advanced 7.6 percent over-the-year. (See table 1.)

Food

Food prices rose 1.0 percent for the month of February. (See table 1.) Of the two major components within the food index, prices for food at home increased 1.8 percent, while prices for food away from home declined 0.5 percent for the same period, marking the first price decline in a year. Within food at home, prices were higher for citrus fruits and soups, up 8.7 and 14.2 percent, respectively.

From February 2021 to February 2022, the food index increased 7.6 percent – the highest 12-month change since June 1981. Prices for food at home advanced 8.1 percent since a year ago, the greatest such increase in 32 years, and prices for food away from home increased 6.5 percent.

Energy

The energy index inched up 0.2 percent over the month following a 4.2 percent increase in January. The increase was mainly due to higher prices for gasoline (4.5 percent) following 2 months of identical 0.8 percent declines. Prices for utility (piped) gas service advanced 1.7 percent over the month. Prices for electricity decreased 7.6 percent for the same period after a 12.3 percent jump in January.

Energy prices soared 23.7 percent over the year, largely due to higher prices for gasoline (36.4 percent). That was the smallest 12-month increase for gasoline since last April, the string of significant increases peaked at 57.1 percent in November. Prices paid for utility (piped) gas service jumped 20.3 percent and prices for electricity advanced 6.1 percent during the past year.

All items less food and energy

The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.7 percent in February. Higher prices for shelter (0.4 percent), specifically owners' equivalent rent of residences (0.4 percent) drove the increase. Prices also increased for apparel (2.5 percent) and recreation (0.8 percent). The increase for the new and used motor vehicles category (0.9 percent) was largely due to higher prices for used cars and trucks, up 0.8 percent, and new vehicles, up 0.6 percent.

Over the year, the index for all items less food and energy increased 5.0 percent, marking the largest 12-month rise since 1991. Annual increases in the index for new and used motor vehicles (23.2 percent)—more specifically, used cars and trucks (42.5 percent) and new vehicles (13.0 percent)—accounted for almost a third of the increase in the all items less food and energy index. Shelter (up 3.0 percent) also was a major contributing factor, led by owners’ equivalent rent of residences (2.8 percent) and household operations and furnishing where the 8.5 percent increase was the largest in over 41 years.

Table A. Northeast region CPI-U 1-month and 12-month percent changes, all items index, not seasonally adjusted
Month20182019202020212022
1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month

January

0.51.60.31.50.72.30.41.10.86.3

February

0.41.70.21.30.32.40.41.20.76.6

March

0.12.00.51.7-0.21.70.62.1

April

0.42.10.41.7-0.40.80.73.3

May

0.42.50.31.50.00.60.63.9

June

0.02.60.11.60.30.81.04.6

July

0.02.70.11.70.41.10.24.3

August

0.22.70.11.50.11.10.14.4

September

0.12.20.01.40.11.20.34.6

October

-0.12.3-0.11.5-0.21.10.65.4

November

-0.41.90.11.90.11.10.66.0

December

-0.11.7-0.11.90.21.40.25.9
Geographic divisions

Additional price indexes are now available for the two divisions of the Northeast. Over the month, the all items CPI-U was 0.6 percent higher in the New England division, while prices in the Middle Atlantic division rose 0.7 percent.

Over the year, prices rose in the New England division (6.9 percent). The all items index also rose in the Middle Atlantic division, up 6.4 percent. (See table B.)

Table B. CPI-U 1-month and 12-month percent changes, all items index, Northeast region and divisions, not seasonally adjusted
Area1-month change12-month change

Northeast

0.76.6

New England Division

0.66.9

Middle Atlantic Division

0.76.4

The Consumer Price Index for March 2022 is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, April 12, 2022, at 8:30 a.m. (ET).


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 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, and 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 Northeast region is comprised of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

The New England division is comprised of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

The Middle Atlantic division is comprised of New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.

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, Northeast Region, (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted) (not seasonally adjusted)
Expenditure categoryIndexesPercent change from
Historical
data
Dec.
2021
Jan.
2022
Feb.
2022
Feb.
2021
Dec.
2021
Jan.
2022

All items

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0
290.405292.644294.6056.61.40.7

All items (December 1977 = 100)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100AA0
457.299460.825463.912   

Food and beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF
290.371292.369295.2337.21.71.0

Food

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF1
292.019294.032296.8807.61.71.0

Food at home

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF11
273.384275.323280.3278.12.51.8

Cereals and bakery products

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF111
321.479326.232333.3639.03.72.2

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF112
291.134291.962296.56911.91.91.6

Dairy and related products

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEFJ
244.907248.980252.3365.43.01.3

Fruits and vegetables

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF113
331.744334.196342.7766.13.32.6

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF114
188.326188.815192.8927.02.42.2

Other food at home

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF115
242.129243.344246.5577.11.81.3

Food away from home

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEFV
323.704325.824324.3476.50.2-0.5

Alcoholic beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAF116
267.326269.129272.1792.51.81.1

Housing

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH
306.791309.877310.1684.61.10.1

Shelter

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH1
377.105377.619379.1663.00.50.4

Rent of primary residence

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHA
378.897380.092381.5492.30.70.4

Owners' equivalent rent of residences(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHC
391.384392.127393.6112.80.60.4

Owners' equivalent rent of primary residence(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHC01
391.031391.777393.2662.80.60.4

Fuels and utilities

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH2
255.417272.944266.55612.64.4-2.3

Household energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH21
226.535244.870237.80114.35.0-2.9

Energy services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHF
222.742240.319229.15810.52.9-4.6

Electricity

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHF01
217.206244.010225.3796.13.8-7.6

Utility (piped) gas service

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEHF02
216.609215.517219.24020.31.21.7

Household furnishings and operations

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAH3
133.658135.607136.1468.51.90.4

Apparel

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAA
123.105127.597130.8274.26.32.5

Transportation

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAT
238.557238.672243.04018.61.91.8

Private transportation

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAT1
237.991238.284242.46220.91.91.8

New and used motor vehicles(2)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETA
120.426121.034122.08023.21.40.9

New vehicles

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETA01
163.153163.541164.58813.00.90.6

New cars and trucks(2)(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS4501A
113.104113.377114.10513.10.90.6

New cars(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS45011
153.901154.025155.36113.20.90.9

Used cars and trucks

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETA02
218.646221.939223.77342.52.30.8

Motor fuel

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETB
291.991289.713302.82736.43.74.5

Gasoline (all types)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETB01
290.904288.602301.61736.43.74.5

Gasoline, unleaded regular(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS47014
288.444286.049299.40137.33.84.7

Gasoline, unleaded midgrade(3)(4)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS47015
307.342305.514316.59733.43.03.6

Gasoline, unleaded premium(3)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SS47016
295.791294.217304.47130.72.93.5

Motor vehicle insurance(5)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SETE
609.767     

Medical care

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAM
553.612558.761559.3641.71.00.1

Medical care commodities

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAM1
380.624381.730381.7150.90.30.0

Medical care services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAM2
604.400610.828611.6301.91.20.1

Professional services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEMC
424.071423.951423.5591.4-0.1-0.1

Recreation(2)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAR
132.909134.030135.1695.21.70.8

Education and communication(2)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAE
152.515152.624153.1932.70.40.4

Tuition, other school fees, and child care(5)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SEEB
1,342.3431,341.7131,342.4062.40.00.1

Other goods and services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAG
536.641538.725546.3046.41.81.4

Commodity and service group

Commodities

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAC
213.213215.482218.53012.22.51.4

Commodities less food and beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SACL11
171.317173.555176.49415.83.01.7

Nondurables less food and beverages

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SANL11
212.555215.991221.56414.04.22.6

Durables

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAD
121.870123.083124.06318.31.80.8

Services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAS
364.512366.687367.5143.60.80.2

Special aggregate indexes

All items less shelter

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0L2
260.579263.428265.5398.41.90.8

All items less medical care

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0L5
278.823280.935282.9497.01.50.7

Commodities less food

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SACL1
174.989177.231180.19215.23.01.7

Nondurables

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SAN
251.073253.821258.09410.12.81.7

Nondurables less food

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SANL1
215.738219.067224.47613.04.12.5

Services less rent of shelter(1)

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SASL2RS
363.255367.302367.3514.11.10.0

Services less medical care services

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SASL5
347.985349.877350.7043.80.80.2

Energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0E
253.130263.647264.30223.74.40.2

All items less energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0LE
297.500299.031301.1345.41.20.7

All items less food and energy

Go to web page with historical data for series CUUR0100SA0L1E
300.367301.822303.8065.01.10.7

Footnotes
(1) Indexes on a December 1982=100 base.
(2) Indexes on a December 1997=100 base.
(3) Special index based on a substantially smaller sample.
(4) Indexes on a December 1993=100 base.
(5) Indexes on a December 1977=100 base.

 

Last Modified Date: Thursday, March 10, 2022