United States 

Department 

of Labor 

Bureau of Labor Statistics Washington, D.C. 20212 

FOR TECHNICAL INFORMATION: 

 Patrick C. Jackman (202) 691-7000 USDL-02-344 

CPI QUICKLINE: (202) 691-6994 TRANSMISSION OF 

FOR CURRENT AND HISTORICAL MATERIAL IN THIS 

 INFORMATION: (202) 691-5200 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED 

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

INTERNET ADDRESS: http://www.bls.gov/cpi/ Tuesday, June 18, 2002 

CONSUMER PRICE INDEX: MAY 2002 

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) was unchanged in May, before seasonal 

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

179.8 (1982-84=100) was 1.2 percent higher than its level in May 2001. 

The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) was unchanged in 

May, prior to seasonal adjustment. The May level of 175.8 was 0.8 percent higher than the index in May 

2001. 

CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U)

On a seasonally adjusted basis, the CPI-U was unchanged in May, following a 0.5 percent increase in 

April. The energy index, which had advanced sharply in each of the preceding two months, declined 0.7 

percent in May. The index for petroleum-based energy decreased 2.7 percent, while the index for energy 

services rose 1.1 percent. The food index fell 0.2 percent in May. The index for food at home declined 0.5 

percent as five of the six grocery store food groups registered declines. Excluding food and energy, the CPI-U 

rose 0.2 percent in May after increasing 0.3 percent in April. A smaller increase in the index for shelter and a 

downturn in the index for tobacco and smoking products accounted for the more moderate increase in May. 

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

 Seasonally adjusted Un-

 Compound adjusted

Expenditure Changes from preceding month annual rate 12-mos. 

Category 2001 2002 3-mos. ended ended

 Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May May ’02 May ’02 

All Items -.1 -.1 .2 .2 .3 .5 .0 3.4 1.2

 Food and beverages -.1 .0 .3 .2 .2 .1 -.2 .0 2.0 

 Housing .3 .2 .2 .3 .1 .3 .3 2.9 2.2 

 Apparel -.6 -.6 -.7 .5 1.2 -.6 -.6 .3 -2.1 

 Transportation -1.6 -.9 .3 -.2 1.2 1.7 -.4 10.6 -3.4 

 Medical care .4 .3 .5 .3 .4 .5 .5 5.2 4.7 

 Recreation .3 -.1 .2 .1 .2 .3 -.1 1.5 1.3 

 Education and 

 communication .0 .2 .3 .2 -.5 -.2 .6 -.4 2.5 

 Other goods and 

 services 1.3 -1.0 .3 1.0 -.6 1.5 -.5 1.8 4.0 

 Special Indexes 

 Energy -4.9 -3.0 .9 -.8 3.8 4.5 -.7 34.4 -12.3 

 Food -.1 .0 .3 .2 .2 .1 -.2 .0 1.9 

 All Items less 

 food and energy .4 .1 .2 .3 .1 .3 .2 2.1 2.5 

See pages 4 through 6 for notes on changes introduced into the CPI in 2002 and for a note on a new 

supplemental index of consumer price change.
During the first five months of 2002, the CPI-U rose at a 3.0 percent seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR).

This compares with an increase of 1.6 percent for all of 2001. The index for energy, which declined 13.0 percent in

2001, increased at a 19.7 percent SAAR in the first five months of 2002. Petroleum-based energy costs increased at

a 48.4 percent annual rate, while charges for energy services declined at a 0.9 percent annual rate. The food index

has increased at a 1.4 percent SAAR thus far this year, following a 2.8 percent rise for all of 2001. Excluding food

and energy, the CPI-U advanced at a 2.3 percent SAAR in the first five months, following a 2.7 percent rise in all of

2001.

The food and beverages index declined 0.2 percent in May. The index for food at home decreased 0.5

percent in May after registering no change in April. The index for fruits and vegetables, which had risen sharply in

each of the first three months of 2002, declined for the second consecutive month, down 1.4 percent in May. Within

the fruits and vegetables group, the index for fresh vegetables declined 6.2 percent, more than offsetting a 2.6 percent

rise in the index for fresh fruits and a 0.7 percent increase in the index for processed fruits and vegetables. The

indexes for cereal and bakery products, for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs, for nonalcoholic beverages, and for other

food at home all registered declines in May. Within the meats, poultry, fish, and eggs category, the indexes for beef

and pork fell 0.1 and 0.9 percent, respectively, while poultry prices rose 0.1 percent. The index for cereals and

bakery products fell 0.1 percent in May. The index for nonalcoholic beverages fell 0.9 percent, reflecting a 2.2

percent drop in prices for carbonated beverages. The index for other food at home, which increased 1.1 percent in

April, declined 1.0 percent in May. Prices for sugar and artificial sweeteners, which rose 5.0 percent in April, fell 2.7

percent in May. The index for dairy products was the only major grocery store food group to register an increase in

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

alcoholic beverages--each increased 0.2 percent,

The index for housing rose 0.3 percent in May. Shelter costs, which rose 0.4 percent in April, increased 0.2

percent in May. Within shelter, the indexes for rent and for lodging away from home each rose 0.3 percent, and the

index for owners' equivalent rent increased 0.2 percent. The index for fuels and utilities advanced 0.8 percent in May,

reflecting increases in each of the three major household fuels. The indexes for fuel oil and for electricity each rose 0.8

percent and the index for natural gas rose 1.9 percent. (Prior to seasonal adjustment, fuel oil prices declined 0.6

percent, while charges for electricity and natural gas rose 1.5 and 0.1 percent, respectively.) The index for household

furnishings and operations turned up in May, advancing 0.3 percent.

The transportation index, reflecting the movement in gasoline prices, rose sharply in March and April and

declined 0.4 percent in May. After advancing 8.0 and 10.1 percent in March and April, respectively, the index for

gasoline fell 2.8 percent in May. (Prior to seasonal adjustment, gasoline prices were unchanged in May.) The indexes

for new vehicles and for used cars and trucks each declined for the fifth consecutive month, down 0.2 and 0.3

percent, respectively. During the last 12 months, the index for new vehicles has declined 1.8 percent and the index for

used cars and trucks has fallen 4.6 percent. Airline fares increased for the fifth consecutive month--up. 1.8 percent in

May--following declines in each of the last six months of 2001.

The index for apparel declined 0.6 percent in May, the same as in April. (Prior to seasonal adjustment,

apparel prices fell 1.3 percent, largely as a result of the discounting of women’s and girls’ apparel.)

The medical care index rose 0.5 percent in May to a level 4.7 percent above its level a year ago. The index

for medical care commodities--prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and medical supplies--increased 0.2

percent. The index for medical care services rose 0.6 percent in May. Charges for professional services rose 0.2

percent and those for hospital and related services increased 0.8 percent.

The index for recreation decreased 0.1 percent in May. Declines in the indexes for toys--down 2.3 percent--

and for admissions to movies, theaters, concerts, and sporting events--down 0.3 percent--were largely responsible for

the May decrease.

The index for education and communication increased 0.6 percent in May, following declines in each of the

previous two months. Education costs rose 0.4 percent and the index for communication costs increased 0.8 percent.

Within the later category, the index for telephone services, which had declined in March and April, rose 1.1 percent in

May, reflecting a 2.5 percent increase in local charges. Prices for personal computers and peripheral equipment
recorded their first monthly increase since December 1999--up 0.4 percent in May. During the last 12 months,

however, these prices have declined 24.3 percent.

The index for other goods and services, which rose 1.5 percent in April, declined 0.5 percent in May. Prices

for cigarettes, which increased 6.8 percent in April, declined 2.9 percent in May, reflecting increased discounting of

selected major brands.

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

On a seasonally adjusted basis, the CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers declined 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 2001 2002 3-mos. ended ended

Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May May ’02 May ’02

All Items -.1 -.2 .2 .2 .3 .6 -.1 3.5 .8

 Food and beverages -.1 .0 .3 .2 .2 .0 -.2 .0 2.0

 Housing .3 .2 .2 .2 .2 .2 .3 2.8 2.0

 Apparel -.4 -.7 -1.0 .5 1.3 -.2 -.8 1.0 -1.8

 Transportation -1.8 -.9 .2 -.3 1.4 1.9 -.6 11.0 -4.1

 Medical care .4 .3 .5 .2 .4 .4 .5 5.4 4.6

 Recreation .1 -.1 .3 .1 .2 .3 -.2 1.2 1.2

 Education and

 Communication .0 .1 .4 .1 -.5 -.4 .7 -.7 2.3

 Other goods and

 Services 1.7 -1.3 .2 1.5 -1.0 2.2 -.9 1.1 4.3

 Special Indexes

 Energy -5.3 -3.0 1.0 -.8 4.1 5.0 -1.3 35.3 -13.1

 Food .0 -.1 .3 .2 .2 -.1 -.2 -.2 1.9

 All Items less

 Food and energy .4 .1 .1 .2 .1 .3 .1 1.7 2.3

Consumer Price Index data for June are scheduled for release on Friday, July 19, 2002, at 8:30 A.M. (EDT).

CPI (Old Weights)

For the first six months of 2002, BLS also will calculate Old Weights CPI-U and Old Weights CPI-W based

on the 1993-95 expenditure pattern used in the CPI from 1998 through 2001. These Old Weight data are contained

in tables 1(OW)-4(OW). From April to May 2002, the Old Weights CPI-U was unchanged, while the Old Weights

CPI-W declined 0.1 percent. Note these series are not seasonally adjusted.
Changes in the Consumer Price Index in 2002

Expenditure Weight Update

As announced in December 1998, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has updated the consumption

expenditure weights in the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers (CPI-U) and in the Consumer Price Index

for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) to the 1999-2000 period, effective with release of data for

January 2002. The newer weights replace the 1993-95 weights, which were first used in the index effective with

January 1998 data. Additionally, CPI expenditure weights will be updated at two-year intervals subsequent to the 2002

updating. Thus, for example, CPI expenditure weights will be updated to the 2001-02 period effective with release of

CPI data for January 2004.

Historically, the introduction of a comprehensive new set of expenditure weights attached to the categories of

goods and services in the CPI “market basket” has taken place in the context of the periodic major revisions of the

index. Such major revisions have taken place approximately once each decade—in 1940, 1953, 1964, 1978, 1987

and, most recently, in 1998.

The goal in employing more current expenditure weights is to have the CPI reflect, as much as possible, the

inflation currently experienced by consumers. More specifically, the use of more current weights will help to ensure that

the relative importance of CPI item categories, such as food away from home, college tuition, or medical care services,

more accurately reflects how consumers are allocating their spending.

Publication of Overlap CPIs

For the first six months of 2002, BLS will continue to calculate and publish selected CPI-U and CPI-W

“overlap” indexes on a not seasonally adjusted basis. These indexes will be compiled using the 1993-95 expenditure

pattern that was introduced into the CPI in 1998. Comparison of these index series to the corresponding updated

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

updates scheduled in 2004 and every two years thereafter also will be accompanied by the publication of overlap

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

Publication of CPI for the Phoenix Area

Effective with release of the July 2002 Consumer Price Index (CPI), BLS will initiate publication of consumer

price data specific to the Phoenix-Mesa, Arizona, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As with the national CPI and other

local area CPIs, data will be published for each of two population groups, that for all urban consumers (CPI-U) and

that for urban wage earners and clerical workers (CPI-W). The Phoenix-Mesa CPI will be published on a semi-annual

basis with a reference base of December 2001 = 100. The same amount of item detail will be available for PhoenixMesa as is presently available for all other areas published on a semi-annual basis.

Change to Published Item Structure

Effective with release of the January 2002 CPI, BLS began publishing an item index for leased cars and trucks.

This index series is available monthly at the U.S. City Average area level for both the CPI-U and CPI-W with a

December 2001 = 100 reference base.
NOTE ON A NEW, SUPPLEMENTAL INDEX

 OF CONSUMER PRICE CHANGE

 The Bureau of Labor Statistics will begin publishing a consumer price index (CPI) called the Chained

Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, effective with release of July data in August 2002. Designated the CCPI-U, the index will supplement the existing indexes already produced by the BLS: the CPI for All Urban Consumers

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

The C-CPI-U will employ a Tornqvist formula and utilize expenditure data in adjacent time periods in order to

reflect the effect of any substitution that consumers make across item categories in response to changes in relative

prices. The new measure, said to be a “superlative” index, is designed to be a closer approximation to a “cost-of-living”

index than the present measures. The use of expenditure data for both a base period and the current period in order to

average price change across item categories distinguishes the C-CPI-U from the existing CPI measures, which use only

a single expenditure base period to compute the price change over time. In 1999, the BLS introduced a geometric

mean estimator for averaging prices within most of the index’s item categories in order to approximate the effect of

consumers’ responses to changes in relative prices within these item categories. The geometric mean estimator will be

used in the C-CPI-U in the same item categories in which it is now used in the CPI-U and CPI-W. (See Monthly

Labor Review, October 1998, pp. 3-7.)

Expenditure data required for the calculation of the C-CPI-U are available only with a time lag. Thus, the CCPI-U will be issued first in preliminary form using the latest available expenditure data at that time and will be subject

to two subsequent revisions. Accordingly, at the time of its introduction in August, “final” values of the C-CPI-U will be

issued for the 12 months of 2000, “interim” values will be issued for the 12 months of 2001, and “initial” values will be

issued for January-July of 2002. In February 2003, with release of the January 2003 index, revised interim indexes for

the 12 months of 2002 will be published, and the index values for 2001 will be revised and will become final. Then, in

February 2004, when the monthly expenditure data from calendar year 2002 become available, C-CPI-U indexes for

the 12 months of 2002 will be issued in final form and values for the 12 months of 2003 will be revised and issued as

interim. The C-CPI-U index revisions are expected to be small, but in principle each monthly index could be revised

from its previously published level.

BLS previously has calculated superlative indexes on an experimental basis, although these are not comparable

to the C-CPI-U in all computational details. (See, for example, Monthly Labor Review, December 1993, pp. 25-33.)

Based on BLS research, the C-CPI-U is estimated to increase at an average annual rate of 0.1 to 0.2 percentage point

less than the CPI-U.

The C-CPI-U will be issued for national averages only and will not be seasonally adjusted. It will employ a

December 1999=100 reference base. Data for periods prior to December 1999 will not be calculated. The

component series that will be published are listed below:

All items Medical care

Food and beverages Medical care commodities

Food Medical care services

Food at home Recreation

Food away from home Education and communication

Alcoholic beverages Education

Housing Communication

Shelter Other goods and services

Fuels and utilities Services

Household furnishings and operations Commodities

Apparel Durables

Transportation Nondurables

Private transportation All items less food and energy

Public transportation Energy
These indexes will be published monthly in the CPI news release and the CPI Detailed Report, and the series

will be available electronically at the same site as other CPI data: http://www.bls.gov/cpi/.

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

Bureau of Labor Statistics

Division of Consumer Prices and Price Indexes

2 Massachusetts Ave. NE, Room 3130

Washington, DC 20212

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

Jackman_P@bls.gov or Cage_R@bls.gov .
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 in a market basket of goods

and services. The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes CPIs for two population groups: (1) a CPI for All Urban

Consumers (CPI-U) which covers approximately 87 percent of the total population and (2) a CPI for Urban Wage

Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) which covers 32 percent of the total population. The CPI-U includes, in

addition to wage earners and clerical workers, groups such as professional, managerial, and technical workers, the selfemployed, short-term workers, the unemployed, and retirees and others not in the labor force.

 The CPI is 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. Separate indexes are also published by size of city, by region of the country, for crossclassifications of regions and population-size classes, and for 26 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.

 The index measures price change from a designed reference date—1982-84 which equals 100.0. An increase of

16.5 percent, 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 1997 through 2001 were replaced

at the end of 2001. 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: 39 of the 73 components are seasonally adjusted for 2002.

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. It was used to offset an increase in summer demand in

the Midwest and South 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.
 A description of Intervention Analysis Seasonal Adjustment, as well as a list of unusual events modeled and seasonal

factors for these items may be obtained by writing 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

2001

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

May 2002 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Apr.

2002

May

2002

May

2001

Apr.

2002

Feb. to

Mar.

Mar. to

Apr.

Apr. to

May

Expenditure category

All items ..................................................................................... 100.000 179.8 179.8 1.2 0.0 0.3 0.5 0.0 

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

 538.6 538.5 - - - - -

Food and beverages ............................................................... 15.719 176.7 176.4 2.0 -.2 .2 .1 -.2 

Food ...................................................................................... 14.688 176.2 175.8 1.9 -.2 .2 .1 -.2

Food at home ...................................................................... 8.468 176.4 175.5 1.6 -.5 .2 .0 -.5 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................ 1.298 198.1 198.2 2.6 .1 -.1 .3 -.1 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ........................................... 2.271 162.5 162.4 1.0 -.1 .7 -.1 -.1 

Dairy and related products 1 .............................................. .916 168.7 169.0 2.6 .2 -.4 -.4 .2 

Fruits and vegetables ........................................................ 1.204 223.4 221.0 3.7 -1.1 1.0 -1.8 -1.4 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ............. .967 140.0 138.0 -.1 -1.4 .3 .4 -.9 

Other food at home ........................................................... 1.811 161.5 160.0 .3 -.9 -.4 1.1 -1.0 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................ .315 159.6 157.9 1.3 -1.1 -.8 2.1 -1.4 

Fats and oils .................................................................... .265 156.5 155.9 .8 -.4 -.3 -.1 -.4 

Other foods ...................................................................... 1.232 177.8 176.1 -.2 -1.0 -.4 1.1 -1.0 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... .289 108.0 108.9 .1 .8 -.2 .2 .8 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 6.220 177.2 177.6 2.6 .2 .1 .1 .2 

Other food away from home 1 2 ......................................... .383 116.9 117.1 4.2 .2 .4 .5 .2 

Alcoholic beverages .............................................................. 1.031 182.9 183.3 2.7 .2 .1 .2 .2 

Housing ................................................................................... 40.873 179.5 179.7 2.2 .1 .1 .3 .3 

Shelter ................................................................................... 31.522 207.5 207.5 4.0 .0 .1 .4 .2 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 6.421 198.5 198.8 4.1 .2 .4 .2 .3 

Lodging away from home 2 3 ................................................ 2.702 122.1 120.1 .1 -1.6 -1.6 1.6 .3 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 22.046 213.3 213.7 4.3 .2 .3 .3 .2 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. .353 107.2 107.6 .7 .4 .0 .4 .4 

Fuels and utilities ................................................................... 4.511 140.3 141.5 -6.5 .9 .4 .2 .8 

Fuels .................................................................................... 3.654 123.8 125.1 -8.6 1.1 .3 .2 1.1 

Fuel oil and other fuels ...................................................... .188 115.1 114.4 -13.3 -.6 1.7 2.9 1.0 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 3.466 130.6 132.1 -8.1 1.1 .2 .0 1.1 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. .857 112.6 112.7 3.3 .1 .4 .4 .1 

Household furnishings and operations .................................. 4.840 128.9 128.9 .0 .0 .0 -.1 .3 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... .820 118.4 118.4 3.3 .0 .8 -.4 .0 

Apparel .................................................................................... 4.399 128.8 127.1 -2.1 -1.3 1.2 -.6 -.6 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ....................................................... 1.122 125.6 124.3 -3.7 -1.0 1.4 -.6 -1.6 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ................................................... 1.807 122.2 119.4 -2.4 -2.3 .5 -.5 -.7 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel 1 .............................................. .203 128.9 127.4 -2.5 -1.2 2.1 -.8 -1.2 

Footwear ............................................................................... .874 124.6 124.5 .1 -.1 2.0 -.7 .5 

Transportation ......................................................................... 17.055 153.7 153.8 -3.4 .1 1.2 1.7 -.4 

Private transportation ............................................................ 15.845 149.6 149.5 -3.7 -.1 1.4 1.8 -.5 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 8.614 99.3 99.1 -2.3 -.2 -.4 -.3 -.2 

New vehicles ..................................................................... 5.083 140.4 139.8 -1.8 -.4 -.3 -.2 -.2 

Used cars and trucks ......................................................... 2.195 151.8 151.8 -4.6 .0 -.8 -.5 -.3 

Motor fuel ............................................................................ 2.564 121.4 121.4 -17.3 .0 8.5 9.9 -2.8 

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................ 2.536 120.8 120.8 -17.3 .0 8.0 10.1 -2.8 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... .421 106.8 106.8 2.3 .0 .4 .3 .0 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................ 1.400 189.0 189.9 4.1 .5 .3 .5 .5 

Public transportation .............................................................. 1.211 209.7 211.9 1.2 1.0 -.8 .5 2.1 

Medical care ............................................................................ 5.810 283.2 284.1 4.7 .3 .4 .5 .5 

Medical care commodities ..................................................... 1.377 254.8 255.4 3.6 .2 .1 .2 .2 

Medical care services ............................................................ 4.434 290.2 291.2 5.0 .3 .4 .6 .6 

Professional services 3 ......................................................... 2.784 252.5 252.9 2.9 .2 .1 .3 .2 

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 1.353 362.4 364.5 8.8 .6 1.0 1.1 .8 

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

service group-Continued

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-U

Relative

importance,

December

2001

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

May 2002 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Apr.

2002

May

2002

May

2001

Apr.

2002

Feb. to

Mar.

Mar. to

Apr.

Apr. to

May

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 6.019 106.5 106.4 1.3 -0.1 0.2 0.3 -0.1 

Video and audio 2 ................................................................... 1.645 102.9 103.1 1.5 .2 .0 .1 .1 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 5.813 106.2 106.6 2.5 .4 -.5 -.2 .6 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 2.726 123.3 123.5 6.1 .2 .3 .4 .4 

Educational books and supplies .......................................... .220 314.4 315.6 8.6 .4 .3 .6 .8 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ............................. 2.506 354.1 354.6 5.9 .1 .3 .4 .3 

Communication 1 2 ................................................................. 3.087 91.2 91.9 -1.1 .8 -1.2 -.9 .8 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 2.903 90.0 90.7 -1.2 .8 -1.3 -.9 .8 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 2.324 98.2 99.3 .6 1.1 -1.2 -.9 1.1 

Information and information processing other than

telephone services 1 5 ................................................ .580 18.6 18.5 -14.7 -.5 -1.1 -1.1 -.5 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... .275 22.9 23.0 -24.3 .4 -2.9 -.9 .4 

Other goods and services ....................................................... 4.312 292.9 291.5 4.0 -.5 -.6 1.5 -.5 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... .928 461.4 449.0 7.2 -2.7 -3.5 6.5 -2.7 

Personal care 1 ...................................................................... 3.384 174.4 174.7 3.1 .2 .2 .2 .2 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... .706 155.4 154.8 1.0 -.4 -.3 .2 -.4 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... .901 187.9 188.3 2.3 .2 .5 .3 .2 

Miscellaneous personal services ......................................... 1.562 273.2 274.2 5.1 .4 .4 .2 .3 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ............................................................................. 41.300 151.0 150.5 -1.6 -.3 .6 .7 -.5 

Food and beverages ............................................................... 15.719 176.7 176.4 2.0 -.2 .2 .1 -.2 

Commodities less food and beverages ................................... 25.582 136.0 135.4 -3.8 -.4 .8 1.2 -.7 

Nondurables less food and beverages .................................. 13.493 148.4 147.4 -4.0 -.7 2.4 1.6 -1.0 

Apparel ................................................................................ 4.399 128.8 127.1 -2.1 -1.3 1.2 -.6 -.6

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel ................. 9.094 164.7 164.1 -4.6 -.4 3.1 2.4 -1.0 

Durables ................................................................................ 12.089 121.9 121.7 -2.6 -.2 -.5 -.2 -.1 

Services ..................................................................................... 58.700 208.4 208.8 3.1 .2 .1 .3 .4 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 31.169 216.1 216.1 4.0 .0 .2 .4 .1 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... .353 107.2 107.6 .7 .4 .0 .4 .4 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 3.466 130.6 132.1 -8.1 1.1 .2 .0 1.1 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... .857 112.6 112.7 3.3 .1 .4 .4 .1 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... .820 118.4 118.4 3.3 .0 .8 -.4 .0 

Transportation services ........................................................... 6.638 207.9 208.9 4.2 .5 .2 .3 .7 

Medical care services .............................................................. 4.434 290.2 291.2 5.0 .3 .4 .6 .6 

Other services ......................................................................... 10.963 243.8 244.5 3.4 .3 .1 .2 .4 

Special indexes

All items less food ..................................................................... 85.312 180.4 180.4 1.0 .0 .3 .6 .1 

All items less shelter .................................................................. 68.478 170.9 170.9 .0 .0 .4 .5 .0 

All items less medical care ........................................................ 94.190 174.3 174.2 .9 -.1 .3 .5 .0 

Commodities less food .............................................................. 26.612 137.8 137.3 -3.6 -.4 .7 1.2 -.6 

Nondurables less food ............................................................... 14.524 150.4 149.5 -3.6 -.6 2.3 1.5 -.9 

Nondurables less food and apparel ........................................... 10.125 165.5 165.0 -4.1 -.3 2.7 2.2 -.9 

Nondurables .............................................................................. 29.212 162.7 162.1 -.9 -.4 1.3 .9 -.6

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 27.531 215.1 216.0 2.2 .4 .3 .2 .5 

Services less medical care services .......................................... 54.266 201.2 201.6 3.0 .2 .2 .4 .3 

Energy ....................................................................................... 6.218 122.2 122.9 -12.3 .6 3.8 4.5 -.7 

All items less energy ................................................................. 93.782 187.5 187.4 2.5 -.1 .1 .3 .1 

All items less food and energy ................................................ 79.094 190.3 190.2 2.5 -.1 .1 .3 .2 

Commodities less food and energy commodities .................. 23.860 145.1 144.4 -.9 -.5 -.1 .1 -.3 

Energy commodities ............................................................ 2.752 121.6 121.6 -16.5 .0 8.0 9.4 -2.7 

Services less energy services ............................................... 55.234 216.3 216.6 3.9 .1 .1 .4 .3 

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

 $ .556 $ .556 - - - - -

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

 $ .186 $ .186 - - - - -

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

item stratum index series 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.

2002

Mar.

2002

Apr.

2002

May

2002

Aug.

2001

Nov.

2001

Feb.

2002

May

2002

Nov.

2001

May

2002

Expenditure category

All items ..................................................................................... 178.0 178.6 179.5 179.5 0.0 0.2 1.1 3.4 0.1 2.3 

Food and beverages ............................................................... 176.3 176.6 176.7 176.3 3.5 2.1 2.3 .0 2.8 1.1 

Food ...................................................................................... 175.8 176.1 176.2 175.8 3.5 2.1 2.3 .0 2.8 1.1 

Food at home ...................................................................... 175.9 176.3 176.3 175.4 3.5 1.8 2.1 -1.1 2.7 .5 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................ 197.8 197.6 198.1 198.0 3.8 2.1 3.9 .4 2.9 2.2 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ........................................... 161.9 163.1 163.0 162.9 1.7 .7 -1.0 2.5 1.2 .7 

Dairy and related products 1 .............................................. 170.1 169.4 168.7 169.0 10.6 5.6 -2.5 -2.6 8.0 -2.6 

Fruits and vegetables ........................................................ 224.1 226.3 222.2 219.0 1.5 3.4 21.2 -8.8 2.5 5.1

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ............. 138.6 139.0 139.6 138.3 4.7 .0 -3.9 -.9 2.3 -2.4 

Other food at home ........................................................... 160.4 159.7 161.5 159.9 2.3 1.3 -1.2 -1.2 1.8 -1.2 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................ 157.9 156.6 159.9 157.7 1.0 1.0 3.9 -.5 1.0 1.7 

Fats and oils .................................................................... 157.0 156.6 156.4 155.8 9.4 -5.0 2.3 -3.0 1.9 -.4 

Other foods ...................................................................... 176.5 175.8 177.8 176.0 .9 3.0 -3.3 -1.1 1.9 -2.2 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... 108.0 107.8 108.0 108.9 2.6 4.1 -9.1 3.4 3.3 -3.1 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 177.0 177.1 177.2 177.6 3.7 2.5 2.8 1.4 3.1 2.1 

Other food away from home 1 2 ......................................... 115.8 116.3 116.9 117.1 6.9 3.9 1.4 4.6 5.4 3.0 

Alcoholic beverages .............................................................. 182.4 182.5 182.9 183.3 3.2 2.7 2.7 2.0 2.9 2.3 

Housing ................................................................................... 178.7 178.9 179.5 180.0 2.3 .7 2.7 2.9 1.5 2.8 

Shelter ................................................................................... 206.0 206.2 207.1 207.6 4.5 3.4 5.0 3.1 3.9 4.1 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 197.5 198.2 198.5 199.0 4.5 4.6 4.4 3.1 4.6 3.7 

Lodging away from home 2 3 ................................................ 119.1 117.2 119.1 119.4 3.0 -9.9 6.6 1.0 -3.7 3.8 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 212.2 212.8 213.5 213.9 4.6 4.9 4.5 3.2 4.7 3.8 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. 106.8 106.8 107.2 107.6 -.7 1.1 -.4 3.0 .2 1.3 

Fuels and utilities ................................................................... 141.6 142.1 142.4 143.6 -9.1 -13.9 -7.8 5.8 -11.5 -1.2 

Fuels .................................................................................... 125.4 125.8 126.0 127.4 -11.5 -17.1 -10.4 6.5 -14.4 -2.3 

Fuel oil and other fuels ...................................................... 107.9 109.7 112.9 114.0 -10.2 -26.8 -31.3 24.6 -18.9 -7.5 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 132.9 133.2 133.2 134.7 -11.7 -16.6 -8.5 5.5 -14.2 -1.8 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. 111.8 112.2 112.6 112.7 3.7 2.9 3.7 3.3 3.3 3.5 

Household furnishings and operations .................................. 128.6 128.6 128.5 128.9 .6 .6 -2.1 .9 .6 -.6 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... 117.9 118.9 118.4 118.4 6.1 2.1 3.5 1.7 4.1 2.6 

Apparel .................................................................................... 124.6 126.1 125.4 124.7 -4.6 -.3 -3.5 .3 -2.5 -1.6 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ....................................................... 123.0 124.7 124.0 122.0 -8.8 3.6 -5.9 -3.2 -2.8 -4.6 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ................................................... 116.9 117.5 116.9 116.1 -4.6 -3.7 1.7 -2.7 -4.2 -.5 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel 1 .............................................. 127.2 129.9 128.9 127.4 -12.5 20.8 -14.8 .6 2.8 -7.4 

Footwear ............................................................................... 121.0 123.4 122.5 123.1 .7 -3.5 -3.6 7.1 -1.5 1.6 

Transportation ......................................................................... 148.9 150.7 153.3 152.7 -11.4 -7.9 -3.2 10.6 -9.6 3.5 

Private transportation ............................................................ 144.6 146.6 149.2 148.4 -12.6 -8.1 -3.3 10.9 -10.4 3.6 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 99.9 99.5 99.2 99.0 -1.6 .0 -4.3 -3.6 -.8 -3.9 

New vehicles ..................................................................... 140.5 140.1 139.8 139.5 -1.7 2.6 -5.2 -2.8 .4 -4.0 

Used cars and trucks ......................................................... 154.5 153.2 152.4 152.0 -2.7 -4.7 -4.5 -6.3 -3.7 -5.4 

Motor fuel ............................................................................ 101.0 109.6 120.4 117.0 -48.1 -42.2 -13.4 80.1 -45.3 24.9 

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................ 100.5 108.5 119.5 116.2 -47.9 -41.8 -13.5 78.7 -44.9 24.4 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... 106.1 106.5 106.8 106.8 1.9 3.5 1.1 2.7 2.7 1.9 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................ 187.8 188.3 189.2 190.1 3.5 4.0 3.7 5.0 3.8 4.3 

Public transportation .............................................................. 207.7 206.1 207.2 211.5 6.7 -8.4 -.2 7.5 -1.1 3.6 

Medical care ............................................................................ 280.4 281.4 282.7 284.0 4.2 5.1 4.2 5.2 4.6 4.7 

Medical care commodities ..................................................... 253.9 254.1 254.6 255.2 3.8 4.2 4.2 2.1 4.0 3.1 

Medical care services ............................................................ 286.8 288.0 289.6 291.2 4.4 5.2 4.3 6.3 4.8 5.3 

Professional services 3 ......................................................... 250.9 251.1 251.8 252.4 3.6 3.3 2.1 2.4 3.5 2.3 

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 355.0 358.6 362.4 365.2 5.7 8.4 9.0 12.0 7.0 10.5 

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.

2002

Mar.

2002

Apr.

2002

May

2002

Aug.

2001

Nov.

2001

Feb.

2002

May

2002

Nov.

2001

May

2002

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 105.9 106.1 106.4 106.3 0.4 2.7 0.8 1.5 1.5 1.1 

Video and audio 1 2 ................................................................ 102.6 102.6 102.7 102.8 .0 1.6 3.2 .8 .8 2.0 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 107.2 106.7 106.5 107.1 5.1 2.7 2.7 -.4 3.9 1.1 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 123.2 123.6 124.1 124.6 7.3 6.2 6.4 4.6 6.8 5.5 

Educational books and supplies .......................................... 312.2 313.2 315.0 317.5 9.8 7.1 10.2 7.0 8.4 8.6 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ............................. 353.9 355.1 356.6 357.8 6.9 6.1 5.9 4.5 6.5 5.2 

Communication 1 2 ................................................................. 93.1 92.0 91.2 91.9 2.6 -.9 -.9 -5.1 .9 -3.0 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 92.0 90.8 90.0 90.7 2.6 -.9 -.9 -5.5 .9 -3.2 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 100.3 99.1 98.2 99.3 3.7 .0 2.8 -3.9 1.8 -.6 

Information and information processing other than

telephone services 1 5 ................................................ 19.0 18.8 18.6 18.5 -17.2 -12.9 -18.5 -10.1 -15.1 -14.4 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... 23.8 23.1 22.9 23.0 -30.1 -25.8 -27.6 -12.8 -28.0 -20.5 

Other goods and services ....................................................... 290.2 288.5 292.9 291.5 4.5 8.6 1.4 1.8 6.5 1.6

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... 449.3 433.4 461.4 449.0 5.8 22.5 2.3 -.3 13.8 1.0 

Personal care 1 ...................................................................... 173.7 174.1 174.4 174.7 4.1 3.3 2.6 2.3 3.7 2.4 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... 155.5 155.1 155.4 154.8 4.0 1.8 .3 -1.8 2.9 -.8 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... 186.4 187.3 187.9 188.3 2.4 3.5 -.9 4.1 3.0 1.6 

Miscellaneous personal services ......................................... 271.2 272.4 273.0 273.9 7.2 4.4 4.4 4.0 5.8 4.2 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ............................................................................. 148.4 149.3 150.4 149.7 -4.7 -2.6 -2.1 3.6 -3.7 .7 

Food and beverages ............................................................... 176.3 176.6 176.7 176.3 3.5 2.1 2.3 .0 2.8 1.1 

Commodities less food and beverages ................................... 132.5 133.6 135.2 134.3 -9.7 -5.7 -4.7 5.5 -7.7 .3 

Nondurables less food and beverages .................................. 140.9 144.3 146.6 145.2 -12.8 -9.5 -4.7 12.8 -11.2 3.7 

Apparel ................................................................................ 124.6 126.1 125.4 124.7 -4.6 -.3 -3.5 .3 -2.5 -1.6 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel ................. 155.0 159.8 163.7 162.1 -16.3 -12.2 -5.7 19.6 -14.3 6.2 

Durables ................................................................................ 122.4 121.8 121.6 121.5 -1.9 -.6 -5.1 -2.9 -1.3 -4.0 

Services ..................................................................................... 207.4 207.7 208.4 209.2 3.4 2.2 3.5 3.5 2.8 3.5 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 214.5 215.0 215.9 216.1 4.5 3.5 4.8 3.0 4.0 3.9 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... 106.8 106.8 107.2 107.6 -.7 1.1 -.4 3.0 .2 1.3 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 132.9 133.2 133.2 134.7 -11.7 -16.6 -8.5 5.5 -14.2 -1.8 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... 111.8 112.2 112.6 112.7 3.7 2.9 3.7 3.3 3.3 3.5 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... 117.9 118.9 118.4 118.4 6.1 2.1 3.5 1.7 4.1 2.6 

Transportation services ........................................................... 206.3 206.7 207.4 208.9 5.3 2.6 4.0 5.1 3.9 4.6 

Medical care services .............................................................. 286.8 288.0 289.6 291.2 4.4 5.2 4.3 6.3 4.8 5.3 

Other services ......................................................................... 243.4 243.6 244.0 244.9 4.1 4.1 3.0 2.5 4.1 2.8 

Special indexes

All items less food ..................................................................... 178.4 179.0 180.1 180.2 -.7 .0 .9 4.1 -.3 2.5 

All items less shelter .................................................................. 169.0 169.7 170.6 170.6 -2.1 -1.2 -.5 3.8 -1.6 1.7 

All items less medical care ........................................................ 172.6 173.1 174.0 174.0 -.2 -.2 1.2 3.3 -.2 2.2 

Commodities less food .............................................................. 134.4 135.4 137.0 136.2 -9.3 -5.4 -4.3 5.5 -7.4 .4 

Nondurables less food ............................................................... 143.3 146.6 148.8 147.4 -11.7 -8.6 -4.6 11.9 -10.2 3.3 

Nondurables less food and apparel ........................................... 156.7 161.0 164.5 163.1 -14.4 -11.0 -4.9 17.4 -12.7 5.6 

Nondurables .............................................................................. 158.5 160.5 161.9 160.9 -4.8 -3.4 -1.5 6.2 -4.1 2.3 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 214.3 215.0 215.5 216.5 2.7 .8 1.1 4.2 1.7 2.6 

Services less medical care services .......................................... 200.2 200.6 201.4 202.0 3.5 2.0 3.1 3.6 2.8 3.3 

Energy ....................................................................................... 113.3 117.6 122.9 122.0 -30.3 -28.7 -11.2 34.4 -29.5 9.3 

All items less energy ................................................................. 186.5 186.6 187.1 187.2 2.9 3.1 2.2 1.5 3.0 1.8 

All items less food and energy ................................................ 189.1 189.3 189.8 190.1 2.8 3.0 2.1 2.1 2.9 2.1 

Commodities less food and energy commodities .................. 144.3 144.1 144.2 143.8 -.8 1.7 -3.0 -1.4 .4 -2.2 

Energy commodities ............................................................ 102.0 110.2 120.6 117.4 -45.6 -40.9 -14.3 75.5 -43.3 22.7 

Services less energy services ............................................... 215.0 215.3 216.1 216.8 4.5 3.7 4.4 3.4 4.1 3.9 

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

May2002 from—

Percent change to

Apr.2002 from—

Feb.

2002

Mar.

2002

Apr.

2002

May

2002

May

2001

Mar.

2002

Apr.

2002

Apr.

2001

Feb.

2002

Mar.

2002

U.S. city average ........................................... M 177.8 178.8 179.8 179.8 1.2 0.6 0.0 1.6 1.1 0.6 

Region and area size2

Northeast urban ............................................. M 186.1 187.0 187.8 187.7 1.7 .4 -.1 2.0 .9 .4 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ................... M 187.8 188.6 189.3 189.2 1.9 .3 -.1 2.3 .8 .4 

Size B/C 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................. M 110.5 111.2 111.9 112.0 1.1 .7 .1 1.1 1.3 .6 

Midwest urban ............................................... M 172.5 173.6 174.7 174.8 .3 .7 .1 1.1 1.3 .6 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 .................. M 174.7 176.0 177.3 177.2 .9 .7 -.1 1.7 1.5 .7 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 109.6 110.2 110.7 110.8 -.7 .5 .1 .3 1.0 .5 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) .............................................. M 166.6 167.1 168.1 168.2 .2 .7 .1 .8 .9 .6 

South urban ................................................... M 171.0 172.1 173.1 173.2 .9 .6 .1 1.0 1.2 .6 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ................... M 172.4 173.3 174.2 174.6 1.6 .8 .2 1.5 1.0 .5 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ............... M 109.3 110.0 110.8 110.7 .5 .6 -.1 .8 1.4 .7 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) .............................................. M 168.6 169.9 170.5 170.6 -.2 .4 .1 -.1 1.1 .4 

West urban .................................................... M 183.2 184.0 185.1 184.8 1.9 .4 -.2 2.6 1.0 .6 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 .................. M 185.4 186.2 187.2 187.5 2.2 .7 .2 2.6 1.0 .5 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 112.4 112.8 113.7 112.5 1.3 -.3 -1.1 2.8 1.2 .8 

Size classes

A 4 .............................................................. M 162.5 163.4 164.2 164.3 1.7 .6 .1 2.1 1.0 .5 

B/C 3 ........................................................... M 110.1 110.7 111.4 111.2 .5 .5 -.2 1.1 1.2 .6 

D ................................................................ M 170.7 171.5 172.4 172.4 .3 .5 .0 .7 1.0 .5 

Selected local areas5

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI .................. M 178.7 179.8 180.9 181.4 .9 .9 .3 1.4 1.2 .6 

Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA .. M 180.1 181.1 182.2 182.6 2.9 .8 .2 3.2 1.2 .6 

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

NY-NJ-CT-PA ........................................ M 189.9 191.1 191.8 191.4 2.2 .2 -.2 2.8 1.0 .4 

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

 194.7 - 194.8 2.0 .1 - - - -

Cleveland-Akron, OH ..................................... 1 - 173.7 - 173.0 -.4 -.4 - - - -

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

 172.1 - 172.9 2.1 .5 - - - -

Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV 6 ...... 1 - 111.9 - 112.8 2.5 .8 - - - -

Atlanta, GA .................................................... 2 176.1 -

 178.6 - - - - 1.1 1.4 -

Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI ............................. 2 176.2 -

 179.0 - - - - 2.6 1.6 -

Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX ................... 2 156.6 - 158.8 - - - - -.4 1.4 -

Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ............................ 2 175.0 -

 175.0 - - - - 1.3 .0 -

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,

PA-NJ-DE-MD ....................................... 2 182.0 -

 183.1 - - - - 1.0 .6 -

San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA .......... 2 191.3 -

 193.0 - - - - 2.1 .9 -

Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA ................... 2 187.6 - 188.8 - - - - 2.5 .6 -

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; 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

2001

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

May 2002 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Apr.

2002

May

2002

May

2001

Apr.

2002

Feb. to

Mar.

Mar. to

Apr.

Apr. to

May

Expenditure category

All items ..................................................................................... 100.000 175.8 175.8 0.8 0.0 0.3 0.6 -0.1 

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

 523.7 523.6 - - - - -

Food and beverages ............................................................... 17.229 176.1 175.7 2.0 -.2 .2 .0 -.2 

Food ...................................................................................... 16.228 175.5 175.1 1.9 -.2 .2 -.1 -.2 

Food at home ...................................................................... 9.798 175.3 174.4 1.5 -.5 .2 -.1 -.5 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................ 1.468 197.9 198.2 2.7 .2 .1 .2 .1 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ........................................... 2.831 162.1 162.1 .9 .0 .7 -.2 .0 

Dairy and related products 1 .............................................. 1.021 168.7 168.7 2.4 .0 -.5 -.3 .0 

Fruits and vegetables ........................................................ 1.307 222.0 219.1 3.6 -1.3 1.0 -1.9 -1.7 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ............. 1.132 139.4 137.3 .1 -1.5 .4 .4 -1.1 

Other food at home ........................................................... 2.038 161.0 159.7 .4 -.8 -.5 1.1 -.9 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................ .339 159.4 157.6 1.2 -1.1 -.9 1.9 -1.4 

Fats and oils .................................................................... .316 156.2 155.7 .9 -.3 -.3 -.2 -.3 

Other foods ...................................................................... 1.383 178.2 176.7 .1 -.8 -.5 1.2 -1.0 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... .310 108.5 109.5 .7 .9 -.2 .2 .9 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 6.430 177.1 177.5 2.5 .2 .1 .1 .2 

Other food away from home 1 2 ......................................... .275 117.4 117.7 4.6 .3 .7 .5 .3 

Alcoholic beverages .............................................................. 1.001 182.8 183.1 2.9 .2 .1 .4 .2 

Housing ................................................................................... 38.141 174.8 175.1 2.0 .2 .2 .2 .3 

Shelter ................................................................................... 29.212 201.0 201.2 4.0 .1 .2 .3 .2 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 8.395 197.8 198.1 4.0 .2 .4 .2 .3 

Lodging away from home 2 3 ................................................ 1.523 122.0 120.7 .7 -1.1 -1.4 1.3 .3 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 18.980 193.9 194.2 4.2 .2 .2 .3 .3 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. .314 107.2 107.6 .7 .4 .1 .3 .4 

Fuels and utilities ................................................................... 4.829 139.6 140.7 -6.7 .8 .4 .1 .6 

Fuels .................................................................................... 3.955 122.7 123.9 -8.7 1.0 .3 .2 .7 

Fuel oil and other fuels ...................................................... .177 114.7 114.0 -13.3 -.6 1.3 2.8 .7 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 3.778 129.6 131.0 -8.3 1.1 .3 .0 .7 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. .873 112.6 112.7 3.3 .1 .4 .3 .1 

Household furnishings and operations .................................. 4.101 125.1 125.0 -.6 -.1 -.2 .0 .1 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... .357 119.0 119.1 3.6 .1 .5 -.4 .1 

Apparel .................................................................................... 4.831 127.9 126.2 -1.8 -1.3 1.3 -.2 -.8 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ....................................................... 1.243 125.8 124.6 -3.6 -1.0 1.2 -.2 -1.7 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ................................................... 1.864 120.9 118.2 -1.7 -2.2 .8 -.2 -.8 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel 1 .............................................. .256 131.7 129.9 -1.6 -1.4 2.6 .0 -1.4 

Footwear ............................................................................... 1.165 124.4 124.4 -.1 .0 1.7 -.5 .5 

Transportation ......................................................................... 19.393 152.7 152.7 -4.1 .0 1.4 1.9 -.6 

Private transportation ............................................................ 18.452 149.8 149.8 -4.3 .0 1.5 1.9 -.7 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 10.145 99.5 99.3 -2.6 -.2 -.5 -.3 -.2 

New vehicles ..................................................................... 4.897 141.5 140.9 -1.7 -.4 -.3 -.2 -.2 

Used cars and trucks ......................................................... 4.099 152.6 152.7 -4.7 .1 -.9 -.4 -.3 

Motor fuel ............................................................................ 3.153 121.7 121.8 -17.4 .1 8.6 10.3 -3.3

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................ 3.120 121.2 121.2 -17.4 .0 8.6 10.1 -3.1 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... .530 106.0 106.0 2.3 .0 .4 .3 .0 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................ 1.438 190.5 191.4 4.0 .5 .2 .5 .5 

Public transportation .............................................................. .941 204.5 206.3 1.4 .9 -.7 .4 1.8 

Medical care ............................................................................ 4.620 281.9 282.9 4.6 .4 .4 .4 .5 

Medical care commodities ..................................................... 1.006 249.6 250.3 3.6 .3 .1 .2 .4 

Medical care services ............................................................ 3.614 289.6 290.6 4.9 .3 .4 .5 .6 

Professional services 3 ......................................................... 2.245 254.6 255.0 2.8 .2 .2 .1 .3 

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 1.092 357.1 359.4 8.7 .6 .9 1.1 .8 

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

and commodity and service group-Continued

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-W

Relative

importance,

December

2001

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

May 2002 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Apr.

2002

May

2002

May

2001

Apr.

2002

Feb. to

Mar.

Mar. to

Apr.

Apr. to

May

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 5.649 105.0 104.9 1.2 -0.1 0.2 0.3 -0.2 

Video and audio 2 ................................................................... 1.803 102.2 102.3 1.2 .1 .0 .1 .1 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 5.637 106.0 106.5 2.3 .5 -.5 -.4 .7 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 2.382 123.3 123.5 5.8 .2 .5 .3 .4 

Educational books and supplies .......................................... .203 315.3 316.3 7.4 .3 .3 .7 .9 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ............................. 2.178 347.2 347.7 5.7 .1 .4 .3 .3 

Communication 1 2 ................................................................. 3.255 92.6 93.3 -.7 .8 -1.3 -.8 .8 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 3.107 91.7 92.5 -1.0 .9 -1.2 -1.0 .9 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 2.591 98.4 99.4 .6 1.0 -1.2 -.9 1.0 

Information and information processing other than

telephone services 1 5 ................................................ .516 19.3 19.2 -14.3 -.5 -1.0 -1.0 -.5 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... .253 22.5 22.7 -24.1 .9 -3.0 -1.3 .9 

Other goods and services ....................................................... 4.499 301.7 299.1 4.3 -.9 -1.0 2.2 -.9 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... 1.441 462.7 450.1 7.2 -2.7 -3.7 6.6 -2.7 

Personal care 1 ...................................................................... 3.059 173.9 174.0 2.8 .1 .3 .1 .1 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... .815 156.2 155.4 1.0 -.5 -.2 .1 -.5 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... .900 188.7 189.1 2.4 .2 .5 .4 .2 

Miscellaneous personal services ......................................... 1.161 272.6 273.6 4.9 .4 .4 .2 .3 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ............................................................................. 45.559 151.7 151.2 -1.8 -.3 .6 .9 -.6 

Food and beverages ............................................................... 17.229 176.1 175.7 2.0 -.2 .2 .0 -.2 

Commodities less food and beverages ................................... 28.330 137.5 136.8 -4.1 -.5 .8 1.5 -.8 

Nondurables less food and beverages .................................. 14.685 150.5 149.3 -4.4 -.8 2.7 1.8 -1.1 

Apparel ................................................................................ 4.831 127.9 126.2 -1.8 -1.3 1.3 -.2 -.8

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel ................. 9.854 168.1 167.2 -5.2 -.5 3.5 2.8 -1.1 

Durables ................................................................................ 13.645 122.1 122.0 -2.8 -.1 -.5 -.2 .0

Services ..................................................................................... 54.441 204.2 204.8 3.1 .3 .2 .3 .3 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 28.898 193.7 193.9 4.1 .1 .2 .4 .2 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... .314 107.2 107.6 .7 .4 .1 .3 .4 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 3.778 129.6 131.0 -8.3 1.1 .3 .0 .7 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... .873 112.6 112.7 3.3 .1 .4 .3 .1 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... .357 119.0 119.1 3.6 .1 .5 -.4 .1 

Transportation services ........................................................... 6.573 206.2 207.1 4.8 .4 .3 .3 .6 

Medical care services .............................................................. 3.614 289.6 290.6 4.9 .3 .4 .5 .6 

Other services ......................................................................... 10.033 238.9 239.7 3.2 .3 .0 .1 .4 

Special indexes

All items less food ..................................................................... 83.772 175.7 175.8 .6 .1 .4 .7 -.1 

All items less shelter .................................................................. 70.788 168.5 168.4 -.4 -.1 .5 .7 -.2 

All items less medical care ........................................................ 95.380 171.1 171.0 .6 -.1 .4 .6 -.1 

Commodities less food .............................................................. 29.331 139.1 138.5 -3.9 -.4 .8 1.5 -.8 

Nondurables less food ............................................................... 15.687 152.5 151.4 -3.9 -.7 2.6 1.8 -1.1 

Nondurables less food and apparel ........................................... 10.855 168.7 167.9 -4.5 -.5 3.2 2.6 -1.1 

Nondurables .............................................................................. 31.915 163.7 162.9 -1.2 -.5 1.3 .9 -.6 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 25.543 190.7 191.6 2.0 .5 .3 .2 .5 

Services less medical care services .......................................... 50.827 197.4 197.9 2.9 .3 .3 .3 .4 

Energy ....................................................................................... 7.109 121.6 122.2 -13.1 .5 4.1 5.0 -1.3 

All items less energy ................................................................. 92.891 183.4 183.3 2.3 -.1 .1 .2 .1 

All items less food and energy ................................................ 76.663 185.5 185.4 2.3 -.1 .1 .3 .1 

Commodities less food and energy commodities .................. 26.001 145.8 145.0 -1.0 -.5 -.2 .2 -.4 

Energy commodities ............................................................ 3.330 121.9 121.9 -16.8 .0 8.1 10.0 -3.1 

Services less energy services ............................................... 50.663 212.6 213.0 4.0 .2 .2 .3 .3 

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

 $ .569 $ .569 - - - - -

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

 $ .191 $ .191 - - - - -

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.

2002

Mar.

2002

Apr.

2002

May

2002

Aug.

2001

Nov.

2001

Feb.

2002

May

2002

Nov.

2001

May

2002

Expenditure category

All items ..................................................................................... 174.0 174.6 175.6 175.5 -0.7 0.0 0.7 3.5 -0.3 2.1 

Food and beverages ............................................................... 175.7 176.0 176.0 175.7 3.5 2.1 2.3 .0 2.8 1.1 

Food ...................................................................................... 175.2 175.6 175.5 175.1 3.8 2.1 2.1 -.2 2.9 .9 

Food at home ...................................................................... 175.0 175.4 175.3 174.4 3.8 1.9 2.1 -1.4 2.8 .3 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................ 197.5 197.6 197.9 198.0 4.0 2.3 3.7 1.0 3.1 2.4 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ........................................... 161.8 163.0 162.6 162.6 1.5 1.0 -.7 2.0 1.2 .6 

Dairy and related products 1 .............................................. 170.0 169.2 168.7 168.7 10.6 5.6 -2.8 -3.0 8.0 -2.9 

Fruits and vegetables ........................................................ 223.0 225.3 221.0 217.3 2.3 2.9 21.7 -9.8 2.6 4.8

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ............. 137.9 138.4 139.0 137.5 5.6 -.3 -4.0 -1.2 2.6 -2.6 

Other food at home ........................................................... 160.1 159.3 161.0 159.5 2.5 1.3 -1.0 -1.5 1.9 -1.2 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................ 157.9 156.5 159.5 157.3 .8 1.0 4.2 -1.5 .9 1.3 

Fats and oils .................................................................... 156.7 156.3 156.0 155.5 9.4 -4.7 2.6 -3.0 2.1 -.3 

Other foods ...................................................................... 177.0 176.1 178.2 176.5 1.6 2.7 -2.9 -1.1 2.2 -2.0 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... 108.5 108.3 108.5 109.5 3.7 4.1 -8.0 3.7 3.9 -2.3 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 176.9 177.0 177.1 177.5 3.7 2.5 2.5 1.4 3.1 1.9 

Other food away from home 1 2 ......................................... 116.0 116.8 117.4 117.7 6.9 5.0 .7 6.0 6.0 3.3 

Alcoholic beverages .............................................................. 181.9 182.0 182.8 183.1 3.9 2.5 2.5 2.7 3.2 2.6 

Housing ................................................................................... 174.2 174.5 174.9 175.4 1.9 .9 2.3 2.8 1.4 2.6 

Shelter ................................................................................... 199.8 200.2 200.8 201.3 4.2 3.9 4.7 3.0 4.1 3.9 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 196.8 197.5 197.8 198.3 4.5 4.6 4.2 3.1 4.6 3.6 

Lodging away from home 2 3 ................................................ 119.8 118.1 119.6 119.9 2.4 -8.7 9.5 .3 -3.3 4.8 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 192.9 193.3 193.9 194.4 4.6 4.7 4.5 3.1 4.7 3.8 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. 106.8 106.9 107.2 107.6 -.4 1.1 -1.1 3.0 .4 .9 

Fuels and utilities ................................................................... 141.1 141.6 141.8 142.6 -8.9 -13.5 -7.8 4.3 -11.2 -1.9 

Fuels .................................................................................... 124.5 124.9 125.1 126.0 -10.8 -16.8 -10.2 4.9 -13.9 -2.9 

Fuel oil and other fuels ...................................................... 108.1 109.5 112.6 113.4 -11.4 -21.9 -32.8 21.1 -16.8 -9.8 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 132.0 132.4 132.4 133.3 -11.1 -16.4 -8.6 4.0 -13.8 -2.5 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. 111.9 112.3 112.6 112.7 3.7 2.9 3.7 2.9 3.3 3.3 

Household furnishings and operations .................................. 125.0 124.8 124.8 124.9 .3 .3 -2.5 -.3 .3 -1.4 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... 118.9 119.5 119.0 119.1 7.9 2.1 3.8 .7 4.9 2.2 

Apparel .................................................................................... 123.5 125.1 124.8 123.8 -4.1 .6 -4.7 1.0 -1.7 -1.9 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ....................................................... 123.1 124.6 124.3 122.2 -8.0 2.3 -5.3 -2.9 -3.0 -4.1 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ................................................... 115.2 116.1 115.9 115.0 -4.7 -1.4 .3 -.7 -3.1 -.2 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel 1 .............................................. 128.4 131.7 131.7 129.9 -10.7 20.1 -16.4 4.8 3.5 -6.4 

Footwear ............................................................................... 120.9 122.9 122.3 122.9 .7 -2.6 -4.8 6.8 -1.0 .8 

Transportation ......................................................................... 147.6 149.6 152.4 151.5 -12.3 -8.9 -3.7 11.0 -10.6 3.4 

Private transportation ............................................................ 144.7 146.8 149.6 148.6 -13.4 -9.0 -3.8 11.2 -11.3 3.5 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 100.2 99.7 99.4 99.2 -1.6 -.4 -4.7 -3.9 -1.0 -4.3 

New vehicles ..................................................................... 141.6 141.2 140.9 140.6 -1.4 3.1 -5.7 -2.8 .8 -4.3 

Used cars and trucks ......................................................... 155.3 153.9 153.3 152.8 -2.7 -4.9 -5.0 -6.3 -3.8 -5.6 

Motor fuel ............................................................................ 101.1 109.8 121.1 117.1 -48.1 -42.8 -12.7 80.0 -45.5 25.3 

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................ 100.6 109.3 120.3 116.6 -48.4 -42.4 -12.8 80.5 -45.5 25.5 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... 105.3 105.7 106.0 106.0 1.9 3.5 1.1 2.7 2.7 1.9 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................ 189.3 189.7 190.7 191.6 3.7 3.5 3.9 4.9 3.6 4.4 

Public transportation .............................................................. 202.9 201.4 202.3 205.9 6.9 -7.5 .6 6.0 -.6 3.3 

Medical care ............................................................................ 279.2 280.2 281.4 282.9 4.2 4.9 4.1 5.4 4.6 4.8 

Medical care commodities ..................................................... 248.8 249.0 249.4 250.3 3.7 4.2 4.1 2.4 3.9 3.3 

Medical care services ............................................................ 286.3 287.5 289.0 290.6 4.4 5.1 4.2 6.1 4.7 5.1 

Professional services 3 ......................................................... 253.0 253.5 253.8 254.5 3.8 3.2 1.9 2.4 3.5 2.2 

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 350.0 353.2 357.1 360.1 6.0 8.3 8.4 12.1 7.2 10.2 

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.

2002

Mar.

2002

Apr.

2002

May

2002

Aug.

2001

Nov.

2001

Feb.

2002

May

2002

Nov.

2001

May

2002

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 104.4 104.6 104.9 104.7 0.4 1.6 1.2 1.2 1.0 1.2 

Video and audio 1 2 ................................................................ 101.9 101.9 102.0 102.1 -.4 .8 3.6 .8 .2 2.2 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 107.1 106.6 106.2 106.9 5.1 2.3 2.3 -.7 3.7 .8 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 123.0 123.6 124.0 124.5 7.3 5.8 5.0 5.0 6.6 5.0 

Educational books and supplies .......................................... 311.8 312.6 314.7 317.5 12.6 8.8 1.2 7.5 10.7 4.3 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ............................. 346.7 348.2 349.3 350.5 7.0 5.4 5.5 4.5 6.2 5.0 

Communication 1 2 ................................................................. 94.5 93.3 92.6 93.3 3.0 -.8 .0 -5.0 1.1 -2.5 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 93.7 92.6 91.7 92.5 2.6 -.8 -.4 -5.0 .9 -2.8 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 100.5 99.3 98.4 99.4 4.1 -.4 3.2 -4.3 1.8 -.6 

Information and information processing other than

telephone services 1 5 ................................................ 19.7 19.5 19.3 19.2 -15.1 -12.4 -19.5 -9.8 -13.8 -14.8 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... 23.5 22.8 22.5 22.7 -29.5 -25.0 -27.9 -12.9 -27.3 -20.8 

Other goods and services ....................................................... 298.3 295.2 301.7 299.1 4.5 10.5 1.4 1.1 7.5 1.2 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... 450.7 434.1 462.7 450.1 5.6 23.1 2.2 -.5 14.0 .8 

Personal care 1 ...................................................................... 173.2 173.7 173.9 174.0 3.8 3.3 2.1 1.9 3.6 2.0 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... 156.3 156.0 156.2 155.4 4.5 1.6 .5 -2.3 3.0 -.9 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... 187.1 188.0 188.7 189.1 2.6 3.3 -.6 4.3 2.9 1.8 

Miscellaneous personal services ......................................... 270.9 271.9 272.4 273.3 7.1 4.5 4.7 3.6 5.8 4.1 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ............................................................................. 148.9 149.8 151.2 150.3 -5.1 -2.6 -2.6 3.8 -3.9 .5 

Food and beverages ............................................................... 175.7 176.0 176.0 175.7 3.5 2.1 2.3 .0 2.8 1.1 

Commodities less food and beverages ................................... 133.6 134.7 136.7 135.6 -10.3 -6.0 -5.2 6.1 -8.2 .3 

Nondurables less food and beverages .................................. 142.1 146.0 148.7 147.0 -14.3 -9.6 -5.7 14.5 -12.0 3.9 

Apparel ................................................................................ 123.5 125.1 124.8 123.8 -4.1 .6 -4.7 1.0 -1.7 -1.9 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel ................. 157.0 162.5 167.0 165.1 -18.5 -13.5 -5.9 22.3 -16.1 7.3 

Durables ................................................................................ 122.8 122.2 122.0 122.0 -2.2 -1.0 -5.4 -2.6 -1.6 -4.0 

Services ..................................................................................... 203.4 203.8 204.4 205.1 3.0 2.4 3.2 3.4 2.7 3.3 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 192.5 192.8 193.5 193.9 4.4 3.9 4.9 2.9 4.1 3.9 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... 106.8 106.9 107.2 107.6 -.4 1.1 -1.1 3.0 .4 .9 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 132.0 132.4 132.4 133.3 -11.1 -16.4 -8.6 4.0 -13.8 -2.5 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... 111.9 112.3 112.6 112.7 3.7 2.9 3.7 2.9 3.3 3.3 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... 118.9 119.5 119.0 119.1 7.9 2.1 3.8 .7 4.9 2.2 

Transportation services ........................................................... 204.4 205.1 205.8 207.1 5.6 3.9 4.6 5.4 4.7 5.0 

Medical care services .............................................................. 286.3 287.5 289.0 290.6 4.4 5.1 4.2 6.1 4.7 5.1 

Other services ......................................................................... 238.8 238.9 239.1 240.0 4.4 3.3 3.2 2.0 3.8 2.6 

Special indexes

All items less food ..................................................................... 173.6 174.3 175.5 175.4 -1.6 -.5 .5 4.2 -1.0 2.3 

All items less shelter .................................................................. 166.4 167.2 168.3 168.0 -2.6 -1.7 -1.0 3.9 -2.1 1.4 

All items less medical care ........................................................ 169.3 169.9 170.9 170.7 -.9 -.2 .5 3.3 -.6 1.9 

Commodities less food .............................................................. 135.3 136.4 138.4 137.3 -9.7 -5.6 -5.1 6.0 -7.7 .3 

Nondurables less food ............................................................... 144.4 148.2 150.8 149.2 -13.2 -9.3 -5.1 14.0 -11.3 4.0 

Nondurables less food and apparel ........................................... 158.4 163.5 167.7 165.8 -16.4 -12.2 -5.6 20.0 -14.3 6.4 

Nondurables .............................................................................. 159.1 161.2 162.7 161.8 -5.7 -3.7 -1.7 7.0 -4.7 2.5 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 190.1 190.7 191.1 192.0 2.4 .6 .8 4.1 1.5 2.4 

Services less medical care services .......................................... 196.5 197.0 197.6 198.3 3.4 2.1 2.7 3.7 2.7 3.2 

Energy ....................................................................................... 112.1 116.7 122.5 120.9 -31.7 -30.1 -11.0 35.3 -30.9 9.8 

All items less energy ................................................................. 182.5 182.7 183.0 183.1 2.9 2.9 1.8 1.3 2.9 1.5 

All items less food and energy ................................................ 184.4 184.5 185.0 185.2 2.7 3.3 1.5 1.7 3.0 1.6 

Commodities less food and energy commodities .................. 145.0 144.7 145.0 144.4 -.8 2.2 -3.5 -1.6 .7 -2.6 

Energy commodities ............................................................ 101.9 110.2 121.2 117.4 -46.3 -41.6 -13.6 76.2 -44.0 23.4 

Services less energy services ............................................... 211.4 211.8 212.4 213.1 4.6 3.9 4.3 3.3 4.2 3.8 

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

May2002 from—

Percent change to

Apr.2002 from—

Feb.

2002

Mar.

2002

Apr.

2002

May

2002

May

2001

Mar.

2002

Apr.

2002

Apr.

2001

Feb.

2002

Mar.

2002

U.S. city average ........................................... M 173.7 174.7 175.8 175.8 0.8 0.6 0.0 1.3 1.2 0.6 

Region and area size2

Northeast urban ............................................. M 182.3 183.1 184.2 184.1 1.4 .5 -.1 1.8 1.0 .6 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ................... M 182.8 183.6 184.5 184.3 1.5 .4 -.1 2.1 .9 .5 

Size B/C 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................. M 110.1 110.8 111.7 111.7 1.2 .8 .0 1.4 1.5 .8 

Midwest urban ............................................... M 168.1 169.1 170.3 170.3 -.2 .7 .0 .8 1.3 .7 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 .................. M 169.4 170.6 172.2 172.0 .6 .8 -.1 1.5 1.7 .9 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 109.2 109.7 110.2 110.3 -1.5 .5 .1 -.4 .9 .5 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) .............................................. M 164.3 164.8 166.0 166.1 -.2 .8 .1 .5 1.0 .7 

South urban ................................................... M 168.6 169.6 170.8 170.8 .5 .7 .0 .7 1.3 .7 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ................... M 169.5 170.5 171.7 171.9 1.3 .8 .1 1.4 1.3 .7 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ............... M 108.7 109.3 110.2 110.1 .2 .7 -.1 .5 1.4 .8 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) .............................................. M 168.9 170.2 171.2 171.1 -.5 .5 -.1 -.3 1.4 .6 

West urban .................................................... M 178.1 179.0 180.0 180.0 1.9 .6 .0 2.4 1.1 .6 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 .................. M 178.6 179.5 180.5 181.0 2.3 .8 .3 2.6 1.1 .6 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 111.8 112.2 112.9 112.3 1.3 .1 -.5 2.3 1.0 .6 

Size classes

A 4 .............................................................. M 160.5 161.3 162.4 162.5 1.4 .7 .1 1.9 1.2 .7 

B/C 3 ........................................................... M 109.5 110.1 110.9 110.7 .0 .5 -.2 .7 1.3 .7 

D ................................................................ M 169.3 170.2 171.3 171.1 .0 .5 -.1 .5 1.2 .6 

Selected local areas5

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI .................. M 172.4 173.5 174.8 175.3 .7 1.0 .3 1.3 1.4 .7 

Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA .. M 172.8 173.8 174.8 175.4 2.9 .9 .3 3.1 1.2 .6 

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

NY-NJ-CT-PA ........................................ M 184.7 185.6 186.6 186.4 1.9 .4 -.1 2.6 1.0 .5 

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

 193.2 - 193.3 1.7 .1 - - - -

Cleveland-Akron, OH ..................................... 1 - 164.1 - 164.0 -1.0 -.1 - - - -

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

 171.4 - 172.5 2.0 .6 - - - -

Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV 6 ...... 1 - 111.4 - 112.4 2.3 .9 - - - -

Atlanta, GA .................................................... 2 173.2 -

 175.5 - - - - 1.0 1.3 -

Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI ............................. 2 170.5 -

 173.4 - - - - 2.5 1.7 -

Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX ................... 2 154.3 - 156.8 - - - - -.6 1.6 -

Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ............................ 2 172.3 -

 172.5 - - - - 1.2 .1 -

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,

PA-NJ-DE-MD ....................................... 2 181.4 -

 182.3 - - - - .9 .5 -

San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA .......... 2 186.8 -

 188.8 - - - - 2.1 1.1 -

Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA ................... 2 182.5 - 183.6 - - - - 2.3 .6 -

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; 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 1 (OW). Old Weight Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure

category and commodity and service group 

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

Item and group

Relative

importance,

December

2001

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

May 2002 from—

Apr.

2002

May

2002

May

2001

Apr.

2002

Expenditure category

All items .............................................................................................. 100.000 179.9 179.9 1.2 0.0 

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

 538.9 538.9 - -

Food and beverages ......................................................................... 16.393 176.8 176.5 2.1 -.2 

Food ............................................................................................... 15.403 176.2 175.9 2.0 -.2 

Food at home ............................................................................... 9.661 176.5 175.7 1.7 -.5 

Cereals and bakery products ...................................................... 1.535 198.1 198.3 2.6 .1 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ..................................................... 2.620 162.5 162.4 1.0 -.1 

Dairy and related products ......................................................... 1.093 168.5 168.7 2.4 .1 

Fruits and vegetables ................................................................. 1.427 223.4 221.9 4.1 -.7 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ....................... 1.023 140.4 138.5 .3 -1.4 

Other food at home ..................................................................... 1.961 161.8 160.2 .4 -1.0 

Sugar and sweets ..................................................................... .364 159.8 158.3 1.6 -.9 

Fats and oils ............................................................................. .297 156.6 156.0 .8 -.4 

Other foods ............................................................................... 1.301 178.2 176.3 -.1 -1.1 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 ................................................... .307 108.7 109.3 .5 .6 

Food away from home .................................................................. 5.743 177.1 177.5 2.5 .2 

Other food away from home 1 ..................................................... .182 116.3 116.5 3.6 .2 

Alcoholic beverages ....................................................................... .990 183.2 183.5 2.8 .2 

Housing ............................................................................................ 40.516 179.4 179.5 2.0 .1 

Shelter ............................................................................................ 31.037 207.2 207.3 3.9 .0 

Rent of primary residence 2 ........................................................... 7.300 198.5 198.9 4.1 .2 

Lodging away from home 1 2 ......................................................... 2.306 121.9 119.9 -.1 -1.6 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 2 3 .......................... 21.064 213.3 213.7 4.3 .2 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 ............................................. .366 107.2 107.5 .7 .3 

Fuels and utilities ............................................................................ 4.934 140.6 141.6 -6.4 .7 

Fuels ............................................................................................. 3.998 124.2 125.2 -8.5 .8 

Fuel oil and other fuels ............................................................... .276 115.6 114.7 -13.0 -.8 

Gas (piped) and electricity 2 ........................................................ 3.722 130.9 132.1 -8.1 .9 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 1 .......................... .936 112.5 112.6 3.2 .1 

Household furnishings and operations ........................................... 4.545 129.2 129.1 .2 -.1 

Household operations 1 ................................................................. .959 118.2 118.2 3.1 .0 

Apparel ............................................................................................. 4.242 128.0 126.3 -2.7 -1.3 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ................................................................. 1.187 125.8 124.6 -3.5 -1.0 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ............................................................ 1.687 120.7 117.9 -3.6 -2.3 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ......................................................... .250 128.4 127.0 -2.8 -1.1 

Footwear ......................................................................................... .769 124.5 124.9 .4 .3 

Transportation .................................................................................. 16.639 154.3 154.5 -3.0 .1 

Private transportation ..................................................................... 15.281 150.2 150.2 -3.3 .0 

New and used motor vehicles 1 ..................................................... 7.328 99.3 99.0 -2.4 -.3 

New vehicles .............................................................................. 4.604 140.3 139.7 -1.8 -.4 

Used cars and trucks .................................................................. 1.824 151.7 151.7 -4.7 .0 

Motor fuel ...................................................................................... 2.578 121.6 121.6 -17.2 .0 

Gasoline (all types) ..................................................................... 2.559 120.9 120.9 -17.2 .0 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment .............................................. .533 106.9 106.9 2.4 .0 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ......................................... 1.656 188.8 189.7 3.9 .5 

Public transportation ....................................................................... 1.357 209.4 211.9 1.2 1.2 

Medical care ..................................................................................... 5.995 283.5 284.5 4.8 .4 

Medical care commodities .............................................................. 1.295 255.0 255.6 3.6 .2 

Medical care services ..................................................................... 4.700 290.4 291.5 5.1 .4 

Professional services 2 .................................................................. 2.933 252.6 253.0 2.9 .2 

Hospital and related services 2 ...................................................... 1.502 362.6 365.2 9.0 .7 

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

category and commodity and service group -Continued

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

Item and group

Relative

importance,

December

2001

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

May 2002 from—

Apr.

2002

May

2002

May

2001

Apr.

2002

Expenditure category

Recreation 1 ...................................................................................... 5.909 106.5 106.4 1.3 -0.1 

Video and audio 1 ............................................................................ 1.629 102.9 103.0 1.4 .1 

Education and communication 1 ........................................................ 5.397 106.7 107.3 3.2 .6 

Education 1 ...................................................................................... 2.914 123.3 123.5 6.1 .2 

Educational books and supplies ................................................... .215 314.7 315.5 8.5 .3 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ...................................... 2.699 354.2 354.6 5.9 .1 

Communication 1 ............................................................................. 2.483 91.8 92.8 -.1 1.1 

Information and information processing 1 ...................................... 2.279 90.5 91.6 -.2 1.2 

Telephone services 1 ................................................................... 2.146 98.1 99.4 .7 1.3 

Information and information processing other than telephone

services 4 ............................................................................. .133 18.8 18.7 -13.8 -.5 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 ...................... .054 22.9 23.1 -24.0 .9 

Other goods and services ................................................................. 4.909 294.1 292.0 4.2 -.7 

Tobacco and smoking products ...................................................... 1.402 461.5 449.3 7.3 -2.6 

Personal care ................................................................................. 3.507 174.4 174.6 3.0 .1 

Personal care products ................................................................. .719 155.4 154.8 1.0 -.4 

Personal care services ................................................................. 1.000 187.9 188.2 2.2 .2 

Miscellaneous personal services .................................................. 1.562 273.3 274.3 5.1 .4 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ....................................................................................... 40.624 151.3 150.8 -1.4 -.3 

Food and beverages ......................................................................... 16.393 176.8 176.5 2.1 -.2 

Commodities less food and beverages ............................................ 24.231 136.6 136.0 -3.4 -.4 

Nondurables less food and beverages ........................................... 13.948 148.2 147.1 -4.2 -.7 

Apparel ......................................................................................... 4.242 128.0 126.3 -2.7 -1.3 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel .......................... 9.706 164.6 163.8 -4.8 -.5 

Durables ......................................................................................... 10.283 122.1 121.9 -2.4 -.2 

Services .............................................................................................. 59.376 208.3 208.8 3.1 .2 

Rent of shelter 3 ................................................................................ 30.671 215.8 215.9 3.9 .0 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 ................................................. .366 107.2 107.5 .7 .3 

Gas (piped) and electricity 2 .............................................................. 3.722 130.9 132.1 -8.1 .9 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 1 .............................. .936 112.5 112.6 3.2 .1 

Household operations 1 ..................................................................... .959 118.2 118.2 3.1 .0 

Transportation services .................................................................... 7.010 208.4 209.5 4.5 .5 

Medical care services ....................................................................... 4.700 290.4 291.5 5.1 .4 

Other services .................................................................................. 11.012 243.8 244.6 3.5 .3 

Special indexes

All items less food ............................................................................... 84.597 180.6 180.6 1.1 .0 

All items less shelter ........................................................................... 68.963 171.2 171.2 .2 .0 

All items less medical care ................................................................. 94.005 174.4 174.4 1.0 .0 

Commodities less food ....................................................................... 25.221 138.4 137.8 -3.2 -.4 

Nondurables less food ........................................................................ 14.938 150.3 149.3 -3.7 -.7 

Nondurables less food and apparel .................................................... 10.696 165.5 164.9 -4.1 -.4 

Nondurables ....................................................................................... 30.341 162.6 162.0 -1.0 -.4 

Services less rent of shelter 3 .............................................................. 28.705 215.3 216.3 2.3 .5 

Services less medical care services ................................................... 54.676 201.1 201.5 3.0 .2 

Energy ................................................................................................ 6.576 121.8 122.4 -12.6 .5 

All items less energy ........................................................................... 93.424 187.6 187.5 2.5 -.1 

All items less food and energy .......................................................... 78.020 190.4 190.4 2.6 .0 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ........................... 22.366 145.5 144.7 -.7 -.5 

Energy commodities ..................................................................... 2.855 121.2 121.2 -16.8 .0 

Services less energy services ........................................................ 55.654 216.2 216.6 3.9 .2 

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

 $ .556 $ .556 - -

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

 $ .186 $ .186 - -

1 Indexes on a December 1997=100 base. 2 This index series was calculated using a Laspeyres estimator. 

All other item stratum index series converted to a geometric means

estimator in January, 1999.

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

NOTE: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.
Table 2 (OW). Old Weight Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W): U.S. city

average, by expenditure category and commodity and service group 

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

Item and group

Relative

importance,

December

2001

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

May 2002 from—

Apr.

2002

May

2002

May

2001

Apr.

2002

Expenditure category

All items .............................................................................................. 100.000 176.0 175.9 0.9 -0.1 

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

 524.3 524.0 - -

Food and beverages ......................................................................... 18.048 176.1 175.7 2.0 -.2 

Food ............................................................................................... 16.993 175.6 175.2 1.9 -.2 

Food at home ............................................................................... 10.838 175.4 174.6 1.6 -.5 

Cereals and bakery products ...................................................... 1.682 197.7 198.1 2.7 .2 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ..................................................... 3.127 162.4 162.1 .9 -.2 

Dairy and related products ......................................................... 1.202 168.2 168.3 2.2 .1 

Fruits and vegetables ................................................................. 1.483 222.2 220.2 4.1 -.9 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ....................... 1.162 139.8 137.7 .4 -1.5 

Other food at home ..................................................................... 2.183 161.3 159.9 .5 -.9 

Sugar and sweets ..................................................................... .406 159.4 158.0 1.4 -.9 

Fats and oils ............................................................................. .340 156.2 155.6 .8 -.4 

Other foods ............................................................................... 1.437 178.5 176.8 .2 -1.0 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 ................................................... .343 108.8 109.3 .6 .5 

Food away from home .................................................................. 6.155 177.0 177.4 2.5 .2 

Other food away from home 1 ..................................................... .224 116.7 116.9 3.9 .2 

Alcoholic beverages ....................................................................... 1.055 183.3 183.2 2.9 -.1 

Housing ............................................................................................ 37.348 174.7 174.9 1.9 .1 

Shelter ............................................................................................ 28.251 200.9 201.0 3.9 .0 

Rent of primary residence 2 ........................................................... 8.858 197.8 198.2 4.1 .2 

Lodging away from home 1 2 ......................................................... 1.340 122.4 118.9 -.8 -2.9 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 2 3 .......................... 17.737 193.8 194.2 4.2 .2 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 ............................................. .316 107.2 107.6 .7 .4 

Fuels and utilities ............................................................................ 5.046 139.9 141.1 -6.4 .9 

Fuels ............................................................................................. 4.121 123.1 124.3 -8.4 1.0 

Fuel oil and other fuels ............................................................... .243 115.5 114.7 -12.8 -.7 

Gas (piped) and electricity 2 ........................................................ 3.877 129.9 131.3 -8.1 1.1 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 1 .......................... .925 112.6 112.7 3.3 .1 

Household furnishings and operations ........................................... 4.051 125.4 125.3 -.3 -.1 

Household operations 1 ................................................................. .426 118.4 118.5 3.0 .1 

Apparel ............................................................................................. 4.577 126.8 125.2 -2.6 -1.3 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ................................................................. 1.291 125.9 124.5 -3.6 -1.1 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ............................................................ 1.698 118.5 115.7 -3.7 -2.4 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ......................................................... .318 130.8 129.3 -2.0 -1.1 

Footwear ......................................................................................... .928 125.1 125.3 .6 .2 

Transportation .................................................................................. 18.798 153.4 153.5 -3.6 .1 

Private transportation ..................................................................... 17.737 150.7 150.6 -3.8 -.1 

New and used motor vehicles 1 ..................................................... 8.672 99.6 99.3 -2.6 -.3 

New vehicles .............................................................................. 4.836 141.6 140.8 -1.8 -.6 

Used cars and trucks .................................................................. 3.061 152.6 152.6 -4.7 .0 

Motor fuel ...................................................................................... 3.192 121.8 121.8 -17.4 .0 

Gasoline (all types) ..................................................................... 3.168 121.2 121.2 -17.4 .0 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment .............................................. .661 105.8 105.8 2.1 .0 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ......................................... 1.727 190.3 191.3 3.9 .5 

Public transportation ....................................................................... 1.061 204.3 206.5 1.5 1.1 

Medical care ..................................................................................... 4.906 282.1 283.1 4.7 .4 

Medical care commodities .............................................................. .956 249.7 250.2 3.5 .2 

Medical care services ..................................................................... 3.950 289.7 290.8 5.0 .4 

Professional services 2 .................................................................. 2.490 254.7 255.1 2.9 .2 

Hospital and related services 2 ...................................................... 1.238 357.3 359.7 8.8 .7 

See footnotes at end of table.
Table 2 (OW). Old Weight Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W): U.S. city

average, by expenditure category and commodity and service group -Continued

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

Item and group

Relative

importance,

December

2001

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

May 2002 from—

Apr.

2002

May

2002

May

2001

Apr.

2002

Expenditure category

Recreation 1 ...................................................................................... 5.670 104.9 104.8 1.1 -0.1 

Video and audio 1 ............................................................................ 1.810 102.2 102.3 1.2 .1 

Education and communication 1 ........................................................ 5.277 106.6 107.3 3.1 .7 

Education 1 ...................................................................................... 2.684 123.5 123.7 6.0 .2 

Educational books and supplies ................................................... .213 318.9 319.7 8.6 .3 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ...................................... 2.471 347.6 347.9 5.7 .1 

Communication 1 ............................................................................. 2.593 93.0 94.1 .1 1.2 

Information and information processing 1 ...................................... 2.442 92.2 93.3 -.1 1.2 

Telephone services 1 ................................................................... 2.329 98.2 99.5 .7 1.3 

Information and information processing other than telephone

services 4 ............................................................................. .113 19.4 19.4 -13.4 .0 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 ...................... .044 22.4 22.7 -24.1 1.3 

Other goods and services ................................................................. 5.376 302.7 299.8 4.5 -1.0 

Tobacco and smoking products ...................................................... 2.053 462.5 450.5 7.3 -2.6 

Personal care ................................................................................. 3.323 173.9 174.1 2.8 .1 

Personal care products ................................................................. .813 155.8 155.2 .9 -.4 

Personal care services ................................................................. 1.006 188.6 188.9 2.3 .2 

Miscellaneous personal services .................................................. 1.314 273.0 274.0 5.1 .4 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ....................................................................................... 45.337 152.1 151.4 -1.6 -.5 

Food and beverages ......................................................................... 18.048 176.1 175.7 2.0 -.2 

Commodities less food and beverages ............................................ 27.289 138.0 137.3 -3.7 -.5 

Nondurables less food and beverages ........................................... 15.269 150.1 149.0 -4.6 -.7 

Apparel ......................................................................................... 4.577 126.8 125.2 -2.6 -1.3 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel .......................... 10.692 167.8 166.8 -5.4 -.6 

Durables ......................................................................................... 12.020 122.5 122.3 -2.5 -.2 

Services .............................................................................................. 54.663 204.3 204.8 3.1 .2 

Rent of shelter 3 ................................................................................ 27.936 193.6 193.6 3.9 .0 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 ................................................. .316 107.2 107.6 .7 .4 

Gas (piped) and electricity 2 .............................................................. 3.877 129.9 131.3 -8.1 1.1 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 1 .............................. .925 112.6 112.7 3.3 .1 

Household operations 1 ..................................................................... .426 118.4 118.5 3.0 .1 

Transportation services .................................................................... 6.882 206.8 207.8 5.2 .5 

Medical care services ....................................................................... 3.950 289.7 290.8 5.0 .4 

Other services .................................................................................. 10.351 238.9 239.9 3.3 .4 

Special indexes

All items less food ............................................................................... 83.007 176.0 175.9 .7 -.1 

All items less shelter ........................................................................... 71.749 168.8 168.7 -.2 -.1 

All items less medical care ................................................................. 95.094 171.3 171.2 .7 -.1 

Commodities less food ....................................................................... 28.344 139.7 139.0 -3.5 -.5 

Nondurables less food ........................................................................ 16.324 152.2 151.0 -4.2 -.8 

Nondurables less food and apparel .................................................... 11.747 168.4 167.6 -4.7 -.5 

Nondurables ....................................................................................... 33.317 163.6 162.8 -1.2 -.5 

Services less rent of shelter 3 .............................................................. 26.728 191.0 191.9 2.2 .5 

Services less medical care services ................................................... 50.713 197.4 197.9 2.9 .3 

Energy ................................................................................................ 7.312 121.6 122.2 -13.1 .5 

All items less energy ........................................................................... 92.688 183.6 183.4 2.3 -.1 

All items less food and energy .......................................................... 75.695 185.7 185.5 2.4 -.1 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ........................... 24.909 146.2 145.3 -.8 -.6 

Energy commodities ..................................................................... 3.435 121.6 121.6 -17.1 .0 

Services less energy services ........................................................ 50.786 212.6 213.0 4.0 .2 

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

 $ .568 $ .568 - -

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

 $ .191 $ .191 - -

1 Indexes on a December 1997=100 base. 2 This index series was calculated using a Laspeyres estimator. 

All other item stratum index series converted to a geometric means

estimator in January, 1999.

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

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

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

Area

All items 

Pricing

schedule 1

Indexes Percent change to 

May 2002 from—

Percent change to 

Apr. 2002 from—

Feb.

2002

Mar.

2002

Apr.

2002

May

2002

May

2001

Mar.

2002

Apr.

2002

Apr.

2001

Feb.

2002

Mar.

2002

U.S. city average ........................................... M 177.9 178.8 179.9 179.9 1.2 0.6 0.0 1.7 1.1 0.6 

Region and area size2

Northeast urban ............................................. M 186.1 187.0 187.8 187.7 1.7 .4 -.1 2.0 .9 .4 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ................... M 187.8 188.5 189.2 189.1 1.9 .3 -.1 2.3 .7 .4 

Size B/C 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................. M 110.6 111.4 112.1 112.2 1.3 .7 .1 1.3 1.4 .6 

Midwest urban ............................................... M 172.7 173.7 174.8 174.9 .4 .7 .1 1.2 1.2 .6 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 .................. M 174.9 176.0 177.3 177.3 1.0 .7 .0 1.7 1.4 .7 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 109.7 110.3 110.9 111.0 -.5 .6 .1 .5 1.1 .5 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) .............................................. M 166.5 167.0 168.0 168.2 .2 .7 .1 .8 .9 .6 

South urban ................................................... M 171.1 172.2 173.4 173.4 1.0 .7 .0 1.2 1.3 .7 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ................... M 172.2 173.3 174.5 174.7 1.6 .8 .1 1.7 1.3 .7 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ............... M 109.4 110.2 111.0 110.9 .7 .6 -.1 1.0 1.5 .7 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) .............................................. M 168.6 169.8 170.5 170.7 -.2 .5 .1 -.1 1.1 .4 

West urban .................................................... M 183.3 184.0 185.1 185.0 2.0 .5 -.1 2.6 1.0 .6 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 .................. M 185.3 186.1 187.2 187.7 2.3 .9 .3 2.6 1.0 .6 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 112.6 112.9 113.7 112.7 1.4 -.2 -.9 2.8 1.0 .7 

Size classes

A 4 .............................................................. M 162.5 163.3 164.3 164.4 1.7 .7 .1 2.1 1.1 .6 

B/C 3 ........................................................... M 110.2 110.8 111.6 111.4 .6 .5 -.2 1.3 1.3 .7 

D ................................................................ M 170.7 171.5 172.5 172.5 .3 .6 .0 .8 1.1 .6 

Selected local areas5

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI .................. M 178.6 179.7 180.7 181.2 .8 .8 .3 1.3 1.2 .6 

Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA .. M 179.9 180.8 181.9 182.4 2.8 .9 .3 3.0 1.1 .6 

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

NY-NJ-CT-PA ........................................ M 189.9 190.9 191.7 191.5 2.2 .3 -.1 2.7 .9 .4 

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

 194.6 - 194.7 2.0 .1 - - - -

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

 173.4 - 173.3 -.2 -.1 - - - -

Dallas-Fort Worth, TX .................................... 1 - 172.2 - 173.1 2.2 .5 - - - -

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

 111.7 - 112.6 2.3 .8 - - - -

Atlanta, GA .................................................... 2 175.4 -

 178.7 - - - - 1.2 1.9 -

Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI ............................. 2 176.6 - 179.1 - - - - 2.6 1.4 -

Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX ................... 2 156.5 -

 158.8 - - - - -.4 1.5 -

Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ............................ 2 175.1 -

 175.5 - - - - 1.6 .2 -

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,

PA-NJ-DE-MD ....................................... 2 182.1 -

 183.1 - - - - 1.0 .5 -

San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA .......... 2 191.0 - 193.2 - - - - 2.2 1.2 -

Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA ................... 2 187.2 -

 188.5 - - - - 2.3 .7 -

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

 most other goods and services priced as indicated: 

 M - Every month. 

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

 2 - February, April, June, August, October, and December. 2 Regions defined as the four Census regions. See map in technical

notes. 3 Indexes on a December 1996=100 base. 4 Indexes on a December 1986=100 base. 5 In addition, the following metropolitan areas are published semiannually

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

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

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

Milwaukee-Racine, WI; Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI; Pittsburgh, PA;

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

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

 

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

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

therefore, subject to substantially more sampling and other measurement

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

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

Labor Statistics strongly urges users to consider adopting the national

average CPI for use in their escalator clauses. 

NOTE: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.
Table 4 (OW). Old Weight Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W): Selected areas, all items

index 

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

Area

All items 

Pricing

schedule 1

Indexes Percent change to 

May 2002 from—

Percent change to 

Apr. 2002 from—

Feb.

2002

Mar.

2002

Apr.

2002

May

2002

May

2001

Mar.

2002

Apr.

2002

Apr.

2001

Feb.

2002

Mar.

2002

U.S. city average ........................................... M 173.8 174.7 176.0 175.9 0.9 0.7 -0.1 1.4 1.3 0.7 

Region and area size2

Northeast urban ............................................. M 182.4 183.2 184.3 184.1 1.4 .5 -.1 1.9 1.0 .6 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ................... M 183.0 183.7 184.5 184.3 1.5 .3 -.1 2.1 .8 .4 

Size B/C 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................. M 110.1 110.8 111.8 111.7 1.2 .8 -.1 1.5 1.5 .9 

Midwest urban ............................................... M 168.2 169.3 170.6 170.6 -.1 .8 .0 .9 1.4 .8 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 .................. M 169.6 170.7 172.2 172.2 .7 .9 .0 1.5 1.5 .9 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 109.3 109.9 110.6 110.6 -1.3 .6 .0 .0 1.2 .6 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) .............................................. M 164.1 164.5 165.8 165.9 -.3 .9 .1 .4 1.0 .8 

South urban ................................................... M 168.7 169.8 171.2 171.1 .6 .8 -.1 .9 1.5 .8 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ................... M 169.2 170.2 171.6 171.7 1.2 .9 .1 1.4 1.4 .8 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ............... M 108.9 109.6 110.6 110.4 .5 .7 -.2 .8 1.6 .9 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) .............................................. M 169.4 170.7 171.7 171.8 -.1 .6 .1 -.1 1.4 .6 

West urban .................................................... M 178.2 178.8 180.0 179.8 1.8 .6 -.1 2.4 1.0 .7 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 .................. M 178.4 179.2 180.2 180.7 2.1 .8 .3 2.4 1.0 .6 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 112.1 112.4 113.3 112.2 1.2 -.2 -1.0 2.6 1.1 .8 

Size classes

A 4 .............................................................. M 160.5 161.3 162.4 162.4 1.4 .7 .0 1.9 1.2 .7 

B/C 3 ........................................................... M 109.7 110.3 111.2 111.0 .3 .6 -.2 1.0 1.4 .8 

D ................................................................ M 169.5 170.3 171.4 171.4 .2 .6 .0 .5 1.1 .6 

Selected local areas5

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI .................. M 172.2 173.2 174.4 175.0 .6 1.0 .3 1.0 1.3 .7 

Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA .. M 172.3 173.2 174.1 174.6 2.4 .8 .3 2.7 1.0 .5 

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

NY-NJ-CT-PA ........................................ M 184.7 185.6 186.6 186.5 1.9 .5 -.1 2.6 1.0 .5 

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

 193.2 - 193.2 1.6 .0 - - - -

Cleveland-Akron, OH ..................................... 1 - 164.8 - 164.9 -.4 .1 - - - -

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

 171.6 - 172.4 2.0 .5 - - - -

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

 111.1 - 112.1 2.0 .9 - - - -

Atlanta, GA .................................................... 2 172.7 -

 175.5 - - - - 1.0 1.6 -

Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI ............................. 2 171.1 -

 173.6 - - - - 2.7 1.5 -

Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX ................... 2 153.8 -

 156.4 - - - - -.9 1.7 -

Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ............................ 2 172.0 - 172.9 - - - - 1.5 .5 -

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,

PA-NJ-DE-MD ....................................... 2 181.4 -

 182.4 - - - - .9 .6 -

San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA .......... 2 186.8 -

 188.9 - - - - 2.2 1.1 -

Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA ................... 2 182.2 - 183.4 - - - - 2.2 .7 -

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

 most other goods and services priced as indicated: 

 M - Every month. 

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

 2 - February, April, June, August, October, and December. 2 Regions defined as the four Census regions. See map in technical

notes. 3 Indexes on a December 1996=100 base. 4 Indexes on a December 1986=100 base. 5 In addition, the following metropolitan areas are published semiannually

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

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

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

Milwaukee-Racine, WI; Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI; 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.