Transmission of material in this release is embargoed until USDL-11-1327

8:30 a.m. (EDT) Thursday, September 15, 2011

Technical information: (202) 691-7000 • Reed.Steve@bls.gov • www.bls.gov/cpi 

Media Contact: (202) 691-5902 • PressOffice@bls.gov 

CONSUMER PRICE INDEX – AUGUST 2011 

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.4 percent in August on a 

seasonally adjusted basis, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the last 12 months, 

the all items index increased 3.8 percent before seasonal adjustment. 

The seasonally adjusted increase in the all items index was broad-based, with continuing increases in the 

indexes for gasoline, food, shelter, and apparel. The gasoline index rose for the 12th time in the last 14 

months and led to a 1.2 percent increase in the energy index, while the food index rose 0.5 percent, its 

largest increase since March. 

The index for all items less food and energy increased 0.2 percent in August, the same increase as the 

previous month. Shelter and apparel were the biggest contributors, though the indexes for most of its 

major components posted increases, including used cars and trucks, medical care, household furnishings 

and operations, recreation, tobacco, and personal care. The new vehicles index, unchanged for the 

second month in a row, was an exception. 

The 12-month change in the all items index edged up to 3.8 percent after holding at 3.6 percent for three 

months, while the 12-month change for all items less food and energy reached 2.0 percent for the first 

time since November 2008. The energy index has risen 18.4 percent over the last year, while the food 

index has increased 4.6 percent.

-0.2

-0.1

0.0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

Aug'10 Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug'11

Chart 1. One-month percent change in CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), seasonally adjusted, Aug. 2010 - Aug. 2011

Percent change

 0.2 0.2 0.2

 0.1

 0.4 0.4

 0.5 0.5

 0.4

 0.2

 -0.2

 0.5

 0.4
- 2 -

Chart 2. 12-month percent change in CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), not seasonally adjusted, Aug. 2010 - Aug. 2011

Percent change

All item s All item s less food and energy

0

1

2

3

4

Aug'10 Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug'11
- 3 -

Consumer Price Index Data for August 2011 

Food

The food index rose 0.5 percent in August after rising 0.4 percent in July. The food at home index 

repeated its July increase of 0.6 percent, with five of the six major grocery store food groups rising. The 

only exception was the index for nonalcoholic beverages, which declined slightly in August after rising 

in June and July. The cereals and bakery products index rose the most, increasing 1.1 percent, followed 

by a 0.9 percent increase in the index for dairy and related products. The index for other food at home 

rose 0.8 percent as the index for sugar and sweets rose sharply. The indexes for fruits and vegetables and 

for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs rose 0.6 percent and 0.4 percent, respectively. The food at home index 

has now risen 6.0 percent over the past 12 months, with all six groups rising at least 4.0 percent. The 

index for food away from home advanced 0.4 percent in August, its largest increase since October 2008, 

and has risen 2.7 percent over the last year.

Energy

The energy index, which rose 2.8 percent in July, increased 1.2 percent in August. The gasoline index 

rose 1.9 percent in August after a 4.7 percent increase in July. (Before seasonal adjustment, gasoline 

prices fell 0.5 percent in August.) Over the past 12 months, the gasoline index has increased 32.4 

percent. The household energy index rose modestly in August, increasing 0.4 percent. The indexes for 

electricity and for fuel oil both declined slightly, but the index for natural gas increased 2.2 percent in 

August after declining in July. Over the past year, the household energy index has increased 2.7 percent. 

The fuel oil index has risen 35.4 percent over that period, while the electricity index has risen 1.9 

percent and the index for natural gas has declined, falling 2.0 percent.

All items less food and energy 

The index for all items less food and energy increased 0.2 percent in August, the fifth month in a row 

that the increase has either been 0.2 percent or 0.3 percent. Similarly, the shelter index rose 0.2 percent 

in August, its fourth increase in a row of at least that size. The index for rent increased 0.4 percent in 

August, its largest increase since June 2008. The index for owners’ equivalent rent rose 0.2 percent, and 

the index for lodging away from home turned down after recent increases, falling 1.8 percent. The index 

for apparel continued its string of substantial increases, rising 1.1 percent in August. The used cars and 

trucks index also continued to rise, increasing 0.9 percent. The medical care index increased 0.2 percent 

for the fourth month in a row, with medical care commodities rising 0.1 percent and medical care 

services increasing 0.3 percent. Also increasing were the indexes for household furnishings and 

operations (0.3 percent), airline fares (1.1 percent), recreation (0.1 percent), personal care (0.2 percent), 

and tobacco (0.5 percent). The index for new vehicles was unchanged for the second month in a row 

after a series of increases. 

The index for all items less food and energy has risen 2.0 percent in the last 12 months. This 12-month 

change has been trending up since reaching a low of 0.6 percent for the 12 months ending October 2010. 

The 12-month change in the shelter index, which was negative through much of 2010, reached 1.6 

percent in August. The 12-month change in the apparel index has now reached 4.2 percent after being 

negative as recently as March of this year. Major transportation indexes have risen strongly over the last 

12 months, including used cars and trucks (5.4 percent), new vehicles (3.8 percent) and airline fares (9.5 

percent).
- 4 -

Not seasonally adjusted CPI measures 

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 3.8 percent over the last 12 

months to an index level of 226.545 (1982-84=100). For the month, the index increased 0.3 percent prior 

to seasonal adjustment. 

The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) increased 4.3 

percent over the last 12 months to an index level of 223.326 (1982-84=100). For the month, the index 

increased 0.3 percent prior to seasonal adjustment. 

The Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U) increased 3.6 percent over the 

last 12 months. For the month, the index increased 0.3 percent on a not seasonally adjusted basis. Please 

note that the indexes for the post-2009 period are subject to revision. 

The Consumer Price Index for September 2011 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, 

October 19, 2011, at 8:30 a.m. (EDT).
- 5 -

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.

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-CPIU), 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 each month in 87 urban areas across the country from about 4,000 housing 

units and approximately 26,000 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 C-CPI-U is issued in preliminary form and subject to 

two annual revisions. 

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

reference base is 1982-84 equals 100. 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 116.500. 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. 
- 6 -

Note on Sampling Error in the Consumer Price Index 

The CPI is a statistical estimate that is subject to sampling error because it is based upon a sample of 

retail prices and not the complete universe of all prices. BLS calculates and publishes estimates of the 

1-month, 2-month, 6-month and 12-month percent change standard errors annually, for the CPI-U.

These standard error estimates can be used to construct confidence intervals for hypothesis testing. For 

example, the estimated standard error of the 1 month percent change is 0.03 percent for the U.S. All 

Items Consumer Price Index. This means that if we repeatedly sample from the universe of all retail 

prices using the same methodology, and estimate a percentage change for each sample, then 95% of 

these estimates would be within 0.06 percent of the 1 month percentage change based on all retail prices.

For example, for a 1-month change of 0.2 percent in the All Items CPI for All Urban Consumers, we are 

95 percent confident that the actual percent change based on all retail prices would fall between 0.14 and 

0.26 percent. For the latest data, including information on how to use the estimates of standard error, 

see “Variance Estimates for Price Changes in the Consumer Price Index, January-December 2010”. 

These data are available on the CPI home page (http://www.bls.gov/cpi), or by using the following link 

http://www.bls.gov/cpi/cpivar2010.pdf

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 202.416 

Less previous index 201.800 

Equals index point change .616 

Percent Change

Index point difference .616 

Divided by the previous index 201.800 

Equals 0.003 

Results multiplied by one hundred 0.003x100 

Equals percent change 0.3
- 7 -

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 

before adjustment 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 2006 through 

December 2010 were replaced in January 2011. 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. 

Effective with the publication of data from January 2006 through December 2010 in January 2011, the 

Video and audio series and the Information technology, hardware and services series were changed from 

independently adjusted to dependently adjusted. This resulted in an increase in the number of seasonal 

components used in deriving seasonal movement of the All items and 54 other lower level aggregations, 

from 73 for the publication of January 1998 through December 2005 data to 82 for the publication of 

seasonally adjusted data for January 2006 and later. Each year the seasonal status of every series is 

reevaluated based upon certain statistical criteria. If any of the 82 components change their seasonal 

adjustment status from seasonally adjusted to not seasonally adjusted, not seasonally adjusted data will 

be used in the aggregation of the dependent series for the last 5 years, but the seasonally adjusted 
- 8 -

indexes before that period will not be changed. Note: 37 of the 82 components are not seasonally 

adjusted for 2011. 

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 seasonal factors introduced in January 2011, BLS adjusted 29 series using Intervention Analysis 

Seasonal Adjustment, including selected food and beverage items, motor fuels, electricity and vehicles.

For example, this procedure was used for the Motor fuel series to offset the effects of events such as 

damage to oil refineries from Hurricane Katrina. 

For a complete list of Intervention Analysis Seasonal Adjustment series and explanations, please refer to 

the article “Intervention Analysis Seasonal Adjustment”, located on our website at 

http://www.bls.gov/cpi/cpisapage.htm.

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 David 

Levin at (202) 691-6968, or by e-mail at Levin.David@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

2010

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Aug. 2011 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

July

2011

Aug.

2011

Aug.

2010

July

2011

May to

June

June to

July

July to

Aug.

Expenditure category

All items ........................................................................................ 100.000 225.922 226.545 3.8 0.3 -0.2 0.5 0.4 

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

 676.762 678.628 - ----

Food and beverages .................................................................. 14.792 228.323 229.490 4.4 .5 .2 .4 .5 

Food ......................................................................................... 13.742 228.316 229.554 4.6 .5 .2 .4 .5 

Food at home ......................................................................... 7.816 226.891 228.354 6.0 .6 .2 .6 .6 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................... 1.090 260.921 262.970 5.3 .8 .6 -.1 1.1 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs .............................................. 1.813 224.394 225.651 8.0 .6 -.4 .5 .4 

Dairy and related products 1 ................................................ .839 214.781 216.720 9.1 .9 .5 1.2 .9 

Fruits and vegetables ........................................................... 1.152 282.018 282.579 6.3 .2 -.3 1.2 .6 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ................ .926 167.802 168.268 4.0 .3 .3 .9 -.2 

Other food at home .............................................................. 1.996 198.152 200.054 4.2 1.0 .5 .3 .8 

Sugar and sweets 1 ............................................................ .297 207.321 209.780 4.7 1.2 1.2 -.2 1.2 

Fats and oils ....................................................................... .232 221.325 223.509 10.8 1.0 1.0 .5 .9 

Other foods ........................................................................ 1.466 210.202 212.114 3.0 .9 .3 .4 .7 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ......................................... .432 124.418 125.193 2.8 .6 .3 .6 .6 

Food away from home 1 ......................................................... 5.926 231.580 232.513 2.7 .4 .3 .2 .4 

Other food away from home 1 2 ........................................... .329 162.971 163.468 2.5 .3 .0 .3 .3 

Alcoholic beverages ................................................................. 1.051 226.908 227.126 1.6 .1 .1 -.2 .2 

Housing ...................................................................................... 41.460 220.230 220.506 1.6 .1 .1 .2 .2 

Shelter ...................................................................................... 31.955 252.155 252.546 1.6 .2 .2 .3 .2 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................... 5.925 253.085 254.003 2.0 .4 .1 .3 .4 

Lodging away from home 2 .................................................... .776 150.095 145.100 3.6 -3.3 3.0 .9 -1.8 

Owners’ equivalent rent of residences 3 4 .............................. 24.905 259.573 260.178 1.4 .2 .2 .3 .2 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................ 23.310 259.555 260.159 1.4 .2 .2 .3 .2 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................... .349 127.278 127.581 .9 .2 .3 .1 .2 

Fuels and utilities ..................................................................... 5.096 226.643 226.493 3.1 -.1 -.8 .2 .3

Household energy .................................................................. 4.000 200.587 200.144 2.7 -.2 -1.2 .2 .4 

Fuel oil and other fuels 1 ...................................................... .309 336.894 335.995 27.7 -.3 -1.8 -1.1 -.3 

Energy services 3 ................................................................. 3.691 202.002 201.564 1.0 -.2 -1.1 .4 .4 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................... 1.095 179.820 180.762 4.8 .5 .4 .2 .1 

Household furnishings and operations ..................................... 4.409 124.959 125.138 .1 .1 .0 .0 .3 

Household operations 1 2 ....................................................... .772 151.908 152.066 1.0 .1 .0 .1 .1 

Apparel ....................................................................................... 3.601 118.770 121.547 4.2 2.3 1.4 1.2 1.1 

Men’s and boys’ apparel .......................................................... .882 113.914 114.399 3.8 .4 2.6 1.7 -.2 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ...................................................... 1.520 103.349 107.780 4.9 4.3 1.4 1.4 2.1 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ................................................... .192 111.541 114.563 1.2 2.7 .6 3.6 .8 

Footwear .................................................................................. .700 126.092 127.500 1.5 1.1 .4 .0 .6

Transportation ............................................................................ 17.308 216.164 216.057 11.7 .0 -1.9 1.5 .7 

Private transportation ............................................................... 16.082 211.432 211.315 12.0 -.1 -1.9 1.6 .7

New and used motor vehicles 2 ............................................. 6.333 101.442 101.524 3.7 .1 1.0 .1 .2 

New vehicles ........................................................................ 3.513 142.763 142.327 3.8 -.3 .6 .0 .0 

Used cars and trucks ........................................................... 2.055 154.184 155.823 5.4 1.1 1.6 .7 .9 

Motor fuel ............................................................................... 5.079 313.488 311.962 32.4 -.5 -6.6 4.6 1.7 

Gasoline (all types) .............................................................. 4.865 312.760 311.269 32.4 -.5 -6.8 4.7 1.9 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ..................................... .408 144.960 145.537 5.7 .4 .9 .2 .4 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair 1 ................................ 1.172 252.769 253.337 2.0 .2 .1 .1 .2 

Public transportation ................................................................ 1.227 272.868 272.949 7.2 .0 -2.2 -.2 .6 

Medical care ............................................................................... 6.627 400.305 400.874 3.2 .1 .2 .2 .2

Medical care commodities 1 ..................................................... 1.633 324.159 324.395 3.0 .1 -.1 .0 .1 

Medical care services ............................................................... 4.994 423.847 424.546 3.3 .2 .3 .3 .3 

Professional services ............................................................. 2.830 336.150 336.378 2.1 .1 .2 .2 .2 

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

2010

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Aug. 2011 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

July

2011

Aug.

2011

Aug.

2010

July

2011

May to

June

June to

July

July to

Aug.

Expenditure category

Hospital and related services ................................................. 1.703 641.712 643.600 6.2 0.3 0.5 0.4 0.5 

Recreation 2 ............................................................................... 6.293 113.492 113.592 .1 .1 -.1 -.1 .1 

Video and audio 2 .................................................................... 1.816 98.672 98.222 -.6 -.5 -.5 .5 -.4 

Education and communication 2 ................................................ 6.421 130.859 132.028 1.1 .9 .1 .2 .1 

Education 2 .............................................................................. 3.107 206.158 210.266 4.4 2.0 .3 .7 .3 

Educational books and supplies ............................................. .204 525.981 530.785 5.2 .9 .2 .2 .0 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ................................ 2.903 592.539 604.798 4.3 2.1 .3 .7 .3 

Communication 2 ..................................................................... 3.313 83.211 83.077 -1.9 -.2 -.1 -.2 -.1 

Information and information processing 2 .............................. 3.138 79.822 79.687 -2.3 -.2 -.1 -.2 -.2 

Telephone services 1 2 ......................................................... 2.334 100.961 101.006 -1.5 .0 .0 -.2 .0 

Information technology, hardware and services 5 ................ .804 9.032 8.960 -4.5 -.8 -.4 -.1 -.8 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 6 ............... .228 68.788 66.753 -11.9 -3.0 -1.6 -.5 -2.7 

Other goods and services .......................................................... 3.497 386.494 387.053 .9 .1 .3 .1 .3 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ............................................ .906 833.067 837.427 1.8 .5 .4 .5 .5 

Personal care ........................................................................... 2.591 208.174 208.199 .6 .0 .3 .0 .2 

Personal care products 1 ....................................................... .671 159.763 159.017 -1.4 -.5 .4 -.2 -.5 

Personal care services 1 ........................................................ .638 230.454 230.779 .2 .1 .0 -.1 .1 

Miscellaneous personal services ........................................... 1.055 362.905 364.545 2.6 .5 .2 .4 .4 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ................................................................................ 40.012 184.931 185.566 6.7 .3 -.6 .9 .6 

Food and beverages .................................................................. 14.792 228.323 229.490 4.4 .5 .2 .4 .5 

Commodities less food and beverages ...................................... 25.219 161.222 161.621 8.1 .2 -1.1 1.2 .6 

Nondurables less food and beverages ..................................... 15.474 209.739 210.546 12.1 .4 -1.9 1.5 .8 

Apparel ................................................................................... 3.601 118.770 121.547 4.2 2.3 1.4 1.2 1.1 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel .................... 11.873 271.228 270.809 14.5 -.2 -2.9 1.5 .8 

Durables ................................................................................... 9.745 113.778 113.799 2.0 .0 .6 .1 .3

Services ....................................................................................... 59.988 266.660 267.271 1.8 .2 .1 .2 .2 

Rent of shelter 4 ......................................................................... 31.607 262.747 263.152 1.6 .2 .1 .2 .3 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ....................................... .349 127.278 127.581 .9 .2 .3 .1 .2 

Energy services 3 ....................................................................... 3.691 202.002 201.564 1.0 -.2 -1.1 .4 .4 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ....................... 1.095 179.820 180.762 4.8 .5 .4 .2 .1 

Household operations 1 2 ........................................................... .772 151.908 152.066 1.0 .1 .0 .1 .1 

Transportation services .............................................................. 6.140 268.642 268.940 3.1 .1 -.3 -.1 .2 

Medical care services ................................................................. 4.994 423.847 424.546 3.3 .2 .3 .3 .3 

Other services ............................................................................ 11.340 313.703 315.791 1.4 .7 .1 .2 .2

Special indexes

All items less food ........................................................................ 86.258 225.566 226.092 3.6 .2 -.3 .5 .4 

All items less shelter .................................................................... 68.045 218.230 218.952 4.8 .3 -.4 .6 .5

All items less medical care ........................................................... 93.373 217.336 217.955 3.8 .3 -.3 .5 .4 

Commodities less food ................................................................. 26.270 163.664 164.059 7.8 .2 -1.1 1.2 .6

Nondurables less food ................................................................. 16.525 210.867 211.642 11.4 .4 -1.9 1.4 .7

Nondurables less food and apparel ............................................. 12.923 266.018 265.656 13.4 -.1 -2.7 1.4 .8 

Nondurables ................................................................................. 30.266 219.979 220.958 8.3 .4 -1.1 .9 .6 

Services less rent of shelter 4 ...................................................... 28.382 291.961 292.871 2.1 .3 -.1 .1 .3 

Services less medical care services ............................................ 54.994 254.487 255.085 1.7 .2 .0 .1 .3 

Energy .......................................................................................... 9.079 252.661 251.706 18.4 -.4 -4.4 2.8 1.2 

All items less energy .................................................................... 90.921 225.010 225.797 2.3 .3 .2 .3 .3

All items less food and energy ................................................... 77.179 225.164 225.874 2.0 .3 .3 .2 .2 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ..................... 20.882 145.486 146.159 2.1 .5 .5 .3 .4 

Energy commodities ............................................................... 5.388 316.835 315.330 32.1 -.5 -6.3 4.3 1.6 

Services less energy services .................................................. 56.297 273.327 274.038 1.9 .3 .1 .2 .2 

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

 $ .443 $ .441 - ----

Purchasing power of the consumer dollar (1967=$1.00) ............. - $ .148 $ .147 - ----

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. 6 Indexes on a December 2007=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—

May

2011

June

2011

July

2011

Aug.

2011

Nov.

2010

Feb.

2011

May

2011

Aug.

2011 Feb.

2011

Aug.

2011

Expenditure category

All items .............................................................................. 224.804 224.304 225.425 226.268 2.2 5.6 4.6 2.6 3.9 3.6 

Food and beverages ......................................................... 227.137 227.585 228.453 229.589 2.3 4.7 6.1 4.4 3.5 5.3

Food ................................................................................ 227.024 227.493 228.455 229.643 2.4 4.9 6.4 4.7 3.7 5.5 

Food at home ................................................................ 225.440 225.818 227.131 228.508 2.8 7.2 8.7 5.6 5.0 7.1 

Cereals and bakery products ...................................... 258.365 259.833 259.615 262.369 2.9 5.0 7.0 6.3 3.9 6.7 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ..................................... 224.390 223.561 224.610 225.514 7.7 7.4 15.5 2.0 7.6 8.6 

Dairy and related products 1 ....................................... 211.327 212.286 214.781 216.720 5.3 4.5 16.3 10.6 4.9 13.4 

Fruits and vegetables .................................................. 283.011 282.217 285.577 287.215 .1 22.9 -2.2 6.1 10.9 1.9

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ....... 166.304 166.866 168.300 168.012 1.2 2.3 8.5 4.2 1.8 6.3 

Other food at home ..................................................... 196.037 197.027 197.654 199.249 -.2 3.3 7.1 6.7 1.5 6.9 

Sugar and sweets 1 .................................................. 205.285 207.672 207.321 209.780 .5 7.3 2.2 9.1 3.9 5.6 

Fats and oils .............................................................. 217.141 219.368 220.368 222.384 5.6 10.9 16.9 10.0 8.2 13.4 

Other foods ............................................................... 208.214 208.810 209.632 211.126 -1.3 1.4 6.6 5.7 .0 6.1

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ................................ 123.343 123.692 124.418 125.193 -3.8 2.7 6.4 6.1 -.6 6.3 

Food away from home 1 ............................................... 230.501 231.097 231.580 232.513 1.9 1.9 3.4 3.5 1.9 3.4 

Other food away from home 1 2 .................................. 162.483 162.494 162.971 163.468 2.2 3.7 1.6 2.4 2.9 2.0 

Alcoholic beverages ........................................................ 227.134 227.306 226.915 227.345 1.3 1.7 3.1 .4 1.5 1.7

Housing ............................................................................. 218.637 218.770 219.299 219.780 .4 2.0 2.0 2.1 1.2 2.1 

Shelter ............................................................................. 250.707 251.267 251.947 252.420 .9 1.4 1.4 2.8 1.1 2.1 

Rent of primary residence 3 .......................................... 252.403 252.683 253.315 254.265 1.7 2.0 1.3 3.0 1.9 2.1 

Lodging away from home 2 ........................................... 137.705 141.840 143.172 140.659 -7.8 -.2 15.2 8.9 -4.1 12.0 

Owners’ equivalent rent of residences 3 4 .................... 258.623 259.023 259.682 260.230 .9 1.3 .9 2.5 1.1 1.7 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ....... 258.610 259.009 259.664 260.211 .9 1.3 .9 2.5 1.1 1.7 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ......................... 126.780 127.155 127.278 127.581 3.3 -3.0 .8 2.6 .1 1.7 

Fuels and utilities ............................................................ 221.800 219.939 220.447 221.155 -.5 8.0 6.7 -1.2 3.6 2.7 

Household energy ......................................................... 195.475 193.171 193.621 194.359 -2.0 8.4 7.2 -2.3 3.1 2.4

Fuel oil and other fuels 1 ............................................. 347.002 340.775 336.894 335.995 40.1 69.9 26.9 -12.1 54.3 5.6 

Energy services 3 ........................................................ 195.864 193.669 194.368 195.223 -4.6 4.3 5.6 -1.3 -.2 2.1 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 .......... 178.806 179.574 179.974 180.159 4.9 6.5 4.8 3.1 5.7 3.9 

Household furnishings and operations ............................ 124.859 124.813 124.870 125.275 -2.1 .1 1.2 1.3 -1.0 1.3 

Household operations 1 2 ............................................. 151.730 151.730 151.908 152.066 -1.2 3.2 1.0 .9 1.0 .9 

Apparel .............................................................................. 120.342 122.037 123.562 124.934 -2.6 .8 3.2 16.2 -.9 9.5 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ................................................. 112.243 115.111 117.114 116.898 -3.5 -.8 3.0 17.6 -2.2 10.1

Women’s and girls’ apparel ............................................. 107.363 108.838 110.363 112.690 -4.0 1.3 2.8 21.4 -1.4 11.7

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel .......................................... 110.858 111.560 115.598 116.559 -7.1 -11.7 4.5 22.2 -9.5 13.0 

Footwear ......................................................................... 128.540 129.051 129.026 129.766 -1.7 1.1 2.7 3.9 -.3 3.3 

Transportation ................................................................... 214.457 210.317 213.484 215.052 9.6 22.7 14.2 1.1 16.0 7.5 

Private transportation ...................................................... 209.664 205.663 209.018 210.575 9.5 22.7 15.0 1.7 15.9 8.2 

New and used motor vehicles 2 .................................... 99.997 100.992 101.140 101.297 -1.7 1.0 10.7 5.3 -.4 8.0 

New vehicles ............................................................... 142.637 143.501 143.549 143.572 -.6 2.8 10.7 2.6 1.1 6.6 

Used cars and trucks .................................................. 148.264 150.707 151.827 153.211 -3.4 -.9 12.9 14.0 -2.2 13.4

Motor fuel ...................................................................... 310.990 290.494 303.903 309.112 33.2 81.2 30.3 -2.4 55.4 12.8 

Gasoline (all types) ..................................................... 310.161 289.077 302.520 308.398 34.3 79.0 30.8 -2.3 55.0 13.1 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ............................ 143.328 144.618 144.960 145.537 3.3 6.3 7.0 6.3 4.8 6.7 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair 1 ....................... 252.376 252.529 252.769 253.337 2.4 1.6 2.5 1.5 2.0 2.0 

Public transportation ....................................................... 272.417 266.349 265.862 267.455 11.5 22.2 4.2 -7.1 16.7 -1.6 

Medical care ...................................................................... 398.739 399.500 400.468 401.431 3.7 3.1 3.2 2.7 3.4 3.0 

Medical care commodities 1 ............................................ 324.399 324.102 324.159 324.395 2.5 5.7 4.1 .0 4.0 2.0 

Medical care services ..................................................... 421.544 422.741 424.076 425.328 4.2 2.3 2.9 3.6 3.2 3.3

Professional services .................................................... 334.323 335.125 335.831 336.426 2.8 2.2 1.0 2.5 2.5 1.8

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—

May

2011

June

2011

July

2011

Aug.

2011

Nov.

2010

Feb.

2011

May

2011

Aug.

2011 Feb.

2011

Aug.

2011

Expenditure category

Hospital and related services ........................................ 637.925 641.042 643.675 647.003 8.2 4.5 6.4 5.8 6.4 6.1 

Recreation 2 ...................................................................... 113.512 113.448 113.332 113.461 -1.4 .9 1.0 -.2 -.3 .4 

Video and audio 2 ........................................................... 98.424 97.922 98.435 98.047 -.4 -.7 .1 -1.5 -.6 -.7 

Education and communication 2 ....................................... 131.168 131.300 131.598 131.685 .7 .8 1.3 1.6 .7 1.4 

Education 2 ..................................................................... 206.559 207.115 208.477 209.073 2.9 5.4 4.2 5.0 4.2 4.6 

Educational books and supplies ................................... 526.573 527.674 528.975 528.860 6.2 7.1 5.7 1.7 6.7 3.7 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ...................... 593.725 595.349 599.439 601.281 2.7 5.3 4.1 5.2 4.0 4.6 

Communication 2 ............................................................ 83.441 83.391 83.235 83.112 -1.3 -3.4 -1.4 -1.6 -2.3 -1.5 

Information and information processing 2 ..................... 80.056 80.004 79.846 79.722 -1.4 -4.4 -1.6 -1.7 -2.9 -1.6 

Telephone services 1 2 ............................................... 101.159 101.204 100.961 101.006 -.8 -3.9 -.6 -.6 -2.4 -.6 

Information technology, hardware and services 5 ....... 9.084 9.049 9.043 8.975 -3.0 -5.8 -4.5 -4.7 -4.4 -4.6 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 6 ..... 70.586 69.430 69.089 67.192 -4.1 -16.0 -9.1 -17.9 -10.2 -13.6 

Other goods and services ................................................. 384.959 386.068 386.568 387.673 -.6 1.9 -.6 2.9 .6 1.1

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ................................... 825.690 828.860 833.067 837.427 -.9 4.3 -1.8 5.8 1.7 1.9 

Personal care .................................................................. 207.704 208.232 208.228 208.649 -.5 1.0 -.2 1.8 .3 .8 

Personal care products 1 .............................................. 159.478 160.163 159.763 159.017 -2.3 2.3 -4.5 -1.2 .0 -2.8 

Personal care services 1 ............................................... 230.505 230.614 230.454 230.779 -1.3 1.0 .6 .5 -.2 .5 

Miscellaneous personal services .................................. 361.046 361.765 363.086 364.537 2.0 1.9 2.4 3.9 2.0 3.2 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ....................................................................... 184.226 183.042 184.701 185.783 3.8 11.2 8.4 3.4 7.4 5.9 

Food and beverages ......................................................... 227.137 227.585 228.453 229.589 2.3 4.7 6.1 4.4 3.5 5.3

Commodities less food and beverages ............................. 160.735 158.934 160.855 161.879 4.6 15.2 9.7 2.9 9.8 6.2 

Nondurables less food and beverages ........................... 210.446 206.462 209.517 211.198 9.7 25.4 12.9 1.4 17.3 7.0 

Apparel .......................................................................... 120.342 122.037 123.562 124.934 -2.6 .8 3.2 16.2 -.9 9.5 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel .......... 271.195 263.361 267.418 269.682 13.6 32.3 16.9 -2.2 22.6 6.9 

Durables .......................................................................... 112.843 113.560 113.697 114.000 -4.0 1.3 6.7 4.2 -1.4 5.4 

Services .............................................................................. 265.147 265.318 265.897 266.471 1.1 2.1 2.1 2.0 1.6 2.1 

Rent of shelter 4 ................................................................ 261.102 261.396 261.882 262.558 2.4 .8 .9 2.2 1.6 1.6 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ............................. 126.780 127.155 127.278 127.581 3.3 -3.0 .8 2.6 .1 1.7 

Energy services 3 .............................................................. 195.864 193.669 194.368 195.223 -4.6 4.3 5.6 -1.3 -.2 2.1 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 .............. 178.806 179.574 179.974 180.159 4.9 6.5 4.8 3.1 5.7 3.9 

Household operations 1 2 ................................................. 151.730 151.730 151.908 152.066 -1.2 3.2 1.0 .9 1.0 .9 

Transportation services ..................................................... 268.408 267.700 267.367 267.867 4.4 5.1 3.6 -.8 4.8 1.4 

Medical care services ....................................................... 421.544 422.741 424.076 425.328 4.2 2.3 2.9 3.6 3.2 3.3 

Other services ................................................................... 313.707 313.917 314.461 315.150 .4 1.4 2.0 1.9 .9 1.9 

Special indexes

All items less food ............................................................... 224.475 223.822 224.968 225.757 2.1 5.8 4.4 2.3 3.9 3.3 

All items less shelter ........................................................... 217.230 216.303 217.613 218.612 2.8 7.7 6.2 2.6 5.2 4.4 

All items less medical care .................................................. 216.244 215.700 216.818 217.649 2.1 5.8 4.7 2.6 3.9 3.7 

Commodities less food ........................................................ 163.195 161.441 163.305 164.317 4.5 14.7 9.4 2.8 9.5 6.1 

Nondurables less food ........................................................ 211.633 207.713 210.536 212.073 9.8 23.4 12.6 .8 16.4 6.5 

Nondurables less food and apparel .................................... 266.147 259.034 262.591 264.643 12.6 29.6 16.1 -2.2 20.8 6.5

Nondurables ........................................................................ 220.165 217.801 219.814 221.179 6.6 14.3 10.7 1.9 10.4 6.2 

Services less rent of shelter 4 ............................................. 290.391 290.050 290.297 291.055 1.5 3.1 3.0 .9 2.3 1.9 

Services less medical care services ................................... 253.004 252.972 253.218 253.904 1.9 1.7 1.9 1.4 1.8 1.7 

Energy ................................................................................. 248.837 237.889 244.507 247.367 15.8 45.1 20.3 -2.3 29.6 8.4 

All items less energy ........................................................... 224.157 224.711 225.284 225.930 .9 2.2 3.0 3.2 1.6 3.1 

All items less food and energy .......................................... 224.387 224.958 225.463 226.014 .7 1.8 2.5 2.9 1.2 2.7 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ........... 145.183 145.979 146.370 146.897 -1.5 1.2 3.9 4.8 -.2 4.4 

Energy commodities ..................................................... 314.950 295.025 307.662 312.602 33.6 80.6 30.1 -2.9 55.3 12.4 

Services less energy services ......................................... 272.244 272.638 273.207 273.755 1.5 2.0 1.9 2.2 1.7 2.1 

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. 6 Indexes on a December 2007=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

Aug.2011 from—

Percent change to

July2011 from—

May

2011

June

2011

July

2011

Aug.

2011

Aug.

2010

June

2011

July

2011

July

2010

May

2011

June

2011

U.S. city average ............................................ M 225.964 225.722 225.922 226.545 3.8 0.4 0.3 3.6 0.0 0.1 

Region and area size2

Northeast urban .............................................. M 241.566 241.690 242.282 243.033 3.8 .6 .3 3.6 .3 .2 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 242.976 243.257 243.806 244.601 3.6 .6 .3 3.4 .3 .2 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 144.697 144.525 144.952 145.339 4.3 .6 .3 4.1 .2 .3 

Midwest urban ................................................ M 215.899 215.954 216.099 216.586 3.8 .3 .2 3.8 .1 .1 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 216.376 216.290 216.350 216.870 3.8 .3 .2 3.7 .0 .0 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 138.827 139.115 139.222 139.451 3.8 .2 .2 3.8 .3 .1 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 212.210 211.717 212.261 213.009 3.9 .6 .4 4.1 .0 .3 

South urban .................................................... M 219.820 219.318 219.682 220.471 4.3 .5 .4 4.1 -.1 .2 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 220.982 220.481 220.897 221.685 4.1 .5 .4 3.9 .0 .2 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 139.833 139.639 139.783 140.378 4.5 .5 .4 4.2 .0 .1 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 225.416 223.675 224.681 224.613 4.3 .4 .0 4.7 -.3 .4 

West urban ..................................................... M 228.516 228.075 227.805 228.222 3.0 .1 .2 2.9 -.3 -.1 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 232.393 232.010 231.666 232.219 2.8 .1 .2 2.7 -.3 -.1 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 138.598 138.269 138.128 138.171 3.3 -.1 .0 3.3 -.3 -.1 

Size classes

A 4 .............................................................. M 205.944 205.792 205.928 206.524 3.5 .4 .3 3.4 .0 .1 

B/C 3 ........................................................... M 140.062 139.935 140.057 140.440 4.1 .4 .3 3.9 .0 .1 

D ................................................................. M 219.873 218.862 219.465 219.856 3.9 .5 .2 4.1 -.2 .3 

Selected local areas5

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI ................... M 220.094 220.182 219.277 219.688 3.2 -.2 .2 3.2 -.4 -.4 

Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA ... M 233.367 232.328 231.303 231.833 2.4 -.2 .2 2.4 -.9 -.4 

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

NY-NJ-CT-PA ......................................... M 248.073 248.505 249.164 250.058 3.5 .6 .4 3.3 .4 .3 

Boston-Brockton-Nashua, MA-NH-ME-CT ..... 1 244.574 -

 244.256 ---- 3.4 -.1 -

Cleveland-Akron, OH ...................................... 1 212.175 - 211.686 ---- 3.8 -.2 -

Dallas-Fort Worth, TX ..................................... 1 208.794 - 208.602 ---- 4.2 -.1 -

Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV 6 ...... 1 147.554 - 147.747 ---- 4.1 .1 -

Atlanta, GA ..................................................... 2 - 211.074 - 212.335 3.8 .6 ----

Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI .............................. 2 - 213.506 - 213.924 4.1 .2 ----

Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX .................... 2 - 201.309 - 202.445 3.7 .6 ----

Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ............................. 2 - 231.197 - 232.749 4.5 .7 ----

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,

PA-NJ-DE-MD ........................................ 2 - 234.463 - 236.196 3.4 .7 ----

San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA ........... 2 - 233.646 - 234.608 2.9 .4 ----

Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA .................... 2 - 233.250 - 233.810 2.7 .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 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

2010

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Aug. 2011 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

July

2011

Aug.

2011

Aug.

2010

July

2011

May to

June

June to

July

July to

Aug.

Expenditure category

All items ........................................................................................ 100.000 222.686 223.326 4.3 0.3 -0.3 0.6 0.4 

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

 663.314 665.221 - ----

Food and beverages .................................................................. 16.401 227.701 228.957 4.5 .6 .2 .4 .5 

Food ......................................................................................... 15.315 227.585 228.911 4.7 .6 .2 .4 .6 

Food at home ......................................................................... 8.906 225.889 227.388 6.1 .7 .1 .6 .6 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................... 1.236 261.564 263.608 5.3 .8 .6 -.1 1.1 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs .............................................. 2.227 224.421 225.682 8.1 .6 -.4 .4 .4 

Dairy and related products 1 ................................................ .917 213.957 215.910 9.2 .9 .4 1.2 .9 

Fruits and vegetables ........................................................... 1.219 279.494 280.617 6.3 .4 -.5 1.2 .7 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ................ 1.091 166.890 167.391 3.7 .3 .3 .8 -.1 

Other food at home .............................................................. 2.217 197.389 199.201 4.2 .9 .5 .4 .8 

Sugar and sweets 1 ............................................................ .324 206.103 208.537 4.9 1.2 1.1 -.1 1.2 

Fats and oils ....................................................................... .258 221.982 224.327 11.2 1.1 1.3 .7 1.0 

Other foods ........................................................................ 1.635 210.318 212.092 2.9 .8 .2 .4 .7 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ......................................... .463 124.607 125.327 2.9 .6 .2 .6 .6 

Food away from home 1 ......................................................... 6.409 231.603 232.682 2.7 .5 .3 .2 .5 

Other food away from home 1 2 ........................................... .326 164.167 164.551 2.9 .2 .0 .4 .2 

Alcoholic beverages ................................................................. 1.086 227.956 228.213 1.5 .1 .1 -.2 .2 

Housing ...................................................................................... 39.228 216.917 217.235 1.7 .1 .0 .3 .2 

Shelter ...................................................................................... 29.811 245.705 246.187 1.6 .2 .2 .2 .2 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................... 8.396 251.271 252.195 2.0 .4 .1 .2 .4 

Lodging away from home 2 .................................................... .436 151.939 146.163 3.7 -3.8 2.6 .8 -1.9 

Owners’ equivalent rent of residences 3 4 .............................. 20.672 235.116 235.645 1.4 .2 .1 .2 .2 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................ 19.942 235.110 235.638 1.4 .2 .1 .2 .2 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................... .306 128.377 128.727 .9 .3 .3 .1 .3 

Fuels and utilities ..................................................................... 5.633 225.589 225.399 3.1 -.1 -.8 .3 .3

Household energy .................................................................. 4.476 198.857 198.396 2.7 -.2 -1.1 .3 .4 

Fuel oil and other fuels 1 ...................................................... .301 335.796 334.935 26.4 -.3 -1.9 -1.0 -.3 

Energy services 3 ................................................................. 4.175 201.547 201.084 1.2 -.2 -1.0 .5 .4 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................... 1.157 180.170 181.099 4.7 .5 .4 .2 .1 

Household furnishings and operations ..................................... 3.784 121.185 121.325 .3 .1 -.1 .2 .3 

Household operations 1 2 ....................................................... .364 154.670 154.879 .9 .1 .1 .1 .1 

Apparel ....................................................................................... 3.668 117.830 120.624 4.3 2.4 1.4 1.2 1.0 

Men’s and boys’ apparel .......................................................... .921 113.565 114.068 3.7 .4 2.3 1.6 -.3 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ...................................................... 1.502 102.841 107.359 5.8 4.4 1.4 1.4 2.0 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ................................................... .280 114.220 118.265 1.9 3.5 .6 3.2 1.6 

Footwear .................................................................................. .750 126.679 128.108 2.0 1.1 .5 -.1 .7

Transportation ............................................................................ 19.418 217.466 217.491 12.9 .0 -2.2 1.8 .9 

Private transportation ............................................................... 18.631 214.119 214.131 13.1 .0 -2.2 1.9 .9

New and used motor vehicles 2 ............................................. 6.914 101.093 101.393 4.1 .3 1.1 .3 .3 

New vehicles ........................................................................ 3.320 143.687 143.276 3.7 -.3 .5 .1 .0 

Used cars and trucks ........................................................... 3.003 155.201 156.860 5.4 1.1 1.7 .8 .9 

Motor fuel ............................................................................... 6.470 314.806 313.307 32.5 -.5 -6.7 4.7 1.7 

Gasoline (all types) .............................................................. 6.193 314.232 312.768 32.5 -.5 -6.9 4.9 1.8 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ..................................... .479 144.840 145.390 5.7 .4 .8 .3 .4 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair 1 ................................ 1.184 255.509 256.077 2.0 .2 .0 .1 .2 

Public transportation ................................................................ .787 269.003 269.427 7.1 .2 -2.1 -.1 .7 

Medical care ............................................................................... 5.355 402.160 402.783 3.3 .2 .2 .3 .2

Medical care commodities 1 ..................................................... 1.318 315.957 316.299 3.2 .1 -.1 .1 .1 

Medical care services ............................................................... 4.038 427.464 428.190 3.3 .2 .3 .3 .3 

Professional services ............................................................. 2.220 339.756 340.053 2.2 .1 .2 .2 .2 

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

2010

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Aug. 2011 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

July

2011

Aug.

2011

Aug.

2010

July

2011

May to

June

June to

July

July to

Aug.

Expenditure category

Hospital and related services ................................................. 1.414 644.693 646.560 6.5 0.3 0.5 0.5 0.5 

Recreation 2 ............................................................................... 5.862 110.134 110.146 .2 .0 -.1 .0 .0 

Video and audio 2 .................................................................... 1.959 99.417 98.939 -.4 -.5 -.5 .6 -.5 

Education and communication 2 ................................................ 6.118 124.994 125.797 .3 .6 .1 .1 .0 

Education 2 .............................................................................. 2.380 203.181 206.790 4.2 1.8 .2 .5 .3 

Educational books and supplies ............................................. .199 529.929 536.250 5.5 1.2 .2 .1 .2 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ................................ 2.181 570.995 581.447 4.0 1.8 .2 .5 .3 

Communication 2 ..................................................................... 3.738 85.628 85.545 -2.1 -.1 .0 -.2 -.1 

Information and information processing 2 .............................. 3.605 83.282 83.198 -2.4 -.1 .0 -.2 -.1 

Telephone services 1 2 ......................................................... 2.823 100.366 100.405 -1.8 .0 .0 -.3 .0 

Information technology, hardware and services 5 ................ .782 9.573 9.514 -4.4 -.6 -.3 .0 -.6 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 6 ............... .208 68.230 66.530 -12.3 -2.5 -1.5 -.3 -2.3 

Other goods and services .......................................................... 3.950 416.166 416.896 1.1 .2 .3 .2 .3 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ............................................ 1.450 837.692 842.479 1.8 .6 .4 .5 .6 

Personal care ........................................................................... 2.500 206.069 205.957 .7 -.1 .3 .0 .2 

Personal care products 1 ....................................................... .717 160.567 159.655 -1.1 -.6 .4 -.1 -.6 

Personal care services 1 ........................................................ .572 230.579 230.907 .1 .1 .0 -.1 .1 

Miscellaneous personal services ........................................... 1.027 364.597 365.826 2.6 .3 .1 .3 .3 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ................................................................................ 43.898 189.508 190.217 7.5 .4 -.8 1.1 .7 

Food and beverages .................................................................. 16.401 227.701 228.957 4.5 .6 .2 .4 .5 

Commodities less food and beverages ...................................... 27.497 168.166 168.623 9.3 .3 -1.4 1.5 .7 

Nondurables less food and beverages ..................................... 17.244 221.945 222.704 13.5 .3 -2.1 1.4 .9 

Apparel ................................................................................... 3.668 117.830 120.624 4.3 2.4 1.4 1.2 1.0 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel .................... 13.576 291.265 290.820 16.0 -.2 -3.2 1.8 1.0 

Durables ................................................................................... 10.253 115.866 116.037 2.6 .1 .7 .2 .3

Services ....................................................................................... 56.102 261.777 262.344 1.8 .2 .0 .2 .2 

Rent of shelter 4 ......................................................................... 29.504 236.781 237.244 1.6 .2 .1 .2 .3 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ....................................... .306 128.377 128.727 .9 .3 .3 .1 .3 

Energy services 3 ....................................................................... 4.175 201.547 201.084 1.2 -.2 -1.0 .5 .4 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ....................... 1.157 180.170 181.099 4.7 .5 .4 .2 .1 

Household operations 1 2 ........................................................... .364 154.670 154.879 .9 .1 .1 .1 .1 

Transportation services .............................................................. 5.994 268.170 268.778 3.0 .2 -.1 -.1 .3 

Medical care services ................................................................. 4.038 427.464 428.190 3.3 .2 .3 .3 .3 

Other services ............................................................................ 10.563 299.077 300.411 1.0 .4 .0 .1 .1

Special indexes

All items less food ........................................................................ 84.685 221.625 222.144 4.2 .2 -.4 .6 .4 

All items less shelter .................................................................... 70.189 216.683 217.387 5.4 .3 -.6 .7 .5

All items less medical care ........................................................... 94.645 215.361 215.996 4.3 .3 -.4 .6 .4 

Commodities less food ................................................................. 28.583 170.311 170.764 9.0 .3 -1.3 1.4 .7

Nondurables less food ................................................................. 18.329 222.537 223.269 12.7 .3 -2.0 1.3 .9

Nondurables less food and apparel ............................................. 14.662 284.603 284.219 14.9 -.1 -3.0 1.6 .9 

Nondurables ................................................................................. 33.644 225.916 226.913 9.0 .4 -1.3 1.0 .7 

Services less rent of shelter 4 ...................................................... 26.598 257.932 258.552 2.0 .2 -.1 .1 .2 

Services less medical care services ............................................ 52.065 250.237 250.789 1.7 .2 .0 .1 .2 

Energy .......................................................................................... 10.946 255.169 254.191 19.3 -.4 -4.6 3.0 1.2 

All items less energy .................................................................... 89.054 219.748 220.587 2.4 .4 .2 .3 .3

All items less food and energy ................................................... 73.739 218.548 219.290 2.0 .3 .3 .2 .3 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ..................... 21.812 148.206 149.003 2.4 .5 .6 .3 .4 

Energy commodities ............................................................... 6.771 317.281 315.799 32.3 -.5 -6.5 4.5 1.7 

Services less energy services .................................................. 51.927 268.303 268.988 1.8 .3 .1 .2 .2 

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

 $ .449 $ .448 - ----

Purchasing power of the consumer dollar (1967=$1.00) ............. - $ .151 $ .150 - ----

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. 6 Indexes on a December 2007=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—

May

2011

June

2011

July

2011

Aug.

2011

Nov.

2010

Feb.

2011

May

2011

Aug.

2011 Feb.

2011

Aug.

2011

Expenditure category

All items .............................................................................. 221.529 220.768 222.077 223.010 2.5 6.6 5.3 2.7 4.5 4.0 

Food and beverages ......................................................... 226.540 226.929 227.802 229.016 2.4 4.6 6.4 4.4 3.5 5.4

Food ................................................................................ 226.319 226.723 227.692 228.952 2.5 4.9 6.6 4.7 3.7 5.7 

Food at home ................................................................ 224.492 224.769 226.069 227.458 2.8 7.3 9.0 5.4 5.0 7.2 

Cereals and bakery products ...................................... 259.020 260.567 260.242 263.058 2.9 5.1 6.9 6.4 4.0 6.6 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ..................................... 224.521 223.720 224.657 225.516 7.7 7.6 16.1 1.8 7.6 8.7 

Dairy and related products 1 ....................................... 210.488 211.374 213.957 215.910 5.0 4.6 17.1 10.7 4.8 13.9 

Fruits and vegetables .................................................. 280.367 278.965 282.395 284.468 .0 24.2 -2.8 6.0 11.4 1.5

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ....... 165.582 166.036 167.414 167.199 1.4 1.6 8.2 4.0 1.5 6.1 

Other food at home ..................................................... 195.230 196.198 196.955 198.478 -.6 3.6 7.1 6.8 1.5 7.0 

Sugar and sweets 1 .................................................. 204.161 206.402 206.103 208.537 1.4 7.9 1.6 8.9 4.6 5.1 

Fats and oils .............................................................. 216.992 219.872 221.486 223.640 5.2 11.2 15.7 12.8 8.2 14.2 

Other foods ............................................................... 208.363 208.866 209.767 211.152 -1.9 1.6 6.9 5.5 -.2 6.2

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ................................ 123.673 123.911 124.607 125.327 -3.5 3.0 7.0 5.5 -.3 6.2 

Food away from home 1 ............................................... 230.521 231.112 231.603 232.682 2.1 1.7 3.4 3.8 1.9 3.6 

Other food away from home 1 2 .................................. 163.498 163.524 164.167 164.551 4.0 3.3 1.9 2.6 3.6 2.3 

Alcoholic beverages ........................................................ 228.327 228.503 227.990 228.514 1.1 .9 3.8 .3 1.0 2.1

Housing ............................................................................. 215.372 215.369 215.909 216.430 .6 2.2 2.1 2.0 1.4 2.0 

Shelter ............................................................................. 244.622 245.029 245.635 246.170 1.1 1.5 1.2 2.6 1.3 1.9 

Rent of primary residence 3 .......................................... 250.687 250.938 251.517 252.486 1.7 2.1 1.3 2.9 1.9 2.1 

Lodging away from home 2 ........................................... 139.738 143.333 144.542 141.783 -5.8 -.7 16.6 6.0 -3.3 11.2 

Owners’ equivalent rent of residences 3 4 .................... 234.326 234.643 235.213 235.681 1.0 1.4 .9 2.3 1.2 1.6 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ....... 234.320 234.639 235.206 235.674 1.0 1.4 .9 2.3 1.2 1.6 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ......................... 127.859 128.242 128.377 128.727 3.3 -1.6 -.5 2.7 .8 1.1 

Fuels and utilities ............................................................ 220.111 218.367 219.074 219.783 -.9 7.3 6.8 -.6 3.1 3.0 

Household energy ......................................................... 193.096 190.982 191.649 192.373 -2.2 7.6 7.2 -1.5 2.6 2.8

Fuel oil and other fuels 1 ............................................. 345.830 339.095 335.796 334.935 39.7 66.1 25.2 -12.0 52.3 4.9 

Energy services 3 ........................................................ 194.818 192.818 193.693 194.520 -4.5 4.3 5.9 -.6 -.2 2.6 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 .......... 179.223 179.953 180.357 180.557 4.8 6.1 5.0 3.0 5.5 4.0 

Household furnishings and operations ............................ 121.006 120.881 121.083 121.447 -1.7 -.2 1.8 1.5 -.9 1.6 

Household operations 1 2 ............................................. 154.378 154.581 154.670 154.879 -2.0 2.4 1.8 1.3 .2 1.5 

Apparel .............................................................................. 119.528 121.203 122.700 123.897 -1.9 .9 3.9 15.4 -.5 9.5 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ................................................. 112.512 115.078 116.888 116.537 -2.9 .8 2.6 15.1 -1.1 8.7

Women’s and girls’ apparel ............................................. 106.951 108.462 109.948 112.099 -1.2 1.5 3.5 20.7 .2 11.7

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel .......................................... 113.863 114.525 118.190 120.035 -5.7 -11.6 4.7 23.5 -8.7 13.7 

Footwear ......................................................................... 128.720 129.412 129.250 130.189 -3.6 2.5 4.9 4.6 -.6 4.8 

Transportation ................................................................... 215.500 210.835 214.617 216.457 10.1 25.2 15.6 1.8 17.4 8.5 

Private transportation ...................................................... 212.103 207.502 211.387 213.215 10.2 25.3 16.1 2.1 17.5 8.9 

New and used motor vehicles 2 .................................... 99.292 100.337 100.613 100.947 -2.0 .9 11.2 6.8 -.5 9.0 

New vehicles ............................................................... 143.630 144.411 144.489 144.511 -.9 3.0 10.6 2.5 1.0 6.4 

Used cars and trucks .................................................. 149.198 151.670 152.817 154.229 -3.2 -.9 12.7 14.2 -2.0 13.5

Motor fuel ...................................................................... 312.340 291.497 305.332 310.629 32.5 82.5 30.3 -2.2 55.5 12.9 

Gasoline (all types) ..................................................... 311.697 290.345 304.500 310.120 32.2 82.1 30.9 -2.0 55.1 13.3 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ............................ 143.257 144.458 144.840 145.390 3.1 6.2 7.3 6.1 4.6 6.7 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair 1 ....................... 255.042 255.133 255.509 256.077 2.5 1.5 2.4 1.6 2.0 2.0 

Public transportation ....................................................... 269.065 263.506 263.228 264.968 9.4 22.2 4.5 -6.0 15.6 -.9 

Medical care ...................................................................... 400.682 401.374 402.449 403.355 3.8 3.4 3.3 2.7 3.6 3.0 

Medical care commodities 1 ............................................ 316.099 315.710 315.957 316.299 2.4 5.9 4.3 .3 4.1 2.3 

Medical care services ..................................................... 425.316 426.464 427.870 428.997 4.3 2.6 3.0 3.5 3.5 3.2

Professional services .................................................... 337.966 338.809 339.447 340.063 2.8 2.5 1.1 2.5 2.6 1.8

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—

May

2011

June

2011

July

2011

Aug.

2011

Nov.

2010

Feb.

2011

May

2011

Aug.

2011 Feb.

2011

Aug.

2011

Expenditure category

Hospital and related services ........................................ 641.005 644.001 647.029 650.044 8.6 5.0 6.6 5.8 6.8 6.2 

Recreation 2 ...................................................................... 110.076 110.001 109.989 110.007 -2.1 1.9 1.2 -.3 -.2 .5 

Video and audio 2 ........................................................... 99.080 98.575 99.198 98.741 -.4 -.3 .2 -1.4 -.3 -.6 

Education and communication 2 ....................................... 125.340 125.440 125.517 125.576 .1 -.6 .8 .8 -.2 .8 

Education 2 ..................................................................... 203.768 204.259 205.277 205.796 2.9 5.4 4.3 4.0 4.1 4.2 

Educational books and supplies ................................... 531.355 532.591 532.994 534.305 5.8 9.1 5.1 2.2 7.4 3.6 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ...................... 572.656 574.039 577.124 578.589 2.6 5.0 4.2 4.2 3.8 4.2 

Communication 2 ............................................................ 85.857 85.836 85.644 85.568 -1.6 -4.2 -1.4 -1.3 -2.9 -1.4 

Information and information processing 2 ..................... 83.513 83.492 83.298 83.221 -1.6 -4.9 -1.5 -1.4 -3.3 -1.4 

Telephone services 1 2 ............................................... 100.610 100.657 100.366 100.405 -1.0 -4.7 -.6 -.8 -2.9 -.7 

Information technology, hardware and services 5 ....... 9.612 9.584 9.582 9.527 -3.7 -5.8 -4.4 -3.5 -4.7 -4.0 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 6 ..... 69.761 68.685 68.476 66.880 -5.7 -16.6 -10.9 -15.5 -11.3 -13.3 

Other goods and services ................................................. 414.012 415.446 416.213 417.579 -.7 2.7 -1.2 3.5 1.0 1.1

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ................................... 830.137 833.452 837.692 842.479 -.9 4.3 -2.0 6.1 1.6 2.0 

Personal care .................................................................. 205.463 206.112 206.107 206.492 -.5 1.8 -.7 2.0 .7 .7 

Personal care products 1 .............................................. 160.083 160.780 160.567 159.655 -1.4 2.9 -4.6 -1.1 .7 -2.8 

Personal care services 1 ............................................... 230.709 230.814 230.579 230.907 -1.3 1.0 .5 .3 -.2 .4 

Miscellaneous personal services .................................. 363.012 363.440 364.641 365.672 2.5 2.6 2.3 3.0 2.5 2.6 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ....................................................................... 188.580 187.064 189.046 190.282 4.3 12.7 9.3 3.7 8.5 6.4 

Food and beverages ......................................................... 226.540 226.929 227.802 229.016 2.4 4.6 6.4 4.4 3.5 5.4

Commodities less food and beverages ............................. 167.363 165.079 167.478 168.690 5.5 17.8 10.9 3.2 11.5 7.0 

Nondurables less food and beverages ........................... 222.447 217.845 220.896 222.967 12.1 28.1 14.3 .9 19.8 7.4 

Apparel .......................................................................... 119.528 121.203 122.700 123.897 -1.9 .9 3.9 15.4 -.5 9.5 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel .......... 290.849 281.604 286.641 289.480 15.2 34.7 18.8 -1.9 24.6 8.0 

Durables .......................................................................... 114.560 115.400 115.677 116.073 -4.3 1.5 8.0 5.4 -1.4 6.7 

Services .............................................................................. 260.366 260.433 260.993 261.562 1.1 2.1 2.2 1.9 1.6 2.0 

Rent of shelter 4 ................................................................ 235.649 235.908 236.372 237.045 1.8 1.3 .9 2.4 1.6 1.7 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ............................. 127.859 128.242 128.377 128.727 3.3 -1.6 -.5 2.7 .8 1.1 

Energy services 3 .............................................................. 194.818 192.818 193.693 194.520 -4.5 4.3 5.9 -.6 -.2 2.6 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 .............. 179.223 179.953 180.357 180.557 4.8 6.1 5.0 3.0 5.5 4.0 

Household operations 1 2 ................................................. 154.378 154.581 154.670 154.879 -2.0 2.4 1.8 1.3 .2 1.5 

Transportation services ..................................................... 268.275 267.896 267.720 268.407 3.9 4.1 4.0 .2 4.0 2.1

Medical care services ....................................................... 425.316 426.464 427.870 428.997 4.3 2.6 3.0 3.5 3.5 3.2 

Other services ................................................................... 299.096 299.140 299.585 299.911 .1 .9 1.8 1.1 .5 1.4 

Special indexes

All items less food ............................................................... 220.488 219.523 220.891 221.765 2.5 6.9 5.0 2.3 4.7 3.7 

All items less shelter ........................................................... 215.486 214.295 215.872 216.959 3.0 8.8 7.0 2.8 5.9 4.9 

All items less medical care .................................................. 214.223 213.426 214.730 215.656 2.4 6.8 5.4 2.7 4.6 4.0 

Commodities less food ........................................................ 169.536 167.311 169.640 170.837 5.3 17.1 10.6 3.1 11.1 6.8 

Nondurables less food ........................................................ 223.118 218.640 221.553 223.538 11.4 26.3 13.9 .8 18.6 7.1 

Nondurables less food and apparel .................................... 284.399 275.970 280.419 283.019 14.1 31.9 18.0 -1.9 22.7 7.6

Nondurables ........................................................................ 226.125 223.294 225.476 226.992 7.2 16.0 11.8 1.5 11.5 6.5 

Services less rent of shelter 4 ............................................. 256.332 255.986 256.220 256.800 1.2 2.9 3.1 .7 2.0 1.9 

Services less medical care services ................................... 248.874 248.840 249.178 249.772 1.4 1.9 2.0 1.5 1.6 1.7 

Energy ................................................................................. 251.126 239.606 246.895 249.914 16.4 47.6 21.0 -1.9 31.1 8.9 

All items less energy ........................................................... 218.935 219.475 220.065 220.749 .9 2.3 3.3 3.4 1.6 3.3 

All items less food and energy .......................................... 217.826 218.395 218.908 219.477 .6 1.7 2.6 3.1 1.2 2.8 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ........... 147.607 148.509 148.996 149.589 -1.6 1.3 4.4 5.5 -.1 4.9 

Energy commodities ..................................................... 315.284 294.876 308.122 313.210 32.8 81.7 30.1 -2.6 55.4 12.6 

Services less energy services ......................................... 267.500 267.802 268.327 268.865 1.5 1.9 1.9 2.1 1.7 2.0 

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. 6 Indexes on a December 2007=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

Aug.2011 from—

Percent change to

July2011 from—

May

2011

June

2011

July

2011

Aug.

2011

Aug.

2010

June

2011

July

2011

July

2010

May

2011

June

2011

U.S. city average ............................................ M 222.954 222.522 222.686 223.326 4.3 0.4 0.3 4.1 -0.1 0.1 

Region and area size2

Northeast urban .............................................. M 240.209 240.158 240.707 241.431 4.2 .5 .3 4.0 .2 .2 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 239.852 239.972 240.475 241.191 4.0 .5 .3 3.8 .3 .2 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 146.390 146.144 146.536 146.985 4.7 .6 .3 4.5 .1 .3 

Midwest urban ................................................ M 212.572 212.556 212.718 213.212 4.4 .3 .2 4.3 .1 .1 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 212.272 212.147 212.211 212.589 4.4 .2 .2 4.4 .0 .0 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 139.532 139.738 139.835 140.207 4.3 .3 .3 4.2 .2 .1 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 211.052 210.516 211.120 211.873 4.4 .6 .4 4.5 .0 .3 

South urban .................................................... M 218.437 217.722 218.087 218.947 4.9 .6 .4 4.6 -.2 .2 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 219.971 219.263 219.543 220.583 4.6 .6 .5 4.3 -.2 .1 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 139.744 139.407 139.584 140.190 5.1 .6 .4 4.8 -.1 .1 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 226.539 224.807 225.923 225.793 4.8 .4 -.1 5.2 -.3 .5 

West urban ..................................................... M 223.944 223.237 222.815 223.204 3.3 .0 .2 3.2 -.5 -.2 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 226.399 225.670 225.152 225.662 3.1 .0 .2 3.0 -.6 -.2 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 138.816 138.392 138.151 138.255 3.6 -.1 .1 3.5 -.5 -.2 

Size classes

A 4 .............................................................. M 205.758 205.415 205.474 206.077 4.0 .3 .3 3.8 -.1 .0 

B/C 3 ........................................................... M 140.412 140.179 140.288 140.723 4.6 .4 .3 4.4 -.1 .1 

D ................................................................. M 219.159 218.067 218.791 219.093 4.4 .5 .1 4.6 -.2 .3 

Selected local areas5

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI ................... M 215.358 215.325 214.437 214.740 4.1 -.3 .1 3.9 -.4 -.4 

Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA ... M 226.842 225.461 224.277 224.665 2.7 -.4 .2 2.7 -1.1 -.5 

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

NY-NJ-CT-PA ......................................... M 244.316 244.601 245.265 246.025 3.9 .6 .3 3.8 .4 .3 

Boston-Brockton-Nashua, MA-NH-ME-CT ..... 1 246.825 -

 245.949 ---- 3.9 -.4 -

Cleveland-Akron, OH ...................................... 1 204.105 - 203.660 ---- 4.2 -.2 -

Dallas-Fort Worth, TX ..................................... 1 214.038 - 213.480 ---- 4.9 -.3 -

Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV 6 ...... 1 148.638 - 148.294 ---- 4.5 -.2 -

Atlanta, GA ..................................................... 2 - 210.598 - 212.325 4.2 .8 ----

Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI .............................. 2 - 210.354 - 210.377 4.5 .0 ----

Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX .................... 2 - 200.444 - 201.772 4.4 .7 ----

Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ............................. 2 - 229.353 - 231.448 4.8 .9 ----

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,

PA-NJ-DE-MD ........................................ 2 - 234.965 - 236.583 3.5 .7 ----

San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA ........... 2 - 230.605 - 231.445 3.2 .4 ----

Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA .................... 2 - 230.072 - 230.558 3.2 .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 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,

2007-2008

 Unadjusted

 indexes

 Unadjusted

 percent change to

 Aug. 2011 from—

 July

 2011

 Aug.

 2011

 Aug.

 2010

 July

 2011

Expenditure category

All items ...................................................................................... 100.000 129.930 130.258 3.6 0.3 

Food and beverages ................................................................ 14.519 132.832 133.489 4.4 .5 

Food ....................................................................................... 13.493 133.064 133.764 4.7 .5 

Food at home ....................................................................... 7.780 129.069 129.875 5.9 .6 

Food away from home .......................................................... 5.712 138.500 139.045 3.0 .4 

Alcoholic beverages ............................................................... 1.027 130.514 130.624 1.4 .1 

Housing .................................................................................... 42.074 130.366 130.528 1.5 .1 

Shelter .................................................................................... 32.119 133.109 133.331 1.6 .2 

Fuels and utilities .................................................................... 5.231 165.819 165.667 2.8 -.1 

Household furnishings and operations ................................... 4.724 92.533 92.610 -.3 .1 

Apparel ..................................................................................... 3.772 88.719 90.756 3.6 2.3 

Transportation .......................................................................... 17.199 145.528 145.446 11.9 -.1 

Private transportation ............................................................. 16.013 146.471 146.382 12.2 -.1 

Public transportation ............................................................... 1.186 133.536 133.531 7.1 .0 

Medical care ............................................................................. 6.294 154.776 154.976 3.0 .1 

Medical care commodities ...................................................... 1.570 136.465 136.516 2.8 .0 

Medical care services ............................................................. 4.723 161.498 161.756 3.0 .2 

Recreation ................................................................................ 6.625 102.413 102.354 -.8 -.1 

Education and communication ................................................. 6.288 112.666 113.465 .5 .7 

Education ............................................................................... 2.804 190.158 193.837 4.2 1.9 

Communication ...................................................................... 3.484 71.181 70.991 -2.5 -.3 

Other goods and services ........................................................ 3.229 142.265 142.415 1.9 .1 

Commodity and service group

Services ...................................................................................... 59.383 138.211 138.512 1.8 .2 

Commodities .............................................................................. 40.617 120.021 120.385 6.3 .3 

Durables ................................................................................... 10.376 81.997 81.898 1.1 -.1 

Nondurables ............................................................................... 30.241 139.905 140.534 8.2 .4 

All items less food and energy ................................................. 76.901 121.821 122.166 1.7 .3 

Energy ........................................................................................ 9.606 214.070 213.270 18.1 -.4 

Indexes for 2011 are initial estimates. Indexes for 2010 are interim adjustments.

NOTE: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.