News United States 

Department 

of Labor 

Bureau of Labor Statistics Washington, D.C. 20212 

FOR TECHNICAL INFORMATION: 

Patrick C. Jackman (202) 691-7000 USDL-06-854 

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. (EDT) 

INTERNET ADDRESS: http://www.bls.gov/cpi/ Wednesday, May 17, 2006 

CONSUMER PRICE INDEX: APRIL 2006 

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.9 percent in April, before seasonal 

adjustment, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. The April level of 201.5 

(1982-84=100) was 3.5 percent higher than in April 2005. 

The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) increased 1.0 percent in 

April, prior to seasonal adjustment. The April level of 197.2 (1982-84=100) was 3.7 percent higher than in April 

2005. 

The Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U) increased 0.6 percent in April on a 

not seasonally adjusted basis. The April level of 116.8 (December 1999=100) was 3.1 percent higher than in April 

2005. Please note that the indexes for the post-2004 period are subject to revision. 

CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U)

On a seasonally adjusted basis, the CPI-U advanced 0.6 percent in April, following a 0.4 percent rise in 

March. Energy costs, which increased 1.3 percent in March, advanced 3.9 percent in April. Within energy, the index 

for petroleum based energy increased 8.5 percent, while the index for energy services fell 1.5 percent. The food index 

was unchanged in April, as a 0.2 percent decline in the index for food at home was offset by a 0.2 percent increase in 

the index for food away from home. The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.3 percent in April, the same 

as in March; the index for shelter accounted for about one-half of the April increase with the indexes for apparel, for 

medical care, and for education and communication each accounting for about 10 percent of the April advance. 

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

 Seasonally adjusted Un-

 Compound adjusted

Expenditure Changes from preceding month annual rate 12-mos. 

Category 2005 2006 3-mos. ended ended

 Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. Apr. ’06 Apr. ’06

All Items .3 -.7 -.1 .7 .1 .4 .6 4.1 3.5

 Food and beverages .2 .3 .1 .5 .2 .1 .0 .8 1.8 

 Housing .9 .4 .2 .5 .1 .2 .1 2.0 3.8 

 Apparel -.3 .1 -.3 .3 -1.0 1.0 .6 2.4 -.2 

 Transportation -1.2 -4.9 -.7 1.8 -.2 .9 2.4 13.3 6.3 

 Medical care .6 .5 .2 .1 .5 .4 .4 5.2 4.1 

 Recreation .2 -.1 .1 .0 .1 .4 .3 2.9 1.7 

 Education and 

 communication .0 .4 .2 .4 .2 .2 .3 2.8 2.6 

 Other goods and 

 services .1 .3 .4 .3 .1 .2 .0 1.3 2.7 

 Special Indexes 

 Energy .0 -8.1 -2.1 5.0 -1.2 1.3 3.9 16.9 17.8 

 Food .3 .3 .1 .5 .1 .1 .0 .6 1.8 

 All Items less 

 food and energy .2 .2 .1 .2 .1 .3 .3 3.2 2.3 
During the first four months of 2006, the CPI-U rose at a 5.1 percent seasonally adjusted annual rate 

(SAAR). This compares with an increase of 3.4 percent for all of 2005. The index for energy, which rose 

17.1 percent in 2005, advanced at a 30.1 percent SAAR in the first four months of 2006. Petroleum-based 

energy costs increased at a 61.5 percent annual rate and charges for energy services rose at a 0.5 percent 

annual rate. The food index has increased at a 1.9 percent SAAR thus far this year, following a 2.3 percent 

rise for all of 2005. Excluding food and energy, the CPI-U advanced at a 3.0 percent SAAR in the first four 

months, following a 2.2 percent rise for all of 2005. 

The food and beverages index was unchanged in April. The index for food at home declined for the 

third consecutive month--down 0.2 percent in April. Declines in five of the six major grocery store food 

groups were partially offset by a 0.2 percent increase in the index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs. Within 

this group, increases in the indexes for pork, for other meats, and for fish and seafood were partially offset by 

declines in the prices for beef and for poultry. The indexes for dairy products and for nonalcoholic beverages 

registered the largest decreases--down 0.7 percent. Within the index for dairy products, prices for milk and 

cheese each declined. A 1.9 percent drop in prices for carbonated drinks accounted for most of the decline in 

the index for nonalcoholic beverages. The indexes for cereal and bakery products and other food at home 

each declined 0.2 percent. The index for fruits and vegetables declined 0.1 percent. The indexes for fresh 

fruits and for processed fruits and vegetables decreased 1.7 and 0.2 percent, respectively, more than offsetting 

a 1.7 percent increase in the index for fresh vegetables. (Prior to seasonal adjustment, fresh vegetable prices 

declined 1.0 percent.) The other two components of the food and beverages index--food away from home and 

alcoholic beverages--increased 0.2 percent and were unchanged, respectively. 

The index for housing, which rose 0.2 percent in March, increased 0.1 percent in April. The index for 

shelter increased 0.3 percent in April, following increases of 0.4 percent in both February and March. Within 

shelter, the indexes for rent and owners' equivalent rent increased 0.3 and 0.4 percent, respectively, while the 

index for lodging away from home was unchanged. The index for fuels and utilities declined for the third 

consecutive month--down 0.9 percent in April. A sharp decline in the index for natural gas more than offset 

increases in prices for fuel oil and for electricity. The index for natural gas declined 5.2 percent in April and 

has fallen 13.4 percent in the last three months. The index for fuel oil, which had declined in each of the six 

preceding months, rose 5.2 percent in April. The index for electricity rose 0.3 percent. During the last 12 

months, charges for electricity and for natural gas have increased 14.8 and 11.0 percent, respectively, and fuel 

oil prices have risen 20.2 percent. The index for household furnishings and operations, which increased 0.1 

percent in March, was unchanged in April. 

The transportation index advanced 2.4 percent in April, reflecting an 8.8 percent increase in the index 

for motor fuel. (Prior to seasonal adjustment, gasoline prices rose 14.5 percent in April.) The index for new 

vehicles declined 0.1 percent in April and was 0.3 percent lower than a year ago. The index for used cars and 

trucks increased 0.3 percent in April and was 1.7 percent higher than in April 2005. The index for public 

transportation increased 0.2 percent in April. (Prior to seasonal adjustment, the index for public transportation 

rose 1.2 percent, reflecting another increase in airline fares.) Airline fares increased 1.6 percent in April and 

have advanced 5.1 percent in the first four months of the year. 

The index for apparel rose 0.6 percent in April, following a 1.0 percent increase in March. (Prior to 

seasonal adjustment, apparel prices rose 1.1 percent.) 

Medical care costs rose 0.4 percent in April and are 4.1 percent higher than a year ago. The index for 

medical care commodities--prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and medical supplies--increased 0.4 

percent. The index for medical care services rose 0.3 percent in April. The indexes for professional services 

and for hospital and related services increased 0.1 and 0.8 percent, respectively. . 

The index for recreation rose 0.3 percent in April, following a 0.4 percent increase in March. The 

index for cable and satellite television and radio service, which rose 1.3 percent in March, increased 0.8 

percent in April and accounted for over one-half of the April recreation advance. The indexes for sporting 

goods and for pets, pet products and services increased 1.3 and 1.0 percent, respectively. 
The index for education and communication rose 0.3 percent in April. Educational costs increased 0.5 

percent and the index for communication rose 0.1 percent. Within the latter group, the index for telephone 

services rose 0.4 percent, reflecting increases in both local and long distance land-line telephone charges. 

Partially offsetting this increase, the index for personal computers and peripheral equipment declined 2.6 

percent. 

The index for other goods and services was unchanged in April. A 0.2 percent decline in the index for 

tobacco and smoking products was offset by a small increase in the index for miscellaneous personal services. 

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

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

in April. 

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

 Seasonally adjusted Un-

 Compound adjusted

Expenditure Changes from preceding month annual rate 12-mos. 

Category 2005 2006 3-mos. ended ended

 Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. Apr. ’06 Apr.’06

All Items .2 -.8 -.1 .7 .0 .5 .6 4.4 3.7

 Food and beverages .3 .3 .2 .4 .1 .1 -.1 .6 1.7 

 Housing .9 .4 .1 .5 .1 .2 .1 1.6 3.9 

 Apparel -.2 .0 -.3 .0 -.7 1.1 .7 4.5 -.1 

 Transportation -1.3 -5.2 -.7 1.8 -.3 1.1 2.6 14.6 6.8 

 Medical care .6 .6 .2 .1 .3 .5 .4 4.8 4.1 

 Recreation .3 -.2 .0 .0 .1 .4 .3 3.0 1.5 

 Education and 

 communication -.1 .4 .1 .4 .1 .2 .3 2.1 2.2 

 Other goods and 

 services .0 .3 .4 .3 .1 .3 -.1 1.2 2.9 

Special Indexes 

 Energy -.3 -8.7 -2.1 5.0 -1.3 1.4 4.2 18.3 17.9 

 Food .3 .3 .2 .4 .1 .1 -.1 .4 1.7 

 All Items less 

 food and energy .3 .2 .2 .2 .2 .4 .2 3.1 2.2 

Consumer Price Index data for May are scheduled for release on Wednesday, June 14, 2006, at 8:30 

A.M. (EDT). 

CPI (Old Weights)

For the first six months of 2006, BLS also will calculate Old Weights CPI-U and Old Weights CPI-W 

based on the 2001-02 expenditure pattern used in the CPI from 2004 through 2005. These Old Weight data 

are contained in tables 1(OW)-4(OW). From March to April, the Old Weight CPI-U rose 0.9 percent and the 

Old Weight CPI-W rose 1.0 percent. Note these series are not seasonally adjusted. 

 
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 

establishments-department 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 CCPI-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. Seasonally adjusted indexes and seasonal factors are computed annually. Each 

year, the last 5 years of seasonally adjusted data are revised. Data from January 2001 through December 2005 

were replaced in January 2006. Exceptions to the usual revision schedule were: the updated seasonal data at the 

end of 1977 replaced data from 1967 through 1977; and, 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: 43 of the 73 components are seasonally 

adjusted for 2006. 

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, Utility (piped) 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 sharp rises in the price of coffee futures. The procedure was used to account for unusual 

butter fat supply reductions, changes in milk supply, and large swings in soybean oil inventories affecting the 

Fats and oils series. For Dairy products, it mitigated the effects of significant changes in milk, butter and 

cheese production levels. For Fresh vegetable series, the method was used to account for the effects of 

hurricane-related disruptions. 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 vehicle 

series, 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

2005

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Apr. 2006 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Mar.

2006

Apr.

2006

Apr.

2005

Mar.

2006

Jan. to

Feb.

Feb. to

Mar.

Mar. to

Apr.

Expenditure category

All items ...................................................................................... 100.000 199.8 201.5 3.5 0.9 0.1 0.4 0.6 

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

 598.6 603.5 - - - - -

Food and beverages ................................................................ 15.051 194.5 194.2 1.8 -.2 .2 .1 .0 

Food ....................................................................................... 13.942 194.0 193.7 1.8 -.2 .1 .1 .0 

Food at home ....................................................................... 7.988 192.3 191.5 .9 -.4 -.1 -.1 -.2 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................. 1.098 210.9 210.9 .9 .0 -.3 .3 -.2 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ............................................ 2.133 185.9 185.5 .4 -.2 -.3 .3 .2 

Dairy and related products ................................................. .852 183.0 181.3 -.5 -.9 -.2 .1 -.7 

Fruits and vegetables ......................................................... 1.219 248.5 246.6 2.7 -.8 .7 -1.7 -.1 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials .............. .910 148.0 146.3 1.0 -1.1 -.2 .7 -.7 

Other food at home ............................................................ 1.777 169.2 168.8 .8 -.2 -.1 .1 -.2 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................. .302 170.1 171.0 3.7 .5 -1.7 1.9 .9 

Fats and oils ..................................................................... .231 168.5 165.0 -2.6 -2.1 .2 -1.4 -1.7 

Other foods 1 .................................................................... 1.244 184.5 184.3 .7 -.1 .2 -.1 -.1 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... .328 113.0 113.2 2.2 .2 .7 -.4 .2 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 5.953 197.6 198.0 3.1 .2 .3 .2 .2 

Other food away from home 2 ............................................ .277 135.2 135.8 4.8 .4 .3 .4 .5 

Alcoholic beverages 1 ............................................................ 1.109 200.1 200.1 2.1 .0 .8 .3 .0 

Housing .................................................................................... 42.380 201.3 201.7 3.8 .2 .1 .2 .1 

Shelter .................................................................................... 32.260 229.9 230.7 2.8 .3 .4 .4 .3 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 5.832 222.3 222.9 3.2 .3 .3 .4 .3 

Lodging away from home 2 .................................................. 2.611 140.4 140.4 3.1 .0 .6 .8 .0 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 23.442 234.9 235.8 3.0 .4 .3 .4 .4 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. .375 116.2 116.2 -1.7 .0 .3 .0 .0 

Fuels and utilities .................................................................... 5.371 192.3 190.8 12.5 -.8 -1.1 -.9 -.9 

Fuels ..................................................................................... 4.494 174.8 173.2 14.3 -.9 -1.4 -1.0 -1.1 

Fuel oil and other fuels ....................................................... .339 230.4 236.4 18.5 2.6 -2.8 .4 4.0 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 4.155 179.9 177.7 14.0 -1.2 -1.3 -1.1 -1.5 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. .877 135.1 135.4 4.9 .2 .8 -.2 .4 

Household furnishings and operations ................................... 4.749 126.7 126.9 .5 .2 .0 .1 .0 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... .779 134.9 135.2 4.7 .2 .7 -.1 .2 

Apparel ..................................................................................... 3.786 122.0 123.4 -.2 1.1 -1.0 1.0 .6 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ........................................................ .915 116.2 118.0 -2.0 1.5 -1.0 .5 .9 

Women’s and girls’ apparel .................................................... 1.612 115.0 116.3 -.3 1.1 -1.3 2.2 .5 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ................................................. .183 118.7 118.2 -2.6 -.4 1.7 -.2 -.6 

Footwear ................................................................................ .759 125.4 126.1 1.9 .6 -.7 .4 -.1 

Transportation .......................................................................... 17.415 177.4 184.1 6.3 3.8 -.2 .9 2.4 

Private transportation ............................................................. 16.329 173.5 180.4 6.4 4.0 -.2 1.0 2.6 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 7.858 96.0 96.0 .4 .0 .1 -.1 .1 

New vehicles ...................................................................... 5.155 138.8 138.4 -.3 -.3 .1 -.1 -.1 

Used cars and trucks 1 ....................................................... 1.799 140.0 140.4 1.7 .3 .1 .4 .3 

Motor fuel ............................................................................. 4.191 205.8 235.4 21.4 14.4 -.9 3.6 8.8 

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................. 4.148 204.7 234.4 21.5 14.5 -1.0 3.6 8.8 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... .362 115.4 115.8 4.5 .3 .4 .4 .3 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................. 1.131 213.4 213.9 4.3 .2 .9 .3 .3 

Public transportation ............................................................... 1.087 222.6 225.3 4.8 1.2 -.2 -.3 .2 

Medical care ............................................................................. 6.220 333.8 334.7 4.1 .3 .5 .4 .4 

Medical care commodities ...................................................... 1.457 284.3 285.3 4.3 .4 .3 .4 .4 

Medical care services ............................................................. 4.764 348.0 348.8 4.1 .2 .5 .4 .3 

Professional services ........................................................... 2.815 287.8 288.5 2.7 .2 .2 .4 .1 

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 1.576 463.3 464.6 6.3 .3 1.1 .6 .8 

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

2005

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Apr. 2006 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Mar.

2006

Apr.

2006

Apr.

2005

Mar.

2006

Jan. to

Feb.

Feb. to

Mar.

Mar. to

Apr.

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 5.637 110.6 111.1 1.7 0.5 0.1 0.4 0.3 

Video and audio 2 ................................................................... 1.783 105.2 105.8 1.0 .6 -.2 .9 .4 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 6.047 115.6 115.8 2.6 .2 .2 .2 .3 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 2.967 158.4 158.6 6.1 .1 .3 .5 .5 

Educational books and supplies ........................................... .196 383.1 383.1 6.0 .0 .1 .5 .3 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare .............................. 2.771 457.2 457.7 6.1 .1 .3 .5 .5 

Communication 2 .................................................................... 3.080 84.4 84.5 -1.1 .1 .0 -.1 .1 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 2.895 81.9 82.1 -1.3 .2 -.1 -.1 .2 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 2.245 95.0 95.4 .1 .4 .0 -.2 .4 

Information technology, hardware and services 1 5 ........... .650 13.0 12.9 -7.2 -.8 .0 .0 -.8 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... .236 11.4 11.1 -17.2 -2.6 -.9 -.9 -2.6 

Other goods and services ........................................................ 3.463 320.0 320.0 2.7 .0 .1 .2 .0 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... .710 519.0 518.1 4.2 -.2 .2 .6 -.2 

Personal care ......................................................................... 2.752 189.1 189.1 2.3 .0 .1 .1 .0 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... .710 155.2 155.0 1.0 -.1 -.1 -.3 -.1 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... .675 208.5 208.5 2.6 .0 .7 .3 .0 

Miscellaneous personal services .......................................... 1.172 310.9 311.3 3.3 .1 .1 .5 .2 

Commodity and service group

Commodities .............................................................................. 40.790 162.8 165.5 3.2 1.7 -.1 .6 1.1 

Food and beverages ................................................................ 15.051 194.5 194.2 1.8 -.2 .2 .1 .0 

Commodities less food and beverages .................................... 25.739 144.7 148.6 4.0 2.7 -.3 .8 1.7 

Nondurables less food and beverages ................................... 14.163 173.3 181.8 7.6 4.9 -1.8 .8 3.7 

Apparel ................................................................................. 3.786 122.0 123.4 -.2 1.1 -1.0 1.0 .6 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel .................. 10.377 209.3 222.3 10.6 6.2 -.3 1.8 4.1 

Durables ................................................................................. 11.576 115.1 115.1 -.4 .0 -.1 .0 -.1 

Services ...................................................................................... 59.210 236.6 237.1 3.7 .2 .2 .2 .2 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 31.884 239.6 240.4 2.9 .3 .4 .3 .5 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... .375 116.2 116.2 -1.7 .0 .3 .0 .0 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 4.155 179.9 177.7 14.0 -1.2 -1.3 -1.1 -1.5 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... .877 135.1 135.4 4.9 .2 .8 -.2 .4 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... .779 134.9 135.2 4.7 .2 .7 -.1 .2 

Transportation services ............................................................ 5.707 228.8 229.6 2.3 .3 .0 -.1 .2 

Medical care services ............................................................... 4.764 348.0 348.8 4.1 .2 .5 .4 .3 

Other services .......................................................................... 10.669 274.6 275.5 3.3 .3 .2 .4 .4 

Special indexes

All items less food ...................................................................... 86.058 200.8 202.8 3.8 1.0 .1 .4 .6 

All items less shelter ................................................................... 67.740 190.3 192.3 3.9 1.1 -.1 .4 .7 

All items less medical care ......................................................... 93.780 193.0 194.7 3.5 .9 .0 .4 .6 

Commodities less food ............................................................... 26.848 146.8 150.6 3.9 2.6 -.3 .8 1.6 

Nondurables less food ................................................................ 15.272 175.0 182.9 7.2 4.5 -1.7 .8 3.4 

Nondurables less food and apparel ............................................ 11.486 207.5 219.2 9.8 5.6 -.1 1.6 3.7 

Nondurables ............................................................................... 29.214 184.4 188.7 4.7 2.3 -.9 .5 1.9

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 27.325 250.9 251.0 4.7 .0 -.1 .0 .2 

Services less medical care services ........................................... 54.446 227.3 227.8 3.7 .2 .0 .2 .3 

Energy ........................................................................................ 8.685 188.6 201.4 17.8 6.8 -1.2 1.3 3.9 

All items less energy .................................................................. 91.315 202.6 203.0 2.2 .2 .2 .2 .2 

All items less food and energy ................................................. 77.373 204.9 205.5 2.3 .3 .1 .3 .3 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ................... 22.319 141.5 141.7 .4 .1 -.1 .3 .1 

Energy commodities ............................................................. 4.530 208.3 236.6 21.2 13.6 -1.0 3.3 8.5 

Services less energy services ................................................ 55.055 242.4 243.2 3.1 .3 .3 .3 .3 

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

 $ .500 $ .496 - - - - -

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

 $ .167 $ .166 - - - - -

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—

Jan.

2006

Feb.

2006

Mar.

2006

Apr.

2006

July

2005

Oct.

2005

Jan.

2006

Apr.

2006

Oct.

2005

Apr.

2006

Expenditure category

All items ...................................................................................... 199.0 199.1 199.8 201.0 2.1 8.5 -0.2 4.1 5.2 1.9 

Food and beverages ................................................................ 194.0 194.3 194.4 194.4 1.1 2.1 3.4 .8 1.6 2.1 

Food ....................................................................................... 193.6 193.8 193.9 193.9 1.1 2.3 3.4 .6 1.7 2.0 

Food at home ....................................................................... 192.4 192.3 192.2 191.9 -.4 1.5 3.6 -1.0 .5 1.3 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................. 211.0 210.3 210.9 210.4 -.4 2.3 2.5 -1.1 1.0 .7 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ............................................ 185.8 185.3 185.9 186.2 -1.7 .0 2.8 .9 -.9 1.9 

Dairy and related products ................................................. 183.4 183.1 183.2 182.0 -1.5 -1.1 3.8 -3.0 -1.3 .3 

Fruits and vegetables ......................................................... 251.5 253.2 248.8 248.6 .8 4.9 10.0 -4.5 2.8 2.5 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials .............. 146.5 146.2 147.2 146.1 .8 2.2 2.5 -1.1 1.5 .7 

Other food at home ............................................................ 169.0 168.8 169.0 168.7 .0 1.7 1.9 -.7 .8 .6 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................. 169.3 166.5 169.7 171.2 3.2 .7 6.4 4.6 1.9 5.5 

Fats and oils ..................................................................... 169.4 169.8 167.5 164.7 -3.0 -.7 4.6 -10.6 -1.9 -3.3 

Other foods 1 .................................................................... 184.3 184.7 184.5 184.3 .0 2.2 .7 .0 1.1 .3 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... 112.6 113.4 113.0 113.2 2.6 2.2 1.8 2.1 2.4 2.0 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 196.6 197.2 197.6 198.0 3.2 3.3 2.9 2.9 3.3 2.9 

Other food away from home 2 ............................................ 134.2 134.6 135.2 135.9 7.3 3.7 3.0 5.2 5.5 4.1 

Alcoholic beverages 1 ............................................................ 198.0 199.5 200.1 200.1 -.2 2.1 2.5 4.3 .9 3.4 

Housing .................................................................................... 200.6 200.8 201.3 201.6 2.5 6.5 4.1 2.0 4.5 3.0 

Shelter .................................................................................... 227.4 228.2 229.2 230.0 2.0 2.0 2.9 4.7 2.0 3.8 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 220.7 221.4 222.3 222.9 3.0 3.4 2.4 4.0 3.2 3.2 

Lodging away from home 2 .................................................. 133.4 134.2 135.3 135.3 -2.4 -.6 9.5 5.8 -1.5 7.7 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 233.2 233.9 234.9 235.8 2.3 2.1 2.8 4.5 2.2 3.7 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. 115.9 116.2 116.2 116.2 -.3 -7.6 .3 1.0 -4.0 .7 

Fuels and utilities .................................................................... 200.0 197.9 196.1 194.4 7.6 47.7 13.7 -10.7 26.1 .7 

Fuels ..................................................................................... 183.6 181.0 179.1 177.1 8.0 59.0 15.2 -13.4 31.0 -.1 

Fuel oil and other fuels ....................................................... 227.9 221.6 222.4 231.3 31.2 80.7 -21.5 6.1 54.0 -8.7 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 189.8 187.3 185.2 182.4 6.1 57.4 18.8 -14.7 29.3 .7 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. 134.0 135.1 134.8 135.3 6.0 3.1 6.5 3.9 4.5 5.2 

Household furnishings and operations ................................... 126.4 126.4 126.5 126.5 .3 .3 1.0 .3 .3 .6 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... 134.1 135.0 134.9 135.2 3.8 4.1 7.8 3.3 3.9 5.5 

Apparel ..................................................................................... 119.1 117.9 119.1 119.8 -4.9 1.0 .7 2.4 -2.0 1.5 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ........................................................ 114.8 113.6 114.2 115.2 -9.5 1.8 -1.0 1.4 -4.0 .2 

Women’s and girls’ apparel .................................................... 109.5 108.1 110.5 111.1 -5.3 -1.4 .0 6.0 -3.4 2.9

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ................................................. 115.0 117.0 116.8 116.1 -8.4 -7.7 2.5 3.9 -8.1 3.2 

Footwear ................................................................................ 124.8 123.9 124.4 124.3 2.3 4.3 2.9 -1.6 3.3 .6 

Transportation .......................................................................... 177.2 176.9 178.5 182.8 3.8 27.0 -14.7 13.3 14.8 -1.7 

Private transportation ............................................................. 173.3 172.9 174.6 179.1 3.4 28.2 -15.6 14.1 15.1 -1.9 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 95.7 95.8 95.7 95.8 .4 1.3 -.8 .4 .8 -.2 

New vehicles ...................................................................... 138.2 138.3 138.2 138.1 -3.4 1.2 1.5 -.3 -1.2 .6 

Used cars and trucks 1 ....................................................... 139.3 139.5 140.0 140.4 8.7 -1.1 -3.6 3.2 3.7 -.3 

Motor fuel ............................................................................. 206.2 204.4 211.7 230.3 10.1 123.2 -43.2 55.6 56.7 -6.0 

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................. 205.4 203.3 210.6 229.1 10.3 123.7 -43.0 54.8 57.1 -6.1 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... 114.4 114.9 115.4 115.8 4.0 4.0 5.0 5.0 4.0 5.0 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................. 210.8 212.7 213.4 214.1 3.6 5.1 2.3 6.4 4.3 4.3 

Public transportation ............................................................... 225.1 224.6 223.9 224.4 10.3 6.7 3.6 -1.2 8.5 1.2 

Medical care ............................................................................. 329.8 331.4 332.8 334.0 3.9 4.0 3.5 5.2 4.0 4.3 

Medical care commodities ...................................................... 282.3 283.1 284.3 285.3 3.7 4.3 5.0 4.3 4.0 4.6 

Medical care services ............................................................. 343.3 345.1 346.6 347.8 4.0 3.8 3.1 5.3 3.9 4.2 

Professional services ........................................................... 285.3 285.9 287.0 287.3 3.0 3.6 1.0 2.8 3.3 1.9

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 452.7 457.7 460.5 464.2 4.1 4.1 6.7 10.6 4.1 8.6 

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—

Jan.

2006

Feb.

2006

Mar.

2006

Apr.

2006

July

2005

Oct.

2005

Jan.

2006

Apr.

2006

Oct.

2005

Apr.

2006

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 110.0 110.1 110.5 110.8 0.4 3.3 0.0 2.9 1.8 1.5 

Video and audio 2 ................................................................... 104.2 104.0 104.9 105.3 -4.5 5.5 -1.5 4.3 .4 1.3 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 115.5 115.7 115.9 116.3 .7 2.5 4.3 2.8 1.6 3.5 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 157.9 158.3 159.1 159.9 6.5 5.6 6.9 5.2 6.1 6.0 

Educational books and supplies ........................................... 378.9 379.4 381.2 382.4 5.7 7.5 7.2 3.7 6.6 5.4 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare .............................. 455.8 457.2 459.5 461.8 6.6 5.4 6.9 5.4 6.0 6.1 

Communication 2 .................................................................... 84.5 84.5 84.4 84.5 -4.2 -.9 1.4 .0 -2.6 .7 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 82.1 82.0 81.9 82.1 -4.7 -1.0 .5 .0 -2.9 .2 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 95.2 95.2 95.0 95.4 -3.7 .9 2.6 .8 -1.5 1.7 

Information technology, hardware and services 1 5 ........... 13.0 13.0 13.0 12.9 -8.4 -8.5 -8.7 -3.0 -8.4 -5.9 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... 11.6 11.5 11.4 11.1 -16.7 -17.5 -18.3 -16.2 -17.1 -17.2 

Other goods and services ........................................................ 318.5 318.8 319.5 319.5 3.5 1.9 4.0 1.3 2.7 2.6

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... 515.1 515.9 519.0 518.1 5.3 4.9 4.6 2.4 5.1 3.4 

Personal care ......................................................................... 188.3 188.5 188.7 188.7 3.1 1.1 3.9 .9 2.1 2.4 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... 155.8 155.6 155.2 155.0 4.2 .0 2.1 -2.0 2.1 .0 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... 206.4 207.9 208.5 208.5 1.2 1.8 3.2 4.1 1.5 3.6 

Miscellaneous personal services .......................................... 308.5 308.9 310.3 310.9 3.5 2.7 3.9 3.1 3.1 3.5 

Commodity and service group

Commodities .............................................................................. 162.1 161.9 162.8 164.6 1.5 12.6 -6.4 6.3 6.9 -.2 

Food and beverages ................................................................ 194.0 194.3 194.4 194.4 1.1 2.1 3.4 .8 1.6 2.1 

Commodities less food and beverages .................................... 143.9 143.5 144.7 147.2 1.4 18.9 -11.6 9.5 9.8 -1.6 

Nondurables less food and beverages ................................... 173.9 170.8 172.1 178.4 6.4 27.1 -10.5 10.8 16.3 -.4 

Apparel ................................................................................. 119.1 117.9 119.1 119.8 -4.9 1.0 .7 2.4 -2.0 1.5 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel .................. 208.5 207.9 211.6 220.3 6.8 47.4 -23.6 24.6 25.4 -2.4 

Durables ................................................................................. 114.9 114.8 114.8 114.7 -.3 .0 -1.0 -.7 -.2 -.9 

Services ...................................................................................... 235.5 236.0 236.5 237.0 2.5 5.7 4.2 2.6 4.1 3.4 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 236.9 237.8 238.6 239.7 2.1 1.7 2.9 4.8 1.9 3.9 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... 115.9 116.2 116.2 116.2 -.3 -7.6 .3 1.0 -4.0 .7 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 189.8 187.3 185.2 182.4 6.1 57.4 18.8 -14.7 29.3 .7 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... 134.0 135.1 134.8 135.3 6.0 3.1 6.5 3.9 4.5 5.2 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... 134.1 135.0 134.9 135.2 3.8 4.1 7.8 3.3 3.9 5.5 

Transportation services ............................................................ 229.1 229.0 228.8 229.3 3.6 2.9 2.5 .3 3.2 1.4 

Medical care services ............................................................... 343.3 345.1 346.6 347.8 4.0 3.8 3.1 5.3 3.9 4.2 

Other services .......................................................................... 273.1 273.7 274.7 275.8 1.8 3.8 3.7 4.0 2.8 3.9 

Special indexes

All items less food ...................................................................... 199.9 200.0 200.8 202.1 2.3 9.5 -.8 4.5 5.8 1.8 

All items less shelter ................................................................... 190.1 189.9 190.6 191.9 2.2 11.7 -1.7 3.8 6.8 1.1 

All items less medical care ......................................................... 192.3 192.3 193.0 194.2 1.9 8.8 -.4 4.0 5.3 1.8 

Commodities less food ............................................................... 146.0 145.6 146.8 149.2 1.4 18.4 -11.0 9.1 9.5 -1.5 

Nondurables less food ................................................................ 175.4 172.5 173.8 179.7 6.1 25.4 -9.8 10.2 15.3 -.3 

Nondurables less food and apparel ............................................ 206.6 206.3 209.6 217.3 6.4 43.0 -21.9 22.4 23.4 -2.3 

Nondurables ............................................................................... 184.6 182.9 183.9 187.4 2.7 14.0 -3.6 6.2 8.2 1.2 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 251.7 251.5 251.4 251.8 4.1 8.8 6.1 .2 6.4 3.1 

Services less medical care services ........................................... 226.6 226.7 227.1 227.8 2.8 5.5 4.4 2.1 4.1 3.2 

Energy ........................................................................................ 193.5 191.2 193.6 201.2 9.0 90.9 -20.6 16.9 44.2 -3.7 

All items less energy .................................................................. 201.1 201.5 202.0 202.5 1.4 2.2 2.4 2.8 1.8 2.6 

All items less food and energy ................................................. 203.2 203.5 204.2 204.8 1.6 2.0 2.4 3.2 1.8 2.8 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ................... 140.5 140.3 140.7 140.8 -.6 .6 .6 .9 .0 .7 

Energy commodities ............................................................. 208.6 206.5 213.4 231.5 11.3 120.2 -42.0 51.7 56.6 -6.2 

Services less energy services ................................................ 240.2 241.0 241.8 242.6 2.2 2.7 3.1 4.1 2.5 3.6 

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 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

Apr.2006 from—

Percent change to

Mar.2006 from—

Jan.

2006

Feb.

2006

Mar.

2006

Apr.

2006

Apr.

2005

Feb.

2006

Mar.

2006

Mar.

2005

Jan.

2006

Feb.

2006

U.S. city average ............................................ M 198.3 198.7 199.8 201.5 3.5 1.4 0.9 3.4 0.8 0.6 

Region and area size2

Northeast urban .............................................. M 211.0 211.6 212.8 214.7 3.8 1.5 .9 3.3 .9 .6 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 213.2 213.8 215.0 216.8 3.6 1.4 .8 3.1 .8 .6 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 124.8 125.2 126.0 127.3 4.3 1.7 1.0 3.9 1.0 .6 

Midwest urban ................................................ M 190.8 190.7 192.0 193.0 2.8 1.2 .5 3.1 .6 .7 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 192.7 192.5 193.8 194.5 2.6 1.0 .4 2.9 .6 .7 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 121.6 121.6 122.3 123.3 3.1 1.4 .8 3.0 .6 .6 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 185.3 185.2 186.7 187.8 3.4 1.4 .6 3.8 .8 .8 

South urban .................................................... M 191.5 191.8 192.8 194.7 4.0 1.5 1.0 3.7 .7 .5 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 193.6 193.9 194.6 196.5 3.9 1.3 1.0 3.6 .5 .4 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 122.0 122.1 123.0 124.1 4.0 1.6 .9 3.9 .8 .7 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 191.0 191.1 192.3 195.1 4.2 2.1 1.5 4.2 .7 .6 

West urban ..................................................... M 201.7 202.7 203.8 205.3 3.4 1.3 .7 3.4 1.0 .5 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 204.7 205.7 206.8 208.6 3.6 1.4 .9 3.5 1.0 .5 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 122.9 123.7 124.2 124.9 2.9 1.0 .6 3.2 1.1 .4 

Size classes

A 4 .............................................................. M 181.4 181.9 182.8 184.3 3.5 1.3 .8 3.3 .8 .5 

B/C 3 ........................................................... M 122.5 122.7 123.5 124.5 3.7 1.5 .8 3.6 .8 .7 

D ................................................................. M 190.1 190.2 191.6 193.5 3.5 1.7 1.0 3.7 .8 .7 

Selected local areas5

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI ................... M 197.5 197.2 197.6 197.7 2.3 .3 .1 3.3 .1 .2 

Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA ... M 206.0 207.5 208.5 210.5 4.7 1.4 1.0 4.7 1.2 .5 

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

NY-NJ-CT-PA ......................................... M 215.9 216.4 218.2 220.2 3.6 1.8 .9 2.7 1.1 .8 

Boston-Brockton-Nashua, MA-NH-ME-CT ..... 1 220.5 -

 221.3 - - - - 3.3 .4 -

Cleveland-Akron, OH ...................................... 1 190.3 - 190.7 - - - - 2.4 .2 -

Dallas-Fort Worth, TX ..................................... 1 188.6 -

 188.4 - - - - 3.9 -.1 -

Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV 6 ...... 1 126.3 - 126.8 - - - - 3.3 .4 -

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

 189.8 - 193.9 3.1 2.2 - - - -

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

 194.8 - 197.2 3.9 1.2 - - - -

Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX .................... 2 - 178.6 - 181.2 3.5 1.5 - - - -

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

 202.2 - 203.8 5.5 .8 - - - -

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,

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

 209.0 - 211.6 4.1 1.2 - - - -

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

 207.1 - 208.9 3.2 .9 - - - -

Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA .................... 2 - 203.6 - 207.4 3.0 1.9 - - - -

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

2005

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Apr. 2006 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Mar.

2006

Apr.

2006

Apr.

2005

Mar.

2006

Jan. to

Feb.

Feb. to

Mar.

Mar. to

Apr.

Expenditure category

All items ...................................................................................... 100.000 195.3 197.2 3.7 1.0 0.0 0.5 0.6 

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

 581.8 587.3 - - - - -

Food and beverages ................................................................ 16.537 193.8 193.4 1.7 -.2 .1 .1 -.1 

Food ....................................................................................... 15.519 193.2 192.8 1.7 -.2 .1 .1 -.1

Food at home ....................................................................... 9.347 191.4 190.5 .8 -.5 -.1 -.1 -.2 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................. 1.275 211.1 211.2 1.1 .0 -.5 .4 .0 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ............................................ 2.653 185.8 185.1 .3 -.4 -.2 .4 -.1 

Dairy and related products ................................................. .965 182.7 180.8 -.7 -1.0 .1 -.1 -.7 

Fruits and vegetables ......................................................... 1.338 245.9 244.0 2.7 -.8 .9 -2.0 .0 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials .............. 1.087 147.3 145.7 1.1 -1.1 -.3 .8 -.7 

Other food at home ............................................................ 2.030 168.7 168.2 .7 -.3 .0 .1 -.2 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................. .337 169.0 169.9 3.7 .5 -1.5 1.8 .9 

Fats and oils ..................................................................... .287 169.4 165.7 -2.2 -2.2 .4 -1.3 -1.7 

Other foods 1 .................................................................... 1.406 184.8 184.5 .6 -.2 .3 -.1 -.2 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... .370 113.4 113.4 2.1 .0 .7 -.4 .0 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 6.172 197.4 197.8 3.0 .2 .3 .2 .2 

Other food away from home 2 ............................................ .275 134.8 135.6 5.0 .6 .4 .4 .5 

Alcoholic beverages 1 ............................................................ 1.018 200.5 200.3 2.1 -.1 .7 .6 -.1 

Housing .................................................................................... 40.161 196.6 196.8 3.9 .1 .1 .2 .1 

Shelter .................................................................................... 30.069 222.4 223.1 2.9 .3 .4 .5 .3 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 7.880 221.4 222.0 3.2 .3 .3 .4 .3 

Lodging away from home 2 .................................................. 1.412 140.4 139.8 3.4 -.4 1.3 1.6 -.6 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 20.429 213.0 213.9 3.0 .4 .3 .4 .4 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. .348 116.5 116.5 -1.7 .0 .3 .0 .0 

Fuels and utilities .................................................................... 5.900 190.8 189.4 12.3 -.7 -1.1 -.9 -.9 

Fuels ..................................................................................... 4.984 172.4 170.8 14.0 -.9 -1.4 -1.1 -1.1 

Fuel oil and other fuels ....................................................... .347 229.8 235.8 18.4 2.6 -2.8 .5 4.1 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 4.637 178.3 176.1 13.6 -1.2 -1.4 -1.1 -1.5 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. .916 135.4 135.8 4.9 .3 .7 -.1 .4 

Household furnishings and operations ................................... 4.193 122.5 122.5 .3 .0 .2 .0 .0 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... .363 137.3 137.7 4.9 .3 .6 -.1 .3 

Apparel ..................................................................................... 4.090 121.6 123.1 -.1 1.2 -.7 1.1 .7 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ........................................................ .982 115.7 117.5 -2.0 1.6 -.7 .0 1.0 

Women’s and girls’ apparel .................................................... 1.689 114.3 115.9 -.2 1.4 -1.0 2.1 1.1 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ................................................. .242 120.8 120.3 -3.1 -.4 .8 .8 -1.2 

Footwear ................................................................................ .964 124.7 125.4 2.2 .6 -.6 .9 -.3 

Transportation .......................................................................... 19.669 176.6 183.9 6.8 4.1 -.3 1.1 2.6 

Private transportation ............................................................. 18.931 173.8 181.2 6.9 4.3 -.3 1.2 2.7 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 8.944 95.1 95.1 .6 .0 .0 .1 .1 

New vehicles ...................................................................... 5.380 139.9 139.5 -.1 -.3 .0 .1 -.1 

Used cars and trucks 1 ....................................................... 2.801 140.8 141.3 1.7 .4 .1 .4 .4 

Motor fuel ............................................................................. 5.244 206.5 236.1 21.4 14.3 -1.1 3.7 8.7

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................. 5.193 205.6 235.2 21.4 14.4 -1.1 3.7 8.8 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... .434 114.9 115.3 4.4 .3 .4 .5 .3 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................. 1.130 215.8 216.3 4.4 .2 .8 .3 .3 

Public transportation ............................................................... .738 221.6 224.0 5.0 1.1 -.1 -.3 .3 

Medical care ............................................................................. 5.171 333.2 334.2 4.1 .3 .3 .5 .4 

Medical care commodities ...................................................... 1.140 277.3 278.4 4.3 .4 .4 .4 .4 

Medical care services ............................................................. 4.030 348.3 349.2 4.0 .3 .3 .6 .3 

Professional services ........................................................... 2.336 290.2 290.8 2.5 .2 .2 .3 .2 

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 1.332 458.4 459.9 6.1 .3 .9 .6 .8 

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

2005

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Apr. 2006 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Mar.

2006

Apr.

2006

Apr.

2005

Mar.

2006

Jan. to

Feb.

Feb. to

Mar.

Mar. to

Apr.

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 5.097 107.9 108.4 1.5 0.5 0.1 0.4 0.3 

Video and audio 2 ................................................................... 1.928 104.4 104.9 .9 .5 .0 .7 .4 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 5.635 113.0 113.2 2.2 .2 .1 .2 .3 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 2.243 156.8 156.9 6.0 .1 .3 .4 .4 

Educational books and supplies ........................................... .199 384.9 384.7 5.9 -.1 .3 .4 .3 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare .............................. 2.044 443.1 443.5 6.0 .1 .3 .4 .5 

Communication 2 .................................................................... 3.392 86.2 86.3 -.8 .1 .0 -.1 .1 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 3.244 84.5 84.6 -1.1 .1 .0 -.1 .1 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 2.653 95.2 95.6 .2 .4 .1 -.2 .4 

Information technology, hardware and services 1 5 ........... .590 13.6 13.5 -6.9 -.7 -.7 .7 -.7 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... .208 11.3 11.0 -16.7 -2.7 -.9 .0 -2.7 

Other goods and services ........................................................ 3.640 329.4 329.3 2.9 .0 .1 .3 -.1 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... 1.137 520.9 519.9 4.4 -.2 .2 .6 -.2 

Personal care ......................................................................... 2.504 187.2 187.2 2.2 .0 .1 .2 -.1 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... .774 155.2 155.0 .9 -.1 -.1 -.3 -.1 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... .616 208.5 208.6 2.5 .0 .7 .2 .0 

Miscellaneous personal services .......................................... .949 311.4 311.8 3.4 .1 .2 .5 .2 

Commodity and service group

Commodities .............................................................................. 44.601 164.3 167.3 3.6 1.8 -.2 .7 1.2 

Food and beverages ................................................................ 16.537 193.8 193.4 1.7 -.2 .1 .1 -.1 

Commodities less food and beverages .................................... 28.064 147.2 151.8 4.7 3.1 -.3 1.0 2.0 

Nondurables less food and beverages ................................... 15.599 178.7 188.4 8.5 5.4 -1.8 .8 4.2 

Apparel ................................................................................. 4.090 121.6 123.1 -.1 1.2 -.7 1.1 .7 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel .................. 11.509 218.1 233.2 11.6 6.9 -.3 1.9 4.5 

Durables ................................................................................. 12.465 115.2 115.2 -.1 .0 .0 .0 -.1 

Services ...................................................................................... 55.399 231.8 232.2 3.8 .2 .1 .3 .2 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 29.721 214.3 215.0 2.9 .3 .4 .5 .3 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... .348 116.5 116.5 -1.7 .0 .3 .0 .0 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 4.637 178.3 176.1 13.6 -1.2 -1.4 -1.1 -1.5 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... .916 135.4 135.8 4.9 .3 .7 -.1 .4 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... .363 137.3 137.7 4.9 .3 .6 -.1 .3 

Transportation services ............................................................ 5.659 229.0 229.5 2.1 .2 .0 .0 .1 

Medical care services ............................................................... 4.030 348.3 349.2 4.0 .3 .3 .6 .3 

Other services .......................................................................... 9.726 265.7 266.6 3.1 .3 .2 .3 .3 

Special indexes

All items less food ...................................................................... 84.481 195.5 197.8 4.1 1.2 -.1 .5 .8 

All items less shelter ................................................................... 69.931 187.6 189.8 4.1 1.2 -.2 .4 .7 

All items less medical care ......................................................... 94.829 189.5 191.3 3.6 .9 .0 .4 .6 

Commodities less food ............................................................... 29.082 149.1 153.6 4.6 3.0 -.3 1.0 1.9 

Nondurables less food ................................................................ 16.617 180.1 189.3 8.1 5.1 -1.7 .9 3.9 

Nondurables less food and apparel ............................................ 12.527 215.6 229.4 10.9 6.4 -.3 1.8 4.2 

Nondurables ............................................................................... 32.136 186.9 191.8 5.1 2.6 -.8 .5 2.2

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 25.679 222.7 222.7 4.7 .0 -.2 .0 .0 

Services less medical care services ........................................... 51.369 223.0 223.4 3.7 .2 .0 .1 .3 

Energy ........................................................................................ 10.228 188.4 202.0 17.9 7.2 -1.3 1.4 4.2 

All items less energy .................................................................. 89.772 197.0 197.4 2.1 .2 .2 .3 .2 

All items less food and energy ................................................. 74.253 198.2 198.7 2.2 .3 .2 .4 .2 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ................... 23.491 141.9 142.2 .6 .2 .0 .3 .1 

Energy commodities ............................................................. 5.591 208.4 236.9 21.2 13.7 -1.2 3.4 8.5 

Services less energy services ................................................ 50.762 237.5 238.2 2.9 .3 .3 .4 .3 

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

 $ .512 $ .507 - - - - -

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

 $ .172 $ .170 - - - - -

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—

Jan.

2006

Feb.

2006

Mar.

2006

Apr.

2006

July

2005

Oct.

2005

Jan.

2006

Apr.

2006

Oct.

2005

Apr.

2006

Expenditure category

All items ...................................................................................... 194.6 194.6 195.5 196.7 2.3 9.3 -1.0 4.4 5.8 1.6 

Food and beverages ................................................................ 193.3 193.5 193.7 193.6 .8 2.1 3.4 .6 1.5 2.0

Food ....................................................................................... 192.9 193.1 193.2 193.1 .8 2.3 3.4 .4 1.6 1.9 

Food at home ....................................................................... 191.5 191.4 191.3 190.9 -.6 1.5 3.8 -1.2 .4 1.3 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................. 211.3 210.3 211.1 211.0 -1.0 2.5 3.5 -.6 .8 1.4 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ............................................ 185.4 185.0 185.8 185.6 -1.3 -.2 2.2 .4 -.8 1.3 

Dairy and related products ................................................. 182.9 183.0 182.8 181.6 -1.7 -1.1 3.1 -2.8 -1.4 .1 

Fruits and vegetables ......................................................... 249.0 251.2 246.2 246.2 1.0 5.1 10.1 -4.4 3.0 2.6

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials .............. 146.0 145.5 146.6 145.6 .3 2.2 3.1 -1.1 1.3 1.0 

Other food at home ............................................................ 168.4 168.4 168.5 168.2 .0 1.2 2.2 -.5 .6 .8 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................. 168.3 165.7 168.7 170.2 3.7 .2 6.2 4.6 2.0 5.4 

Fats and oils ..................................................................... 169.9 170.6 168.4 165.5 -3.3 -.5 5.6 -10.0 -1.9 -2.5 

Other foods 1 .................................................................... 184.4 185.0 184.8 184.5 -.2 1.8 .7 .2 .8 .4 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... 113.0 113.8 113.4 113.4 2.9 2.2 1.8 1.4 2.5 1.6 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 196.4 197.0 197.4 197.8 2.9 3.6 2.7 2.9 3.3 2.8 

Other food away from home 2 ............................................ 133.9 134.4 135.0 135.7 8.0 3.7 2.7 5.5 5.8 4.1 

Alcoholic beverages 1 ............................................................ 198.0 199.4 200.5 200.3 -1.2 1.9 3.1 4.7 .3 3.9 

Housing .................................................................................... 196.2 196.4 196.8 197.0 2.8 7.3 4.0 1.6 5.0 2.8 

Shelter .................................................................................... 220.2 221.0 222.0 222.7 2.2 1.8 2.6 4.6 2.0 3.6 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 219.9 220.5 221.4 222.0 3.0 3.0 2.8 3.9 3.0 3.3 

Lodging away from home 2 .................................................. 131.9 133.6 135.8 135.0 .0 -3.0 6.6 9.7 -1.5 8.2 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 211.5 212.2 213.0 213.9 2.3 2.1 2.7 4.6 2.2 3.7 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. 116.2 116.5 116.5 116.5 -.3 -7.9 .7 1.0 -4.2 .9 

Fuels and utilities .................................................................... 198.6 196.4 194.7 193.0 7.4 45.9 14.2 -10.8 25.2 .9 

Fuels ..................................................................................... 181.1 178.5 176.6 174.7 7.5 56.5 15.7 -13.4 29.7 .1 

Fuel oil and other fuels ....................................................... 226.8 220.4 221.4 230.5 30.5 83.2 -23.0 6.7 54.6 -9.4 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 188.1 185.5 183.4 180.7 6.2 54.4 19.5 -14.8 28.0 .9 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. 134.3 135.3 135.1 135.7 6.0 3.1 6.5 4.2 4.5 5.4 

Household furnishings and operations ................................... 121.9 122.2 122.2 122.2 -.3 1.0 .0 1.0 .3 .5 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... 136.7 137.5 137.3 137.7 5.3 4.6 6.7 3.0 4.9 4.8 

Apparel ..................................................................................... 118.2 117.4 118.7 119.5 -3.6 .0 -1.0 4.5 -1.8 1.7 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ........................................................ 114.3 113.5 113.5 114.6 -8.9 2.1 -1.7 1.1 -3.6 -.3 

Women’s and girls’ apparel .................................................... 108.4 107.3 109.6 110.8 -3.9 -2.9 -2.5 9.2 -3.4 3.1 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ................................................. 117.6 118.5 119.4 118.0 -8.9 -6.9 2.8 1.4 -7.9 2.1 

Footwear ................................................................................ 123.7 123.0 124.1 123.7 3.3 3.3 2.3 .0 3.3 1.1 

Transportation .......................................................................... 176.4 175.9 177.8 182.5 4.3 28.6 -15.5 14.6 15.8 -1.6 

Private transportation ............................................................. 173.5 173.0 175.0 179.7 4.3 29.3 -16.3 15.1 16.2 -1.9 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 94.8 94.8 94.9 95.0 1.7 1.3 -1.3 .8 1.5 -.2 

New vehicles ...................................................................... 139.2 139.2 139.3 139.2 -3.7 1.7 1.4 .0 -1.0 .7 

Used cars and trucks 1 ....................................................... 140.1 140.3 140.8 141.3 8.9 -1.4 -3.6 3.5 3.6 -.1 

Motor fuel ............................................................................. 207.1 204.8 212.3 230.8 10.7 123.8 -43.1 54.2 57.4 -6.4 

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................. 206.1 203.8 211.3 229.9 10.3 123.9 -43.1 54.8 57.1 -6.1 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... 113.9 114.3 114.9 115.3 3.7 4.4 4.7 5.0 4.0 4.9 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................. 213.4 215.2 215.8 216.5 3.9 5.3 2.5 5.9 4.6 4.2 

Public transportation ............................................................... 223.6 223.3 222.7 223.3 9.3 8.0 3.7 -.5 8.6 1.5 

Medical care ............................................................................. 329.5 330.5 332.2 333.4 3.8 4.1 3.5 4.8 4.0 4.1 

Medical care commodities ...................................................... 275.3 276.3 277.3 278.4 3.3 4.1 5.3 4.6 3.7 4.9 

Medical care services ............................................................. 344.0 345.0 346.9 348.1 4.0 4.1 3.0 4.9 4.0 3.9 

Professional services ........................................................... 287.7 288.3 289.3 290.0 3.3 3.3 .7 3.2 3.3 2.0 

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 448.7 452.7 455.6 459.4 3.9 4.4 6.4 9.9 4.2 8.1 

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—

Jan.

2006

Feb.

2006

Mar.

2006

Apr.

2006

July

2005

Oct.

2005

Jan.

2006

Apr.

2006

Oct.

2005

Apr.

2006

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 107.3 107.4 107.8 108.1 0.0 3.8 -0.7 3.0 1.9 1.1 

Video and audio 2 ................................................................... 103.4 103.4 104.1 104.5 -4.2 5.2 -1.5 4.3 .4 1.4 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 112.9 113.0 113.2 113.5 .0 2.2 4.0 2.1 1.1 3.1 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 156.2 156.6 157.3 158.0 6.3 5.4 7.5 4.7 5.9 6.1 

Educational books and supplies ........................................... 380.2 381.2 382.9 384.0 5.4 7.4 6.9 4.1 6.4 5.5 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare .............................. 442.0 443.2 444.9 447.1 6.5 5.1 7.6 4.7 5.8 6.1 

Communication 2 .................................................................... 86.3 86.3 86.2 86.3 -4.1 -.9 1.9 .0 -2.5 .9 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 84.6 84.6 84.5 84.6 -4.6 -.5 1.0 .0 -2.6 .5 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 95.3 95.4 95.2 95.6 -3.3 .8 2.1 1.3 -1.3 1.7 

Information technology, hardware and services 1 5 ........... 13.6 13.5 13.6 13.5 -10.6 -8.2 -5.7 -2.9 -9.4 -4.3 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... 11.4 11.3 11.3 11.0 -19.6 -15.1 -18.5 -13.3 -17.4 -16.0 

Other goods and services ........................................................ 327.8 328.1 329.2 328.8 4.2 2.1 4.0 1.2 3.2 2.6

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... 517.1 517.9 520.9 519.9 6.1 4.9 4.6 2.2 5.5 3.4 

Personal care ......................................................................... 186.5 186.6 187.0 186.8 3.3 .9 3.7 .6 2.1 2.2 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... 155.8 155.6 155.2 155.0 4.8 -1.0 2.1 -2.0 1.8 .0 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... 206.6 208.0 208.5 208.6 1.0 1.8 3.2 3.9 1.4 3.5 

Miscellaneous personal services .......................................... 308.9 309.4 310.8 311.5 3.8 2.5 4.0 3.4 3.1 3.7 

Commodity and service group

Commodities .............................................................................. 163.5 163.2 164.3 166.3 1.8 13.5 -7.0 7.0 7.5 -.2 

Food and beverages ................................................................ 193.3 193.5 193.7 193.6 .8 2.1 3.4 .6 1.5 2.0

Commodities less food and beverages .................................... 146.3 145.9 147.3 150.2 2.2 20.5 -12.6 11.1 11.0 -1.4 

Nondurables less food and beverages ................................... 179.3 176.0 177.4 184.9 7.0 29.3 -11.4 13.1 17.6 .1 

Apparel ................................................................................. 118.2 117.4 118.7 119.5 -3.6 .0 -1.0 4.5 -1.8 1.7 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel .................. 217.2 216.5 220.7 230.7 7.4 53.0 -25.6 27.3 28.2 -2.7 

Durables ................................................................................. 115.0 115.0 115.0 114.9 .0 .3 -.7 -.3 .2 -.5 

Services ...................................................................................... 231.1 231.4 232.0 232.4 2.7 6.0 4.1 2.3 4.3 3.2 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 212.1 212.9 213.9 214.6 2.7 1.7 2.5 4.8 2.2 3.6 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... 116.2 116.5 116.5 116.5 -.3 -7.9 .7 1.0 -4.2 .9 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 188.1 185.5 183.4 180.7 6.2 54.4 19.5 -14.8 28.0 .9 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... 134.3 135.3 135.1 135.7 6.0 3.1 6.5 4.2 4.5 5.4 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... 136.7 137.5 137.3 137.7 5.3 4.6 6.7 3.0 4.9 4.8 

Transportation services ............................................................ 229.0 228.9 228.9 229.2 3.1 2.7 2.3 .3 2.9 1.3 

Medical care services ............................................................... 344.0 345.0 346.9 348.1 4.0 4.1 3.0 4.9 4.0 3.9 

Other services .......................................................................... 264.3 264.8 265.7 266.6 1.2 3.7 3.6 3.5 2.5 3.5 

Special indexes

All items less food ...................................................................... 194.8 194.7 195.7 197.2 2.6 10.7 -1.6 5.0 6.5 1.6 

All items less shelter ................................................................... 187.4 187.1 187.9 189.3 2.2 12.6 -2.3 4.1 7.3 .9 

All items less medical care ......................................................... 188.9 188.9 189.7 190.9 2.2 9.6 -1.3 4.3 5.8 1.5 

Commodities less food ............................................................... 148.2 147.8 149.3 152.1 2.2 19.9 -12.0 10.9 10.7 -1.2 

Nondurables less food ................................................................ 180.5 177.4 179.0 186.0 6.4 27.4 -10.7 12.8 16.4 .3 

Nondurables less food and apparel ............................................ 214.6 214.0 217.8 226.9 6.8 48.2 -23.7 25.0 25.8 -2.3 

Nondurables ............................................................................... 186.9 185.4 186.3 190.4 3.1 15.3 -4.8 7.7 9.0 1.3 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 223.9 223.4 223.3 223.4 4.0 9.0 6.9 -.9 6.5 2.9 

Services less medical care services ........................................... 222.6 222.7 223.0 223.6 2.8 5.5 4.8 1.8 4.1 3.3 

Energy ........................................................................................ 193.1 190.6 193.3 201.4 9.4 91.8 -22.3 18.3 44.9 -4.1 

All items less energy .................................................................. 195.7 196.0 196.6 197.0 1.5 2.1 2.3 2.7 1.8 2.5 

All items less food and energy ................................................. 196.6 197.0 197.7 198.1 1.7 2.1 1.9 3.1 1.9 2.5 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ................... 140.7 140.7 141.1 141.3 .0 .6 .0 1.7 .3 .9 

Energy commodities ............................................................. 208.8 206.3 213.4 231.5 11.6 121.5 -42.3 51.1 57.2 -6.6 

Services less energy services ................................................ 235.6 236.3 237.2 237.9 2.4 2.6 2.8 4.0 2.5 3.4 

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

Apr.2006 from—

Percent change to

Mar.2006 from—

Jan.

2006

Feb.

2006

Mar.

2006

Apr.

2006

Apr.

2005

Feb.

2006

Mar.

2006

Mar.

2005

Jan.

2006

Feb.

2006

U.S. city average ............................................ M 194.0 194.2 195.3 197.2 3.7 1.5 1.0 3.6 0.7 0.6 

Region and area size2

Northeast urban .............................................. M 207.5 207.9 209.0 211.0 4.0 1.5 1.0 3.6 .7 .5 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 208.2 208.6 209.7 211.5 3.8 1.4 .9 3.4 .7 .5 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 125.2 125.5 126.1 127.6 4.5 1.7 1.2 4.0 .7 .5 

Midwest urban ................................................ M 186.2 185.9 187.0 188.3 3.0 1.3 .7 3.2 .4 .6 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 187.3 186.9 188.0 189.0 2.7 1.1 .5 3.0 .4 .6 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 121.1 121.0 121.7 122.8 3.4 1.5 .9 3.3 .5 .6 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 183.5 183.2 184.7 186.0 3.9 1.5 .7 4.2 .7 .8 

South urban .................................................... M 188.8 188.9 189.9 192.1 4.2 1.7 1.2 3.9 .6 .5 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 191.6 191.8 192.4 194.7 4.3 1.5 1.2 3.8 .4 .3 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 120.7 120.7 121.6 122.9 4.2 1.8 1.1 3.9 .7 .7 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 191.0 191.1 192.4 195.3 4.6 2.2 1.5 4.5 .7 .7 

West urban ..................................................... M 196.3 197.2 198.3 200.0 3.3 1.4 .9 3.3 1.0 .6 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 197.6 198.6 199.7 201.7 3.5 1.6 1.0 3.4 1.1 .6 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 122.3 123.1 123.6 124.4 3.0 1.1 .6 3.2 1.1 .4 

Size classes

A 4 .............................................................. M 179.8 180.0 181.0 182.6 3.6 1.4 .9 3.4 .7 .6 

B/C 3 ........................................................... M 121.7 121.9 122.6 123.8 3.9 1.6 1.0 3.6 .7 .6 

D ................................................................. M 188.7 188.7 190.2 192.2 3.8 1.9 1.1 4.0 .8 .8 

Selected local areas5

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI ................... M 191.2 190.6 190.9 191.4 2.4 .4 .3 3.3 -.2 .2 

Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA ... M 198.3 199.9 200.8 202.9 4.5 1.5 1.0 4.5 1.3 .5 

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

NY-NJ-CT-PA ......................................... M 210.2 210.6 212.0 214.0 3.9 1.6 .9 3.2 .9 .7 

Boston-Brockton-Nashua, MA-NH-ME-CT ..... 1 219.5 -

 220.5 - - - - 3.5 .5 -

Cleveland-Akron, OH ...................................... 1 181.4 - 181.6 - - - - 2.5 .1 -

Dallas-Fort Worth, TX ..................................... 1 189.9 -

 189.7 - - - - 4.5 -.1 -

Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV 6 ...... 1 126.1 - 126.4 - - - - 3.4 .2 -

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

 188.5 - 192.0 3.2 1.9 - - - -

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

 189.6 - 192.2 3.8 1.4 - - - -

Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX .................... 2 - 176.7 - 180.0 4.2 1.9 - - - -

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

 199.9 - 202.3 5.8 1.2 - - - -

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,

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

 209.1 - 211.1 4.0 1.0 - - - -

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

 202.5 - 204.9 2.8 1.2 - - - -

Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA .................... 2 - 198.0 - 202.5 3.2 2.3 - - - -

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,

2003-2004

 Unadjusted

 indexes

 Unadjusted

 percent change to

 Apr. 2006 from—

 Mar.

 2006

 Apr.

 2006

 Apr.

 2005

 Mar.

 2006

Expenditure category

All items ...................................................................................... 100.000 116.1 116.8 3.1 0.6 

Food and beverages ................................................................ 15.072 114.9 114.7 1.7 -.2 

Food ....................................................................................... 13.943 114.9 114.7 1.7 -.2 

Food at home ....................................................................... 8.029 112.4 111.8 .8 -.5 

Food away from home .......................................................... 5.914 118.4 118.7 3.0 .3 

Alcoholic beverages ............................................................... 1.130 115.2 115.2 2.0 .0 

Housing .................................................................................... 42.173 120.9 121.2 3.5 .2 

Shelter .................................................................................... 32.495 121.6 122.0 3.0 .3 

Fuels and utilities .................................................................... 4.702 147.8 146.6 11.7 -.8 

Household furnishings and operations ................................... 4.977 96.8 96.9 -.1 .1 

Apparel ..................................................................................... 4.076 91.7 92.8 -.1 1.2 

Transportation .......................................................................... 17.095 117.4 120.7 5.0 2.8 

Private transportation ............................................................. 15.988 118.1 121.5 4.9 2.9 

Public transportation ............................................................... 1.107 109.5 110.8 4.4 1.2 

Medical care ............................................................................. 6.055 130.4 130.8 4.0 .3 

Medical care commodities ...................................................... 1.458 120.3 120.7 4.1 .3 

Medical care services ............................................................. 4.597 133.9 134.2 4.0 .2 

Recreation ................................................................................ 5.863 105.7 106.1 1.3 .4 

Education and communication ................................................. 6.190 102.7 102.8 1.6 .1 

Education ............................................................................... 2.751 147.1 147.2 6.1 .1 

Communication ...................................................................... 3.439 76.3 76.4 -1.9 .1 

Other goods and services ........................................................ 3.475 119.1 119.1 2.5 .0 

Commodity and service group

Services ...................................................................................... 58.763 123.4 123.7 3.6 .2 

Commodities .............................................................................. 41.237 107.0 108.2 2.3 1.1 

Durables ................................................................................... 12.340 87.9 87.8 -1.0 -.1 

Nondurables ............................................................................... 28.897 116.3 118.3 3.8 1.7 

All items less food and energy ................................................. 78.707 112.5 112.8 2.1 .3 

Energy ........................................................................................ 7.351 163.7 173.6 17.0 6.0 

Indexes for 2006 are initial estimates. Indexes for 2005 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

2005

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Apr. 2006 from—

Mar.

2006

Apr.

2006

Apr.

2005

Mar.

2006

Expenditure category

All items ............................................................................................... 100.000 200.0 201.7 3.6 0.9 

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

 599.0 604.2 - -

Food and beverages .......................................................................... 15.127 194.5 194.2 1.8 -.2 

Food ................................................................................................ 14.151 194.0 193.7 1.8 -.2 

Food at home ................................................................................ 8.049 192.5 191.6 .9 -.5 

Cereals and bakery products ....................................................... 1.157 210.9 210.9 .9 .0 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ...................................................... 2.229 186.0 185.5 .4 -.3 

Dairy and related products .......................................................... .836 182.9 181.3 -.5 -.9 

Fruits and vegetables .................................................................. 1.242 248.8 247.0 2.9 -.7 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ........................ .885 148.2 146.7 1.3 -1.0 

Other food at home ...................................................................... 1.700 169.4 168.8 .8 -.4 

Sugar and sweets ...................................................................... .297 170.2 171.0 3.7 .5 

Fats and oils .............................................................................. .246 168.6 164.9 -2.7 -2.2 

Other foods ................................................................................ 1.157 184.7 184.4 .8 -.2 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 ................................................... .295 113.0 113.2 2.2 .2 

Food away from home ................................................................... 6.102 197.5 198.0 3.1 .3 

Other food away from home 1 ..................................................... .338 135.0 135.7 4.7 .5 

Alcoholic beverages ........................................................................ .976 200.3 200.3 2.2 .0 

Housing ............................................................................................. 42.224 201.4 201.9 3.9 .2 

Shelter ............................................................................................. 32.442 230.2 231.1 3.0 .4 

Rent of primary residence 2 ........................................................... 6.116 222.3 222.9 3.2 .3 

Lodging away from home 1 ........................................................... 3.009 139.8 140.2 2.9 .3 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 2 3 .......................... 22.951 234.9 235.9 3.0 .4 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 ............................................. .366 116.2 116.2 -1.7 .0 

Fuels and utilities ............................................................................. 5.538 191.4 189.9 12.0 -.8 

Fuels .............................................................................................. 4.592 173.9 172.2 13.7 -1.0 

Fuel oil and other fuels ................................................................ .360 230.3 236.6 18.6 2.7 

Gas (piped) and electricity 2 ........................................................ 4.233 178.8 176.5 13.2 -1.3 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 1 .......................... .946 135.1 135.5 5.0 .3 

Household furnishings and operations ............................................ 4.243 126.8 127.2 .7 .3 

Household operations 1 ................................................................. .717 134.8 135.2 4.7 .3 

Apparel .............................................................................................. 3.677 121.9 123.4 -.2 1.2 

Men’s and boys’ apparel .................................................................. .927 115.8 117.4 -2.5 1.4 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ............................................................. 1.568 114.9 116.5 -.1 1.4 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel .......................................................... .177 119.2 119.1 -1.8 -.1 

Footwear .......................................................................................... .747 125.6 126.4 2.1 .6 

Transportation ................................................................................... 17.650 177.6 184.6 6.6 3.9 

Private transportation ...................................................................... 16.595 173.7 180.9 6.7 4.1 

New and used motor vehicles 1 ..................................................... 7.519 96.0 96.0 .4 .0 

New vehicles ............................................................................... 4.521 138.8 138.4 -.3 -.3 

Used cars and trucks ................................................................... 1.998 139.9 140.4 1.7 .4 

Motor fuel ....................................................................................... 4.460 205.8 235.5 21.5 14.4 

Gasoline (all types) ...................................................................... 4.418 204.8 234.4 21.5 14.5 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment ............................................... .366 115.4 115.8 4.5 .3 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair .......................................... 1.344 213.5 214.0 4.4 .2 

Public transportation ........................................................................ 1.055 222.5 225.2 4.7 1.2 

Medical care ...................................................................................... 6.186 333.8 334.8 4.1 .3 

Medical care commodities ............................................................... 1.488 284.5 285.6 4.4 .4 

Medical care services ...................................................................... 4.698 347.9 348.8 4.1 .3 

Professional services ..................................................................... 2.776 287.7 288.5 2.7 .3 

Hospital and related services 2 ...................................................... 1.540 463.1 464.5 6.3 .3 

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

2005

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Apr. 2006 from—

Mar.

2006

Apr.

2006

Apr.

2005

Mar.

2006

Expenditure category

Recreation 1 ...................................................................................... 5.605 110.8 111.2 1.8 0.4 

Video and audio 1 ............................................................................ 1.637 105.1 105.6 .8 .5 

Education and communication 1 ........................................................ 5.791 115.7 116.0 2.7 .3 

Education 1 ...................................................................................... 3.008 158.5 158.7 6.2 .1 

Educational books and supplies .................................................... .223 383.1 383.3 6.1 .1 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ....................................... 2.784 457.4 458.0 6.2 .1 

Communication 1 ............................................................................. 2.784 84.5 84.7 -.8 .2 

Information and information processing 1 ...................................... 2.612 82.0 82.2 -1.2 .2 

Telephone services 1 ................................................................... 2.123 95.1 95.5 .2 .4 

Information technology, hardware and services 4 ....................... .489 13.0 12.9 -7.2 -.8 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 ...................... .156 11.4 11.1 -17.2 -2.6 

Other goods and services .................................................................. 3.739 320.1 320.0 2.7 .0 

Tobacco and smoking products ....................................................... .824 518.9 518.1 4.2 -.2 

Personal care .................................................................................. 2.916 189.1 189.1 2.3 .0 

Personal care products .................................................................. .645 155.1 154.8 .9 -.2 

Personal care services .................................................................. .647 208.4 208.5 2.6 .0 

Miscellaneous personal services ................................................... 1.449 310.7 310.9 3.2 .1 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ........................................................................................ 39.974 163.0 166.0 3.6 1.8 

Food and beverages .......................................................................... 15.127 194.5 194.2 1.8 -.2 

Commodities less food and beverages ............................................. 24.847 145.0 149.4 4.5 3.0 

Nondurables less food and beverages ............................................ 14.289 173.6 182.5 8.1 5.1 

Apparel .......................................................................................... 3.677 121.9 123.4 -.2 1.2 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel ........................... 10.612 209.7 223.3 11.1 6.5 

Durables .......................................................................................... 10.558 115.2 115.2 -.3 .0 

Services ............................................................................................... 60.026 236.6 237.1 3.7 .2 

Rent of shelter 3 ................................................................................ 32.076 239.9 240.8 3.0 .4 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 ................................................. .366 116.2 116.2 -1.7 .0 

Gas (piped) and electricity 2 .............................................................. 4.233 178.8 176.5 13.2 -1.3 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 1 .............................. .946 135.1 135.5 5.0 .3 

Household operations 1 ..................................................................... .717 134.8 135.2 4.7 .3 

Transportation services ..................................................................... 6.194 228.7 229.5 2.3 .3 

Medical care services ........................................................................ 4.698 347.9 348.8 4.1 .3 

Other services ................................................................................... 10.795 274.8 275.6 3.3 .3 

Special indexes

All items less food ................................................................................ 85.849 201.0 203.1 4.0 1.0 

All items less shelter ............................................................................ 67.558 190.4 192.5 4.0 1.1 

All items less medical care .................................................................. 93.814 193.1 194.9 3.6 .9 

Commodities less food ........................................................................ 25.823 147.1 151.4 4.5 2.9 

Nondurables less food ......................................................................... 15.265 175.3 183.7 7.7 4.8 

Nondurables less food and apparel ..................................................... 11.588 208.0 220.4 10.4 6.0 

Nondurables ........................................................................................ 29.416 184.6 189.1 4.9 2.4 

Services less rent of shelter 3 .............................................................. 27.950 250.6 250.8 4.6 .1 

Services less medical care services .................................................... 55.328 227.4 227.9 3.7 .2 

Energy ................................................................................................. 9.052 188.3 201.4 17.8 7.0 

All items less energy ............................................................................ 90.948 202.7 203.2 2.3 .2 

All items less food and energy ........................................................... 76.797 205.0 205.7 2.4 .3 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ............................ 21.004 141.6 141.9 .5 .2 

Energy commodities ...................................................................... 4.819 208.4 236.7 21.3 13.6 

Services less energy services ......................................................... 55.793 242.5 243.4 3.1 .4 

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

 $ .500 $ .496 - -

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

 $ .167 $ .166 - -

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

2005

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Apr. 2006 from—

Mar.

2006

Apr.

2006

Apr.

2005

Mar.

2006

Expenditure category

All items ............................................................................................... 100.000 195.4 197.3 3.7 1.0 

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

 582.1 587.8 - -

Food and beverages .......................................................................... 16.817 193.8 193.4 1.7 -.2 

Food ................................................................................................ 15.758 193.3 192.8 1.7 -.3 

Food at home ................................................................................ 9.374 191.5 190.5 .8 -.5 

Cereals and bakery products ....................................................... 1.310 210.9 210.8 .9 .0 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ...................................................... 2.787 185.8 185.2 .4 -.3 

Dairy and related products .......................................................... .946 182.7 180.9 -.7 -1.0 

Fruits and vegetables .................................................................. 1.365 246.1 244.1 2.8 -.8 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ........................ 1.051 147.5 146.0 1.3 -1.0 

Other food at home ...................................................................... 1.914 168.9 168.3 .8 -.4 

Sugar and sweets ...................................................................... .312 169.7 170.3 3.9 .4 

Fats and oils .............................................................................. .298 168.6 165.1 -2.5 -2.1 

Other foods ................................................................................ 1.304 185.1 184.8 .8 -.2 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 ................................................... .335 113.5 113.7 2.3 .2 

Food away from home ................................................................... 6.385 197.3 197.7 3.0 .2 

Other food away from home 1 ..................................................... .255 134.9 135.5 4.9 .4 

Alcoholic beverages ........................................................................ 1.059 200.2 200.2 2.0 .0 

Housing ............................................................................................. 39.247 196.7 197.0 4.0 .2 

Shelter ............................................................................................. 29.666 222.7 223.5 3.0 .4 

Rent of primary residence 2 ........................................................... 8.000 221.4 222.0 3.2 .3 

Lodging away from home 1 ........................................................... 1.739 140.3 140.1 3.6 -.1 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 2 3 .......................... 19.607 213.0 213.8 2.9 .4 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 ............................................. .321 116.3 116.2 -1.9 -.1 

Fuels and utilities ............................................................................. 5.903 190.2 188.7 11.9 -.8 

Fuels .............................................................................................. 4.935 171.8 170.0 13.5 -1.0 

Fuel oil and other fuels ................................................................ .337 230.1 236.2 18.6 2.7 

Gas (piped) and electricity 2 ........................................................ 4.598 177.5 175.2 13.0 -1.3 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 1 .......................... .968 135.5 135.8 4.9 .2 

Household furnishings and operations ............................................ 3.677 122.5 122.8 .6 .2 

Household operations 1 ................................................................. .326 137.5 137.8 5.0 .2 

Apparel .............................................................................................. 4.020 121.5 122.7 -.4 1.0 

Men’s and boys’ apparel .................................................................. 1.009 115.1 116.7 -2.7 1.4 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ............................................................. 1.582 114.5 116.0 -.1 1.3 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel .......................................................... .226 122.0 121.8 -1.9 -.2 

Footwear .......................................................................................... .970 124.7 124.9 1.8 .2 

Transportation ................................................................................... 20.141 176.7 184.2 7.0 4.2 

Private transportation ...................................................................... 19.348 173.9 181.5 7.1 4.4 

New and used motor vehicles 1 ..................................................... 8.889 95.1 95.1 .6 .0 

New vehicles ............................................................................... 4.550 139.9 139.4 -.2 -.4 

Used cars and trucks ................................................................... 3.465 140.8 141.2 1.7 .3 

Motor fuel ....................................................................................... 5.443 206.6 236.3 21.5 14.4 

Gasoline (all types) ...................................................................... 5.396 205.7 235.3 21.5 14.4 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment ............................................... .451 115.0 115.5 4.6 .4 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair .......................................... 1.362 216.1 216.6 4.5 .2 

Public transportation ........................................................................ .793 220.9 223.4 4.7 1.1 

Medical care ...................................................................................... 5.059 333.3 334.3 4.1 .3 

Medical care commodities ............................................................... 1.127 277.3 278.4 4.3 .4 

Medical care services ...................................................................... 3.931 348.4 349.4 4.1 .3 

Professional services ..................................................................... 2.275 290.2 291.0 2.6 .3 

Hospital and related services 2 ...................................................... 1.297 458.7 460.0 6.1 .3 

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

2005

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Apr. 2006 from—

Mar.

2006

Apr.

2006

Apr.

2005

Mar.

2006

Expenditure category

Recreation 1 ...................................................................................... 5.408 108.0 108.5 1.6 0.5 

Video and audio 1 ............................................................................ 1.816 104.4 104.9 .9 .5 

Education and communication 1 ........................................................ 5.419 113.1 113.3 2.3 .2 

Education 1 ...................................................................................... 2.416 156.7 156.9 6.0 .1 

Educational books and supplies .................................................... .220 384.2 384.3 5.8 .0 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ....................................... 2.196 443.1 443.7 6.0 .1 

Communication 1 ............................................................................. 3.003 86.2 86.5 -.6 .3 

Information and information processing 1 ...................................... 2.861 84.5 84.8 -.8 .4 

Telephone services 1 ................................................................... 2.399 95.3 95.7 .3 .4 

Information technology, hardware and services 4 ....................... .462 13.6 13.5 -6.9 -.7 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 ...................... .140 11.3 11.0 -16.7 -2.7 

Other goods and services .................................................................. 3.889 329.4 329.3 2.9 .0 

Tobacco and smoking products ....................................................... 1.275 520.8 519.9 4.4 -.2 

Personal care .................................................................................. 2.614 187.2 187.2 2.2 .0 

Personal care products .................................................................. .696 155.1 154.7 .7 -.3 

Personal care services .................................................................. .605 208.6 208.7 2.5 .0 

Miscellaneous personal services ................................................... 1.154 311.3 311.8 3.4 .2 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ........................................................................................ 44.564 164.3 167.6 3.8 2.0 

Food and beverages .......................................................................... 16.817 193.8 193.4 1.7 -.2 

Commodities less food and beverages ............................................. 27.747 147.4 152.2 5.0 3.3 

Nondurables less food and beverages ............................................ 15.719 178.8 188.7 8.7 5.5 

Apparel .......................................................................................... 4.020 121.5 122.7 -.4 1.0 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel ........................... 11.700 218.3 233.8 11.9 7.1 

Durables .......................................................................................... 12.027 115.2 115.3 .0 .1 

Services ............................................................................................... 55.436 231.9 232.3 3.8 .2 

Rent of shelter 3 ................................................................................ 29.345 214.6 215.3 3.1 .3 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 ................................................. .321 116.3 116.2 -1.9 -.1 

Gas (piped) and electricity 2 .............................................................. 4.598 177.5 175.2 13.0 -1.3 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 1 .............................. .968 135.5 135.8 4.9 .2 

Household operations 1 ..................................................................... .326 137.5 137.8 5.0 .2 

Transportation services ..................................................................... 6.109 229.0 229.6 2.1 .3 

Medical care services ........................................................................ 3.931 348.4 349.4 4.1 .3 

Other services ................................................................................... 9.837 265.8 266.7 3.1 .3 

Special indexes

All items less food ................................................................................ 84.242 195.6 198.0 4.2 1.2 

All items less shelter ............................................................................ 70.334 187.6 189.9 4.1 1.2 

All items less medical care .................................................................. 94.941 189.6 191.5 3.7 1.0 

Commodities less food ........................................................................ 28.806 149.3 153.9 4.8 3.1 

Nondurables less food ......................................................................... 16.778 180.2 189.6 8.3 5.2 

Nondurables less food and apparel ..................................................... 12.759 215.8 229.8 11.1 6.5 

Nondurables ........................................................................................ 32.537 186.9 191.9 5.2 2.7 

Services less rent of shelter 3 .............................................................. 26.091 222.5 222.6 4.7 .0 

Services less medical care services .................................................... 51.504 223.1 223.5 3.8 .2 

Energy ................................................................................................. 10.378 188.3 202.3 18.0 7.4 

All items less energy ............................................................................ 89.622 197.1 197.5 2.2 .2 

All items less food and energy ........................................................... 73.864 198.3 198.9 2.3 .3 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ............................ 23.026 141.9 142.3 .6 .3 

Energy commodities ...................................................................... 5.780 208.6 237.2 21.3 13.7 

Services less energy services ......................................................... 50.838 237.7 238.5 3.1 .3 

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

 $ .512 $ .507 - -

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

 $ .172 $ .170 - -

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 

Apr. 2006 from—

Percent change to 

Mar. 2006 from—

Jan.

2006

Feb.

2006

Mar.

2006

Apr.

2006

Apr.

2005

Feb.

2006

Mar.

2006

Mar.

2005

Jan.

2006

Feb.

2006

U.S. city average ............................................ M 198.3 198.7 200.0 201.7 3.6 1.5 0.9 3.5 0.9 0.7 

Region and area size2

Northeast urban .............................................. M 211.1 211.8 213.3 215.3 4.1 1.7 .9 3.5 1.0 .7 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 213.3 214.1 215.4 217.5 3.9 1.6 1.0 3.3 1.0 .6 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 124.9 125.3 126.3 127.5 4.5 1.8 1.0 4.1 1.1 .8 

Midwest urban ................................................ M 190.8 190.7 192.0 193.2 2.9 1.3 .6 3.1 .6 .7 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 192.7 192.5 193.8 194.7 2.7 1.1 .5 2.9 .6 .7 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 121.6 121.6 122.3 123.5 3.3 1.6 1.0 3.0 .6 .6 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 185.4 185.3 187.0 188.2 3.6 1.6 .6 3.9 .9 .9 

South urban .................................................... M 191.6 191.8 192.9 194.9 4.1 1.6 1.0 3.8 .7 .6 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 193.7 193.8 194.7 196.7 4.0 1.5 1.0 3.6 .5 .5 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 122.0 122.1 123.0 124.2 4.1 1.7 1.0 3.9 .8 .7 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 191.1 191.3 192.3 195.4 4.4 2.1 1.6 4.2 .6 .5 

West urban ..................................................... M 201.6 202.7 203.7 205.4 3.4 1.3 .8 3.3 1.0 .5 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 204.6 205.7 206.8 208.6 3.6 1.4 .9 3.5 1.1 .5 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 122.9 123.7 124.2 125.0 3.0 1.1 .6 3.2 1.1 .4 

Size classes

A 4 .............................................................. M 181.5 181.9 182.9 184.5 3.6 1.4 .9 3.3 .8 .5 

B/C 3 ........................................................... M 122.5 122.8 123.6 124.7 3.8 1.5 .9 3.7 .9 .7 

D ................................................................. M 190.2 190.2 191.8 193.8 3.7 1.9 1.0 3.8 .8 .8 

Selected local areas5

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI ................... M 197.6 197.2 197.6 197.7 2.3 .3 .1 3.3 .0 .2 

Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA ... M 205.9 207.6 208.5 210.4 4.6 1.3 .9 4.7 1.3 .4 

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

NY-NJ-CT-PA ......................................... M 215.9 216.6 218.6 221.2 4.1 2.1 1.2 2.9 1.3 .9 

Boston-Brockton-Nashua, MA-NH-ME-CT ..... 1 221.0 -

 221.6 - - - - 3.5 .3 -

Cleveland-Akron, OH ...................................... 1 190.3 -

 191.0 - - - - 2.5 .4 -

Dallas-Fort Worth, TX ..................................... 1 188.7 - 188.5 - - - - 4.0 -.1 -

Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV 6 ...... 1 126.3 -

 127.2 - - - - 3.7 .7 -

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

 189.8 - 193.8 3.1 2.1 - - - -

Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI .............................. 2 - 194.8 - 197.6 4.1 1.4 - - - -

Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX .................... 2 -

 178.9 - 181.5 3.7 1.5 - - - -

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

 201.2 - 203.3 5.2 1.0 - - - -

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,

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

 209.5 - 212.7 4.6 1.5 - - - -

San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA ........... 2 - 206.8 - 208.8 3.1 1.0 - - - -

Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA .................... 2 -

 203.6 - 207.8 3.2 2.1 - - - -

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 

Apr. 2006 from—

Percent change to 

Mar. 2006 from—

Jan.

2006

Feb.

2006

Mar.

2006

Apr.

2006

Apr.

2005

Feb.

2006

Mar.

2006

Mar.

2005

Jan.

2006

Feb.

2006

U.S. city average ............................................ M 194.0 194.3 195.4 197.3 3.7 1.5 1.0 3.6 0.7 0.6 

Region and area size2

Northeast urban .............................................. M 207.6 208.1 209.2 211.2 4.1 1.5 1.0 3.7 .8 .5 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 208.4 208.9 209.9 211.8 3.9 1.4 .9 3.5 .7 .5 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 125.1 125.4 126.2 127.5 4.4 1.7 1.0 4.1 .9 .6 

Midwest urban ................................................ M 186.2 185.9 187.2 188.6 3.2 1.5 .7 3.3 .5 .7 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 187.4 187.0 188.2 189.3 2.8 1.2 .6 3.1 .4 .6 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 121.0 121.0 121.8 123.0 3.5 1.7 1.0 3.4 .7 .7 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 183.5 183.2 184.7 186.0 3.9 1.5 .7 4.2 .7 .8 

South urban .................................................... M 188.9 188.9 189.9 192.3 4.3 1.8 1.3 3.9 .5 .5 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 191.8 191.9 192.6 195.1 4.5 1.7 1.3 3.9 .4 .4 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 120.7 120.7 121.5 122.9 4.2 1.8 1.2 3.8 .7 .7 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 191.3 191.3 192.3 195.7 4.8 2.3 1.8 4.5 .5 .5 

West urban ..................................................... M 196.4 197.4 198.4 200.2 3.4 1.4 .9 3.3 1.0 .5 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 197.8 198.7 199.9 201.9 3.6 1.6 1.0 3.5 1.1 .6 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 122.4 123.1 123.6 124.4 3.0 1.1 .6 3.2 1.0 .4 

Size classes

A 4 .............................................................. M 179.9 180.2 181.1 182.8 3.7 1.4 .9 3.5 .7 .5 

B/C 3 ........................................................... M 121.7 121.9 122.6 123.8 3.9 1.6 1.0 3.6 .7 .6 

D ................................................................. M 188.9 188.8 190.3 192.5 4.0 2.0 1.2 4.0 .7 .8 

Selected local areas5

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI ................... M 191.4 190.7 190.9 191.3 2.4 .3 .2 3.3 -.3 .1 

Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA ... M 198.4 200.1 200.9 203.1 4.6 1.5 1.1 4.6 1.3 .4 

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

NY-NJ-CT-PA ......................................... M 210.2 210.8 212.3 214.4 4.1 1.7 1.0 3.3 1.0 .7 

Boston-Brockton-Nashua, MA-NH-ME-CT ..... 1 219.9 -

 220.4 - - - - 3.4 .2 -

Cleveland-Akron, OH ...................................... 1 181.5 - 181.9 - - - - 2.7 .2 -

Dallas-Fort Worth, TX ..................................... 1 190.1 -

 189.8 - - - - 4.5 -.2 -

Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV 6 ...... 1 126.2 -

 126.8 - - - - 3.7 .5 -

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

 188.6 - 192.2 3.3 1.9 - - - -

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

 190.0 - 193.0 4.2 1.6 - - - -

Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX .................... 2 -

 176.8 - 180.4 4.4 2.0 - - - -

Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ............................. 2 - 199.3 - 201.8 5.5 1.3 - - - -

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,

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

 209.2 - 212.3 4.6 1.5 - - - -

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

 202.6 - 204.9 2.8 1.1 - - - -

Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA .................... 2 - 198.5 - 202.9 3.4 2.2 - - - -

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.