Consumer Price Index, Midwest Region – September 2024

Prices in the Midwest Region, as measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), were unchanged in September, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (See table A.) A 4.5-percent decrease in the energy index was balanced out by a 0.3-percent advance in the index for all items less food and energy and a 0.5-percent increase in the food index over the month. (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 2.5 percent. (See chart 1.) The index for all items less food and energy increased 3.4 percent over the year, while the food index advanced 2.0 percent. Energy prices declined 5.9 percent, largely the result of a decrease in the index for gasoline. (See table 1.)

Food

Food prices advanced 0.5 percent for the month of September. The index for food at home (grocery store prices) increased 0.7 percent, and the index for food away from home (restaurant, cafeteria, and vending purchases) rose 0.3 percent during the same period. Within the food at home category, the indexes for fruits and vegetables (+1.8 percent) and nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials (+1.2 percent) led advances.

Over the year, food prices rose 2.0 percent. Prices for food away from home were up 3.4 percent, and prices for food at home advanced 1.2 percent since a year ago. The increase within food at home was led by the index for meats, poultry, fish and eggs, up 3.0 percent.

Energy

The energy index was down 4.5 percent over the month, largely due to lower prices for gasoline (-8.1 percent). The indexes for natural gas service and electricity also fell, 1.5 percent and 0.5 percent, respectively, for the same period.

From September 2023 to September 2024, energy prices decreased 5.9 percent, almost entirely due to a decline in the gasoline index (-14.3 percent). The indexes for electricity and natural gas service both rose, 2.7 percent and 5.4 percent, respectively, somewhat moderating the fall in prices over the year.

All items less food and energy

The index for all items less food and energy advanced 0.3 percent in September. Higher prices for apparel (+4.1 percent), owners' equivalent rent of residences (+0.4 percent), and medical care services (+0.7 percent) were partially offset by lower prices for lodging away from home, and recreation (-1.5 percent).

Over the year, the index for all items less food and energy increased 3.4 percent. The increase was primarily led by the index for owners' equivalent rent of residence (+6.1 percent). A decrease in the index for used cars and trucks (-4.1 percent) led component declines.

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

Month	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024
1-month	12-month	1-month	12-month	1-month	12-month	1-month	12-month	1-month	12-month
January	0.4	2.5	0.5	1.2	0.8	7.9	0.8	6.0	0.3	2.7
February	0.3	2.1	0.8	1.7	0.9	8.0	0.5	5.6	0.6	2.8
March	-0.5	1.0	0.7	3.0	1.3	8.6	0.6	4.9	0.7	2.8
April	-1.1	-0.4	0.8	4.9	0.5	8.2	0.6	4.9	0.5	2.8
May	0.3	-0.4	1.0	5.6	1.5	8.8	0.3	3.7	0.2	2.7
June	0.8	0.4	1.0	5.8	1.6	9.5	0.4	2.4	0.1	2.5
July	0.5	0.7	0.6	5.9	-0.2	8.6	0.3	2.9	0.5	2.7
August	0.4	1.1	0.2	5.7	-0.2	8.1	0.2	3.4	0.1	2.6
September	0.2	1.3	0.2	5.7	0.2	8.1	0.1	3.2	0.0	2.5
October	-0.1	1.0	0.8	6.6	0.1	7.4	-0.1	2.9
November	-0.2	1.0	0.4	7.3	-0.2	6.8	-0.2	2.9
December	0.1	1.1	0.3	7.5	-0.5	6.0	-0.2	3.2

The October 2024 Consumer Price Index for the Midwest Region is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, November 13, 2024..

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

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, Midwest Region, (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted) (not seasonally adjusted)

Expenditure category	Indexes	Percent change from
Jul. 2024	Aug. 2024	Sep. 2024	Sep. 2023	Jul. 2024	Aug. 2024
All items	292.256	292.559	292.547	2.5	0.1	0.0
All items (December 1977 = 100)	475.518	476.010	475.990
Food and beverages	316.712	316.497	317.971	2.0	0.4	0.5
Food	318.096	317.834	319.487	2.0	0.4	0.5
Food at home	291.065	290.118	292.066	1.2	0.3	0.7
Cereals and bakery products	337.720	337.602	341.091	0.6	1.0	1.0
Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs	318.712	318.943	321.191	3.0	0.8	0.7
Dairy and related products	247.328	245.066	247.211	0.6	0.0	0.9
Fruits and vegetables	320.105	315.521	321.073	-0.5	0.3	1.8
Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials	214.987	213.695	216.279	2.8	0.6	1.2
Other food at home	259.462	260.038	258.809	0.6	-0.3	-0.5
Food away from home	362.442	363.576	364.579	3.4	0.6	0.3
Alcoholic beverages	297.190	297.625	296.625	1.4	-0.2	-0.3
Housing	293.594	294.606	294.812	4.8	0.4	0.1
Shelter	354.016	355.828	355.991	5.8	0.6	0.0
Rent of primary residence(1)	354.887	356.635	358.075	5.7	0.9	0.4
Owners' equivalent rent of residences(1)(2)	359.460	361.819	363.237	6.1	1.1	0.4
Owners' equivalent rent of primary residence(1)(2)	359.340	361.707	363.125	6.1	1.1	0.4
Fuels and utilities	279.655	279.047	277.552	3.3	-0.8	-0.5
Household energy	226.939	226.283	224.609	3.1	-1.0	-0.7
Energy services(1)	235.403	234.765	232.890	3.5	-1.1	-0.8
Electricity(1)	249.365	250.510	249.192	2.7	-0.1	-0.5
Utility (piped) gas service(1)	191.239	187.353	184.593	5.4	-3.5	-1.5
Household furnishings and operations	139.936	139.508	140.699	-0.2	0.5	0.9
Apparel	119.659	120.732	125.726	2.0	5.1	4.1
Transportation	264.975	263.510	260.615	-1.7	-1.6	-1.1
Private transportation	264.951	263.155	259.598	-1.7	-2.0	-1.4
New and used motor vehicles(3)	125.576	124.997	125.223	-1.6	-0.3	0.2
New vehicles	172.502	172.280	172.094	-0.9	-0.2	-0.1
New cars and trucks(3)(4)
New cars(4)	167.202	166.878	166.477	-1.5	-0.4	-0.2
Used cars and trucks	181.078	179.554	179.779	-4.1	-0.7	0.1
Motor fuel	315.445	308.397	283.882	-14.6	-10.0	-7.9
Gasoline (all types)	315.723	308.498	283.640	-14.3	-10.2	-8.1
Gasoline, unleaded regular(4)	307.217	299.753	274.918	-14.7	-10.5	-8.3
Gasoline, unleaded midgrade(4)(5)	371.445	366.284	341.214	-11.4	-8.1	-6.8
Gasoline, unleaded premium(4)	351.741	347.946	326.835	-9.6	-7.1	-6.1
Medical care	555.500	556.448	558.850	2.3	0.6	0.4
Medical care commodities	396.575	397.125	394.872	0.1	-0.4	-0.6
Medical care services	608.111	609.193	613.194	2.7	0.8	0.7
Professional services	469.103	468.475	473.691	1.7	1.0	1.1
Recreation(3)	142.115	142.035	139.928	0.1	-1.5	-1.5
Education and communication(3)	143.341	143.770	143.856	0.8	0.4	0.1
Tuition, other school fees, and child care(6)	1,325.577	1,332.734	1,351.369	3.8	1.9	1.4
Other goods and services	556.230	556.903	559.477	6.8	0.6	0.5
Commodity and service group
Commodities	218.293	217.649	216.997	-1.1	-0.6	-0.3
Commodities less food and beverages	173.448	172.691	171.347	-2.9	-1.2	-0.8
Nondurables less food and beverages	228.187	227.260	223.541	-3.2	-2.0	-1.6
Durables	120.973	120.401	120.726	-2.9	-0.2	0.3
Services	368.160	369.409	370.034	4.9	0.5	0.2
Special aggregate indexes
All items less shelter	272.553	272.281	272.202	1.0	-0.1	0.0
All items less medical care	279.912	280.182	280.047	2.6	0.0	0.0
Commodities less food	177.214	176.480	175.136	-2.8	-1.2	-0.8
Nondurables	271.516	270.901	269.498	-0.3	-0.7	-0.5
Nondurables less food	231.842	230.986	227.408	-2.9	-1.9	-1.5
Services less rent of shelter(2)	392.319	392.957	393.972	3.8	0.4	0.3
Services less medical care services	350.404	351.668	352.033	5.2	0.5	0.1
Energy	267.668	264.171	252.351	-5.9	-5.7	-4.5
All items less energy	298.385	299.026	300.056	3.2	0.6	0.3
All items less food and energy	295.870	296.655	297.588	3.4	0.6	0.3
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) 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. (6) Indexes on a December 1977=100 base.
Note: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.