News United States

Department 

of Labor

Bureau of Labor Statistics Washington, D.C. 20212

 FOR TECHNICAL INFORMATION:

Patrick C. Jackman (202) 691-7000 USDL-04-261

CPI QUICKLINE: (202) 691-6994 TRANSMISSION OF 

FOR CURRENT AND HISTORICAL MATERIAL IN THIS 

INFORMATION: (202) 691-5200 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED

MEDIA CONTACT: (202) 691-5902 UNTIL 8:30 A.M. (EST) 

INTERNET ADDRESS: http://www.bls.gov/cpi/ Friday, February 20, 2004

CONSUMER PRICE INDEX: JANUARY 2004

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.5 percent in January, before seasonal 

adjustment, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. The January level of 185.2

(1982-84=100) was 1.9 percent higher than in January 2003.

The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) increased 0.6 percent in 

January, prior to seasonal adjustment. The January level of 180.9 (1982-84=100) was 1.8 percent higher than in January

2003.

The Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U) increased 0.5 percent in January, prior 

to seasonal adjustment. The January level of 108.1 (December 1999=100) was 1.6 percent higher than in January 2003. 

Please note that the indexes for the post-2002 period are subject to revision. Previously published and revised data for 

2002 and 2003 are shown on page 5.

CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U)

On a seasonally adjusted basis, the CPI-U increased 0.5 percent in January, following an increase of 0.2 percent

in December. Energy costs, which rose 0.3 percent in December, advanced 4.7 percent in January, accounting for over 

three-fourths of the overall January increase. Within energy, the index for (cont. on page 2)

Table A. Percent changes in CPI for Urban Consumers (CPI-U)

Seasonally adjusted UnCompound adjusted

Expenditure Changes from preceding month annual rate 12-mos.

Category 2003 2004 3-mos. ended ended

July Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Jan.’04 Jan.’04

All Items .2 .4 .3 -.1 -.2 .2 .5 2.0 1.9

 Food and beverages .1 .3 .3 .4 .4 .5 -.1 3.6 3.5

 Housing .2 .1 .1 .2 -.1 .2 .4 2.2 2.2

 Apparel -.2 .1 .2 .2 -.5 -.3 -.3 -4.5 -1.9

 Transportation .1 1.2 .9 -1.4 -1.3 -.2 1.7 .5 1.0

 Medical care .4 .3 .4 .2 .3 .5 .2 4.2 3.8

 Recreation .1 .0 .1 -.1 .2 .1 .0 1.1 .9

 Education and

 communication .3 .4 .2 .0 .2 .2 .1 1.8 1.3

 Other goods and

 services .4 .2 .1 .1 .0 .2 .3 2.0 1.7

Special indexes:

 Energy .3 3.1 3.3 -3.5 -3.0 .3 4.7 7.8 7.8

 Food .1 .4 .2 .5 .4 .5 .0 3.8 3.5

 All items less

 food and energy .2 .1 .1 .2 .0 .1 .2 .8 1.1

Note: Seasonal factors have been recalculated to reflect developments during 2003. For this reason, some of the seasonally adjusted figures above and 

elsewhere in this report differ from those previously published. See the technical note on page 10 for details.

Effective with this month’s release the CPI expenditure weights have been updated to 2001-02. See pages 7 - 9 for notes on changes introduced into 

the CPI in 2004.
petroleum-based energy advanced 8.0 percent and the index for energy services rose 1.6 percent. The index for food 

was unchanged in January. The index for food at home declined 0.3 percent, reflecting decreases in the indexes for 

fruits and vegetables and for beef. The index for all items less food and energy increased 0.2 percent in January, 

following a 0.1 percent rise in December. 

The food and beverages index declined 0.1 percent in January. The index for food at home decreased 0.3

percent, following increases of 0.6 percent or more in each of the preceding three months. Five of the six major 

grocery store food groups either declined in January or advanced less than in December. The index for cereal and 

bakery products increased the same in January as in December--up 0.1 percent. The indexes for fruits and 

vegetables, for dairy products, and for other food at home declined 1.8, 0.3, and 0.4 percent, respectively. Within 

the fruits and vegetables group, the indexes for fresh vegetables and for fresh fruits declined 3.3 and 1.4 percent, 

respectively, while the index for processed fruits and vegetables increased 0.4 percent. (Prior to seasonal adjustment, 

fresh vegetable prices rose 0.5 percent, while fresh fruit prices declined 1.8 percent.) The index for meats, poultry,

fish, and eggs was unchanged in January. Beef prices, which had risen sharply in the fourth quarter of 2003, declined 

in January--down 1.8 percent after seasonal adjustment. This decline was offset by price increases for each of the 

other major components of the meats, poultry, fish, and eggs group. The index for nonalcoholic beverages increased 

0.3 percent, following a 0.7 percent rise in December. The other two components of the food and beverages index--

food away from home and alcoholic beverages--increased 0.3 and 0.4 percent, respectively.

The index for housing increased 0.4 percent in January, following a 0.2 percent rise in December. Larger 

increases in fuel prices, coupled with an upturn in the index for household furnishings and operations, more than offset 

a smaller increase in shelter costs. The index for shelter, which increased 0.2 percent in December, rose 0.1 percent 

in January. Within shelter, the indexes for rent and for owners' equivalent rent each increased 0.1 percent while the 

index for lodging away from home fell 0.2 percent. (Prior to seasonal adjustment, the index for lodging away from 

home increased 3.8 percent.) The index for fuels and utilities, which increased 0.5 percent in December, advanced 

1.6 percent in January. The index for fuel oil turned up in January, advancing 7.2 percent. The indexes for natural gas 

and for electricity also accelerated, advancing 3.8 and 0.6 percent, respectively. The index for household furnishings 

and operations, which declined 0.1 percent in December, rose 0.4 percent in January. Prices for most household 

furnishings, other than for major appliances, registered increases in January, but are still lower than in January 2003. 

The transportation index, which recorded declines in each of the preceding three months, increased 1.7 

percent in January. The index for gasoline increased 8.1 percent, accounting for over 90 percent of the January 

transportation advance. The index for new vehicles decreased for the fifth consecutive month--down 0.1 percent in 

January. (As of January, about 83 percent of the new vehicle sample was represented by 2004 models. The 2004

models will continue to be phased in, with appropriate adjustments for quality change, over the next several months as 

they replace old models at dealerships. For a report on quality changes for the 2004 vehicles represented in the 

Producer Price Index sample, see news release USDL-03-721, dated November 14, 2003.) The index for used cars 

and trucks decreased 0.2 percent in January. Motor vehicle fees rose 6.2 percent, reflecting increased charges for 

state and local registration and license fees. The index for public transportation increased 0.2 percent in January, as 

increases in airline fares and intracity transportation more than offset a decline in other intercity transportation costs. 

The index for apparel declined 0.3 percent in January, the same as in December. (Prior to seasonal 

adjustment, apparel prices fell 2.7 percent, reflecting post-holiday discounting.) 

Medical care costs rose 0.2 percent in January and are 3.8 percent higher than a year ago. The index for 

medical care commodities--prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and medical supplies--increased 0.1 percent. 

The index for medical care services rose 0.3 percent in January. The indexes for professional services and for hospital 

and related services increased 0.2 and 0.3 percent, respectively.

The index for recreation was unchanged in January. A 1.1 percent increase in the index for admissions to 

movies, theaters, concerts, and sporting events was largely offset by decreases in the indexes for toys and for 

televisions--down 1.3 and 1.8 percent, respectively. 

The index for education and communication increased 0.1 percent in January. Educational costs increased 0.5

percent, reflecting a 1.0 percent increase in the index for college tuition. Communication costs declined 0.3 percent. 

A 1.8 percent decline in the index for long distance telephone services more than offset increases in the indexes for 

local telephone services and for delivery services--up 0.2 and 8.1 percent, respectively.
The index for other goods and services increased 0.3 percent in January. The index for tobacco and smoking 

products rose 0.6 percent, its largest increase since a 0.6 percent rise in August. Price increases were also recorded 

for the indexes for legal services, for funeral expenses, and for financial services--up 0.8, 0.6, and 0.4 percent, 

respectively.

CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W)

On a seasonally adjusted basis, the CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers increased 0.6 percent 

in January.

Table B. Percent changes in CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W)

Seasonally adjusted UnCompound adjusted

Expenditure Changes from preceding month annual rate 12-mos.

Category 2003 2004 3-mos. ended ended

July Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Jan.’04 Jan.’04

All Items .1 .4 .3 -.2 -.3 .2 .6 1.8 1.8

 Food and beverages .1 .4 .3 .5 .5 .4 -.1 3.6 3.6

 Housing .1 .1 .2 .1 -.1 .2 .5 2.4 2.4

 Apparel -.3 .1 .4 .2 -.4 -.3 -.1 -3.0 -1.4

 Transportation .1 1.3 .8 -1.7 -1.6 -.2 1.8 .0 .2

 Medical care .4 .3 .4 .3 .3 .4 .3 4.2 3.8

 Recreation .1 .0 .0 -.1 .2 .1 -.1 .8 .5

 Education and

 communication .3 .3 .1 .0 .1 .1 .1 1.1 .5

 Other goods and

 services .5 .3 -.1 .1 -.1 .3 .3 2.0 1.2

Special indexes:

 Energy .5 3.3 3.4 -3.6 -3.1 .3 4.9 8.1 7.9

 Food .1 .4 .3 .5 .5 .5 -.1 3.6 3.7

 All items less

 food and energy .1 .1 -.1 .1 -.1 .1 .2 .9 .7

Consumer Price Index data for February are scheduled for release on Wednesday, March 17, 2004, at 8:30 

A.M. (EST). 

CPI (Old Weights)

For the first six months of 2004, BLS also will calculate Old Weights CPI-U and Old Weights CPI-W based 

on the 1999-2000 expenditure pattern used in the CPI from 2002 through 2003. These Old Weight data are 

contained in tables 1(OW)-4(OW). From December 2003 to January 2004, the Old Weight CPI-U rose 0.5 percent 

and the Old Weight CPI-W rose 0.6 percent. Note these series are not seasonally adjusted.
NOTE ON REVISIONS TO C-CPI-U INDEXES

In accordance with the previously-announced schedule, the Bureau of Labor Statistics is revising the 2002 and 

2003 values of the Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U), effective with the release of 

January 2004 data.

The C-CPI-U was introduced with release of July data on August 16, 2002. The index in its final form 

employs a Tornqvist formula and utilizes expenditure data in adjacent time periods in order to reflect the effect of any 

substitution that consumers make across item categories in response to changes in relative prices. The C-CPI-U was 

designed to be a closer approximation to a “cost-of-living” index than the CPI-U and CPI-W. The use of expenditure 

data for both a base period and a current period distinguishes the C-CPI-U from the other CPI measures, which use 

only a single expenditure base period to compute price change over time. 

Because the current expenditure data required for the calculation of the C-CPI-U are available only with a 

time lag, the index is issued first in preliminary form, using the latest available expenditure data at the time of 

publication, and is subject to two subsequent revisions. The preliminary values for each month of the preceding two 

years are revised annually with release of the January index. Expenditure data for the year 2002 are now available, 

and the C-CPI-U indexes for that year are now in final form. The initial indexes for 2003 are now revised interim 

indexes. The C-CPI-U U.S All Items index values for 2002 and 2003 as originally published and revised are shown 

below.

For more information on the C-CPI-U, write to:

Bureau of Labor Statistics

Division of Consumer Prices and Price Indexes

2 Massachusetts Ave. NE, Room 3130

Washington, DC 20212

Or contact Patrick Jackman or Rob Cage either by telephone at (202) 691-6952 or by electronic mail at 

Jackman_P@bls.gov or Cage_R@bls.gov .
U.S. City Average C-CPI-U All Items

2002 Interim Final

January 104.1 104.2

February 104.5 104.5

March 105.1 105.1

April 105.7 105.6

May 105.7 105.6

June 105.7 105.6

July 105.7 105.7

August 106.0 106.0

September 106.2 106.3

October 106.4 106.4

November 106.3 106.3

December 106.0 106.0

Annual average 105.6 105.6

2003 Initial Interim

January 106.4 106.4

February 107.2 107.2

March 107.8 107.9

April 107.6 107.7

May 107.4 107.5

June 107.5 107.6

July 107.5 107.7

August 107.8 108.0

September 108.1 108.3

October 108.1 108.2

November 107.7 107.8

December 107.5 107.6

Annual average n.a. 107.7
Over-the-month percent changes in the U.S. City Average Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) 

for All Items and for All Items less food and energy, seasonally adjusted, using former and recalculated seasonal 

factors for 2003.

All Items

2003 Former Recalculated Difference

January .3 .3 .0

February .6 .5 -.1

March .3 .4 .1

April -.3 -.3 .0

May .0 -.1 -.1

June .2 .1 -.1

July .2 .2 .0

August .3 .4 .1

September .3 .3 .0

October .0 -.1 -.1

November -.2 -.2 .0

December .2 .2 .0

All Items less food and energy

2003 Former Recalculated Difference

January .1 .1 .0

February .1 .1 .0

March .0 .1 .1

April .0 .1 .1

May .3 .2 -.1

June .0 .1 .1

July .2 .2 .0

August .1 .1 .0

September .1 .1 .0

October .2 .2 .0

November -.1 .0 .1

December .1 .1 .0
Changes in the Consumer Price Index in 2004

Expenditure Weight Update

As announced, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has updated the consumption expenditure weights in the 

Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) and Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and 

Clerical Workers (CPI-W) to the 2001-02 period. The updated expenditure weights for these indexes replace the 

1999-2000 weights that were introduced effective with the January 2002 CPI release. As originally announced by 

BLS in December 1998, CPI expenditure weights will continue to be updated at two-year intervals subsequent to the 

2004 updating.

For the first six months of 2004, BLS will continue to calculate and publish selected CPI-U and CPI-W 

“overlap” indexes using the 1999-2000 expenditure pattern that was introduced into the CPI in 2002. These indexes 

will be compiled on a not seasonally adjusted basis. Comparison of these index series to the corresponding updated 

series will enable users of the CPI to observe the effects of the expenditure weight change. The subsequent 

expenditure updates scheduled in 2006 and every two years thereafter also will be accompanied by the publication of 

overlap indexes for a six-month period using the previous expenditure pattern. 

C-CPI-U Index Revisions

As scheduled, the Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U) has undergone its 

second annual index revision. C-CPI-U indexes for the 12 months of 2002 have been issued in final form and values 

for the 12 months of 2003 have been revised and issued as interim. Calculation of the preliminary versions of the CCPI-U--the initial version for January and the subsequent months of 2004 and the interim (revised initial) indexes for 

2003--will employ the 2001-02 expenditure weights also used in the CPI-U and CPI-W. Note that the final values of 

the C-CPI-U employ monthly expenditure weights corresponding to the price collection period in their calculation. 

Thus, in calculation of the final (revised interim) C-CPI-U values for the months of 2002, the biennial 1999-2000 

expenditure weights have been replaced with separate monthly expenditure weights.

Elementary Index Formula Changes

Effective with release of data for January 2004, a geometric mean formula replaced the arithmetic mean formula in 

the calculation of the elementary indexes in the CPI-U, CPI-W, and C-CPI-U for (1) cable and satellite television and 

radio services (formerly cable TV) and for (2) eyeglasses and eye care. The geometric mean formula at the 

elementary index level is more appropriate for use in categories in which the consumer may alter his or her spending in 

response to changing prices within that category. Since the original decision to employ an arithmetic mean was made 

by BLS in 1998, changes in the markets for the above-mentioned categories have led to increased opportunity for 

consumer substitution behavior within those categories. The BLS introduced the geometric mean formula for 

calculating most of the basic components of the CPI-U and CPI-W with release of the CPI for January 1999. 

The BLS will continue to evaluate the appropriateness of the formula used in the calculation of the elementary item 

indexes and on an annual basis may change or adjust the formula for constructing these indexes. A description of the 

1999 adoption of the geometric mean formula is available on the internet at 

http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/1998/10/contents.htm 
Title Changes

The following index and average price series have new titles beginning in January 2004. These series are 

continuous. The new titles serve to clarify the content of each series.

Index series with new titles

Item code Old title New title

SEHF02 Utility natural gas service Utility (piped) gas service

SERA02 Cable television Cable and satellite television and radio 

service

SEED01 Telephone services, local charges Land-line telephone services, local 

charges

SEED02 Telephone services, long distance 

charges

Land-line telephone services, long 

distance charges

SS27051 Interstate toll calls Land-line interstate toll calls

SS27061 Intrastate toll calls Land-line intrastate toll calls

SEED03 Cellular telephone services Wireless telephone services

SEEE Information and information 

processing other than telephone 

services

Information technology, hardware, and 

services

SEEE03 Computer information processing 

services

Internet services and electronic 

information providers

SEEE04 Other information processing 

equipment

Telephone hardware, calculators, and 

other consumer information items

Average price series with new titles

Item code Old title New title

72620 Utility natural gas per therm Utility (piped) gas per therm

72601 Utility natural gas – 40 therms Utility (piped) gas – 40 therms

72611 Utility natural gas – 100 therms Utility (piped) gas – 100 therms

Expanded Collection of Price Data

During the last year, the CPI program completed its conversion to Computer Assisted Data Collection (CADC). 

Due to the efficiencies gained from the conversion to CADC, BLS has extended data collection to cover the entire 

month, beginning with data for January 2004.

The new data collection process utilizes hand-held computers called penpads, along with software developed by 

BLS staff, to collect price and other item characteristic data in stores each month. Data collection instructions are 

transmitted electronically from Washington to each data collector's penpad. After completing collection the field staff 

transmit data back to Washington. This electronic collection provides numerous benefits. Many data edits can take 

place during collection. The accuracy and efficiency of data entry and review are improved by having field staff 

directly enter data rather than filling out paper survey forms by hand for later computer input by clerical staff. The 

progress of data collection also can be monitored more effectively throughout the month. 

Lastly, the introduction of CADC reduces the time required to transmit and process data. With electronic 

collection and transmission, the CPI has been able to eliminate the mailing and data entry functions, allowing the BLS 
to collect prices during the entire index month without compromising the timeliness of the CPI release, which takes 

place during the middle of the subsequent month.

CPI data collection is scheduled in terms of business days--weekdays excluding holidays. Formerly, data 

collection covered three pricing periods, each comprising six business days in most months and five days in November 

and December. Consequently, the last day of scheduled data collection was usually the 18th business day of the 

month. This allowed time during the end of the month for the mailing of paper schedules back to the Washington 

Office and the data entry of the information on these schedules. Starting in January 2004, the three pricing periods 

now have variable lengths, between six and eight business days long. The third pricing period normally will end on the 

last business day of the month.

Facilities for Sensory Impaired

 Information from this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: 

202-691-5200, Federal Relay Services: 1-800-877-8339. For a recorded message of Summary CPI data, call 

(202) 691-5200.

Brief Explanation of the CPI

 The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a measure of the average change in prices over time of goods and services 

purchased by households. The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes CPIs for two population groups: (1) the CPI for 

Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), which covers households of wage earners and clerical workers 

that comprise approximately 32 percent of the total population and (2) the CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) 

and the Chained CPI for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U), which cover approximately 87 percent of the total 

population and include in addition to wage earners and clerical worker households, groups such as professional, 

managerial, and technical workers, the self-employed, short-term workers, the unemployed, and retirees and others 

not in the labor force.

 The CPIs are based on prices of food, clothing, shelter, and fuels, transportation fares, charges for doctors’ and 

dentists’ services, drugs, and other goods and services that people buy for day-to-day living. Prices are collected in 

87 urban areas across the country from about 50,000 housing units and approximately 23,000 retail establishmentsdepartment stores, supermarkets, hospitals, filling stations, and other types of stores and service establishments. All 

taxes directly associated with the purchase and use of items are included in the index. Prices of fuels and a few other 

items are obtained every month in all 87 locations. Prices of most other commodities and services are collected every 

month in the three largest geographic areas and every other month in other areas. Prices of most goods and services 

are obtained by personal visits or telephone calls of the Bureau’s trained representatives.

 In calculating the index, price changes for the various items in each location are averaged together with weights, 

which represent their importance in the spending of the appropriate population group. Local data are then combined 

to obtain a U.S. city average. For the CPI-U and CPI-W separate indexes are also published by size of city, by 

region of the country, for cross-classifications of regions and population-size classes, and for 27 local areas. Area 

indexes do not measure differences in the level of prices among cities; they only measure the average change in prices 

for each area since the base period. For the C-CPI-U data are issued only at the national level. It is important to 

note that the CPI-U and CPI-W are considered final when released, but the C-CPI-U is issued in preliminary form 

and subject to two annual revisions.

 The index measures price change from a designed reference date. For the CPI-U and the CPI-W the reference 

base is 1982-84 equals 100.0. The reference base for the C-CPI-U is December 1999 equals 100.
An increase of 16.5 percent from the reference base, for example, is shown as 116.5. This change can also be 

expressed in dollars as follows: the price of a base period market basket of goods and services in the CPI has risen 

from $10 in 1982-84 to $11.65. 

 For further details visit the CPI home page on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/cpi/ or contact our CPI Information 

and Analysis Section on (202) 691-7000.
Calculating Index Changes

 Movements of the indexes from one month to another are usually expressed as percent

changes rather than changes in index points, because index point changes are affected by 

the level of the index in relation to its base period while percent changes are not. The

example below illustrates the computation of index point and percent changes.

 Percent changes for 3-month and 6-month periods are expressed as annual rates and

are computed according to the standard formula for compound growth rates. These data

indicate what the percent change would be if the current rate were maintained for a 12-

month period.

Index Point Change

CPI 115.7

Less previous index 111.2

Equals index point change 4.5

Percent Change

Index point difference 4.5

Divided by the previous index 111.2

Equals 0.040

Results multiplied by one hundred 0.040x100

Equals percent change 4.0

Regions Defined

The states in the four regions shown in Tables 3 and 6 are listed below. 

The Northeast--Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and 

Vermont. 

The Midwest--Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and 

Wisconsin. 

The South--Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, 

South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia. 

The West--Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and 

Wyoming. 
A Note on Seasonally Adjusted and Unadjusted Data

Because price data are used for different purposes by different groups, the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes 

seasonally adjusted as well as unadjusted changes each month.

For analyzing general price trends in the economy, seasonally adjusted changes are usually preferred since they 

eliminate the effect of changes that normally occur at the same time and in about the same magnitude every year--such 

as price movements resulting from changing climatic conditions, production cycles, model changeovers, holidays, and 

sales.

The unadjusted data are of primary interest to consumers concerned about the prices they actually pay. 

Unadjusted data also are used extensively for escalation purposes. Many collective bargaining contract agreements 

and pension plans, for example, tie compensation changes to the Consumer Price Index unadjusted for seasonal 

variation.

Seasonal factors used in computing the seasonally adjusted indexes are derived by the X-12-ARIMA Seasonal 

Adjustment Method. The updated seasonal data at the end of 1977 replaced data from 1967 through 1977. 

Subsequent annual updates have replaced 5 years of seasonal data, e.g., data from 1999 through 2003 were replaced 

at the end of 2003. In January 2002, dependently seasonally adjusted series were revised for January 1987-

December 2001 as a result of a change in the aggregation weights for dependently adjusted series. For further 

information, please see “Aggregation of Dependently Adjusted Seasonally Adjusted Series,” in the October 2001 

issue of the CPI Detailed Report.

The seasonal movement of All items and 54 other aggregations is derived by combining the seasonal movement of 

73 selected components. Each year the seasonal status of every series is reevaluated based upon certain statistical 

criteria. If any of the 73 components change their seasonal adjustment status from seasonally adjusted to not 

seasonally adjusted, not seasonally adjusted data will be used for the last 5 years, but the seasonally adjusted indexes 

will be used before that period. Note: 47 of the 73 components are seasonally adjusted for 2004.

Seasonally adjusted data, including the All items index levels, are subject to revision for up to five years after their 

original release. For this reason, BLS advises against the use of these data in escalation agreements.

 Effective with the calculation of the seasonal factors for 1990, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has used an 

enhanced seasonal adjustment procedure called Intervention Analysis Seasonal Adjustment for some CPI series. 

Intervention Analysis Seasonal Adjustment allows for better estimates of seasonally adjusted data. Extreme values 

and/or sharp movements which might distort the seasonal pattern are estimated and removed from the data prior to 

calculation of seasonal factors. Beginning with the calculation of seasonal factors for 1996, X-12-ARIMA software 

was used for Intervention Analysis Seasonal Adjustment.

 For the fuel oil, natural gas, motor fuels, and educational books and supplies indexes, this procedure was used 

to offset the effects that extreme price volatility would otherwise have had on the estimates of seasonally adjusted data 

for those series. For the Nonalcoholic beverages index, the procedure was used to offset the effects of labor and 

supply problems for coffee. The procedure was used to account for unusual butter fat supply reductions, decreases in 

milk supply, and large swings in soybean oil inventories affecting the Fats and oils series. For the Water and sewerage 

maintenance index, the procedure was used to account for a data collection anomaly and dry weather in California. 

For Dairy products, it mitigated the effects of significant changes in milk production levels and higher demand for 

cheese. For Electricity, it was used to offset an increase in demand due to warmer than expected weather, increased 
rates to conserve supplies, and declining natural gas inventories. For New vehicles, New cars, and New trucks, the 

procedure was used to offset the effects of a model changeover combined with financing incentives.

 For additional information on seasonal adjustment in the CPI, please write to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 

Division of Consumer Prices and Price Indexes, Washington, DC 20212 or contact Daniel Chow on (202) 691-6968 

by e-mail at Chow.Daniel@bls.gov. If you have general questions about the CPI, please call our information staff at 

(202) 691-7000.
Table 1. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category and commodity and

service group

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-U

Relative

importance,

December

2003

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Jan. 2004 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Dec.

2003

Jan.

2004

Jan.

2003

Dec.

2003

Oct. to

Nov.

Nov. to

Dec.

Dec. to

Jan.

Expenditure category

All items ...................................................................................... 100.000 184.3 185.2 1.9 0.5 -0.2 0.2 0.5 

All items (1967=100) .................................................................. -

 552.1 554.9 - - - - -

Food and beverages ................................................................ 15.384 184.1 184.3 3.5 .1 .4 .5 -.1 

Food ....................................................................................... 14.383 183.6 183.8 3.5 .1 .4 .5 .0 

Food at home ....................................................................... 8.256 184.1 184.0 4.1 -.1 .6 .7 -.3 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................. 1.202 202.9 203.9 2.1 .5 .1 .1 .1 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ............................................ 2.320 181.1 179.9 11.3 -.7 2.7 1.0 .0 

Dairy and related products ................................................. .842 173.0 172.4 3.6 -.3 -.4 1.1 -.3 

Fruits and vegetables ......................................................... 1.221 232.4 232.4 2.3 .0 .3 .3 -1.8 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials .............. .905 139.3 140.7 .1 1.0 -.9 .7 .3 

Other food at home ............................................................ 1.765 163.0 162.8 .6 -.1 -.5 .6 -.4 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................. .305 161.0 163.0 1.4 1.2 .4 -.5 -.3 

Fats and oils ..................................................................... .251 157.7 160.7 3.1 1.9 -.1 .5 1.1 

Other foods ....................................................................... 1.210 179.6 178.0 -.1 -.9 -.8 .8 -.7 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... .308 109.8 109.1 -.5 -.6 -1.5 .7 -.6 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 6.127 184.3 184.9 2.8 .3 .3 .3 .3 

Other food away from home 2 ............................................ .332 122.9 123.9 3.3 .8 .2 .3 1.0 

Alcoholic beverages 1 ............................................................ 1.001 188.7 189.4 1.9 .4 .3 .1 .4 

Housing .................................................................................... 42.089 185.1 186.3 2.2 .6 -.1 .2 .4 

Shelter .................................................................................... 32.878 214.1 215.2 2.0 .5 .1 .2 .1 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 6.157 207.9 208.3 2.5 .2 .2 .2 .1 

Lodging away from home 2 .................................................. 2.954 112.9 117.2 2.5 3.8 -.7 1.1 -.2 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 23.383 222.2 222.6 1.9 .2 .1 .1 .1 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. .385 114.3 114.8 .8 .4 -1.5 .0 .4 

Fuels and utilities .................................................................... 4.741 153.6 156.3 7.0 1.8 -.7 .5 1.6 

Fuels ..................................................................................... 3.830 136.5 139.2 7.5 2.0 -1.0 .4 1.9

Fuel oil and other fuels ....................................................... .231 137.0 149.9 9.7 9.4 1.0 -.5 6.8 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 3.599 143.3 145.5 7.3 1.5 -1.2 .6 1.6 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. .910 119.8 120.6 5.1 .7 .6 .3 .5 

Household furnishings and operations ................................... 4.470 124.7 125.3 -1.6 .5 -.2 -.1 .4 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... .704 122.6 122.7 1.6 .1 -.2 .2 .1 

Apparel ..................................................................................... 3.975 119.0 115.8 -1.9 -2.7 -.5 -.3 -.3 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ........................................................ 1.024 118.0 115.5 -.5 -2.1 .1 .0 -.1 

Women’s and girls’ apparel .................................................... 1.704 110.9 105.7 -1.8 -4.7 -.8 -.4 -.7 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ................................................. .195 119.2 117.7 -2.8 -1.3 -1.6 -.8 .2 

Footwear ................................................................................ .778 118.5 115.9 -3.2 -2.2 -.3 -.3 -.8 

Transportation .......................................................................... 16.881 154.7 157.0 1.0 1.5 -1.3 -.2 1.7

Private transportation ............................................................. 15.817 150.8 153.2 .9 1.6 -1.4 -.2 1.9 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 7.912 94.4 94.3 -4.0 -.1 -.4 -.5 -.1 

New vehicles ...................................................................... 4.817 138.0 138.0 -1.2 .0 -.1 -.1 -.1 

Used cars and trucks 1 ....................................................... 2.007 131.0 130.8 -11.8 -.2 -2.3 -.8 -.2 

Motor fuel ............................................................................. 3.249 127.8 136.7 8.2 7.0 -5.1 .0 8.1 

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................. 3.222 127.2 136.1 8.3 7.0 -5.1 .1 8.1 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... .369 107.7 108.0 .2 .3 .0 -.2 .3 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................. 1.349 198.0 198.2 2.3 .1 .2 .5 .1 

Public transportation ............................................................... 1.064 205.6 206.3 2.0 .3 -.3 -.8 .2 

Medical care ............................................................................. 6.074 302.1 303.6 3.8 .5 .3 .5 .2 

Medical care commodities ...................................................... 1.499 265.0 265.5 2.0 .2 -.1 .3 .1 

Medical care services ............................................................. 4.575 311.9 313.8 4.3 .6 .5 .5 .3 

Professional services ........................................................... 2.749 264.1 265.5 3.0 .5 .2 .5 .2 

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 1.489 407.0 409.7 6.2 .7 1.0 .5 .3 

See footnotes at end of table.
Table 1. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category and commodity and

service group-Continued

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-U

Relative

importance,

December

2003

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Jan. 2004 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Dec.

2003

Jan.

2004

Jan.

2003

Dec.

2003

Oct. to

Nov.

Nov. to

Dec.

Dec. to

Jan.

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 5.872 107.7 107.9 0.9 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.0 

Video and audio 2 ................................................................... 1.736 103.3 103.6 .2 .3 .1 -.1 -.3 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 5.948 110.9 111.1 1.3 .2 .2 .2 .1 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 2.841 139.4 140.1 7.3 .5 .4 .7 .5 

Educational books and supplies ........................................... .219 342.8 345.4 4.8 .8 -.1 2.4 -.5 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare .............................. 2.623 401.7 403.6 7.5 .5 .5 .6 .6 

Communication 2 .................................................................... 3.107 88.2 88.1 -4.2 -.1 -.1 -.3 -.3 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 2.925 86.2 86.1 -4.7 -.1 -.2 .0 -.1 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 2.315 97.2 97.0 -3.4 -.2 .1 .0 -.2 

Information technology, hardware and services 1 5 ........... .610 15.3 15.3 -10.5 .0 -1.3 -.6 .0 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... .230 16.2 16.2 -16.9 .0 -1.2 -.6 .0 

Other goods and services ........................................................ 3.776 300.2 301.4 1.7 .4 .0 .2 .3 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... .806 470.4 473.0 .1 .6 -.1 .3 .6 

Personal care ......................................................................... 2.970 179.0 179.7 2.2 .4 .0 .2 .2 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... .680 153.4 153.8 .5 .3 -.3 .1 .3 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... .650 194.3 194.6 2.1 .2 -.7 .1 .2 

Miscellaneous personal services .......................................... 1.448 287.1 288.8 3.8 .6 .5 .2 .3 

Commodity and service group

Commodities .............................................................................. 40.117 150.4 151.1 .7 .5 -.5 .1 .7 

Food and beverages ................................................................ 15.384 184.1 184.3 3.5 .1 .4 .5 -.1 

Commodities less food and beverages .................................... 24.733 131.7 132.6 -1.0 .7 -1.0 -.2 1.1 

Nondurables less food and beverages ................................... 13.458 146.7 148.4 1.6 1.2 -.3 .7 1.2 

Apparel ................................................................................. 3.975 119.0 115.8 -1.9 -2.7 -.5 -.3 -.3

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel .................. 9.483 167.7 172.3 2.9 2.7 -1.7 .0 2.8 

Durables ................................................................................. 11.275 115.0 115.1 -4.0 .1 -.3 -.2 -.1

Services ...................................................................................... 59.883 217.9 219.1 2.8 .6 .0 .2 .3 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 32.494 222.9 224.1 2.1 .5 .0 .2 .1 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... .385 114.3 114.8 .8 .4 -1.5 .0 .4 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 3.599 143.3 145.5 7.3 1.5 -1.2 .6 1.6 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... .910 119.8 120.6 5.1 .7 .6 .3 .5 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... .704 122.6 122.7 1.6 .1 -.2 .2 .1 

Transportation services ............................................................ 6.319 217.7 218.7 3.0 .5 -.2 -.3 .5 

Medical care services ............................................................... 4.575 311.9 313.8 4.3 .6 .5 .5 .3 

Other services .......................................................................... 10.896 257.4 258.4 2.8 .4 .2 .2 .2 

Special indexes

All items less food ...................................................................... 85.617 184.4 185.5 1.7 .6 -.3 .1 .5 

All items less shelter ................................................................... 67.122 174.7 175.6 1.9 .5 -.3 .2 .6 

All items less medical care ......................................................... 93.926 178.2 179.1 1.8 .5 -.2 .2 .4 

Commodities less food ............................................................... 25.734 133.8 134.7 -.8 .7 -1.0 -.1 1.0 

Nondurables less food ................................................................ 14.459 149.2 150.8 1.6 1.1 -.3 .7 1.0 

Nondurables less food and apparel ............................................ 10.484 168.8 173.0 2.9 2.5 -1.6 .1 2.2 

Nondurables ............................................................................... 28.842 165.4 166.4 2.6 .6 .2 .6 .5 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 27.389 228.4 229.7 3.7 .6 .0 .3 .3 

Services less medical care services ........................................... 55.308 209.9 211.0 2.7 .5 .0 .3 .1 

Energy ........................................................................................ 7.080 131.8 137.4 7.8 4.2 -3.0 .3 4.7 

All items less energy .................................................................. 92.920 191.5 191.9 1.5 .2 .1 .2 .2 

All items less food and energy ................................................. 78.537 193.6 194.0 1.1 .2 .0 .1 .2 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ................... 22.254 139.0 138.5 -2.3 -.4 -.3 -.1 .0 

Energy commodities ............................................................. 3.480 129.0 138.2 8.4 7.1 -4.8 .0 8.0 

Services less energy services ................................................ 56.283 225.5 226.6 2.5 .5 .1 .2 .2 

Purchasing power of the consumer dollar (1982-84=$1.00) ...... -

 $ .543 $ .540 - - - - -

Purchasing power of the consumer dollar (1967=$1.00) ........... -

 $ .181 $ .180 - - - - -

1 Not seasonally adjusted. 2 Indexes on a December 1997=100 base. 3 This index series was calculated using a Laspeyres estimator. All other

item stratum index series were calculated using a geometric means estimator.

4 Indexes on a December 1982=100 base. 5 Indexes on a December 1988=100 base. - Data not available.

NOTE: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.
Table 2. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): Seasonally adjusted U.S. city average, by expenditure category

and commodity and service group

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-U

Seasonally adjusted indexes Seasonally adjusted annual rate percent change for

3 months ended— 6 months

ended—

Oct.

2003

Nov.

2003

Dec.

2003

Jan.

2004

Apr.

2003

July

2003

Oct.

2003

Jan.

2004

July

2003

Jan.

2004

Expenditure category

All items ...................................................................................... 184.9 184.6 184.9 185.8 2.7 0.9 2.4 2.0 1.8 2.2 

Food and beverages ................................................................ 182.3 183.1 184.0 183.9 2.7 3.2 4.3 3.6 2.9 3.9 

Food ....................................................................................... 181.8 182.6 183.5 183.5 3.0 3.2 4.5 3.8 3.1 4.2 

Food at home ....................................................................... 181.7 182.8 184.0 183.4 3.0 3.9 6.2 3.8 3.4 5.0 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................. 203.5 203.8 204.1 204.3 3.2 3.6 .0 1.6 3.4 .8 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ............................................ 174.0 178.7 180.5 180.5 7.6 7.7 14.3 15.8 7.7 15.0 

Dairy and related products ................................................. 171.0 170.3 172.2 171.6 2.7 -2.8 14.0 1.4 -.1 7.5 

Fruits and vegetables ......................................................... 228.9 229.5 230.3 226.1 -.7 16.1 -.3 -4.8 7.4 -2.6 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials .............. 140.2 139.0 140.0 140.4 -.3 -5.9 6.2 .6 -3.1 3.4 

Other food at home ............................................................ 163.1 162.3 163.2 162.6 1.2 .5 1.7 -1.2 .9 .2 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................. 162.7 163.3 162.5 162.0 4.6 1.5 1.2 -1.7 3.0 -.2 

Fats and oils ..................................................................... 158.2 158.0 158.8 160.6 1.0 .3 5.2 6.2 .6 5.7

Other foods ....................................................................... 179.2 177.8 179.3 178.0 .4 .4 1.1 -2.7 .4 -.8

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... 110.7 109.0 109.8 109.1 2.6 3.3 -2.1 -5.7 2.9 -3.9 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 183.3 183.8 184.3 184.9 2.7 2.7 2.2 3.5 2.7 2.9 

Other food away from home 2 ............................................ 122.0 122.3 122.7 123.9 2.7 2.0 2.3 6.4 2.3 4.3 

Alcoholic beverages 1 ............................................................ 188.1 188.6 188.7 189.4 1.3 1.7 1.9 2.8 1.5 2.4 

Housing .................................................................................... 185.8 185.7 186.1 186.8 2.9 2.2 1.5 2.2 2.5 1.8 

Shelter .................................................................................... 214.7 214.9 215.3 215.6 .9 2.9 2.7 1.7 1.9 2.2 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 207.0 207.4 207.8 208.1 2.8 2.6 2.4 2.1 2.7 2.2 

Lodging away from home 2 .................................................. 121.5 120.7 122.0 121.7 -7.5 13.7 4.7 .7 2.5 2.7 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 221.3 221.6 221.9 222.2 1.5 1.7 2.6 1.6 1.6 2.1 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. 116.0 114.3 114.3 114.8 1.1 5.0 1.4 -4.1 3.0 -1.4 

Fuels and utilities .................................................................... 155.4 154.3 155.0 157.5 23.2 1.8 -1.5 5.5 12.0 1.9 

Fuels ..................................................................................... 138.7 137.3 137.9 140.5 28.2 1.2 -3.1 5.3 13.9 1.0 

Fuel oil and other fuels ....................................................... 135.6 136.9 136.2 145.4 33.4 -16.1 -2.3 32.2 5.8 13.6 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 145.9 144.2 145.0 147.3 27.4 2.5 -3.2 3.9 14.3 .3 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. 118.8 119.5 119.9 120.5 4.6 4.2 5.6 5.8 4.4 5.7 

Household furnishings and operations ................................... 125.2 125.0 124.9 125.4 -2.2 -2.8 -2.2 .6 -2.5 -.8 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... 122.6 122.4 122.6 122.7 1.3 1.7 3.0 .3 1.5 1.7 

Apparel ..................................................................................... 121.2 120.6 120.2 119.8 -4.8 .3 2.0 -4.5 -2.3 -1.3 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ........................................................ 118.0 118.1 118.1 118.0 -.3 -4.6 3.1 .0 -2.5 1.5

Women’s and girls’ apparel .................................................... 113.8 112.9 112.5 111.7 -3.8 1.1 3.2 -7.2 -1.4 -2.1 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ................................................. 122.3 120.3 119.3 119.5 -2.6 -1.6 2.0 -8.8 -2.1 -3.6 

Footwear ................................................................................ 119.7 119.3 119.0 118.0 -11.6 3.8 1.3 -5.6 -4.2 -2.2 

Transportation .......................................................................... 157.7 155.6 155.3 157.9 5.2 -4.7 3.1 .5 .1 1.8 

Private transportation ............................................................. 153.6 151.4 151.1 153.9 5.6 -5.8 3.5 .8 -.3 2.1 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 94.9 94.5 94.0 93.9 -.8 -3.2 -7.6 -4.1 -2.0 -5.9 

New vehicles ...................................................................... 137.2 137.1 137.0 136.9 -.9 -2.3 -.9 -.9 -1.6 -.9 

Used cars and trucks 1 ....................................................... 135.1 132.0 131.0 130.8 .3 -7.1 -26.1 -12.1 -3.5 -19.4 

Motor fuel ............................................................................. 137.9 130.9 130.9 141.5 22.8 -23.2 31.0 10.9 -2.9 20.5 

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................. 137.3 130.3 130.4 141.0 22.2 -23.1 31.6 11.2 -3.0 21.0 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... 107.9 107.9 107.7 108.0 -.4 -.4 1.1 .4 -.4 .7 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................. 196.7 197.0 197.9 198.0 2.1 3.5 .8 2.7 2.8 1.7 

Public transportation ............................................................... 212.0 211.3 209.7 210.1 2.5 9.2 .4 -3.5 5.8 -1.6 

Medical care ............................................................................. 300.3 301.3 302.7 303.4 2.6 4.3 4.0 4.2 3.4 4.1 

Medical care commodities ...................................................... 264.9 264.7 265.4 265.7 1.5 2.3 2.9 1.2 1.9 2.1 

Medical care services ............................................................. 309.6 311.0 312.6 313.5 2.8 5.0 4.2 5.1 3.9 4.7 

Professional services ........................................................... 263.3 263.7 264.9 265.5 2.5 3.6 2.5 3.4 3.0 2.9

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 401.2 405.1 407.0 408.4 4.1 7.7 5.5 7.4 5.9 6.4 

See footnotes at end of table.
Table 2. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): Seasonally adjusted U.S. city average, by expenditure category

and commodity and service group-Continued

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-U

Seasonally adjusted indexes Seasonally adjusted annual rate percent change for

3 months ended— 6 months

ended—

Oct.

2003

Nov.

2003

Dec.

2003

Jan.

2004

Apr.

2003

July

2003

Oct.

2003

Jan.

2004

July

2003

Jan.

2004

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 107.7 107.9 108.0 108.0 1.1 1.9 0.0 1.1 1.5 0.6 

Video and audio 2 ................................................................... 103.9 104.0 103.9 103.6 .4 .8 .8 -1.1 .6 -.2 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 110.2 110.4 110.6 110.7 1.1 .4 2.2 1.8 .7 2.0 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 137.2 137.8 138.8 139.5 6.9 6.2 8.9 6.9 6.6 7.9 

Educational books and supplies ........................................... 338.2 337.7 345.8 344.0 5.7 4.6 2.2 7.0 5.2 4.6 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare .............................. 395.2 397.2 399.5 402.0 7.0 6.3 9.5 7.1 6.7 8.3 

Communication 2 .................................................................... 88.5 88.4 88.1 87.8 -4.3 -5.2 -4.0 -3.1 -4.7 -3.5 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 86.4 86.2 86.2 86.1 -7.3 -4.9 -4.9 -1.4 -6.1 -3.2 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 97.1 97.2 97.2 97.0 -6.6 -2.4 -4.0 -.4 -4.5 -2.2 

Information technology, hardware and services 1 5 ........... 15.6 15.4 15.3 15.3 -9.0 -15.7 -9.6 -7.5 -12.5 -8.6 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... 16.5 16.3 16.2 16.2 -15.4 -28.4 -15.3 -7.1 -22.2 -11.3 

Other goods and services ........................................................ 300.2 300.1 300.8 301.7 1.6 1.6 1.5 2.0 1.6 1.7

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... 469.5 469.1 470.4 473.0 -3.8 1.0 .3 3.0 -1.4 1.7 

Personal care ......................................................................... 179.1 179.1 179.5 179.9 3.2 1.8 1.8 1.8 2.5 1.8 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... 153.6 153.2 153.4 153.8 2.9 .3 -1.5 .5 1.6 -.5 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... 195.6 194.2 194.3 194.6 4.0 1.5 5.1 -2.0 2.7 1.5 

Miscellaneous personal services .......................................... 286.2 287.5 288.2 289.1 4.7 3.5 3.1 4.1 4.1 3.6 

Commodity and service group

Commodities .............................................................................. 151.2 150.5 150.7 151.7 2.1 -2.4 1.9 1.3 -.1 1.6 

Food and beverages ................................................................ 182.3 183.1 184.0 183.9 2.7 3.2 4.3 3.6 2.9 3.9 

Commodities less food and beverages .................................... 133.8 132.4 132.2 133.7 1.5 -5.5 .6 -.3 -2.1 .1 

Nondurables less food and beverages ................................... 149.9 149.4 150.4 152.2 .0 -5.5 6.1 6.3 -2.8 6.2 

Apparel ................................................................................. 121.2 120.6 120.2 119.8 -4.8 .3 2.0 -4.5 -2.3 -1.3 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel .................. 172.2 169.3 169.3 174.1 7.5 -8.3 9.3 4.5 -.7 6.9 

Durables ................................................................................. 115.4 115.0 114.8 114.7 -2.0 -4.9 -7.0 -2.4 -3.5 -4.7 

Services ...................................................................................... 218.4 218.4 218.9 219.5 3.2 3.2 2.8 2.0 3.2 2.4 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 223.6 223.7 224.1 224.3 1.1 3.1 2.7 1.3 2.1 2.0 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... 116.0 114.3 114.3 114.8 1.1 5.0 1.4 -4.1 3.0 -1.4 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 145.9 144.2 145.0 147.3 27.4 2.5 -3.2 3.9 14.3 .3 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... 118.8 119.5 119.9 120.5 4.6 4.2 5.6 5.8 4.4 5.7 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... 122.6 122.4 122.6 122.7 1.3 1.7 3.0 .3 1.5 1.7 

Transportation services ............................................................ 219.2 218.8 218.2 219.2 3.8 4.7 3.4 .0 4.3 1.7 

Medical care services ............................................................... 309.6 311.0 312.6 313.5 2.8 5.0 4.2 5.1 3.9 4.7 

Other services .......................................................................... 256.6 257.0 257.6 258.0 2.7 2.7 3.5 2.2 2.7 2.9 

Special indexes

All items less food ...................................................................... 185.5 185.0 185.2 186.2 2.6 .4 2.2 1.5 1.5 1.9 

All items less shelter ................................................................... 175.3 174.8 175.1 176.1 3.5 .0 2.3 1.8 1.7 2.1 

All items less medical care ......................................................... 179.0 178.6 178.9 179.7 2.7 .7 2.5 1.6 1.7 2.0 

Commodities less food ............................................................... 135.8 134.5 134.3 135.7 1.5 -5.1 .6 -.3 -1.9 .1 

Nondurables less food ................................................................ 152.1 151.7 152.8 154.3 -.5 -4.4 5.4 5.9 -2.5 5.7 

Nondurables less food and apparel ............................................ 172.8 170.0 170.2 173.9 10.3 -8.5 8.3 2.6 .5 5.4 

Nondurables ............................................................................... 166.1 166.4 167.4 168.2 1.5 -1.2 5.0 5.2 .1 5.1 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 228.8 228.8 229.5 230.2 5.5 3.2 3.4 2.5 4.4 2.9 

Services less medical care services ........................................... 210.6 210.5 211.1 211.4 3.1 2.9 2.9 1.5 3.0 2.2 

Energy ........................................................................................ 137.8 133.7 134.1 140.4 25.8 -11.1 11.5 7.8 5.8 9.6 

All items less energy .................................................................. 191.5 191.6 191.9 192.2 1.1 1.9 1.7 1.5 1.5 1.6 

All items less food and energy ................................................. 194.0 194.0 194.1 194.4 .8 1.7 1.2 .8 1.3 1.0 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ................... 139.7 139.3 139.1 139.1 -2.0 -2.0 -3.4 -1.7 -2.0 -2.5 

Energy commodities ............................................................. 138.5 131.9 131.9 142.4 23.4 -22.8 28.8 11.7 -2.4 20.0 

Services less energy services ................................................ 225.8 226.0 226.4 226.9 1.8 3.3 3.1 2.0 2.5 2.5 

1 Not seasonally adjusted. 2 Indexes on a December 1997=100 base. 3 This index series was calculated using a Laspeyres estimator. All other

item stratum index series were calculated using a geometric means estimator.

4 Indexes on a December 1982=100 base. 5 Indexes on a December 1988=100 base.

NOTE: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.
Table 3. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): Selected areas, all items index 

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-U

All items 

Pricing

schedule 1

Indexes Percent change to

Jan.2004 from—

Percent change to

Dec.2003 from—

Oct.

2003

Nov.

2003

Dec.

2003

Jan.

2004

Jan.

2003

Nov.

2003

Dec.

2003

Dec.

2002

Oct.

2003

Nov.

2003

U.S. city average ............................................ M 185.0 184.5 184.3 185.2 1.9 0.4 0.5 1.9 -0.4 -0.1 

Region and area size2

Northeast urban .............................................. M 195.4 195.1 194.9 195.9 2.8 .4 .5 2.8 -.3 -.1 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 197.7 197.3 197.1 197.9 3.0 .3 .4 3.0 -.3 -.1 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 115.2 115.3 115.0 116.0 2.6 .6 .9 2.1 -.2 -.3 

Midwest urban ................................................ M 179.1 178.9 178.4 179.4 1.8 .3 .6 1.7 -.4 -.3 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 181.7 181.4 180.9 181.8 2.0 .2 .5 1.7 -.4 -.3 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 113.6 113.6 113.3 114.1 1.9 .4 .7 1.7 -.3 -.3 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 171.8 171.4 171.5 171.8 .6 .2 .2 1.2 -.2 .1 

South urban .................................................... M 178.1 177.5 177.5 178.2 1.8 .4 .4 1.7 -.3 .0 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 180.1 179.1 179.2 179.8 1.8 .4 .3 1.9 -.5 .1 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 113.6 113.3 113.3 113.8 1.9 .4 .4 1.5 -.3 .0 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 175.6 175.4 175.1 175.3 1.2 -.1 .1 1.6 -.3 -.2 

West urban ..................................................... M 189.4 188.5 188.3 189.4 1.5 .5 .6 1.5 -.6 -.1 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 191.9 191.0 190.6 191.7 1.3 .4 .6 1.4 -.7 -.2 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 115.5 114.9 115.2 116.0 1.9 1.0 .7 1.9 -.3 .3 

Size classes

A 4 .............................................................. M 169.5 168.9 168.7 169.4 2.0 .3 .4 2.0 -.5 -.1 

B/C 3 ........................................................... M 114.1 113.9 113.8 114.6 2.0 .6 .7 1.7 -.3 -.1 

D ................................................................. M 176.9 176.6 176.5 176.9 1.3 .2 .2 1.6 -.2 -.1 

Selected local areas5

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI ................... M 185.8 185.6 185.5 185.4 1.5 -.1 -.1 1.7 -.2 -.1 

Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA ... M 187.8 187.1 187.0 188.5 1.8 .7 .8 1.8 -.4 -.1 

New York-Northern N.J.-Long Island,

NY-NJ-CT-PA ......................................... M 200.0 199.4 199.3 199.9 2.7 .3 .3 3.2 -.4 -.1 

Boston-Brockton-Nashua, MA-NH-ME-CT ..... 1 -

 206.5 - 208.4 4.3 .9 - - - -

Cleveland-Akron, OH ...................................... 1 - 177.6 - 178.4 2.8 .5 - - - -

Dallas-Fort Worth, TX ..................................... 1 -

 175.9 - 175.7 1.0 -.1 - - - -

Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV 6 ...... 1 - 116.7 - 117.1 2.2 .3 - - - -

Atlanta, GA ..................................................... 2 180.1 -

 179.0 - - - - 1.0 -.6 -

Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI .............................. 2 183.3 -

 181.3 - - - - .9 -1.1 -

Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX .................... 2 166.1 - 164.1 - - - - 2.7 -1.2 -

Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ............................. 2 181.6 -

 181.6 - - - - 2.1 .0 -

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,

PA-NJ-DE-MD ........................................ 2 190.3 -

 189.0 - - - - 2.0 -.7 -

San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA ........... 2 196.3 -

 195.3 - - - - 1.1 -.5 -

Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA .................... 2 193.7 - 191.0 - - - - .5 -1.4 -

1 Foods, fuels, and several other items priced every month in all areas; 

 most other goods and services priced as indicated: 

 M - Every month. 

 1 - January, March, May, July, September, and November. 

 2 - February, April, June, August, October, and December. 2 Regions defined as the four Census regions. See technical notes. 3 Indexes on a December 1996=100 base. 4 Indexes on a December 1986=100 base. 5 In addition, the following metropolitan areas are published semiannually

and appear in Tables 34 and 39 of the January and July issues of the CPI

Detailed Report: Anchorage, AK; Cincinnati-Hamilton, OH-KY-IN;

Denver-Boulder-Greeley, CO; Honolulu, HI; Kansas City, MO-KS;

Milwaukee-Racine, WI; Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI; Phoenix-Mesa, AZ;

Pittsburgh, PA; Portland-Salem, OR-WA; St. Louis, MO-IL; San Diego, CA;

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL. 6 Indexes on a November 1996=100 base. - Data not available.

 

NOTE: Local area indexes are byproducts of the national CPI program. 

Each local index has a smaller sample size than the national index and is,

therefore, subject to substantially more sampling and other measurement

error. As a result, local area indexes show greater volatility than the national

index, although their long-term trends are similar. Therefore, the Bureau of

Labor Statistics strongly urges users to consider adopting the national

average CPI for use in their escalator clauses. 

NOTE: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.
Table 4. Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W): U.S. city average, by expenditure category

and commodity and service group

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-W

Relative

importance,

December

2003

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Jan. 2004 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Dec.

2003

Jan.

2004

Jan.

2003

Dec.

2003

Oct. to

Nov.

Nov. to

Dec.

Dec. to

Jan.

Expenditure category

All items ...................................................................................... 100.000 179.9 180.9 1.8 0.6 -0.3 0.2 0.6 

All items (1967=100) .................................................................. -

 536.0 538.7 - - - - -

Food and beverages ................................................................ 17.151 183.6 183.8 3.6 .1 .5 .4 -.1 

Food ....................................................................................... 16.061 183.1 183.3 3.7 .1 .5 .5 -.1 

Food at home ....................................................................... 9.637 183.3 183.2 4.3 -.1 .6 .7 -.3 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................. 1.364 202.9 203.8 2.0 .4 .1 .1 .1 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ............................................ 2.908 181.0 179.9 11.4 -.6 2.8 1.1 -.1 

Dairy and related products ................................................. .955 172.7 172.2 3.5 -.3 -.4 1.1 -.3 

Fruits and vegetables ......................................................... 1.344 229.7 229.7 1.8 .0 .2 .2 -2.0 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials .............. 1.076 138.6 140.0 .1 1.0 -.9 .9 .2 

Other food at home ............................................................ 1.991 162.5 162.3 .6 -.1 -.4 .4 -.4 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................. .321 160.5 162.4 1.2 1.2 .5 -.9 -.2 

Fats and oils ..................................................................... .303 157.7 160.7 3.2 1.9 -.1 .4 1.3 

Other foods ....................................................................... 1.366 180.0 178.4 -.1 -.9 -.6 .7 -.8 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... .350 110.3 109.6 -.5 -.6 -1.5 .7 -.6 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 6.424 184.2 184.8 2.8 .3 .2 .3 .3 

Other food away from home 2 ............................................ .252 123.1 123.6 2.8 .4 .3 .4 .6 

Alcoholic beverages 1 ............................................................ 1.090 188.9 189.5 2.2 .3 .4 .1 .3 

Housing .................................................................................... 39.114 181.0 182.1 2.4 .6 -.1 .2 .5 

Shelter .................................................................................... 30.151 208.2 209.2 2.1 .5 .1 .1 .3 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 8.065 207.0 207.4 2.4 .2 .1 .1 .2 

Lodging away from home 2 .................................................. 1.722 113.4 118.5 3.7 4.5 -.5 .7 .7 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 20.026 201.7 202.1 1.8 .2 .1 .1 .2 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. .337 114.4 114.9 1.1 .4 -1.4 .0 .4 

Fuels and utilities .................................................................... 5.079 153.0 155.6 7.1 1.7 -.8 .5 1.6 

Fuels ..................................................................................... 4.146 135.4 138.0 7.6 1.9 -1.2 .6 1.8

Fuel oil and other fuels ....................................................... .216 136.2 149.6 10.2 9.8 .8 -.9 6.9 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 3.930 142.5 144.7 7.4 1.5 -1.2 .6 1.6 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. .933 119.9 120.7 5.0 .7 .5 .3 .6 

Household furnishings and operations ................................... 3.884 120.4 121.0 -1.8 .5 -.2 .0 .4 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... .318 123.8 123.7 1.6 -.1 .0 .1 -.1 

Apparel ..................................................................................... 4.357 118.7 115.7 -1.4 -2.5 -.4 -.3 -.1 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ........................................................ 1.120 117.8 115.6 -.1 -1.9 .3 .0 .2 

Women’s and girls’ apparel .................................................... 1.727 110.5 105.5 -1.1 -4.5 -.7 -.3 -.5 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ................................................. .250 121.4 120.1 -1.9 -1.1 -2.0 -.6 .7 

Footwear ................................................................................ 1.011 117.8 115.6 -3.3 -1.9 -.4 -.4 -.3

Transportation .......................................................................... 19.145 152.5 154.9 .2 1.6 -1.6 -.2 1.8 

Private transportation ............................................................. 18.348 149.7 152.2 .1 1.7 -1.7 -.1 1.9 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 9.305 92.8 92.7 -5.6 -.1 -.7 -.5 -.1 

New vehicles ...................................................................... 4.864 139.2 139.2 -1.2 .0 -.1 -.1 -.1 

Used cars and trucks 1 ....................................................... 3.487 131.7 131.6 -11.8 -.1 -2.3 -.8 -.1 

Motor fuel ............................................................................. 3.967 128.1 137.1 8.2 7.0 -5.1 .1 8.1 

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................. 3.936 127.6 136.6 8.3 7.1 -5.2 .2 8.1 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... .456 107.3 107.6 .5 .3 .0 -.2 .3 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................. 1.365 199.8 199.9 2.3 .1 .2 .5 .0 

Public transportation ............................................................... .797 203.6 204.6 3.1 .5 -.3 -.8 .4 

Medical care ............................................................................. 4.969 301.4 302.8 3.8 .5 .3 .4 .3 

Medical care commodities ...................................................... 1.142 259.4 259.8 2.0 .2 -.1 .2 .1 

Medical care services ............................................................. 3.827 311.9 313.8 4.3 .6 .5 .5 .3 

Professional services ........................................................... 2.256 266.5 267.8 3.0 .5 .2 .5 .2 

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 1.254 403.4 405.9 6.2 .6 1.0 .3 .5 

See footnotes at end of table.
Table 4. Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W): U.S. city average, by expenditure category

and commodity and service group-Continued

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-W

Relative

importance,

December

2003

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Jan. 2004 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Dec.

2003

Jan.

2004

Jan.

2003

Dec.

2003

Oct. to

Nov.

Nov. to

Dec.

Dec. to

Jan.

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 5.697 105.5 105.6 0.5 0.1 0.2 0.1 -0.1 

Video and audio 2 ................................................................... 1.928 102.5 102.7 .0 .2 .0 -.1 -.4 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 5.645 109.7 109.8 .5 .1 .1 .1 .1 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 2.299 138.4 139.1 6.8 .5 .4 .7 .7 

Educational books and supplies ........................................... .215 343.8 346.1 4.7 .7 -.1 2.2 -.7 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare .............................. 2.084 390.7 392.8 7.0 .5 .4 .5 .7 

Communication 2 .................................................................... 3.345 89.7 89.6 -4.2 -.1 -.2 -.3 -.3 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 3.194 88.3 88.2 -4.4 -.1 -.1 -.1 -.1 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 2.622 97.4 97.2 -3.5 -.2 .1 .0 -.2 

Information technology, hardware and services 1 5 ........... .572 15.8 15.8 -10.7 .0 -1.9 -.6 .0 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... .205 15.9 15.8 -17.3 -.6 -1.2 -.6 -.6 

Other goods and services ........................................................ 3.923 308.1 309.3 1.2 .4 -.1 .3 .3 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... 1.248 471.5 473.8 -.1 .5 -.1 .3 .5 

Personal care ......................................................................... 2.675 177.8 178.4 1.8 .3 -.1 .3 .2 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... .737 154.0 154.3 .3 .2 -.2 .1 .2 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... .610 194.9 195.1 2.0 .1 -.8 .1 .1 

Miscellaneous personal services .......................................... 1.152 286.6 288.4 3.8 .6 .4 .2 .3 

Commodity and service group

Commodities .............................................................................. 44.582 150.7 151.5 .5 .5 -.6 .1 .7 

Food and beverages ................................................................ 17.151 183.6 183.8 3.6 .1 .5 .4 -.1 

Commodities less food and beverages .................................... 27.430 132.5 133.5 -1.3 .8 -1.3 -.2 1.3 

Nondurables less food and beverages ................................... 14.671 149.0 151.0 1.8 1.3 -.3 .8 1.3 

Apparel ................................................................................. 4.357 118.7 115.7 -1.4 -2.5 -.4 -.3 -.1

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel .................. 10.315 171.3 176.5 3.2 3.0 -1.9 .1 2.9 

Durables ................................................................................. 12.759 114.0 114.0 -5.1 .0 -.7 -.2 -.1

Services ...................................................................................... 55.418 214.2 215.3 2.8 .5 .0 .2 .4 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 29.813 200.6 201.4 2.1 .4 .1 .2 .2 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... .337 114.4 114.9 1.1 .4 -1.4 .0 .4 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 3.930 142.5 144.7 7.4 1.5 -1.2 .6 1.6 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... .933 119.9 120.7 5.0 .7 .5 .3 .6 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... .318 123.8 123.7 1.6 -.1 .0 .1 -.1 

Transportation services ............................................................ 6.241 218.0 219.1 3.3 .5 -.2 -.2 .5 

Medical care services ............................................................... 3.827 311.9 313.8 4.3 .6 .5 .5 .3 

Other services .......................................................................... 10.020 250.9 251.8 2.3 .4 .2 .2 .2 

Special indexes

All items less food ...................................................................... 83.939 179.2 180.2 1.4 .6 -.4 .1 .7 

All items less shelter ................................................................... 69.849 171.6 172.5 1.6 .5 -.3 .1 .6 

All items less medical care ......................................................... 95.031 174.7 175.6 1.7 .5 -.3 .1 .6 

Commodities less food ............................................................... 28.520 134.5 135.5 -1.2 .7 -1.1 -.1 1.2 

Nondurables less food ................................................................ 15.761 151.4 153.3 1.9 1.3 -.3 .7 1.2 

Nondurables less food and apparel ............................................ 11.405 172.1 176.9 3.1 2.8 -1.8 .1 2.4 

Nondurables ............................................................................... 31.823 166.6 167.8 2.8 .7 .1 .7 .5 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 25.605 202.9 204.1 3.7 .6 .0 .3 .2 

Services less medical care services ........................................... 51.592 206.6 207.6 2.7 .5 .0 .2 .3 

Energy ........................................................................................ 8.114 131.1 136.9 7.9 4.4 -3.1 .3 4.9 

All items less energy .................................................................. 91.886 186.9 187.2 1.3 .2 .0 .2 .2 

All items less food and energy ................................................. 75.825 188.0 188.3 .7 .2 -.1 .1 .2 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ................... 24.337 138.7 138.2 -2.8 -.4 -.4 -.1 .0 

Energy commodities ............................................................. 4.183 129.0 138.3 8.4 7.2 -4.8 .0 8.0 

Services less energy services ................................................ 51.488 222.1 223.1 2.5 .5 .1 .1 .3 

Purchasing power of the consumer dollar (1982-84=$1.00) ...... -

 $ .556 $ .553 - - - - -

Purchasing power of the consumer dollar (1967=$1.00) ........... -

 $ .187 $ .186 - - - - -

1 Not seasonally adjusted. 2 Indexes on a December 1997=100 base. 3 This index series was calculated using a Laspeyres estimator. All other

item stratum index series were calculated using a geometric means estimator.

4 Indexes on a December 1984=100 base 5 Indexes on a December 1988=100 base. - Data not available.

NOTE: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.
Table 5. Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W): Seasonally adjusted U.S. city average, by

expenditure category and commodity and service group

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-W

Seasonally adjusted indexes Seasonally adjusted annual rate percent change for

3 months ended— 6 months

ended—

Oct.

2003

Nov.

2003

Dec.

2003

Jan.

2004

Apr.

2003

July

2003

Oct.

2003

Jan.

2004

July

2003

Jan.

2004

Expenditure category

All items ...................................................................................... 180.6 180.1 180.4 181.4 2.7 0.4 2.2 1.8 1.6 2.0 

Food and beverages ................................................................ 181.8 182.7 183.5 183.4 3.0 3.2 4.8 3.6 3.1 4.2 

Food ....................................................................................... 181.3 182.2 183.1 182.9 3.0 3.4 4.8 3.6 3.2 4.2 

Food at home ....................................................................... 180.9 182.0 183.2 182.6 3.0 3.9 6.4 3.8 3.5 5.1 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................. 203.4 203.6 203.8 204.0 3.2 3.8 -.4 1.2 3.5 .4 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ............................................ 173.8 178.6 180.5 180.4 7.9 7.7 13.7 16.1 7.8 14.9 

Dairy and related products ................................................. 170.8 170.1 171.9 171.4 2.4 -2.9 14.3 1.4 -.2 7.6 

Fruits and vegetables ......................................................... 227.2 227.6 228.1 223.6 -.9 15.6 -.4 -6.2 7.0 -3.3 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials .............. 139.5 138.2 139.4 139.7 -.9 -5.6 6.6 .6 -3.3 3.5 

Other food at home ............................................................ 162.7 162.1 162.8 162.2 1.2 1.0 1.7 -1.2 1.1 .2 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................. 162.4 163.2 161.8 161.5 4.3 1.7 1.5 -2.2 3.0 -.4 

Fats and oils ..................................................................... 158.1 157.9 158.6 160.6 2.1 .0 4.7 6.5 1.0 5.6 

Other foods ....................................................................... 179.6 178.5 179.8 178.4 .4 .9 1.1 -2.6 .7 -.8

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... 111.2 109.5 110.3 109.6 2.9 2.5 -1.4 -5.6 2.7 -3.6 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 183.3 183.7 184.2 184.8 2.7 2.5 2.7 3.3 2.6 3.0 

Other food away from home 2 ............................................ 122.1 122.5 123.0 123.7 2.0 2.0 2.0 5.3 2.0 3.7 

Alcoholic beverages 1 ............................................................ 188.1 188.8 188.9 189.5 2.4 .9 2.4 3.0 1.6 2.7 

Housing .................................................................................... 181.4 181.3 181.6 182.5 3.6 1.8 1.6 2.4 2.7 2.0 

Shelter .................................................................................... 208.3 208.5 208.8 209.5 1.6 2.4 2.5 2.3 2.0 2.4 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 206.2 206.5 206.8 207.2 2.8 2.6 2.4 2.0 2.7 2.2 

Lodging away from home 2 .................................................. 122.0 121.4 122.3 123.2 -5.6 11.8 5.8 4.0 2.7 4.9 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 200.9 201.2 201.4 201.9 1.4 1.6 2.4 2.0 1.5 2.2 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. 116.0 114.4 114.4 114.9 1.1 5.0 2.1 -3.7 3.0 -.9 

Fuels and utilities .................................................................... 154.9 153.6 154.4 156.9 24.3 1.6 -1.3 5.3 12.4 1.9 

Fuels ..................................................................................... 137.7 136.1 136.9 139.4 28.5 1.2 -2.6 5.0 14.0 1.2 

Fuel oil and other fuels ....................................................... 135.4 136.5 135.3 144.7 34.9 -15.2 -1.2 30.4 7.0 13.5 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 145.1 143.3 144.2 146.5 28.4 1.9 -2.7 3.9 14.4 .5 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. 118.9 119.5 119.9 120.6 4.6 4.2 5.6 5.8 4.4 5.7 

Household furnishings and operations ................................... 121.0 120.7 120.7 121.2 -2.9 -2.6 -2.3 .7 -2.7 -.8 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... 123.7 123.7 123.8 123.7 1.7 1.6 3.3 .0 1.7 1.6 

Apparel ..................................................................................... 120.4 119.9 119.6 119.5 -5.5 .3 3.0 -3.0 -2.6 .0 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ........................................................ 117.5 117.9 117.9 118.1 .0 -5.3 3.5 2.1 -2.7 2.8

Women’s and girls’ apparel .................................................... 113.1 112.3 112.0 111.4 -5.2 1.8 5.1 -5.9 -1.8 -.5 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ................................................. 124.7 122.2 121.5 122.4 -2.5 -.3 2.6 -7.2 -1.4 -2.4 

Footwear ................................................................................ 119.1 118.6 118.1 117.7 -11.9 2.7 1.4 -4.6 -4.9 -1.7 

Transportation .......................................................................... 155.9 153.4 153.1 155.9 5.0 -5.2 1.6 .0 -.3 .8 

Private transportation ............................................................. 153.0 150.4 150.2 153.0 5.1 -5.8 1.6 .0 -.5 .8 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 93.7 93.0 92.5 92.4 -1.2 -4.0 -11.1 -5.4 -2.6 -8.3 

New vehicles ...................................................................... 138.4 138.3 138.2 138.1 -1.4 -2.3 -.3 -.9 -1.9 -.6 

Used cars and trucks 1 ....................................................... 135.9 132.8 131.7 131.6 .0 -7.3 -25.7 -12.1 -3.7 -19.2 

Motor fuel ............................................................................. 138.3 131.2 131.3 141.9 19.6 -20.6 30.1 10.8 -2.6 20.1 

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................. 137.8 130.6 130.8 141.4 20.8 -20.9 30.2 10.9 -2.3 20.1 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... 107.5 107.5 107.3 107.6 .0 -.4 1.9 .4 -.2 1.1 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................. 198.4 198.8 199.7 199.7 2.1 3.3 1.0 2.6 2.7 1.8 

Public transportation ............................................................... 209.3 208.7 207.1 207.9 3.2 10.4 1.5 -2.6 6.8 -.6 

Medical care ............................................................................. 299.6 300.6 301.9 302.7 2.5 4.3 4.1 4.2 3.4 4.2 

Medical care commodities ...................................................... 259.4 259.2 259.8 260.0 1.7 2.4 2.8 .9 2.0 1.9 

Medical care services ............................................................. 309.6 311.0 312.5 313.5 2.8 4.8 4.4 5.1 3.8 4.8 

Professional services ........................................................... 265.5 265.9 267.2 267.8 2.3 3.7 2.4 3.5 3.0 3.0

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 397.9 402.0 403.1 405.1 3.8 7.7 6.0 7.4 5.7 6.7 

See footnotes at end of table.
Table 5. Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W): Seasonally adjusted U.S. city average, by

expenditure category and commodity and service group-Continued

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-W

Seasonally adjusted indexes Seasonally adjusted annual rate percent change for

3 months ended— 6 months

ended—

Oct.

2003

Nov.

2003

Dec.

2003

Jan.

2004

Apr.

2003

July

2003

Oct.

2003

Jan.

2004

July

2003

Jan.

2004

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 105.5 105.7 105.8 105.7 0.0 1.5 -0.4 0.8 0.8 0.2 

Video and audio 2 ................................................................... 103.2 103.2 103.1 102.7 .0 .8 1.2 -1.9 .4 -.4 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 109.2 109.3 109.4 109.5 .4 .0 1.5 1.1 .2 1.3 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 136.4 136.9 137.8 138.7 6.3 6.2 7.7 6.9 6.3 7.3 

Educational books and supplies ........................................... 339.5 339.2 346.7 344.4 5.8 4.9 2.3 5.9 5.4 4.1 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare .............................. 385.0 386.7 388.7 391.6 6.4 6.3 8.3 7.0 6.3 7.7 

Communication 2 .................................................................... 90.1 89.9 89.6 89.3 -4.2 -5.1 -3.5 -3.5 -4.7 -3.5 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 88.5 88.4 88.3 88.2 -6.8 -4.8 -4.8 -1.3 -5.8 -3.1 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 97.3 97.4 97.4 97.2 -7.0 -2.4 -4.0 -.4 -4.7 -2.2 

Information technology, hardware and services 1 5 ........... 16.2 15.9 15.8 15.8 -6.6 -19.1 -7.1 -9.5 -13.1 -8.3 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... 16.2 16.0 15.9 15.8 -12.0 -30.4 -15.6 -9.5 -21.7 -12.6 

Other goods and services ........................................................ 308.0 307.8 308.7 309.5 .4 1.4 .9 2.0 .9 1.4 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... 470.7 470.2 471.5 473.8 -3.7 .6 .2 2.7 -1.6 1.4 

Personal care ......................................................................... 177.9 177.8 178.3 178.6 2.5 1.8 1.4 1.6 2.2 1.5 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... 154.1 153.8 154.0 154.3 2.1 .5 -1.8 .5 1.3 -.6 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... 196.3 194.8 194.9 195.1 4.0 1.5 5.0 -2.4 2.7 1.2 

Miscellaneous personal services .......................................... 285.9 287.1 287.7 288.6 4.4 3.8 3.0 3.8 4.1 3.4 

Commodity and service group

Commodities .............................................................................. 151.8 150.9 151.1 152.2 1.9 -2.3 1.6 1.1 -.3 1.3 

Food and beverages ................................................................ 181.8 182.7 183.5 183.4 3.0 3.2 4.8 3.6 3.1 4.2 

Commodities less food and beverages .................................... 134.9 133.2 133.0 134.7 1.2 -5.7 .0 -.6 -2.3 -.3 

Nondurables less food and beverages ................................... 152.3 151.9 153.1 155.1 -.5 -6.2 7.1 7.6 -3.4 7.3 

Apparel ................................................................................. 120.4 119.9 119.6 119.5 -5.5 .3 3.0 -3.0 -2.6 .0 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel .................. 176.5 173.2 173.3 178.3 7.9 -8.4 10.4 4.1 -.6 7.2 

Durables ................................................................................. 114.9 114.1 113.9 113.8 -2.0 -5.6 -8.9 -3.8 -3.8 -6.4 

Services ...................................................................................... 214.4 214.4 214.8 215.6 3.7 3.1 2.5 2.3 3.4 2.4 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 200.6 200.8 201.2 201.6 1.6 2.4 2.4 2.0 2.0 2.2 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... 116.0 114.4 114.4 114.9 1.1 5.0 2.1 -3.7 3.0 -.9 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 145.1 143.3 144.2 146.5 28.4 1.9 -2.7 3.9 14.4 .5 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... 118.9 119.5 119.9 120.6 4.6 4.2 5.6 5.8 4.4 5.7 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... 123.7 123.7 123.8 123.7 1.7 1.6 3.3 .0 1.7 1.6 

Transportation services ............................................................ 219.2 218.7 218.3 219.4 4.6 4.7 3.7 .4 4.7 2.0 

Medical care services ............................................................... 309.6 311.0 312.5 313.5 2.8 4.8 4.4 5.1 3.8 4.8 

Other services .......................................................................... 250.2 250.6 251.0 251.5 2.0 2.5 2.8 2.1 2.2 2.4 

Special indexes

All items less food ...................................................................... 180.3 179.6 179.7 180.9 2.7 .0 1.6 1.3 1.3 1.5 

All items less shelter ................................................................... 172.4 171.8 172.0 173.1 3.3 -.2 1.9 1.6 1.5 1.8 

All items less medical care ......................................................... 175.5 175.0 175.2 176.2 2.8 .5 2.1 1.6 1.6 1.8 

Commodities less food ............................................................... 136.7 135.2 135.0 136.6 1.2 -5.4 -.3 -.3 -2.2 -.3 

Nondurables less food ................................................................ 154.6 154.2 155.3 157.1 -.3 -5.6 7.0 6.6 -3.0 6.8 

Nondurables less food and apparel ............................................ 176.8 173.6 173.8 177.9 10.8 -9.6 9.6 2.5 .1 6.0 

Nondurables ............................................................................... 167.4 167.6 168.7 169.6 1.5 -1.4 5.7 5.4 .0 5.5 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 203.3 203.3 204.0 204.5 6.0 3.2 3.0 2.4 4.6 2.7 

Services less medical care services ........................................... 206.9 207.0 207.4 208.0 3.6 2.8 2.6 2.1 3.2 2.3 

Energy ........................................................................................ 137.3 133.0 133.4 140.0 23.7 -10.1 12.2 8.1 5.5 10.1 

All items less energy .................................................................. 186.8 186.8 187.1 187.4 1.1 1.5 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.3 

All items less food and energy ................................................. 188.3 188.2 188.3 188.7 .6 1.3 .4 .9 1.0 .6 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ................... 139.6 139.0 138.8 138.8 -2.2 -2.2 -4.7 -2.3 -2.2 -3.5 

Energy commodities ............................................................. 138.7 132.0 132.0 142.6 20.6 -20.5 28.4 11.7 -2.1 19.8 

Services less energy services ................................................ 222.1 222.3 222.6 223.3 2.2 3.0 2.9 2.2 2.6 2.6 

1 Not seasonally adjusted. 2 Indexes on a December 1997=100 base. 3 This index series was calculated using a Laspeyres estimator. All other

item stratum index series were calculated using a geometric means estimator.

4 Indexes on a December 1984=100 base 5 Indexes on a December 1988=100 base.

NOTE: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.
Table 6. Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W): Selected areas, all items index 

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-W

All items 

Pricing

schedule 1

Indexes Percent change to

Jan.2004 from—

Percent change to

Dec.2003 from—

Oct.

2003

Nov.

2003

Dec.

2003

Jan.

2004

Jan.

2003

Nov.

2003

Dec.

2003

Dec.

2002

Oct.

2003

Nov.

2003

U.S. city average ............................................ M 180.7 180.2 179.9 180.9 1.8 0.4 0.6 1.6 -0.4 -0.2 

Region and area size2

Northeast urban .............................................. M 192.1 191.9 191.7 192.6 2.9 .4 .5 2.7 -.2 -.1 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 193.2 192.8 192.7 193.3 3.0 .3 .3 3.0 -.3 -.1 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 115.3 115.4 115.2 116.1 2.6 .6 .8 2.2 -.1 -.2 

Midwest urban ................................................ M 174.1 173.9 173.4 174.5 1.6 .3 .6 1.4 -.4 -.3 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 176.0 175.7 175.1 176.2 1.9 .3 .6 1.6 -.5 -.3 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 112.7 112.7 112.4 113.3 1.4 .5 .8 1.3 -.3 -.3 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 169.3 169.1 169.1 169.4 .6 .2 .2 1.1 -.1 .0 

South urban .................................................... M 174.9 174.3 174.2 175.0 1.4 .4 .5 1.3 -.4 -.1 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 177.3 176.4 176.4 177.1 1.8 .4 .4 1.9 -.5 .0 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 112.1 111.9 111.8 112.3 1.3 .4 .4 .9 -.3 -.1 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 174.8 174.5 174.2 174.6 .8 .1 .2 .9 -.3 -.2 

West urban ..................................................... M 184.4 183.5 183.3 184.3 1.5 .4 .5 1.4 -.6 -.1 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 185.4 184.4 183.9 185.0 1.4 .3 .6 1.3 -.8 -.3 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 115.0 114.6 114.8 115.4 1.9 .7 .5 1.7 -.2 .2 

Size classes

A 4 .............................................................. M 167.7 167.1 166.8 167.6 2.0 .3 .5 1.9 -.5 -.2 

B/C 3 ........................................................... M 113.2 113.0 112.9 113.6 1.6 .5 .6 1.3 -.3 -.1 

D ................................................................. M 174.9 174.5 174.3 174.8 .9 .2 .3 1.0 -.3 -.1 

Selected local areas5

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI ................... M 179.1 179.1 178.8 179.0 1.5 -.1 .1 1.6 -.2 -.2 

Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA ... M 181.2 180.5 180.2 181.7 2.2 .7 .8 2.0 -.6 -.2 

New York-Northern N.J.-Long Island,

NY-NJ-CT-PA ......................................... M 195.2 194.7 194.6 194.9 2.7 .1 .2 3.1 -.3 -.1 

Boston-Brockton-Nashua, MA-NH-ME-CT ..... 1 -

 205.6 - 206.8 3.8 .6 - - - -

Cleveland-Akron, OH ...................................... 1 - 168.3 - 169.8 2.7 .9 - - - -

Dallas-Fort Worth, TX ..................................... 1 -

 175.6 - 175.7 1.4 .1 - - - -

Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV 6 ...... 1 - 116.1 - 116.5 2.1 .3 - - - -

Atlanta, GA ..................................................... 2 177.6 -

 176.6 - - - - 1.1 -.6 -

Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI .............................. 2 178.2 -

 175.9 - - - - .9 -1.3 -

Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX .................... 2 164.0 - 162.2 - - - - 2.7 -1.1 -

Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ............................. 2 179.0 -

 178.9 - - - - 2.1 -.1 -

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,

PA-NJ-DE-MD ........................................ 2 190.2 -

 189.0 - - - - 2.2 -.6 -

San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA ........... 2 191.9 -

 191.1 - - - - .8 -.4 -

Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA .................... 2 187.8 - 185.3 - - - - .4 -1.3 -

1 Foods, fuels, and several other items priced every month in all areas; 

 most other goods and services priced as indicated: 

 M - Every month. 

 1 - January, March, May, July, September, and November. 

 2 - February, April, June, August, October, and December. 2 Regions defined as the four Census regions. See technical notes. 3 Indexes on a December 1996=100 base. 4 Indexes on a December 1986=100 base. 5 In addition, the following metropolitan areas are published semiannually

and appear in Tables 34 and 39 of the January and July issues of the CPI

Detailed Report: Anchorage, AK; Cincinnati-Hamilton, OH-KY-IN;

Denver-Boulder-Greeley, CO; Honolulu, HI; Kansas City, MO-KS;

Milwaukee-Racine, WI; Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI; Phoenix-Mesa, AZ;

Pittsburgh, PA; Portland-Salem, OR-WA; St. Louis, MO-IL; San Diego, CA;

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL. 6 Indexes on a November 1996=100 base. - Data not available.

 

NOTE: Local area indexes are byproducts of the national CPI program. 

Each local index has a smaller sample size than the national index and is,

therefore, subject to substantially more sampling and other measurement

error. As a result, local area indexes show greater volatility than the national

index, although their long-term trends are similar. Therefore, the Bureau of

Labor Statistics strongly urges users to consider adopting the national

average CPI for use in their escalator clauses. 

NOTE: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.
Table 7. Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure

category and commodity and service group

(December 1999=100, unless otherwise noted)

C-CPI-U Relative

importance,

2001-2002

 Unadjusted

 indexes

 Unadjusted

 percent change to

 Jan. 2004 from—

 Dec.

 2003

 Jan.

 2004

 Jan.

 2003

 Dec.

 2003

Expenditure category

All items ...................................................................................... 100.000 107.6 108.1 1.6 0.5 

Food and beverages ................................................................ 15.076 109.7 109.9 3.2 .2 

Food ....................................................................................... 14.086 109.7 109.9 3.3 .2 

Food at home ....................................................................... 8.062 109.1 109.1 3.7 .0 

Food away from home .......................................................... 6.023 110.6 110.9 2.7 .3 

Alcoholic beverages ............................................................... .990 109.4 109.7 1.9 .3 

Housing .................................................................................... 41.793 111.4 112.1 2.1 .6 

Shelter .................................................................................... 32.380 113.2 113.8 2.2 .5 

Fuels and utilities .................................................................... 4.643 118.3 120.1 6.9 1.5 

Household furnishings and operations ................................... 4.771 95.3 95.7 -2.0 .4 

Apparel ..................................................................................... 4.317 90.2 87.6 -1.8 -2.9 

Transportation .......................................................................... 17.315 102.9 104.3 .1 1.4 

Private transportation ............................................................. 16.206 102.9 104.4 .0 1.5 

Public transportation ............................................................... 1.109 102.1 102.4 1.9 .3 

Medical care ............................................................................. 5.783 118.3 118.9 3.7 .5 

Medical care commodities ...................................................... 1.466 112.9 113.2 2.0 .3 

Medical care services ............................................................. 4.317 120.1 120.8 4.2 .6 

Recreation ................................................................................ 5.978 103.2 103.5 .5 .3 

Education and communication ................................................. 6.004 99.2 99.5 -.3 .3 

Education ............................................................................... 2.560 128.4 129.0 7.2 .5 

Communication ...................................................................... 3.444 80.9 81.0 -5.7 .1 

Other goods and services ........................................................ 3.734 112.4 112.9 1.6 .4 

Commodity and service group

Services ...................................................................................... 58.567 113.7 114.3 2.7 .5 

Commodities .............................................................................. 41.433 99.9 100.2 .0 .3 

Durables ................................................................................... 12.521 87.1 87.1 -4.8 .0 

Nondurables ............................................................................... 28.912 105.7 106.3 2.3 .6 

All items less food and energy ................................................. 78.985 106.5 106.7 .8 .2 

Energy ........................................................................................ 6.929 116.1 120.9 7.7 4.1 

Indexes for 2004 are initial estimates. Indexes for 2003 are interim adjustments.

NOTE: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.
Table 1 (OW). Old Weight Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure

category and commodity and service group 

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

Item and group

Relative

importance,

December

2003

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Jan. 2004 from—

Dec.

2003

Jan.

2004

Jan.

2003

Dec.

2003

Expenditure category

All items ............................................................................................... 100.000 184.3 185.3 2.0 0.5 

All items (1967=100) ........................................................................... -

 552.1 555.1 - -

Food and beverages .......................................................................... 15.832 184.1 184.3 3.5 .1 

Food ................................................................................................ 14.801 183.6 183.9 3.6 .2 

Food at home ................................................................................ 8.558 184.1 184.0 4.1 -.1 

Cereals and bakery products ....................................................... 1.293 202.9 204.1 2.2 .6 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ...................................................... 2.433 181.1 179.8 11.3 -.7 

Dairy and related products .......................................................... .889 173.0 172.4 3.6 -.3 

Fruits and vegetables .................................................................. 1.252 232.4 232.4 2.3 .0 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ........................ .933 139.3 140.9 .2 1.1 

Other food at home ...................................................................... 1.759 163.0 162.8 .6 -.1 

Sugar and sweets ...................................................................... .311 161.0 163.0 1.4 1.2 

Fats and oils .............................................................................. .255 157.7 160.6 3.1 1.8 

Other foods ................................................................................ 1.192 179.6 178.0 -.1 -.9 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 ................................................... .280 109.8 109.1 -.5 -.6 

Food away from home ................................................................... 6.243 184.3 185.0 2.8 .4 

Other food away from home 1 ..................................................... .391 122.9 124.1 3.5 1.0 

Alcoholic beverages ........................................................................ 1.031 188.7 189.3 1.9 .3 

Housing ............................................................................................. 40.998 185.1 186.3 2.2 .6 

Shelter ............................................................................................. 31.834 214.1 215.3 2.1 .6 

Rent of primary residence 2 ........................................................... 6.516 207.9 208.3 2.5 .2 

Lodging away from home 1 ........................................................... 2.693 112.9 118.0 3.2 4.5 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 2 3 .......................... 22.261 222.2 222.6 1.9 .2 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 ............................................. .364 114.3 114.6 .6 .3 

Fuels and utilities ............................................................................. 4.674 153.6 156.2 6.9 1.7 

Fuels .............................................................................................. 3.787 136.5 139.1 7.4 1.9 

Fuel oil and other fuels ................................................................ .220 137.0 149.9 9.7 9.4 

Gas (piped) and electricity 2 ........................................................ 3.568 143.3 145.4 7.2 1.5 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 1 .......................... .887 119.8 120.6 5.1 .7 

Household furnishings and operations ............................................ 4.489 124.7 125.3 -1.6 .5 

Household operations 1 ................................................................. .822 122.6 122.8 1.7 .2 

Apparel .............................................................................................. 4.058 119.0 116.2 -1.6 -2.4 

Men’s and boys’ apparel .................................................................. 1.034 118.0 115.6 -.4 -2.0 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ............................................................. 1.673 110.9 105.6 -1.9 -4.8 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel .......................................................... .180 119.2 117.5 -3.0 -1.4 

Footwear .......................................................................................... .822 118.5 116.1 -3.0 -2.0 

Transportation ................................................................................... 17.035 154.7 157.1 1.0 1.6 

Private transportation ...................................................................... 15.870 150.8 153.3 1.0 1.7 

New and used motor vehicles 1 ..................................................... 7.674 94.4 94.3 -4.0 -.1 

New vehicles ............................................................................... 4.686 138.0 138.0 -1.2 .0 

Used cars and trucks ................................................................... 1.753 131.0 130.8 -11.8 -.2 

Motor fuel ....................................................................................... 3.269 127.8 136.7 8.2 7.0 

Gasoline (all types) ...................................................................... 3.241 127.2 136.1 8.3 7.0 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment ............................................... .411 107.7 108.0 .2 .3 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair .......................................... 1.426 198.0 198.2 2.3 .1 

Public transportation ........................................................................ 1.165 205.6 206.3 2.0 .3 

Medical care ...................................................................................... 6.067 302.1 303.6 3.8 .5 

Medical care commodities ............................................................... 1.390 265.0 265.5 2.0 .2 

Medical care services ...................................................................... 4.677 311.9 313.9 4.4 .6 

Professional services ..................................................................... 2.833 264.1 265.5 3.0 .5 

Hospital and related services 2 ...................................................... 1.515 407.0 409.8 6.2 .7 

See footnotes at end of table.
Table 1 (OW). Old Weight Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure

category and commodity and service group -Continued

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

Item and group

Relative

importance,

December

2003

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Jan. 2004 from—

Dec.

2003

Jan.

2004

Jan.

2003

Dec.

2003

Expenditure category

Recreation 1 ...................................................................................... 5.897 107.7 108.0 1.0 0.3 

Video and audio 1 ............................................................................ 1.609 103.3 103.8 .4 .5 

Education and communication 1 ........................................................ 5.780 110.9 111.2 1.4 .3 

Education 1 ...................................................................................... 2.985 139.4 140.2 7.4 .6 

Educational books and supplies .................................................... .246 342.8 345.5 4.9 .8 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ....................................... 2.740 401.7 403.9 7.6 .5 

Communication 1 ............................................................................. 2.794 88.2 88.1 -4.2 -.1 

Information and information processing 1 ...................................... 2.600 86.2 86.1 -4.7 -.1 

Telephone services 1 ................................................................... 2.171 97.2 97.1 -3.3 -.1 

Information technology, hardware and services 4 ....................... .429 15.3 15.3 -10.5 .0 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 ...................... .169 16.2 16.2 -16.9 .0 

Other goods and services .................................................................. 4.333 300.2 301.5 1.7 .4 

Tobacco and smoking products ....................................................... .969 470.4 473.1 .1 .6 

Personal care .................................................................................. 3.364 179.0 179.7 2.2 .4 

Personal care products .................................................................. .668 153.4 153.9 .6 .3 

Personal care services .................................................................. .901 194.3 194.6 2.1 .2 

Miscellaneous personal services ................................................... 1.601 287.1 288.9 3.9 .6 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ........................................................................................ 40.254 150.4 151.1 .7 .5 

Food and beverages .......................................................................... 15.832 184.1 184.3 3.5 .1 

Commodities less food and beverages ............................................. 24.422 131.7 132.7 -.9 .8 

Nondurables less food and beverages ............................................ 13.706 146.7 148.5 1.6 1.2 

Apparel .......................................................................................... 4.058 119.0 116.2 -1.6 -2.4 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel ........................... 9.648 167.7 172.3 2.9 2.7 

Durables .......................................................................................... 10.716 115.0 115.1 -4.0 .1 

Services ............................................................................................... 59.746 217.9 219.2 2.9 .6 

Rent of shelter 3 ................................................................................ 31.470 222.9 224.2 2.1 .6 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 ................................................. .364 114.3 114.6 .6 .3 

Gas (piped) and electricity 2 .............................................................. 3.568 143.3 145.4 7.2 1.5 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 1 .............................. .887 119.8 120.6 5.1 .7 

Household operations 1 ..................................................................... .822 122.6 122.8 1.7 .2 

Transportation services ..................................................................... 6.774 217.7 218.9 3.1 .6 

Medical care services ........................................................................ 4.677 311.9 313.9 4.4 .6 

Other services ................................................................................... 11.183 257.4 258.5 2.8 .4 

Special indexes

All items less food ................................................................................ 85.199 184.4 185.6 1.8 .7 

All items less shelter ............................................................................ 68.166 174.7 175.6 1.9 .5 

All items less medical care .................................................................. 93.933 178.2 179.2 1.9 .6 

Commodities less food ........................................................................ 25.453 133.8 134.7 -.8 .7 

Nondurables less food ......................................................................... 14.737 149.2 150.9 1.7 1.1 

Nondurables less food and apparel ..................................................... 10.679 168.8 173.0 2.9 2.5 

Nondurables ........................................................................................ 29.538 165.4 166.5 2.7 .7 

Services less rent of shelter 3 .............................................................. 28.276 228.4 229.8 3.7 .6 

Services less medical care services .................................................... 55.068 209.9 211.1 2.7 .6 

Energy ................................................................................................. 7.056 131.8 137.4 7.8 4.2 

All items less energy ............................................................................ 92.944 191.5 192.0 1.6 .3 

All items less food and energy ........................................................... 78.143 193.6 194.1 1.2 .3 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ............................ 21.965 139.0 138.5 -2.3 -.4 

Energy commodities ...................................................................... 3.488 129.0 138.2 8.4 7.1 

Services less energy services ......................................................... 56.178 225.5 226.7 2.6 .5 

Purchasing power of the consumer dollar (1982-84=$1.00) ............... -

 $ .543 $ .540 - -

Purchasing power of the consumer dollar (1967=$1.00) ..................... -

 $ .181 $ .180 - -

1 Indexes on a December 1997=100 base. 2 This index series was calculated using a Laspeyres estimator. 

All other item stratum index series were calculated using a geometric

means estimator.

3 Indexes on a December 1982=100 base. 4 Indexes on a December 1988=100 base. - Data not available.

NOTE: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.
Table 2 (OW). Old Weight Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W): U.S. city

average, by expenditure category and commodity and service group 

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

Item and group

Relative

importance,

December

2003

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Jan. 2004 from—

Dec.

2003

Jan.

2004

Jan.

2003

Dec.

2003

Expenditure category

All items ............................................................................................... 100.000 179.9 180.9 1.8 0.6 

All items (1967=100) ........................................................................... -

 536.0 538.7 - -

Food and beverages .......................................................................... 17.410 183.6 183.8 3.6 .1 

Food ................................................................................................ 16.404 183.1 183.4 3.7 .2 

Food at home ................................................................................ 9.937 183.3 183.3 4.3 .0 

Cereals and bakery products ....................................................... 1.467 202.9 204.0 2.1 .5 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ...................................................... 3.043 181.0 179.7 11.3 -.7 

Dairy and related products .......................................................... .993 172.7 172.2 3.5 -.3 

Fruits and vegetables .................................................................. 1.355 229.7 230.1 1.9 .2 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ........................ 1.096 138.6 140.1 .1 1.1 

Other food at home ...................................................................... 1.982 162.5 162.4 .7 -.1 

Sugar and sweets ...................................................................... .335 160.5 162.7 1.4 1.4 

Fats and oils .............................................................................. .306 157.7 160.7 3.2 1.9 

Other foods ................................................................................ 1.341 180.0 178.3 -.1 -.9 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 ................................................... .302 110.3 109.5 -.5 -.7 

Food away from home ................................................................... 6.466 184.2 184.9 2.8 .4 

Other food away from home 1 ..................................................... .280 123.1 124.2 3.3 .9 

Alcoholic beverages ........................................................................ 1.007 188.9 189.4 2.1 .3 

Housing ............................................................................................. 38.367 181.0 182.0 2.3 .6 

Shelter ............................................................................................. 29.566 208.2 209.1 2.0 .4 

Rent of primary residence 2 ........................................................... 8.532 207.0 207.4 2.4 .2 

Lodging away from home 1 ........................................................... 1.525 113.4 117.9 3.1 4.0 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 2 3 .......................... 19.185 201.7 202.1 1.8 .2 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 ............................................. .324 114.4 114.7 .9 .3 

Fuels and utilities ............................................................................. 5.017 153.0 155.6 7.1 1.7 

Fuels .............................................................................................. 4.111 135.4 138.0 7.6 1.9 

Fuel oil and other fuels ................................................................ .206 136.2 149.6 10.2 9.8 

Gas (piped) and electricity 2 ........................................................ 3.905 142.5 144.7 7.4 1.5 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 1 .......................... .906 119.9 120.7 5.0 .7 

Household furnishings and operations ............................................ 3.784 120.4 120.9 -1.9 .4 

Household operations 1 ................................................................. .360 123.8 124.0 1.9 .2 

Apparel .............................................................................................. 4.483 118.7 115.5 -1.5 -2.7 

Men’s and boys’ apparel .................................................................. 1.147 117.8 115.3 -.3 -2.1 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ............................................................. 1.744 110.5 104.9 -1.7 -5.1 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel .......................................................... .230 121.4 119.6 -2.3 -1.5 

Footwear .......................................................................................... 1.090 117.8 115.8 -3.1 -1.7 

Transportation ................................................................................... 19.281 152.5 155.0 .3 1.6 

Private transportation ...................................................................... 18.361 149.7 152.3 .2 1.7 

New and used motor vehicles 1 ..................................................... 8.868 92.8 92.7 -5.6 -.1 

New vehicles ............................................................................... 4.524 139.2 139.2 -1.2 .0 

Used cars and trucks ................................................................... 3.283 131.7 131.5 -11.9 -.2 

Motor fuel ....................................................................................... 4.029 128.1 137.1 8.2 7.0 

Gasoline (all types) ...................................................................... 3.995 127.6 136.6 8.3 7.1 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment ............................................... .521 107.3 107.6 .5 .3 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair .......................................... 1.469 199.8 199.9 2.3 .1 

Public transportation ........................................................................ .920 203.6 204.4 3.0 .4 

Medical care ...................................................................................... 4.844 301.4 303.0 3.8 .5 

Medical care commodities ............................................................... 1.017 259.4 259.9 2.0 .2 

Medical care services ...................................................................... 3.827 311.9 314.0 4.4 .7 

Professional services ..................................................................... 2.290 266.5 267.9 3.0 .5 

Hospital and related services 2 ...................................................... 1.232 403.4 406.3 6.3 .7 

See footnotes at end of table.
Table 2 (OW). Old Weight Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W): U.S. city

average, by expenditure category and commodity and service group -Continued

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

Item and group

Relative

importance,

December

2003

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Jan. 2004 from—

Dec.

2003

Jan.

2004

Jan.

2003

Dec.

2003

Expenditure category

Recreation 1 ...................................................................................... 5.515 105.5 105.8 0.7 0.3 

Video and audio 1 ............................................................................ 1.766 102.5 103.0 .3 .5 

Education and communication 1 ........................................................ 5.559 109.7 109.9 .6 .2 

Education 1 ...................................................................................... 2.595 138.4 139.1 6.8 .5 

Educational books and supplies .................................................... .226 343.8 346.2 4.7 .7 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ....................................... 2.369 390.7 392.7 6.9 .5 

Communication 1 ............................................................................. 2.965 89.7 89.6 -4.2 -.1 

Information and information processing 1 ...................................... 2.807 88.3 88.2 -4.4 -.1 

Telephone services 1 ................................................................... 2.427 97.4 97.3 -3.4 -.1 

Information technology, hardware and services 4 ....................... .381 15.8 15.8 -10.7 .0 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 ...................... .154 15.9 15.9 -16.8 .0 

Other goods and services .................................................................. 4.540 308.1 309.4 1.2 .4 

Tobacco and smoking products ....................................................... 1.508 471.5 474.2 .0 .6 

Personal care .................................................................................. 3.033 177.8 178.4 1.8 .3 

Personal care products .................................................................. .772 154.0 154.6 .5 .4 

Personal care services .................................................................. .901 194.9 195.1 2.0 .1 

Miscellaneous personal services ................................................... 1.193 286.6 288.4 3.8 .6 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ........................................................................................ 44.446 150.7 151.5 .5 .5 

Food and beverages .......................................................................... 17.410 183.6 183.8 3.6 .1 

Commodities less food and beverages ............................................. 27.036 132.5 133.5 -1.3 .8 

Nondurables less food and beverages ............................................ 15.078 149.0 151.0 1.8 1.3 

Apparel .......................................................................................... 4.483 118.7 115.5 -1.5 -2.7 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel ........................... 10.596 171.3 176.5 3.2 3.0 

Durables .......................................................................................... 11.957 114.0 114.0 -5.1 .0 

Services ............................................................................................... 55.554 214.2 215.3 2.8 .5 

Rent of shelter 3 ................................................................................ 29.242 200.6 201.3 2.0 .3 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 ................................................. .324 114.4 114.7 .9 .3 

Gas (piped) and electricity 2 .............................................................. 3.905 142.5 144.7 7.4 1.5 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 1 .............................. .906 119.9 120.7 5.0 .7 

Household operations 1 ..................................................................... .360 123.8 124.0 1.9 .2 

Transportation services ..................................................................... 6.796 218.0 219.3 3.4 .6 

Medical care services ........................................................................ 3.827 311.9 314.0 4.4 .7 

Other services ................................................................................... 10.194 250.9 251.8 2.3 .4 

Special indexes

All items less food ................................................................................ 83.596 179.2 180.2 1.4 .6 

All items less shelter ............................................................................ 70.434 171.6 172.5 1.6 .5 

All items less medical care .................................................................. 95.156 174.7 175.6 1.7 .5 

Commodities less food ........................................................................ 28.042 134.5 135.5 -1.2 .7 

Nondurables less food ......................................................................... 16.085 151.4 153.3 1.9 1.3 

Nondurables less food and apparel ..................................................... 11.602 172.1 176.9 3.1 2.8 

Nondurables ........................................................................................ 32.489 166.6 167.7 2.8 .7 

Services less rent of shelter 3 .............................................................. 26.312 202.9 204.2 3.7 .6 

Services less medical care services .................................................... 51.727 206.6 207.6 2.7 .5 

Energy ................................................................................................. 8.139 131.1 136.9 7.9 4.4 

All items less energy ............................................................................ 91.861 186.9 187.2 1.3 .2 

All items less food and energy ........................................................... 75.457 188.0 188.3 .7 .2 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ............................ 23.808 138.7 138.2 -2.8 -.4 

Energy commodities ...................................................................... 4.234 129.0 138.2 8.3 7.1 

Services less energy services ......................................................... 51.649 222.1 223.1 2.5 .5 

Purchasing power of the consumer dollar (1982-84=$1.00) ............... -

 $ .556 $ .553 - -

Purchasing power of the consumer dollar (1967=$1.00) ..................... -

 $ .187 $ .186 - -

1 Indexes on a December 1997=100 base. 2 This index series was calculated using a Laspeyres estimator. 

All other item stratum index series were calculated using a geometric

means estimator.

3 Indexes on a December 1984=100 base 4 Indexes on a December 1988=100 base. - Data not available.

NOTE: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.
Table 3 (OW). Old Weight Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): Selected areas, all items index 

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

Area

All items 

Pricing

schedule 1

Indexes Percent change to 

Jan. 2004 from—

Percent change to 

Dec. 2003 from—

Oct.

2003

Nov.

2003

Dec.

2003

Jan.

2004

Jan.

2003

Nov.

2003

Dec.

2003

Dec.

2002

Oct.

2003

Nov.

2003

U.S. city average ............................................ M 185.0 184.5 184.3 185.3 2.0 0.4 0.5 1.9 -0.4 -0.1 

Region and area size2

Northeast urban .............................................. M 195.4 195.1 194.9 195.9 2.8 .4 .5 2.8 -.3 -.1 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 197.7 197.3 197.1 197.9 3.0 .3 .4 3.0 -.3 -.1 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 115.2 115.3 115.0 115.9 2.5 .5 .8 2.1 -.2 -.3 

Midwest urban ................................................ M 179.1 178.9 178.4 179.5 1.9 .3 .6 1.7 -.4 -.3 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 181.7 181.4 180.9 182.0 2.1 .3 .6 1.7 -.4 -.3 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 113.6 113.6 113.3 114.1 1.9 .4 .7 1.7 -.3 -.3 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 171.8 171.4 171.5 171.7 .6 .2 .1 1.2 -.2 .1 

South urban .................................................... M 178.1 177.5 177.5 178.2 1.8 .4 .4 1.7 -.3 .0 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 180.1 179.1 179.2 179.9 1.8 .4 .4 1.9 -.5 .1 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 113.6 113.3 113.3 113.8 1.9 .4 .4 1.5 -.3 .0 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 175.6 175.4 175.1 175.4 1.3 .0 .2 1.6 -.3 -.2 

West urban ..................................................... M 189.4 188.5 188.3 189.5 1.6 .5 .6 1.5 -.6 -.1 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 191.9 191.0 190.6 191.9 1.4 .5 .7 1.4 -.7 -.2 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 115.5 114.9 115.2 116.0 1.9 1.0 .7 1.9 -.3 .3 

Size classes

A 4 .............................................................. M 169.5 168.9 168.7 169.6 2.1 .4 .5 2.0 -.5 -.1 

B/C 3 ........................................................... M 114.1 113.9 113.8 114.6 2.0 .6 .7 1.7 -.3 -.1 

D ................................................................. M 176.9 176.6 176.5 176.9 1.3 .2 .2 1.6 -.2 -.1 

Selected local areas5

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI ................... M 185.8 185.6 185.5 185.3 1.4 -.2 -.1 1.7 -.2 -.1 

Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA ... M 187.8 187.1 187.0 188.6 1.8 .8 .9 1.8 -.4 -.1 

New York-Northern N.J.-Long Island,

NY-NJ-CT-PA ......................................... M 200.0 199.4 199.3 200.0 2.7 .3 .4 3.2 -.4 -.1 

Boston-Brockton-Nashua, MA-NH-ME-CT ..... 1 -

 206.5 - 208.0 4.1 .7 - - - -

Cleveland-Akron, OH ...................................... 1 -

 177.6 - 178.3 2.8 .4 - - - -

Dallas-Fort Worth, TX ..................................... 1 - 175.9 - 176.1 1.2 .1 - - - -

Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV 6 ...... 1 -

 116.7 - 117.2 2.3 .4 - - - -

Atlanta, GA ..................................................... 2 180.1 -

 179.0 - - - - 1.0 -.6 -

Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI .............................. 2 183.3 - 181.3 - - - - .9 -1.1 -

Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX .................... 2 166.1 -

 164.1 - - - - 2.7 -1.2 -

Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ............................. 2 181.6 -

 181.6 - - - - 2.1 .0 -

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,

PA-NJ-DE-MD ........................................ 2 190.3 -

 189.0 - - - - 2.0 -.7 -

San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA ........... 2 196.3 - 195.3 - - - - 1.1 -.5 -

Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA .................... 2 193.7 -

 191.0 - - - - .5 -1.4 -

1 Foods, fuels, and several other items priced every month in all areas; 

 most other goods and services priced as indicated: 

 M - Every month. 

 1 - January, March, May, July, September, and November. 

 2 - February, April, June, August, October, and December. 2 Regions defined as the four Census regions. See map in technical

notes. 3 Indexes on a December 1996=100 base. 4 Indexes on a December 1986=100 base. 5 In addition, the following metropolitan areas are published semiannually

and appear in Tables 34 and 39 of the January and July issues of the CPI

Detailed Report: Anchorage, AK; Cincinnati-Hamilton, OH-KY-IN;

Denver-Boulder-Greeley, CO; Honolulu, HI; Kansas City, MO-KS;

Milwaukee-Racine, WI; Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI; Phoenix-Mesa, AZ;

Pittsburgh, PA; Portland-Salem, OR-WA; St. Louis, MO-IL; San Diego, CA;

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL. 6 Indexes on a November 1996=100 base. - Data not available.

 

NOTE: Local area indexes are byproducts of the national CPI program. 

Each local index has a smaller sample size than the national index and is,

therefore, subject to substantially more sampling and other measurement

error. As a result, local area indexes show greater volatility than the national

index, although their long-term trends are similar. Therefore, the Bureau of

Labor Statistics strongly urges users to consider adopting the national

average CPI for use in their escalator clauses. 

NOTE: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.
Table 4 (OW). Old Weight Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W): Selected areas, all items

index 

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

Area

All items 

Pricing

schedule 1

Indexes Percent change to 

Jan. 2004 from—

Percent change to 

Dec. 2003 from—

Oct.

2003

Nov.

2003

Dec.

2003

Jan.

2004

Jan.

2003

Nov.

2003

Dec.

2003

Dec.

2002

Oct.

2003

Nov.

2003

U.S. city average ............................................ M 180.7 180.2 179.9 180.9 1.8 0.4 0.6 1.6 -0.4 -0.2 

Region and area size2

Northeast urban .............................................. M 192.1 191.9 191.7 192.5 2.8 .3 .4 2.7 -.2 -.1 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 193.2 192.8 192.7 193.2 2.9 .2 .3 3.0 -.3 -.1 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 115.3 115.4 115.2 116.2 2.7 .7 .9 2.2 -.1 -.2 

Midwest urban ................................................ M 174.1 173.9 173.4 174.4 1.5 .3 .6 1.4 -.4 -.3 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 176.0 175.7 175.1 176.1 1.9 .2 .6 1.6 -.5 -.3 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 112.7 112.7 112.4 113.3 1.4 .5 .8 1.3 -.3 -.3 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 169.3 169.1 169.1 169.3 .5 .1 .1 1.1 -.1 .0 

South urban .................................................... M 174.9 174.3 174.2 175.0 1.4 .4 .5 1.3 -.4 -.1 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 177.3 176.4 176.4 177.2 1.8 .5 .5 1.9 -.5 .0 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 112.1 111.9 111.8 112.3 1.3 .4 .4 .9 -.3 -.1 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 174.8 174.5 174.2 174.5 .8 .0 .2 .9 -.3 -.2 

West urban ..................................................... M 184.4 183.5 183.3 184.3 1.5 .4 .5 1.4 -.6 -.1 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 185.4 184.4 183.9 185.1 1.4 .4 .7 1.3 -.8 -.3 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 115.0 114.6 114.8 115.4 1.9 .7 .5 1.7 -.2 .2 

Size classes

A 4 .............................................................. M 167.7 167.1 166.8 167.6 2.0 .3 .5 1.9 -.5 -.2 

B/C 3 ........................................................... M 113.2 113.0 112.9 113.6 1.6 .5 .6 1.3 -.3 -.1 

D ................................................................. M 174.9 174.5 174.3 174.7 .9 .1 .2 1.0 -.3 -.1 

Selected local areas5

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI ................... M 179.1 179.1 178.8 178.9 1.4 -.1 .1 1.6 -.2 -.2 

Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA ... M 181.2 180.5 180.2 181.6 2.1 .6 .8 2.0 -.6 -.2 

New York-Northern N.J.-Long Island,

NY-NJ-CT-PA ......................................... M 195.2 194.7 194.6 195.0 2.8 .2 .2 3.1 -.3 -.1 

Boston-Brockton-Nashua, MA-NH-ME-CT ..... 1 -

 205.6 - 206.3 3.5 .3 - - - -

Cleveland-Akron, OH ...................................... 1 - 168.3 - 169.4 2.5 .7 - - - -

Dallas-Fort Worth, TX ..................................... 1 -

 175.6 - 175.8 1.4 .1 - - - -

Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV 6 ...... 1 -

 116.1 - 116.6 2.2 .4 - - - -

Atlanta, GA ..................................................... 2 177.6 -

 176.6 - - - - 1.1 -.6 -

Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI .............................. 2 178.2 -

 175.9 - - - - .9 -1.3 -

Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX .................... 2 164.0 -

 162.2 - - - - 2.7 -1.1 -

Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ............................. 2 179.0 - 178.9 - - - - 2.1 -.1 -

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,

PA-NJ-DE-MD ........................................ 2 190.2 -

 189.0 - - - - 2.2 -.6 -

San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA ........... 2 191.9 -

 191.1 - - - - .8 -.4 -

Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA .................... 2 187.8 - 185.3 - - - - .4 -1.3 -

1 Foods, fuels, and several other items priced every month in all areas; 

 most other goods and services priced as indicated: 

 M - Every month. 

 1 - January, March, May, July, September, and November. 

 2 - February, April, June, August, October, and December. 2 Regions defined as the four Census regions. See map in technical

notes. 3 Indexes on a December 1996=100 base. 4 Indexes on a December 1986=100 base. 5 In addition, the following metropolitan areas are published semiannually

and appear in Tables 34 and 39 of the January and July issues of the CPI

Detailed Report: Anchorage, AK; Cincinnati-Hamilton, OH-KY-IN;

Denver-Boulder-Greeley, CO; Honolulu, HI; Kansas City, MO-KS;

Milwaukee-Racine, WI; Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI; Phoenix-Mesa, AZ;

Pittsburgh, PA; Portland-Salem, OR-WA; St. Louis, MO-IL; San Diego, CA;

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL. 6 Indexes on a November 1996=100 base. - Data not available.

 

NOTE: Local area indexes are byproducts of the national CPI program. 

Each local index has a smaller sample size than the national index and is,

therefore, subject to substantially more sampling and other measurement

error. As a result, local area indexes show greater volatility than the national

index, although their long-term trends are similar. Therefore, the Bureau of

Labor Statistics strongly urges users to consider adopting the national

average CPI for use in their escalator clauses. 

NOTE: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.