Food away from home rose 0.1 percent and alcoholic beverage prices increased 0.3 percent. Over the year, food and beverage prices were up 2.9 percent as food at home rose 2.9 percent and food away from home rose 2.8 percent. Alcoholic beverage prices rose 2.7 percent over the year. Apparel prices declined 0.2 percent in April, following a 1.7 percent increase in March. Apparel prices are 1.9 percent lower than they were one year ago.
Apparel is the only major expenditure category to experience a price decrease over the year.
Education and communication prices increased 0.1 percent in April. Over the year, education and communication prices increased 1.4 percent. The 'North Central' region has been renamed the 'Midwest' region by the Census Bureau. It is composed of the same geographic entities. This index series was calculated using a Laspeyres estimator.