Response Rates for the Consumer

Price Indexes, 2016 

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 2016. 

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 2016 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 2016. 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. 

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, 

please contact the Consumer Price Index Information 

Office at (202) 691-7000, or email cpi_info@bls.gov. 

Therefore, nearly all eligible sample units have 

prices, collected or imputed, that are used in 

estimation.

1
Table R-1. Response rates for the CPI-U, U.S. city average, by major group and shelter, 2016

Commodities and 

Services

Outlets Quotes

Total Food and 

Beverages

Housing 

(excluding 

shelter)

Apparel Transportation Medical 

Care

Recreation E

C

Eligible 285,925 1,144,695 468,738 135,580 129,711 137,495 75,066 85,713 

Collected

 Number 267,524 936,837 414,737 118,247 78,708 124,145 35,591 68,432 

 Percent 93.6 81.8 88.5 87.2 60.7 90.3 47.4 79.8 

Used in Estimation

 Number 258,610 930,693 413,449 117,821 77,631 123,958 33,155 68,151 

 Percent 90.4 81.3 88.2 86.9 59.8 90.2 44.2 79.5 

Shelter All Units

Eligible

 Number 96,999 

 Percent 100.0

Collected

 Data Reported

 Number 67,884 

 Percent 70.0 

 Found Vacant

 Number 6,405 

 Percent 6.6 

 Other

 Number 22,710 

 Percent 23.4 

Used in Estimation

 Number 96,999 

 Percent 100.0

2
Table R-2. Response rates for the CPI-U, Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI, 2016

Commodities and 

Services

Total

Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 15,103 51,143 Eligible

Collected Number 3,555 

 Number 14,027 39,289 Percent 100.0

 Percent 92.9 76.8 Collected

Used in Estimation Data Reported

 Number 13,578 39,082 Number 2,227 

 Percent 89.9 76.4 Percent 62.6 

 Found Vacant

 Number 203

 Percent 5.7 

 Other

 Number 1,125 

 Percent 31.6 

Used in Estimation

 Number 3,555 

 Percent 100.0

Table R-3. Response rates for the CPI-U, Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA, 2016

Commodities and 

Services

Total

Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 21,424 73,816 Eligible

Collected Number 5,906 

 Number 20,078 58,488 Percent 100.0

 Percent 93.7 79.2 Collected

Used in Estimation Data Reported

 Number 19,283 58,245 Number 4,099 

 Percent 90.0 78.9 Percent 69.4 

 Found Vacant

 Number 202

 Percent 3.4 

 Other

 Number 1,605 

 Percent 27.2 

Used in Estimation

 Number 5,906 

 Percent 100.0

3
Table R-4. Response rates for the CPI-U, NY-Northern NJ-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT-PA, 2016

Commodities and 

Services

Total

Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 30,293 110,719 Eligible

Collected Number 8,049 

 Number 28,035 87,554 Percent 100.0

 Percent 92.5 79.1 Collected

Used in Estimation Data Reported

 Number 27,120 86,952 Number 5,459 

 Percent 89.5 78.5 Percent 67.8 

 Found Vacant

 Number 431

 Percent 5.4 

 Other

 Number 2,159 

 Percent 26.8 

Used in Estimation

 Number 8,049 

 Percent 100.0

Table R-5. Response rates for the CPI-U, Phil.-Wilmington-Atlantic City, PA-NJ-DE-MD, 2016

Commodities and 

Services

Total

Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 5,026 18,765 Eligible

Collected Number 2,673 

 Number 4,800 15,734 Percent 100.0

 Percent 95.5 83.8 Collected

Used in Estimation Data Reported

 Number 4,640 15,594 Number 1,997

 Percent 92.3 83.1 Percent 74.7

 Found Vacant

 Number 215

 Percent 8.0

 Other

 Number 461

 Percent 17.2

Used in Estimation

 Number 2,673 

 Percent 100.0

4
Table R-6. Response rates for the CPI-U, San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA, 2016

Commodities and 

Services

Total

Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 4,473 18,678 Eligible

Collected Number 4,063 

 Number 3,945 14,466 Percent 100.0

 Percent 88.2 77.4 Collected

Used in Estimation Data Reported

 Number 3,803 14,355 Number 2,729 

 Percent 85.0 76.9 Percent 67.2

 Found Vacant

 Number 198

 Percent 4.9

 Other

 Number 1,136 

 Percent 28.0

Used in Estimation

 Number 4,063 

 Percent 100.0

Table R-7. Response rates for the CPI-U, Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV, 2016

Commodities and 

Services

Total

Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 6,804 25,114 Eligible

Collected Number 3,501 

 Number 6,468 20,528 Percent 100.0

 Percent 95.1 81.7 Collected

Used in Estimation Data Reported

 Number 6,246 20,388 Number 2,472

 Percent 91.8 81.2 Percent 70.6

 Found Vacant

 Number 251

 Percent 7.2

 Other

 Number 778

 Percent 22.2

Used in Estimation

 Number 3,501 

 Percent 100.0

5
Table R-8. Response rates for the CPI-U, Boston-Brockton-Nashua, MA-NH-ME-CT, 2016

Commodities and 

Services

Total

Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 4,620 18263 Eligible

Collected Number 2,789 

 Number 4,244 14,089 Percent 100.0

 Percent 91.9 77.1 Collected

Used in Estimation Data Reported

 Number 4,067 13,867 Number 1,933

 Percent 88.0 75.9 Percent 69.3

 Found Vacant

 Number 139

 Percent 5.0

 Other

 Number 717

 Percent 25.7

Used in Estimation

 Number 2,789 

 Percent 100.0

Table R-9. Response rates for the CPI-U, Cleveland-Akron, OH, 2016

Commodities and 

Services

Total

Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 3,596 14,115 Eligible

Collected Number 987

 Number 3,378 11,324 Percent 100.0

 Percent 93.9 80.2 Collected

Used in Estimation Data Reported

 Number 3,276 11,266 Number 750

 Percent 91.1 79.8 Percent 76.0

 Found Vacant

 Number 82

 Percent 8.3

 Other

 Number 155

 Percent 15.7

Used in Estimation

 Number 987

 Percent 100.0

6
Table R-10. Response rates for the CPI-U, Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL, 2016

Commodities and 

Services

Total

Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 1,039 5,581 Eligible

Collected Number 1,373

 Number 1,011 5,038 Percent 100.0

 Percent 97.3 90.3 Collected

Used in Estimation Data Reported

 Number 989 5,029 Number 1,124

 Percent 95.2 90.1 Percent 81.9

 Found Vacant

 Number 94

 Percent 6.8

 Other

 Number 155

 Percent 11.3

Used in Estimation

 Number 1,373

 Percent 100.0

Table R-11. Response rates for the CPI-U, St. Louis, MO-IL, 2016

Commodities and 

Services

Total

Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 947 4,927 Eligible

Collected Number 724

 Number 933 4,444 Percent 100.0

 Percent 98.5 90.2 Collected

Used in Estimation Data Reported

 Number 924 4,392 Number 565

 Percent 97.6 89.1 Percent 78.0

 Found Vacant

 Number 36

 Percent 5.0

 Other

 Number 123

 Percent 17.0

Used in Estimation

 Number 724

 Percent 100.0

7
Table R-12. Response rates for the CPI-U, Dallas-Fort Worth, TX, 2016

Commodities and 

Services

Total

Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 1,476 6,083 Eligible

Collected Number 1,700

 Number 1,439 5,476 Percent 100.0

 Percent 97.5 90.0 Collected

Used in Estimation Data Reported

 Number 1,414 5,472 Number 1,058

 Percent 95.8 90.0 Percent 62.2

 Found Vacant

 Number 85

 Percent 5.0

 Other

 Number 557

 Percent 32.8

Used in Estimation

 Number 1,700

 Percent 100.0

Table R-13. Response rates for the CPI-U, Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI, 2016

Commodities and 

Services

Total

Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 3.936 15,939 Eligible

Collected Number 1,952

 Number 3,546 12,852 Percent 100.0

 Percent 90.1 80.6 Collected

Used in Estimation Data Reported

 Number 3,429 12,683 Number 1,039

 Percent 87.1 79.6 Percent 53.2

 Found Vacant

 Number 127

 Percent 6.5

 Other

 Number 786

 Percent 40.3

Used in Estimation

 Number 1,952

 Percent 100.0

8
Table R-14. Response rates for the CPI-U, Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX, 2016

Commodities and 

Services

Total

Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 3,869 13,540 Eligible

Collected Number 1,390

 Number 3,407 10,078 Percent 100.0

 Percent 88.1 74.4 Collected

Used in Estimation Data Reported

 Number 3,264 10,026 Number 941

 Percent 84.4 74.0 Percent 67.7

 Found Vacant

 Number 112

 Percent 8.1

 Other

 Number 337

 Percent 24.2

Used in Estimation

 Number 1,390

 Percent 100.0

Table R-15. Response rates for the CPI-U, Pittsburgh, PA, 2016

Commodities and 

Services

Total

Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 2,945 10,636 Eligible

Collected Number 876

 Number 2,871 9,322 Percent 100.0

 Percent 97.5 87.6 Collected

Used in Estimation Data Reported

 Number 2,791 9,277 Number 701

 Percent 94.8 87.2 Percent 80.0

 Found Vacant

 Number 66

 Percent 7.5

 Other

 Number 109

 Percent 12.4

Used in Estimation

 Number 876

 Percent 100.0

9
Table R-16. Response rates for the CPI-U, Phoenix-Mesa, AZ., 2016

Commodities and 

Services

Total

Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 2,897 11,016 Eligible

Collected Number 1,331

 Number 2,776 9,390 Percent 100.0

 Percent 95.8 85.2 Collected

Used in Estimation Data Reported

 Number 2,702 9,329 Number 896

 Percent 93.3 84.7 Percent 67.3

 Found Vacant

 Number 83

 Percent 6.2

 Other

 Number 352

 Percent 26.4

Used in Estimation

 Number 1,331

 Percent 100.0

Table R-17. Response rates for the CPI-U, Atlanta, GA., 2016

Commodities and 

Services

Total

Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 4,148 14,652 Eligible

Collected Number 1,828

 Number 3,952 11,497 Percent 100.0

 Percent 95.3 78.5 Collected

Used in Estimation Data Reported

 Number 3,787 11,413 Number 1,305

 Percent 91.3 77.9 Percent 71.4

 Found Vacant

 Number 111

 Percent 6.1

 Other

 Number 412

 Percent 22.5

Used in Estimation

 Number 1,828

 Percent 100.0

10