KANSAS CITY – The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) in the Midwest Region advanced 0.3 percent in February, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The all items less food and energy index increased 0.4 percent. Energy prices declined 0.4 percent and the index for food fell 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 Midwest Region all items CPI-U increased 3.1 percent for the 12 months ending in February. The index for all items less food and energy advanced 3.6 percent and food prices rose 2.0 percent over the year. Energy prices decreased 0.5 percent.
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Food
Food prices fell 0.1 percent for the month of February. The food at home index (grocery store purchases) was down 0.4 percent, with lower prices seen in 4 of the 6 major grocery store categories.
The index for food away from home (restaurant, cafeteria, and vending purchases) increased 0.4 percent for the same period. Within the food at home category, the index for other food at home (-0.9 percent) and the index for fruits and vegetables (-1.6 percent) led declines. The meats, poultry, fish, and eggs index saw a rise of 2.3 percent over the month.
Food prices rose 2.0 percent over the year. The indexes for food away from home and food at home were both up, 3.2 percent and 1.3 percent, respectively. A 6.5-percent increase in the meats, poultry, fish, and eggs index was the dominant influence on the food at home advance, with the five other grocery categories showing little change.
Energy
The energy index decreased 0.4 percent over the month due to lower prices for gasoline, which fell 1.5 percent. Prices for natural gas service advanced (+1.8 percent), while prices for electricity were unchanged over the same period.
Energy prices fell 0.5 percent from February 2024 to February 2025, driven by declining gasoline prices (-4.4 percent). Prices for natural gas service and for electricity both increased over the year, up 7.3 percent and 2.3 percent, respectively.
All items less food and energy
The index for all items less food and energy advanced 0.4 percent in February. Price increases over the month were led by the indexes for shelter (+0.6 percent) and apparel (+3.4 percent). In contrast, prices were lower for medical care services (-0.6 percent).
The index for all items less food and energy rose 3.6 percent over the year. Components contributing most to the increase included owners’ equivalent rent of residences (+5.5 percent), rent of primary residence (+5.6 percent) and medical care services (+3.3 percent).