Response Rates for the Consumer 

Price Indexes, 2013 

This article and the accompanying tables update 

articles previously published on response rates in the 

CPI Detailed Report for March 1991, and in the 

January issues of 1993 through 2013. 

In an effort to measure the outcome of data 

collection for the CPI, the BLS calculates response 

rates. Response rates measure the proportion of 

completed surveys to those issued and help measure 

the accuracy of the CPI. Failure of a data unit to 

respond at either the data collection stage or 

estimation stage represents a loss of statistical 

information which dilutes the accuracy of the sample. 

The BLS publishes response rates annually to assist 

the data user in judging the accuracy of CPI data. 

The BLS calculates response rates for the CPI-U 

at the data collection and data estimation phases for 

pricing. The response rate at the data collection 

phase is the number of responding sample units 

divided by the number of eligible sample units. A 

sample unit is eligible if it belongs to the defined 

target population and if it should provide information 

for one or more items. The percent of the sample 

used at estimation is defined as the number of sample 

units used in estimation divided by the number of 

eligible sample units.1

Response rates for 2013 are presented in tables 

R-1 through R-17. Table R-1 shows response rates 

for all data included in the CPI-U, U.S. city average, 

by major group, for all of 2013. Tables R-2 through 

R-17 show rates for current data collection in 

selected areas for which indexes are published 

monthly, bimonthly, or semiannually. 

 

1

 Imputed prices, when used in estimation, are 

counted in this estimate. Beginning in July 2010, the 

BLS began using rent prices imputed by a noninterview adjustment technique in estimation. 

Therefore, nearly all eligible sample units have 

prices, collected or imputed, that are used in 

estimation. 

The response rates in tables R-1 through R-17 are 

separated into commodities and services, and the 

shelter portion of housing. Commodities and 

services are further broken down into outlets and 

quotes. An "outlet" is a generic term that designates 

the place where prices are collected. A "quote" is a 

specific item to be priced in a specific outlet. There 

may be from 1 to more than 50 quotes priced in each 

outlet. 

In table R-1, it is important to note the relatively 

low percentages of quotes reported, collected and 

used in estimation for apparel. Low rates for these 

items can be partially attributed to the design of the 

apparel sample. Because seasonal apparel items 

commonly are in stores only during certain times of 

the year, most of the apparel sample is doubled, with 

each half of the sample designated for pricing during 

part of the year. Thus, at any particular time of the 

year, a large number of apparel quotes, although 

eligible, are designated out of season and are not 

collected. 

The response rates at the data collection phase for 

shelter are separated into three categories. If useable 

information is obtained, the unit is designated data 

reported. If the assigned unit is located but is 

unoccupied, the unit is designated found vacant. In 

instances where the unit is eligible but no data are 

available (for example, refusals or no one at home) 

the unit is designated other. 

 For additional information on response rates, 

write to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Division of 

Consumer Prices and Price Indexes, Room 3615, 2 

Massachusetts Avenue, NE., Washington, DC 20212-

0001, or call Malik Crawford at (202) 691-7000, or 

email him at Crawford.Malik@bls.gov. 
Table R-1. Response rates for the CPI-U, U.S. city average, by major group and shelter, 2013

 Quotes

Commodities and services Outlets

Total Food and 

bever-ages

Housing 

(excluding 

shelter)

Apparel Transportation

Medical 

care

Recreation

Educa- tion 

and 

communication

Other 

goods and 

services

Eligible 316,405 1,201,932 469,041 150,060 143,470 152,341 77,164 83,389 80,950 45,517

Collected 

 Number 292,563 979,666 418,215 126,775 75,674 134,999 45,145 67,318 71,148 40,392

 Percent 92.5 81.5 89.2 84.5 52.7 88.6 58.5 80.7 87.9 88.7 

Used in estimation

 Number 279,874 953,926 410,687 123,403 71,308 131,176 43,837 64,374 69,611 39,530

 Percent 88.5 79.4 87.6 82.2 49.7 86.1 56.8 77.2 86.0 86.8

Shelter All Units

Eligible

 Number 97,267

 Percent 100.0

Collected

 Data reported

 Number 73,126

 Percent 75.2

 Found vacant

 Number 6,984

 Percent 7.2

 Other

 Number 17,157

 Percent 17.6

Used in estimation

 Number 97,267

 Percent 100.0
Table R‐2. Response rates for the CPI‐U, Chicago‐Gary‐

Kenosha, IL‐IN‐WI, 2013

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 16,699 52,839 Eligible

Collected Number 3,378

 Number 15,350 42,026 Percent 100.0

 Percent 91.9 79.5 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 14,744 41,001 Number 2,305

 Percent 88.3 77.6 Percent 68.2

Found vacant

 Number 197

 Percent 5.8

Other

 Number 876

 Percent 25.9

Used in estimation

 Number 3,378

 Percent 100.0
Table R‐3. Response rates for the CPI‐U, Los Angeles‐

Riverside‐Orange County, CA, 2013

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 23,123 73,484 Eligible

Collected Number 6,401

 Number 20,940 55,944 Percent 100.0

 Percent 90.6 76.1 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 19,935 54,563 Number 4,585

 Percent 86.2 74.3 Percent 71.6

Found vacant

 Number 239

 Percent 3.7

Other

 Number 1,577

 Percent 24.6

Used in estimation

 Number 6,401

 Percent 100.0
Table R‐4. Response rates for the CPI‐U, NY‐Northern NJ‐Long

Island, NY‐NJ‐CT‐PA, 2013

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 34,020 114,218 Eligible

Collected Number 8,298

 Number 31,018 90,652 Percent 100.0

 Percent 91.2 79.4 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 29,693 88,193 Number 6,128

 Percent 87.3 77.2 Percent 73.8

Found vacant

 Number 414

 Percent 5.0

Other

 Number 1,756

 Percent 21.2

Used in estimation

 Number 8,298

 Percent 100.0
Table R‐5. Response rates for the CPI‐U, Phil.‐Wilmington‐

Trenton, PA‐NJ‐DE‐MD, 2013

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 5,679 19,281 Eligible

Collected Number 2,755

 Number 5,327 15,635 Percent 100.0

 Percent 93.8 81.1 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 5,078 15,194 Number 2,062

 Percent 89.4 78.8 Percent 74.8

Found vacant

 Number 243

 Percent 8.8

Other

 Number 450

 Percent 16.3

Used in estimation

 Number 2,755

 Percent 100.0
Table R‐6. Response rates for the CPI‐U, San Francisco‐

Oakland‐San Jose, CA, 2013

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 5,261 17,488 Eligible

Collected Number 4,825

 Number 4,667 13,212 Percent 100.0

 Percent 88.7 75.5 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 4,417 12,744 Number 3,352

 Percent 84.0 72.9 Percent 69.5

Found vacant

 Number 192

 Percent 4.0

Other

 Number 1,281

 Percent 26.5

Used in estimation

 Number 4,825

 Percent 100.0
Table R‐7. Response rates for the CPI‐U, Washington‐

Baltimore, DC‐MD‐VA‐WV, 2012

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 7,402 26,065 Eligible

Collected Number 3,510

 Number 6,931 21,164 Percent 100.0

 Percent 93.6 81.2 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 6,612 20,421 Number 2,587

 Percent 89.3 78.3 Percent 73.7

Found vacant

 Number 233

 Percent 6.6

Other

 Number 690

 Percent 19.7

Used in estimation

 Number 3,510

 Percent 100.0
Table R‐8. Response rates for the CPI‐U, Boston‐Brockton‐

Nashua, MA‐NH‐ME‐CT, 2012

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 4,975 16,931 Eligible

Collected Number 2,691

 Number 4,655 13,897 Percent 100.0

 Percent 93.6 82.1 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 4,477 13,455 Number 2,093

 Percent 90.0 79.5 Percent 77.8

Found vacant

 Number 119

 Percent 4.4

Other

 Number 479

 Percent 17.8

Used in estimation

 Number 2,691

 Percent 100.0
Table R‐9. Response rates for the CPI‐U, Cleveland‐

Akron, OH, 2013

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 3,956 14,624 Eligible

Collected Number 1,196

 Number 3,743 12,152 Percent 100.0

 Percent 94.6 83.1 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 3,558 11,749 Number 891

 Percent 89.9 80.3 Percent 74.5

Found vacant

 Number 136

 Percent 11.4

Other

 Number 169

 Percent 14.1

Used in estimation

 Number 1,196

 Percent 100.0
Table R‐10. Response rates for the CPI‐U, Miami‐Fort

Lauderdale, FL, 2013

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 1,274 6,318 Eligible

Collected Number 1,333

 Number 1,242 5,981 Percent 100.0

 Percent 97.5 94.7 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 1,220 5,902 Number 1,090

 Percent 95.8 93.4 Percent 81.8

Found vacant

 Number 87

 Percent 6.5

Other

 Number 156

 Percent 11.7

Used in estimation

 Number 1,333

 Percent 100.0
Table R‐11. Response rates for the CPI‐U, St. Louis,

MO‐IL, 2013

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 1,142 5,971 Eligible

Collected Number 751

 Number 1,106 5,483 Percent 100.0

 Percent 96.8 91.8 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 1,091 5,428 Number 516

 Percent 95.5 90.9 Percent 68.7

Found vacant

 Number 72

 Percent 9.6

Other

 Number 163

 Percent 21.7

Used in estimation

 Number 751

 Percent 100.0
Table R‐12. Response rates for the CPI‐U, Dallas‐Fort

Worth, TX, 2013

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 1,564 6,549 Eligible

Collected Number 1,628

 Number 1,484 5,900 Percent 100.0

 Percent 94.9 90.1 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 1,457 5,771 Number 1,203

 Percent 93.2 88.1 Percent 73.9

Found vacant

 Number 79

 Percent 4.9

Other

 Number 346

 Percent 21.3

Used in estimation

 Number 1,628

 Percent 100.0
Table R‐13. Response rates for the CPI‐U, Detroit‐Ann

Arbor‐Flint, MI, 2013

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 4,633 16,351 Eligible

Collected Number 1,858

 Number 4,025 12,331 Percent 100.0

 Percent 86.9 75.4 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 3,842 11,965 Number 1,359

 Percent 82.9 73.2 Percent 73.1

Found vacant

 Number 186

 Percent 10.0

Other

 Number 313

 Percent 16.8

Used in estimation

 Number 1,858

 Percent 100.0
Table R‐14. Response rates for the CPI‐U, Houston‐

Galveston‐Brazoria, TX, 2013

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 3,957 13,903 Eligible

Collected Number 1,255

 Number 3,416 10,661 Percent 100.0

 Percent 86.3 76.7 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 3,216 10,309 Number 929

 Percent 81.3 74.1 Percent 74.0

Found vacant

 Number 91

 Percent 7.3

Other

 Number 235

 Percent 18.7

Used in estimation

 Number 1,255

 Percent 100.0
Table R‐15. Response rates for the CPI‐U,

Pittsburgh, PA, 2013

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 3,230 12,142 Eligible

Collected Number 790

 Number 3,006 9,793 Percent 100.0

 Percent 93.1 80.7 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 2,874 9,457 Number 611

 Percent 89.0 77.9 Percent 77.3

Found vacant

 Number 66

 Percent 8.4

Other

 Number 113

 Percent 14.3

Used in estimation

 Number 790

 Percent 100.0
Table R‐16. Response rates for the CPI‐U,

Phoenix‐Mesa, AZ., 2013

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 3,083 12,045 Eligible

Collected Number 1,312

 Number 2,961 9,956 Percent 100.0

 Percent 96.0 82.7 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 2,841 9,696 Number 1,058

 Percent 92.2 80.5 Percent 80.6

Found vacant

 Number 132

 Percent 10.1

Other

 Number 122

 Percent 9.3

Used in estimation

 Number 1,312

 Percent 100.0
Table R‐17. Response rates for the CPI‐U,

Atlanta, GA., 2013

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 4,497 14,092 Eligible

Collected Number 1,528

 Number 4,170 11,318 Percent 100.0

 Percent 92.7 80.3 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 3,933 10,936 Number 1,191

 Percent 87.5 77.6 Percent 77.9

Found vacant

 Number 156

 Percent 10.2

Other

 Number 181

 Percent 11.8

Used in estimation

 Number 1,528

 Percent 100.0