KANSAS CITY — The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) in the Midwest region increased 3.0 percent for the 12 months ending in November, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported today. The index for all items less food and energy rose 2.8 percent over the year, and energy prices advanced 6.4 percent. Food prices increased 2.3 percent.
BLS did not collect survey data for October 2025 due to a lapse in appropriations. BLS is unable to retroactively collect these data. For a few indexes, BLS uses nonsurvey data sources instead of survey data to make the index calculations. BLS was able to retroactively acquire most of the nonsurvey data for October. Accordingly, all analysis in this release is over the year and not seasonally adjusted.
Food
The index for food advanced 2.3 percent over the year. The index for food away from home (restaurant, cafeteria, and vending purchases) increased 3.8 percent. The index for food at home (grocery store purchases) increased 1.3 percent, with higher prices in 4 of the 6 major grocery store food groups. The increase within the food at home category was led by the index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs (+5.2 percent).
Energy
The energy index increased 6.4 percent from November 2024 to November 2025. The change was led by a 12.6 percent rise in the electricity index, the largest since September 1984. The indexes for natural gas service (+9.9 percent) and gasoline (+1.0 percent) both rose over the year.
All items less food and energy
The index for all items less food and energy rose 2.8 percent over the year. A 4.3-percent rise in the owners’ equivalent rent of residences index was the largest contributing factor in component increases. The indexes for medical care services (+3.1 percent), rent of primary residence (+4.2 percent), and recreation (+3.5 percent) also contributed to the rise. In contrast, prices decreased for lodging away from home and public transportation.
