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Department 

of Labor 

Bureau of Labor Statistics Washington, D.C. 20212 

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INTERNET ADDRESS: http://www.bls.gov/cpi/ Thursday, October 16, 2008 

CONSUMER PRICE INDEX: SEPTEMBER 2008 

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) decreased 0.1 percent in September, before 

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

September level of 218.783 (1982-84=100) was 4.9 percent higher than in September 2007. 

The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) decreased 0.1 percent 

in September, prior to seasonal adjustment. The September level of 214.935 (1982-84=100) was 5.4 percent 

higher than in September 2007. 

The Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U) decreased 0.1 percent in 

September on a not seasonally adjusted basis. The September level of 125.774 (December 1999=100) was 4.3 

percent higher than in September 2007. Please note that the indexes for the post-2006 period are subject to 

revision. 

CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U)

On a seasonally adjusted basis, the CPI-U was virtually unchanged in September following a 0.1 percent 

decrease in August. The index for energy fell 1.9 percent in September following a 3.1 percent decline in August. 

The motor fuel index declined 0.8 percent in September but was 31.8 percent higher than a year ago. The index 

for household energy fell 3.4 percent in September after a 1.6 percent decrease in August. The food index 

advanced 0.6 percent in September, the same increase as in August. The index for food at home rose 0.6 percent 

in September after a 0.8 percent rise in August and is up 7.6 percent over the past year. The index for all items 

less food and energy increased 0.1 percent in September, decelerating for the second straight month. 

Contributing to the deceleration were downturns in the indexes for apparel and for airline fares, a smaller (cont.) 

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

Expenditure

Category

Seasonally adjusted

Unadjusted

12-mos.

ended

Sep. 2008

Changes from preceding month Compound

annual rate

3-mos. ended

Sep. 2008 Mar.

2008

Apr.

2008

May

2008

June

2008

July

2008

Aug.

2008

Sep.

2008

All items ................................. .3 .2 .6 1.1 .8 -.1 .0 2.6 4.9 

Food and beverages ........... .2 .9 .3 .7 .9 .6 .6 8.5 6.0 

Housing ............................... .4 .3 .5 .5 .6 -.1 -.1 1.8 3.5 

Apparel ................................ -1.3 .5 -.3 .1 1.2 .5 -.1 6.6 1.4 

Transportation ..................... .7 -.7 2.0 3.8 1.7 -1.5 -.6 -1.7 10.5 

Medical care ........................ .1 .2 .2 .2 .1 .2 .3 2.5 3.2 

Recreation ........................... .3 -.1 .1 .1 .4 .5 .2 4.6 2.4 

Education and

communication .............. .3 .4 .4 .5 .5 .2 .1 3.3 3.5 

Other goods and services ... .4 .5 .4 .4 .4 .2 .2 3.3 4.0 

Special indexes:

Energy ................................. 1.9 .0 4.4 6.6 4.0 -3.1 -1.9 -4.9 23.1 

Food .................................... .2 .9 .3 .8 .9 .6 .6 8.7 6.2 

All items less food and

energy ........................... .2 .1 .2 .3 .3 .2 .1 2.7 2.5 
increase in the index for recreation, and a steeper decline in the index for new and used motor vehicles. These 

more than offset an upturn in the index for lodging away from home and larger increases in the indexes for 

medical care and owners’ equivalent rent. 

Consumer prices increased at a seasonally adjusted annualized rate (SAAR) of 2.6 percent in the third 

quarter of 2008 following increases in the first and second quarters at annual rates of 3.1 and 7.9 percent, 

respectively. This brings the year-to-date annual rate to 4.5 percent and compares with an increase of 4.1 percent 

for all of 2007. The index for energy fell at a 4.9 percent annual rate in the third quarter of 2008, following 

increases at rates of 8.6 percent and 53.6 percent in the first two quarters, respectively. So far this year, the 

energy index has risen at a 16.6 percent rate after increasing 17.4 percent in all of 2007. Within energy, 

petroleum-based energy costs (energy commodities) advanced at a 19.1 percent rate and energy services (gas and 

electricity) rose at a 12.4 percent rate in the first nine months of 2008. The food index rose at a 7.5 percent 

SAAR in the first nine months of 2008, compared to a 4.9 percent increase in all of 2007. The larger increase 

reflects acceleration in all of the major grocery store food groups except dairy and related products. The cereals 

and bakery products index and the fruits and vegetables index rose the fastest, rising at a 14.2 percent and 12.1 

percent SAAR, respectively. 

The CPI-U excluding food and energy rose at a 2.7 percent SAAR in the third quarter following increases 

at rates of 2.0 and 2.5 percent in the first and second quarter, respectively. The index increased over the first nine 

months of 2008 at a 2.4 percent SAAR, which matches the 2.4 percent increase during all of 2007. Deceleration 

in the shelter and medical care indexes, as well as the index for new and used motor vehicles, were offset by a 

larger increase in the recreation index and upturns in the indexes for apparel and for household furnishings and 

operations. 

Expenditure

Category

Percentage change 12 months ended in December SAAR 9

mos. 

ended

Sep.

2008

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

All items ................................................. 1.6 2.4 1.9 3.3 3.4 2.5 4.1 4.5 

Food and beverages ........................... 2.8 1.5 3.5 2.6 2.3 2.2 4.8 7.2 

Housing ............................................... 2.9 2.4 2.2 3.0 4.0 3.3 3.0 3.5 

Apparel ................................................ -3.2 -1.8 -2.1 -.2 -1.1 .9 -.3 .9 

Transportation ..................................... -3.8 3.8 .3 6.5 4.8 1.6 8.3 7.2 

Medical care ........................................ 4.7 5.0 3.7 4.2 4.3 3.6 5.2 2.6 

Recreation ........................................... 1.5 1.1 1.1 .7 1.1 1.0 .8 2.5 

Education and communication ............ 3.2 2.2 1.6 1.5 2.4 2.3 3.0 3.9 

Other goods and services ................... 4.5 3.3 1.5 2.5 3.1 3.0 3.3 4.3 

Special indexes:

Energy ................................................. -13.0 10.7 6.9 16.6 17.1 2.9 17.4 16.6 

Energy commodities .......................... -24.5 23.7 6.9 26.7 16.7 6.1 29.4 19.1 

Energy services ................................. -1.5 .4 6.9 6.8 17.6 -.6 3.4 12.4 

All items less energy ........................... 2.8 1.8 1.5 2.2 2.2 2.5 2.8 3.2 

Food .................................................. 2.8 1.5 3.6 2.7 2.3 2.1 4.9 7.5 

All items less food and energy ............ 2.7 1.9 1.1 2.2 2.2 2.6 2.4 2.4 
The food and beverages index rose 0.6 percent in September, the second straight such increase. The 

index for food at home, which rose 0.8 percent in August, increased 0.6 percent in September. The index for 

cereals and bakery products turned up in September, rising 1.1 percent after a 0.1 percent decline in August. 

The indexes for nonalcoholic beverages and other food at home accelerated in September, increasing 0.7 

percent and 1.1 percent respectively after increases of 0.4 percent and 0.7 percent in August. The index for 

meats, poultry, fish and eggs rose 1.0 percent in September, the third straight such increase. Within this group, 

the index for eggs increased 2.6 percent in September after a 5.7 percent decrease in August, while the index for 

beef and veal decelerated, rising 0.2 percent in September after a 2.4 percent increase in August. Turning down 

in September were the indexes for dairy and related products, down 0.6 percent after rising 0.4 percent in 

August, and for fruits and vegetables, down 0.5 percent after advancing 2.1 percent in August. The indexes for 

food away from home and for alcoholic beverages both increased 0.5 percent in September. 

The index for housing declined 0.1 percent in September, the same decline as in August. The shelter 

index increased 0.3 percent in September after a 0.1 percent increase in August. The index for rent increased 

0.3 percent for the third month in a row while the index for owners’ equivalent rent rose 0.2 percent after a 0.1 

percent increase in August. The index for lodging away from home turned up in September, increasing 0.9 

percent after a 1.1 percent decrease in August. The index for household energy declined 3.4 percent in 

September, but was still 13.1 percent above its September 2007 level. Within household energy, the indexes for 

fuel oil and for natural gas fell sharply, declining 7.8 percent and 8.3 percent respectively, while the index for 

electricity fell 0.9 percent. The index for household furnishings and operations, which rose 0.2 percent in 

August, increased 0.5 percent in September. 

The transportation index declined in September, falling 0.6 percent after a 1.5 percent decrease in 

August. The index for gasoline decreased 0.6 percent following a 4.2 percent decrease in August. (Prior to 

seasonal adjustment, gasoline prices fell 2.5 percent in September but were 31.7 percent above their September 

2007 level.) The index for new vehicles declined for the second straight month, falling 0.7 percent after a 0.6 

percent decrease in August. The index for used cars and trucks fell sharply in September, declining 1.8 percent 

after a 0.3 percent fall in August. The index for public transportation decreased 1.0 percent in September after a 

1.1 percent increase in August, as the index for airline fare turned down, declining 1.7 percent in September 

after rising 1.6 percent in August. (Prior to seasonal adjustment, the index for airline fare decreased 3.6 percent 

in September but was 17.5 percent higher than in September 2007.) 

 

The index for apparel declined 0.1 percent in September after increasing 0.5 percent in August. (Prior to 

seasonal adjustment, apparel prices rose 4.1 percent in September and were 1.4 percent higher than in 

September 2007.) 

The medical care index rose 0.3 percent in September after rising 0.2 percent in August, and was 3.2 

percent higher than a year ago. The index for medical care commodities--prescription drugs, nonprescription 

drugs, and medical supplies—increased 0.2 percent in September after a 0.1 percent increase in August. The 

index for medical care services increased 0.4 percent in September. The indexes for professional services and 

for hospital and related services increased 0.2 percent and 0.6 percent, respectively. 

The index for recreation increased 0.2 percent in September, following a 0.5 percent increase in August. 

The index for video and audio rose 0.1 percent in September after a 0.5 percent increase in August. The 

indexes for pets, pet products and services rose 1.0 percent in September and the index for photography rose 0.8 

percent. The index for recreation services decreased 0.1 percent in September. 

The index for education and communication increased 0.1 percent in September after a 0.2 percent 

increase in August. The index for education rose 0.4 percent in September. The index for college textbooks 

rose 1.0 percent after a 3.4 percent increase in August. The index for college tuition and fees rose 0.3 percent in 

September. (Prior to seasonal adjustment, charges for college tuition and fees rose 1.8 percent in September 

and are up 6.7 percent since September 2007.) The communication index declined in September, falling 0.2 

percent for the second consecutive month. Within communication, the index for telephone services was 

virtually unchanged while the index for information technology, hardware and services declined 1.1 percent. 

The index for other goods and services increased 0.2 percent in September, the same increase as in 

August. The index for tobacco and smoking products was virtually unchanged and the index for personal care 

rose 0.3 percent. 
CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W)

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

percent in September. 

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

Expenditure

Category

Seasonally adjusted

Unadjusted

12-mos.

ended

Sep. 2008

Changes from preceding month Compound

annual rate

3-mos. ended

Sep. 2008 Mar.

2008

Apr.

2008

May

2008

June

2008

July

2008

Aug.

2008

Sep.

2008

All items ................................. 0.4 0.2 0.7 1.2 0.9 -0.2 -0.1 2.5 5.4 

Food and beverages ........... .2 .9 .3 .8 .9 .6 .6 8.7 6.1 

Housing ............................... .5 .4 .5 .5 .7 .0 -.2 1.9 3.8 

Apparel ................................ -1.2 .2 -.2 .0 .8 1.0 .0 7.6 1.7 

Transportation ..................... .7 -.7 2.1 4.0 1.8 -1.7 -.7 -2.4 11.1 

Medical care ........................ .1 .2 .1 .2 .1 .3 .3 2.8 3.3 

Recreation ........................... .3 -.2 .0 .2 .4 .5 .2 4.7 2.2 

Education and

communication .............. .2 .4 .3 .5 .5 .2 .0 3.2 3.2 

Other goods and services ... .4 .4 .5 .6 .5 .2 .2 3.6 4.4 

Special indexes:

Energy ................................. 1.9 -.2 4.5 6.8 4.0 -3.2 -1.7 -4.1 23.8 

Food .................................... .2 1.0 .3 .8 .9 .6 .6 8.9 6.3 

All items less food and

energy ........................... .1 .1 .2 .3 .3 .2 .1 2.5 2.4 

Consumer Price Index data for October are scheduled for release on Wednesday, November 19, 2008, at 

8:30 A.M. (EST). 
Facilities for Sensory Impaired

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

Voice phone: 202-691-5200, Federal Relay Services: 1-800-877-8339. 

Brief Explanation of the CPI 

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

services purchased by households. The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes CPIs for two population groups: 

(1) the CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), which covers households of wage earners 

and clerical workers that comprise approximately 32 percent of the total population and (2) the CPI for All 

Urban Consumers (CPI-U) and the Chained CPI for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U), which cover 

approximately 87 percent of the total population and include in addition to wage earners and clerical worker 

households, groups such as professional, managerial, and technical workers, the self-employed, short-term 

workers, the unemployed, and retirees and others not in the labor force. 

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

doctors’ and dentists’ services, drugs, and other goods and services that people buy for day-to-day living. 

Prices are collected in 87 urban areas across the country from about 50,000 housing units and approximately 

23,000 retail establishments-department stores, supermarkets, hospitals, filling stations, and other types of 

stores and service establishments. All taxes directly associated with the purchase and use of items are included 

in the index. Prices of fuels and a few other items are obtained every month in all 87 locations. Prices of most 

other commodities and services are collected every month in the three largest geographic areas and every other 

month in other areas. Prices of most goods and services are obtained by personal visits or telephone calls of the 

Bureau’s trained representatives. 

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

weights, which represent their importance in the spending of the appropriate population group. Local data are 

then combined to obtain a U.S. city average. For the CPI-U and CPI-W separate indexes are also published by 

size of city, by region of the country, for cross-classifications of regions and population-size classes, and for 27 

local areas. Area indexes do not measure differences in the level of prices among cities; they only measure the 

average change in prices for each area since the base period. For the C-CPI-U data are issued only at the 

national level. It is important to note that the CPI-U and CPI-W are considered final when released, but the CCPI-U is issued in preliminary form and subject to two annual revisions. 

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

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

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

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

risen from $10 in 1982-84 to $11.65. 

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

Information and Analysis Section on (202) 691-7000. 
Note on Sampling Error in the Consumer Price Index 

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

retail prices and not the complete universe of all prices. BLS calculates and publishes estimates of the 1-month, 

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

estimates can be used to construct confidence intervals for hypothesis testing. For example, the estimated 

standard error of the 1 month percent change is 0.06 percent for the U.S. All Items Consumer Price Index. This 

means that if we repeatedly sample from the universe of all retail prices using the same methodology, and 

estimate a percentage change for each sample, then 95% of these estimates would be within 0.12 percent of the 

1 month percentage change based on all retail prices. For a 1-month change of 0.2 percent in the All Items CPI 

for All Urban Consumers, we are 95 percent confident that the actual percent change based on all retail prices 

would fall between 0.08 and 0.32 percent. For the latest data, including information on how to use the 

estimates of standard error, see “Variance Estimates for Changes in the Consumer Price Index, January 2005- 

December 2005” in the CPI Detailed Report, February 2006. These data are available on the CPI home page 

(http://www.bls.gov/cpi), using the following link http://www.bls.gov/cpi/cpivar2006.pdf

Calculating Index Changes 

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

than changes in index points, because index point changes are affected by the level of the index in relation to its 

base period while percent changes are not. The example below illustrates the computation of index point and 

percent changes. 

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

according to the standard formula for compound growth rates. These data indicate what the percent change 

would be if the current rate were maintained for a 12-month period. 

Index Point Change

CPI 202.416 

Less previous index 201.800 

Equals index point change .616 

Percent Change

Index point difference .616 

Divided by the previous index 201.800 

Equals 0.003 

Results multiplied by one hundred 0.003x100 

Equals percent change 0.3
Regions Defined 

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

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

Vermont. 

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

Wisconsin. 

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

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

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

Wyoming. 

A Note on Seasonally Adjusted and Unadjusted Data 

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

publishes seasonally adjusted as well as unadjusted changes each month. 

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

since they eliminate the effect of changes that normally occur at the same time and in about the same magnitude 

every year--such as price movements resulting from changing climatic conditions, production cycles, model 

changeovers, holidays, and sales. 

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

Unadjusted data also are used extensively for escalation purposes. Many collective bargaining contract 

agreements and pension plans, for example, tie compensation changes to the Consumer Price Index before 

adjustment for seasonal variation. 

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

Seasonal Adjustment Method. Seasonally adjusted indexes and seasonal factors are computed annually. Each 

year, the last 5 years of seasonally adjusted data are revised. Data from January 2003 through December 2007 

were replaced in January 2008. Exceptions to the usual revision schedule were: the updated seasonal data at the 

end of 1977 replaced data from 1967 through 1977; and, in January 2002, dependently seasonally adjusted 

series were revised for January 1987-December 2001 as a result of a change in the aggregation weights for 

dependently adjusted series. For further information, please see “Aggregation of Dependently Adjusted 

Seasonally Adjusted Series,” in the October 2001 issue of the CPI Detailed Report.

The seasonal movement of All items and 54 other aggregations is derived by combining the seasonal 

movement of 73 selected components. Each year the seasonal status of every series is reevaluated based upon 

certain statistical criteria. If any of the 73 components change their seasonal adjustment status from seasonally 

adjusted to not seasonally adjusted, not seasonally adjusted data will be used in the aggregation of the 

dependent series for the last 5 years, but the seasonally adjusted indexes will be used before that period. Note: 

48 of the 73 components are seasonally adjusted for 2008. 
Seasonally adjusted data, including the All items index levels, are subject to revision for up to five years 

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

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

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

Intervention Analysis Seasonal Adjustment allows for better estimates of seasonally adjusted data. Extreme 

values and/or sharp movements which might distort the seasonal pattern are estimated and removed from the 

data prior to calculation of seasonal factors. Beginning with the calculation of seasonal factors for 1996, X-12-

ARIMA software was used for Intervention Analysis Seasonal Adjustment. 

For the seasonal factors introduced in January 2008, BLS adjusted 20 series using Intervention Analysis 

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

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

refineries from Hurricane Katrina. 

 

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

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

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

 

For additional information on seasonal adjustment in the CPI, please write to the Bureau of Labor 

Statistics, Division of Consumer Prices and Price Indexes, Washington, DC 20212 or contact Jeff Wilson at 

(202) 691-6968, or by e-mail at Wilson.Jeff@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

2007

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Sep. 2008 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Aug.

2008

Sep.

2008

Sep.

2007

Aug.

2008

June to

July

July to

Aug.

Aug. to

Sep.

Expenditure category

All items ........................................................................................ 100.000 219.086 218.783 4.9 -0.1 0.8 -0.1 0.0 

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

 656.284 655.376 - - - - -

Food and beverages .................................................................. 14.914 216.419 217.672 6.0 .6 .9 .6 .6 

Food ......................................................................................... 13.833 216.422 217.696 6.2 .6 .9 .6 .6 

Food at home ......................................................................... 7.660 217.259 218.629 7.6 .6 1.2 .8 .6 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................... 1.030 250.080 250.924 12.3 .3 1.8 -.1 1.1 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs .............................................. 1.807 207.488 209.937 5.9 1.2 1.0 1.0 1.0 

Dairy and related products ................................................... .887 214.748 213.533 4.9 -.6 1.6 .4 -.6 

Fruits and vegetables ........................................................... 1.156 283.296 285.986 10.4 .9 1.2 2.1 -.5 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ................ .928 160.055 161.499 4.2 .9 .7 .4 .7 

Other food at home .............................................................. 1.852 186.991 187.944 7.9 .5 1.0 .7 1.1 

Sugar and sweets .............................................................. .277 187.813 189.929 6.6 1.1 .4 .6 1.7 

Fats and oils ....................................................................... .205 203.059 206.274 18.5 1.6 2.4 1.1 1.7 

Other foods ........................................................................ 1.369 200.961 201.388 6.5 .2 .9 .6 .8 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ......................................... .404 121.033 121.144 5.7 .1 1.7 .4 .1 

Food away from home 1 ......................................................... 6.173 217.063 218.225 4.5 .5 .6 .3 .5 

Other food away from home 1 2 ........................................... .297 151.133 152.040 3.6 .6 .8 .0 .6 

Alcoholic beverages ................................................................. 1.080 215.094 216.055 3.7 .4 .4 .4 .5 

Housing ...................................................................................... 42.427 219.148 218.184 3.5 -.4 .6 -.1 -.1 

Shelter ...................................................................................... 32.596 247.985 247.737 2.4 -.1 .2 .1 .3 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................... 5.765 244.181 244.926 3.8 .3 .3 .3 .3 

Lodging away from home 2 .................................................... 2.564 149.146 143.597 -.6 -3.7 .7 -1.1 .9 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 .................. 23.942 252.957 253.493 2.4 .2 .1 .1 .2 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................... .325 118.562 119.944 2.7 1.2 -.3 -.2 1.2 

Fuels and utilities ..................................................................... 5.128 235.650 228.450 11.8 -3.1 3.3 -1.1 -2.8 

Household energy .................................................................. 4.215 217.455 209.501 13.1 -3.7 3.8 -1.6 -3.4

Fuel oil and other fuels ......................................................... .351 367.794 349.164 38.2 -5.1 1.3 -6.5 -5.8 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ................................................. 3.864 218.656 210.950 10.9 -3.5 4.0 -1.1 -3.2 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................... .913 154.134 154.264 6.2 .1 .7 1.3 .3 

Household furnishings and operations ..................................... 4.702 128.013 128.584 1.9 .4 .4 .2 .5 

Household operations 1 2 ....................................................... .737 149.169 150.193 6.7 .7 .2 .6 .7 

Apparel ....................................................................................... 3.731 116.376 121.168 1.4 4.1 1.2 .5 -.1 

Men’s and boys’ apparel .......................................................... .935 110.180 112.720 .3 2.3 .0 .3 -.3 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ...................................................... 1.600 104.211 111.774 .7 7.3 2.0 2.0 -.3 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ................................................... .185 109.558 113.494 -.1 3.6 -.3 -.8 1.3 

Footwear .................................................................................. .679 121.982 124.907 1.4 2.4 1.3 -1.6 -.4 

Transportation ............................................................................ 17.688 206.739 203.861 10.5 -1.4 1.7 -1.5 -.6 

Private transportation ............................................................... 16.583 201.779 199.153 10.3 -1.3 1.7 -1.6 -.6 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ............................................. 7.191 93.260 92.480 -1.6 -.8 .2 -.4 -.9 

New vehicles ........................................................................ 4.632 133.404 132.399 -1.9 -.8 .2 -.6 -.7 

Used cars and trucks 1 ......................................................... 1.773 135.405 132.916 -3.1 -1.8 -.1 -.3 -1.8 

Motor fuel ............................................................................... 5.482 323.822 315.078 31.8 -2.7 4.1 -4.2 -.8 

Gasoline (all types) .............................................................. 5.215 321.511 313.535 31.7 -2.5 4.1 -4.2 -.6 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ..................................... .356 130.327 131.048 7.2 .6 1.0 .9 .6 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................... 1.123 236.125 237.121 5.7 .4 .6 .6 .4 

Public transportation ................................................................ 1.106 268.487 261.318 13.3 -2.7 1.1 1.1 -1.0 

Medical care ............................................................................... 6.231 364.477 365.036 3.2 .2 .1 .2 .3 

Medical care commodities ........................................................ 1.601 295.003 295.461 1.4 .2 -.2 .1 .2 

Medical care services ............................................................... 4.630 385.990 386.579 3.8 .2 .2 .3 .4 

Professional services ............................................................. 2.626 312.396 312.527 3.3 .0 .2 .3 .2 

Hospital and related services 3 .............................................. 1.467 535.501 537.728 6.6 .4 .3 .6 .6 

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

service group-Continued

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-U

Relative

importance,

December

2007

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Sep. 2008 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Aug.

2008

Sep.

2008

Sep.

2007

Aug.

2008

June to

July

July to

Aug.

Aug. to

Sep.

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................... 5.647 113.786 114.032 2.4 0.2 0.4 0.5 0.2 

Video and audio 2 .................................................................... 1.843 102.546 102.706 -.1 .2 .0 .5 .1 

Education and communication 2 ................................................ 6.086 124.653 125.505 3.5 .7 .5 .2 .1 

Education 2 .............................................................................. 2.944 183.184 186.148 6.1 1.6 .5 .6 .4 

Educational books and supplies ............................................. .207 458.989 462.787 7.6 .8 .8 2.6 .4 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ................................ 2.736 527.230 536.082 6.0 1.7 .4 .5 .4 

Communication 2 ..................................................................... 3.142 84.701 84.524 1.0 -.2 .5 -.2 -.2 

Information and information processing 1 2 ............................ 2.975 81.815 81.635 .8 -.2 .6 -.2 -.2 

Telephone services 1 2 ......................................................... 2.342 101.301 101.311 2.5 .0 .7 .0 .0 

Information technology, hardware and services 1 5 ............. .634 10.012 9.901 -5.5 -1.1 .2 -.7 -1.1 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 6 ............ .242 92.921 90.797 -14.2 -2.3 -1.0 -1.9 -2.3 

Other goods and services .......................................................... 3.277 346.990 348.166 4.0 .3 .4 .2 .2 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ............................................ .731 597.361 597.581 6.8 .0 1.2 .1 .0 

Personal care ........................................................................... 2.546 201.623 202.486 3.2 .4 .1 .3 .3 

Personal care products 1 ....................................................... .639 159.252 159.643 1.3 .2 .1 .2 .2 

Personal care services 1 ........................................................ .629 224.151 224.614 3.2 .2 .1 .2 .2 

Miscellaneous personal services ........................................... 1.044 341.053 343.431 4.8 .7 .1 .4 .5 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ................................................................................ 41.269 179.148 179.117 6.6 .0 1.2 -.5 -.1 

Food and beverages .................................................................. 14.914 216.419 217.672 6.0 .6 .9 .6 .6 

Commodities less food and beverages ...................................... 26.356 158.179 157.621 7.0 -.4 1.3 -1.1 -.5 

Nondurables less food and beverages ..................................... 15.519 207.284 206.919 13.1 -.2 1.2 -1.8 -.9 

Apparel ................................................................................... 3.731 116.376 121.168 1.4 4.1 1.2 .5 -.1 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel .................... 11.787 268.740 265.100 17.0 -1.4 2.2 -2.0 -1.4 

Durables ................................................................................... 10.837 110.779 110.077 -1.5 -.6 .2 -.3 -.6 

Services ....................................................................................... 58.731 258.638 258.059 3.8 -.2 .5 .1 .0 

Rent of shelter 4 ......................................................................... 32.271 258.547 258.255 2.4 -.1 .2 .1 .3 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ....................................... .325 118.562 119.944 2.7 1.2 -.3 -.2 1.2 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ....................................................... 3.864 218.656 210.950 10.9 -3.5 4.0 -1.1 -3.2 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ....................... .913 154.134 154.264 6.2 .1 .7 1.3 .3 

Household operations 1 2 ........................................................... .737 149.169 150.193 6.7 .7 .2 .6 .7 

Transportation services .............................................................. 5.350 248.806 248.047 5.9 -.3 .5 .8 .1 

Medical care services ................................................................. 4.630 385.990 386.579 3.8 .2 .2 .3 .4 

Other services ............................................................................ 10.641 297.923 299.598 3.9 .6 .4 .4 .2 

Special indexes

All items less food ........................................................................ 86.167 219.552 218.991 4.7 -.3 .8 -.3 -.1 

All items less shelter .................................................................... 67.404 210.264 209.936 6.2 -.2 1.1 -.2 -.2 

All items less medical care ........................................................... 93.769 211.653 211.321 5.1 -.2 .9 -.2 -.1

Commodities less food ................................................................. 27.436 160.341 159.825 6.9 -.3 1.3 -1.1 -.4 

Nondurables less food ................................................................. 16.599 207.769 207.483 12.5 -.1 1.3 -2.0 -.9 

Nondurables less food and apparel ............................................. 12.868 262.470 259.278 15.9 -1.2 2.1 -2.2 -1.4 

Nondurables ................................................................................. 30.432 212.882 213.274 9.6 .2 1.1 -.9 -.3 

Services less rent of shelter 4 ...................................................... 26.460 278.606 277.615 5.5 -.4 1.0 .2 -.3 

Services less medical care services ............................................ 54.101 248.198 247.563 3.8 -.3 .6 .2 -.1 

Energy .......................................................................................... 9.698 266.283 258.020 23.1 -3.1 4.0 -3.1 -1.9 

All items less energy .................................................................... 90.302 215.873 216.397 3.0 .2 .4 .3 .2

All items less food and energy ................................................... 76.469 216.476 216.862 2.5 .2 .3 .2 .1 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ..................... 21.602 139.785 140.528 .5 .5 .5 .1 -.2 

Energy commodities ............................................................... 5.834 328.240 318.918 32.3 -2.8 3.9 -4.4 -1.1 

Services less energy services .................................................. 54.867 262.867 262.980 3.2 .0 .3 .2 .3 

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

 $ .456 $ .457 - - - - -

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

 $ .152 $ .153 - - - - -

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

item stratum index series were calculated using a geometric means estimator. 4 Indexes on a December 1982=100 base.

5 Indexes on a December 1988=100 base. 6 Indexes on a December 2007=100 base. - Data not available.

NOTE: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.
Table 2. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): Seasonally adjusted U.S. city average, by expenditure category

and commodity and service group

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-U

Seasonally adjusted indexes Seasonally adjusted annual rate percent

change for

3 months ended— 6 months

ended—

June

2008

July

2008

Aug.

2008

Sep.

2008

Dec.

2007

Mar.

2008

June

2008

Sep.

2008 Mar.

2008

Sep.

2008

Expenditure category

All items .............................................................................. 217.403 219.181 218.880 218.813 6.2 3.1 7.9 2.6 4.6 5.2 

Food and beverages ......................................................... 213.612 215.539 216.778 217.996 2.6 5.1 8.1 8.5 3.9 8.3 

Food ................................................................................ 213.542 215.545 216.807 218.029 2.6 5.3 8.5 8.7 3.9 8.6 

Food at home ................................................................ 213.706 216.227 217.949 219.225 2.5 5.9 11.5 10.7 4.2 11.1 

Cereals and bakery products ...................................... 244.840 249.210 249.024 251.760 6.8 15.7 15.2 11.8 11.2 13.5 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ..................................... 203.295 205.361 207.479 209.534 .7 2.6 7.8 12.9 1.6 10.3 

Dairy and related products .......................................... 211.086 214.537 215.356 214.066 2.4 .7 11.1 5.8 1.5 8.4 

Fruits and vegetables .................................................. 281.911 285.411 291.493 290.047 5.2 3.9 20.9 12.1 4.6 16.4 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ....... 158.735 159.796 160.411 161.609 -1.6 7.3 3.9 7.4 2.7 5.7 

Other food at home ..................................................... 183.140 184.951 186.154 188.124 2.5 6.3 11.7 11.3 4.4 11.5 

Sugar and sweets ..................................................... 185.209 185.865 186.956 190.197 3.4 5.3 6.6 11.2 4.4 8.9 

Fats and oils .............................................................. 196.211 200.870 202.996 206.381 10.2 8.6 34.5 22.4 9.4 28.3 

Other foods ............................................................... 196.980 198.743 199.930 201.577 .8 6.3 9.5 9.7 3.5 9.6 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ................................ 118.453 120.510 121.033 121.144 2.2 7.3 3.9 9.4 4.8 6.6 

Food away from home 1 ............................................... 215.015 216.376 217.063 218.225 2.8 4.5 4.7 6.1 3.6 5.4 

Other food away from home 1 2 .................................. 149.873 151.120 151.133 152.040 -2.5 7.8 3.6 5.9 2.5 4.7 

Alcoholic beverages ........................................................ 213.246 214.173 215.105 216.276 3.0 2.9 3.1 5.8 2.9 4.4 

Housing ............................................................................. 216.918 218.267 218.101 217.891 3.5 3.4 5.2 1.8 3.4 3.5 

Shelter ............................................................................. 246.612 247.090 247.258 247.971 2.9 2.0 2.3 2.2 2.5 2.3 

Rent of primary residence 3 .......................................... 242.837 243.535 244.296 244.977 4.9 3.1 3.5 3.6 4.0 3.5 

Lodging away from home 2 ........................................... 144.426 145.394 143.846 145.173 -2.8 -2.5 .8 2.1 -2.6 1.5 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ......... 252.299 252.610 252.970 253.493 3.2 2.5 2.2 1.9 2.8 2.0 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ......................... 119.092 118.764 118.562 119.944 .8 2.4 4.8 2.9 1.6 3.8 

Fuels and utilities ............................................................ 226.160 233.540 230.876 224.377 10.4 13.7 28.8 -3.1 12.0 11.7 

Household energy ......................................................... 207.912 215.751 212.286 205.021 11.4 15.6 34.2 -5.4 13.5 12.7 

Fuel oil and other fuels ................................................ 396.000 401.283 375.211 353.309 78.2 49.2 116.7 -36.6 63.1 17.2 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ....................................... 206.565 214.896 212.549 205.785 6.5 12.8 27.9 -1.5 9.6 12.2 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 .......... 150.831 151.857 153.832 154.269 5.7 5.0 4.8 9.4 5.3 7.1 

Household furnishings and operations ............................ 127.369 127.919 128.222 128.917 -.3 2.5 .5 5.0 1.1 2.7 

Household operations 1 2 ............................................. 148.006 148.290 149.169 150.193 4.0 8.5 8.5 6.0 6.3 7.2 

Apparel .............................................................................. 118.107 119.574 120.157 120.005 3.1 -4.7 1.0 6.6 -.9 3.7 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ................................................. 113.139 113.090 113.420 113.108 -2.1 3.9 -.4 -.1 .9 -.3

Women’s and girls’ apparel ............................................. 105.698 107.860 110.057 109.678 6.0 -16.6 .6 15.9 -5.9 8.0 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel .......................................... 112.922 112.638 111.741 113.172 4.8 -3.4 -2.6 .9 .7 -.9

Footwear ......................................................................... 124.489 126.047 124.023 123.572 2.0 2.4 4.3 -2.9 2.2 .6 

Transportation ................................................................... 205.915 209.358 206.303 205.036 21.1 2.4 22.3 -1.7 11.3 9.7 

Private transportation ...................................................... 201.450 204.899 201.552 200.367 21.6 1.8 22.2 -2.1 11.2 9.4 

New and used motor vehicles 2 .................................... 93.909 94.052 93.702 92.900 -.1 -1.4 -.7 -4.2 -.8 -2.5 

New vehicles ............................................................... 134.990 135.300 134.548 133.567 -.5 -2.7 -.1 -4.2 -1.6 -2.1 

Used cars and trucks 1 ............................................... 135.980 135.840 135.405 132.916 -.6 .8 -3.6 -8.7 .1 -6.2 

Motor fuel ...................................................................... 321.618 334.732 320.647 317.962 81.1 3.0 69.2 -4.5 36.6 27.1 

Gasoline (all types) ..................................................... 319.107 332.237 318.255 316.443 80.9 1.8 69.1 -3.3 35.7 27.9 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ............................ 127.824 129.118 130.327 131.048 5.5 8.0 4.8 10.5 6.7 7.6 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair .......................... 233.321 234.818 236.340 237.284 3.0 6.3 6.6 7.0 4.7 6.8 

Public transportation ....................................................... 258.462 261.275 264.183 261.556 14.0 11.5 23.6 4.9 12.7 13.8 

Medical care ...................................................................... 363.618 363.852 364.710 365.836 5.0 3.2 2.1 2.5 4.1 2.3 

Medical care commodities .............................................. 295.102 294.438 294.694 295.231 4.4 4.3 -3.0 .2 4.3 -1.4 

Medical care services ..................................................... 384.727 385.353 386.458 387.816 5.1 2.8 4.0 3.3 4.0 3.6 

Professional services .................................................... 311.068 311.739 312.575 313.273 3.7 2.1 4.7 2.9 2.9 3.8 

Hospital and related services 3 ..................................... 532.592 534.172 537.549 540.539 8.7 6.5 5.4 6.1 7.6 5.7 

See footnotes at end of table.
Table 2. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): Seasonally adjusted U.S. city average, by expenditure category

and commodity and service group-Continued

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-U

Seasonally adjusted indexes Seasonally adjusted annual rate percent

change for

3 months ended— 6 months

ended—

June

2008

July

2008

Aug.

2008

Sep.

2008

Dec.

2007

Mar.

2008

June

2008

Sep.

2008 Mar.

2008

Sep.

2008

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ...................................................................... 112.831 113.264 113.876 114.120 1.9 2.3 0.6 4.6 2.1 2.6 

Video and audio 2 ........................................................... 102.181 102.195 102.658 102.801 1.7 .3 -4.5 2.4 1.0 -1.1 

Education and communication 2 ....................................... 123.613 124.226 124.505 124.615 2.6 3.2 5.1 3.3 2.9 4.2 

Education 2 ..................................................................... 180.749 181.582 182.734 183.462 6.9 5.3 6.0 6.1 6.1 6.1 

Educational books and supplies ................................... 444.469 447.821 459.494 461.555 7.0 1.2 6.4 16.3 4.1 11.2 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ...................... 520.969 523.254 525.789 527.863 6.9 5.6 5.9 5.4 6.3 5.7 

Communication 2 ............................................................ 84.393 84.840 84.702 84.526 -1.9 1.0 4.3 .6 -.5 2.5 

Information and information processing 1 2 .................. 81.513 81.965 81.815 81.635 -2.1 1.0 3.8 .6 -.6 2.2 

Telephone services 1 2 ............................................... 100.677 101.339 101.301 101.311 -.4 1.0 6.8 2.5 .3 4.7 

Information technology, hardware and services 1 5 .... 10.071 10.087 10.012 9.901 -9.6 1.2 -6.7 -6.6 -4.4 -6.6 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 6 ... 95.663 94.711 92.921 90.797 -20.2 1.4 -17.4 -18.8 -10.0 -18.1 

Other goods and services ................................................. 345.693 346.962 347.715 348.540 3.0 4.5 5.2 3.3 3.7 4.2 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ................................... 589.904 596.782 597.361 597.581 5.1 5.9 10.9 5.3 5.5 8.0 

Personal care .................................................................. 201.392 201.660 202.169 202.768 2.4 4.1 3.6 2.8 3.2 3.2 

Personal care products 1 .............................................. 158.868 158.989 159.252 159.643 1.5 .5 1.1 2.0 1.0 1.5 

Personal care services 1 ............................................... 223.520 223.719 224.151 224.614 3.9 5.8 1.4 2.0 4.8 1.7 

Miscellaneous personal services .................................. 340.085 340.264 341.606 343.441 3.3 5.4 6.4 4.0 4.4 5.2 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ....................................................................... 178.550 180.657 179.687 179.530 10.3 2.6 12.0 2.2 6.4 7.0 

Food and beverages ......................................................... 213.612 215.539 216.778 217.996 2.6 5.1 8.1 8.5 3.9 8.3 

Commodities less food and beverages ............................. 158.506 160.622 158.775 158.058 15.0 1.1 14.2 -1.1 7.8 6.3 

Nondurables less food and beverages ........................... 208.661 211.267 207.465 205.585 27.1 8.4 26.1 -5.8 17.4 9.0 

Apparel .......................................................................... 118.107 119.574 120.157 120.005 3.1 -4.7 1.0 6.6 -.9 3.7 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel .......... 269.755 275.611 270.166 266.376 29.0 13.3 34.9 -4.9 20.9 13.3 

Durables .......................................................................... 111.258 111.425 111.140 110.513 -.3 -1.1 -1.9 -2.7 -.7 -2.3 

Services .............................................................................. 255.872 257.269 257.642 257.662 3.6 3.5 5.1 2.8 3.5 4.0 

Rent of shelter 4 ................................................................ 257.040 257.575 257.717 258.498 2.8 2.2 2.2 2.3 2.5 2.2 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ............................. 119.092 118.764 118.562 119.944 .8 2.4 4.8 2.9 1.6 3.8 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................. 206.565 214.896 212.549 205.785 6.5 12.8 27.9 -1.5 9.6 12.2 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 .............. 150.831 151.857 153.832 154.269 5.7 5.0 4.8 9.4 5.3 7.1 

Household operations 1 2 ................................................. 148.006 148.290 149.169 150.193 4.0 8.5 8.5 6.0 6.3 7.2 

Transportation services ..................................................... 245.102 246.409 248.277 248.422 3.7 5.5 8.7 5.5 4.6 7.1 

Medical care services ....................................................... 384.727 385.353 386.458 387.816 5.1 2.8 4.0 3.3 4.0 3.6 

Other services ................................................................... 295.504 296.752 297.887 298.481 3.5 3.6 4.3 4.1 3.6 4.2 

Special indexes

All items less food ............................................................... 218.065 219.806 219.250 218.972 6.8 2.7 7.8 1.7 4.8 4.7 

All items less shelter ........................................................... 208.438 210.755 210.264 209.885 7.9 3.6 10.7 2.8 5.7 6.7 

All items less medical care .................................................. 209.955 211.774 211.433 211.322 6.3 3.1 8.3 2.6 4.7 5.4 

Commodities less food ........................................................ 160.607 162.695 160.922 160.257 14.4 1.2 13.8 -.9 7.6 6.2 

Nondurables less food ........................................................ 209.702 212.335 208.004 206.042 26.3 6.0 28.3 -6.8 15.7 9.3 

Nondurables less food and apparel .................................... 263.688 269.125 263.228 259.597 29.5 10.4 34.2 -6.1 19.6 12.3 

Nondurables ........................................................................ 212.718 215.067 213.122 212.583 14.9 5.9 18.8 -.3 10.3 8.9 

Services less rent of shelter 4 ............................................. 274.317 276.996 277.598 276.660 3.9 5.1 9.5 3.5 4.5 6.5 

Services less medical care services ................................... 245.531 246.945 247.327 247.172 3.2 3.5 5.6 2.7 3.4 4.2 

Energy ................................................................................. 260.316 270.602 262.107 257.086 45.6 8.6 53.6 -4.9 25.8 20.9 

All items less energy ........................................................... 214.624 215.529 216.080 216.528 2.6 2.5 3.4 3.6 2.6 3.5 

All items less food and energy .......................................... 215.526 216.230 216.650 216.956 2.6 2.0 2.5 2.7 2.3 2.6

Commodities less food and energy commodities ........... 140.156 140.792 140.885 140.655 .7 -.1 -.1 1.4 .3 .7 

Energy commodities ..................................................... 327.625 340.411 325.603 321.888 80.9 5.6 71.8 -6.8 38.3 26.5 

Services less energy services ......................................... 261.005 261.729 262.367 263.046 3.4 2.9 3.6 3.2 3.1 3.4 

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

item stratum index series were calculated using a geometric means

estimator.

4 Indexes on a December 1982=100 base. 5 Indexes on a December 1988=100 base. 6 Indexes on a December 2007=100 base.

NOTE: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.
Table 3. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): Selected areas, all items index 

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-U

All items 

Pricing

schedule 1

Indexes Percent change to

Sep.2008 from—

Percent change to

Aug.2008 from—

June

2008

July

2008

Aug.

2008

Sep.

2008

Sep.

2007

July

2008

Aug.

2008

Aug.

2007

June

2008

July

2008

U.S. city average ............................................ M 218.815 219.964 219.086 218.783 4.9 -0.5 -0.1 5.4 0.1 -0.4 

Region and area size2

Northeast urban .............................................. M 232.649 234.545 233.788 232.841 5.2 -.7 -.4 5.5 .5 -.3 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 234.518 236.460 236.107 235.314 4.9 -.5 -.3 5.3 .7 -.1 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 138.542 139.623 138.537 137.723 5.8 -1.4 -.6 6.1 .0 -.8 

Midwest urban ................................................ M 208.968 210.071 209.351 209.252 4.8 -.4 .0 5.4 .2 -.3 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 209.813 211.003 210.341 210.283 4.5 -.3 .0 5.3 .3 -.3 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 134.018 134.595 133.969 133.982 5.1 -.5 .0 5.6 .0 -.5 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 205.122 206.435 206.251 205.522 5.1 -.4 -.4 5.9 .6 -.1 

South urban .................................................... M 212.324 213.304 212.387 212.650 5.4 -.3 .1 5.6 .0 -.4 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 214.359 215.373 214.496 214.854 5.2 -.2 .2 5.4 .1 -.4 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 134.980 135.643 135.004 135.093 5.3 -.4 .1 5.6 .0 -.5 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 214.739 215.274 214.655 215.258 7.1 .0 .3 6.9 .0 -.3 

West urban ..................................................... M 223.040 223.867 222.823 222.132 4.3 -.8 -.3 4.9 -.1 -.5 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 226.767 227.562 226.541 225.910 4.4 -.7 -.3 5.0 -.1 -.4 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 135.283 136.021 135.207 134.834 4.5 -.9 -.3 4.9 -.1 -.6 

Size classes

A 4 .............................................................. M 199.840 200.941 200.278 199.982 4.7 -.5 -.1 5.2 .2 -.3 

B/C 3 ........................................................... M 135.330 136.055 135.315 135.160 5.2 -.7 -.1 5.5 .0 -.5 

D ................................................................. M 211.989 212.555 212.138 211.740 5.4 -.4 -.2 5.9 .1 -.2 

Selected local areas5

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI ................... M 215.738 217.459 215.971 215.465 4.4 -.9 -.2 4.9 .1 -.7 

Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA ... M 229.033 229.886 228.484 227.449 4.5 -1.1 -.5 5.1 -.2 -.6 

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

NY-NJ-CT-PA ......................................... M 238.580 240.273 240.550 240.089 5.2 -.1 -.2 5.4 .8 .1 

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

 241.258 - 238.519 4.7 -1.1 - - - -

Cleveland-Akron, OH ...................................... 1 - 206.941 - 206.219 4.7 -.3 - - - -

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

 206.413 - 205.883 5.7 -.3 - - - -

Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV 6 ...... 1 - 142.065 - 142.036 5.5 .0 - - - -

Atlanta, GA ..................................................... 2 212.032 -

 211.404 - - - - 5.0 -.3 -

Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI .............................. 2 207.593 -

 209.484 - - - - 4.9 .9 -

Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX .................... 2 193.567 - 192.723 - - - - 4.9 -.4 -

Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ............................. 2 225.079 -

 225.473 - - - - 5.8 .2 -

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,

PA-NJ-DE-MD ........................................ 2 228.408 -

 228.337 - - - - 4.4 .0 -

San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA ........... 2 225.181 -

 225.411 - - - - 4.2 .1 -

Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA .................... 2 228.068 - 227.745 - - - - 5.4 -.1 -

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

 most other goods and services priced as indicated: 

 M - Every month. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

therefore, subject to substantially more sampling and other measurement

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

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

Labor Statistics strongly urges users to consider adopting the national

average CPI for use in their escalator clauses. 

NOTE: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.
Table 4. Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W): U.S. city average, by expenditure category

and commodity and service group

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-W

Relative

importance,

December

2007

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Sep. 2008 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Aug.

2008

Sep.

2008

Sep.

2007

Aug.

2008

June to

July

July to

Aug.

Aug. to

Sep.

Expenditure category

All items ........................................................................................ 100.000 215.247 214.935 5.4 -0.1 0.9 -0.2 -0.1 

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

 641.155 640.226 - - - - -

Food and beverages .................................................................. 15.926 215.850 217.098 6.1 .6 .9 .6 .6 

Food ......................................................................................... 14.901 215.812 217.090 6.3 .6 .9 .6 .6 

Food at home ......................................................................... 8.595 216.214 217.594 7.5 .6 1.2 .8 .6 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................... 1.110 250.842 251.448 12.3 .2 1.8 .0 .9 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs .............................................. 2.192 207.211 209.515 5.8 1.1 1.0 1.2 .9 

Dairy and related products ................................................... .965 214.139 212.841 4.6 -.6 1.7 .3 -.7 

Fruits and vegetables ........................................................... 1.218 282.171 284.612 10.6 .9 1.2 1.9 -.4 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ................ 1.094 159.024 160.850 4.1 1.1 .8 .2 1.0 

Other food at home .............................................................. 2.016 186.458 187.467 8.1 .5 .9 .7 1.1 

Sugar and sweets .............................................................. .279 186.860 188.914 7.1 1.1 .4 .7 1.6 

Fats and oils ....................................................................... .232 203.721 207.069 18.3 1.6 2.1 1.1 1.7 

Other foods ........................................................................ 1.504 201.119 201.632 6.6 .3 .8 .6 .9 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ......................................... .438 121.443 121.589 6.1 .1 1.8 .4 .1 

Food away from home 1 ......................................................... 6.305 217.002 218.147 4.6 .5 .6 .4 .5 

Other food away from home 1 2 ........................................... .218 150.301 151.321 3.8 .7 .6 .0 .7 

Alcoholic beverages ................................................................. 1.025 214.931 215.728 3.6 .4 .5 .4 .5 

Housing ...................................................................................... 39.994 214.743 213.954 3.8 -.4 .7 .0 -.2 

Shelter ...................................................................................... 30.397 240.038 240.163 2.5 .1 .2 .1 .2 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................... 7.979 243.010 243.741 3.6 .3 .3 .3 .3 

Lodging away from home 2 .................................................... 1.233 148.368 142.591 -.8 -3.9 -.1 -1.0 .8 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 .................. 20.888 229.219 229.670 2.4 .2 .1 .1 .2 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................... .297 118.894 120.279 2.7 1.2 -.2 -.1 1.2 

Fuels and utilities ..................................................................... 5.637 233.373 226.709 12.1 -2.9 3.3 -1.0 -2.6 

Household energy .................................................................. 4.670 213.807 206.544 13.3 -3.4 3.8 -1.4 -3.2

Fuel oil and other fuels ......................................................... .323 363.535 345.907 36.9 -4.8 1.4 -5.6 -5.8 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ................................................. 4.347 216.557 209.442 11.4 -3.3 4.0 -1.1 -2.9 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................... .966 154.475 154.628 6.3 .1 .7 1.4 .3 

Household furnishings and operations ..................................... 3.960 123.944 124.500 2.2 .4 .5 .2 .6 

Household operations 1 2 ....................................................... .339 152.083 152.850 6.7 .5 .3 .5 .5 

Apparel ....................................................................................... 3.998 116.214 120.990 1.7 4.1 .8 1.0 .0 

Men’s and boys’ apparel .......................................................... 1.031 110.513 112.973 .9 2.2 -.6 1.0 -.3 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ...................................................... 1.619 104.584 112.304 1.3 7.4 1.5 2.9 .4 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ................................................... .251 111.593 115.764 -.1 3.7 -.5 -1.3 1.5 

Footwear .................................................................................. .821 122.026 124.873 1.7 2.3 1.4 -1.6 -.4 

Transportation ............................................................................ 20.054 207.796 204.785 11.1 -1.4 1.8 -1.7 -.7 

Private transportation ............................................................... 19.287 204.348 201.476 11.0 -1.4 1.8 -1.8 -.7 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ............................................. 7.952 92.287 91.305 -1.9 -1.1 .1 -.4 -1.1 

New vehicles ........................................................................ 4.172 134.540 133.504 -1.9 -.8 .2 -.5 -.8 

Used cars and trucks 1 ......................................................... 3.103 136.186 133.669 -3.1 -1.8 -.1 -.3 -1.8 

Motor fuel ............................................................................... 6.940 325.116 316.717 31.8 -2.6 4.1 -4.2 -.8 

Gasoline (all types) .............................................................. 6.597 322.930 315.324 31.8 -2.4 4.1 -4.2 -.6 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ..................................... .446 130.228 131.072 7.3 .6 1.0 1.0 .6 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................... 1.169 238.583 239.571 5.6 .4 .7 .6 .4 

Public transportation ................................................................ .767 264.755 258.142 12.7 -2.5 1.0 .8 -1.1

Medical care ............................................................................... 5.192 364.652 365.250 3.3 .2 .1 .3 .3 

Medical care commodities ........................................................ 1.295 286.880 287.397 1.3 .2 -.2 .2 .2 

Medical care services ............................................................... 3.897 387.420 388.036 3.9 .2 .1 .4 .4 

Professional services ............................................................. 2.159 314.893 314.977 3.3 .0 .2 .3 .2 

Hospital and related services 3 .............................................. 1.260 532.065 534.394 7.2 .4 .3 .7 .6 

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

2007

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Sep. 2008 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Aug.

2008

Sep.

2008

Sep.

2007

Aug.

2008

June to

July

July to

Aug.

Aug. to

Sep.

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................... 5.341 110.698 110.904 2.2 0.2 0.4 0.5 0.2 

Video and audio 2 .................................................................... 1.987 102.643 102.819 .4 .2 .1 .4 .2 

Education and communication 2 ................................................ 5.987 120.809 121.439 3.2 .5 .5 .2 .0 

Education 2 .............................................................................. 2.377 180.819 183.613 6.1 1.5 .5 .8 .3 

Educational books and supplies ............................................. .204 461.104 465.570 7.4 1.0 .8 2.4 .7 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ................................ 2.174 509.241 517.389 6.0 1.6 .5 .7 .2 

Communication 2 ..................................................................... 3.609 87.369 87.224 1.2 -.2 .5 -.1 -.2 

Information and information processing 1 2 ............................ 3.488 85.355 85.208 1.1 -.2 .6 -.2 -.2 

Telephone services 1 2 ......................................................... 2.869 101.339 101.350 2.3 .0 .6 .0 .0 

Information technology, hardware and services 1 5 ............. .619 10.525 10.414 -5.0 -1.1 .1 -.7 -1.1 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 6 ............ .228 92.931 90.722 -14.2 -2.4 -1.1 -1.9 -2.4 

Other goods and services .......................................................... 3.508 360.102 361.125 4.4 .3 .5 .2 .2 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ............................................ 1.183 599.823 600.293 7.0 .1 1.2 .1 .1 

Personal care ........................................................................... 2.325 199.501 200.284 3.2 .4 .2 .2 .3 

Personal care products 1 ....................................................... .647 159.345 159.730 1.3 .2 .1 .1 .2 

Personal care services 1 ........................................................ .560 224.464 224.910 3.3 .2 .1 .2 .2 

Miscellaneous personal services ........................................... .910 342.974 345.175 4.8 .6 .1 .4 .5 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ................................................................................ 44.745 182.846 182.647 7.4 -.1 1.3 -.6 -.1 

Food and beverages .................................................................. 15.926 215.850 217.098 6.1 .6 .9 .6 .6 

Commodities less food and beverages ...................................... 28.819 163.761 162.971 8.1 -.5 1.4 -1.2 -.5 

Nondurables less food and beverages ..................................... 17.315 218.454 217.828 14.7 -.3 1.3 -1.9 -.9 

Apparel ................................................................................... 3.998 116.214 120.990 1.7 4.1 .8 1.0 .0 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel .................... 13.318 287.124 283.056 18.8 -1.4 2.5 -2.6 -1.6 

Durables ................................................................................... 11.504 111.357 110.451 -1.5 -.8 .1 -.3 -.7 

Services ....................................................................................... 55.255 253.304 252.861 3.9 -.2 .6 .2 -.1 

Rent of shelter 4 ......................................................................... 30.100 231.445 231.541 2.5 .0 .2 .1 .3 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ....................................... .297 118.894 120.279 2.7 1.2 -.2 -.1 1.2 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ....................................................... 4.347 216.557 209.442 11.4 -3.3 4.0 -1.1 -2.9 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ....................... .966 154.475 154.628 6.3 .1 .7 1.4 .3 

Household operations 1 2 ........................................................... .339 152.083 152.850 6.7 .5 .3 .5 .5 

Transportation services .............................................................. 5.266 246.041 245.722 5.1 -.1 .5 .7 .1 

Medical care services ................................................................. 3.897 387.420 388.036 3.9 .2 .1 .4 .4 

Other services ............................................................................ 10.042 286.389 287.792 3.6 .5 .5 .4 .2 

Special indexes

All items less food ........................................................................ 85.099 214.950 214.361 5.3 -.3 .9 -.3 -.2 

All items less shelter .................................................................... 69.603 208.544 208.068 6.7 -.2 1.2 -.3 -.2 

All items less medical care ........................................................... 94.808 208.900 208.563 5.5 -.2 .9 -.2 -.1

Commodities less food ................................................................. 29.844 165.689 164.937 7.9 -.5 1.4 -1.2 -.5 

Nondurables less food ................................................................. 18.341 218.562 218.010 14.0 -.3 1.3 -1.8 -.8 

Nondurables less food and apparel ............................................. 14.343 279.753 276.112 17.6 -1.3 2.3 -2.4 -1.4 

Nondurables ................................................................................. 33.241 218.473 218.725 10.5 .1 1.1 -.8 -.2 

Services less rent of shelter 4 ...................................................... 25.155 246.834 245.787 5.5 -.4 1.1 .2 -.4 

Services less medical care services ............................................ 51.358 243.354 242.868 3.9 -.2 .6 .2 -.1 

Energy .......................................................................................... 11.610 267.624 259.864 23.8 -2.9 4.0 -3.2 -1.7 

All items less energy .................................................................... 88.390 209.718 210.325 3.1 .3 .4 .3 .2

All items less food and energy ................................................... 73.489 208.857 209.329 2.4 .2 .3 .2 .1 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ..................... 22.581 140.802 141.428 .7 .4 .4 .1 -.2 

Energy commodities ............................................................... 7.264 328.310 319.507 32.2 -2.7 4.0 -4.3 -1.1 

Services less energy services .................................................. 50.908 257.072 257.411 3.2 .1 .3 .3 .2 

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

 $ .465 $ .465 - - - - -

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

 $ .156 $ .156 - - - - -

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

item stratum index series were calculated using a geometric means estimator. 4 Indexes on a December 1984=100 base

5 Indexes on a December 1988=100 base. 6 Indexes on a December 2007=100 base. - Data not available.

NOTE: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.
Table 5. Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W): Seasonally adjusted U.S. city average, by

expenditure category and commodity and service group

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-W

Seasonally adjusted indexes Seasonally adjusted annual rate percent

change for

3 months ended— 6 months

ended—

June

2008

July

2008

Aug.

2008

Sep.

2008

Dec.

2007

Mar.

2008

June

2008

Sep.

2008 Mar.

2008

Sep.

2008

Expenditure category

All items .............................................................................. 213.601 215.507 215.130 214.946 7.0 3.3 9.0 2.5 5.1 5.7 

Food and beverages ......................................................... 212.937 214.883 216.195 217.401 2.5 5.1 8.4 8.7 3.8 8.5 

Food ................................................................................ 212.814 214.813 216.160 217.375 2.5 5.2 8.7 8.9 3.9 8.8 

Food at home ................................................................ 212.594 215.085 216.812 218.085 2.4 5.8 11.4 10.7 4.1 11.1 

Cereals and bakery products ...................................... 245.533 249.875 249.930 252.230 6.4 16.0 15.7 11.4 11.1 13.5 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ..................................... 202.831 204.852 207.265 209.114 .8 2.4 7.5 13.0 1.6 10.2 

Dairy and related products .......................................... 210.453 214.042 214.768 213.317 2.5 -.2 10.9 5.6 1.2 8.2 

Fruits and vegetables .................................................. 280.522 283.919 289.447 288.190 5.2 4.1 22.7 11.4 4.6 16.9 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ....... 157.651 158.971 159.322 160.916 -2.0 7.5 2.8 8.5 2.6 5.6 

Other food at home ..................................................... 182.718 184.409 185.692 187.670 2.7 6.5 12.1 11.3 4.6 11.7 

Sugar and sweets ..................................................... 184.097 184.838 186.049 189.095 3.9 6.6 6.6 11.3 5.2 8.9 

Fats and oils .............................................................. 197.297 201.406 203.666 207.065 9.9 7.8 36.3 21.3 8.8 28.6 

Other foods ............................................................... 197.277 198.916 200.172 201.892 1.0 6.4 9.6 9.7 3.7 9.7 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ................................ 118.879 121.015 121.443 121.589 3.8 7.4 3.9 9.4 5.6 6.6 

Food away from home 1 ............................................... 214.851 216.177 217.002 218.147 2.6 4.4 5.1 6.3 3.5 5.7 

Other food away from home 1 2 .................................. 149.306 150.232 150.301 151.321 -3.6 7.8 5.9 5.5 1.9 5.7 

Alcoholic beverages ........................................................ 213.293 214.434 215.219 216.292 2.6 3.0 3.0 5.7 2.8 4.3 

Housing ............................................................................. 212.511 213.943 213.851 213.496 3.9 3.6 5.9 1.9 3.8 3.9 

Shelter ............................................................................. 239.047 239.431 239.715 240.297 3.2 2.1 2.6 2.1 2.7 2.3 

Rent of primary residence 3 .......................................... 241.841 242.535 243.215 243.875 4.6 3.0 3.5 3.4 3.8 3.5 

Lodging away from home 2 ........................................... 144.505 144.351 142.928 144.035 -1.6 -5.2 4.8 -1.3 -3.4 1.7 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ......... 228.635 228.943 229.239 229.663 3.1 2.6 2.0 1.8 2.8 1.9 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ......................... 119.293 119.006 118.894 120.279 .9 2.1 4.5 3.3 1.5 3.9 

Fuels and utilities ............................................................ 223.395 230.774 228.472 222.522 10.1 13.1 28.3 -1.6 11.6 12.4 

Household energy ......................................................... 203.870 211.612 208.571 202.000 10.9 15.0 33.5 -3.6 13.0 13.4 

Fuel oil and other fuels ................................................ 388.227 393.808 371.762 350.353 75.4 45.0 108.2 -33.7 59.5 17.5 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ....................................... 204.597 212.785 210.473 204.284 6.6 12.8 28.7 -.6 9.6 13.1 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 .......... 151.009 152.020 154.174 154.652 5.8 4.7 4.7 10.0 5.2 7.3 

Household furnishings and operations ............................ 123.200 123.832 124.141 124.860 -.2 2.6 1.0 5.5 1.2 3.2 

Household operations 1 2 ............................................. 150.867 151.290 152.083 152.850 4.0 7.6 10.0 5.4 5.8 7.7 

Apparel .............................................................................. 117.920 118.892 120.050 120.102 2.6 -3.1 .2 7.6 -.3 3.8 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ................................................. 113.486 112.842 113.971 113.679 .1 4.3 -1.5 .7 2.2 -.4 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ............................................. 105.595 107.177 110.267 110.689 3.8 -15.1 -.8 20.7 -6.1 9.4 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel .......................................... 115.785 115.245 113.771 115.496 2.8 .7 -2.9 -1.0 1.8 -1.9 

Footwear ......................................................................... 124.267 126.005 124.021 123.558 2.0 4.2 2.7 -2.3 3.1 .2 

Transportation ................................................................... 207.141 210.841 207.328 205.872 22.6 2.8 23.7 -2.4 12.3 9.9 

Private transportation ...................................................... 203.949 207.657 203.988 202.585 23.1 2.5 23.7 -2.6 12.3 9.7 

New and used motor vehicles 2 .................................... 92.928 93.007 92.659 91.646 -.4 -.9 -1.3 -5.4 -.6 -3.4 

New vehicles ............................................................... 136.143 136.460 135.721 134.684 -.8 -2.4 -.2 -4.2 -1.6 -2.2 

Used cars and trucks 1 ............................................... 136.790 136.639 136.186 133.669 -.6 .8 -3.7 -8.8 .1 -6.3 

Motor fuel ...................................................................... 322.859 336.117 321.941 319.245 81.0 3.5 68.6 -4.4 36.9 27.0 

Gasoline (all types) ..................................................... 320.576 333.854 319.790 317.912 80.9 2.0 69.1 -3.3 35.8 27.9 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ............................ 127.750 128.997 130.228 131.072 5.5 8.5 4.6 10.8 7.0 7.6 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair .......................... 235.703 237.365 238.826 239.756 2.9 6.4 6.1 7.1 4.6 6.6 

Public transportation ....................................................... 256.314 258.873 261.046 258.294 12.3 11.4 24.9 3.1 11.8 13.5 

Medical care ...................................................................... 363.629 363.864 364.964 366.132 5.1 3.2 2.1 2.8 4.2 2.4 

Medical care commodities .............................................. 286.749 286.207 286.645 287.227 4.6 3.6 -3.5 .7 4.1 -1.4 

Medical care services ..................................................... 386.038 386.607 387.963 389.352 5.2 3.1 4.0 3.5 4.2 3.7 

Professional services .................................................... 313.396 314.053 315.066 315.757 3.8 2.1 4.4 3.0 2.9 3.7 

Hospital and related services 3 ..................................... 529.160 530.663 534.373 537.382 8.9 7.4 6.1 6.4 8.2 6.2 

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—

June

2008

July

2008

Aug.

2008

Sep.

2008

Dec.

2007

Mar.

2008

June

2008

Sep.

2008 Mar.

2008

Sep.

2008

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ...................................................................... 109.737 110.173 110.748 110.998 1.5 2.5 0.2 4.7 2.0 2.4 

Video and audio 2 ........................................................... 102.166 102.269 102.685 102.922 2.1 1.1 -4.4 3.0 1.6 -.8 

Education and communication 2 ....................................... 119.805 120.439 120.740 120.747 1.9 2.6 5.1 3.2 2.2 4.2 

Education 2 ..................................................................... 178.167 179.067 180.563 181.030 6.9 5.2 5.8 6.6 6.0 6.2 

Educational books and supplies ................................... 446.991 450.380 461.173 464.432 6.6 .4 6.5 16.5 3.4 11.4 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ...................... 502.545 504.965 508.443 509.542 6.9 5.7 5.7 5.7 6.3 5.7 

Communication 2 ............................................................ 87.016 87.490 87.369 87.225 -1.6 .8 4.7 1.0 -.4 2.8 

Information and information processing 1 2 .................. 85.007 85.484 85.355 85.208 -1.7 .8 4.4 .9 -.5 2.7 

Telephone services 1 2 ............................................... 100.723 101.375 101.339 101.350 -.6 .8 6.8 2.5 .1 4.6 

Information technology, hardware and services 1 5 .... 10.585 10.600 10.525 10.414 -8.3 .9 -5.8 -6.3 -3.8 -6.1 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 6 ... 95.766 94.691 92.931 90.722 -19.9 1.1 -16.8 -19.5 -10.0 -18.1 

Other goods and services ................................................. 358.283 360.084 360.634 361.459 3.2 4.8 6.1 3.6 4.0 4.8 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ................................... 592.248 599.180 599.823 600.293 5.3 6.1 11.1 5.5 5.7 8.3 

Personal care .................................................................. 199.288 199.599 199.951 200.567 2.3 4.1 3.7 2.6 3.2 3.1 

Personal care products 1 .............................................. 159.052 159.237 159.345 159.730 1.9 .8 .8 1.7 1.4 1.3 

Personal care services 1 ............................................... 223.838 223.994 224.464 224.910 4.0 5.8 1.4 1.9 4.9 1.7 

Miscellaneous personal services .................................. 341.405 341.783 343.214 345.068 3.1 5.2 6.6 4.4 4.1 5.5 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ....................................................................... 182.091 184.380 183.312 183.072 11.4 3.1 13.3 2.2 7.1 7.6 

Food and beverages ......................................................... 212.937 214.883 216.195 217.401 2.5 5.1 8.4 8.7 3.8 8.5 

Commodities less food and beverages ............................. 163.920 166.283 164.264 163.433 16.9 1.8 16.0 -1.2 9.1 7.1 

Nondurables less food and beverages ........................... 219.911 222.730 218.408 216.425 30.2 9.3 29.4 -6.2 19.3 10.2 

Apparel .......................................................................... 117.920 118.892 120.050 120.102 2.6 -3.1 .2 7.6 -.3 3.8 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel .......... 288.571 295.649 287.973 283.308 36.3 11.7 40.6 -7.1 23.4 14.3 

Durables .......................................................................... 111.778 111.904 111.513 110.738 .3 -.3 -2.2 -3.7 .0 -2.9 

Services .............................................................................. 250.646 252.098 252.502 252.363 3.6 3.5 5.5 2.8 3.6 4.1 

Rent of shelter 4 ................................................................ 230.376 230.750 231.020 231.740 3.3 2.0 2.5 2.4 2.6 2.4 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ............................. 119.293 119.006 118.894 120.279 .9 2.1 4.5 3.3 1.5 3.9 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................. 204.597 212.785 210.473 204.284 6.6 12.8 28.7 -.6 9.6 13.1 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 .............. 151.009 152.020 154.174 154.652 5.8 4.7 4.7 10.0 5.2 7.3 

Household operations 1 2 ................................................. 150.867 151.290 152.083 152.850 4.0 7.6 10.0 5.4 5.8 7.7 

Transportation services ..................................................... 243.223 244.333 246.033 246.228 2.7 4.7 7.8 5.0 3.7 6.4 

Medical care services ....................................................... 386.038 386.607 387.963 389.352 5.2 3.1 4.0 3.5 4.2 3.7 

Other services ................................................................... 283.979 285.261 286.423 286.893 3.0 3.2 4.1 4.2 3.1 4.1 

Special indexes

All items less food ............................................................... 213.542 215.430 214.752 214.323 7.8 2.9 9.0 1.5 5.3 5.2 

All items less shelter ........................................................... 206.640 209.123 208.500 208.034 8.6 3.8 11.8 2.7 6.2 7.2 

All items less medical care .................................................. 207.249 209.190 208.771 208.547 7.1 3.3 9.4 2.5 5.2 5.9 

Commodities less food ........................................................ 165.803 168.143 166.189 165.404 16.3 1.9 15.6 -1.0 8.9 7.0 

Nondurables less food ........................................................ 219.878 222.640 218.543 216.742 28.2 9.2 27.9 -5.6 18.3 9.9 

Nondurables less food and apparel .................................... 281.115 287.558 280.555 276.627 32.8 11.2 38.2 -6.2 21.5 13.9 

Nondurables ........................................................................ 218.042 220.363 218.559 218.036 15.8 7.6 19.5 .0 11.6 9.3 

Services less rent of shelter 4 ............................................. 242.816 245.434 245.949 244.940 3.4 5.0 10.2 3.5 4.2 6.8 

Services less medical care services ................................... 240.801 242.231 242.706 242.484 3.1 3.4 6.1 2.8 3.3 4.5 

Energy ................................................................................. 261.655 272.093 263.479 258.926 47.5 8.3 54.1 -4.1 26.4 21.6 

All items less energy ........................................................... 208.598 209.458 210.097 210.452 2.5 2.6 3.5 3.6 2.6 3.6 

All items less food and energy .......................................... 208.116 208.747 209.244 209.425 2.5 2.1 2.5 2.5 2.3 2.5

Commodities less food and energy commodities ........... 141.128 141.700 141.896 141.581 .6 .6 .0 1.3 .6 .7 

Energy commodities ..................................................... 327.093 340.121 325.564 322.124 80.7 5.5 70.2 -5.9 38.1 26.5 

Services less energy services ......................................... 255.507 256.168 256.890 257.459 3.4 2.7 3.6 3.1 3.0 3.3 

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

item stratum index series were calculated using a geometric means

estimator.

4 Indexes on a December 1984=100 base 5 Indexes on a December 1988=100 base. 6 Indexes on a December 2007=100 base.

NOTE: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.
Table 6. Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W): Selected areas, all items index 

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-W

All items 

Pricing

schedule 1

Indexes Percent change to

Sep.2008 from—

Percent change to

Aug.2008 from—

June

2008

July

2008

Aug.

2008

Sep.

2008

Sep.

2007

July

2008

Aug.

2008

Aug.

2007

June

2008

July

2008

U.S. city average ............................................ M 215.223 216.304 215.247 214.935 5.4 -0.6 -0.1 5.9 0.0 -0.5 

Region and area size2

Northeast urban .............................................. M 229.829 231.488 230.790 229.949 5.7 -.7 -.4 6.2 .4 -.3 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 230.120 231.808 231.465 230.579 5.4 -.5 -.4 6.0 .6 -.1 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 139.286 140.253 139.329 138.881 6.5 -1.0 -.3 6.6 .0 -.7 

Midwest urban ................................................ M 204.867 206.038 205.121 205.023 5.2 -.5 .0 5.9 .1 -.4 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 204.509 205.761 204.989 205.002 5.0 -.4 .0 5.6 .2 -.4 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 134.409 135.037 134.236 134.215 5.6 -.6 .0 6.2 -.1 -.6 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 204.023 205.452 204.812 204.064 5.4 -.7 -.4 6.4 .4 -.3 

South urban .................................................... M 210.469 211.438 210.362 210.572 5.9 -.4 .1 6.2 -.1 -.5 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 213.549 214.379 213.439 213.579 5.5 -.4 .1 6.0 -.1 -.4 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 134.222 134.952 134.179 134.285 5.8 -.5 .1 6.1 .0 -.6 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 216.357 216.901 216.031 216.762 7.7 -.1 .3 7.5 -.2 -.4 

West urban ..................................................... M 218.508 219.248 217.854 217.028 4.8 -1.0 -.4 5.4 -.3 -.6 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 220.603 221.232 219.827 219.169 4.9 -.9 -.3 5.6 -.4 -.6 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 135.738 136.478 135.464 134.873 4.8 -1.2 -.4 5.4 -.2 -.7 

Size classes

A 4 .............................................................. M 199.028 200.009 199.187 198.842 5.2 -.6 -.2 5.8 .1 -.4 

B/C 3 ........................................................... M 135.240 135.986 135.138 135.003 5.7 -.7 -.1 6.1 -.1 -.6 

D ................................................................. M 211.236 211.929 211.233 210.844 5.8 -.5 -.2 6.4 .0 -.3 

Selected local areas5

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI ................... M 209.021 211.020 209.435 209.084 4.8 -.9 -.2 5.4 .2 -.8 

Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA ... M 222.435 223.245 221.230 220.285 5.0 -1.3 -.4 5.7 -.5 -.9 

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

NY-NJ-CT-PA ......................................... M 233.776 235.446 235.510 234.703 5.6 -.3 -.3 6.1 .7 .0 

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

 240.511 - 238.133 4.7 -1.0 - - - -

Cleveland-Akron, OH ...................................... 1 - 198.063 - 197.260 5.0 -.4 - - - -

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

 210.830 - 209.666 6.4 -.6 - - - -

Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV 6 ...... 1 - 141.622 - 141.679 5.5 .0 - - - -

Atlanta, GA ..................................................... 2 212.013 -

 211.113 - - - - 5.5 -.4 -

Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI .............................. 2 203.524 -

 205.492 - - - - 5.5 1.0 -

Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX .................... 2 193.742 - 193.206 - - - - 5.9 -.3 -

Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ............................. 2 223.849 -

 224.597 - - - - 6.4 .3 -

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,

PA-NJ-DE-MD ........................................ 2 228.429 -

 228.212 - - - - 5.0 -.1 -

San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA ........... 2 221.454 -

 221.385 - - - - 4.6 .0 -

Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA .................... 2 223.573 - 223.273 - - - - 6.2 -.1 -

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

 most other goods and services priced as indicated: 

 M - Every month. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

therefore, subject to substantially more sampling and other measurement

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

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

Labor Statistics strongly urges users to consider adopting the national

average CPI for use in their escalator clauses. 

NOTE: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.
Table 7. Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure

category and commodity and service group

(December 1999=100, unless otherwise noted)

C-CPI-U Relative

importance,

2005-2006

 Unadjusted

 indexes

 Unadjusted

 percent change to

 Sep. 2008 from—

 Aug.

 2008

 Sep.

 2008

 Sep.

 2007

 Aug.

 2008

Expenditure category

All items ...................................................................................... 100.000 125.843 125.774 4.3 -0.1

Food and beverages ................................................................ 14.726 127.106 127.824 5.9 .6 

Food ....................................................................................... 13.648 127.307 128.041 6.0 .6 

Food at home ....................................................................... 7.557 125.255 126.023 7.3 .6 

Food away from home .......................................................... 6.091 130.051 130.741 4.5 .5 

Alcoholic beverages ............................................................... 1.077 124.950 125.484 3.7 .4 

Housing .................................................................................... 42.421 130.003 129.521 3.3 -.4 

Shelter .................................................................................... 32.409 130.741 130.655 2.4 -.1 

Fuels and utilities .................................................................... 5.004 173.245 168.047 11.3 -3.0 

Household furnishings and operations ................................... 5.008 96.144 96.455 1.3 .3 

Apparel ..................................................................................... 3.988 86.236 89.952 1.0 4.3 

Transportation .......................................................................... 17.393 135.388 133.713 8.8 -1.2 

Private transportation ............................................................. 16.285 135.808 134.260 8.5 -1.1 

Public transportation ............................................................... 1.108 131.800 128.320 13.1 -2.6 

Medical care ............................................................................. 6.085 141.848 142.011 2.9 .1 

Medical care commodities ...................................................... 1.615 124.943 125.116 1.4 .1 

Medical care services ............................................................. 4.470 148.191 148.349 3.5 .1 

Recreation ................................................................................ 5.935 106.026 106.174 1.4 .1 

Education and communication ................................................. 6.196 108.467 109.058 2.7 .5 

Education ............................................................................... 2.771 169.625 172.330 5.9 1.6 

Communication ...................................................................... 3.425 74.293 74.072 .2 -.3 

Other goods and services ........................................................ 3.257 128.634 129.384 3.8 .6 

Commodity and service group

Services ...................................................................................... 58.427 133.970 133.734 3.6 -.2 

Commodities .............................................................................. 41.573 115.695 115.828 5.4 .1 

Durables ................................................................................... 11.817 82.845 82.250 -2.1 -.7 

Nondurables ............................................................................... 29.756 133.199 133.796 8.5 .4 

All items less food and energy ................................................. 77.561 117.757 117.985 2.2 .2 

Energy ........................................................................................ 8.790 225.983 218.818 22.5 -3.2 

Indexes for 2008 are initial estimates. Indexes for 2007 are interim adjustments.

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