News

United States

Department 

of Labor

 

Bureau of Labor Statistics Washington, D.C. 20212 

FOR TECHNICAL INFORMATION:

Patrick C. Jackman (202) 691-7000 USDL-03-311

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INTERNET ADDRESS: http://www.bls.gov/cpi/ Tuesday, June 17, 2003

CONSUMER PRICE INDEX: MAY 2003

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) decreased 0.2 percent in May, before seasonal 

adjustment, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. The May level of 183.5

(1982-84=100) was 2.1 percent higher than in May 2002.

The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) decreased 0.2 percent in 

May, prior to seasonal adjustment. The May level of 179.4 was 2.0 percent higher than in May 2002.

CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U)

On a seasonally adjusted basis, the CPI-U was unchanged in May, following a 0.3 percent decline in April. 

Energy costs, which rose sharply in each of the first three months of the year, declined sharply for the second 

consecutive month--down 3.1 percent in May. Within energy, the index for petroleum-based energy declined 6.7

percent, while the index for energy services increased 0.5 percent. The index for food rose 0.3 percent, following a

0.1 percent decrease in April. The index for food at home increased 0.4 percent, largely reflecting an upturn in the 

index for fruits and vegetables. The index for all items less food and energy, which was unchanged in March and 

April, increased 0.3 percent in May. Most of the increase was accounted for by shelter costs, which rose 0.6 percent 

in May after a 0.1 percent increase in April.

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 2002 2003 3-mos. ended ended

Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May May ’03 May ’03

All Items .1 .1 .3 .6 .3 -.3 .0 0.0 ’98‘97J 2.1 an.’

 Food and beverages .2 .2 -.2 .6 .2 -.1 .3 1.6 1.7

 Housing .1 .2 .4 .3 .4 -.1 .4 2.9 2.7

 Apparel -.2 -.2 -.9 -.2 -.4 -.6 -.3 -5.2 -3.6

 Transportation -.2 -.3 1.1 2.0 1.0 -1.7 -1.3 -7.6 2.2

 Medical care .5 .4 .1 .1 .2 .2 .4 3.0 4.0

 Recreation .0 .2 .2 .3 .1 -.1 .3 1.1 1.1

 Education and

 communication .0 .2 .5 .2 -.1 -.2 -.2 -1.8 1.9

 Other goods and

 services .1 .1 .2 .3 -.1 .3 .0 .8 2.3

 Special Indexes

 Energy -.5 -.4 4.0 5.9 4.6 -4.6 -3.1 -12.4 9.0

 Food .2 .2 -.2 .7 .2 -.1 .3 1.6 1.7

 All Items less

 food and energy .1 .2 .1 .1 .0 .0 .3 1.0 1.6
During the first five months of 2003, the CPI-U rose at a 2.3 percent seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR). 

This compares with an increase of 2.4 percent for all of 2002. The index for energy, which rose 10.7 percent in 

2002, advanced at a 16.5 percent SAAR in the first five months of 2003. Petroleum-based energy costs increased at 

an 11.5 percent annual rate and charges for energy services rose at a 21.2 percent annual rate. The food index has 

increased at a 2.2 percent SAAR thus far this year, following a 1.5 percent rise for all of 2002. Excluding food and 

energy, the CPI-U advanced at a 1.1 percent SAAR in the first five months, following a 1.9 percent rise in all of 2002.

The food and beverages index rose 0.3 percent in May. The index for food at home, which declined 0.2 

percent in April, advanced 0.4 percent in May. The index for fruits and vegetables rose 1.9 percent in May after 

declining 1.4 percent in April and accounted for about 80 percent of the acceleration in the grocery store food 

component. The indexes for fresh fruits, for fresh vegetables, and for processed fruits and vegetables increased 1.1, 

2.8, and 1.9 percent, respectively. The indexes for cereals and bakery products and for other food at home also 

turned up in May, increasing 0.5 and 0.2 percent, respectively. The index for meats, poultry, fish and eggs, which 

increased 0.6 percent in April, declined 0.2 percent in May. The indexes for beef and for poultry fell 0.5 and 1.2

percent, respectively, while the index for pork rose 0.2 percent. The remaining two major grocery store food groups-

- nonalcoholic beverages and dairy products--increased 0.6 and decreased 0.2 percent, respectively. The other two

components of the food and beverage index--food away from home and alcoholic beverages--each increased 0.2

percent.

The index for housing increased 0.4 percent in May. Shelter costs increased 0.6 percent after registering little 

change over the preceding three months. Within shelter, the index for rent rose 0.3 percent, owners' equivalent rent 

increased 0.2 percent, and the index for lodging away from home rose 4.1 percent. (Prior to seasonal adjustment, the 

index for lodging away from home rose 2.3 percent.) The index for fuels and utilities, which declined 1.0 percent in

April, rose 0.2 percent in May. The index for fuel oil decreased 6.3 percent in May, but prices for fuel oil were 21.4

percent higher than in May 2002. The index for natural gas also declined for the second consecutive month--down

1.6 percent in May--but charges remain 24.8 percent higher than a year earlier. The index for electricity increased 1.5

percent in May and has risen 3.7 percent in the last 12 months. The index for household furnishings and operations 

declined 0.5 percent in May. 

The transportation index declined for the second consecutive month--down 1.3 percent in May. The index for 

gasoline, which rose sharply in each of the first three months of 2003, decreased sharply for the second consecutive 

month--down 6.8 percent in May. The index for new vehicles declined 0.1 percent in May, and during the last 12 

months it has fallen 1.2 percent. The index for used cars and trucks decreased 0.6 percent in May and this index has 

declined 2.6 percent in the last 12 months. The index for public transportation advanced 2.0 percent in May, 

reflecting increases in intracity transportation and airline fares. The 7.3 percent rise in intracity transportation largely 

reflects the New York area public transit fare increases. Airline fares increased for the fourth consecutive month--up

1.0 percent in May--but are 2.6 percent lower than a year ago.

The index for apparel declined 0.3 percent in April. (Prior to seasonal adjustment, apparel prices fell

1.1 percent.)

Medical care costs rose 0.4 percent in May to a level 4.0 percent higher than a year ago. The index for 

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

index for medical care services rose 0.5 percent in May. Charges for professional services and for hospital and 

related services increased 0.7 and 0.2 percent, respectively.

The index for recreation increased 0.3 percent in May, following a 0.1 percent decline in April. The index for 

admissions to movies, theaters, concerts, and sporting events, which declined 0.9 percent in April, advanced 1.7 

percent in May, accounting for the upturn in the recreation index.

The index for education and communication decreased for the third consecutive month--down 0.2 percent in 

May. Educational costs rose 0.4 percent, while the index for communication costs fell 0.8 percent. Within the latter 

group, the index for telephone services declined 0.6 percent, reflecting a 1.6 percent decrease in long distance 

charges. The index for personal computers and peripheral equipment declined 3.7 percent.
The index for other goods and services was unchanged in May after increasing 0.3 percent in April. Prices for 

tobacco and smoking products, which increased 0.1 percent in April, declined 0.5 percent in May. The index for 

personal care rose 0.1 percent, as increased charges for personal care services more than offset a decline in prices for 

personal care products--hair, dental, shaving, and miscellaneous personal care products.

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

On a seasonally adjusted basis, the CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers decreased 0.1

percent in May.

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 2002 2003 3-mos. ended ended

Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May May ’03 May ’03 

All Items .1 .1 .3 .7 .5 -.5 -.1 -.4 ’98‘97Jan.’ 2.0

 Food and beverages .3 .2 -.1 .6 .2 -.1 .3 1.6 1.7

 Housing .2 .2 .4 .3 .6 -.1 .3 3.2 2.8

 Apparel -.2 -.2 -1.0 -.2 -.2 -.8 -.1 -4.2 -3.7

 Transportation -.3 -.3 1.2 2.2 1.1 -1.9 -1.5 -8.5 2.3

 Medical care .5 .4 .1 .1 .2 .1 .4 2.9 4.1

 Recreation .0 .3 .1 .2 .0 -.1 .2 .4 .6

 Education and

 communication .0 .2 .4 .2 -.2 -.3 -.2 -2.5 1.4

 Other goods and

 services .0 .0 .2 .3 -.3 .3 -.1 -.5 2.3

 Special Indexes

 Energy -.6 -.6 4.2 6.1 4.6 -4.8 -3.4 -14.6 9.0

 Food .3 .2 -.2 .7 .1 -.1 .3 1.4 1.7

 All Items less

 food and energy .1 .2 .1 .1 .1 .0 .2 .9 1.4

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

The C-CPI-U decreased 0.2 percent in May on a not seasonally adjusted basis. The May level of 107.4

(December 1999=100) was 1.6 percent higher than in May 2002. Table 7 contains the most recent indexes for all 

items and the component series that are published. Data will be 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 post-2001 period 

are subject to revision. 

Consumer Price Index data for June are scheduled for release on Wednesday, July 16, 2003, at 8:30 A.M. 

(EDT). 
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

May 2003 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Apr.

2003

May

2003

May

2002

Apr.

2003

Feb. to

Mar.

Mar. to

Apr.

Apr. to

May

Expenditure category

All items ..................................................................................... 100.000 183.8 183.5 2.1 -0.2 0.3 -0.3 0.0 

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

 550.5 549.7 - - - - -

Food and beverages ............................................................... 15.583 179.0 179.4 1.7 .2 .2 -.1 .3 

Food ...................................................................................... 14.554 178.4 178.8 1.7 .2 .2 -.1 .3 

Food at home ...................................................................... 8.338 177.3 177.8 1.3 .3 .1 -.2 .4 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................ 1.281 201.9 203.0 2.4 .5 .4 -.5 .5 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ........................................... 2.222 165.2 164.7 1.4 -.3 .0 .6 -.2 

Dairy and related products 1 .............................................. .876 165.8 165.4 -2.1 -.2 -.1 -.8 -.2 

Fruits and vegetables ........................................................ 1.234 221.3 226.2 2.4 2.2 .1 -1.4 1.9 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ............. .954 140.5 140.3 1.7 -.1 -.1 .6 .6 

Other food at home ........................................................... 1.771 162.1 162.1 1.3 .0 .0 -.3 .2 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................ .314 161.4 162.3 2.8 .6 .6 -.4 .4 

Fats and oils .................................................................... .252 156.1 157.6 1.1 1.0 -.8 -1.1 .8 

Other foods ...................................................................... 1.205 178.5 177.8 1.0 -.4 .1 -.2 .1 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... .287 110.4 110.1 1.1 -.3 -.4 .3 -.3 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 6.216 181.1 181.5 2.2 .2 .2 .1 .2 

Other food away from home 2 ............................................ .388 120.4 120.5 2.9 .1 .3 .1 .0 

Alcoholic beverages .............................................................. 1.029 186.4 186.7 1.9 .2 .6 -.1 .2 

Housing ................................................................................... 40.854 184.1 184.5 2.7 .2 .4 -.1 .4 

Shelter ................................................................................... 31.728 212.1 212.8 2.6 .3 .0 .1 .6 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 6.467 204.5 204.9 3.1 .2 .2 .3 .3 

Lodging away from home 2 3 ................................................ 2.654 118.7 121.4 1.1 2.3 -1.3 .2 4.1 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 22.243 218.9 219.1 2.5 .1 .1 .0 .2 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. .365 114.2 114.3 6.2 .1 -.1 .2 .1 

Fuels and utilities ................................................................... 4.469 153.1 153.7 8.6 .4 4.4 -1.0 .2 

Fuels .................................................................................... 3.604 136.8 137.5 9.9 .5 5.2 -1.2 .2 

Fuel oil and other fuels ...................................................... .205 147.9 137.0 19.8 -7.4 9.0 -11.8 -5.6 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 3.399 143.0 144.5 9.4 1.0 5.0 -.5 .5 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. .864 116.1 116.4 3.3 .3 .5 .3 .3 

Household furnishings and operations .................................. 4.658 127.2 126.3 -2.0 -.7 -.5 -.2 -.5 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... .820 121.2 121.3 2.4 .1 -.3 -.3 .1 

Apparel .................................................................................... 4.220 123.9 122.5 -3.6 -1.1 -.4 -.6 -.3 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ....................................................... 1.065 120.8 119.5 -3.9 -1.1 1.9 -.9 -1.8 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ................................................... 1.738 117.8 115.5 -3.3 -2.0 -.7 -.4 .0 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ................................................ .193 123.4 123.6 -3.0 .2 .0 -.5 1.1 

Footwear ............................................................................... .853 119.9 119.7 -3.9 -.2 -2.4 -.8 .1 

Transportation ......................................................................... 17.293 159.3 157.2 2.2 -1.3 1.0 -1.7 -1.3 

Private transportation ............................................................ 16.121 155.5 153.1 2.4 -1.5 1.1 -1.8 -1.4 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 8.170 97.8 97.4 -1.7 -.4 .3 -.4 -.2 

New vehicles ..................................................................... 4.864 138.7 138.1 -1.2 -.4 .2 -.4 -.1 

Used cars and trucks ......................................................... 2.025 148.4 147.9 -2.6 -.3 .6 -.3 -.6 

Motor fuel ............................................................................ 3.119 140.6 131.3 8.2 -6.6 4.0 -8.2 -6.7

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................ 3.091 139.9 130.6 8.1 -6.6 4.1 -8.3 -6.8 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... .416 107.7 107.8 .9 .1 -.3 -.2 .1 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................ 1.418 194.6 194.9 2.6 .2 .0 .3 .2 

Public transportation .............................................................. 1.172 207.2 211.6 -.1 2.1 .5 .3 2.0 

Medical care ............................................................................ 5.961 294.6 295.5 4.0 .3 .2 .2 .4 

Medical care commodities ..................................................... 1.387 261.6 261.8 2.5 .1 .4 .0 .1 

Medical care services ............................................................ 4.574 303.1 304.2 4.5 .4 .1 .3 .5 

Professional services 3 ......................................................... 2.808 259.8 261.1 3.2 .5 .1 .2 .7 

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 1.451 388.7 388.9 6.7 .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

2002

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

May 2003 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Apr.

2003

May

2003

May

2002

Apr.

2003

Feb. to

Mar.

Mar. to

Apr.

Apr. to

May

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 5.943 107.4 107.6 1.1 0.2 0.1 -0.1 0.3 

Video and audio 2 ................................................................... 1.638 103.8 103.8 .7 .0 -.1 .2 .0 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 5.798 109.0 108.6 1.9 -.4 -.1 -.2 -.2 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 2.835 131.2 131.4 6.4 .2 .5 .5 .4 

Educational books and supplies .......................................... .236 332.3 332.5 5.4 .1 .5 .2 .5 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ............................. 2.599 377.1 377.7 6.5 .2 .5 .6 .3 

Communication 2 .................................................................... 2.963 90.5 89.8 -2.3 -.8 -.7 -.9 -.8 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 2.765 88.6 87.9 -3.1 -.8 -.7 -1.0 -.8 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 2.273 98.7 98.1 -1.2 -.6 -.8 -1.0 -.6 

Information and information processing other than

telephone services 1 5 ................................................ .492 16.7 16.4 -11.4 -1.8 -.6 -.6 -1.8 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... .210 18.7 18.0 -21.7 -3.7 -.5 -1.6 -3.7 

Other goods and services ....................................................... 4.350 298.1 298.1 2.3 .0 -.1 .3 .0 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... .992 467.9 465.6 3.7 -.5 -1.2 .1 -.5 

Personal care 1 ...................................................................... 3.358 177.7 177.9 1.8 .1 .3 .3 .1 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... .680 154.1 153.6 -.8 -.3 .0 .5 -.3 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... .897 192.5 193.0 2.5 .3 .4 .4 .3 

Miscellaneous personal services ......................................... 1.573 282.0 282.7 3.1 .2 .4 .3 .2 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ............................................................................. 40.822 152.2 150.9 .3 -.9 .4 -1.0 -.7 

Food and beverages ............................................................... 15.583 179.0 179.4 1.7 .2 .2 -.1 .3 

Commodities less food and beverages ................................... 25.239 136.7 134.6 -.6 -1.5 .6 -1.5 -1.3 

Nondurables less food and beverages .................................. 13.824 152.3 148.9 1.0 -2.2 .8 -2.8 -2.9 

Apparel ................................................................................ 4.220 123.9 122.5 -3.6 -1.1 -.4 -.6 -.3

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel ................. 9.604 173.9 169.2 3.1 -2.7 2.8 -3.9 -2.4 

Durables ................................................................................ 11.416 119.2 118.5 -2.6 -.6 -.2 -.3 -.5 

Services ..................................................................................... 59.178 215.1 215.9 3.4 .4 .4 .1 .5 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 31.364 220.8 221.5 2.5 .3 .0 .1 .5 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... .365 114.2 114.3 6.2 .1 -.1 .2 .1 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 3.399 143.0 144.5 9.4 1.0 5.0 -.5 .5 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... .864 116.1 116.4 3.3 .3 .5 .3 .3 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... .820 121.2 121.3 2.4 .1 -.3 -.3 .1 

Transportation services ........................................................... 6.722 215.3 216.3 3.5 .5 .2 .6 .6 

Medical care services .............................................................. 4.574 303.1 304.2 4.5 .4 .1 .3 .5 

Other services ......................................................................... 11.071 252.5 252.8 3.4 .1 .1 .0 .3 

Special indexes

All items less food ..................................................................... 85.446 184.7 184.3 2.2 -.2 .4 -.4 -.1 

All items less shelter .................................................................. 68.272 174.7 174.1 1.9 -.3 .5 -.6 -.2 

All items less medical care ........................................................ 94.039 178.0 177.7 2.0 -.2 .4 -.4 -.1 

Commodities less food .............................................................. 26.268 138.6 136.5 -.6 -1.5 .6 -1.5 -1.2 

Nondurables less food ............................................................... 14.853 154.3 151.1 1.1 -2.1 .9 -2.7 -2.6 

Nondurables less food and apparel ........................................... 10.633 174.2 169.9 3.0 -2.5 2.3 -3.4 -2.3 

Nondurables .............................................................................. 29.406 165.9 164.3 1.4 -1.0 .7 -1.5 -1.2 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 27.815 224.6 225.5 4.4 .4 .8 .3 .3 

Services less medical care services .......................................... 54.604 207.5 208.2 3.3 .3 .4 .1 .5 

Energy ....................................................................................... 6.723 138.1 134.0 9.0 -3.0 4.6 -4.6 -3.1 

All items less energy ................................................................. 93.277 190.2 190.3 1.5 .1 .0 .0 .3 

All items less food and energy ................................................ 78.724 193.1 193.2 1.6 .1 .0 .0 .3 

Commodities less food and energy commodities .................. 22.945 142.5 141.7 -1.9 -.6 -.1 -.3 -.4 

Energy commodities ............................................................ 3.324 141.7 132.3 8.8 -6.6 4.3 -8.4 -6.7 

Services less energy services ............................................... 55.779 222.5 223.1 3.0 .3 .0 .1 .5 

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

 $ .544 $ .545 - - - - -

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

 $ .182 $ .182 - - - - -

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—

Feb.

2003

Mar.

2003

Apr.

2003

May

2003

Aug.

2002

Nov.

2002

Feb.

2003

May

2003

Nov.

2002

May

2003

Expenditure category

All items ..................................................................................... 183.3 183.9 183.3 183.3 2.2 2.0 4.3 0.0 2.1 2.1 

Food and beverages ............................................................... 178.8 179.1 178.9 179.5 .5 2.3 2.7 1.6 1.4 2.2 

Food ...................................................................................... 178.2 178.5 178.3 178.9 .2 2.3 2.7 1.6 1.3 2.2 

Food at home ...................................................................... 177.4 177.6 177.2 177.9 -1.6 2.3 3.5 1.1 .3 2.3 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................ 201.8 202.7 201.7 202.8 -.6 2.9 5.3 2.0 1.1 3.6 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ........................................... 165.0 165.0 166.0 165.7 -4.1 .5 8.1 1.7 -1.8 4.9 

Dairy and related products 1 .............................................. 167.2 167.1 165.8 165.4 -4.2 -.2 .2 -4.2 -2.2 -2.0 

Fruits and vegetables ........................................................ 222.3 222.6 219.5 223.7 3.5 3.1 .2 2.5 3.3 1.4 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ............. 139.5 139.3 140.2 141.0 -3.7 5.6 .6 4.4 .9 2.5 

Other food at home ........................................................... 162.4 162.4 161.9 162.2 .3 3.0 2.5 -.5 1.6 1.0 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................ 161.1 162.1 161.4 162.1 4.9 1.3 2.3 2.5 3.1 2.4 

Fats and oils .................................................................... 158.9 157.7 156.0 157.3 -5.3 1.6 13.1 -4.0 -1.9 4.2 

Other foods ...................................................................... 178.3 178.4 178.1 178.2 .0 4.1 .2 -.2 2.1 .0 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... 110.5 110.1 110.4 110.1 1.5 3.7 .7 -1.4 2.6 -.4 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 180.7 181.0 181.1 181.5 2.7 2.3 2.0 1.8 2.5 1.9 

Other food away from home 2 ............................................ 120.3 120.7 120.8 120.8 1.7 4.5 3.4 1.7 3.1 2.5 

Alcoholic beverages .............................................................. 185.5 186.6 186.4 186.7 1.8 2.2 .9 2.6 2.0 1.7 

Housing ................................................................................... 183.4 184.1 184.0 184.7 2.0 2.2 3.6 2.9 2.1 3.2 

Shelter ................................................................................... 211.5 211.4 211.6 212.8 2.7 2.7 2.3 2.5 2.7 2.4 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 203.5 203.9 204.5 205.1 2.8 3.0 3.2 3.2 2.9 3.2 

Lodging away from home 2 3 ................................................ 116.9 115.4 115.6 120.3 -1.7 1.4 -6.6 12.2 -.2 2.4 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 218.7 218.9 218.9 219.3 3.2 2.8 3.0 1.1 3.0 2.0 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. 114.1 114.0 114.2 114.3 7.6 6.7 10.1 .7 7.2 5.3 

Fuels and utilities ................................................................... 150.3 156.9 155.4 155.7 1.4 2.5 16.4 15.2 2.0 15.8 

Fuels .................................................................................... 134.1 141.1 139.4 139.7 .9 2.2 20.1 17.8 1.6 18.9 

Fuel oil and other fuels ...................................................... 150.4 163.9 144.5 136.4 14.8 13.9 132.5 -32.4 14.4 25.4 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 139.8 146.8 146.1 146.9 .0 1.5 15.3 21.9 .7 18.6 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. 115.0 115.6 116.0 116.3 2.9 3.6 2.1 4.6 3.2 3.3 

Household furnishings and operations .................................. 127.8 127.1 126.9 126.3 -2.2 -.9 .0 -4.6 -1.5 -2.3 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... 122.0 121.6 121.2 121.3 2.7 2.4 7.2 -2.3 2.5 2.3 

Apparel .................................................................................... 121.6 121.1 120.4 120.0 -1.6 -2.6 -5.1 -5.2 -2.1 -5.1 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ....................................................... 118.1 120.4 119.3 117.2 -3.2 -1.6 -7.4 -3.0 -2.4 -5.2 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ................................................... 113.6 112.8 112.3 112.3 .7 -3.7 -5.8 -4.5 -1.5 -5.1 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ................................................ 122.4 122.4 121.8 123.1 -.3 -4.0 -9.5 2.3 -2.2 -3.8 

Footwear ............................................................................... 121.6 118.7 117.7 117.8 -4.5 .0 1.3 -11.9 -2.3 -5.5 

Transportation ......................................................................... 159.3 160.9 158.2 156.2 3.4 1.8 11.9 -7.6 2.6 1.7 

Private transportation ............................................................ 155.6 157.3 154.4 152.2 4.4 2.1 12.8 -8.5 3.3 1.6 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 97.7 98.0 97.6 97.4 .4 -2.4 -3.6 -1.2 -1.0 -2.4 

New vehicles ..................................................................... 138.4 138.7 138.1 137.9 -.6 2.0 -4.8 -1.4 .7 -3.1 

Used cars and trucks ......................................................... 148.8 149.7 149.3 148.4 2.4 -12.9 2.2 -1.1 -5.6 .5 

Motor fuel ............................................................................ 143.0 148.7 136.5 127.3 12.1 9.2 78.0 -37.2 10.6 5.7 

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................ 142.3 148.1 135.8 126.6 12.1 9.3 78.0 -37.4 10.7 5.6 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... 108.2 107.9 107.7 107.8 3.4 -1.8 3.8 -1.5 .8 1.1 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................ 194.1 194.1 194.6 194.9 3.0 2.5 3.4 1.7 2.8 2.5 

Public transportation .............................................................. 204.4 205.5 206.2 210.3 -6.8 -2.1 -2.5 12.1 -4.5 4.5 

Medical care ............................................................................ 293.0 293.5 294.1 295.2 4.6 5.8 2.5 3.0 5.2 2.8 

Medical care commodities ..................................................... 260.4 261.4 261.3 261.5 3.3 3.6 1.1 1.7 3.5 1.4 

Medical care services ............................................................ 301.4 301.7 302.5 303.9 4.9 6.5 3.0 3.4 5.7 3.2 

Professional services 3 ......................................................... 258.3 258.6 259.2 260.9 3.5 3.8 1.7 4.1 3.7 2.9 

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 386.7 387.5 388.3 388.9 6.9 11.5 6.1 2.3 9.1 4.2 

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—

Feb.

2003

Mar.

2003

Apr.

2003

May

2003

Aug.

2002

Nov.

2002

Feb.

2003

May

2003

Nov.

2002

May

2003

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 107.2 107.3 107.2 107.5 -0.4 1.1 2.7 1.1 0.4 1.9 

Video and audio 2 ................................................................... 103.4 103.3 103.5 103.5 -1.9 4.4 .0 .4 1.2 .2 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 109.7 109.6 109.4 109.2 6.9 -.4 3.4 -1.8 3.2 .7 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 130.9 131.5 132.2 132.7 7.9 5.8 6.4 5.6 6.8 6.0 

Educational books and supplies .......................................... 330.2 331.8 332.6 334.1 4.9 3.9 7.7 4.8 4.4 6.3 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ............................. 376.3 378.0 380.2 381.5 7.9 6.0 6.3 5.6 7.0 6.0 

Communication 2 .................................................................... 91.9 91.3 90.5 89.8 5.8 -5.9 .4 -8.8 -.2 -4.3 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 90.1 89.5 88.6 87.9 3.6 -6.4 .4 -9.4 -1.5 -4.6 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 100.5 99.7 98.7 98.1 5.3 -3.1 2.8 -9.2 1.0 -3.4 

Information and information processing other than

telephone services 1 5 ................................................ 16.9 16.8 16.7 16.4 -4.3 -20.1 -8.9 -11.3 -12.6 -10.1 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... 19.1 19.0 18.7 18.0 -16.3 -31.7 -16.8 -21.1 -24.4 -19.0 

Other goods and services ....................................................... 297.5 297.3 298.1 298.1 6.2 -.4 2.6 .8 2.8 1.7 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... 472.7 467.2 467.9 465.6 28.7 -6.4 2.0 -5.9 9.8 -2.0 

Personal care 1 ...................................................................... 176.7 177.2 177.7 177.9 .5 1.4 2.8 2.7 .9 2.8 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... 153.3 153.3 154.1 153.6 -1.3 -.3 -2.3 .8 -.8 -.8 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... 190.9 191.7 192.5 193.0 1.7 1.7 2.1 4.5 1.7 3.3 

Miscellaneous personal services ......................................... 279.8 280.8 281.7 282.4 2.1 2.5 4.1 3.8 2.3 3.9 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ............................................................................. 152.2 152.8 151.3 150.2 1.1 .3 5.2 -5.2 .7 -.1 

Food and beverages ............................................................... 178.8 179.1 178.9 179.5 .5 2.3 2.7 1.6 1.4 2.2 

Commodities less food and beverages ................................... 136.7 137.5 135.4 133.6 1.5 -1.2 6.7 -8.8 .1 -1.3 

Nondurables less food and beverages .................................. 153.2 154.5 150.2 145.8 6.2 3.3 15.4 -18.0 4.8 -2.7 

Apparel ................................................................................ 121.6 121.1 120.4 120.0 -1.6 -2.6 -5.1 -5.2 -2.1 -5.1 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel ................. 174.0 178.8 171.9 167.7 7.6 1.2 20.4 -13.7 4.4 1.9 

Durables ................................................................................ 119.6 119.4 119.1 118.5 -1.6 -3.3 -2.0 -3.6 -2.4 -2.8 

Services ..................................................................................... 214.1 214.9 215.1 216.1 3.1 3.1 3.4 3.8 3.1 3.6 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 220.1 220.2 220.4 221.5 2.8 2.6 2.0 2.6 2.7 2.3 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... 114.1 114.0 114.2 114.3 7.6 6.7 10.1 .7 7.2 5.3 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 139.8 146.8 146.1 146.9 .0 1.5 15.3 21.9 .7 18.6 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... 115.0 115.6 116.0 116.3 2.9 3.6 2.1 4.6 3.2 3.3 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... 122.0 121.6 121.2 121.3 2.7 2.4 7.2 -2.3 2.5 2.3 

Transportation services ........................................................... 213.2 213.7 214.9 216.1 2.9 3.9 2.1 5.6 3.4 3.8 

Medical care services .............................................................. 301.4 301.7 302.5 303.9 4.9 6.5 3.0 3.4 5.7 3.2 

Other services ......................................................................... 252.3 252.6 252.6 253.3 5.3 2.4 4.4 1.6 3.9 3.0 

Special indexes

All items less food ..................................................................... 184.2 184.9 184.2 184.1 2.5 2.0 4.5 -.2 2.2 2.1 

All items less shelter .................................................................. 174.3 175.2 174.2 173.8 2.1 1.4 5.2 -1.1 1.8 2.0 

All items less medical care ........................................................ 177.5 178.2 177.5 177.4 2.1 1.8 4.2 -.2 2.0 1.9 

Commodities less food .............................................................. 138.6 139.4 137.3 135.6 1.2 -.9 6.6 -8.4 .1 -1.2 

Nondurables less food ............................................................... 155.1 156.5 152.3 148.3 5.9 3.5 14.0 -16.4 4.7 -2.4 

Nondurables less food and apparel ........................................... 174.5 178.6 172.5 168.6 5.0 2.9 19.5 -12.9 3.9 2.0

Nondurables .............................................................................. 166.1 167.2 164.7 162.8 2.8 2.7 8.1 -7.7 2.8 -.1 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 223.0 224.7 225.3 225.9 3.9 3.7 4.4 5.3 3.8 4.9 

Services less medical care services .......................................... 206.4 207.2 207.5 208.6 3.0 2.8 3.2 4.3 2.9 3.7 

Energy ....................................................................................... 137.8 144.2 137.5 133.3 6.0 5.6 44.9 -12.4 5.8 12.6 

All items less energy ................................................................. 189.7 189.7 189.7 190.2 2.2 1.5 1.7 1.1 1.8 1.4 

All items less food and energy ................................................ 192.5 192.5 192.5 193.0 2.3 1.5 1.5 1.0 1.9 1.3 

Commodities less food and energy commodities .................. 142.2 142.1 141.7 141.2 -.3 -2.5 -1.9 -2.8 -1.4 -2.4 

Energy commodities ............................................................ 144.2 150.4 137.7 128.5 12.0 9.5 81.1 -36.9 10.8 6.9 

Services less energy services ............................................... 221.7 221.8 222.1 223.2 3.4 3.1 2.8 2.7 3.3 2.7 

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

May2003 from—

Percent change to

Apr.2003 from—

Feb.

2003

Mar.

2003

Apr.

2003

May

2003

May

2002

Mar.

2003

Apr.

2003

Apr.

2002

Feb.

2003

Mar.

2003

U.S. city average ........................................... M 183.1 184.2 183.8 183.5 2.1 -0.4 -0.2 2.2 0.4 -0.2 

Region and area size2

Northeast urban ............................................. M 191.7 193.0 192.6 192.7 2.7 -.2 .1 2.6 .5 -.2 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ................... M 193.5 194.6 194.4 194.6 2.9 .0 .1 2.7 .5 -.1 

Size B/C 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................. M 113.8 115.0 114.4 114.2 2.0 -.7 -.2 2.2 .5 -.5 

Midwest urban ............................................... M 177.8 178.6 177.8 177.7 1.7 -.5 -.1 1.8 .0 -.4 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 .................. M 180.0 180.7 179.7 179.7 1.4 -.6 .0 1.4 -.2 -.6 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 112.8 113.6 113.2 113.0 2.0 -.5 -.2 2.3 .4 -.4 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) .............................................. M 172.5 173.0 171.7 171.7 2.1 -.8 .0 2.1 -.5 -.8 

South urban ................................................... M 176.4 177.5 177.4 176.8 2.1 -.4 -.3 2.5 .6 -.1 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ................... M 178.3 179.1 178.9 178.6 2.3 -.3 -.2 2.7 .3 -.1 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ............... M 112.5 113.3 113.3 112.8 1.9 -.4 -.4 2.3 .7 .0 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) .............................................. M 174.8 175.4 175.5 174.7 2.4 -.4 -.5 2.9 .4 .1 

West urban .................................................... M 188.1 189.3 188.8 188.5 2.0 -.4 -.2 2.0 .4 -.3 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 .................. M 190.9 192.1 191.7 191.2 2.0 -.5 -.3 2.4 .4 -.2 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 114.5 115.4 114.9 114.7 2.0 -.6 -.2 1.1 .3 -.4 

Size classes

A 4 .............................................................. M 167.5 168.4 168.0 167.9 2.2 -.3 -.1 2.3 .3 -.2 

B/C 3 ........................................................... M 113.1 114.0 113.7 113.4 2.0 -.5 -.3 2.1 .5 -.3 

D ................................................................ M 176.0 176.9 176.3 176.1 2.1 -.5 -.1 2.3 .2 -.3 

Selected local areas5

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI .................. M 184.1 184.8 183.4 183.4 1.1 -.8 .0 1.4 -.4 -.8 

Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA .. M 186.5 188.2 187.6 186.4 2.1 -1.0 -.6 3.0 .6 -.3 

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

NY-NJ-CT-PA ........................................ M 196.2 197.1 196.7 196.8 2.8 -.2 .1 2.6 .3 -.2 

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

 202.8 - 202.3 3.9 -.2 - - - -

Cleveland-Akron, OH ..................................... 1 - 175.4 - 175.1 1.2 -.2 - - - -

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

 176.8 - 176.9 2.3 .1 - - - -

Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV 6 ...... 1 - 115.9 - 115.7 2.6 -.2 - - - -

Atlanta, GA .................................................... 2 180.7 -

 182.1 - - - - 2.0 .8 -

Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI ............................. 2 182.4 -

 182.2 - - - - 1.8 -.1 -

Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX ................... 2 164.0 - 162.5 - - - - 2.3 -.9 -

Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ............................ 2 180.3 -

 180.6 - - - - 3.2 .2 -

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,

PA-NJ-DE-MD ....................................... 2 186.6 -

 187.2 - - - - 2.2 .3 -

San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA .......... 2 197.7 -

 197.3 - - - - 2.2 -.2 -

Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA ................... 2 191.3 - 192.3 - - - - 1.9 .5 -

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

2002

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

May 2003 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Apr.

2003

May

2003

May

2002

Apr.

2003

Feb. to

Mar.

Mar. to

Apr.

Apr. to

May

Expenditure category

All items ..................................................................................... 100.000 179.8 179.4 2.0 -0.2 0.5 -0.5 -0.1 

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

 535.5 534.3 - - - - -

Food and beverages ............................................................... 17.072 178.3 178.7 1.7 .2 .2 -.1 .3 

Food ...................................................................................... 16.071 177.7 178.1 1.7 .2 .1 -.1 .3 

Food at home ...................................................................... 9.646 176.4 176.8 1.4 .2 .1 -.2 .3 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................ 1.449 201.8 202.9 2.4 .5 .3 -.4 .5 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ........................................... 2.773 165.2 164.6 1.5 -.4 .1 .6 -.2 

Dairy and related products 1 .............................................. .977 165.6 165.1 -2.1 -.3 -.2 -.7 -.3 

Fruits and vegetables ........................................................ 1.337 220.0 224.3 2.4 2.0 .3 -1.5 1.8 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ............. 1.118 139.6 139.7 1.7 .1 -.3 .7 .9 

Other food at home ........................................................... 1.992 161.7 161.7 1.3 .0 .0 -.3 .1 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................ .337 160.9 162.1 2.9 .7 .7 -.5 .7 

Fats and oils .................................................................... .302 156.2 157.6 1.2 .9 -.6 -1.1 .8 

Other foods ...................................................................... 1.353 179.0 178.1 .8 -.5 -.1 -.1 -.2 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... .308 110.9 110.5 .9 -.4 -.4 .4 -.4 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 6.425 181.0 181.4 2.2 .2 .3 .0 .2 

Other food away from home 2 ............................................ .278 120.8 120.8 2.6 .0 .2 .1 .2 

Alcoholic beverages .............................................................. 1.001 186.6 186.8 2.0 .1 .7 -.2 .1 

Housing ................................................................................... 38.134 179.7 180.0 2.8 .2 .6 -.1 .3 

Shelter ................................................................................... 29.422 205.9 206.4 2.6 .2 .0 .1 .4 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 8.456 203.7 204.1 3.0 .2 .2 .2 .3 

Lodging away from home 2 3 ................................................ 1.499 119.0 122.2 1.2 2.7 -1.4 .0 4.1 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 19.144 198.8 199.0 2.5 .1 .2 .0 .2 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. .323 114.0 114.0 5.9 .0 -.1 .2 .0 

Fuels and utilities ................................................................... 4.783 152.4 153.0 8.7 .4 4.4 -.7 .0 

Fuels .................................................................................... 3.902 135.7 136.3 10.0 .4 5.2 -.9 -.1

Fuel oil and other fuels ...................................................... .192 146.9 136.1 19.4 -7.4 8.6 -11.7 -5.5 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 3.710 142.3 143.5 9.5 .8 5.0 -.2 .2 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. .880 116.2 116.4 3.3 .2 .7 .2 .3 

Household furnishings and operations .................................. 3.929 122.8 122.0 -2.4 -.7 -.7 -.2 -.5 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... .357 122.2 122.4 2.8 .2 -.2 -.2 .2 

Apparel .................................................................................... 4.638 122.8 121.5 -3.7 -1.1 -.2 -.8 -.1 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ....................................................... 1.176 120.4 119.1 -4.4 -1.1 2.0 -.9 -1.9 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ................................................... 1.801 116.4 114.2 -3.4 -1.9 -.5 -.6 .4 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ................................................ .244 125.5 125.7 -3.2 .2 .1 -.4 1.2 

Footwear ............................................................................... 1.136 119.8 119.9 -3.6 .1 -1.4 -1.4 .4 

Transportation ......................................................................... 19.666 158.5 156.2 2.3 -1.5 1.1 -1.9 -1.5 

Private transportation ............................................................ 18.751 155.9 153.3 2.3 -1.7 1.2 -2.0 -1.6 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 9.568 97.7 97.4 -1.9 -.3 .3 -.4 -.3 

New vehicles ..................................................................... 4.682 139.7 139.1 -1.3 -.4 .3 -.5 -.1 

Used cars and trucks ......................................................... 3.783 149.2 148.7 -2.6 -.3 .6 -.3 -.7 

Motor fuel ............................................................................ 3.836 140.8 131.5 8.0 -6.6 4.1 -8.3 -6.8

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................ 3.803 140.2 130.9 8.0 -6.6 4.0 -8.2 -6.8 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... .524 107.1 107.2 1.1 .1 -.3 -.1 .1 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................ 1.458 196.3 196.5 2.7 .1 -.1 .4 .0 

Public transportation .............................................................. .915 203.0 208.5 1.1 2.7 .5 .2 2.7 

Medical care ............................................................................ 4.747 293.7 294.6 4.1 .3 .2 .1 .4 

Medical care commodities ..................................................... 1.012 256.2 256.4 2.4 .1 .4 .0 .2 

Medical care services ............................................................ 3.735 303.0 304.1 4.6 .4 .1 .2 .5 

Professional services 3 ......................................................... 2.265 261.9 263.3 3.3 .5 .1 .2 .7 

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 1.177 384.9 385.0 7.1 .0 .2 .1 .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

2002

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

May 2003 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Apr.

2003

May

2003

May

2002

Apr.

2003

Feb. to

Mar.

Mar. to

Apr.

Apr. to

May

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 5.567 105.4 105.5 0.6 0.1 0.0 -0.1 0.2 

Video and audio 2 ................................................................... 1.795 103.0 103.0 .7 .0 .0 .1 .0 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 5.604 108.4 108.0 1.4 -.4 -.2 -.3 -.2 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 2.472 130.9 131.1 6.2 .2 .5 .5 .4 

Educational books and supplies .......................................... .217 333.4 333.6 5.5 .1 .5 .2 .5 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ............................. 2.256 368.8 369.3 6.2 .1 .5 .5 .4 

Communication 2 .................................................................... 3.132 92.0 91.3 -2.1 -.8 -.6 -.9 -.8 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 2.972 90.7 90.0 -2.7 -.8 -.7 -1.0 -.8 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 2.536 98.9 98.3 -1.1 -.6 -.8 -1.0 -.6 

Information and information processing other than

telephone services 1 5 ................................................ .436 17.4 17.0 -11.5 -2.3 -.6 .0 -2.3 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... .191 18.5 17.8 -21.6 -3.8 .0 -.5 -3.8 

Other goods and services ....................................................... 4.571 306.4 306.0 2.3 -.1 -.3 .3 -.1 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... 1.542 469.8 466.8 3.7 -.6 -1.2 .1 -.6 

Personal care 1 ...................................................................... 3.030 176.7 176.9 1.7 .1 .2 .3 .1 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... .786 154.6 154.2 -.8 -.3 -.1 .5 -.3 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... .896 193.2 193.6 2.4 .2 .4 .4 .2 

Miscellaneous personal services ......................................... 1.170 281.6 282.4 3.2 .3 .4 .3 .3 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ............................................................................. 45.066 153.0 151.6 .3 -.9 .5 -1.2 -.7 

Food and beverages ............................................................... 17.072 178.3 178.7 1.7 .2 .2 -.1 .3 

Commodities less food and beverages ................................... 27.994 138.2 136.0 -.6 -1.6 .7 -1.7 -1.4 

Nondurables less food and beverages .................................. 15.152 154.8 151.1 1.2 -2.4 1.1 -3.2 -3.2 

Apparel ................................................................................ 4.638 122.8 121.5 -3.7 -1.1 -.2 -.8 -.1

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel ................. 10.514 178.3 173.0 3.5 -3.0 2.9 -4.3 -2.8 

Durables ................................................................................ 12.842 119.4 118.8 -2.6 -.5 .0 -.3 -.5

Services ..................................................................................... 54.934 211.3 212.0 3.5 .3 .4 .1 .4 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 29.099 198.3 198.8 2.5 .3 .1 .1 .4 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... .323 114.0 114.0 5.9 .0 -.1 .2 .0 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 3.710 142.3 143.5 9.5 .8 5.0 -.2 .2 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... .880 116.2 116.4 3.3 .2 .7 .2 .3 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... .357 122.2 122.4 2.8 .2 -.2 -.2 .2 

Transportation services ........................................................... 6.706 215.0 216.1 4.3 .5 .3 .6 .6 

Medical care services .............................................................. 3.735 303.0 304.1 4.6 .4 .1 .2 .5 

Other services ......................................................................... 10.123 246.8 247.1 3.1 .1 .1 -.1 .2 

Special indexes

All items less food ..................................................................... 83.929 180.0 179.5 2.1 -.3 .6 -.6 -.2 

All items less shelter .................................................................. 70.578 172.2 171.4 1.8 -.5 .6 -.7 -.3 

All items less medical care ........................................................ 95.253 174.8 174.4 2.0 -.2 .5 -.5 -.2 

Commodities less food .............................................................. 28.995 140.0 137.9 -.4 -1.5 .7 -1.7 -1.4 

Nondurables less food ............................................................... 16.153 156.8 153.2 1.2 -2.3 1.2 -3.2 -2.8 

Nondurables less food and apparel ........................................... 11.514 178.4 173.5 3.3 -2.7 2.6 -3.9 -2.6 

Nondurables .............................................................................. 32.224 167.1 165.3 1.5 -1.1 .7 -1.6 -1.1 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 25.835 199.7 200.4 4.6 .4 .9 .2 .2 

Services less medical care services .......................................... 51.199 204.0 204.7 3.4 .3 .5 .1 .3 

Energy ....................................................................................... 7.738 137.7 133.2 9.0 -3.3 4.6 -4.8 -3.4 

All items less energy ................................................................. 92.262 185.8 185.9 1.4 .1 .1 .0 .2 

All items less food and energy ................................................ 76.191 188.0 188.0 1.4 .0 .1 .0 .2 

Commodities less food and energy commodities .................. 24.967 143.0 142.2 -1.9 -.6 -.1 -.4 -.4 

Energy commodities ............................................................ 4.028 141.7 132.3 8.5 -6.6 4.3 -8.5 -6.8 

Services less energy services ............................................... 51.224 219.0 219.6 3.1 .3 .1 .1 .4 

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

 $ .556 $ .558 - - - - -

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

 $ .187 $ .187 - - - - -

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—

Feb.

2003

Mar.

2003

Apr.

2003

May

2003

Aug.

2002

Nov.

2002

Feb.

2003

May

2003

Nov.

2002

May

2003

Expenditure category

All items ..................................................................................... 179.3 180.2 179.3 179.1 2.5 1.6 4.6 -0.4 2.1 2.0 

Food and beverages ............................................................... 178.1 178.4 178.3 178.8 .2 2.3 2.7 1.6 1.3 2.2 

Food ...................................................................................... 177.6 177.8 177.7 178.2 .2 2.3 3.0 1.4 1.3 2.2 

Food at home ...................................................................... 176.5 176.6 176.3 176.9 -1.4 2.1 3.7 .9 .3 2.3 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................ 201.9 202.5 201.6 202.7 -.8 2.7 6.0 1.6 .9 3.8 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ........................................... 164.8 164.9 165.9 165.5 -3.6 .5 7.9 1.7 -1.6 4.8 

Dairy and related products 1 .............................................. 167.1 166.7 165.6 165.1 -4.0 -.2 .5 -4.7 -2.1 -2.1 

Fruits and vegetables ........................................................ 220.7 221.4 218.1 222.0 4.5 2.4 .2 2.4 3.4 1.3 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ............. 138.7 138.3 139.3 140.5 -4.0 6.3 -.3 5.3 1.0 2.5 

Other food at home ........................................................... 162.0 162.0 161.5 161.7 .0 3.3 2.3 -.7 1.6 .7 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................ 160.6 161.7 160.9 162.0 5.2 1.5 1.5 3.5 3.3 2.5 

Fats and oils .................................................................... 158.7 157.8 156.0 157.3 -4.6 1.6 12.5 -3.5 -1.5 4.2 

Other foods ...................................................................... 178.9 178.7 178.6 178.3 -.2 4.4 .2 -1.3 2.0 -.6 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... 110.9 110.5 110.9 110.5 1.5 4.1 -.4 -1.4 2.8 -.9 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 180.5 181.0 181.0 181.4 2.7 2.3 1.8 2.0 2.5 1.9 

Other food away from home 2 ............................................ 120.6 120.9 121.0 121.2 1.4 4.1 3.4 2.0 2.7 2.7 

Alcoholic beverages .............................................................. 185.5 186.8 186.4 186.6 1.5 2.0 2.0 2.4 1.8 2.2 

Housing ................................................................................... 178.9 179.9 179.8 180.3 2.1 2.5 3.7 3.2 2.3 3.4 

Shelter ................................................................................... 205.3 205.4 205.6 206.5 2.6 3.0 2.4 2.4 2.8 2.4 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 202.8 203.2 203.7 204.3 3.1 2.8 3.2 3.0 2.9 3.1 

Lodging away from home 2 3 ................................................ 117.8 116.2 116.2 121.0 -3.6 3.4 -4.9 11.3 -.2 2.9 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 198.5 198.8 198.8 199.2 2.9 3.1 2.5 1.4 3.0 1.9 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. 113.9 113.8 114.0 114.0 8.0 5.6 10.1 .4 6.8 5.1 

Fuels and utilities ................................................................... 149.4 156.0 154.9 154.9 1.7 2.5 15.9 15.6 2.1 15.7 

Fuels .................................................................................... 132.7 139.6 138.4 138.3 1.0 2.6 19.2 18.0 1.8 18.6 

Fuel oil and other fuels ...................................................... 149.4 162.2 143.3 135.4 13.7 15.5 129.4 -32.5 14.6 24.4 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 138.9 145.8 145.5 145.8 .6 2.1 15.1 21.4 1.4 18.2 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. 115.0 115.8 116.0 116.3 2.9 3.6 2.1 4.6 3.2 3.3 

Household furnishings and operations .................................. 123.7 122.8 122.5 121.9 -2.2 -1.6 .0 -5.7 -1.9 -2.9 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... 122.8 122.5 122.2 122.4 3.1 2.7 6.8 -1.3 2.9 2.7 

Apparel .................................................................................... 120.5 120.3 119.3 119.2 -2.2 -2.9 -5.4 -4.2 -2.6 -4.8 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ....................................................... 117.7 120.0 118.9 116.6 -4.2 -2.6 -7.4 -3.7 -3.4 -5.6 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ................................................... 112.2 111.6 110.9 111.3 .7 -3.4 -7.1 -3.2 -1.4 -5.2 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ................................................ 124.1 124.2 123.7 125.2 -.6 -4.9 -10.2 3.6 -2.8 -3.6 

Footwear ............................................................................... 121.1 119.4 117.7 118.2 -5.7 -.3 1.0 -9.2 -3.1 -4.3 

Transportation ......................................................................... 158.6 160.4 157.4 155.1 4.0 1.3 13.1 -8.5 2.7 1.7 

Private transportation ............................................................ 156.0 157.9 154.8 152.3 4.6 1.3 13.6 -9.2 3.0 1.6 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 97.8 98.1 97.7 97.4 .0 -4.0 -2.4 -1.6 -2.0 -2.0 

New vehicles ..................................................................... 139.4 139.8 139.1 138.9 -1.1 2.3 -5.0 -1.4 .6 -3.2 

Used cars and trucks ......................................................... 149.6 150.5 150.1 149.1 2.1 -12.6 1.9 -1.3 -5.5 .3 

Motor fuel ............................................................................ 143.1 148.9 136.6 127.3 13.2 8.8 76.2 -37.4 11.0 5.1 

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................ 142.4 148.1 136.0 126.7 13.6 8.9 75.6 -37.3 11.2 4.9 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... 107.5 107.2 107.1 107.2 3.8 -1.9 3.8 -1.1 .9 1.3 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................ 196.0 195.8 196.5 196.5 2.7 2.7 4.0 1.0 2.7 2.5 

Public transportation .............................................................. 200.6 201.6 202.0 207.4 -5.7 -1.4 -1.8 14.3 -3.6 5.9 

Medical care ............................................................................ 292.3 292.8 293.2 294.4 4.9 6.0 2.8 2.9 5.4 2.8 

Medical care commodities ..................................................... 255.1 256.1 256.0 256.4 3.1 3.2 1.6 2.1 3.1 1.8 

Medical care services ............................................................ 301.4 301.8 302.4 303.8 5.5 6.7 3.1 3.2 6.1 3.2 

Professional services 3 ......................................................... 260.5 260.8 261.4 263.1 3.5 3.9 1.7 4.1 3.7 2.9 

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 383.2 384.1 384.5 385.4 7.8 12.0 6.7 2.3 9.9 4.5 

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—

Feb.

2003

Mar.

2003

Apr.

2003

May

2003

Aug.

2002

Nov.

2002

Feb.

2003

May

2003

Nov.

2002

May

2003

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 105.3 105.3 105.2 105.4 -0.4 0.4 2.3 0.4 0.0 1.3 

Video and audio 2 ................................................................... 102.6 102.6 102.7 102.7 -1.9 4.4 .0 .4 1.2 .2 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 109.2 109.0 108.7 108.5 6.5 -.7 3.0 -2.5 2.8 .2 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 130.5 131.1 131.8 132.3 7.9 5.5 5.7 5.6 6.7 5.7 

Educational books and supplies .......................................... 331.3 333.0 333.7 335.3 5.1 4.3 7.7 4.9 4.7 6.3 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ............................. 367.6 369.4 371.4 372.7 8.1 5.6 5.4 5.7 6.8 5.5 

Communication 2 .................................................................... 93.4 92.8 92.0 91.3 5.7 -5.4 .4 -8.7 .0 -4.2 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 92.2 91.6 90.7 90.0 3.9 -5.9 .9 -9.2 -1.1 -4.3 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 100.7 99.9 98.9 98.3 5.8 -2.7 2.4 -9.2 1.4 -3.6 

Information and information processing other than

telephone services 1 5 ................................................ 17.5 17.4 17.4 17.0 -6.1 -19.5 -8.6 -10.9 -13.1 -9.8 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... 18.6 18.6 18.5 17.8 -16.5 -32.1 -20.5 -16.1 -24.7 -18.4 

Other goods and services ....................................................... 306.4 305.6 306.4 306.0 9.6 -1.3 1.8 -.5 4.0 .7

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... 474.8 469.1 469.8 466.8 30.1 -6.4 1.7 -6.6 10.3 -2.5 

Personal care 1 ...................................................................... 175.7 176.1 176.7 176.9 .7 1.4 1.8 2.8 1.0 2.3 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... 154.0 153.8 154.6 154.2 -.8 -.3 -2.6 .5 -.5 -1.0 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... 191.6 192.4 193.2 193.6 1.5 1.7 2.1 4.2 1.6 3.2 

Miscellaneous personal services ......................................... 279.3 280.5 281.3 282.1 2.7 2.8 3.4 4.1 2.7 3.7 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ............................................................................. 153.0 153.8 152.0 150.9 1.3 -.3 5.7 -5.4 .5 .0 

Food and beverages ............................................................... 178.1 178.4 178.3 178.8 .2 2.3 2.7 1.6 1.3 2.2 

Commodities less food and beverages ................................... 138.4 139.3 136.9 135.0 2.1 -2.0 7.9 -9.5 .0 -1.2 

Nondurables less food and beverages .................................. 156.0 157.7 152.7 147.8 7.3 3.5 16.7 -19.4 5.4 -3.0 

Apparel ................................................................................ 120.5 120.3 119.3 119.2 -2.2 -2.9 -5.4 -4.2 -2.6 -4.8 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel ................. 178.7 183.9 176.0 171.1 9.8 .9 23.0 -16.0 5.3 1.7 

Durables ................................................................................ 119.8 119.8 119.4 118.8 -1.3 -4.8 -1.3 -3.3 -3.1 -2.3 

Services ..................................................................................... 210.3 211.2 211.4 212.3 3.2 3.3 3.7 3.9 3.2 3.8 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 197.7 197.9 198.1 198.8 2.7 2.9 2.3 2.2 2.8 2.3 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... 113.9 113.8 114.0 114.0 8.0 5.6 10.1 .4 6.8 5.1 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 138.9 145.8 145.5 145.8 .6 2.1 15.1 21.4 1.4 18.2 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... 115.0 115.8 116.0 116.3 2.9 3.6 2.1 4.6 3.2 3.3 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... 122.8 122.5 122.2 122.4 3.1 2.7 6.8 -1.3 2.9 2.7 

Transportation services ........................................................... 212.8 213.4 214.6 215.9 3.7 4.9 2.9 6.0 4.3 4.4 

Medical care services .............................................................. 301.4 301.8 302.4 303.8 5.5 6.7 3.1 3.2 6.1 3.2 

Other services ......................................................................... 246.9 247.1 246.9 247.5 5.4 2.2 3.8 1.0 3.8 2.4 

Special indexes

All items less food ..................................................................... 179.5 180.5 179.5 179.2 2.8 1.6 4.8 -.7 2.2 2.0 

All items less shelter .................................................................. 171.8 172.9 171.7 171.1 2.2 1.2 5.5 -1.6 1.7 1.9 

All items less medical care ........................................................ 174.4 175.2 174.4 174.1 2.4 1.4 4.7 -.7 1.9 2.0 

Commodities less food .............................................................. 140.1 141.1 138.7 136.8 2.1 -1.7 7.5 -9.1 .1 -1.2 

Nondurables less food ............................................................... 157.8 159.7 154.6 150.2 6.6 3.5 15.5 -17.9 5.0 -2.6 

Nondurables less food and apparel ........................................... 179.0 183.6 176.4 171.9 6.7 2.6 22.3 -14.9 4.6 2.0

Nondurables .............................................................................. 167.5 168.6 165.9 164.0 3.3 3.0 8.8 -8.1 3.1 .0 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 198.1 199.9 200.3 200.8 4.2 3.8 4.6 5.6 4.0 5.1 

Services less medical care services .......................................... 202.9 204.0 204.2 204.9 3.1 3.2 3.2 4.0 3.2 3.6 

Energy ....................................................................................... 137.4 143.7 136.8 132.1 7.1 5.6 46.0 -14.6 6.4 11.7 

All items less energy ................................................................. 185.4 185.5 185.5 185.8 2.2 1.3 1.5 .9 1.8 1.2 

All items less food and energy ................................................ 187.4 187.5 187.5 187.8 2.4 1.1 1.3 .9 1.7 1.1 

Commodities less food and energy commodities .................. 142.8 142.7 142.2 141.7 .3 -3.3 -1.7 -3.0 -1.5 -2.4 

Energy commodities ............................................................ 144.0 150.2 137.5 128.2 13.1 9.2 78.4 -37.2 11.1 5.9 

Services less energy services ............................................... 218.2 218.5 218.7 219.6 3.4 3.4 2.8 2.6 3.4 2.7 

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

May2003 from—

Percent change to

Apr.2003 from—

Feb.

2003

Mar.

2003

Apr.

2003

May

2003

May

2002

Mar.

2003

Apr.

2003

Apr.

2002

Feb.

2003

Mar.

2003

U.S. city average ........................................... M 179.2 180.3 179.8 179.4 2.0 -0.5 -0.2 2.3 0.3 -0.3 

Region and area size2

Northeast urban ............................................. M 188.6 189.8 189.4 189.2 2.8 -.3 -.1 2.8 .4 -.2 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ................... M 189.1 190.0 189.8 189.8 3.0 -.1 .0 2.9 .4 -.1 

Size B/C 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................. M 114.0 115.2 114.5 114.2 2.2 -.9 -.3 2.5 .4 -.6 

Midwest urban ............................................... M 173.3 174.1 173.1 172.9 1.5 -.7 -.1 1.6 -.1 -.6 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 .................. M 174.6 175.4 174.3 174.2 1.3 -.7 -.1 1.2 -.2 -.6 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 112.5 113.1 112.6 112.4 1.9 -.6 -.2 2.2 .1 -.4 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) .............................................. M 170.1 170.6 169.3 169.3 1.9 -.8 .0 2.0 -.5 -.8 

South urban ................................................... M 173.9 175.0 174.7 174.0 1.9 -.6 -.4 2.3 .5 -.2 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ................... M 175.7 176.5 176.3 175.7 2.2 -.5 -.3 2.7 .3 -.1 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ............... M 111.7 112.5 112.3 111.8 1.5 -.6 -.4 1.9 .5 -.2 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) .............................................. M 174.8 175.7 175.4 174.6 2.0 -.6 -.5 2.5 .3 -.2 

West urban .................................................... M 183.2 184.7 184.2 183.8 2.1 -.5 -.2 2.3 .5 -.3 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 .................. M 184.4 185.9 185.4 185.0 2.2 -.5 -.2 2.7 .5 -.3 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 114.0 115.1 114.7 114.4 1.9 -.6 -.3 1.6 .6 -.3 

Size classes

A 4 .............................................................. M 165.8 166.8 166.3 166.1 2.2 -.4 -.1 2.4 .3 -.3 

B/C 3 ........................................................... M 112.6 113.5 113.1 112.7 1.8 -.7 -.4 2.0 .4 -.4 

D ................................................................ M 174.7 175.6 174.9 174.5 2.0 -.6 -.2 2.1 .1 -.4 

Selected local areas5

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI .................. M 178.1 179.0 177.4 177.3 1.1 -.9 -.1 1.5 -.4 -.9 

Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA .. M 179.6 181.6 180.9 179.9 2.6 -.9 -.6 3.5 .7 -.4 

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

NY-NJ-CT-PA ........................................ M 191.3 192.1 191.8 191.7 2.8 -.2 -.1 2.8 .3 -.2 

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

 202.3 - 201.8 4.4 -.2 - - - -

Cleveland-Akron, OH ..................................... 1 - 167.1 - 166.3 1.4 -.5 - - - -

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

 176.5 - 176.4 2.3 -.1 - - - -

Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV 6 ...... 1 - 115.5 - 115.1 2.4 -.3 - - - -

Atlanta, GA .................................................... 2 178.1 -

 179.2 - - - - 2.1 .6 -

Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI ............................. 2 176.8 -

 176.4 - - - - 1.7 -.2 -

Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX ................... 2 161.7 - 160.9 - - - - 2.6 -.5 -

Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ............................ 2 178.0 -

 178.4 - - - - 3.4 .2 -

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,

PA-NJ-DE-MD ....................................... 2 185.9 -

 186.3 - - - - 2.2 .2 -

San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA .......... 2 193.7 -

 193.6 - - - - 2.5 -.1 -

Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA ................... 2 186.2 - 187.0 - - - - 1.9 .4 -

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

 most other goods and services priced as indicated: 

 M - Every month. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

therefore, subject to substantially more sampling and other measurement

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

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

Labor Statistics strongly urges users to consider adopting the national

average CPI for use in their escalator clauses. 

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

 May 2003 from—

 Apr.

 2003

 May

 2003

 May

 2002

 Apr.

 2003

Expenditure category

All items ..................................................................................... 100.000 107.6 107.4 1.6 -0.2 

Food and beverages ............................................................... 15.451 107.2 107.4 1.6 .2 

Food ...................................................................................... 14.432 107.1 107.4 1.6 .3 

Food at home ...................................................................... 8.335 105.9 106.2 1.1 .3 

Food away from home ......................................................... 6.096 108.6 108.9 2.3 .3 

Alcoholic beverages .............................................................. 1.019 108.0 108.1 1.8 .1 

Housing ................................................................................... 40.040 110.9 111.2 2.5 .3 

Shelter ................................................................................... 30.643 112.2 112.6 2.5 .4 

Fuels and utilities ................................................................... 4.376 117.7 118.5 8.1 .7 

Household furnishings and operations .................................. 5.020 97.5 96.7 -2.4 -.8 

Apparel .................................................................................... 4.819 94.8 93.7 -3.9 -1.2 

Transportation ......................................................................... 17.770 106.7 105.4 1.8 -1.2 

Private transportation ............................................................ 16.520 107.0 105.4 2.0 -1.5 

Public transportation .............................................................. 1.250 102.9 104.9 -.4 1.9 

Medical care ............................................................................ 5.563 115.4 115.7 3.9 .3 

Medical care commodities ..................................................... 1.330 111.4 111.6 2.5 .2 

Medical care services ............................................................ 4.233 116.7 117.1 4.4 .3 

Recreation ............................................................................... 6.124 103.0 103.2 .3 .2 

Education and communication ................................................ 6.068 97.2 96.6 -.3 -.6 

Education .............................................................................. 2.546 120.6 120.7 6.3 .1 

Communication ..................................................................... 3.522 82.6 81.7 -4.9 -1.1 

Other goods and services ....................................................... 4.164 111.6 111.6 2.0 .0 

Commodity and service group

Services ..................................................................................... 57.098 112.3 112.7 3.2 .4 

Commodities ............................................................................. 42.902 101.6 100.7 -.3 -.9 

Durables .................................................................................. 12.953 90.6 89.9 -3.4 -.8 

Nondurables .............................................................................. 29.949 106.5 105.6 1.1 -.8 

All items less food and energy ................................................ 78.851 106.4 106.4 1.0 .0 

Energy ....................................................................................... 6.717 122.3 119.0 8.8 -2.7 

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.