Response Rates for the Consumer 

Price Indexes, 2012 

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 2012. 

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 2012 are presented in tables R1 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 2012. Tables R-2 through R17 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 Darren Rippy at (202) 691-7000, or 

email him at Rippy.Darren@bls.gov.

Consumer Price Index, Bureau of Labor Statistics, January 2013 
Table R-1. Response rates for the CPI-U, U.S. city average, by major group and shelter, 2012

 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 324,242 1,201,070 466,999 149,136 143,705 154,539 80,332 79,107 82,412 44,840

Collected

 Number 307,084 1,001,098 426,355 130,473 74,624 139,929 50,382 65,203 73,451 40,681

 Percent 94.7 83.4 91.3 87.5 51.9 90.5 62.7 82.4 89.1 90.7

Used in estimation

 Number 294,627 976,885 420,200 127,223 70,189 136,704 48,822 61,917 71,871 39,959

 Percent 90.9 81.3 90.0 85.3 48.8 88.5 60.8 78.3 87.2 89.1

Shelter All Units

Eligible

 Number 89,411

 Percent 100.0

Collected

 Data reported

 Number 69,314

 Percent 77.5

 Found vacant

 Number 6,942

 Percent 7.8

 Other

 Number 13,155

 Percent 14.7

Used in estimation

 Number 89,411

 Percent 100.0
Table R-2. Response rates for the CPI-U, Chicago-GaryKenosha, IL-IN-WI, 2012

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 17,359 52,646 Eligible

Collected Number 2,986

 Number 16,399 42,754 Percent 100.0

 Percent 94.5 81.2 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 15,762 41,898 Number 2,058

 Percent 90.8 79.6 Percent 68.9

Found vacant

 Number 214

 Percent 7.2

Other

 Number 714

 Percent 23.9

Used in estimation

 Number 2,986

 Percent 100.0
Table R-3. Response rates for the CPI-U, Los AngelesRiverside-Orange County, CA, 2012

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 23,875 75,897 Eligible

Collected Number 5,921

 Number 22,389 59,804 Percent 100.0

 Percent 93.8 78.8 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 21,378 58,475 Number 4,407

 Percent 89.5 77.0 Percent 74.4

Found vacant

 Number 252

 Percent 4.3

Other

 Number 1,262

 Percent 21.3

Used in estimation

 Number 5,921

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

Island, NY-NJ-CT-PA, 2012

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 35,127 117,267 Eligible

Collected Number 7,575

 Number 33,030 94,135 Percent 100.0

 Percent 94.0 80.3 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 31,619 91,914 Number 5,835

 Percent 90.0 78.4 Percent 77.0

Found vacant

 Number 394

 Percent 5.2

Other

 Number 1,346

 Percent 17.8

Used in estimation

 Number 7,575

 Percent 100.0
Table R-5. Response rates for the CPI-U, Phil.-WilmingtonTrenton, PA-NJ-DE-MD, 2012

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 5,851 18,342 Eligible

Collected Number 2,509

 Number 5,591 15,256 Percent 100.0

 Percent 95.6 83.2 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 5,370 14,802 Number 1,942

 Percent 91.8 80.7 Percent 77.4

Found vacant

 Number 225

 Percent 9.0

Other

 Number 342

 Percent 13.6

Used in estimation

 Number 2,509

 Percent 100.0
Table R-6. Response rates for the CPI-U, San FranciscoOakland-San Jose, CA, 2012

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 5,248 16,887 Eligible

Collected Number 4,597

 Number 4,873 13,341 Percent 100.0

 Percent 92.9 79.0 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 4,616 12,901 Number 3,438

 Percent 88.0 76.4 Percent 74.8

Found vacant

 Number 170

 Percent 3.7

Other

 Number 989

 Percent 21.5

Used in estimation

 Number 4,597

 Percent 100.0
Table R-7. Response rates for the CPI-U, WashingtonBaltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV, 2012

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 7,623 26,445 Eligible

Collected Number 3,041

 Number 7,175 21,685 Percent 100.0

 Percent 94.1 82.0 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 6,823 20,880 Number 2,419

 Percent 89.5 79.0 Percent 79.5

Found vacant

 Number 195

 Percent 6.4

Other

 Number 427

 Percent 14.0

Used in estimation

 Number 3,041

 Percent 100.0
Table R-8. Response rates for the CPI-U, Boston-BrocktonNashua, MA-NH-ME-CT, 2012

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 5,214 16,771 Eligible

Collected Number 2,318

 Number 4,882 13,622 Percent 100.0

 Percent 93.6 81.2 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 4,654 13,161 Number 1,784

 Percent 89.3 78.5 Percent 77.0

Found vacant

 Number 119

 Percent 5.1

Other

 Number 415

 Percent 17.9

Used in estimation

 Number 2,318

 Percent 100.0
Table R-9. Response rates for the CPI-U, ClevelandAkron, OH, 2012

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 4,029 14,654 Eligible

Collected Number 1,185

 Number 3,806 12,291 Percent 100.0

 Percent 94.5 83.9 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 3,630 11,930 Number 853

 Percent 90.1 81.4 Percent 72.0

Found vacant

 Number 178

 Percent 15.0

Other

 Number 154

 Percent 13.0

Used in estimation

 Number 1,185

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

Lauderdale, FL, 2012

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 1,465 6,662 Eligible

Collected Number 1,154

 Number 1,418 6,184 Percent 100.0

 Percent 96.8 92.8 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 1,394 6,094 Number 938

 Percent 95.2 91.5 Percent 81.3

Found vacant

 Number 75

 Percent 6.5

Other

 Number 141

 Percent 12.2

Used in estimation

 Number 1,154

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

MO-IL, 2012

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 1,171 5,999 Eligible

Collected Number 779

 Number 1,137 5,537 Percent 100.0

 Percent 97.1 92.3 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 1,123 5,487 Number 554

 Percent 95.9 91.5 Percent 71.1

Found vacant

 Number 68

 Percent 8.7

Other

 Number 157

 Percent 20.2

Used in estimation

 Number 779

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

Worth, TX, 2012

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 1,639 6,817 Eligible

Collected Number 1,551

 Number 1,624 6,283 Percent 100.0

 Percent 99.1 92.2 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 1,591 6,213 Number 1,170

 Percent 97.1 91.1 Percent 75.4

Found vacant

 Number 91

 Percent 5.9

Other

 Number 290

 Percent 18.7

Used in estimation

 Number 1,551

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

Arbor-Flint, MI, 2012

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 4,812 16,431 Eligible

Collected Number 1,858

 Number 4,438 12,718 Percent 100.0

 Percent 92.2 77.4 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 4,230 12,305 Number 1,359

 Percent 87.9 74.9 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, HoustonGalveston-Brazoria, TX, 2012

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 3,926 13,830 Eligible

Collected Number 1,194

 Number 3,682 11,238 Percent 100.0

 Percent 93.8 81.3 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 3,508 10,913 Number 892

 Percent 89.4 78.9 Percent 74.7

Found vacant

 Number 138

 Percent 11.6

Other

 Number 164

 Percent 13.7

Used in estimation

 Number 1,194

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

Pittsburgh, PA, 2012

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 3,101 11,958 Eligible

Collected Number 727

 Number 2,939 9,794 Percent 100.0

 Percent 94.8 81.9 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 2,814 9,506 Number 557

 Percent 90.7 79.5 Percent 76.6

Found vacant

 Number 71

 Percent 9.8

Other

 Number 99

 Percent 13.6

Used in estimation

 Number 727

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

Phoenix-Mesa, AZ., 2012

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 3,179 12,089 Eligible

Collected Number 1,189

 Number 3,062 10,162 Percent 100.0

 Percent 96.3 84.1 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 2,951 9,839 Number 958

 Percent 92.8 81.4 Percent 80.6

Found vacant

 Number 123

 Percent 10.3

Other

 Number 108

 Percent 9.1

Used in estimation

 Number 1,189

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

Atlanta, GA., 2012

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 4,567 14,037 Eligible

Collected Number 1,364

 Number 4,312 11,317 Percent 100.0

 Percent 94.4 80.6 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 4,074 11,012 Number 1,026

 Percent 89.2 78.4 Percent 75.2

Found vacant

 Number 166

 Percent 12.2

Other

 Number 172

 Percent 12.6

Used in estimation

 Number 1,364

 Percent 100.0