Inflation Surged To New Highs In Puget Sound Last Month

SEATTLE — Inflation surged to a new four-decade high in June as prices for food, gas, and housing continue to rise in Puget Sound and across the United States. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released its latest consumer price index for the Seattle area Wednesday, which showed an even tighter squeeze in Western Washington, where household prices rose 3.2 percent in two months, soaring 10.1 percent since June 2021.

Puget Sound outpaced price growth nationally, which still set a record for the biggest annual spike in inflation since 1981, with the average American consumer paying 9.1 percent more for everyday goods.

Around King, Pierce and Snohomish counties, transportation costs experienced some of the sharpest rises, due in large part to the increased cost of gasoline. Food prices also saw double-digit surges over the year, including a more than 21 percent increase in costs for dairy products, with fruits and vegetables nearly 15 percent more expensive. Overall housing costs rose more than 9 percent, with households paying more for rent and seeing higher energy bills.

Here are some of the highlights from the June Consumer Price Index (Seattle-Bellevue-Tacoma):

Consumer price increases since June 2021:

• All items: +10.1%
  • Food: +10.3%
    • Food at home: +13.5%
    • Cereals & bakery products: +8.4%
    • Meats, poultry, fish and eggs: +13.7%
    • Dairy: +21.3%
    • Fruits and vegetables: +14.7%
  • Housing: +9.4%
    • Shelter: +8.1%
    • Energy and utilities: +7.1%
    • Household furnishings: +19.3%
  • Transportation: +22.3%
    • Private transportation: 18.2%
    • New and used vehicles: +7.7%
    • Motor fuel: +49.1%
  • Medical care: +5.8%
  • Recreation: +8.6%

The BLS will update the consumer price index for the Seattle area in September.