Response Rates for the Consumer 

Price Indexes, 2009

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 2009. 

 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 response rate at 

estimation is defined as the number of sample units used in 

estimation divided by the number of eligible sample units. 

 Response rates for 2009 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 2009. Tables R-2 through R-17 show rates for 

current data collection in selected areas for which indexes 

are published monthly and bimonthly. 

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 

Jonathan Church at (202) 691-7000, or email him at 

church.jonathan@bls.gov. 

Consumer Price Index, Bureau of Labor Statistics, March 2010
Table R-1. Response rates for the CPI-U, U.S. city average, by major group and shelter, 2009

 Quotes

Commodities and services Outlets

Total Food and bever-ages Housing (excluding shelter) Apparel Transpor- tation Medical care Recre- ation Educa- tion and commun- ication Other goods and services

Eligible 331,452 1,187,546 456,166 183,052 149,870 146,554 56,404 78,173 73,868 43,459Collected Number 316,842 1,003,107 417,527 164,475 81,064 131,483 41,307 64,407 63,143 39,701 Percent 95.6 84.5 91.5 89.9 54.1 89.7 73.2 82.4 85.5 91.4

Used in estimation Number 302,078 977,323 411,650 160,760 76,013 127,140 39,674 61,346 61,764 38,976 Percent 91.1 82.3 90.2 87.8 50.7 86.8 70.3 78.5 83.6 89.7

Shelter All Units

Eligible Number 61,194 Percent 100.0Collected Data reported Number 45,232 Percent 73.9 Found vacant Number 6,936 Percent 11.3 Other Number 9,026 Percent 14.7Used in estimation Number 52,168 Percent 85.3
Table R"2. Response rates for the CPI"U, Chicago"Gary"

Kenosha, IL"IN"WI, 2009

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 17,140 52,807 Eligible

Collected Number 1,910

 Number 16,352 43,433 Percent 100.0

 Percent 95.4 82.2 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 15,569 42,427 Number 1,082

 Percent 90.8 80.3 Percent 56.6

Found vacant

 Number 266

 Percent 13.9

Other

 Number 562

 Percent 29.4

Used in estimation

 Number 1,348

 Percent 70.6
Table R"3. Response rates for the CPI"U, Los Angeles"

Riverside"Orange County, CA, 2009!!!!

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 25,497 78,552 Eligible

Collected Number 4,048

 Number 24,358 64,340 Percent 100.0

 Percent 95.5 81.9 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 23,057 62,671 Number 3,065

 Percent 90.4 79.8 Percent 75.7

Found vacant

 Number 234

 Percent 5.8

Other

 Number 749

 Percent 18.5

Used in estimation

 Number 3,299

 Percent 81.5
Table R"4. Response rates for the CPI"U, NY"Northern NJ"Long

Island, NY"NJ"CT"PA, 2009

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 36,366 121,603 Eligible

Collected Number 4,766

 Number 34,500 98,675 Percent 100.0

 Percent 94.9 81.1 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 32,928 96,335 Number 3,289

 Percent 90.5 79.2 Percent 69.0

Found vacant

 Number 310

 Percent 6.5

Other

 Number 1,167

 Percent 24.5

Used in estimation

 Number 3,599

 Percent 75.5
Table R"5. Response rates for the CPI"U, Phil."Wilmington"

Trenton, PA"NJ"DE"MD, 2009

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 5,933 17,669 Eligible

Collected Number 1,419

 Number 5,650 14,981 Percent 100.0

 Percent 95.2 84.8 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 5,378 14,493 Number 951

 Percent 90.6 82.0 Percent 67.0

Found vacant

 Number 151

 Percent 10.6

Other

 Number 317

 Percent 22.3

Used in estimation

 Number 1,102

 Percent 77.7
Table R"6. Response rates for the CPI"U, San Francisco"

Oakland"San Jose, CA, 2009!!

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 4,987 16,138 Eligible

Collected Number 2,762

 Number 4,681 12,953 Percent 100.0

 Percent 93.9 80.3 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 4,367 12,482 Number 2,125

 Percent 87.6 77.3 Percent 76.9

Found vacant

 Number 138

 Percent 5.0

Other

 Number 499

 Percent 18.1

Used in estimation

 Number 2,263

 Percent 81.9
Table R"7. Response rates for the CPI"U, Washington"

Baltimore, DC"MD"VA"WV, 2009

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 7,965 27,411 Eligible

Collected Number 1,669

 Number 7,455 22,037 Percent 100.0

 Percent 93.6 80.4 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 7,046 21,253 Number 1,360

 Percent 88.5 77.5 Percent 81.5

Found vacant

 Number 128

 Percent 7.7

Other

 Number 181

 Percent 10.8

Used in estimation

 Number 1,488

 Percent 89.2
Table R"8. Response rates for the CPI"U, Boston"Brockton"

Nashua, MA"NH"ME"CT, 2009

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 5,541 17,697 Eligible

Collected Number 1,440

 Number 5,291 14,467 Percent 100.0

 Percent 95.5 81.7 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 5,020 13,994 Number 1,067

 Percent 90.6 79.1 Percent 74.1

Found vacant

 Number 125

 Percent 8.7

Other

 Number 248

 Percent 17.2

Used in estimation

 Number 1,192

 Percent 82.8
Table R"9. Response rates for the CPI"U, Cleveland"

Akron, OH, 2009

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 4,175 14,805 Eligible

Collected Number 1,251

 Number 4,012 12,335 Percent 100.0

 Percent 96.1 83.3 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 3,807 11,948 Number 867

 Percent 91.2 80.7 Percent 69.3

Found vacant

 Number 224

 Percent 17.9

Other

 Number 160

 Percent 12.8

Used in estimation

 Number 1,091

 Percent 87.2
Table R"10. Response rates for the CPI"U, Miami"Fort

Lauderdale, FL, 2009

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 1,541 7,053 Eligible

Collected Number 836

 Number 1,504 6,510 Percent 100.0

 Percent 97.6 92.3 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 1,493 6,445 Number 690

 Percent 96.9 91.4 Percent 82.5

Found vacant

 Number 89

 Percent 10.6

Other

 Number 57

 Percent 6.8

Used in estimation

 Number 779

 Percent 93.2
Table R"11. Response rates for the CPI"U, St. Louis,

MO"IL, 2009

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 1,342 6,063 Eligible

Collected Number 623

 Number 1,296 5,475 Percent 100.0

 Percent 96.6 90.3 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 1,270 5,386 Number 396

 Percent 94.6 88.8 Percent 63.6

Found vacant

 Number 96

 Percent 15.4

Other

 Number 131

 Percent 21.0

Used in estimation

 Number 492

 Percent 79.0
Table R"12. Response rates for the CPI"U, Dallas"Fort

Worth, TX, 2009

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 1,965 6,984 Eligible

Collected Number 1,208

 Number 1,919 6,339 Percent 100.0

 Percent 97.7 90.8 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 1,890 6,243 Number 885

 Percent 96.2 89.4 Percent 73.3

Found vacant

 Number 122

 Percent 10.1

Other

 Number 201

 Percent 16.6

Used in estimation

 Number 1,007

 Percent 83.4
Table R"13. Response rates for the CPI"U, Detroit"Ann

Arbor"Flint, MI, 2009

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 5,122 16,934 Eligible

Collected Number 1,128

 Number 4,774 13,432 Percent 100.0

 Percent 93.2 79.3 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 4,454 12,932 Number 697

 Percent 87.0 76.4 Percent 61.8

Found vacant

 Number 223

 Percent 19.8

Other

 Number 208

 Percent 18.4

Used in estimation

 Number 920

 Percent 81.6
Table R"14. Response rates for the CPI"U, Houston"

Galveston"Brazoria, TX, 2009

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 3,975 13,522 Eligible

Collected Number 1,110

 Number 3,811 11,513 Percent 100.0

 Percent 95.9 85.1 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 3,616 11,131 Number 834

 Percent 91.0 82.3 Percent 75.1

Found vacant

 Number 157

 Percent 14.1

Other

 Number 119

 Percent 10.7

Used in estimation

 Number 991

 Percent 89.3
Table R"15. Response rates for the CPI"U,

Pittsburgh, PA, 2009

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 3,581 12,811 Eligible

Collected Number 705

 Number 3,398 10,449 Percent 100.0

 Percent 94.9 81.6 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 3,227 10,170 Number 446

 Percent 90.1 79.4 Percent 63.3

Found vacant

 Number 94

 Percent 13.3

Other

 Number 165

 Percent 23.4

Used in estimation

 Number 540

 Percent 76.6
Table R"16. Response rates for the CPI"U,

Phoenix"Mesa, AZ., 2009

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 3,554 12,811 Eligible

Collected Number 619

 Number 3,397 10,953 Percent 100.0

 Percent 95.6 85.5 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 3,232 10,604 Number 486

 Percent 90.9 82.8 Percent 78.5

Found vacant

 Number 89

 Percent 14.4

Other

 Number 44

 Percent 7.1

Used in estimation

 Number 575

 Percent 92.9
Table R"17. Response rates for the CPI"U,

Atlanta, GA., 2009

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 4,648 14,517 Eligible

Collected Number 1,267

 Number 4,461 12,180 Percent 100.0

 Percent 96.0 83.9 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 4,238 11,772 Number 822

 Percent 91.2 81.1 Percent 64.9

Found vacant

 Number 209

 Percent 16.5

Other

 Number 236

 Percent 18.6

Used in estimation

 Number 1,031

 Percent 81.4