01/15/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/15/2025 11:10
25-55-SAN
Wednesday, January 15, 2025
Prices in the Seattle area, as measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), declined 0.5 percent for the two months ending in December 2024, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (See table A.) Regional Commissioner Chris Rosenlund noted that the December decrease was influenced by lower prices for medical care and recreation. (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 advanced 2.7 percent. (See chart 1 and table A.) Food prices rose 2.6 percent. Energy prices increased 1.6 percent, largely the result of increases in the prices of natural gas service and electricity. The index for all items less food and energy increased 2.8 percent over the year. (See table 1.)
Month | All items | All items less food and energy |
Dec 2021 |
7.6 | 6.5 |
Feb 2022 |
8.1 | 7.0 |
Apr 2022 |
9.1 | 7.8 |
Jun 2022 |
10.1 | 8.8 |
Aug 2022 |
9.0 | 8.2 |
Oct 2022 |
8.9 | 7.7 |
Dec 2022 |
8.4 | 8.1 |
Feb 2023 |
8.0 | 7.7 |
Apr 2023 |
6.9 | 7.3 |
Jun 2023 |
4.6 | 5.3 |
Aug 2023 |
5.4 | 5.7 |
Oct 2023 |
4.8 | 5.5 |
Dec 2023 |
4.4 | 4.9 |
Feb 2024 |
4.3 | 5.2 |
Apr 2024 |
4.4 | 4.9 |
Jun 2024 |
3.8 | 4.4 |
Aug 2024 |
3.1 | 3.9 |
Oct 2024 |
3.0 | 3.8 |
Dec 2024 |
2.7 | 2.8 |
Food prices rose 0.2 percent for the two months ending in December. (See table 1.) Prices for food at home fell 0.2 percent, led by lower prices for cereals and bakery products (-3.6 percent). Overall, prices fell in three of the six grocery categories. Prices for food away from home rose 0.7 percent for the same period.
Over the year, food prices rose 2.6 percent. Prices for food at home increased 2.1 percent since a year ago, with higher prices in all six grocery categories. Prices for food away from home increased 3.4 percent.
EnergyThe energy index decreased 1.8 percent for the two months ending in December. The decrease was mainly due to lower prices for gasoline (-2.3 percent). Prices for natural gas service fell 4.3 percent, while prices for electricity were unchanged for the same period.
Energy prices increased 1.6 percent over the year, largely due to higher prices for natural gas service (44.7 percent) and prices for electricity (9.3 percent). Prices for gasoline declined 6.2 percent during the past year.
All items less food and energyThe index for all items less food and energy declined 0.5 percent in the latest two-month period. Lower prices for medical care (-2.5 percent) and recreation (-1.6 percent) were partially offset by higher prices for alcoholic beverages (2.3 percent) and new and used motor vehicles (0.1 percent).
Over the year, the index for all items less food and energy increased 2.8 percent. Components contributing to the increase included shelter (4.4 percent) and other goods and services (3.5 percent). Partly offsetting the increases were price decreases in apparel (-6.7 percent) and education and communication (-1.1 percent).
Table A. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA, CPI-U 2-month and 12-month percent changes, all items index, not seasonally adjustedMonth | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |||||
2-month | 12-month | 2-month | 12-month | 2-month | 12-month | 2-month | 12-month | 2-month | 12-month | |
February |
1.0 | 2.5 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 8.1 | 1.4 | 8.0 | 1.2 | 4.3 |
April |
-0.6 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 3.4 | 2.1 | 9.1 | 1.0 | 6.9 | 1.2 | 4.4 |
June |
0.2 | 0.9 | 2.2 | 5.5 | 3.2 | 10.1 | 1.0 | 4.6 | 0.4 | 3.8 |
August |
1.4 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 5.2 | 0.0 | 9.0 | 0.8 | 5.4 | 0.1 | 3.1 |
October |
-0.1 | 2.1 | 1.1 | 6.5 | 1.0 | 8.9 | 0.4 | 4.8 | 0.3 | 3.0 |
December |
-0.4 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 7.6 | 0.1 | 8.4 | -0.3 | 4.4 | -0.5 | 2.7 |
The February 2025 Consumer Price Index for the Seattle area is scheduled to be released on March 12, 2025.
With the publication of January 2025 data in February 2025, several indexes and average price series will be discontinued.
The following CPI indexes will continue to be published at the national level, but will be discontinued for all metropolitan areas, census divisions, and regional size classes:
The following CPI average price series will continue to be published at the national level, but will be discontinued for all metropolitan areas, census divisions, and regional size classes:
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 Seattle is published bi-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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA. metropolitan area covered in this release is comprised of King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties in the State of Washington.
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
Item and Group |
Indexes | Percent change from- | |||||
Historical data |
Oct. 2024 |
Nov. 2024 |
Dec. 2024 |
Dec. 2023 |
Oct. 2024 |
Nov. 2024 |
|
Expenditure category |
|||||||
All items |
356.212 | - | 354.348 | 2.7 | -0.5 | - | |
All items (1967=100) |
1,085.873 | - | 1,080.190 | - | - | - | |
Food and beverages |
367.439 | - | 368.692 | 3.0 | 0.3 | - | |
Food |
370.050 | - | 370.629 | 2.6 | 0.2 | - | |
Food at home |
328.586 | 325.320 | 328.081 | 2.1 | -0.2 | 0.8 | |
Cereals and bakery products |
413.889 | 394.246 | 398.816 | 0.4 | -3.6 | 1.2 | |
Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs |
299.384 | 292.137 | 296.749 | 3.7 | -0.9 | 1.6 | |
Dairy and related products |
291.407 | 298.417 | 298.631 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 0.1 | |
Fruits and vegetables |
503.193 | 509.590 | 509.079 | 1.4 | 1.2 | -0.1 | |
Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials(1) |
411.447 | 412.144 | 409.989 | 1.5 | -0.4 | -0.5 | |
Other food at home |
252.799 | 248.964 | 253.314 | 2.5 | 0.2 | 1.7 | |
Food away from home |
436.580 | - | 439.493 | 3.4 | 0.7 | - | |
Alcoholic beverages |
330.397 | - | 338.082 | 7.4 | 2.3 | - | |
Housing |
431.710 | - | 430.978 | 4.4 | -0.2 | - | |
Shelter |
498.783 | 500.255 | 498.385 | 4.4 | -0.1 | -0.4 | |
Rent of primary residence(2) |
501.383 | 502.942 | 504.102 | 4.5 | 0.5 | 0.2 | |
526.593 | 528.864 | 529.826 | 5.6 | 0.6 | 0.2 | ||
526.593 | 528.864 | 529.826 | 5.6 | 0.6 | 0.2 | ||
Fuels and utilities |
346.574 | - | 344.307 | 10.2 | -0.7 | - | |
Household energy |
312.005 | 312.281 | 308.541 | 14.6 | -1.1 | -1.2 | |
Energy services(2) |
368.351 | 369.169 | 364.715 | 15.6 | -1.0 | -1.2 | |
Electricity(2) |
397.513 | 397.513 | 397.513 | 9.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
Utility (piped) gas service(2) |
221.929 | 224.059 | 212.461 | 44.7 | -4.3 | -5.2 | |
Household furnishings and operations |
226.629 | - | 225.067 | -0.6 | -0.7 | - | |
Apparel |
127.671 | - | 122.825 | -6.7 | -3.8 | - | |
Transportation |
301.066 | - | 299.661 | 1.2 | -0.5 | - | |
Private transportation |
314.891 | - | 313.813 | -0.4 | -0.3 | - | |
New and used motor vehicles(4) |
125.163 | - | 125.285 | 0.4 | 0.1 | - | |
New vehicles(1) |
224.447 | - | 224.677 | 0.1 | 0.1 | - | |
Used cars and trucks(1) |
403.716 | - | 406.764 | -5.2 | 0.8 | - | |
Motor fuel |
464.780 | 459.277 | 454.220 | -6.6 | -2.3 | -1.1 | |
Gasoline (all types) |
473.967 | 468.370 | 463.141 | -6.2 | -2.3 | -1.1 | |
Gasoline, unleaded regular(4) |
510.991 | 504.725 | 498.990 | -6.5 | -2.3 | -1.1 | |
379.292 | 375.890 | 371.724 | -5.4 | -2.0 | -1.1 | ||
Gasoline, unleaded premium(4) |
447.280 | 442.652 | 438.032 | -5.0 | -2.1 | -1.0 | |
Medical care |
486.697 | - | 474.652 | 1.2 | -2.5 | - | |
Recreation(6) |
124.557 | - | 122.557 | 0.3 | -1.6 | - | |
Education and communication(6) |
147.191 | - | 146.143 | -1.1 | -0.7 | - | |
Tuition, other school fees, and child care(1) |
- | - | 1,928.459 | - | - | - | |
Other goods and services |
537.005 | - | 535.357 | 3.5 | -0.3 | - | |
Commodity and service group |
|||||||
All items |
356.212 | - | 354.348 | 2.7 | -0.5 | - | |
Commodities |
241.264 | - | 239.006 | -1.9 | -0.9 | - | |
Commodities less food & beverages |
184.617 | - | 181.492 | -4.6 | -1.7 | - | |
Nondurables less food & beverages |
223.434 | - | 219.236 | -3.1 | -1.9 | - | |
Durables |
147.533 | - | 145.272 | -5.9 | -1.5 | - | |
Services |
463.106 | - | 461.558 | 5.0 | -0.3 | - | |
Special aggregate indexes |
|||||||
All items less medical care |
350.626 | - | 349.327 | 2.8 | -0.4 | - | |
All items less shelter |
300.850 | - | 298.307 | 1.5 | -0.8 | - | |
Commodities less food |
189.955 | - | 187.106 | -4.1 | -1.5 | - | |
Nondurables |
292.186 | - | 290.338 | 0.3 | -0.6 | - | |
Nondurables less food |
232.133 | - | 228.730 | -2.1 | -1.5 | - | |
Services less rent of shelter(3) |
430.810 | - | 427.732 | 5.8 | -0.7 | - | |
Services less medical care services |
456.548 | - | 455.966 | 5.3 | -0.1 | - | |
Energy |
399.100 | 396.574 | 392.039 | 1.6 | -1.8 | -1.1 | |
All items less energy |
357.633 | - | 356.003 | 2.8 | -0.5 | - | |
All items less food and energy |
355.530 | - | 353.633 | 2.8 | -0.5 | - | |
Footnotes |
|||||||
- Data not available |