Response Rates for the Consumer 

Price Indexes, 2007

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 2007. 

 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 2007 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 2007. 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 Doris L. Johnson at (202) 

691-7000, or email her at Johnson.Doris@bls.gov. 

 Consumer Price Index, Bureau of Labor Statistics, February 2008
Table R-1. Response rates for the CPI-U, U.S. city average, by major group and shelter, 200

7

 Quotes

Commodities and 

services

Outlets

Total

Food and 

beverages

Housing

(excluding

shelter)

Apparel Transpor- tation Medical care Recre- ation

Education and 

communication

Other

goods and 

services

Eligible 322,494 1,144,019 438,522 182,283 147,120 136,705 48,924 78,363 67,232 44,870Collected Number 309,552 966,138 399,161 163,964 78,269 125,456 37,666 65,935 54,598 41,089 Percent 96.0 84.5 91.0 90.0 53.2 91.8 77.0 84.1 81.2 91.6

Used in estimation

 Number 295,999 941,221 393,262 159,891 72,885 122,183 36,488 62,808 53,282 40,422 Percent 91.8 82.3 89.7 87.7 49.5 89.4 74.6 80.2 79.3 90.1

Shelter All Units

Eligible Number 63,348

 Percent 100.0Collected Data reported Number 45,961

 Percent 72.6 Found vacant Number 6,204 Percent 9.8 Other Number 11,183

 Percent 17.7Used in estimation Number 52,165

 Percent 82.3
Table R-2. Response rates for the CPI-U, Chicago-GaryKenosha, IL-IN-WI, 2007

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 16,774 51,130 Eligible

Collected Number 2,030

 Number 16,099 42,428 Percent 100.0

 Percent 96.0 83.0 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 15,424 41,515 Number 1,197

Percent 92.0 81.2 Percent 59.0

Found vacant

 Number 240

 Percent 11.8

Other

 Number 593

 Percent 29.2

Used in estimation

 Number 1,437

 Percent 70.8

 
Table R-3. Response rates for the CPI-U, Los AngelesRiverside-Orange County, CA, 2007

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 25,106 77,492 Eligible

Collected Number 4,229

 Number 24,425 64,491 Percent 100.0

 Percent 97.3 83.2 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 23,128 62,772 Number 2,934

Percent 92.1 81.0 Percent 69.4

Found vacant

 Number 167

 Percent 3.9

Other

 Number 1,128

 Percent 26.7

Used in estimation

 Number 3,101

 Percent 73.3
Table R-4. Response rates for the CPI-U, NY-Northern NJ-Long

Island, NY-NJ-CT-PA, 2007

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 34,793 117,673 Eligible

Collected Number 4,914

 Number 33,282 96,082 Percent 100.0

 Percent 95.7 81.7 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 31,759 93,774 Number 3,245

Percent 91.3 79.7 Percent 66.0

Found vacant

 Number 277

 Percent 5.6

Other

 Number 1,392

 Percent 28.3

Used in estimation

 Number 3,522

 Percent 71.7
Table R-5. Response rates for the CPI-U, Phil.-WilmingtonTrenton, PA-NJ-KE-MD, 2007

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 8,318 25,922 Eligible

Collected Number 1,477

 Number 8,037 22,244 Percent 100.0

 Percent 96.6 85.8 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 7,731 21,629 Number 1,016

Percent 92.9 83.4 Percent 68.8

Found vacant

 Number 166

 Percent 11.2

Other

 Number 295

 Percent 20.0

Used in estimation

 Number 1,182

 Percent 80.0
Table R-6. Response rates for the CPI-U, San FranciscoOakland-San Jose, CA, 2007

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 6,508 23,800 Eligible

Collected Number 2,877

 Number 6,225 19,824 Percent 100.0

 Percent 95.7 83.3 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 5,943 19,233 Number 2,100

Percent 91.3 80.8 Percent 73.0

Found vacant

 Number 165

 Percent 5.7

Other

 Number 612

 Percent 21.3

Used in estimation

 Number 2,265

 Percent 78.7
Table R-7. Response rates for the CPI-U, WashingtonBaltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV, 2007

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 8,009 27,731 Eligible

Collected Number 1,744

 Number 7,670 22,332 Percent 100.0

 Percent 95.8 80.5 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 7,286 21,559 Number 1,363

Percent 91.0 77.7 Percent 78.2

Found vacant

 Number 121

 Percent 6.9

Other

 Number 260

 Percent 14.9

Used in estimation

 Number 1,484

 Percent 85.1
Table R-8. Response rates for the CPI-U, Boston-BrocktonNashua, MA-NH-ME-CT, 2007

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 5,335 18,403 Eligible

Collected Number 1,477

 Number 5,060 14,763 Percent 100.0

 Percent 94.8 80.2 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 4,770 14,215 Number 1,035

Percent 89.4 77.2 Percent 70.1

Found vacant

 Number 122

 Percent 8.3

Other

 Number 320

 Percent 21.7

Used in estimation

 Number 1,157

 Percent 78.3
Table R-9. Response rates for the CPI-U, ClevelandAkron, OH, 2007

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 3,921 14,535 Eligible

Collected Number 1,309

 Number 3,703 11,666 Percent 100.0

 Percent 94.4 80.3 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 3,533 11,260 Number 912

Percent 90.1 77.5 Percent 69.7

Found vacant

 Number 206

 Percent 15.7

Other

 Number 191

 Percent 14.6

Used in estimation

 Number 1,118

 Percent 85.4
Table R-10. Response rates for the CPI-U, Miami-Fort

Lauderdale, FL, 2007

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 1,514 6,766 Eligible

Collected Number 881

 Number 1,470 6,258 Percent 100.0

 Percent 97.1 92.5 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 1,454 6,205 Number 685

Percent 96.0 91.7 Percent 77.8

Found vacant

 Number 80

 Percent 9.1

Other

 Number 116

 Percent 13.2

Used in estimation

 Number 765

 Percent 86.8
Table R-11. Response rates for the CPI-U, St. Louis, 

MO-IL, 2007

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 1,348 5,829 Eligible

Collected Number 646

 Number 1,320 5,354 Percent 100.0

 Percent 97.9 91.9 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 1,289 5,264 Number 434

Percent 95.6 90.3 Percent 67.2

Found vacant

 Number 64

 Percent 9.9

Other

 Number 148

 Percent 22.9

Used in estimation

 Number 498

 Percent 77.1
Table R-12. Response rates for the CPI-U, Dallas-Fort

Worth, TX, 2007

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 1,831 6,302 Eligible

Collected Number 1,243

 Number 1,787 5,777 Percent 100.0

 Percent 97.6 91.7 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 1,768 5,707 Number 956

Percent 96.6 90.6 Percent 76.9

Found vacant

 Number 126

 Percent 10.1

Other

 Number 161

 Percent 13.0

Used in estimation

 Number 1,082

 Percent 87.0
Table R-13. Response rates for the CPI-U, Detroit-Ann 

Arbor-Flint, MI, 2007

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 5,021 17,471 Eligible

Collected Number 1,171

 Number 4,650 13,929 Percent 100.0

 Percent 92.6 79.7 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 4,421 13,420 Number 793

Percent 88.1 76.8 Percent 67.7

Found vacant

 Number 160

 Percent 13.7

Other

 Number 218

 Percent 18.6

Used in estimation

 Number 953

 Percent 81.4
Table R-14. Response rates for the CPI-U, HoustonGalveston-Brazoria, TX, 2007

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 3,790 13,156 Eligible

Collected Number 1,139

 Number 3,616 11,112 Percent 100.0

 Percent 95.4 84.5 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 3,412 10,725 Number 760

Percent 90.0 81.5 Percent 66.7

Found vacant

 Number 143

 Percent 12.6

Other

 Number 236

 Percent 20.7

Used in estimation

 Number 903

 Percent 79.3
Table R-15. Response rates for the CPI-U, 

Pittsburgh, PA, 2007

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 3,570 12,745 Eligible

Collected Number 736

 Number 3,409 10,347 Percent 100.0

 Percent 95.5 81.2 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 3,262 10,040 Number 453

Percent 91.4 78.8 Percent 61.5

Found vacant

 Number 116

 Percent 15.8

Other

 Number 167

 Percent 22.7

Used in estimation

 Number 569

 Percent 77.3
Table R-16. Response rates for the CPI-U, 

Phoenix-Mesa, AZ., 2007

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 3,380 12,898 Eligible

Collected Number 621

 Number 3,279 11,042 Percent 100.0

 Percent 97.0 85.6 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 3,150 10,646 Number 487

 Percent 93.2 82.5 Percent 78.4

Found vacant

 Number 69

 Percent 11.1

Other

 Number 65

 Percent 10.5

Used in estimation

 Number 556

 Percent 89.5
Table R-17. Response rates for the CPI-U, 

Atlanta, GA., 2007

Commodities Total

and services Outlets Quotes Shelter All Units

Eligible 4,580 14,046 Eligible

Collected Number 1,345

 Number 4,397 11,575 Percent 100.0

 Percent 96.0 82.4 Collected

Used in estimation Data reported

 Number 4,173 11,194 Number 862

 Percent 91.1 79.7 Percent 64.1

Found vacant

 Number 160

 Percent 11.9

Other

 Number 323

 Percent 24.0

Used in estimation

 Number 1,022

 Percent 76.0