The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) announced that the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) in the West region increased by 3.0 percent over the 12 months ending in November 2025. The index for all items excluding food and energy also rose by 3.0 percent during this period.
According to the BLS, “The food index advanced 2.5 percent over the year. The index for food at home (grocery store purchases) increased 1.4 percent, with higher prices in 5 of the 6 major grocery store food groups. The index for food away from home (restaurant, cafeteria, and vending purchases) rose 3.9 percent.”
Energy prices saw a notable rise as well, with the energy index up by 4.4 percent compared to November of last year. Gasoline prices climbed by 5.2 percent, natural gas service increased by 6.3 percent, and electricity prices were up by 2.6 percent.
For other components of consumer spending, medical care costs went up by 5.6 percent while shelter costs increased by 2.6 percent.
Due to a lapse in appropriations in October 2025, BLS did not collect survey data for that month and was unable to retroactively gather it later on; some indexes used nonsurvey data sources where possible.
The CPI is used to measure average changes in prices paid over time for a fixed basket of goods and services across regions including Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.
“The December 2025 Consumer Price Index for the West Region is scheduled to be released on January 13, 2026,” according to BLS.
BLS notes that regional indexes have smaller sample sizes than national figures and can be more volatile due to sampling errors or lack of seasonal adjustment.
