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Midwest Region Consumer Price Index (CPI) - September 2004
The Consumer Price Index for the Midwest increased 0.2 percent in September, the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. According to Acting Regional Commissioner Stanley W. Suchman, increasing prices for apparel, due in part to seasonal changes, had the largest impact on the index. 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.
Apparel prices rose 5.5 percent in September following a 2.2 percent increase in August. Apparel prices have risen each September since monthly publication of the index began in 1987. Over the previous five years the September increase has averaged 4.9 percent. Over the year, apparel prices were down 0.8 percent.
Education and communication prices rose 1.5 percent in September after rising 0.5 percent in August. During five of the seven years that it has been published, the largest monthly increase in the education and communication index occurred in September and those increases averaged 1.4 percent. Prices for education and communication were up 2.0 percent over the year.
Transportation prices decreased for the fourth straight month, falling 0.4 percent in September. Prices for new and used motor vehicles were up 0.1 percent. Prices for new vehicles decreased 0.9 percent while prices for used cars and trucks rose 2.1 percent. Prices for motor fuel continued to decrease in September, falling 1.5 percent. Motor fuel prices have decreased 7.8 percent since May. Over the year, transportation prices were up 2.1 percent.
Prices for housing edged down 0.2 percent in September following a decrease of 0.1 percent in August. The index for shelter was unchanged. Rent of primary residence rose 0.3 percent while owners' equivalent rent of primary residence inched up 0.1 percent. Prices for fuels and utilities were down 1.2 percent after increasing 0.4 percent in August. Prices for electricity were down 0.1 percent and prices for utility (piped) gas service fell 3.6 percent. Prices for household furnishings and operations were up 0.1 percent for the month.
For the year, housing prices were up 2.2 percent. Shelter costs increased 2.4 percent and fuels and utilities prices rose 4.3 percent. Electricity prices were up 1.4 percent over the year, while prices for utility (piped) gas service rose 7.2 percent. Prices for household furnishings and operations declined 1.8 percent over the same period.
Food and beverages prices fell 0.2 percent in September as decreasing prices for food at home offset increases in prices for food away from home. Prices for food at home fell 0.7 percent after remaining unchanged in August, while prices for food away from home rose 0.4 percent in September after rising 0.3 percent the prior month. Alcoholic beverages prices increased 1.1 percent. For the year, prices for food and beverages were up 3.0 percent, with a 2.8 percent increase in prices for food at home and a 3.3 percent increase in prices for food away from home. Prices for alcoholic beverages rose 3.3 percent over the year.
Medical care costs increased 0.3 percent over the month. Medical care commodities prices increased 0.4 percent and medical care services prices rose 0.3 percent. Within medical care services, costs for professional services were up 0.2 percent. Over the year, medical care costs rose 5.4 percent, with prices for medical care commodities up 2.6 percent and prices for medical care services up 6.3 percent.
Recreation prices, which include admissions to movies, concerts, and sporting events, edged up 0.1 percent in September. Recreation prices increased 0.9 percent over the year.
Prices for other goods and services, which include prices for tobacco and other smoking products, rose 0.2 percent in September and were up 2.0 percent for the year.
The Midwest Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) stood at 183.6 in September. A typical market basket of goods and services that cost $100.00 in the 1982-84 base period cost $183.60 in September 2004.
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Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U):
Indexes and percent changes for selected periods
Midwest(1) (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted)
Indexes Percent change from-
Item and Group
July Aug. Sep. Sep. July Aug.
2004 2004 2004 2003 2004 2004
Expenditure category
All items................................. 183.2 183.3 183.6 2.3 0.2 0.2
All items (December 1977=100) ............ 298.0 298.2 298.8 - - -
Food and beverages....................... 181.5 181.7 181.4 3.0 -.1 -.2
Food.................................... 180.8 181.0 180.5 3.0 -.2 -.3
Food at home........................... 178.7 178.7 177.4 2.8 -.7 -.7
Food away from home.................... 184.5 185.0 185.7 3.3 .7 .4
Alcoholic beverages..................... 189.8 190.3 192.3 3.3 1.3 1.1
Housing.................................. 181.4 181.2 180.8 2.2 -.3 -.2
Shelter................................. 210.4 210.2 210.1 2.4 -.1 .0
Rent of primary residence (2).......... 199.3 199.2 199.7 1.4 .2 .3
Owners' equivalent rent of primary
residence (2) (3) ................. 213.2 213.4 213.6 1.5 .2 .1
Fuels and utilities..................... 167.7 168.3 166.2 4.3 -.9 -1.2
Fuels.................................. 148.7 149.2 146.9 4.4 -1.2 -1.5
Gas (piped) and electricity (2)....... 155.6 155.9 153.3 3.9 -1.5 -1.7
Electricity (2)...................... 140.4 140.8 140.6 1.4 .1 -.1
Utility (piped) gas service (2)...... 184.6 184.7 178.0 7.2 -3.6 -3.6
Household furnishings and operations.... 119.0 117.8 117.9 -1.8 -.9 .1
Apparel.................................. 108.6 111.0 117.1 -.8 7.8 5.5
Transportation........................... 163.2 162.9 162.2 2.1 -.6 -.4
Private transportation.................. 159.0 158.9 158.4 2.4 -.4 -.3
New and used motor vehicles (4)........ 93.3 93.1 93.2 -1.5 -.1 .1
New vehicles.......................... 132.5 131.3 130.1 -1.8 -1.8 -.9
New cars and trucks (4) (5).......... 93.4 92.5 91.7 -1.8 -1.8 -.9
New cars (5)......................... 126.9 125.9 124.6 -1.9 -1.8 -1.0
Used cars and trucks.................. 132.3 134.1 136.9 -1.8 3.5 2.1
Motor fuel............................. 166.5 165.5 163.0 10.0 -2.1 -1.5
Gasoline (all types).................. 165.7 164.7 162.3 10.0 -2.1 -1.5
Gasoline, unleaded regular (5)....... 164.7 163.6 161.2 10.2 -2.1 -1.5
Gasoline, unleaded midgrade (5) (6).. 180.0 179.7 176.6 9.2 -1.9 -1.7
Gasoline, unleaded premium (5)....... 166.3 165.1 162.7 9.2 -2.2 -1.5
Medical care............................. 307.7 309.1 310.0 5.4 .7 .3
Medical care commodities................ 267.2 267.4 268.4 2.6 .4 .4
Medical care services................... 319.8 321.6 322.5 6.3 .8 .3
Professional services.................. 285.5 286.3 287.0 5.7 0.5 0.2
Recreation (4)........................... 109.1 109.1 109.2 .9 .1 .1
Education and communication (4).......... 112.5 113.1 114.8 2.0 2.0 1.5
Other goods and services................. 294.7 295.0 295.7 2.0 .3 .2
Commodity and service group
All items................................. 183.2 183.3 183.6 2.3 .2 .2
Commodities.............................. 150.1 150.2 150.8 1.5 .5 .4
Commodities less food and beverages..... 133.5 133.6 134.5 .4 .7 .7
Nondurables less food and beverages.... 154.4 155.1 156.9 2.8 1.6 1.2
Nondurables less food, beverages, and
apparel........................... 185.1 184.7 184.0 4.4 -.6 -.4
Durables............................... 110.8 110.3 110.4 -2.4 -.4 .1
Services................................. 217.6 217.8 217.8 2.9 .1 .0
Rent of shelter (3) .................... 216.2 215.9 215.9 2.5 -.1 .0
Transportation services................. 226.4 226.0 225.1 1.7 -.6 -.4
Other services.......................... 255.7 256.7 259.1 3.0 1.3 .9
Special aggregate indexes
All items less medical care............... 177.0 177.0 177.3 2.1 .2 .2
All items less food....................... 183.5 183.6 184.1 2.2 .3 .3
All items less shelter.................... 175.2 175.4 175.9 2.3 .4 .3
Commodities less food..................... 135.4 135.5 136.5 .6 .8 .7
Nondurables............................... 167.9 168.4 169.3 3.0 .8 .5
Nondurables less food..................... 156.4 157.0 158.9 2.9 1.6 1.2
Nondurables less food and apparel......... 184.7 184.4 183.9 4.3 -.4 -.3
Services less rent of shelter (3) ........ 231.2 231.8 232.0 3.5 .3 .1
Services less medical care services....... 209.1 209.1 209.1 2.7 .0 .0
Energy.................................... 156.1 155.9 153.5 6.9 -1.7 -1.5
All items less energy..................... 188.2 188.4 189.1 1.9 .5 .4
All items less food and energy........... 190.2 190.4 191.2 1.6 .5 .4
Commodities less food and energy
commodities......................... 135.1 135.2 136.8 -.9 1.3 1.2
Energy commodities...................... 165.8 165.1 162.9 10.3 -1.7 -1.3
Services less energy services........... 225.8 226.0 226.3 2.8 0.2 0.1
1 The 'North Central' region has been renamed the 'Midwest' region by the Census Bureau.
It is composed of the same geographic entities.
2 This index series was calculated using a Laspeyres estimator. All other item stratum
index series were calculated using a geometric means estimator.
3 Index is on a December 1982=100 base.
4 Indexes on a December 1997=100 base.
5 Special index based on a substantially smaller sample.
6 Indexes on a December 1993=100 base.
- Data not available.
Regions defined as the four Census regions.
NOTE: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.
Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W):
Indexes and percent changes for selected periods
Midwest(1) (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted)
Indexes Percent change from-
Item and Group
July Aug. Sep. Sep. July Aug.
2004 2004 2004 2003 2004 2004
Expenditure category
All items................................. 178.0 178.2 178.6 2.3 0.3 0.2
All items (December 1977=100) ............ 287.8 288.1 288.8 - - -
Food and beverages....................... 181.7 181.9 181.7 3.1 .0 -.1
Food.................................... 180.9 181.2 180.8 3.1 -.1 -.2
Food at home........................... 179.0 179.1 177.9 3.0 -.6 -.7
Food away from home.................... 184.6 185.1 185.9 3.3 .7 .4
Alcoholic beverages..................... 190.5 191.0 193.2 3.5 1.4 1.2
Housing.................................. 175.1 175.0 174.8 2.0 -.2 -.1
Shelter................................. 199.7 199.6 199.8 2.1 .1 .1
Rent of primary residence (2).......... 199.4 199.3 199.9 1.5 .3 .3
Owners' equivalent rent of primary
residence (2) (3)................. 198.3 198.4 198.7 1.5 .2 .2
Fuels and utilities..................... 168.4 169.1 167.1 4.6 -.8 -1.2
Fuels.................................. 148.9 149.4 147.3 4.6 -1.1 -1.4
Gas (piped) and electricity (2)....... 155.6 155.8 153.4 4.2 -1.4 -1.5
Electricity (2)...................... 139.9 140.3 140.2 1.6 .2 -.1
Utility (piped) gas service (2)...... 185.1 185.3 178.7 7.5 -3.5 -3.6
Household furnishings and operations.... 115.1 114.0 114.2 -2.2 -.8 .2
Apparel.................................. 108.0 110.0 115.7 -1.2 7.1 5.2
Transportation........................... 161.4 161.4 161.1 2.4 -.2 -.2
Private transportation.................. 158.7 158.8 158.7 2.6 .0 -.1
New and used motor vehicles (4)........ 92.3 92.4 92.9 -1.3 .7 .5
New vehicles.......................... 135.3 133.9 132.8 -1.8 -1.8 -.8
Used cars and trucks.................. 133.6 135.3 138.1 -1.7 3.4 2.1
Motor fuel............................. 166.8 165.9 163.4 9.8 -2.0 -1.5
Gasoline (all types).................. 166.0 165.1 162.6 9.8 -2.0 -1.5
Gasoline, unleaded regular (5)....... 165.0 163.9 161.4 10.0 -2.2 -1.5
Gasoline, unleaded midgrade (5) (6).. 179.8 179.6 176.4 9.0 -1.9 -1.8
Gasoline, unleaded premium (5)....... 166.1 165.0 162.5 9.0 -2.2 -1.5
Medical care............................. 308.4 309.8 310.9 5.5 .8 .4
Medical care commodities................ 261.7 261.9 263.2 2.5 .6 .5
Medical care services................... 321.0 322.9 323.9 6.5 .9 .3
Professional services.................. 287.1 287.8 288.5 5.9 .5 .2
Recreation (4)........................... 106.1 106.0 106.1 0.7 0.0 0.1
Education and communication (4).......... 110.9 111.4 112.8 1.4 1.7 1.3
Other goods and services................. 301.9 302.0 302.7 2.4 .3 .2
Commodity and service group
All items................................. 178.0 178.2 178.6 2.3 .3 .2
Commodities.............................. 149.9 150.0 150.7 1.6 .5 .5
Commodities less food and beverages..... 133.7 133.7 134.7 .7 .7 .7
Nondurables less food and beverages.... 158.0 158.5 159.9 3.2 1.2 .9
Nondurables less food, beverages, and
apparel........................... 189.5 189.1 188.2 4.7 -.7 -.5
Durables............................... 109.0 108.8 109.3 -2.0 .3 .5
Services................................. 212.1 212.3 212.5 2.8 .2 .1
Rent of shelter (3).................... 198.3 198.3 198.4 2.1 .1 .1
Transportation services................. 224.8 224.8 224.5 2.1 -.1 -.1
Other services.......................... 243.5 244.3 246.3 2.7 1.1 .8
Special aggregate indexes
All items less medical care............... 172.6 172.8 173.2 2.1 .3 .2
All items less food....................... 177.2 177.4 177.9 2.1 .4 .3
All items less shelter.................... 172.5 172.8 173.3 2.4 .5 .3
Commodities less food..................... 135.5 135.6 136.6 .8 .8 .7
Nondurables............................... 170.0 170.4 171.1 3.1 .6 .4
Nondurables less food..................... 159.9 160.3 161.8 3.1 1.2 .9
Nondurables less food and apparel......... 188.7 188.4 187.9 4.4 -.4 -.3
Services less rent of shelter (3)........ 207.4 207.9 208.0 3.5 .3 .0
Services less medical care services....... 203.8 204.0 204.1 2.5 .1 .0
Energy.................................... 156.5 156.3 154.0 7.0 -1.6 -1.5
All items less energy..................... 182.1 182.3 183.0 1.7 .5 .4
All items less food and energy........... 182.6 182.8 183.8 1.4 .7 .5
Commodities less food and energy
commodities......................... 133.9 134.1 135.7 -.9 1.3 1.2
Energy commodities...................... 166.4 165.8 163.4 10.0 -1.8 -1.4
Services less energy services........... 219.6 219.9 220.3 2.6 .3 .2
1 The 'North Central' region has been renamed the 'Midwest' region by the Census Bureau.
It is composed of the same geographic entities.
2 This index series was calculated using a Laspeyres estimator. All other item stratum
index series were calculated using a geometric means estimator.
3 Index is on a December 1984=100 base.
4 Indexes on a December 1997=100 base.
5 Special index based on a substantially smaller sample.
6 Indexes on a December 1993=100 base.
- Data not available.
Regions defined as the four Census regions.
NOTE: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.
Last Modified Date: October 19, 2004
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