Prices rising faster here

Prices rose at a faster pace in the Seattle area than the nation as a whole the past two months, according to government figures released Wednesday.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics, part of the U.S. Labor Department, said the Consumer Price Index for Seattle was 1.87 percent higher last month than in February, the last time local inflation was measured. The national figure was 1.41 percent.

Overall, Seattle's year-over-year inflation rate was 3.03 percent in April, essentially the same as in February, the last time local inflation was measured. The national year-over-year inflation rate last month was 3.55 percent, before adjusting for seasonal variations.

The government doesn't break down local inflation figures into component goods and services, as it does for national data. However, a couple of examples show how local prices have risen.

The average price of regular gasoline in Seattle last month was 12.6 percent higher than a year earlier, according to the federal Energy Information Administration. And home prices in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties have jumped anywhere from 17 to 21 percent the past year.