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News Release Information

17-610-KAN
Friday, May 12, 2017

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

Consumer Price Index, Midwest Region – April 2017

Prices in the Midwest up 0.4 percent in April and 1.8 percent higher over the year

The April Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) in the Midwest rose 0.4 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The monthly advance was led by higher costs for motor fuel (4.9 percent) and shelter (0.3 percent). The broader energy index was up 2.4 percent and the index for all items less food and energy, which includes shelter, increased 0.2 percent. Food prices registered little movement (0.1 percent) over the month. (Data in this report are not seasonally adjusted. Accordingly, month-to-month changes may reflect the impact of seasonal influences.)

The CPI-U for the Midwest rose 1.8 percent from April 2016 to April 2017. (See chart 1 and table A.) The energy index, which includes motor fuel and household fuels, was up 9.6 percent and food prices were unchanged. Excluding food and energy, the CPI-U advanced 1.4 percent over the year. (See table 1.)

Food

Food prices in the Midwest registered little movement (0.1 percent) in April. The index for food at home was unchanged, while costs for food away from home rose a slight 0.1 percent over the month.

From April 2016 to April 2017, the index for food was unchanged. Prices for food at home were down 1.2 percent. This over-the-year measure has declined every month since October 2015. Costs for food away from home rose 1.8 percent over the year, offsetting the decrease in the food at home index.

Energy

The energy index rose 2.4 percent in April. Higher prices for motor fuel, up 4.9 percent, were largely responsible for the increase in the energy component. Electricity prices also contributed to the advance, rising 0.5 percent over the month. Costs for utility (piped) gas service were virtually unchanged (-0.1 percent).

Energy costs increased 9.6 percent from April 2016 to April 2017. Motor fuel prices rose 14.6 percent over the year. Costs for utility (piped) gas service were 14.4-percent higher and prices for electricity were up 1.4 percent.

All items less food and energy

The index for all items less food and energy for the Midwest increased 0.2 percent in April. Expenditure categories registering higher prices over the month included shelter (0.3 percent) and apparel (1.8 percent). Partially offsetting the increases, costs for education and communication declined 0.6 percent over the month.

The index for all items less food and energy was up 1.4 percent from April 2016 to April 2017. Higher costs for shelter (2.5 percent) and medical care services (2.9 percent) led the advance.

The Midwest Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) stood at 229.682 in April 2017. A typical market basket of goods and services that cost $100.00 in the 1982-84 base period cost $229.68 in April 2017.

CPI-W

In April, the Midwest Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) was 223.577, up 0.4 percent over the month. The CPI-W increased 1.7 percent over the year.

Table A. Midwest region CPI-U 1-month and 12-month percent changes, all items index, not seasonally adjusted
Month20132014201520162017
1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month1-month12-month

January

0.11.30.51.4-0.6-0.30.30.80.72.2

February

1.12.20.60.90.3-0.50.00.40.22.4

March

0.21.40.91.50.6-0.90.60.50.11.9

April

-0.11.20.31.90.1-1.10.40.80.41.8

May

0.51.80.21.60.4-0.80.40.8  

June

0.32.20.51.70.5-0.70.60.8  

July

-0.41.8-0.31.80.0-0.5-0.50.4  

August

0.11.2-0.21.60.0-0.30.10.6  

September

0.11.00.11.6-0.3-0.80.21.1  

October

-0.50.8-0.51.6-0.1-0.3-0.11.0  

November

-0.21.0-0.61.2-0.5-0.2-0.31.2  

December

-0.21.0-0.70.7-0.60.00.11.8  

The May 2017 Consumer Price Index for the Midwest region is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, June 14, 2017.


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 89 percent of the total population and (2) a CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) which covers approximately 28 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 6,000 housing units and approximately 24,000 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: (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-
Feb.
2017
Mar.
2017
Apr.
2017
Apr.
2016
Feb.
2017
Mar.
2017

Expenditure category

 
 

All Items

228.633228.824229.6821.80.50.4

All items (December 1977=100)

371.998372.309373.705   

Food and beverages

240.532240.842241.0560.10.20.1

Food

240.000240.330240.5320.00.20.1

Food at home

225.558225.919226.011-1.20.20.0

Food away from home

264.278264.553264.9441.80.30.1

Alcoholic beverages

245.662245.680246.0630.70.20.2

Housing

219.711219.759220.3512.50.30.3

Shelter

260.016260.312261.0772.50.40.3

Rent of primary residence(1)

259.003259.587260.4463.00.60.3

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

263.834264.395265.0722.80.50.3

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

263.812264.370265.0442.80.50.3

Fuels and utilities

218.321217.084217.6465.1-0.30.3

Household energy

178.854177.386177.8505.5-0.60.3

Energy services(1)

185.745184.406184.9415.2-0.40.3

Electricity(1)

197.811198.192199.1581.40.70.5

Utility (piped) gas service(1)

154.476150.422150.22314.4-2.8-0.1

Household furnishings and operations

114.268114.349114.475-0.50.20.1

Apparel

116.785118.906121.0452.43.61.8

Transportation

193.850195.223197.9853.02.11.4

Private transportation

188.209189.455191.8613.21.91.3

New and used motor vehicles(3)

97.20797.25997.357-2.10.20.1

New vehicles

140.337139.876139.372-0.3-0.7-0.4

New cars and trucks(3)(4)

99.12198.80298.443-0.4-0.7-0.4

New cars(4)

137.672136.562136.2700.4-1.0-0.2

Used cars and trucks

138.424139.845140.920-4.81.80.8

Motor fuel

202.461206.882216.98614.67.24.9

Gasoline (all types)

201.278205.745215.92114.57.34.9

Gasoline, unleaded regular(4)

195.197199.746210.11214.77.65.2

Gasoline, Unleaded midgrade(4)(5)

237.973241.431249.02112.94.63.1

Gasoline, unleaded premium(4)

226.251229.830238.39913.55.43.7

Medical Care

480.573479.253479.0113.0-0.3-0.1

Medical care commodities

388.355389.610389.1713.20.2-0.1

Medical care services

511.508509.274509.1032.9-0.50.0

Professional services

415.610414.303415.1673.5-0.10.2

Recreation(3)

120.781121.447121.5782.20.70.1

Education and communication(3)

140.076137.614136.820-2.8-2.3-0.6

Other goods and services

412.232412.323413.4531.70.30.3
 

Commodity and Service Group

 
 

All Items

228.633228.824229.6821.80.50.4

Commodities

176.119176.752177.9041.01.00.7

Commodities less food & beverages

144.935145.677147.1691.51.51.0

Nondurables less food & beverages

187.154188.947192.1084.52.61.7

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel

233.321234.914238.7495.22.31.6

Durables

103.741103.652103.805-2.30.10.1

Services

282.777282.517283.0772.40.10.2

Rent of shelter(2)

267.212267.501268.2852.50.40.3

Transportation services

303.383304.921307.5242.61.40.9

Other services

337.388335.480334.6510.5-0.8-0.2
 

Special aggregate indexes:

 
 

All items less medical care

216.705216.968217.8791.70.50.4

All items less food

226.666226.834227.7972.10.50.4

All items less shelter

219.580219.735220.6351.50.50.4

Commodities less food

148.084148.811150.2811.51.51.0

Nondurables

213.412214.506216.2762.11.30.8

Nondurables less food

190.250191.943194.9494.32.51.6

Nondurables less food and apparel

233.040234.487237.9984.82.11.5

Services less rent of shelter(2)

316.220315.348315.6972.2-0.20.1

Services less medical care services

265.732265.616266.2292.30.20.2

Energy

189.806190.872195.4969.63.02.4

All items less energy

235.303235.410235.9081.20.30.2

All items less food and energy

235.165235.232235.7851.40.30.2

Commodities less food and energy commodities

144.568144.920145.431-0.50.60.4

Energy commodities

202.786206.720216.33914.56.74.7

Services less energy services

295.187295.040295.6072.20.10.2

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 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-
Feb.
2017
Mar.
2017
Apr.
2017
Apr.
2016
Feb.
2017
Mar.
2017

Expenditure category

 
 

All Items

222.507222.671223.5771.70.50.4

All items (December 1977=100)

359.843360.109361.573   

Food and beverages

240.160240.395240.588-0.20.20.1

Food

239.608239.831240.033-0.20.20.1

Food at home

226.040226.238226.316-1.30.10.0

Food away from home

265.274265.546266.0031.70.30.2

Alcoholic beverages

247.413247.850247.8860.90.20.0

Housing

214.683214.753215.3002.60.30.3

Shelter

248.857249.247249.9382.60.40.3

Rent of primary residence(1)

259.662260.233261.0983.00.60.3

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

245.864246.367246.9792.70.50.2

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

245.859246.361246.9722.70.50.2

Fuels and utilities

219.524218.253218.8245.0-0.30.3

Household energy

179.754178.265178.7525.3-0.60.3

Energy services(1)

185.175183.871184.4125.1-0.40.3

Electricity(1)

196.274196.622197.4681.30.60.4

Utility (piped) gas service(1)

155.892151.742151.71914.8-2.70.0

Household furnishings and operations

112.130112.114112.176-0.80.00.1

Apparel

114.376116.868119.3043.04.32.1

Transportation

190.281191.812194.7033.02.31.5

Private transportation

186.740188.251191.0083.12.31.5

New and used motor vehicles(3)

96.35396.65596.914-2.80.60.3

New vehicles

143.513143.165142.541-0.4-0.7-0.4

Used cars and trucks

138.957140.374141.436-4.91.80.8

Motor fuel

202.924207.244217.30314.37.14.9

Gasoline (all types)

201.654206.006216.13514.37.24.9

Gasoline, unleaded regular(4)

195.433199.830210.15114.47.55.2

Gasoline, unleaded midgrade(4)(5)

237.786241.333248.76712.84.63.1

Gasoline, unleaded premium(4)

225.941229.518237.97713.35.33.7

Medical Care

486.218484.826484.3832.8-0.4-0.1

Medical care commodities

380.004381.467380.2912.70.1-0.3

Medical care services

519.192516.796516.6192.9-0.50.0

Professional services

418.363416.540417.3293.4-0.20.2

Recreation(3)

116.270116.727117.0731.60.70.3

Education and communication(3)

131.596128.624127.522-3.9-3.1-0.9

Other goods and services

459.798460.521462.5092.00.60.4
 

Commodity and Service Group

 
 

All Items

222.507222.671223.5771.70.50.4

Commodities

178.109178.934180.3351.01.20.8

Commodities less food & beverages

148.075149.107150.9401.71.91.2

Nondurables less food & beverages

194.004196.177200.0455.43.12.0

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel

242.974245.039249.7996.02.81.9

Durables

105.138105.278105.523-2.80.40.2

Services

274.870274.338274.7392.20.00.1

Rent of shelter(2)

247.271247.646248.3322.60.40.3

Transportation services

304.810305.842307.5202.90.90.5

Other services

310.890307.696306.731-0.5-1.3-0.3
 

Special aggregate indexes:

 
 

All items less medical care

212.399212.623213.5801.60.60.5

All items less food

219.025219.180220.1952.10.50.5

All items less shelter

215.535215.620216.6121.30.50.5

Commodities less food

151.040152.064153.8661.71.91.2

Nondurables

217.296218.557220.6932.41.61.0

Nondurables less food

196.724198.812202.4915.12.91.9

Nondurables less food and apparel

241.761243.689248.0625.62.61.8

Services less rent of shelter(2)

279.462278.009278.0681.8-0.50.0

Services less medical care services

258.758258.341258.7742.10.00.2

Energy

189.751190.961195.8849.83.22.6

All items less energy

228.394228.435228.8711.00.20.2

All items less food and energy

226.292226.299226.7781.20.20.2

Commodities less food and energy commodities

146.977147.582148.189-0.80.80.4

Energy commodities

203.338207.152216.74614.26.64.6

Services less energy services

286.747286.307286.6922.00.00.1

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 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: Friday, May 12, 2017