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FOR RELEASE:
August 14, 2009

 

CONSUMER PRICE INDEX (CPI) FOR KANSAS CITY

Prices decreased 0.9 percent from the first half of 2008 to the first half of 2009

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the Kansas City, Mo.-Kan., metropolitan area decreased 0.9 percent over the year, the largest over-the-year decline since 1950, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. According to Regional Commissioner Stanley W. Suchman, nearly three-fifths of the movement in the overall index was attributable to lower transportation costs. The decrease in the transportation index from the first half of 2008 to the first half of 2009 more than offset the increases recorded in six of the seven other major expenditure categories.

Kansas City, MO-KS Metropolitan Area CPI-U 6-month and 12-month percent change

Among the eight major expenditure categories, the transportation index had the greatest impact on the overall index. Transportation prices declined 14.3 percent from the first half of 2008 to the first half of 2009, due almost entirely to dropping motor fuel costs. Motor fuel prices fell 39.7 percent over the period, the largest over-the-year decline since publication began in 1978.

The food and beverages index was the second largest contributor to the all items index, accounting for nearly 20 percent of the movement in the index and partially offsetting the decrease in the transportation component. The food and beverages index was up 5.1 percent from the first half of 2008 to the first half of 2009. Prices for food away from home climbed 8.2 percent and accounted for over three-fifths of the increase in the food and beverages component. Costs for food at home were up 3.1 percent. Prices for alcoholic beverages increased 2.7 percent over the period.

Recreation prices, which include admissions to movies, concerts, and sporting events, rose 8.4 percent from the first half of 2008 to the first half of 2009, the largest over-the-year advance since publication began.

The remaining five major expenditure categories-education and communication, other goods and services, medical care, apparel, and housing-had little impact on the overall index, each accounting for less than four percent of the movement. Costs for education and communication rose 2.9 percent from the first half of 2008 to the first half of 2009. Other goods and services, which include prices for tobacco and smoking products and personal care items, rose 3.8 percent and medical care costs advanced 1.4 percent. Housing costs were little changed over the period as an increase in shelter costs was more than offset by a decline in prices for fuels and utilities.

Energy prices, which include prices for motor fuel and household fuels, decreased a record-setting 27.5 percent over the year, with most of the decline occurring in the latter half of the period. The special aggregate index for all items less energy rose 2.5 percent over the year. Excluding the impact of food and energy prices, the Kansas City CPI-U was up 2.0 percent from the first half of 2008 to the first half of 2009.

The Kansas City CPI-U stood at 199.152 for the first half of 2009. This means that a market basket of goods and services that cost $100.00 in 1982-84 cost $199.15 in the first half of 2009. Because metropolitan area 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 metropolitan area indexes.

The Kansas City, Mo.-Kan., Metropolitan Statistical Area includes Johnson, Leavenworth, Miami, and Wyandotte Counties in Kansas; and Cass, Clay, Clinton, Jackson, Lafayette, Platte, and Ray Counties in Missouri.

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Table 1. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): Indexes for semiannual averages and percent changes for selected periods

Kansas City, Mo.-Kan. (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted)
Item and Group

 Semiannual average indexes
 Percent change to
1st half 2009 from-
1st half
2008		 2nd half
2008		 1st half
2009		 1st half
2008		 2nd half
2008

Expenditure category

  
 

All Items

 200.868 201.432 199.152 -0.9 -1.1

All items (1967=100)

 596.449 598.125 591.354    

Food and beverages

 206.678 214.877 217.153 5.1 1.1

Food

 208.728 217.860 219.957 5.4 1.0

Food at home

 208.747 217.899 215.160 3.1 -1.3

Food away from home

 211.222 220.407 228.587 8.2 3.7

Alcoholic beverages

 176.349 177.906 181.147 2.7 1.8

Housing

 193.093 195.133 192.955 -0.1 -1.1

Shelter

 210.239 211.908 212.930 1.3 0.5

Rent of primary residence

 208.749 211.872 214.851 2.9 1.4

Owners' equiv. rent (1)

206.491 207.981 209.141 1.3 0.6

Fuels and utilities

 214.305 218.624 196.937 -8.1 -9.9

Household energy

 189.264 198.671 168.418 -11.0 -15.2

Gas (piped) and electricity

 186.520 196.421 167.084 -10.4 -14.9

Electricity

 115.574 127.009 118.468 2.5 -6.7

Utility (piped) gas service

 294.357 295.701 223.432 -24.1 -24.4

Household furnishings and operations

 126.118 128.831 129.850 3.0 0.8

Apparel

 107.382 105.704 108.665 1.2 2.8

Transportation

 196.778 186.372 168.554 -14.3 -9.6

Private transportation

 195.046 183.510 165.325 -15.2 -9.9

Motor fuel

 299.873 257.960 180.896 -39.7 -29.9

Gasoline (all types)

 299.713 256.772 181.934 -39.3 -29.1

Unleaded regular (2)

293.843 250.710 176.511 -39.9 -29.6

Unleaded midgrade (2) (3)

360.241 310.416 219.672 -39.0 -29.2

Unleaded premium (2)

292.579 256.041 188.797 -35.5 -26.3

Medical Care

 295.644 297.123 299.813 1.4 0.9

Recreation (4)

114.445 116.260 124.055 8.4 6.7

Education and communication (4)

116.728 118.938 120.085 2.9 1.0

Other goods and services

 328.186 328.220 340.630 3.8 3.8
 

Commodity and Service Group

  
 

All Items

 200.868 201.432 199.152 -0.9 -1.1

Commodities

 172.950 171.170 166.587 -3.7 -2.7

Commodities less food & beverages

 155.562 149.383 141.858 -8.8 -5.0

Nondurables less food & beverages

 205.874 194.053 180.272 -12.4 -7.1

Durables

 107.685 106.641 104.924 -2.6 -1.6

Services

 228.488 231.353 231.346 1.3 0.0
 

Special aggregate indexes:

  
 

All items less medical care

 195.535 196.042 193.524 -1.0 -1.3

All items less shelter

 198.770 199.009 195.447 -1.7 -1.8

Commodities less food

 156.143 150.431 143.543 -8.1 -4.6

Nondurables

 206.508 204.339 198.216 -4.0 -3.0

Nondurables less food

 203.731 193.369 181.415 -11.0 -6.2

Services less rent of shelter (1)

257.236 261.959 260.764 1.4 -0.5

Services less medical care services

 218.408 221.306 221.380 1.4 0.0

Energy

 240.711 226.380 174.423 -27.5 -23.0

All items less energy

 197.589 200.130 202.575 2.5 1.2

All items less food and energy

 195.808 197.196 199.703 2.0 1.3

Footnotes
(1) Index is on a December 1982=100 base.
(2) Special index based on a substantially smaller sample.
(3) Indexes on a December 1993=100 base.
(4) Indexes on a December 1997=100 base.
Table 2. Consumer Price Index for Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W): Indexes for semiannual averages and percent changes for selected periods

Kansas City, Mo.-Kan. (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted)
Item and Group

 Semiannual average indexes
 Percent change to
1st half 2009 from-
1st half
2008		 2nd half
2008		 1st half
2009		 1st half
2008		 2nd half
2008

Expenditure category

  
 

All Items

 192.430 193.066 190.869 -0.8 -1.1

All items (1967=100)

 563.820 565.685 559.247    

Food and beverages

 206.299 215.346 217.871 5.6 1.2

Food

 207.988 217.845 220.320 5.9 1.1

Food at home

 207.351 216.360 213.811 3.1 -1.2

Food away from home

 211.422 222.526 231.876 9.7 4.2

Alcoholic beverages

 176.982 179.174 181.884 2.8 1.5

Housing

 183.304 185.629 183.428 0.1 -1.2

Shelter

 197.209 198.924 200.308 1.6 0.7

Rent of primary residence

 208.749 211.872 214.851 2.9 1.4

Owners' equiv. rent (1)

187.997 189.353 190.409 1.3 0.6

Fuels and utilities

 212.962 217.445 196.108 -7.9 -9.8

Household energy

 188.644 198.131 168.141 -10.9 -15.1

Gas (piped) and electricity

 186.868 196.850 167.569 -10.3 -14.9

Electricity

 115.576 127.011 118.469 2.5 -6.7

Utility (piped) gas service

 294.355 295.700 223.431 -24.1 -24.4

Household furnishings and operations

 113.309 116.179 117.323 3.5 1.0

Apparel

 101.564 99.736 102.128 0.6 2.4

Transportation

 186.760 176.263 158.931 -14.9 -9.8

Private transportation

 185.630 174.715 157.254 -15.3 -10.0

Motor fuel

 299.845 257.980 180.831 -39.7 -29.9

Gasoline (all types)

 299.706 256.767 181.929 -39.3 -29.1

Unleaded regular (2)

293.840 250.707 176.509 -39.9 -29.6

Unleaded midgrade (2) (3)

360.241 310.416 219.672 -39.0 -29.2

Unleaded premium (2)

292.568 256.032 188.790 -35.5 -26.3

Medical Care

 298.150 300.046 303.360 1.7 1.1

Recreation (4)

113.658 115.398 125.374 10.3 8.6

Education and communication (4)

110.363 112.475 113.559 2.9 1.0

Other goods and services

 332.747 334.166 357.791 7.5 7.1
 

Commodity and Service Group

  
 

All Items

 192.430 193.066 190.869 -0.8 -1.1

Commodities

 168.202 166.920 162.802 -3.2 -2.5

Commodities less food & beverages

 150.372 144.384 137.282 -8.7 -4.9

Nondurables less food & beverages

 204.386 192.467 179.036 -12.4 -7.0

Durables

 108.180 107.102 105.319 -2.6 -1.7

Services

 220.562 223.602 223.861 1.5 0.1
 

Special aggregate indexes:

  
 

All items less medical care

 187.848 188.426 186.047 -1.0 -1.3

All items less shelter

 191.619 191.944 188.574 -1.6 -1.8

Commodities less food

 151.259 145.706 139.121 -8.0 -4.5

Nondurables

 205.460 204.034 198.508 -3.4 -2.7

Nondurables less food

 202.973 192.474 180.636 -11.0 -6.2

Services less rent of shelter (1)

227.584 231.949 231.016 1.5 -0.4

Services less medical care services

 210.651 213.674 213.966 1.6 0.1

Energy

 239.162 224.372 172.467 -27.9 -23.1

All items less energy

 188.328 191.136 194.014 3.0 1.5

All items less food and energy

 184.339 185.650 188.617 2.3 1.6

Footnotes
(1) Index is on a December 1984=100 base.
(2) Special index based on a substantially smaller sample.
(3) Indexes on a December 1993=100 base.
(4) Indexes on a December 1997=100 base.

 

Last Modified Date: August 14, 2009