1 — U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS • bls.gov

How the Consumer Price Index Program 

Uses CE Data in Cost Weight Estimation

Chris Miller
2 — U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS TATISTICS • bls.gov bls.gov

Outline

◼ CE-CPI

CPI Program

CE-CPI Comparison

CE-CPI Structure

◼ EWPS

Processing CE expenditures for CPI weights

Annual and monthly weight products
3 — U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS TATISTICS • bls.gov bls.gov

CPI Revision 

Methods

SMS

EWPS

Index 

Methods

Consumer 

Prices

Division Branch Team
4 — U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS TATISTICS • bls.gov bls.gov

CPI Revision 

Methods

SMS

EWPS

Index 

Methods

Consumer 

Prices

Division Branch Team

Where you 

buy

What you buy
5 — U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS • bls.gov

Comparing CPI & CE

CE CPI

Geographic Sample 2010 Census Definition –

91 PSUs (75 Urban, 16 Rural)

2010 Census Definition –

75 Urban PSUs

Item Classification

Population

Definition

Housing 

Expenditures

Others
6 — U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS • bls.gov

Comparing CPI & CE

CE CPI

Geographic Sample 2010 Census Definition –

91 PSUs (75 Urban, 16 Rural)

2010 Census Definition –

75 Urban PSUs

Item Classification CE survey data are mapped to 

UCC level expenditures

≈600 CE UCCs are mapped to 311 

ELIs, and 243 Items

Population

Definition

Housing 

Expenditures

Others
7 — U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS • bls.gov

Comparing CPI & CE

CE CPI

Geographic Sample 2010 Census Definition –

91 PSUs (75 Urban, 16 Rural)

2010 Census Definition –

75 Urban PSUs

Item Classification CE survey data are mapped to 

UCC level expenditures

≈600 CE UCCs are mapped to 311 

ELIs, and 243 Items

Population

Definition

US civilian population not living in 

institutions

US urban population not living in 

institutions (metropolitan areas), nonfarm and non-military

Housing 

Expenditures

Others
8 — U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS • bls.gov

Comparing CPI & CE

CE CPI

Geographic Sample 2010 Census Definition –

91 PSUs (75 Urban, 16 Rural)

2010 Census Definition –

75 Urban PSUs

Item Classification CE survey data are mapped to 

UCC level expenditures

≈600 CE UCCs are mapped to 311 

ELIs, and 243 Items

Population

Definition

US civilian population not living in 

institutions

US urban population not living in 

institutions (metropolitan areas), nonfarm and non-military

Housing 

Expenditures

Owner Occupied Housing 

includes mortgage interest, 

property tax, and maintenance 

and repair services

Rental Equivalence value for owned 

homes, appliances, and maintenance 

and repair services

Others
9 — U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS • bls.gov

Comparing CPI & CE

CE CPI

Geographic Sample 2010 Census Definition –

91 PSUs (75 Urban, 16 Rural)

2010 Census Definition –

75 Urban PSUs

Item Classification CE survey data are mapped to 

UCC level expenditures

≈600 CE UCCs are mapped to 311 

ELIs, and 243 Items

Population

Definition

US civilian population not living in 

institutions

US urban population not living in 

institutions (metropolitan areas), nonfarm and non-military

Housing 

Expenditures

Owner Occupied Housing 

includes mortgage interest, 

property tax, and maintenance 

and repair services

Rental Equivalence value for owned 

homes, appliances, and maintenance 

and repair services

Others Collection Period Processing, 

Biannual/Annual PUMD

Reference Period Processing, Annual 

and Quarterly Publication of Weights
10 — U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS • bls.gov

CE Survey

◼ Expenditures for 2 1-week periods

◼ Approx. 3,000 diaries/quarter

◼ Typically everyday purchases like 

food

◼ Revisions annually

◼ Types of changes

 Item descriptions 

 Item codes

 UCCs (universal classification codes)

 Diary form

◼ Expenditures for 4 1-quarter 

periods (3-month recall)

◼ Approx. 6,000 interviews/quarter

◼ Captures more infrequent 

purchases like cars, medical 

expenses, etc.

◼ Revisions every 2 years

◼ Type of changes

 Information booklet cues

 UCCs

 Questionnaire

Diary Interview
11 — U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS TATISTICS • bls.gov bls.gov

CE-CPI Item Definitions

Item Code Universal 

Classification Code 

(UCC)

Entry Level Item 

(ELI)

Item 

Stratum

Expenditure Class 

(EC)

Major Group 

(MG)

CE CPI
12 — U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS TATISTICS • bls.gov bls.gov

CE-CPI Item Definitions

Item Code Universal 

Classification Code 

(UCC)

Entry Level Item 

(ELI)

Item 

Stratum

Expenditure Class 

(EC)

Major Group 

(MG)

Number ≈600 311 243 70 8

CE CPI
13 — U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS TATISTICS • bls.gov bls.gov

CE-CPI Item Definitions

Item Code Universal 

Classification Code 

(UCC)

Entry Level Item 

(ELI)

Item 

Stratum

Expenditure Class 

(EC)

Major Group 

(MG)

≈600 311 243 70 8

Example 530110 TG011 TG01 TG T

Number

Airline Fares Airline Fares Airline Fares Transportation

CE CPI

Public Transportation
14 — U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS TATISTICS • bls.gov bls.gov

Expenditure Weight Processing System 

Inputs CPI Pre Processing Outputs

CE Micro 

Data

CPI 

Parameters: 

Items and 

Geography
15 — U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS TATISTICS • bls.gov bls.gov

Expenditure Weight Processing System 

Inputs CPI Pre Processing Outputs

CE Micro 

Data

CPI 

Parameters: 

Items and 

Geography

EW Pre-Processor Convert CE Data 

to CPI Structure.

1. CE UCC structure to CPI Item 

Structure

2. CE to CPI Geographic Structure

3. Other Expenditure Adjustments 

Examples:

a. Food on Trips

b. Appliances & Maintenance 

and Repair

c. Gasoline
16 — U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS • bls.gov

UCC UCC Title ELI ELI Title

470111 Gasoline

TB011 Regular

TB012 Mid-Grade

TB013 Premium

CE CPI

Consumption data from EIA
17 — U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS TATISTICS • bls.gov bls.gov

Expenditure Weight Processing System 

Inputs CPI Pre Processing Outputs

CE Micro 

Data

CPI 

Parameters: 

Items and 

Geography

EW Pre-Processor Convert CE Data 

to CPI Structure. Examples:

1. CE UCC structure to CPI Item 

Structure

2. CE to CPI Geographic Structure. 

Includes weighting adjustments

3. Other expenditure Adjustments

a. Food on Trips

b. Appliances & Maintenance 

and Repair

c. Gasoline

Annual Expenditure Weights for CPI-U

Monthly Expenditure Weights for Final C-CPI-U
18 — U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS TATISTICS • bls.gov bls.gov

CPI Outputs: Weight Products

◼ CPI-U Annual Weight Period

Expenditure

Reference Period

CPI-U/W Index 

Months

First Publication 

Month

2021 2023.01-2023.12 February 2023
19 — U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS TATISTICS • bls.gov bls.gov

CPI Outputs: Weight Products

◼ CPI-U Annual Weight Period

◼ C-CPI-U Monthly Weight Period

Expenditure

Reference Period

CPI-U/W Index 

Months

First Publication 

Month

2021 2023.01-2023.12 February 2023

Collection Quarter 

Data

Expenditure

Reference Period

Q221 D and Q221-Q222 I 2022.01 - 2022.03
20 — U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS TATISTICS • bls.gov bls.gov

CPI Outputs: Weight Products

◼ CPI-U Annual Weight Period

◼ C-CPI-U Monthly Weight Period

Expenditure

Reference Period

CPI-U/W Index 

Months

First Publication 

Month

2021 2023.01-2023.12 February 2023

Collection Quarter 

Data

Expenditure

Reference Period

C-CPI-U Index 

Months

Q221 D and Q221-Q222 I 2022.01 - 2022.03 2022.01 - 2022.03
21 — U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS TATISTICS • bls.gov bls.gov

CPI Outputs: Weight Products

◼ CPI-U Annual Weight Period

◼ C-CPI-U Monthly Weight Period

Expenditure

Reference Period

CPI-U/W Index 

Months

First Publication 

Month

2021 2023.01-2023.12 February 2023

Collection Quarter 

Data

Expenditure

Reference Period

C-CPI-U Index 

Months

Month

Published

Q221 D and Q221-Q222 I 2022.01 - 2022.03 2022.01 - 2022.03 February 2023
22 — U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS TATISTICS • bls.gov bls.gov

CPI Outputs: Weight Products

◼ CPI-U Annual Weight Period

◼ C-CPI-U Monthly Weight Period

Expenditure

Reference Period

CPI-U/W Index 

Months

First Publication 

Month

2021 2023.01-2023.12 February 2023

Collection Quarter 

Data

Expenditure

Reference Period

C-CPI-U Index 

Months

Month

Published

Q221 D and Q221-Q222 I 2022.01 - 2022.03 2022.01 - 2022.03 February 2023
23 — U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS TATISTICS • bls.gov bls.gov

CPI Outputs: Indexes

CPI-U Long Term Price Change: 

C-CPI-U Long Term Price Change: 
24 — U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS • bls.gov

CPI Outputs: Example – FF02
25 — U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS • bls.gov

CPI Outputs: Example – FF02
26 — U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS • bls.gov

CPI Outputs: Example – TG01
27 — U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS • bls.gov

CPI Outputs: Example – TG01
Contact Information

28 — U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS • bls.gov

Chris Miller

Economist

BRM/OPLC

202-691-5373

miller.christopher@bls.gov