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Department 

of Labor

 

Bureau of Labor Statistics Washington, D.C. 20212 

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INTERNET ADDRESS: http://www.bls.gov/cpi/ Thursday, October 16, 2003

CONSUMER PRICE INDEX: SEPTEMBER 2003

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.3 percent in September, before 

seasonal adjustment, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. The September

level of 185.2 (1982-84=100) was 2.3 percent higher than in September 2002.

The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) rose 0.4 percent in 

September, prior to seasonal adjustment. The September level of 181.0 was 2.3 percent higher than in September

2002.

CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U)

On a seasonally adjusted basis, the CPI-U rose 0.3 percent in September, the same as in August. Energy 

costs advanced sharply for the second consecutive month--up 3.0 percent in September--reflecting a 6.3 percent 

increase in the index for gasoline. The index for food rose 0.2 percent with the index for food at home up 0.3 percent.

Increases in the indexes for dairy products and for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs were partially offset by declines in the 

indexes for fruits and vegetables, for cereal and bakery products, and for nonalcoholic beverages. The index for all 

items less food and energy increased 0.1 percent in September, the same as in August. A smaller increase in the index 

for shelter was offset by larger increases in the indexes for medical care and apparel.

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

Seasonally adjusted UnCompound adjusted

Expenditure Changes from preceding month annual rate 12-mos.

Category 1

9

2003 3-mos. ended ended

Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sep. Sep. ’03 Sep. ’03 

All Items .3 -.3 .0 .2 .2 .3 .3 3.1 ’98‘97Jan.’ 2.3

 Food and beverages .2 -.1 .3 .4 .1 .3 .2 2.2 2.5

 Housing .4 -.1 .4 .1 .2 .1 .1 1.3 2.4

 Apparel -.4 -.6 -.3 .4 .0 .1 .5 2.3 -2.1

 Transportation 1.0 -1.7 -1.3 .3 .2 1.1 .9 9.0 3.5

 Medical care .2 .2 .4 .3 .5 .2 .5 4.7 4.0

 Recreation .1 -.1 .3 .1 .0 .0 .2 .7 1.4

 Education and

 communication -.1 -.2 -.2 -.1 .5 .5 .1 4.1 1.3

 Other goods and

 Services -.1 .3 .0 .0 .4 .1 .1 2.4 1.0

 Special Indexes

 Energy 4.6 -4.6 -3.1 .8 .4 2.7 3.0 27.8 14.7

 Food .2 -.1 .3 .4 .1 .3 .2 2.5 2.4

 All Items less

 food and energy .0 .0 .3 .0 .2 .1 .1 1.5 1.2
Consumer prices increased at a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of 3.1 percent in the third quarter of 

2003, following an increase at a 5.2 percent rate in the first quarter and a decline at a 0.7 percent rate in the second 

quarter. This brings the year-to-date annual rate to 2.5 percent and compares with an increase of 2.4 percent in all of 

2002. The index for energy, which advanced at a 76.5 percent SAAR in the first quarter, before decreasing at a 24.5 

percent rate in the second quarter, advanced at a 27.8 rate in the third quarter of 2003. Thus far this year energy 

costs have risen at a 19.4 percent SAAR after increasing 10.7 percent in all of 2002. In the first nine months of 2003, 

petroleum-based energy costs increased at a 27.4 percent rate and charges for energy services increased at an 11.8

percent rate. The food index rose at a 2.6 percent SAAR in the first nine months of 2003. The index for grocery 

store food prices increased at a 3.0 percent rate, largely reflecting an increase in the index for meats, poultry, fish, and 

eggs--up at an annual rate of 6.7 percent. 

 The CPI-U excluding food and energy advanced at a 1.5 percent SAAR in the third quarter, following 

increases at rates of 0.8 and 1.0 percent in the first two quarter of 2003. The advance at a 1.1 percent SAAR for the 

first nine months of 2003 compares with a 1.9 percent rise in all of 2002. Smaller increases in the indexes for shelter 

and medical care were largely responsible for the deceleration. The annual rates for selected groups for the last seven 

and three-quarters years are shown below.

Percentage change 12 months SAAR 9

 ended in December mos. ended

in Sep.

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

All items 3.3 1.7 1.6 2.7 3.4 1.6 2.4 2.5

 Food and beverages 4.2 1.6 2.3 2.0 2.8 2.8 1.5 2.5

 Housing 2.9 2.4 2.3 2.2 4.3 2.9 2.4 2.3

 Apparel -.2 1.0 -.7 -.5 -1.8 -3.2 -1.8 -1.8

 Transportation 4.4 -1.4 -1.7 5.4 4.1 -3.8 3.8 4.8

 Medical care 3.0 2.8 3.4 3.7 4.2 4.7 5.0 3.3

 Recreation 3.0 1.5 1.2 .8 1.7 1.5 1.1 1.4

 Education and

 Communication 3.4 3.0 .7 1.6 1.3 3.2 2.2 1.5

 Other goods and services 3.6 5.2 8.8 5.1 4.2 4.5 3.3 1.9

Special indexes

 Energy 8.6 -3.4 -8.8 13.4 14.2 -13.0 10.7 19.4

 Energy commodities 13.8 -6.9 -15.1 29.5 15.7 -24.5 23.7 27.4

 Energy services 3.8 .2 -3.3 1.2 12.7 -1.5 .4 11.8

 All items less energy 2.9 2.1 2.4 2.0 2.6 2.8 1.8 1.3

 Food 4.3 1.5 2.3 1.9 2.8 2.8 1.5 2.6

 All items less

 food and energy 2.6 2.2 2.4 1.9 2.6 2.7 1.9 1.1
The food and beverages index rose 0.2 percent in September. The index for food at home increased 0.3

percent in September, following a 0.4 percent rise in August. Advances in the indexes for meats, poultry, fish and 

eggs and for dairy products--up 0.7 and 1.7 percent, respectively--were partially offset by declines in the indexes for 

fruits and vegetables, for cereal and bakery products, and for nonalcoholic beverages. Within the meats, poultry, fish, 

and eggs group, beef and pork prices rose 1.5 and 1.7 percent, respectively. Beef prices have risen 10.0 percent and 

pork prices 5.5 percent during the last 12 months. Milk prices rose 5.0 percent in September, their largest monthly 

advance since a 6.5 percent increase in October 1999. On the other hand, the index for fruits and vegetables declined 

for the second consecutive month, down 0.7 percent in September. Declines in the indexes for fresh fruits and for 

processed fruits and vegetables--down 2.2 and 0.9 percent, respectively--more than offset a 1.0 percent increase in 

the index for fresh vegetables. Among the other major grocery store food groups, the indexes for cereals and bakery 

products and for nonalcoholic beverages each declined 0.1 percent, while the index for other food at home increased 

0.2 percent. The other two components of the food and beverages index--food away from home and alcoholic

beverages--increased 0.1 percent and 0.6 percent, respectively.

The index for housing increased 0.1 percent in September, the same as in August. Shelter costs rose 0.1 

percent in September, following an increase of 0.2 percent in August. Within shelter, the indexes for rent and owners' 

equivalent rent rose 0.2 and 0.1 percent, respectively, while the index for lodging away from home declined 0.3

percent. (Prior to seasonal adjustment, the index for lodging away from home fell 5.3 percent, as a 5.9 percent 

decline in other lodging away from home including hotels and motels more than offset a 2.1 percent rise in the index for

housing at school.) The index for fuels and utilities increased 0.2 percent in September. A 0.6 percent increase in the 

index for electricity more than offset declines in the indexes for fuel oil and for natural gas—down 1.9 and 0.4 percent, 

respectively. For the 12 months ended in September, charges for natural gas have risen 24.8 percent, fuel oil prices, 

12.1 percent, and charges for electricity, 3.8 percent. The index for household furnishings and operations declined for 

the seventh consecutive month, down 0.4 percent in September. 

The transportation index increased 0.9 percent in September. The index for gasoline advanced for the fourth

consecutive month--up 6.3 percent in September. As of September the price of gasoline was 0.6 percent below its 

peak level of March 2003. The index for new vehicles, which turned up in August, declined 0.4 percent in 

September. (About 14 percent of the new vehicle sample in September was represented by 2004 models.) New 

vehicle prices are 1.7 percent lower than in September 2002. The index for used cars and trucks decreased 3.1

percent in September, and this index has declined 8.7 percent in the last 12 months. The index for public 

transportation declined 0.5 percent in September, reflecting declines in airline and other intercity transportation fares. 

Airline fares declined for the second consecutive month--down 1.8 percent in September--following increases in each 

of the preceding six months.

The index for apparel, which rose 0.1 percent in August, increased 0.5 percent in September. (Prior to 

seasonal adjustment, apparel prices rose 4.1 percent, reflecting price increases associated with the introduction of fallwinter wear.)

Medical care costs rose 0.5 percent in September and are 4.0 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 0.5 percent in September. The indexes for professional services and for

hospital and related services increased 0.3 and 0.6 percent, respectively.

The index for recreation, which was unchanged in each of the preceding two months, increased 0.2 percent in 

September. Small price increases within the index for recreational services, primarily for admissions to movies, 

theaters, concerts, and sporting events, more than offset declines in the indexes for toys, for sporting goods, for 

photography, and for pets, pet products and services. 

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

0.6 percent, while communication costs declined 0.4 percent. The index for college tuition and fees, which rose 2.5 

percent in August, increased 0.7 percent in September. (Prior to seasonal adjustment, this index rose 2.4 percent to a

level 9.5 percent above a year ago.) Within the communication group, the index for telephone services decreased 0.4

percent, reflecting a decline in long distance charges. The index for personal computers and peripheral equipment

declined 2.4 percent in September and 22.7 percent during the last 12 months.
The index for other goods and services rose 0.1 percent in September. A decline in cigarette prices was more 

than offset by price increases for haircuts and for miscellaneous personal services. Prices for cigarettes fell 0.7 percent 

in September and are 4.0 percent lower than their level in September 2002.

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

On a seasonally adjusted basis, the CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers increased 0.3 percent 

in September.

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

Seasonally adjusted UnCompound adjusted

Expenditure Changes from preceding month annual rate 12-mos.

Category 1

9

2003 3-mos. ended ended

Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sep. Sep. ’03 Sep. ’03 

All Items .5 -.5 -.1 .2 .1 .4 .3 3.2 ’98‘97Jan.’ 2.3

 Food and beverages .2 -.1 .3 .4 .1 .3 .3 2.7 2.6

 Housing .6 -.1 .3 .1 .2 .2 .1 1.6 2.6

 Apparel -.2 -.8 -.1 .4 -.5 .3 .7 2.0 -2.0

 Transportation 1.1 -1.9 -1.5 .3 .1 1.1 .8 8.2 3.3

 Medical care .2 .1 .4 .3 .4 .2 .5 4.4 4.0

 Recreation .0 -.1 .2 .0 .2 .0 .0 .8 1.1

 Education and

 communication -.2 -.3 -.2 -.2 .5 .4 -.1 3.0 .5

 Other goods and

 Services -.3 .3 -.1 .0 .5 .2 .0 2.5 .0

 Special Indexes

 Energy 4.6 -4.8 -3.4 1.1 .4 3.0 3.3 30.2 15.1

 Food .1 -.1 .3 .4 .1 .3 .3 2.7 2.6

 All Items less

 food and energy .1 .0 .2 .1 .1 .1 .0 .6 .9

Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U)

The C-CPI-U rose 0.3 percent in September on a not seasonally adjusted basis. The September level of 

108.1 (December 1999=100) was 1.8 percent higher than in September 2002. Table 7 contains the most recent 

indexes for all items and the component series that are published. Data are published monthly in the CPI Detailed 

Report and are available on the CPI home page: http://www.bls.gov/cpi/. Please note that the indexes for the post2001 period are subject to revision. 

Consumer Price Index data for October are scheduled for release on Tuesday, November 18, 2003, at 8:30 

A.M. (EST). 
Facilities for Sensory Impaired

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

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

691-5200.

Brief Explanation of the CPI

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

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

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

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

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

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

technical workers, the self-employed, short-term workers, the unemployed, and retirees and others not in the labor 

force.

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

dentists’ services, drugs, and other goods and services that people buy for day-to-day living. Prices are collected in 87 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

the country, for cross-classifications of regions and population-size classes, and for 27 local areas. Area indexes do not 

measure differences in the level of prices among cities; they only measure the average change in prices for each area 

since the base period. For the C-CPI-U data are issued only at the national level. It is important to note that the CPIU and CPI-W are considered final when released, but the C-CPI-U is issued in preliminary form and subject to two 

annual revisions.

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

base is 1982-84 equals 100.0. The reference base for the C-CPI-U is December 1999 equals 100.

An increase of 16.5 percent from the reference base, for example, is shown as 116.5. This change can also be 

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

from $10 in 1982-84 to $11.65. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

month period.

Index Point Change

CPI 115.7

Less previous index 111.2

Equals index point change 4.5

Percent Change

Index point difference 4.5

Divided by the previous index 111.2

Equals 0.040

Results multiplied by one hundred 0.040x100

Equals percent change 4.0

Regions Defined

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

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

Vermont. 

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

Wisconsin. 

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

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

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

Wyoming. 
A Note on Seasonally Adjusted and Unadjusted Data

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

seasonally adjusted as well as unadjusted changes each month.

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

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

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

sales.

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

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

plans, for example, tie compensation changes to the Consumer Price Index unadjusted for seasonal variation.

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

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

Subsequent annual updates have replaced 5 years of seasonal data; e.g., data from 1998 through 2002 were replaced 

at the end of 2002. 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: 44 of the 73 components are seasonally adjusted for 2003.

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

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

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

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

Analysis Seasonal Adjustment allows for better estimates of seasonally adjusted data. Extreme values and/or sharp 

movements which might distort the seasonal pattern are estimated and removed from the data prior to calculation of 

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

Intervention Analysis Seasonal Adjustment.

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

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

those series. For the Nonalcoholic beverages index, the procedure was used to offset the effects of a large increase in 

coffee prices due to adverse weather. The procedure was used to account for unusual butter fat supply reductions and 

decreases in milk supply affecting the Fats and oils series. For the Water and sewerage maintenance index, the 

procedure was used to account for a data collection anomaly and dry weather in California. It was used to offset an 

increase in demand due to warmer than expected weather and increased rates to conserve supplies for Electricity. For 
New vehicles, New cars, and New trucks, the procedure was used to offset the effects of a model changeover 

combined with financing incentives.

 For a complete list of series that used Intervention Analysis Seasonal Adjustment, a list of unusual events modeled 

for them, or for a description of intervention analysis please write to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Division of 

Consumer Prices and Price Indexes, Washington, DC 20212 or by calling Daniel Chow on (202) 691-6968 or sending 

e-mail to Chow_Dan@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

2002

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Sep. 2003 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Aug.

2003

Sep.

2003

Sep.

2002

Aug.

2003

June to

July

July to

Aug.

Aug. to

Sep.

Expenditure category

All items ..................................................................................... 100.000 184.6 185.2 2.3 0.3 0.2 0.3 0.3 

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

 553.0 554.7 - - - - -

Food and beverages ............................................................... 15.583 180.9 181.3 2.5 .2 .1 .3 .2 

Food ...................................................................................... 14.554 180.4 180.7 2.4 .2 .1 .3 .2 

Food at home ...................................................................... 8.338 179.7 180.1 2.8 .2 -.1 .4 .3 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................ 1.281 204.5 203.5 2.6 -.5 .3 .0 -.1 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ........................................... 2.222 169.7 171.1 5.7 .8 .4 .7 .7 

Dairy and related products 1 .............................................. .876 167.5 170.3 2.4 1.7 .5 1.7 1.7 

Fruits and vegetables ........................................................ 1.234 224.9 224.4 2.7 -.2 .3 -.4 -.7 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ............. .954 139.7 139.2 -.7 -.4 -1.5 .5 -.1 

Other food at home ........................................................... 1.771 163.2 163.1 1.4 -.1 -.6 .2 .2 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................ .314 162.5 162.3 1.7 -.1 -.2 -.1 -.1 

Fats and oils .................................................................... .252 157.7 157.6 1.5 -.1 -.6 .8 .2 

Other foods ...................................................................... 1.205 179.4 179.4 1.4 .0 -.7 .2 .3 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... .287 109.9 111.0 1.2 1.0 -.2 -1.3 1.0 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 6.216 182.6 182.8 2.0 .1 .2 .2 .1 

Other food away from home 2 ............................................ .388 121.4 121.8 2.5 .3 -.3 -.1 .0 

Alcoholic beverages .............................................................. 1.029 187.1 187.9 2.2 .4 -.1 -.1 .6 

Housing ................................................................................... 40.854 186.1 185.8 2.4 -.2 .2 .1 .1 

Shelter ................................................................................... 31.728 214.3 213.8 2.2 -.2 .3 .2 .1 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 6.467 206.1 206.6 2.9 .2 .2 .2 .2 

Lodging away from home 2 3 ................................................ 2.654 125.1 118.5 .8 -5.3 .7 -.3 -.3 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 22.243 220.1 220.7 2.1 .3 .3 .2 .1 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. .365 115.8 115.9 5.4 .1 .3 .2 .1 

Fuels and utilities ................................................................... 4.469 159.2 159.6 8.4 .3 -.2 .1 .2 

Fuels .................................................................................... 3.604 143.0 143.4 9.5 .3 -.4 -.1 .1 

Fuel oil and other fuels ...................................................... .205 130.7 130.5 13.3 -.2 1.0 1.2 -1.9 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 3.399 151.0 151.5 9.2 .3 -.5 -.1 .3 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. .864 118.0 118.3 4.1 .3 .3 .8 .3 

Household furnishings and operations .................................. 4.658 125.5 125.2 -2.3 -.2 -.2 -.3 -.4 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... .820 121.8 122.3 2.2 .4 -.1 .1 .4 

Apparel .................................................................................... 4.220 117.2 122.0 -2.1 4.1 .0 .1 .5

Men’s and boys’ apparel ....................................................... 1.065 113.4 117.3 -2.3 3.4 .1 -.6 1.7 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ................................................... 1.738 107.9 115.5 -2.1 7.0 -.1 .2 -.1 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ................................................ .193 120.8 124.1 -1.7 2.7 -1.3 2.2 1.1 

Footwear ............................................................................... .853 117.8 120.3 -1.1 2.1 -.2 .0 .8 

Transportation ......................................................................... 17.293 158.3 159.4 3.5 .7 .2 1.1 .9 

Private transportation ............................................................ 16.121 154.1 155.4 3.6 .8 .1 1.2 .9 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 8.170 96.0 95.1 -3.6 -.9 -.4 -.2 -1.0 

New vehicles ..................................................................... 4.864 136.8 136.4 -1.7 -.3 -.1 .5 -.4 

Used cars and trucks ......................................................... 2.025 143.3 139.0 -8.7 -3.0 -1.4 -1.6 -3.1 

Motor fuel ............................................................................ 3.119 139.0 147.1 20.9 5.8 1.5 6.0 6.2 

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................ 3.091 138.4 146.5 21.0 5.9 1.2 6.2 6.3 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... .416 107.9 107.7 .3 -.2 -.1 .3 -.2 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................ 1.418 195.7 196.2 2.5 .3 .6 -.3 .2 

Public transportation .............................................................. 1.172 213.8 211.2 2.3 -1.2 .5 -.8 -.5 

Medical care ............................................................................ 5.961 298.4 299.2 4.0 .3 .5 .2 .5 

Medical care commodities ..................................................... 1.387 264.1 264.9 2.7 .3 .5 .3 .4 

Medical care services ............................................................ 4.574 307.2 308.2 4.4 .3 .4 .2 .5 

Professional services 3 ......................................................... 2.808 261.7 262.3 2.9 .2 .2 .0 .3 

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 1.451 398.0 399.6 7.0 .4 .7 .5 .6 

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

2002

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Sep. 2003 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Aug.

2003

Sep.

2003

Sep.

2002

Aug.

2003

June to

July

July to

Aug.

Aug. to

Sep.

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 5.943 107.7 107.7 1.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 

Video and audio 2 ................................................................... 1.638 103.7 103.5 1.2 -.2 .1 .0 .3 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 5.798 110.1 110.9 1.3 .7 .5 .5 .1 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 2.835 136.2 138.7 7.0 1.8 .7 1.3 .6 

Educational books and supplies .......................................... .236 338.5 338.2 4.6 -.1 .5 .7 -1.0 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ............................. 2.599 392.1 400.0 7.3 2.0 .7 1.4 .7 

Communication 2 .................................................................... 2.963 89.0 88.6 -4.2 -.4 .2 -.4 -.4 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 2.765 87.0 86.7 -4.4 -.3 .3 -.6 -.3 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 2.273 97.8 97.4 -2.7 -.4 .6 -.3 -.4 

Information and information processing other than

telephone services 1 5 ................................................ .492 15.7 15.6 -12.4 -.6 -1.2 -1.9 -.6 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... .210 16.7 16.3 -22.7 -2.4 -1.7 -2.9 -2.4 

Other goods and services ....................................................... 4.350 299.6 299.9 1.0 .1 .4 .1 .1 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... .992 471.8 468.7 -3.5 -.7 1.2 .6 -.7 

Personal care 1 ...................................................................... 3.358 178.4 179.0 2.3 .3 .1 .0 .3 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... .680 153.5 153.4 -.6 -.1 .3 -.5 -.1 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... .897 193.9 195.4 3.3 .8 .2 .4 .8 

Miscellaneous personal services ......................................... 1.573 284.3 285.3 3.7 .4 .1 .1 .4 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ............................................................................. 40.822 150.9 152.0 1.2 .7 .1 .5 .4 

Food and beverages ............................................................... 15.583 180.9 181.3 2.5 .2 .1 .3 .2 

Commodities less food and beverages ................................... 25.239 133.9 135.4 .4 1.1 .1 .7 .5 

Nondurables less food and beverages .................................. 13.824 149.2 153.1 4.0 2.6 1.1 2.2 .9 

Apparel ................................................................................ 4.220 117.2 122.0 -2.1 4.1 .0 .1 .5 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel ................. 9.604 173.0 176.4 6.8 2.0 .7 2.7 1.4 

Durables ................................................................................ 11.416 116.7 115.7 -4.1 -.9 -.5 -.3 -.9 

Services ..................................................................................... 59.178 218.0 218.1 3.1 .0 .2 .2 .2 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 31.364 223.1 222.6 2.2 -.2 .3 .1 .1 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... .365 115.8 115.9 5.4 .1 .3 .2 .1 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 3.399 151.0 151.5 9.2 .3 -.5 -.1 .3 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... .864 118.0 118.3 4.1 .3 .3 .8 .3 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... .820 121.8 122.3 2.2 .4 -.1 .1 .4 

Transportation services ........................................................... 6.722 217.2 216.8 3.2 -.2 .4 -.2 .1 

Medical care services .............................................................. 4.574 307.2 308.2 4.4 .3 .4 .2 .5 

Other services ......................................................................... 11.071 255.5 257.0 3.2 .6 .3 .4 .4 

Special indexes

All items less food ..................................................................... 85.446 185.3 186.0 2.3 .4 .2 .3 .3 

All items less shelter .................................................................. 68.272 175.0 176.0 2.4 .6 .2 .3 .4 

All items less medical care ........................................................ 94.039 178.7 179.2 2.2 .3 .2 .3 .3 

Commodities less food .............................................................. 26.268 135.9 137.3 .4 1.0 .1 .7 .5 

Nondurables less food ............................................................... 14.853 151.5 155.2 4.0 2.4 .9 2.1 .9 

Nondurables less food and apparel ........................................... 10.633 173.4 176.6 6.3 1.8 .7 2.0 1.7 

Nondurables .............................................................................. 29.406 165.2 167.4 3.2 1.3 .5 1.2 .5 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 27.815 228.4 229.2 4.2 .4 .1 .2 .4 

Services less medical care services .......................................... 54.604 210.3 210.3 3.0 .0 .2 .1 .3 

Energy ....................................................................................... 6.723 140.6 144.6 14.7 2.8 .4 2.7 3.0 

All items less energy ................................................................. 93.277 190.8 191.0 1.4 .1 .2 .1 .1 

All items less food and energy ................................................ 78.724 193.5 193.6 1.2 .1 .2 .1 .1 

Commodities less food and energy commodities .................. 22.945 139.7 140.2 -2.4 .4 -.1 -.1 -.4 

Energy commodities ............................................................ 3.324 139.2 146.9 20.4 5.5 1.5 5.6 5.8 

Services less energy services ............................................... 55.779 224.9 224.9 2.7 .0 .3 .2 .2 

Purchasing power of the consumer dollar (1982-84=$1.00) ..... - $ .542 $ .540 - - - - -

Purchasing power of the consumer dollar (1967=$1.00) .......... - $ .181 $ .180 - - - - -

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

item stratum index series converted to a geometric means estimator in

January, 1999.

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—

June

2003

July

2003

Aug.

2003

Sep.

2003

Dec.

2002

Mar.

2003

June

2003

Sep.

2003

Mar.

2003

Sep.

2003

Expenditure category

All items ..................................................................................... 183.6 183.9 184.5 185.0 1.6 5.2 -0.7 3.1 3.3 1.2 

Food and beverages ............................................................... 180.3 180.4 180.9 181.3 2.3 2.5 2.7 2.2 2.4 2.5 

Food ...................................................................................... 179.7 179.8 180.4 180.8 2.1 2.7 2.7 2.5 2.4 2.6 

Food at home ...................................................................... 179.1 179.0 179.7 180.3 2.1 3.0 3.4 2.7 2.5 3.1 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................ 203.1 203.7 203.7 203.5 -.8 9.6 .8 .8 4.3 .8 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ........................................... 167.5 168.1 169.2 170.4 3.0 6.8 6.2 7.1 4.9 6.7 

Dairy and related products 1 .............................................. 163.9 164.7 167.5 170.3 2.4 -.5 -7.4 16.6 1.0 3.9 

Fruits and vegetables ........................................................ 228.8 229.5 228.5 227.0 4.6 -1.2 11.6 -3.1 1.6 4.0 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ............. 141.0 138.9 139.6 139.5 .6 -3.9 5.0 -4.2 -1.7 .3 

Other food at home ........................................................... 163.2 162.3 162.7 163.0 2.5 1.7 2.0 -.5 2.1 .7 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................ 162.8 162.4 162.3 162.2 2.3 4.6 1.7 -1.5 3.4 .1 

Fats and oils .................................................................... 156.8 155.8 157.0 157.3 -1.8 9.4 -2.3 1.3 3.6 -.5 

Other foods ...................................................................... 179.7 178.5 178.9 179.4 3.2 -.2 2.9 -.7 1.5 1.1 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... 111.5 111.3 109.9 111.0 1.8 -.4 5.2 -1.8 .7 1.6 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 181.9 182.3 182.6 182.8 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 

Other food away from home 2 ............................................ 121.8 121.4 121.3 121.3 4.5 3.7 3.7 -1.6 4.1 1.0 

Alcoholic beverages .............................................................. 187.1 187.0 186.9 188.0 2.6 2.8 1.1 1.9 2.7 1.5 

Housing ................................................................................... 184.8 185.1 185.3 185.4 2.5 4.2 1.5 1.3 3.3 1.4 

Shelter ................................................................................... 212.7 213.3 213.7 214.0 2.7 1.1 2.5 2.5 1.9 2.5 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 205.4 205.8 206.3 206.8 3.0 3.2 3.0 2.8 3.1 2.9 

Lodging away from home 2 3 ................................................ 119.4 120.2 119.8 119.4 1.7 -11.3 14.6 .0 -5.0 7.1 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 219.3 219.9 220.4 220.7 2.8 2.2 .7 2.6 2.5 1.7 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. 115.2 115.6 115.8 115.9 8.6 6.2 4.3 2.5 7.4 3.4 

Fuels and utilities ................................................................... 156.4 156.1 156.2 156.5 3.4 36.0 -1.3 .3 18.6 -.5 

Fuels .................................................................................... 140.4 139.9 139.8 140.0 3.2 44.5 -2.0 -1.1 22.1 -1.6 

Fuel oil and other fuels ...................................................... 134.7 136.0 137.6 135.0 13.4 215.3 -54.4 .9 89.1 -32.2 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 147.9 147.2 147.0 147.4 3.0 37.4 3.0 -1.3 18.9 .8 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. 116.6 117.0 117.9 118.3 3.9 3.2 3.5 6.0 3.6 4.7 

Household furnishings and operations .................................. 126.1 125.9 125.5 125.0 -1.6 -.9 -3.1 -3.4 -1.2 -3.3 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... 121.8 121.7 121.8 122.3 .7 5.8 .7 1.7 3.2 1.2 

Apparel .................................................................................... 120.5 120.5 120.6 121.2 -2.6 -5.7 -2.0 2.3 -4.2 .2 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ....................................................... 116.5 116.6 115.9 117.9 -3.3 2.4 -12.3 4.9 -.5 -4.1 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ................................................... 113.1 113.0 113.2 113.1 -2.7 -7.1 1.1 .0 -5.0 .5 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ................................................ 122.2 120.6 123.2 124.5 -4.0 -8.9 -.7 7.7 -6.5 3.5 

Footwear ............................................................................... 119.4 119.2 119.2 120.1 .0 -8.6 2.4 2.4 -4.4 2.4 

Transportation ......................................................................... 156.6 156.9 158.6 160.0 .0 17.6 -10.3 9.0 8.5 -1.1 

Private transportation ............................................................ 152.5 152.7 154.6 156.0 .0 19.3 -11.7 9.5 9.2 -1.6 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 97.1 96.7 96.5 95.5 -3.6 -1.2 -3.6 -6.4 -2.4 -5.0 

New vehicles ..................................................................... 137.6 137.4 138.1 137.6 -.3 -3.1 -3.1 .0 -1.7 -1.6 

Used cars and trucks ......................................................... 147.5 145.5 143.1 138.6 -9.6 5.0 -5.8 -22.0 -2.6 -14.3 

Motor fuel ............................................................................ 128.9 130.8 138.6 147.2 .7 120.0 -43.5 70.1 48.8 -2.0 

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................ 128.3 129.9 138.0 146.7 1.0 120.8 -43.7 70.9 49.3 -1.9 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... 107.7 107.6 107.9 107.7 -1.5 3.4 -.7 .0 .9 -.4 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................ 195.3 196.4 195.9 196.2 4.7 1.2 2.5 1.9 2.9 2.2 

Public transportation .............................................................. 211.8 212.9 211.3 210.3 1.6 -1.9 12.8 -2.8 -.2 4.7 

Medical care ............................................................................ 296.1 297.5 298.1 299.5 6.1 1.7 3.6 4.7 3.9 4.1 

Medical care commodities ..................................................... 261.6 263.0 263.9 264.9 3.1 2.2 .3 5.1 2.7 2.7 

Medical care services ............................................................ 305.2 306.4 306.9 308.5 7.1 1.5 4.7 4.4 4.2 4.6 

Professional services 3 ......................................................... 261.0 261.6 261.7 262.6 4.6 .9 3.8 2.5 2.8 3.1 

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 392.6 395.5 397.6 400.0 11.5 3.8 5.4 7.8 7.6 6.6 

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—

June

2003

July

2003

Aug.

2003

Sep.

2003

Dec.

2002

Mar.

2003

June

2003

Sep.

2003

Mar.

2003

Sep.

2003

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 107.6 107.6 107.6 107.8 1.5 2.3 1.1 0.7 1.9 0.9 

Video and audio 2 ................................................................... 103.5 103.6 103.6 103.9 4.4 -1.9 .8 1.6 1.2 1.2 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 109.1 109.6 110.1 110.2 .7 2.2 -1.8 4.1 1.5 1.1 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 133.4 134.3 136.1 136.9 5.1 6.7 5.9 10.9 5.9 8.4 

Educational books and supplies .......................................... 335.7 337.4 339.9 336.5 4.3 8.9 4.8 1.0 6.6 2.9 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ............................. 383.6 386.2 391.7 394.5 4.9 6.6 6.1 11.9 5.7 8.9 

Communication 2 .................................................................... 89.2 89.4 89.0 88.6 -3.0 -2.2 -8.9 -2.7 -2.6 -5.8 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 87.2 87.5 87.0 86.7 -3.1 -2.2 -9.9 -2.3 -2.6 -6.2 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 97.5 98.1 97.8 97.4 -.8 -.8 -8.5 -.4 -.8 -4.6 

Information and information processing other than

telephone services 1 5 ................................................ 16.2 16.0 15.7 15.6 -12.8 -9.0 -13.5 -14.0 -10.9 -13.8 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... 17.5 17.2 16.7 16.3 -24.0 -13.5 -28.0 -24.7 -18.9 -26.4 

Other goods and services ....................................................... 298.1 299.2 299.6 299.9 -1.6 2.0 1.1 2.4 .2 1.8

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... 463.5 469.1 471.8 468.7 -10.5 -4.4 -3.1 4.6 -7.5 .6 

Personal care 1 ...................................................................... 178.2 178.4 178.4 179.0 1.1 4.2 2.3 1.8 2.6 2.0 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... 153.8 154.2 153.5 153.4 -2.6 -.3 1.3 -1.0 -1.4 .1 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... 192.8 193.2 193.9 195.4 1.5 3.8 2.3 5.5 2.7 3.9 

Miscellaneous personal services ......................................... 283.8 284.1 284.3 285.5 3.4 4.4 4.3 2.4 3.9 3.4 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ............................................................................. 150.5 150.7 151.5 152.1 -.8 7.7 -5.9 4.3 3.4 -.9 

Food and beverages ............................................................... 180.3 180.4 180.9 181.3 2.3 2.5 2.7 2.2 2.4 2.5 

Commodities less food and beverages ................................... 133.7 133.8 134.8 135.5 -2.6 10.9 -10.6 5.5 3.9 -2.9 

Nondurables less food and beverages .................................. 145.6 147.2 150.5 151.8 6.2 18.4 -21.1 18.2 12.1 -3.5 

Apparel ................................................................................ 120.5 120.5 120.6 121.2 -2.6 -5.7 -2.0 2.3 -4.2 .2 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel ................. 168.2 169.4 173.9 176.4 -.5 37.9 -21.7 21.0 17.1 -2.7 

Durables ................................................................................ 118.2 117.6 117.2 116.1 -4.2 -1.0 -4.0 -6.9 -2.6 -5.5 

Services ..................................................................................... 216.4 216.9 217.3 217.8 3.3 3.8 2.8 2.6 3.5 2.7 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 221.5 222.2 222.5 222.8 2.4 1.5 2.4 2.4 1.9 2.4 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... 115.2 115.6 115.8 115.9 8.6 6.2 4.3 2.5 7.4 3.4 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 147.9 147.2 147.0 147.4 3.0 37.4 3.0 -1.3 18.9 .8 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... 116.6 117.0 117.9 118.3 3.9 3.2 3.5 6.0 3.6 4.7 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... 121.8 121.7 121.8 122.3 .7 5.8 .7 1.7 3.2 1.2 

Transportation services ........................................................... 216.8 217.6 217.2 217.5 3.3 2.5 5.9 1.3 2.9 3.6 

Medical care services .............................................................. 305.2 306.4 306.9 308.5 7.1 1.5 4.7 4.4 4.2 4.6 

Other services ......................................................................... 253.6 254.4 255.3 256.3 2.9 3.7 1.6 4.3 3.3 3.0 

Special indexes

All items less food ..................................................................... 184.3 184.6 185.2 185.8 1.6 5.8 -1.3 3.3 3.7 1.0 

All items less shelter .................................................................. 174.2 174.5 175.1 175.8 1.2 7.2 -2.3 3.7 4.1 .7 

All items less medical care ........................................................ 177.7 178.0 178.6 179.1 1.4 5.6 -1.1 3.2 3.5 1.0 

Commodities less food .............................................................. 135.7 135.8 136.7 137.4 -2.6 10.7 -10.2 5.1 3.8 -2.8 

Nondurables less food ............................................................... 148.1 149.4 152.6 154.0 6.4 17.2 -19.8 16.9 11.7 -3.2 

Nondurables less food and apparel ........................................... 168.9 170.0 173.4 176.4 .7 33.4 -20.0 19.0 15.9 -2.4 

Nondurables .............................................................................. 163.1 163.9 165.9 166.8 3.8 10.7 -9.5 9.4 7.2 -.5 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 226.8 227.1 227.5 228.5 3.5 6.5 3.8 3.0 5.0 3.4 

Services less medical care services .......................................... 208.7 209.2 209.5 210.1 2.8 3.8 2.9 2.7 3.3 2.8 

Energy ....................................................................................... 134.4 135.0 138.7 142.9 2.3 76.5 -24.5 27.8 34.4 -1.8 

All items less energy ................................................................. 190.4 190.7 190.9 191.1 1.7 1.1 1.5 1.5 1.4 1.5 

All items less food and energy ................................................ 193.0 193.4 193.6 193.7 1.5 .8 1.0 1.5 1.2 1.3 

Commodities less food and energy commodities .................. 141.0 140.9 140.7 140.2 -2.5 -1.7 -3.1 -2.3 -2.1 -2.7 

Energy commodities ............................................................ 129.9 131.8 139.2 147.3 1.3 125.0 -44.4 65.3 51.0 -4.1 

Services less energy services ............................................... 223.4 224.1 224.5 225.0 3.3 1.8 2.9 2.9 2.6 2.9 

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 converted to a geometric means estimator in

January, 1999. 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

Sep.2003 from—

Percent change to

Aug.2003 from—

June

2003

July

2003

Aug.

2003

Sep.

2003

Sep.

2002

July

2003

Aug.

2003

Aug.

2002

June

2003

July

2003

U.S. city average ........................................... M 183.7 183.9 184.6 185.2 2.3 0.7 0.3 2.2 0.5 0.4 

Region and area size2

Northeast urban ............................................. M 192.8 193.5 194.3 195.0 2.9 .8 .4 2.6 .8 .4 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ................... M 194.9 195.5 196.6 197.3 3.2 .9 .4 2.8 .9 .6 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 113.9 114.5 114.4 115.0 2.1 .4 .5 2.1 .4 -.1 

Midwest urban ............................................... M 178.4 178.1 178.8 179.5 1.9 .8 .4 1.7 .2 .4 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 .................. M 180.7 180.5 181.2 182.0 1.8 .8 .4 1.7 .3 .4 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 113.2 113.1 113.6 113.9 2.2 .7 .3 2.0 .4 .4 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) .............................................. M 172.6 171.4 172.1 172.3 1.4 .5 .1 1.4 -.3 .4 

South urban ................................................... M 177.2 177.3 177.9 178.3 2.4 .6 .2 2.4 .4 .3 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ................... M 179.0 179.1 179.8 180.1 2.5 .6 .2 2.5 .4 .4 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ............... M 113.1 113.1 113.4 113.8 2.3 .6 .4 2.3 .3 .3 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) .............................................. M 174.9 175.0 175.9 176.3 2.1 .7 .2 1.9 .6 .5 

West urban .................................................... M 188.1 188.4 189.2 189.6 2.1 .6 .2 2.1 .6 .4 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 .................. M 190.9 190.9 191.7 192.3 2.2 .7 .3 2.0 .4 .4 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 114.4 115.1 115.5 115.6 2.2 .4 .1 2.2 1.0 .3 

Size classes

A 4 .............................................................. M 168.2 168.3 169.0 169.6 2.5 .8 .4 2.2 .5 .4 

B/C 3 ........................................................... M 113.4 113.6 113.9 114.3 2.2 .6 .4 2.2 .4 .3 

D ................................................................ M 176.4 176.1 177.1 177.4 1.8 .7 .2 1.8 .4 .6 

Selected local areas5

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI .................. M 184.1 184.1 184.5 186.1 2.2 1.1 .9 1.6 .2 .2 

Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA .. M 186.3 186.3 186.9 188.2 2.6 1.0 .7 2.1 .3 .3 

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

NY-NJ-CT-PA ........................................ M 196.9 197.7 199.1 199.6 3.3 1.0 .3 3.1 1.1 .7 

Boston-Brockton-Nashua, MA-NH-ME-CT .... 1 - 203.0 - 206.8 3.9 1.9 - - - -

Cleveland-Akron, OH ..................................... 1 -

 176.0 - 178.5 2.2 1.4 - - - -

Dallas-Fort Worth, TX .................................... 1 - 176.5 - 177.0 2.2 .3 - - - -

Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV 6 ...... 1 -

 116.8 - 117.2 2.8 .3 - - - -

Atlanta, GA .................................................... 2 181.5 -

 181.7 - - - - 1.1 .1 -

Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI ............................. 2 182.8 -

 183.6 - - - - 1.5 .4 -

Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX ................... 2 162.5 - 164.1 - - - - 2.5 1.0 -

Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ............................ 2 179.4 - 180.9 - - - - 3.3 .8 -

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,

PA-NJ-DE-MD ....................................... 2 189.7 - 191.1 - - - - 1.5 .7 -

San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA .......... 2 196.3 - 196.3 - - - - 1.4 .0 -

Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA ................... 2 191.7 -

 194.4 - - - - 2.2 1.4 -

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

 most other goods and services priced as indicated: 

 M - Every month. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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. 
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

2002

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Sep. 2003 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Aug.

2003

Sep.

2003

Sep.

2002

Aug.

2003

June to

July

July to

Aug.

Aug. to

Sep.

Expenditure category

All items ..................................................................................... 100.000 180.3 181.0 2.3 0.4 0.1 0.4 0.3 

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

 537.1 539.2 - - - - -

Food and beverages ............................................................... 17.072 180.2 180.7 2.6 .3 .1 .3 .3 

Food ...................................................................................... 16.071 179.7 180.2 2.6 .3 .1 .3 .3 

Food at home ...................................................................... 9.646 178.8 179.4 2.9 .3 .0 .4 .4 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................ 1.449 204.5 203.5 2.6 -.5 .3 .0 .0 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ........................................... 2.773 169.5 170.9 5.8 .8 .5 .5 .7 

Dairy and related products 1 .............................................. .977 167.0 170.2 2.5 1.9 .6 1.6 1.9 

Fruits and vegetables ........................................................ 1.337 223.8 223.4 2.7 -.2 .3 -.4 -.7 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ............. 1.118 138.9 138.5 -.8 -.3 -1.5 .4 .1 

Other food at home ........................................................... 1.992 162.6 162.8 1.6 .1 -.6 .2 .3 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................ .337 162.1 162.1 1.6 .0 -.4 .1 .0 

Fats and oils .................................................................... .302 157.7 157.6 1.5 -.1 -.6 .9 -.1 

Other foods ...................................................................... 1.353 179.7 180.0 1.6 .2 -.6 .1 .5 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... .308 110.1 111.3 1.1 1.1 -.4 -1.3 1.1 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 6.425 182.4 182.7 2.1 .2 .2 .2 .2 

Other food away from home 2 ............................................ .278 121.6 122.0 2.3 .3 -.2 .0 -.1 

Alcoholic beverages .............................................................. 1.001 186.9 187.7 2.3 .4 .0 .1 .5 

Housing ................................................................................... 38.134 181.6 181.6 2.6 .0 .2 .2 .1 

Shelter ................................................................................... 29.422 207.7 207.6 2.3 .0 .2 .2 .1 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 8.456 205.3 205.8 2.9 .2 .2 .2 .1 

Lodging away from home 2 3 ................................................ 1.499 125.2 119.8 1.8 -4.3 .8 -.1 -.1 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 19.144 199.9 200.4 2.0 .3 .2 .3 .1 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. .323 115.7 115.8 5.2 .1 .3 .3 .1 

Fuels and utilities ................................................................... 4.783 158.7 159.1 8.6 .3 -.2 .1 .2 

Fuels .................................................................................... 3.902 141.9 142.3 9.5 .3 -.4 -.1 .2 

Fuel oil and other fuels ...................................................... .192 129.6 129.4 13.0 -.2 1.0 .7 -1.4 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 3.710 150.1 150.6 9.4 .3 -.4 -.1 .3 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. .880 118.1 118.4 4.1 .3 .5 .6 .3 

Household furnishings and operations .................................. 3.929 121.4 121.0 -2.3 -.3 -.2 -.2 -.5 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... .357 122.9 123.4 2.7 .4 .0 .2 .4 

Apparel .................................................................................... 4.638 116.1 121.0 -2.0 4.2 -.5 .3 .7 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ....................................................... 1.176 112.9 116.5 -2.8 3.2 -.3 -.5 1.6 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ................................................... 1.801 106.9 114.5 -2.0 7.1 -.9 .9 .1 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ................................................ .244 122.9 126.5 -1.5 2.9 -1.0 1.6 1.3 

Footwear ............................................................................... 1.136 117.2 119.6 -1.5 2.0 -.4 .1 .8 

Transportation ......................................................................... 19.666 157.1 158.1 3.3 .6 .1 1.1 .8 

Private transportation ............................................................ 18.751 154.2 155.3 3.3 .7 .1 1.2 .8 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 9.568 95.7 94.4 -4.6 -1.4 -.6 -.4 -1.5 

New vehicles ..................................................................... 4.682 137.9 137.6 -1.6 -.2 -.1 .6 -.3 

Used cars and trucks ......................................................... 3.783 144.0 139.8 -8.7 -2.9 -1.4 -1.6 -3.2 

Motor fuel ............................................................................ 3.836 139.4 147.5 20.8 5.8 1.3 6.1 6.3 

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................ 3.803 138.8 147.0 20.9 5.9 1.4 6.2 6.2 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... .524 107.3 107.2 .5 -.1 -.1 .3 -.1 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................ 1.458 197.3 197.9 2.6 .3 .5 -.3 .2 

Public transportation .............................................................. .915 210.5 208.4 3.2 -1.0 .4 -.7 -.3 

Medical care ............................................................................ 4.747 297.4 298.3 4.0 .3 .4 .2 .5 

Medical care commodities ..................................................... 1.012 258.6 259.4 2.7 .3 .6 .2 .4 

Medical care services ............................................................ 3.735 307.0 307.9 4.4 .3 .4 .1 .5 

Professional services 3 ......................................................... 2.265 263.9 264.4 3.0 .2 .2 .0 .3 

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 1.177 394.2 395.8 7.3 .4 .7 .4 .7 

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

2002

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Sep. 2003 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Aug.

2003

Sep.

2003

Sep.

2002

Aug.

2003

June to

July

July to

Aug.

Aug. to

Sep.

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 5.567 105.7 105.5 1.1 -0.2 0.2 0.0 0.0 

Video and audio 2 ................................................................... 1.795 102.9 102.7 1.3 -.2 .2 -.1 .2 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 5.604 109.1 109.7 .5 .5 .5 .4 -.1 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 2.472 135.5 137.8 6.6 1.7 .6 1.3 .4 

Educational books and supplies .......................................... .217 339.6 339.6 4.8 .0 .4 .8 -1.0 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ............................. 2.256 382.1 389.2 6.7 1.9 .6 1.4 .4 

Communication 2 .................................................................... 3.132 90.5 90.2 -3.9 -.3 .2 -.4 -.3 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 2.972 89.1 88.8 -4.2 -.3 .3 -.6 -.3 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 2.536 98.0 97.6 -2.7 -.4 .6 -.3 -.4 

Information and information processing other than

telephone services 1 5 ................................................ .436 16.3 16.1 -13.0 -1.2 -1.8 -1.2 -1.2 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... .191 16.3 16.0 -23.1 -1.8 -1.7 -3.6 -1.8 

Other goods and services ....................................................... 4.571 308.0 307.9 .0 .0 .5 .2 .0 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... 1.542 473.2 469.9 -3.8 -.7 1.2 .6 -.7 

Personal care 1 ...................................................................... 3.030 177.4 177.9 2.0 .3 .2 -.1 .3 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... .786 154.3 154.0 -.8 -.2 .3 -.3 -.2 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... .896 194.6 196.1 3.2 .8 .2 .4 .8 

Miscellaneous personal services ......................................... 1.170 284.4 285.2 3.7 .3 .0 .1 .4 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ............................................................................. 45.066 151.6 152.7 1.1 .7 .1 .6 .4 

Food and beverages ............................................................... 17.072 180.2 180.7 2.6 .3 .1 .3 .3 

Commodities less food and beverages ................................... 27.994 135.4 136.7 .2 1.0 .0 .8 .4 

Nondurables less food and beverages .................................. 15.152 151.7 155.9 4.4 2.8 1.1 2.6 1.0 

Apparel ................................................................................ 4.638 116.1 121.0 -2.0 4.2 -.5 .3 .7 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel ................. 10.514 177.4 181.2 7.2 2.1 .8 3.0 1.5 

Durables ................................................................................ 12.842 116.9 115.5 -4.6 -1.2 -.5 -.5 -1.1 

Services ..................................................................................... 54.934 214.0 214.3 3.2 .1 .2 .1 .2 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 29.099 200.0 199.9 2.3 -.1 .3 .2 .3 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... .323 115.7 115.8 5.2 .1 .3 .3 .1 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 3.710 150.1 150.6 9.4 .3 -.4 -.1 .3 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... .880 118.1 118.4 4.1 .3 .5 .6 .3 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... .357 122.9 123.4 2.7 .4 .0 .2 .4 

Transportation services ........................................................... 6.706 216.8 216.8 3.8 .0 .3 -.1 .2 

Medical care services .............................................................. 3.735 307.0 307.9 4.4 .3 .4 .1 .5 

Other services ......................................................................... 10.123 249.3 250.6 2.7 .5 .3 .3 .3 

Special indexes

All items less food ..................................................................... 83.929 180.3 181.0 2.2 .4 .2 .3 .3 

All items less shelter .................................................................. 70.578 172.3 173.3 2.2 .6 .1 .4 .4 

All items less medical care ........................................................ 95.253 175.2 176.0 2.2 .5 .1 .4 .3 

Commodities less food .............................................................. 28.995 137.2 138.6 .4 1.0 .0 .7 .5 

Nondurables less food ............................................................... 16.153 153.9 157.9 4.2 2.6 1.1 2.4 1.0 

Nondurables less food and apparel ........................................... 11.514 177.5 181.1 6.8 2.0 .9 2.1 1.9 

Nondurables .............................................................................. 32.224 166.4 168.8 3.4 1.4 .5 1.5 .5 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 25.835 203.1 203.7 4.3 .3 .1 .2 .4 

Services less medical care services .......................................... 51.199 206.6 206.8 3.1 .1 .2 .2 .3 

Energy ....................................................................................... 7.738 140.0 144.2 15.1 3.0 .4 3.0 3.3 

All items less energy ................................................................. 92.262 186.2 186.4 1.1 .1 .1 .1 .1 

All items less food and energy ................................................ 76.191 187.9 188.1 .9 .1 .1 .1 .0 

Commodities less food and energy commodities .................. 24.967 140.1 140.2 -2.9 .1 -.2 -.1 -.6 

Energy commodities ............................................................ 4.028 139.5 147.2 20.5 5.5 1.3 5.9 5.8 

Services less energy services ............................................... 51.224 221.0 221.3 2.7 .1 .3 .2 .2 

Purchasing power of the consumer dollar (1982-84=$1.00) ..... - $ .555 $ .552 - - - - -

Purchasing power of the consumer dollar (1967=$1.00) .......... - $ .186 $ .185 - - - - -

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 converted to a geometric means estimator in

January, 1999.

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—

June

2003

July

2003

Aug.

2003

Sep.

2003

Dec.

2002

Mar.

2003

June

2003

Sep.

2003

Mar.

2003

Sep.

2003

Expenditure category

All items ..................................................................................... 179.5 179.7 180.4 180.9 1.4 6.2 -1.5 3.2 3.8 0.8 

Food and beverages ............................................................... 179.6 179.7 180.2 180.8 2.1 2.7 2.7 2.7 2.4 2.7 

Food ...................................................................................... 179.0 179.2 179.7 180.2 2.3 2.5 2.7 2.7 2.4 2.7 

Food at home ...................................................................... 178.1 178.1 178.8 179.5 2.1 3.0 3.4 3.2 2.5 3.3 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................ 203.0 203.6 203.7 203.7 -1.2 9.6 1.0 1.4 4.1 1.2 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ........................................... 167.2 168.1 169.0 170.2 3.3 6.8 5.7 7.4 5.0 6.5 

Dairy and related products 1 .............................................. 163.5 164.4 167.0 170.2 2.7 -1.2 -7.5 17.4 .7 4.2 

Fruits and vegetables ........................................................ 227.1 227.8 227.0 225.5 4.1 -.5 10.7 -2.8 1.7 3.7

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ............. 140.3 138.2 138.8 139.0 .3 -5.0 5.9 -3.7 -2.4 1.0 

Other food at home ........................................................... 162.8 161.9 162.3 162.8 2.3 2.0 2.0 .0 2.1 1.0 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................ 162.4 161.8 162.0 162.0 1.8 4.1 1.7 -1.0 2.9 .4 

Fats and oils .................................................................... 156.8 155.9 157.3 157.2 -1.5 9.4 -2.5 1.0 3.8 -.8 

Other foods ...................................................................... 180.1 179.1 179.3 180.2 3.4 -.2 3.2 .2 1.6 1.7 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... 112.1 111.6 110.1 111.3 2.2 -.7 5.9 -2.8 .7 1.5 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 181.7 182.1 182.4 182.7 2.3 2.2 1.6 2.2 2.2 1.9 

Other food away from home 2 ............................................ 121.8 121.5 121.5 121.4 4.5 3.0 3.0 -1.3 3.7 .8 

Alcoholic beverages .............................................................. 186.8 186.8 186.9 187.9 3.1 3.9 .0 2.4 3.5 1.2 

Housing ................................................................................... 180.4 180.7 181.0 181.1 2.7 5.0 1.1 1.6 3.9 1.3 

Shelter ................................................................................... 206.5 207.0 207.4 207.7 3.0 1.6 2.2 2.3 2.3 2.3 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 204.6 205.0 205.5 205.8 3.2 3.0 2.8 2.4 3.1 2.6 

Lodging away from home 2 3 ................................................ 119.7 120.6 120.5 120.4 1.7 -8.8 12.6 2.4 -3.7 7.4 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 199.2 199.6 200.1 200.4 2.9 2.0 .8 2.4 2.5 1.6 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. 115.0 115.4 115.7 115.8 8.2 5.5 4.3 2.8 6.8 3.5 

Fuels and utilities ................................................................... 155.8 155.5 155.6 155.9 3.7 35.5 -.5 .3 18.5 -.1 

Fuels .................................................................................... 139.2 138.7 138.6 138.9 3.5 43.3 -1.1 -.9 21.8 -1.0 

Fuel oil and other fuels ...................................................... 133.9 135.3 136.3 134.4 14.5 202.4 -53.6 1.5 86.1 -31.3 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 146.8 146.2 146.1 146.5 3.0 37.7 2.8 -.8 19.1 1.0 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. 116.7 117.3 118.0 118.4 3.6 3.9 3.1 6.0 3.7 4.5 

Household furnishings and operations .................................. 121.8 121.6 121.4 120.8 -1.0 -1.9 -3.2 -3.2 -1.4 -3.2 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... 122.7 122.7 122.9 123.4 2.0 5.7 .7 2.3 3.9 1.5 

Apparel .................................................................................... 119.7 119.1 119.5 120.3 -2.6 -5.5 -2.0 2.0 -4.0 .0 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ....................................................... 116.3 116.0 115.4 117.2 -3.9 2.0 -11.8 3.1 -1.0 -4.6 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ................................................... 112.3 111.3 112.3 112.4 -2.8 -7.8 2.5 .4 -5.3 1.4

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ................................................ 124.4 123.2 125.2 126.8 -4.6 -9.1 .6 7.9 -6.9 4.2 

Footwear ............................................................................... 118.9 118.4 118.5 119.4 .3 -5.8 -1.7 1.7 -2.8 .0 

Transportation ......................................................................... 155.6 155.7 157.4 158.7 -.8 19.9 -11.4 8.2 9.1 -2.1 

Private transportation ............................................................ 152.7 152.8 154.6 155.9 -1.1 21.2 -12.5 8.6 9.5 -2.5 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 97.1 96.5 96.1 94.7 -4.7 .0 -4.0 -9.5 -2.4 -6.8 

New vehicles ..................................................................... 138.6 138.4 139.2 138.8 -.3 -3.1 -3.4 .6 -1.7 -1.4 

Used cars and trucks ......................................................... 148.3 146.2 143.9 139.3 -10.1 4.9 -5.7 -22.2 -2.9 -14.3 

Motor fuel ............................................................................ 129.4 131.1 139.1 147.8 -.3 119.7 -43.0 70.2 48.0 -1.5 

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................ 128.7 130.5 138.6 147.2 .0 118.6 -43.0 71.1 47.8 -1.2 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... 107.1 107.0 107.3 107.2 -1.5 3.4 -.4 .4 .9 .0 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................ 197.0 198.0 197.5 197.9 4.9 1.4 2.5 1.8 3.1 2.2 

Public transportation .............................................................. 208.9 209.7 208.2 207.6 2.0 -1.2 15.3 -2.5 .4 6.0 

Medical care ............................................................................ 295.3 296.6 297.1 298.5 6.6 1.7 3.5 4.4 4.1 3.9 

Medical care commodities ..................................................... 256.1 257.7 258.3 259.4 3.0 2.5 .0 5.3 2.8 2.6 

Medical care services ............................................................ 305.1 306.3 306.7 308.2 7.5 1.5 4.4 4.1 4.5 4.3 

Professional services 3 ......................................................... 263.3 263.8 263.9 264.7 4.9 .8 3.9 2.1 2.8 3.0 

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 388.9 391.7 393.4 396.1 12.8 3.9 5.1 7.6 8.3 6.3 

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—

June

2003

July

2003

Aug.

2003

Sep.

2003

Dec.

2002

Mar.

2003

June

2003

Sep.

2003

Mar.

2003

Sep.

2003

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 105.4 105.6 105.6 105.6 1.9 1.1 0.4 0.8 1.5 0.6 

Video and audio 2 ................................................................... 102.7 102.9 102.8 103.0 5.2 -1.5 .4 1.2 1.8 .8 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 108.3 108.8 109.2 109.1 .4 1.5 -2.5 3.0 .9 .2 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 133.0 133.8 135.6 136.1 4.5 6.0 5.9 9.7 5.2 7.8 

Educational books and supplies .......................................... 336.8 338.3 341.0 337.6 5.2 8.7 4.6 1.0 6.9 2.8 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ............................. 374.8 377.2 382.5 384.2 4.4 5.8 6.0 10.4 5.1 8.2 

Communication 2 .................................................................... 90.7 90.9 90.5 90.2 -2.9 -1.7 -8.7 -2.2 -2.3 -5.5 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 89.3 89.6 89.1 88.8 -3.0 -1.7 -9.7 -2.2 -2.4 -6.0 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 97.7 98.3 98.0 97.6 -.8 -.8 -8.5 -.4 -.8 -4.6 

Information and information processing other than

telephone services 1 5 ................................................ 16.8 16.5 16.3 16.1 -14.3 -8.7 -13.1 -15.7 -11.5 -14.4 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... 17.2 16.9 16.3 16.0 -25.9 -13.7 -26.9 -25.1 -20.0 -26.0 

Other goods and services ....................................................... 306.0 307.5 308.0 307.9 -3.5 .7 .5 2.5 -1.4 1.5

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... 464.8 470.5 473.2 469.9 -11.1 -4.3 -3.6 4.5 -7.7 .3 

Personal care 1 ...................................................................... 177.2 177.5 177.4 177.9 .7 3.2 2.5 1.6 2.0 2.1 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... 154.4 154.8 154.3 154.0 -2.6 -1.0 1.6 -1.0 -1.8 .3 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... 193.5 193.9 194.6 196.1 1.5 3.6 2.3 5.5 2.5 3.9 

Miscellaneous personal services ......................................... 283.9 284.0 284.4 285.5 3.7 4.1 4.9 2.3 3.9 3.6 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ............................................................................. 151.2 151.3 152.2 152.8 -1.3 8.8 -6.6 4.3 3.6 -1.3 

Food and beverages ............................................................... 179.6 179.7 180.2 180.8 2.1 2.7 2.7 2.7 2.4 2.7 

Commodities less food and beverages ................................... 135.1 135.1 136.2 136.8 -3.5 12.4 -11.5 5.1 4.1 -3.6 

Nondurables less food and beverages .................................. 147.4 149.0 152.8 154.4 7.8 19.9 -23.7 20.4 13.7 -4.1 

Apparel ................................................................................ 119.7 119.1 119.5 120.3 -2.6 -5.5 -2.0 2.0 -4.0 .0 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel ................. 171.7 173.1 178.3 181.0 -.9 41.9 -24.0 23.5 18.6 -3.1 

Durables ................................................................................ 118.4 117.8 117.2 115.9 -4.9 -.3 -4.6 -8.2 -2.6 -6.4 

Services ..................................................................................... 212.6 213.1 213.4 213.9 3.5 4.3 2.7 2.5 3.9 2.6 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 198.7 199.3 199.6 200.1 2.9 1.8 1.6 2.8 2.4 2.2 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... 115.0 115.4 115.7 115.8 8.2 5.5 4.3 2.8 6.8 3.5 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 146.8 146.2 146.1 146.5 3.0 37.7 2.8 -.8 19.1 1.0 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... 116.7 117.3 118.0 118.4 3.6 3.9 3.1 6.0 3.7 4.5 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... 122.7 122.7 122.9 123.4 2.0 5.7 .7 2.3 3.9 1.5 

Transportation services ........................................................... 216.8 217.4 217.1 217.5 4.5 3.1 6.5 1.3 3.8 3.9 

Medical care services .............................................................. 305.1 306.3 306.7 308.2 7.5 1.5 4.4 4.1 4.5 4.3 

Other services ......................................................................... 247.7 248.5 249.3 250.0 2.8 3.1 1.0 3.8 3.0 2.4 

Special indexes

All items less food ..................................................................... 179.4 179.7 180.3 180.9 1.1 6.9 -2.4 3.4 4.0 .4 

All items less shelter .................................................................. 171.6 171.7 172.4 173.1 .7 8.3 -3.0 3.5 4.4 .2 

All items less medical care ........................................................ 174.4 174.6 175.3 175.8 1.2 6.4 -1.8 3.2 3.8 .7 

Commodities less food .............................................................. 137.0 137.0 138.0 138.7 -3.1 12.2 -11.1 5.1 4.2 -3.4 

Nondurables less food ............................................................... 149.6 151.3 155.0 156.5 7.4 19.3 -23.0 19.8 13.2 -4.0 

Nondurables less food and apparel ........................................... 172.1 173.7 177.3 180.7 .5 37.7 -22.8 21.5 17.6 -3.1 

Nondurables .............................................................................. 163.8 164.7 167.1 167.9 4.8 10.9 -10.9 10.4 7.8 -.8 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 201.6 201.8 202.3 203.1 3.7 7.1 3.4 3.0 5.4 3.2 

Services less medical care services .......................................... 205.2 205.6 206.0 206.6 3.0 4.4 2.4 2.8 3.7 2.6 

Energy ....................................................................................... 133.6 134.2 138.2 142.7 1.6 78.6 -25.3 30.2 34.7 -1.4 

All items less energy ................................................................. 186.0 186.2 186.4 186.5 1.3 1.3 1.1 1.1 1.3 1.1 

All items less food and energy ................................................ 187.9 188.1 188.2 188.2 1.3 .9 .9 .6 1.1 .7 

Commodities less food and energy commodities .................. 141.5 141.2 141.0 140.2 -3.3 -1.4 -3.3 -3.6 -2.3 -3.5 

Energy commodities ............................................................ 130.1 131.8 139.6 147.7 .3 123.8 -43.7 66.1 49.8 -3.3 

Services less energy services ............................................... 219.8 220.5 220.9 221.3 3.6 2.2 2.4 2.8 2.9 2.6 

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

item stratum index series converted to a geometric means estimator in

January, 1999. 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

Sep.2003 from—

Percent change to

Aug.2003 from—

June

2003

July

2003

Aug.

2003

Sep.

2003

Sep.

2002

July

2003

Aug.

2003

Aug.

2002

June

2003

July

2003

U.S. city average ........................................... M 179.6 179.6 180.3 181.0 2.3 0.8 0.4 2.1 0.4 0.4 

Region and area size2

Northeast urban ............................................. M 189.2 190.0 190.7 191.9 3.1 1.0 .6 2.7 .8 .4 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 .................... M 190.0 190.8 191.8 193.0 3.4 1.2 .6 2.9 .9 .5 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 113.9 114.5 114.5 115.1 2.3 .5 .5 2.2 .5 .0 

Midwest urban ............................................... M 173.7 173.3 174.1 174.6 1.7 .8 .3 1.6 .2 .5 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 .................... M 175.1 174.8 175.5 176.4 1.7 .9 .5 1.6 .2 .4 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 112.7 112.5 113.0 113.2 1.9 .6 .2 1.8 .3 .4 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) .............................................. M 170.1 169.1 169.8 170.0 1.3 .5 .1 1.3 -.2 .4 

South urban ................................................... M 174.3 174.3 174.8 175.3 2.1 .6 .3 2.0 .3 .3 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 .................... M 176.2 176.2 177.0 177.5 2.7 .7 .3 2.5 .5 .5 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 112.0 111.9 112.1 112.4 1.7 .4 .3 1.7 .1 .2 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) .............................................. M 174.8 174.6 175.5 175.9 1.7 .7 .2 1.6 .4 .5 

West urban .................................................... M 183.3 183.4 184.2 185.0 2.4 .9 .4 2.2 .5 .4 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 .................... M 184.5 184.3 185.3 186.1 2.4 1.0 .4 2.2 .4 .5 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 114.1 114.6 114.8 115.3 2.3 .6 .4 2.0 .6 .2 

Size classes

A 4 .............................................................. M 166.3 166.3 167.2 168.0 2.6 1.0 .5 2.3 .5 .5 

B/C 3 ........................................................... M 112.8 112.9 113.1 113.5 2.0 .5 .4 1.9 .3 .2 

D ................................................................ M 174.9 174.4 175.3 175.6 1.6 .7 .2 1.6 .2 .5 

Selected local areas5

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI .................. M 178.0 177.8 178.3 179.8 2.3 1.1 .8 1.6 .2 .3 

Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA .. M 179.6 179.6 180.5 181.9 3.2 1.3 .8 2.8 .5 .5 

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

NY-NJ-CT-PA ........................................ M 191.9 192.8 194.1 195.0 3.4 1.1 .5 3.2 1.1 .7 

Boston-Brockton-Nashua, MA-NH-ME-CT .... 1 - 202.2 - 206.2 4.3 2.0 - - - -

Cleveland-Akron, OH ..................................... 1 -

 167.0 - 169.5 2.3 1.5 - - - -

Dallas-Fort Worth, TX .................................... 1 - 175.9 - 176.7 2.2 .5 - - - -

Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV 6 ...... 1 -

 116.2 - 116.9 2.8 .6 - - - -

Atlanta, GA .................................................... 2 178.7 -

 179.4 - - - - 1.5 .4 -

Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI ............................. 2 176.7 -

 177.5 - - - - 1.4 .5 -

Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX ................... 2 160.7 - 162.5 - - - - 2.8 1.1 -

Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ............................ 2 176.8 - 178.3 - - - - 3.2 .8 -

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,

PA-NJ-DE-MD ....................................... 2 187.8 - 189.2 - - - - 1.3 .7 -

San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA .......... 2 192.2 - 192.3 - - - - 1.6 .1 -

Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA ................... 2 185.7 -

 188.2 - - - - 1.8 1.3 -

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

 most other goods and services priced as indicated: 

 M - Every month. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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. 
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,

1999-2000

 Unadjusted

 indexes

 Unadjusted

 percent change to

 Sep. 2003 from—

 Aug.

 2003

 Sep.

 2003

 Sep.

 2002

 Aug.

 2003

Expenditure category

All items ..................................................................................... 100.000 107.8 108.1 1.8 0.3 

Food and beverages ............................................................... 15.451 108.3 108.5 2.4 .2 

Food ...................................................................................... 14.432 108.3 108.4 2.3 .1 

Food at home ...................................................................... 8.335 107.3 107.5 2.6 .2 

Food away from home ......................................................... 6.096 109.5 109.6 2.0 .1 

Alcoholic beverages .............................................................. 1.019 108.3 108.8 2.2 .5 

Housing ................................................................................... 40.040 112.1 111.9 2.2 -.2 

Shelter ................................................................................... 30.643 113.4 113.1 2.2 -.3 

Fuels and utilities ................................................................... 4.376 123.3 123.6 8.2 .2 

Household furnishings and operations .................................. 5.020 96.0 95.7 -2.6 -.3 

Apparel .................................................................................... 4.819 89.2 93.0 -2.4 4.3 

Transportation ......................................................................... 17.770 105.9 106.4 2.8 .5 

Private transportation ............................................................ 16.520 105.9 106.5 2.8 .6 

Public transportation .............................................................. 1.250 105.9 104.6 1.9 -1.2 

Medical care ............................................................................ 5.563 116.7 117.1 3.8 .3 

Medical care commodities ..................................................... 1.330 112.5 112.8 2.5 .3 

Medical care services ............................................................ 4.233 118.1 118.4 4.1 .3 

Recreation ............................................................................... 6.124 103.1 103.0 .7 -.1 

Education and communication ................................................ 6.068 97.0 97.4 -1.3 .4 

Education .............................................................................. 2.546 125.1 127.3 7.0 1.8 

Communication ..................................................................... 3.522 80.1 79.6 -6.9 -.6 

Other goods and services ....................................................... 4.164 112.1 112.2 .9 .1 

Commodity and service group

Services ..................................................................................... 57.098 113.8 113.8 2.9 .0 

Commodities ............................................................................. 42.902 100.4 101.0 .4 .6 

Durables .................................................................................. 12.953 88.4 87.6 -4.8 -.9 

Nondurables .............................................................................. 29.949 105.9 107.3 2.8 1.3 

All items less food and energy ................................................ 78.851 106.3 106.4 .7 .1 

Energy ....................................................................................... 6.717 125.2 128.8 14.6 2.9 

Indexes for 2003 are initial estimates. Indexes for 2002 are interim adjustments.

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