Bureau of Labor Statistics
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BLS 08-67 |
SAN DIEGO CONSUMER PRICES 4.6 PERCENT HIGHER THAN A YEAR AGO
Consumer prices in the San Diego metropolitan area advanced 4.6 percent from one year prior and 3.3 percent in the first half of 2008 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor. Regional Commissioner Richard J. Holden said increases in housing and transportation contributed strongly to the overall index for the past year and the past six months.
The housing index rose 4.0 percent from the first half of 2007 to the first half of 2008. In the same period, the shelter component of housing advanced 4.4 percent and the fuels and utilities component rose 0.3 percent. The overall housing category increased 2.6 percent during the past six months. Costs for shelter increased 2.3 percent and for fuels and utilities increased 2.5 percent during the same period. Within fuels and utilities, utility (piped) gas service prices jumped 13.4 percent, while over-the-year electricity rates declined 9.0 percent for the year. Utility (piped) gas service prices soared 21.8 percent in the past six months, while electricity prices decreased 3.5 percent in the same period.
Transportation prices advanced 6.4 percent during the past year and 6.0 percent since the second half of 2007. In the past year, the percentage gain for transportation was highest among all eight major expenditure categories. Annual gasoline prices jumped 21.9 percent and rose 19.3 percent in the past six months.
Prices for food and beverages rose 4.2 percent since the first half of 2007. In the same period grocery prices, represented by the food at home index, advanced 5.1 percent and food away from home prices increased 4.0 percent. For the past six months, the overall food and beverage's index rose 2.8 percent. During this period, grocery prices were up 4.0 percent, while food away from home prices increased 2.1 percent. Prices for alcoholic beverages advanced 3.5 percent and 1.1 percent for the annual and six-month periods, respectively.
Over the year, apparel prices increased 5.1 percent and over the past six months increased 2.2 percent. Prices for recreation increased 3.2 percent since last year and 3.9 in the first half of 2008.
Education and communication prices advanced 5.3 percent during the past year and 1.8 percent during the past six months. Other goods and services rose 1.8 percent on an annual basis and 3.3 percent since six months ago.
The San Diego area's Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) advanced to 242.440 (1982-84=100) during the first half of 2008. This means a market basket of goods and services that cost $100.00 in 1982-84 would have cost $242.44 during the first six months of 2008. Local area CPI data are not seasonally adjusted.
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Last Modified Date: August 14, 2008
