Response Rates for the Consumer 

Price Indexes, 2011 

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 2011. 

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 2011 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 2011. 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 Darren Rippy at (202) 691-7000, or 

email him at Rippy.Darren@bls.gov. 

Consumer Price Index, Bureau of Labor Statistics, January 2012
Table R-1. Response rates for the CPI-U, U.S. city average, by major group and shelter, 2011

 Quotes

Commodities and 

services

Outlets

Total

Food and 

beverages

Housing

(excluding

shelter)

Apparel Transportation

Medical

care

Recreation

Education

and

communication

Other

goods

and

services

Eligible 330,927 1,183,424 464,023 147,974 144,681 152,896 73,118 78,666 78,527 43,539

Collected 

 Number 317,110 999,863 424,256 132,683 80,697 138,531 47,790 65,007 71,489 39,410

 Percent 95.8 84.5 91.4 89.7 55.8 90.6 65.4 82.6 91.0 90.5 

Used in estimation

 Number 302,512 973,782 418,475 129,349 76,051 133,827 45,633 61,717 70,022 38,708

 Percent 91.4 82.3 90.2 87.4 52.6 87.5 62.4 78.5 89.2 88.9

Shelter All Units

Eligible

 Number 73,337

 Percent 100.0

Collected

 Data reported

 Number 57,199

 Percent 78.0

 Found vacant

 Number 6,318

 Percent 8.6

 Other

 Number 9,820

 Percent 13.4

Used in estimation

 Number 73,314

 Percent 100.0
TableR2.ResponseratesfortheCPIU,ChicagoGary

Kenosha,ILINWI,2011

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 17,577 52,123 Eligible

Collected Number 2,235

 Number 16,647 42,747 Percent 100.0

 Percent 94.7 82.0 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 15,866 41,714 Number 1,478

 Percent 90.3 80.0 Percent 66.1

Found vacant

 Number 214

 Percent 9.6

Other

 Number 543

 Percent 24.3

Used in estimation

 Number 2,235

 Percent 100.0
TableR3.ResponseratesfortheCPIU,LosAngeles

RiversideOrangeCounty,CA,2011

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 24,209 75,478 Eligible

Collected Number 5,009

 Number 23,074 60,581 Percent 100.0

 Percent 95.3 80.3 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 21,999 58,955 Number 3,846

 Percent 90.9 78.1 Percent 76.8

Found vacant

 Number 235

 Percent 4.7

Other

 Number 928

 Percent 18.5

Used in estimation

 Number 5,008

 Percent 100.0
TableR4.ResponseratesfortheCPIU,NYNorthernNJLong

Island,NYNJCTPA,2011

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 36,606 117,223 Eligible

Collected Number 6,032

 Number 34,909 94,806 Percent 100.0

 Percent 95.4 80.9 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 33,258 92,151 Number 4,467

 Percent 90.9 78.6 Percent 74.1

Found vacant

 Number 371

 Percent 6.2

Other

 Number 1,194

 Percent 19.8

Used in estimation

 Number 6,031

 Percent 100.0
TableR5.ResponseratesfortheCPIU,Phil.Wilmington

Trenton,PANJDEMD,2011

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 6,044 17,959 Eligible

Collected Number 1,831

 Number 5,791 15,028 Percent 100.0

 Percent 95.8 83.7 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 5,519 14,444 Number 1,435

 Percent 91.3 80.4 Percent 78.4

Found vacant

 Number 176

 Percent 9.6

Other

 Number 220

 Percent 12.0

Used in estimation

 Number 1,831

 Percent 100.0
TableR6.ResponseratesfortheCPIU,SanFrancisco

OaklandSanJose,CA,2011

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 5,263 16,550 Eligible

Collected Number 3,608

 Number 4,960 13,335 Percent 100.0

 Percent 94.2 80.6 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 4,650 12,900 Number 2,895

 Percent 88.4 77.9 Percent 80.2

Found vacant

 Number 147

 Percent 4.1

Other

 Number 566

 Percent 15.7

Used in estimation

 Number 3,608

 Percent 100.0
TableR7.ResponseratesfortheCPIU,Washington

Baltimore,DCMDVAWV,2011

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 7,739 26,645 Eligible

Collected Number 2,231

 Number 7,386 21,791 Percent 100.0

 Percent 95.4 81.8 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 6,981 21,007 Number 1,843

 Percent 90.2 78.8 Percent 82.6

Found vacant

 Number 141

 Percent 6.3

Other

 Number 247

 Percent 11.1

Used in estimation

 Number 2,228

 Percent 99.9
TableR8.ResponseratesfortheCPIU,BostonBrockton

Nashua,MANHMECT,2011

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 5,447 16,485 Eligible

Collected Number 1,836

 Number 5,143 13,605 Percent 100.0

 Percent 94.4 82.5 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 4,855 13,164 Number 1,379

 Percent 89.1 79.9 Percent 75.1

Found vacant

 Number 115

 Percent 6.3

Other

 Number 342

 Percent 18.6

Used in estimation

 Number 1,836

 Percent 100.0
TableR9.ResponseratesfortheCPIU,Cleveland

Akron,OH,2011

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 4,125 14,464 Eligible

Collected Number 1,167

 Number 3,966 12,286 Percent 100.0

 Percent 96.1 84.9 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 3,766 11,962 Number 851

 Percent 91.3 82.7 Percent 72.9

Found vacant

 Number 167

 Percent 14.3

Other

 Number 149

 Percent 12.8

Used in estimation

 Number 1,167

 Percent 100.0
TableR10.ResponseratesfortheCPIU,MiamiFort

Lauderdale,FL,2011

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 1,504 6,703 Eligible

Collected Number 1,013

 Number 1,478 6,277 Percent 100.0

 Percent 98.3 93.6 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 1,464 6,191 Number 802

 Percent 97.3 92.4 Percent 79.2

Found vacant

 Number 72

 Percent 7.1

Other

 Number 139

 Percent 13.7

Used in estimation

 Number 1,013

 Percent 100.0
TableR11.ResponseratesfortheCPIU,St.Louis,

MOIL,2011

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 1,316 6,084 Eligible

Collected Number 687

 Number 1,287 5,652 Percent 100.0

 Percent 97.8 92.9 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 1,266 5,595 Number 504

 Percent 96.2 92.0 Percent 73.4

Found vacant

 Number 71

 Percent 10.3

Other

 Number 112

 Percent 16.3

Used in estimation

 Number 680

 Percent 99.0
TableR12.ResponseratesfortheCPIU,DallasFort

Worth,TX,2011

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 1,783 6,854 Eligible

Collected Number 1,339

 Number 1,766 6,295 Percent 100.0

 Percent 99.0 91.8 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 1,736 6,200 Number 1,054

 Percent 97.4 90.5 Percent 78.7

Found vacant

 Number 95

 Percent 7.1

Other

 Number 190

 Percent 14.2

Used in estimation

 Number 1,338

 Percent 99.9
TableR13.ResponseratesfortheCPIU,DetroitAnn

ArborFlint,MI,2011

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 5,013 16,513 Eligible

Collected Number 1,496

 Number 4,660 12,812 Percent 100.0

 Percent 93.0 77.6 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 4,375 12,351 Number 1,107

 Percent 87.3 74.8 Percent 74.0

Found vacant

 Number 170

 Percent 11.4

Other

 Number 219

 Percent 14.6

Used in estimation

 Number 1,496

 Percent 100.0
TableR14.ResponseratesfortheCPIU,Houston

GalvestonBrazoria,TX,2011

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 4,061 13,807 Eligible

Collected Number 1,135

 Number 3,877 11,535 Percent 100.0

 Percent 95.5 83.5 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 3,673 11,192 Number 826

 Percent 90.4 81.1 Percent 72.8

Found vacant

 Number 141

 Percent 12.4

Other

 Number 168

 Percent 14.8

Used in estimation

 Number 1,135

 Percent 100.0
TableR15.ResponseratesfortheCPIU,

Pittsburgh,PA,2011

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 3,272 11,883 Eligible

Collected Number 679

 Number 3,161 9,970 Percent 100.0

 Percent 96.6 83.9 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 3,018 9,719 Number 477

 Percent 92.2 81.8 Percent 70.3

Found vacant

 Number 78

 Percent 11.5

Other

 Number 124

 Percent 18.3

Used in estimation

 Number 679

 Percent 100.0
TableR16.ResponseratesfortheCPIU,

PhoenixMesa,AZ.,2011

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 3,415 12,139 Eligible

Collected Number 937

 Number 3,317 10,513 Percent 100.0

 Percent 97.1 86.6 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 3,145 10,206 Number 757

 Percent 92.1 84.1 Percent 80.8

Found vacant

 Number 104

 Percent 11.1

Other

 Number 76

 Percent 8.1

Used in estimation

 Number 937

 Percent 100.0
TableR17.ResponseratesfortheCPIU,

Atlanta,GA.,2011

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 4,694 14,413 Eligible

Collected Number 1,260

 Number 4,481 11,665 Percent 100.0

 Percent 95.5 80.9 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 4,231 11,347 Number 894

 Percent 90.1 78.7 Percent 71.0

Found vacant

 Number 157

 Percent 12.5

Other

 Number 209

 Percent 16.6

Used in estimation

 Number 1,260

 Percent 100.0