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News Release Information

14-1980-KAN
Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (816) 285-7000

Consumer Price Index, Midwest Region – September 2014

Prices in the Midwest little changed in September but 1.6 percent higher over the year

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) in the Midwest registered little movement in September (up 0.1 percent), the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Higher prices for apparel (3.6 percent) had the largest upward impact on the index. Apparel prices typically rise in September reflecting seasonal trends. Lower costs for electricity (-1.6 percent) and motor fuel (-0.6 percent) registered the largest offsetting movements. Overall, the energy index declined 1.0 percent. The index for food rose 0.5 percent and prices for all items less food and energy were up 0.2 percent.

The CPI-U for the Midwest advanced 1.6 percent from September 2013 to September 2014. Food prices increased 3.6 percent and the energy index, which includes motor fuel and household fuels, was up 0.2 percent. Excluding food and energy, the CPI-U rose 1.5 percent over the year. (See chart 1.)

Food

Food prices in the Midwest increased 0.5 percent in September. The index for food at home rose 0.4 percent and costs for food away from home were 0.6 percent higher.  

From September 2013 to September 2014, the index for food advanced 3.6 percent, the largest annual increase since March 2012. Rising costs for food at home (3.9 percent) accounted for nearly two-thirds of the annual gain. A 3.1-percent increase in prices for food away from home also contributed to the yearly advance.

Energy

The energy index registered its third consecutive monthly decline and had the greatest downward impact on the all items index in September, falling 1.0 percent. The decrease in energy costs was led by a 1.6-percent drop in electricity prices. Costs for motor fuel were 0.6 percent lower, and utility (piped) gas service prices decreased 1.5 percent over the month.

Despite the monthly decline, the energy index advanced 0.2 percent from September 2013 to September 2014. Costs for electricity and utility (piped) gas service increased 4.5 and 9.1 percent, respectively, while prices for motor fuel decreased 4.0 percent over the year.

All items less food and energy

The index for all items less food and energy for the Midwest rose 0.2 percent September. Components registering higher prices over the month included apparel (3.6 percent) and shelter (0.2 percent). In contrast, among the expenditure categories posting lower prices over the month was used cars and trucks (-1.6 percent).

The index for all items less food and energy was up 1.5 percent from September 2013 to September 2014. Higher costs for shelter (2.1 percent) and medical care (2.6 percent) led the advance.

The Midwest Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) stood at 226.913 in September 2014. A typical market basket of goods and services that cost $100.00 in the 1982-84 base period cost $226.91 in September 2014. Because regional CPI data are not adjusted for seasonal price variation, consumers and businesses should be cautious in drawing conclusions about long-term retail price trends from short-term changes in the regional indexes.

CPI-W

In September, the Midwest Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) was 223.054, up 0.1 percent over the month. The CPI-W increased 1.6 percent over the year.

Table A. Midwest Region CPI-U monthly and annual percent changes (not seasonally adjusted)
Month200920102011201220132014
MonthlyAnnualMonthlyAnnualMonthlyAnnualMonthlyAnnualMonthlyAnnualMonthlyAnnual

January

0.6-0.30.52.90.51.90.62.80.11.30.51.4

February

0.3-0.20.02.50.32.20.22.71.12.20.60.9

March

0.3-0.80.42.60.92.71.02.80.21.40.91.5

April

0.2-1.50.22.70.73.30.22.3-0.11.20.31.9

May

0.4-1.90.12.40.63.8-0.11.50.51.80.21.6

June

1.1-1.70.01.20.03.9-0.11.40.32.20.51.7

July

-0.3-2.50.21.70.13.80.01.3-0.41.8-0.31.8

August

0.4-1.80.21.50.23.80.71.80.11.2-0.21.6

September

0.0-1.70.11.60.23.90.31.90.11.00.11.6

October

0.1-0.20.01.5-0.63.3-0.32.2-0.50.8  

November

0.32.20.11.20.03.3-0.41.8-0.21.0  

December

-0.33.00.21.8-0.22.8-0.21.8-0.21.0  

The October 2014 Consumer Price Index for the Midwest region is scheduled to be released on Thursday, November 20, 2014.


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 88 percent of the total population and (2) a CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) which covers approximately 29 percent of the total 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 87 urban areas across the country from about 4,000 housing units and approximately 26,000 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 (1982-84) that equals 100.0. An increase of 16.5 percent, for example, is shown as 116.5. This change can also be expressed in dollars as follows: the price of a base period "market basket" of goods and services in the CPI has risen from $10 in 1982-84 to $11.65. For further details see the CPI home page on the Internet at www.bls.gov/cpi and the BLS Handbook of Methods, Chapter 17, The Consumer Price Index, 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 areas; they only measure the average change in prices for each area since the base period.

The Midwest region is comprised of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: 202-691-5200; Federal Relay Service: 1-800-877-8339

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

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

 
Indexes
 
Percent change from-
Jul.
2014
Aug.
2014
Sep.
2014
Sep.
2013
Jul.
2014
Aug.
2014

Expenditure category

 
 

All Items

226.997226.587226.9131.60.00.1

All items (December 1977=100)

369.336368.670369.199   

Food and beverages

236.312237.128238.1613.50.80.4

Food

235.880236.682237.7743.60.80.5

Food at home

229.216230.152230.9653.90.80.4

Food away from home

246.886247.459249.0273.10.90.6

Alcoholic beverages

240.179241.190241.2961.80.50.0

Housing

211.842211.589211.4592.2-0.2-0.1

Shelter

244.121244.437244.8082.10.30.2

Rent of primary residence (1)

240.720241.446242.7392.50.80.5

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

247.455247.963248.6461.70.50.3

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

247.452247.958248.6391.70.50.3

Fuels and utilities

231.825229.864227.1815.7-2.0-1.2

Household energy

198.726196.373193.5175.9-2.6-1.5

Energy services (1)

206.269203.644200.4716.1-2.8-1.6

Electricity (1)

212.430212.579209.1764.5-1.5-1.6

Utility (piped) gas service (1)

186.149178.616175.9999.1-5.5-1.5

Household furnishings and operations

117.293116.257116.185-1.1-0.9-0.1

Apparel

119.556121.165125.5860.85.03.6

Transportation

220.327216.940216.227-0.9-1.9-0.3

Private transportation

214.792211.809211.342-0.8-1.6-0.2

New and used motor vehicles (3)

100.385100.30399.717-0.5-0.7-0.6

New vehicles

139.057138.519138.8680.4-0.10.3

New cars and trucks (3) (4)

98.35197.96598.1990.4-0.20.2

New cars (4)

135.518134.999135.202-0.4-0.20.2

Used cars and trucks

154.114154.462151.997-0.7-1.4-1.6

Motor fuel

320.439308.239306.255-4.0-4.4-0.6

Gasoline (all types)

318.493306.282304.333-4.2-4.4-0.6

Gasoline, unleaded regular (4)

315.668303.351301.447-4.5-4.5-0.6

Gasoline, Unleaded midgrade (4) (5)

354.570341.351337.524-3.4-4.8-1.1

Gasoline, unleaded premium (4)

316.518305.573304.077-3.2-3.9-0.5

Medical Care

441.813441.918442.7862.60.20.2

Medical care commodities

355.845356.242358.2574.90.70.6

Medical care services

470.687470.676471.0832.00.10.1

Professional services

387.211387.173387.2712.20.00.0

Recreation (3)

117.721117.438117.317-0.1-0.3-0.1

Education and communication (3)

139.782140.510140.7922.00.70.2

Other goods and services

394.249394.396394.5831.00.10.0
 

Commodity and Service Group

 
 

All Items

226.997226.587226.9131.60.00.1

Commodities

186.374185.678186.3310.80.00.4

Commodities less food & beverages

161.103159.786160.264-0.8-0.50.3

Nondurables less food & beverages

214.569212.311213.706-0.7-0.40.7

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel

276.635271.896271.369-1.0-1.9-0.2

Durables

108.941108.487108.154-1.0-0.7-0.3

Services

269.273269.145269.1482.30.00.0

Rent of shelter (2)

250.774251.089251.4572.10.30.1

Transportation services

286.862284.998285.1001.6-0.60.0

Other services

324.675325.197325.6591.60.30.1
 

Special aggregate indexes:

 
 

All items less medical care

216.831216.398216.6971.6-0.10.1

All items less food

225.454224.848225.0481.3-0.20.1

All items less shelter

223.243222.556222.8681.4-0.20.1

Commodities less food

163.781162.517162.988-0.7-0.50.3

Nondurables

226.049225.233226.4641.30.20.5

Nondurables less food

216.030213.939215.269-0.5-0.40.6

Nondurables less food and apparel

272.245267.997267.524-0.9-1.7-0.2

Services less rent of shelter (2)

305.331304.688304.2732.4-0.3-0.1

Services less medical care services

254.210254.074254.0492.3-0.10.0

Energy

252.339245.707243.2170.2-3.6-1.0

All items less energy

226.922227.154227.7751.80.40.3

All items less food and energy

225.987226.114226.6501.50.30.2

Commodities less food and energy commodities

147.033147.131147.9170.30.60.5

Energy commodities

317.374305.748303.953-3.8-4.2-0.6

Services less energy services

277.849277.995278.3472.00.20.1

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) Index is 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.
 

Regions defined as the four Census regions. Midwest includes Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
NOTE: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date. Data not seasonally adjusted.
 

Table 2. Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W): Indexes and percent changes for selected periods

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

 
Indexes
 
Percent change from-
Jul.
2014
Aug.
2014
Sep.
2014
Sep.
2013
Jul.
2014
Aug.
2014

Expenditure category

 
 

All Items

223.180222.737223.0541.6-0.10.1

All items (December 1977=100)

360.932360.215360.728   

Food and beverages

236.690237.718238.7133.60.90.4

Food

236.373237.393238.4483.70.90.4

Food at home

230.042231.270232.0094.00.90.3

Food away from home

247.555248.167249.8323.10.90.7

Alcoholic beverages

240.128241.276241.3021.70.50.0

Housing

207.115206.907206.8712.4-0.10.0

Shelter

233.274233.683234.2612.10.40.2

Rent of primary residence (1)

241.310242.061243.3682.50.90.5

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

230.553231.032231.7021.70.50.3

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

230.558231.036231.7071.70.50.3

Fuels and utilities

232.587230.605227.7935.5-2.1-1.2

Household energy

198.998196.686193.7215.6-2.7-1.5

Energy services (1)

204.991202.406199.1005.9-2.9-1.6

Electricity (1)

210.466210.594207.0274.2-1.6-1.7

Utility (piped) gas service (1)

187.815179.936177.2519.2-5.6-1.5

Household furnishings and operations

115.797114.745114.808-1.0-0.90.1

Apparel

117.403118.807123.4441.35.13.9

Transportation

221.865218.498217.673-1.1-1.9-0.4

Private transportation

218.409215.176214.516-1.0-1.8-0.3

New and used motor vehicles (3)

101.214101.150100.458-0.4-0.7-0.7

New vehicles

142.359141.890142.3280.30.00.3

Used cars and trucks

154.795155.142152.663-0.7-1.4-1.6

Motor fuel

321.278309.143307.094-3.9-4.4-0.7

Gasoline (all types)

319.195307.064305.044-4.2-4.4-0.7

Gasoline, unleaded regular (4)

316.120303.906301.938-4.4-4.5-0.6

Gasoline, unleaded midgrade (4) (5)

354.448341.232337.264-3.4-4.8-1.2

Gasoline, unleaded premium (4)

316.451305.568304.029-3.2-3.9-0.5

Medical Care

447.063447.132448.0382.60.20.2

Medical care commodities

349.839350.174352.3174.90.70.6

Medical care services

477.243477.201477.5821.90.10.1

Professional services

388.404388.458388.5632.30.00.0

Recreation (3)

114.284114.061113.9320.1-0.3-0.1

Education and communication (3)

132.718133.152133.2631.50.40.1

Other goods and services

436.336436.661436.7970.70.10.0
 

Commodity and Service Group

 
 

All Items

223.180222.737223.0541.6-0.10.1

Commodities

190.622189.825190.3620.6-0.10.3

Commodities less food & beverages

167.553165.968166.295-1.0-0.80.2

Nondurables less food & beverages

227.226224.236225.455-1.1-0.80.5

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel

294.595288.995288.232-1.7-2.2-0.3

Durables

111.479111.141110.698-0.6-0.7-0.4

Services

262.271262.224262.2952.30.00.0

Rent of shelter (2)

231.700232.100232.6612.10.40.2

Transportation services

283.683282.949283.8712.10.10.3

Other services

302.401302.733302.9181.40.20.1
 

Special aggregate indexes:

 
 

All items less medical care

214.555214.094214.3891.5-0.10.1

All items less food

220.541219.833220.0161.2-0.20.1

All items less shelter

221.994221.243221.4721.3-0.20.1

Commodities less food

169.897168.376168.697-0.9-0.70.2

Nondurables

232.736231.685232.8001.00.00.5

Nondurables less food

227.787225.015226.171-1.0-0.70.5

Nondurables less food and apparel

288.221283.202282.508-1.5-2.0-0.2

Services less rent of shelter (2)

271.421270.877270.3902.5-0.4-0.2

Services less medical care services

247.968247.922247.9752.40.00.0

Energy

255.221248.335245.809-0.3-3.7-1.0

All items less energy

221.000221.349222.0201.90.50.3

All items less food and energy

218.130218.339218.9301.50.40.3

Commodities less food and energy commodities

150.268150.373151.0590.40.50.5

Energy commodities

319.277307.621305.781-3.9-4.2-0.6

Services less energy services

269.854270.142270.6582.00.30.2

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) Index is on a December 1984=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.
 

Regions defined as the four Census regions. Midwest includes Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
NOTE: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date. Data not seasonally adjusted.
 

 

Last Modified Date: Wednesday, October 22, 2014