Transmission of material in this release is embargoed until USDL-09-1401

8:30 a.m. (EST) Wednesday, November 18, 2009 

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

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

CONSUMER PRICE INDEX – OCTOBER 2009 

On a seasonally adjusted basis, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) rose 0.3 

percent in October, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The index has decreased 0.2 

percent over the last 12 months on a not seasonally adjusted basis. 

 

The seasonally adjusted all items increase largely reflected advances in the indexes for energy and for 

new and used motor vehicles. The energy index rose for the fifth time in the last six months, advancing 

1.5 percent as the indexes for gasoline, fuel oil, natural gas, and electricity all increased. The index for 

all items less food and energy rose 0.2 percent in October, the same increase as in September. The 

indexes for used cars and trucks and for new vehicles both rose sharply and together they accounted for 

over 90 percent of the increase in the index for all items less food and energy. The indexes for airline 

fares and medical care also increased, while the shelter index was unchanged and the indexes for apparel 

and recreation declined. 

The food index also increased in October, rising 0.1 percent after declining in two of the previous three 

months. The index for food away from home increased slightly, while the food at home index was 

unchanged. Within the food at home group, the index for dairy and related products rose significantly, 

while the fruits and vegetables index declined for the fourth straight month. 

-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

Oct'08 Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct'09

Chart 1. One-month percent change in CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), seasonally adjusted, Oct. 2008 - Oct. 2009

Percent change

 -0.8

 -1.7

 -0.8

 0.3 0.4

 -0.1

 0.0 0.1

 0.7

 0.0

 0.4

 0.2 0.3
- 2 -

Chart 2. 12-month percent change in CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), not seasonally adjusted, Oct. 2008 - Oct. 2009

Percent change

All items All items less food and energy

-3

-2

-1

0

1

2

3

4

Oct'08 Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct'09

Table A. Percent changes in CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average

Seasonally adjusted changes from preceding month Unadjusted

12-mos.

ended

Oct. 2009

Apr.

2009

May

2009

June

2009

July

2009

Aug.

2009

Sep.

2009

Oct.

2009

All items ................................................. .0 .1 .7 .0 .4 .2 .3 -.2 

Food .................................................... -.2 -.2 .0 -.3 .1 -.1 .1 -.6 

Food at home .................................... -.6 -.5 .0 -.5 .0 -.3 .0 -2.8 

Food away from home 1 .................... .3 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 2.2 

Energy ................................................. -2.4 .2 7.4 -.4 4.6 .6 1.5 -14.0 

Energy commodities .......................... -2.6 2.3 16.2 -.4 8.5 1.1 1.9 -18.7 

Gasoline (all types) .......................... -2.8 3.1 17.3 -.8 9.1 1.0 1.6 -17.9 

Fuel oil ............................................. -.3 -3.3 4.8 -1.5 6.2 1.5 6.3 -26.3 

Energy services ................................. -2.2 -1.7 -1.2 -.3 .0 .1 .9 -7.1 

Electricity ......................................... -.6 -.4 -1.9 -.6 -.1 .6 .6 -.6 

Utility (piped) gas service ................ -7.0 -5.7 1.3 .9 .4 -1.7 1.9 -24.0 

All items less food and energy ............ .3 .1 .2 .1 .1 .2 .2 1.7 

Commodities less food and energy

commodities ................................ .5 .2 .3 .2 -.3 .3 .4 2.3 

New vehicles ................................... .4 .5 .7 .5 -1.3 .4 1.6 3.8 

Used cars and trucks ....................... -.1 1.0 .9 .0 1.9 1.6 3.4 2.3 

Apparel ............................................ -.2 -.2 .7 .6 -.1 .1 -.4 1.4 

Medical care commodities ............... .3 .4 .1 -.1 .5 .6 .2 4.3 

Services less energy services ........... .2 .1 .1 .0 .2 .1 .1 1.5 

Shelter ............................................. .2 .1 .1 -.2 .1 .0 .0 .7 

Transportation services ................... .3 -.1 -.1 .5 .6 .7 .4 2.7 

Medical care services ...................... .4 .3 .2 .3 .2 .4 .2 3.2 

1 Not seasonally adjusted.
- 3 -

Consumer Price Index Data for October 2009 

Food 

The food index rose 0.1 percent in October after declining 0.1 percent in September. The index for food 

away from home increased 0.1 percent while the food at home index was unchanged. Within the food at 

home group, the index for dairy and related products rose 1.0 percent in October after a 0.5 percent 

increase in September, and the index for other food at home advanced 0.3 percent. These increases were 

offset by a 0.7 percent decline in the fruits and vegetables index and 0.2 percent decreases in the indexes 

for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs and for nonalcoholic beverages. The index for cereals and bakery 

products was unchanged in October. Over the past 12 months, the food index has declined 0.6 percent 

with the food at home index down 2.8 percent. 

 

Energy 

The energy index rose 1.5 percent in October after increasing 0.6 percent in September. The index for 

energy commodities rose 1.9 percent, with the gasoline index increasing 1.6 percent. (Before seasonal 

adjustment, gasoline prices fell 0.8 percent in October.) The index for fuel oil rose 6.3 percent. The 

index for energy services, which increased 0.1 percent in September, rose 0.9 percent in October. The 

electricity index increased 0.6 percent while the index for natural gas rose 1.9 percent in October after 

declining 1.7 percent in September. Over the past 12 months, the energy index has fallen 14.0 percent 

with the gasoline index declining 17.9 percent. 

All items less food and energy 

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

September. Most of the advance was due to increases in transportation indexes. The new vehicles index 

rose 1.6 percent and the index for used cars and trucks rose 3.4 percent, its third consecutive substantial 

increase. The index for airline fares rose for the fourth straight month, increasing 1.7 percent in October. 

Outside of the transportation group, the changes within all items less food and energy were largely 

modest. The medical care index rose 0.2 percent in October after increasing 0.4 percent in September. 

The shelter index was unchanged in October, as it was in September. The rent index decreased 0.1 

percent, the index for owners’ equivalent rent was unchanged, and the index for lodging away from 

home rose 0.4 percent. Posting declines in October were the indexes for recreation and apparel, which 

both fell 0.4 percent. For the past 12 months, the index for all items less food and energy has risen 1.7 

percent. 

Not seasonally adjusted CPI measures 

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) decreased 0.2 percent over the last 12 

months to an index level of 216.177 (1982-84=100). For the month, the index increased 0.1 percent 

prior to seasonal adjustment. 
- 4 -

The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) decreased 0.3 

percent over the last 12 months to an index level of 211.549 (1982-84=100). For the month, the index 

increased 0.1 percent prior to seasonal adjustment. 

The Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U) decreased 0.5 percent over the 

last 12 months. For the month, the index increased 0.1 percent on a not seasonally adjusted basis. Please 

note that the indexes for the post-2007 period are subject to revision. 

The Consumer Price Index for November 2009 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, 

December 16, 2009, at 8:30 a.m. (EST). 
- 5 -

Facilities for Sensory Impaired

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

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

Brief Explanation of the CPI 

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

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

groups: (1) the CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), which covers households 

of wage earners and clerical workers that comprise approximately 32 percent of the total population and 

(2) the CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) and the Chained CPI for All Urban Consumers (C-CPIU), which cover approximately 87 percent of the total population and include in addition to wage 

earners and clerical worker households, groups such as professional, managerial, and technical workers, 

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

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

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

living. Prices are collected 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 C-CPI-U is issued in preliminary form and subject to 

two annual revisions. 

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

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

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

can also be expressed in dollars as follows: the price of a base period market basket of goods and 

services in the CPI has risen from $10 in 1982-84 to $11.65. 

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

Information and Analysis Section on (202) 691-7000. 
- 6 -

Note on Sampling Error in the Consumer Price Index 

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

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

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

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

example, the estimated standard error of the 1 month percent change is 0.04 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 0.08 percent of the 1 month percentage change based on all retail 

prices. For example, for a 1-month change of 0.2 percent in the All Items CPI for All Urban 

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

fall between 0.12 and 0.28 percent. For the latest data, including information on how to use the 

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

January-December 2008”. These data are available on the CPI home page (http://www.bls.gov/cpi), or 

by using the following link http://www.bls.gov/cpi/cpivar2008.pdf 

Calculating Index Changes 

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

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

relation to its base period while percent changes are not. The example below illustrates the computation 

of index point and percent changes. 

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

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

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

Index Point Change

CPI 202.416 

Less previous index 201.800 

Equals index point change .616 

Percent Change

Index point difference .616 

Divided by the previous index 201.800 

Equals 0.003 

Results multiplied by one hundred 0.003x100 

Equals percent change 0.3
- 7 -

Regions Defined 

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

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

and Vermont. 

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

Dakota, and Wisconsin. 

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

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

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

Washington, and Wyoming. 

A Note on Seasonally Adjusted and Unadjusted Data 

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

publishes seasonally adjusted as well as unadjusted changes each month. 

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

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

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

cycles, model changeovers, holidays, and sales. 

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

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

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

before adjustment for seasonal variation. 

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

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

Each year, the last 5 years of seasonally adjusted data are revised. Data from January 2004 through 

December 2008 were replaced in January 2009. 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: 47 of the 73 components are seasonally adjusted for 2009. 
- 8 -

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 2009, BLS adjusted 29 series using Intervention Analysis 

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

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

damage to oil refineries from Hurricane Katrina. 

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

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

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

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

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

2008

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Oct. 2009 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Sep.

2009

Oct.

2009

Oct.

2008

Sep.

2009

July to

Aug.

Aug. to

Sep.

Sep. to

Oct.

Expenditure category

All items ........................................................................................ 100.000 215.969 216.177 -0.2 0.1 0.4 0.2 0.3 

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

 646.948 647.570 - - - - -

Food and beverages .................................................................. 15.757 217.617 217.957 -.3 .2 .1 -.1 .1 

Food ......................................................................................... 14.629 217.218 217.526 -.6 .1 .1 -.1 .1 

Food at home ......................................................................... 8.156 213.227 213.605 -2.8 .2 .0 -.3 .0 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................... 1.150 251.231 251.421 -.6 .1 -.1 .3 .0 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs .............................................. 1.898 201.755 200.597 -4.8 -.6 .4 -1.0 -.2 

Dairy and related products 1 ................................................ .910 193.353 195.360 -8.2 1.0 -.4 .5 1.0 

Fruits and vegetables ........................................................... 1.194 267.609 269.467 -5.6 .7 -.7 -1.2 -.7 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ................ .982 162.911 162.885 -.5 .0 .4 .0 -.2 

Other food at home .............................................................. 2.022 190.571 191.266 1.0 .4 .2 .1 .3 

Sugar and sweets .............................................................. .300 196.998 196.747 3.3 -.1 .4 1.0 .3 

Fats and oils ....................................................................... .241 200.009 199.916 -4.0 .0 .1 -.3 -.4 

Other foods ........................................................................ 1.481 204.728 205.814 1.4 .5 .2 -.1 .4 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ......................................... .433 122.099 122.112 -.5 .0 -.1 .2 .0 

Food away from home 1 ......................................................... 6.474 224.003 224.224 2.2 .1 .1 .1 .1 

Other food away from home 1 2 ........................................... .314 157.302 157.056 2.3 -.2 .1 .4 -.2 

Alcoholic beverages ................................................................. 1.127 221.474 222.232 2.4 .3 .1 .3 .3 

Housing ...................................................................................... 43.421 217.178 216.612 -.4 -.3 .1 .0 .1 

Shelter ...................................................................................... 33.200 249.501 249.474 .7 .0 .1 .0 .0 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................... 5.957 248.965 248.888 1.2 .0 .0 -.1 -.1 

Lodging away from home 2 .................................................... 2.478 133.706 133.485 -5.4 -.2 .5 1.5 .4 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 .................. 24.433 256.865 256.890 1.2 .0 .1 -.1 .0 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................... .333 122.170 122.184 1.9 .0 .4 .3 .0 

Fuels and utilities ..................................................................... 5.431 211.618 207.937 -6.0 -1.7 .4 .2 1.2 

Household energy .................................................................. 4.460 188.509 184.146 -8.5 -2.3 .2 .1 1.3 

Fuel oil and other fuels ......................................................... .301 236.616 243.936 -23.5 3.1 3.9 1.1 6.0 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ................................................. 4.159 194.176 188.963 -7.1 -2.7 .0 .1 .9 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................... .971 163.429 164.591 5.8 .7 .8 .4 .8 

Household furnishings and operations ..................................... 4.790 128.201 127.740 -.8 -.4 -.6 .0 -.5 

Household operations 1 2 ....................................................... .781 150.437 150.184 .1 -.2 .3 .0 -.2 

Apparel ....................................................................................... 3.691 122.476 123.998 1.4 1.2 -.1 .1 -.4 

Men’s and boys’ apparel .......................................................... .923 112.933 114.818 -.2 1.7 .6 -.8 -.6 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ...................................................... 1.541 112.535 113.838 1.8 1.2 -.3 .3 -.6 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ................................................... .183 116.309 117.300 1.0 .9 1.2 .1 -1.5 

Footwear .................................................................................. .688 128.670 130.333 3.1 1.3 -.2 .1 .2 

Transportation ............................................................................ 15.314 183.932 185.362 -3.8 .8 2.3 .8 1.4 

Private transportation ............................................................... 14.189 179.466 180.896 -3.8 .8 2.4 .7 1.4 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ............................................. 6.931 93.440 95.131 3.3 1.8 -.4 .5 1.7 

New vehicles ........................................................................ 4.480 134.576 137.268 3.8 2.0 -1.3 .4 1.6 

Used cars and trucks ........................................................... 1.628 129.369 132.689 2.3 2.6 1.9 1.6 3.4 

Motor fuel ............................................................................... 3.164 220.690 219.015 -18.4 -.8 8.8 1.1 1.6 

Gasoline (all types) .............................................................. 2.964 220.542 218.683 -17.9 -.8 9.1 1.0 1.6 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ..................................... .382 133.406 133.650 1.3 .2 -.1 -.1 .2 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair 1 ................................ 1.188 244.493 245.393 3.0 .4 .2 .4 .4 

Public transportation ................................................................ 1.125 239.855 241.060 -4.5 .5 1.3 2.1 .9 

Medical care ............................................................................... 6.390 377.727 378.552 3.5 .2 .3 .4 .2 

Medical care commodities ........................................................ 1.625 307.671 308.379 4.3 .2 .5 .6 .2 

Medical care services ............................................................... 4.765 399.160 400.015 3.2 .2 .2 .4 .2 

Professional services ............................................................. 2.702 320.756 321.381 2.7 .2 .1 .4 .2 

Hospital and related services 3 .............................................. 1.545 572.991 575.540 6.4 .4 .5 .6 .2 

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

service group-Continued

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-U

Relative

importance,

December

2008

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Oct. 2009 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Sep.

2009

Oct.

2009

Oct.

2008

Sep.

2009

July to

Aug.

Aug. to

Sep.

Sep. to

Oct.

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................... 5.741 114.629 114.157 0.0 -0.4 0.1 -0.1 -0.4 

Video and audio 2 .................................................................... 1.822 100.801 100.178 -2.0 -.6 -.2 -.7 -.6 

Education and communication 2 ................................................ 6.301 129.035 129.128 2.7 .1 .2 .1 .2 

Education 2 .............................................................................. 3.107 195.595 195.849 4.9 .1 .5 .0 .3 

Educational books and supplies ............................................. .221 493.636 494.435 6.6 .2 .6 .3 .2 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ................................ 2.886 562.635 563.352 4.8 .1 .5 .0 .3 

Communication 2 ..................................................................... 3.194 85.044 85.055 .6 .0 -.2 .2 .0 

Information and information processing 1 2 ............................ 3.022 81.969 81.978 .4 .0 -.2 .2 .0 

Telephone services 1 2 ......................................................... 2.408 102.968 102.891 1.5 -.1 .0 .3 -.1 

Information technology, hardware and services 1 5 ............. .614 9.467 9.501 -3.8 .4 -1.1 -.3 .4 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 6 ............ .214 77.997 78.213 -13.0 .3 -2.8 -.7 .3 

Other goods and services .......................................................... 3.386 374.219 375.444 7.5 .3 .1 .3 .3 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ............................................ .776 771.089 773.758 29.0 .3 .1 1.0 .3 

Personal care ........................................................................... 2.610 204.751 205.406 1.1 .3 .1 .0 .2 

Personal care products 1 ....................................................... .651 162.372 162.257 1.5 -.1 -.3 -.1 -.1 

Personal care services 1 ........................................................ .647 228.286 228.465 1.3 .1 .1 .3 .1 

Miscellaneous personal services ........................................... 1.074 345.515 347.834 1.4 .7 .2 -.2 .9 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ................................................................................ 39.556 171.559 172.252 -1.7 .4 .8 .3 .5 

Food and beverages .................................................................. 15.757 217.617 217.957 -.3 .2 .1 -.1 .1 

Commodities less food and beverages ...................................... 23.799 147.222 148.037 -2.5 .6 1.2 .4 .8 

Nondurables less food and beverages ..................................... 13.289 185.544 185.759 -4.8 .1 3.1 .4 -.8 

Apparel ................................................................................... 3.691 122.476 123.998 1.4 1.2 -.1 .1 -.4 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel .................... 9.598 228.954 228.344 -6.8 -.3 4.2 .4 -.9 

Durables ................................................................................... 10.510 109.387 110.684 .9 1.2 -.6 .4 1.1 

Services ....................................................................................... 60.444 260.136 259.844 .9 -.1 .2 .1 .1 

Rent of shelter 4 ......................................................................... 32.867 260.064 260.035 .6 .0 .1 .1 .0 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ....................................... .333 122.170 122.184 1.9 .0 .4 .3 .0 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ....................................................... 4.159 194.176 188.963 -7.1 -2.7 .0 .1 .9 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ....................... .971 163.429 164.591 5.8 .7 .8 .4 .8 

Household operations 1 2 ........................................................... .781 150.437 150.184 .1 -.2 .3 .0 -.2 

Transportation services .............................................................. 5.567 253.001 254.449 2.7 .6 .6 .7 .4 

Medical care services ................................................................. 4.765 399.160 400.015 3.2 .2 .2 .4 .2 

Other services ............................................................................ 11.002 307.161 307.011 2.4 .0 .3 .0 .1 

Special indexes

All items less food ........................................................................ 85.371 215.795 215.986 -.1 .1 .5 .2 .3 

All items less shelter .................................................................... 66.800 205.263 205.567 -.6 .1 .6 .3 .4 

All items less medical care ........................................................... 93.610 207.949 208.131 -.4 .1 .5 .2 .3 

Commodities less food ................................................................. 24.926 149.846 150.663 -2.3 .5 1.2 .4 .7 

Nondurables less food ................................................................. 14.416 187.691 187.939 -4.3 .1 2.9 .4 -.7 

Nondurables less food and apparel ............................................. 10.726 227.195 226.717 -6.0 -.2 3.8 .4 -.8 

Nondurables ................................................................................. 29.046 201.783 202.058 -2.6 .1 1.6 .1 -.3 

Services less rent of shelter 4 ...................................................... 27.577 280.194 279.545 1.2 -.2 .4 .3 .3 

Services less medical care services ............................................ 55.679 249.043 248.692 .7 -.1 .2 .1 .2 

Energy .......................................................................................... 7.624 202.243 199.198 -14.0 -1.5 4.6 .6 1.5 

All items less energy .................................................................... 92.376 219.076 219.624 1.4 .3 .1 .1 .2 

All items less food and energy ................................................... 77.746 220.137 220.731 1.7 .3 .1 .2 .2 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ..................... 21.461 142.729 143.857 2.3 .8 -.3 .3 .4 

Energy commodities ............................................................... 3.465 222.961 221.749 -18.7 -.5 8.5 1.1 1.9 

Services less energy services .................................................. 56.285 266.894 267.081 1.5 .1 .2 .1 .1 

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

 $ .463 $ .463 - - - - -

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

 $ .155 $ .154 - - - - -

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—

July

2009

Aug.

2009

Sep.

2009

Oct.

2009

Jan.

2009

Apr.

2009

July

2009

Oct.

2009 Apr.

2009

Oct.

2009

Expenditure category

All items .............................................................................. 214.469 215.428 215.791 216.385 -8.4 0.9 3.4 3.6 -3.9 3.5 

Food and beverages ......................................................... 217.638 217.829 217.670 217.830 1.4 -1.6 -1.4 .4 -.2 -.5 

Food ................................................................................ 217.291 217.478 217.257 217.377 1.1 -1.7 -1.8 .2 -.3 -.8 

Food at home ................................................................ 213.876 213.951 213.298 213.338 -.9 -5.2 -3.8 -1.0 -3.1 -2.4 

Cereals and bakery products ...................................... 251.380 251.049 251.711 251.814 4.0 -5.6 -1.1 .7 -.9 -.2 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ..................................... 201.738 202.601 200.583 200.128 -3.2 -3.9 -8.9 -3.2 -3.6 -6.1 

Dairy and related products 1 ....................................... 193.118 192.381 193.353 195.360 -5.7 -21.8 -7.9 4.7 -14.1 -1.8 

Fruits and vegetables .................................................. 275.379 273.410 270.064 268.276 -13.3 2.3 -.6 -9.9 -5.8 -5.4 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ....... 162.431 163.008 162.981 162.638 .8 -1.7 -1.6 .5 -.5 -.5 

Other food at home ..................................................... 190.071 190.494 190.598 191.178 8.0 -4.3 -1.6 2.4 1.7 .4 

Sugar and sweets ..................................................... 194.193 194.991 197.000 197.535 12.7 -1.4 -4.4 7.1 5.4 1.2 

Fats and oils .............................................................. 200.428 200.546 199.971 199.118 -3.0 -8.8 -1.6 -2.6 -5.9 -2.1 

Other foods ............................................................... 204.528 204.958 204.773 205.645 8.9 -4.1 -1.0 2.2 2.2 .6 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ................................ 121.990 121.892 122.099 122.112 4.3 -3.6 -2.9 .4 .3 -1.3 

Food away from home 1 ............................................... 223.345 223.675 224.003 224.224 3.8 2.9 .8 1.6 3.3 1.2 

Other food away from home 1 2 .................................. 156.570 156.697 157.302 157.056 -.4 4.5 3.8 1.2 2.0 2.5 

Alcoholic beverages ........................................................ 220.815 221.072 221.709 222.394 4.4 -.9 3.4 2.9 1.7 3.1 

Housing ............................................................................. 216.612 216.726 216.770 216.964 -.3 -.9 -1.0 .7 -.6 -.2 

Shelter ............................................................................. 249.410 249.658 249.655 249.678 1.4 .6 .1 .4 1.0 .3 

Rent of primary residence 3 .......................................... 249.293 249.266 249.132 248.868 3.1 1.9 .6 -.7 2.5 .0 

Lodging away from home 2 ........................................... 131.742 132.411 134.342 134.890 -9.5 -13.9 -6.6 9.9 -11.8 1.3 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ......... 257.073 257.278 256.911 256.900 2.3 2.0 .7 -.3 2.2 .2 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ......................... 121.298 121.830 122.170 122.184 1.6 .9 2.1 3.0 1.3 2.5 

Fuels and utilities ............................................................ 206.046 206.783 207.172 209.580 -9.8 -12.0 -8.6 7.0 -10.9 -1.1 

Household energy ......................................................... 182.927 183.374 183.627 185.931 -12.4 -15.3 -11.8 6.7 -13.8 -3.0 

Fuel oil and other fuels ................................................ 222.296 231.023 233.497 247.530 -60.6 -38.0 -8.6 53.7 -50.6 18.5 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ....................................... 188.839 188.839 188.979 190.725 -6.6 -13.4 -12.0 4.1 -10.1 -4.3 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 .......... 161.408 162.756 163.402 164.675 3.6 4.6 6.7 8.3 4.1 7.5 

Household furnishings and operations ............................ 129.254 128.471 128.455 127.790 -.2 2.1 -.6 -4.5 .9 -2.5 

Household operations 1 2 ............................................. 149.983 150.494 150.437 150.184 1.0 1.0 -2.2 .5 1.0 -.8 

Apparel .............................................................................. 120.865 120.756 120.931 120.505 -.9 3.5 4.5 -1.2 1.2 1.6 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ................................................. 113.251 113.938 112.991 112.329 2.3 3.0 -2.8 -3.2 2.7 -3.0 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ............................................. 109.695 109.390 109.688 109.020 -2.3 1.1 11.4 -2.4 -.6 4.3 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel .......................................... 114.831 116.235 116.350 114.644 1.7 3.6 -.7 -.6 2.7 -.7 

Footwear ......................................................................... 127.790 127.504 127.603 127.894 .8 5.6 5.7 .3 3.2 3.0 

Transportation ................................................................... 179.180 183.312 184.750 187.276 -43.0 1.8 22.7 19.3 -23.8 21.0 

Private transportation ...................................................... 174.949 179.110 180.352 182.877 -44.4 3.1 24.3 19.4 -24.3 21.8 

New and used motor vehicles 2 .................................... 93.501 93.155 93.605 95.229 -2.7 3.8 4.9 7.6 .5 6.2 

New vehicles ............................................................... 136.826 135.030 135.574 137.777 -1.9 7.6 6.8 2.8 2.8 4.8 

Used cars and trucks .................................................. 123.848 126.157 128.153 132.456 -10.7 -12.9 7.5 30.8 -11.8 18.6 

Motor fuel ...................................................................... 202.924 220.836 223.273 226.932 -86.3 .5 106.0 56.4 -62.9 79.5 

Gasoline (all types) ..................................................... 202.498 220.967 223.146 226.688 -86.7 4.5 107.6 57.0 -62.7 80.6 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ............................ 133.729 133.531 133.406 133.650 4.6 3.7 -2.7 -.2 4.2 -1.5 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair 1 ....................... 243.031 243.494 244.493 245.393 4.9 2.6 .6 3.9 3.7 2.3 

Public transportation ....................................................... 231.418 234.384 239.281 241.437 -19.9 -13.6 1.7 18.5 -16.8 9.7 

Medical care ...................................................................... 375.851 376.919 378.555 379.229 3.9 3.7 2.8 3.6 3.8 3.2 

Medical care commodities .............................................. 304.406 306.029 308.016 308.780 5.1 4.7 1.4 5.9 4.9 3.6 

Medical care services ..................................................... 397.947 398.742 400.180 400.797 3.5 3.3 3.3 2.9 3.4 3.1 

Professional services .................................................... 319.810 320.262 321.405 322.067 3.3 .7 4.0 2.9 2.0 3.4

Hospital and related services 3 ..................................... 569.494 572.422 575.812 577.133 5.8 9.6 4.8 5.5 7.7 5.1 

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—

July

2009

Aug.

2009

Sep.

2009

Oct.

2009

Jan.

2009

Apr.

2009

July

2009

Oct.

2009 Apr.

2009

Oct.

2009

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ...................................................................... 114.612 114.731 114.585 114.155 -0.5 0.0 2.1 -1.6 -0.2 0.2 

Video and audio 2 ........................................................... 101.741 101.530 100.824 100.191 -2.1 .3 .0 -6.0 -.9 -3.0 

Education and communication 2 ....................................... 127.751 127.967 128.074 128.285 3.3 2.8 3.1 1.7 3.1 2.4 

Education 2 ..................................................................... 191.709 192.686 192.711 193.313 4.8 5.5 6.0 3.4 5.2 4.7 

Educational books and supplies ................................... 486.256 489.280 490.667 491.662 4.9 5.2 12.0 4.5 5.0 8.2 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ...................... 551.241 554.000 553.955 555.733 4.8 5.5 5.5 3.3 5.2 4.4 

Communication 2 ............................................................ 85.053 84.909 85.040 85.054 1.9 .3 .3 .0 1.1 .2 

Information and information processing 1 2 .................. 81.991 81.835 81.969 81.978 1.9 .3 -.5 -.1 1.1 -.3 

Telephone services 1 2 ............................................... 102.643 102.674 102.968 102.891 1.9 .8 2.3 1.0 1.3 1.6 

Information technology, hardware and services 1 5 .... 9.604 9.499 9.467 9.501 1.8 -1.5 -10.8 -4.2 .1 -7.5 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 6 ... 80.838 78.576 77.997 78.213 -6.2 -12.1 -20.9 -12.4 -9.2 -16.7 

Other goods and services ................................................. 373.084 373.425 374.442 375.427 1.5 24.2 3.3 2.5 12.2 2.9 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ................................... 762.907 763.634 771.089 773.758 5.2 123.2 11.5 5.8 53.2 8.6 

Personal care .................................................................. 204.714 204.899 204.919 205.394 .4 2.3 .5 1.3 1.4 .9 

Personal care products 1 .............................................. 162.887 162.476 162.372 162.257 7.1 3.0 -2.2 -1.5 5.0 -1.8 

Personal care services 1 ............................................... 227.325 227.580 228.286 228.465 .3 3.9 -1.0 2.0 2.1 .5 

Miscellaneous personal services .................................. 344.739 345.448 344.770 347.750 -2.2 1.0 3.2 3.5 -.6 3.4 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ....................................................................... 169.875 171.236 171.666 172.529 -20.8 2.0 8.1 6.4 -10.1 7.2 

Food and beverages ......................................................... 217.638 217.829 217.670 217.830 1.4 -1.6 -1.4 .4 -.2 -.5 

Commodities less food and beverages ............................. 144.891 146.689 147.347 148.472 -31.9 4.5 14.5 10.3 -15.7 12.4 

Nondurables less food and beverages ........................... 179.986 185.567 186.349 184.873 -43.8 3.6 26.8 11.3 -23.7 18.8 

Apparel .......................................................................... 120.865 120.756 120.931 120.505 -.9 3.5 4.5 -1.2 1.2 1.6 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel .......... 220.790 230.120 231.087 228.965 -53.6 4.2 35.1 15.7 -30.5 25.0 

Durables .......................................................................... 109.926 109.238 109.714 110.882 -3.6 1.3 2.7 3.5 -1.2 3.1 

Services .............................................................................. 258.833 259.344 259.617 259.979 1.0 .3 .4 1.8 .7 1.1 

Rent of shelter 4 ................................................................ 259.779 260.033 260.233 260.293 1.8 .1 -.1 .8 1.0 .3 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ............................. 121.298 121.830 122.170 122.184 1.6 .9 2.1 3.0 1.3 2.5 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................. 188.839 188.839 188.979 190.725 -6.6 -13.4 -12.0 4.1 -10.1 -4.3 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 .............. 161.408 162.756 163.402 164.675 3.6 4.6 6.7 8.3 4.1 7.5 

Household operations 1 2 ................................................. 149.983 150.494 150.437 150.184 1.0 1.0 -2.2 .5 1.0 -.8 

Transportation services ..................................................... 249.855 251.455 253.146 254.265 .1 2.5 1.1 7.2 1.3 4.1 

Medical care services ....................................................... 397.947 398.742 400.180 400.797 3.5 3.3 3.3 2.9 3.4 3.1 

Other services ................................................................... 304.916 305.733 305.795 305.965 2.2 2.0 3.9 1.4 2.1 2.6 

Special indexes

All items less food ............................................................... 214.037 215.123 215.582 216.253 -9.9 1.4 4.3 4.2 -4.4 4.3 

All items less shelter ........................................................... 203.183 204.437 204.951 205.779 -12.8 1.1 5.1 5.2 -6.1 5.2 

All items less medical care .................................................. 206.476 207.422 207.735 208.320 -9.2 .8 3.5 3.6 -4.3 3.5 

Commodities less food ........................................................ 147.555 149.315 149.975 151.091 -30.7 4.2 14.0 9.9 -15.0 11.9 

Nondurables less food ........................................................ 182.401 187.699 188.493 187.110 -41.3 3.1 24.9 10.7 -22.2 17.6 

Nondurables less food and apparel .................................... 219.772 228.214 229.166 227.347 -50.0 3.5 31.6 14.5 -28.0 22.8 

Nondurables ........................................................................ 198.640 201.800 202.076 201.442 -23.4 .9 10.1 5.8 -12.1 7.9 

Services less rent of shelter 4 ............................................. 276.955 277.946 278.770 279.601 1.0 -.3 .2 3.9 .3 2.0 

Services less medical care services ................................... 247.503 248.063 248.397 248.834 1.1 -.2 -.3 2.2 .4 .9 

Energy ................................................................................. 190.905 199.667 200.959 203.889 -65.4 -8.5 32.5 30.1 -43.8 31.3 

All items less energy ........................................................... 218.588 218.743 219.012 219.367 1.0 1.8 1.2 1.4 1.4 1.3 

All items less food and energy .......................................... 219.543 219.692 220.053 220.453 .9 2.5 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.7 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ........... 142.612 142.179 142.624 143.240 -.9 5.4 2.9 1.8 2.2 2.4 

Energy commodities ..................................................... 205.261 222.805 225.260 229.490 -85.3 -3.0 95.8 56.3 -62.2 74.9 

Services less energy services ......................................... 265.982 266.543 266.830 267.058 1.6 1.4 1.3 1.6 1.5 1.5 

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

Oct.2009 from—

Percent change to

Sep.2009 from—

July

2009

Aug.

2009

Sep.

2009

Oct.

2009

Oct.

2008

Aug.

2009

Sep.

2009

Sep.

2008

July

2009

Aug.

2009

U.S. city average ............................................ M 215.351 215.834 215.969 216.177 -0.2 0.2 0.1 -1.3 0.3 0.1 

Region and area size2

Northeast urban .............................................. M 230.154 230.883 231.200 231.304 .2 .2 .0 -.7 .5 .1 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 232.416 233.314 233.695 233.415 .1 .0 -.1 -.7 .6 .2 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 136.417 136.598 136.691 137.348 .5 .5 .5 -.7 .2 .1 

Midwest urban ................................................ M 204.814 205.632 205.601 205.706 -.2 .0 .1 -1.7 .4 .0 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 205.656 206.591 206.459 206.625 -.2 .0 .1 -1.8 .4 -.1 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 131.366 131.748 131.812 131.724 -.2 .0 -.1 -1.6 .3 .0 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 200.908 201.823 201.918 202.499 .2 .3 .3 -1.8 .5 .0 

South urban .................................................... M 208.819 209.000 208.912 209.292 -.4 .1 .2 -1.8 .0 .0 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 211.034 211.436 211.212 211.152 -.7 -.1 .0 -1.7 .1 -.1 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 132.736 132.729 132.722 133.035 -.2 .2 .2 -1.8 .0 .0 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 210.491 210.899 210.911 212.423 -.3 .7 .7 -2.0 .2 .0 

West urban ..................................................... M 219.484 219.884 220.294 220.447 -.3 .3 .1 -.8 .4 .2 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 223.498 224.072 224.412 224.372 -.3 .1 .0 -.7 .4 .2 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 132.774 132.756 133.128 133.618 -.1 .6 .4 -1.3 .3 .3 

Size classes

A 4 .............................................................. M 196.987 197.614 197.724 197.670 -.2 .0 .0 -1.1 .4 .1 

B/C 3 ........................................................... M 132.975 133.069 133.165 133.489 -.1 .3 .2 -1.5 .1 .1 

D ................................................................. M 207.784 208.369 208.503 209.139 -.3 .4 .3 -1.5 .3 .1 

Selected local areas5

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI ................... M 210.906 211.441 211.345 211.708 -.8 .1 .2 -1.9 .2 .0 

Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA ... M 224.010 224.507 225.226 225.264 -.4 .3 .0 -1.0 .5 .3 

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

NY-NJ-CT-PA ......................................... M 237.600 238.282 238.568 238.380 .0 .0 -.1 -.6 .4 .1 

Boston-Brockton-Nashua, MA-NH-ME-CT ..... 1 233.018 -

 236.596 - - - - -.8 1.5 -

Cleveland-Akron, OH ...................................... 1 200.558 - 201.836 - - - - -2.1 .6 -

Dallas-Fort Worth, TX ..................................... 1 200.663 -

 201.802 - - - - -2.0 .6 -

Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV 6 ...... 1 140.810 - 140.945 - - - - -.8 .1 -

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

 203.351 - 201.068 -2.6 -1.1 - - - -

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

 204.673 - 205.079 -.1 .2 - - - -

Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX .................... 2 - 191.687 - 191.608 .2 .0 - - - -

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

 221.306 - 222.416 -.6 .5 - - - -

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,

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

 226.039 - 224.787 -.1 -.6 - - - -

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

 225.801 - 226.051 .1 .1 - - - -

Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA .................... 2 - 227.138 - 226.277 .2 -.4 - - - -

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

 most other goods and services priced as indicated: 

 M - Every month. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

therefore, subject to substantially more sampling and other measurement

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

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

Labor Statistics strongly urges users to consider adopting the national

average CPI for use in their escalator clauses. 

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

2008

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Oct. 2009 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Sep.

2009

Oct.

2009

Oct.

2008

Sep.

2009

July to

Aug.

Aug. to

Sep.

Sep. to

Oct.

Expenditure category

All items ........................................................................................ 100.000 211.322 211.549 -0.3 0.1 0.6 0.2 0.3 

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

 629.462 630.140 - - - - -

Food and beverages .................................................................. 16.942 216.734 217.123 -.5 .2 .1 -.1 .1 

Food ......................................................................................... 15.865 216.313 216.654 -.7 .2 .1 -.1 .1 

Food at home ......................................................................... 9.201 212.010 212.396 -2.8 .2 .0 -.3 .1 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................... 1.249 251.754 252.049 -.6 .1 -.1 .2 .1 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs .............................................. 2.315 201.087 200.210 -4.8 -.4 .4 -1.1 -.1 

Dairy and related products 1 ................................................ .992 192.048 194.120 -8.4 1.1 -.4 .5 1.1 

Fruits and vegetables ........................................................... 1.266 265.810 267.084 -5.8 .5 -.9 -1.1 -.7 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ................ 1.167 162.396 162.456 -.5 .0 .3 .0 -.1 

Other food at home .............................................................. 2.212 189.892 190.630 1.0 .4 .3 .0 .3 

Sugar and sweets .............................................................. .304 196.027 195.752 3.3 -.1 .5 1.0 .2 

Fats and oils ....................................................................... .274 200.621 200.759 -3.9 .1 .1 -.3 -.2 

Other foods ........................................................................ 1.634 204.823 205.929 1.4 .5 .3 -.1 .4 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ......................................... .472 122.496 122.676 -.3 .1 .1 .2 .1 

Food away from home 1 ......................................................... 6.664 224.102 224.382 2.4 .1 .2 .1 .1 

Other food away from home 1 2 ........................................... .233 157.132 156.909 2.6 -.1 -.1 .2 -.1 

Alcoholic beverages ................................................................. 1.077 221.454 222.555 2.6 .5 .2 .0 .3 

Housing ...................................................................................... 41.313 213.391 212.734 -.2 -.3 .0 .0 .1 

Shelter ...................................................................................... 31.224 242.816 242.804 1.0 .0 .1 .0 .0 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................... 8.279 247.500 247.422 1.1 .0 .0 -.1 -.1 

Lodging away from home 2 .................................................... 1.209 134.803 134.586 -4.4 -.2 .2 1.5 .5 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 .................. 21.430 232.731 232.761 1.2 .0 .1 -.1 .0 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................... .306 122.644 122.761 2.1 .1 .4 .3 .1 

Fuels and utilities ..................................................................... 6.030 210.796 206.732 -5.7 -1.9 .3 .3 1.0 

Household energy .................................................................. 4.996 186.967 182.227 -8.1 -2.5 .1 .2 1.1 

Fuel oil and other fuels ......................................................... .283 238.006 246.153 -22.4 3.4 3.7 .8 6.2 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ................................................. 4.713 193.013 187.473 -7.0 -2.9 -.1 .2 .8 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................... 1.035 163.808 165.123 5.8 .8 .9 .4 .8 

Household furnishings and operations ..................................... 4.059 124.351 123.995 -.6 -.3 -.6 .2 -.5 

Household operations 1 2 ....................................................... .360 153.648 153.368 .5 -.2 .7 .0 -.2 

Apparel ....................................................................................... 3.979 122.176 123.642 1.4 1.2 .0 .2 -.6 

Men’s and boys’ apparel .......................................................... 1.024 113.682 115.381 -.1 1.5 .7 -.7 -1.0 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ...................................................... 1.568 112.086 113.290 1.3 1.1 -.2 .7 -1.1 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ................................................... .249 119.075 119.949 1.2 .7 .8 .3 -1.7 

Footwear .................................................................................. .840 128.988 130.596 3.4 1.2 -.2 -.1 .3 

Transportation ............................................................................ 17.067 182.024 183.506 -4.5 .8 2.7 .8 1.6 

Private transportation ............................................................... 16.284 178.801 180.271 -4.6 .8 2.8 .7 1.6 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ............................................. 7.627 91.599 93.414 3.2 2.0 .1 .7 2.1 

New vehicles ........................................................................ 4.057 135.672 138.422 3.8 2.0 -1.3 .4 1.6 

Used cars and trucks ........................................................... 2.863 130.122 133.458 2.3 2.6 1.9 1.5 3.4 

Motor fuel ............................................................................... 4.029 221.241 219.733 -18.5 -.7 8.8 1.0 1.8 

Gasoline (all types) .............................................................. 3.770 221.197 219.509 -18.0 -.8 9.1 .8 1.7 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ..................................... .482 133.504 133.764 1.3 .2 -.1 -.1 .2 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair 1 ................................ 1.242 246.850 247.811 3.0 .4 .2 .4 .4 

Public transportation ................................................................ .784 238.225 239.729 -3.8 .6 1.2 1.9 .9 

Medical care ............................................................................... 5.355 378.263 379.072 3.6 .2 .3 .5 .1 

Medical care commodities ........................................................ 1.320 299.098 299.742 4.2 .2 .5 .6 .2 

Medical care services ............................................................... 4.035 401.217 402.075 3.4 .2 .2 .4 .1 

Professional services ............................................................. 2.234 323.577 324.284 2.8 .2 .1 .4 .2 

Hospital and related services 3 .............................................. 1.338 570.697 573.069 6.6 .4 .6 .7 .1 

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

2008

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Oct. 2009 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Sep.

2009

Oct.

2009

Oct.

2008

Sep.

2009

July to

Aug.

Aug. to

Sep.

Sep. to

Oct.

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................... 5.454 111.205 110.724 -0.2 -0.4 0.0 -0.2 -0.4 

Video and audio 2 .................................................................... 1.982 101.228 100.639 -1.6 -.6 -.2 -.7 -.6 

Education and communication 2 ................................................ 6.221 124.322 124.362 2.3 .0 .1 .1 .1 

Education 2 .............................................................................. 2.527 192.552 192.774 4.7 .1 .4 .0 .3 

Educational books and supplies ............................................. .219 496.691 497.534 6.6 .2 .4 .4 .1 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ................................ 2.308 541.688 542.284 4.5 .1 .5 .0 .4 

Communication 2 ..................................................................... 3.694 87.810 87.786 .6 .0 -.1 .2 .0 

Information and information processing 1 2 ............................ 3.568 85.676 85.651 .5 .0 -.1 .2 .0 

Telephone services 1 2 ......................................................... 2.965 102.896 102.818 1.4 -.1 .0 .3 -.1 

Information technology, hardware and services 1 5 ............. .604 9.975 9.995 -3.7 .2 -1.0 -.4 .2 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 6 ............ .202 77.835 77.939 -13.1 .1 -2.8 -.8 .1 

Other goods and services .......................................................... 3.668 400.245 401.390 10.8 .3 .1 .4 .2 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ............................................ 1.267 776.198 778.650 29.2 .3 .1 1.0 .3 

Personal care ........................................................................... 2.401 202.576 203.115 1.1 .3 .1 .0 .2 

Personal care products 1 ....................................................... .662 162.312 162.242 1.5 .0 -.2 -.1 .0 

Personal care services 1 ........................................................ .580 228.480 228.683 1.3 .1 .1 .3 .1 

Miscellaneous personal services ........................................... .947 347.658 349.283 1.4 .5 .3 -.1 .6 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ................................................................................ 42.689 173.777 174.550 -1.9 .4 1.0 .3 .6 

Food and beverages .................................................................. 16.942 216.734 217.123 -.5 .2 .1 -.1 .1 

Commodities less food and beverages ...................................... 25.747 150.851 151.760 -2.7 .6 1.6 .6 .9 

Nondurables less food and beverages ..................................... 14.587 193.225 193.394 -5.1 .1 3.5 .4 -.9 

Apparel ................................................................................... 3.979 122.176 123.642 1.4 1.2 .0 .2 -.6 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel .................... 10.609 241.657 241.005 -7.0 -.3 4.7 .4 -1.1 

Durables ................................................................................... 11.160 109.470 110.988 1.1 1.4 -.3 .6 1.4 

Services ....................................................................................... 57.311 255.244 254.847 1.0 -.2 .2 .1 .1 

Rent of shelter 4 ......................................................................... 30.918 234.079 234.064 .9 .0 .1 .0 .0 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ....................................... .306 122.644 122.761 2.1 .1 .4 .3 .1 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ....................................................... 4.713 193.013 187.473 -7.0 -2.9 -.1 .2 .8 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ....................... 1.035 163.808 165.123 5.8 .8 .9 .4 .8 

Household operations 1 2 ........................................................... .360 153.648 153.368 .5 -.2 .7 .0 -.2 

Transportation services .............................................................. 5.512 252.805 254.408 3.4 .6 .6 .6 .5 

Medical care services ................................................................. 4.035 401.217 402.075 3.4 .2 .2 .4 .1 

Other services ............................................................................ 10.432 294.190 293.938 2.1 -.1 .2 .0 .0 

Special indexes

All items less food ........................................................................ 84.135 210.255 210.462 -.2 .1 .6 .2 .4 

All items less shelter .................................................................... 68.776 202.123 202.441 -.8 .2 .8 .3 .5 

All items less medical care ........................................................... 94.645 204.472 204.680 -.5 .1 .6 .2 .3 

Commodities less food ................................................................. 26.824 153.229 154.147 -2.5 .6 1.6 .5 .9 

Nondurables less food ................................................................. 15.664 194.978 195.196 -4.7 .1 3.3 .3 -.9 

Nondurables less food and apparel ............................................. 11.686 238.857 238.355 -6.3 -.2 4.3 .4 -1.0 

Nondurables ................................................................................. 31.530 205.374 205.647 -2.9 .1 1.8 .1 -.3 

Services less rent of shelter 4 ...................................................... 26.392 247.664 246.851 1.0 -.3 .4 .3 .3 

Services less medical care services ............................................ 53.275 244.707 244.258 .8 -.2 .2 .1 .2 

Energy .......................................................................................... 9.024 202.287 199.223 -14.2 -1.5 4.8 .6 1.5 

All items less energy .................................................................... 90.976 213.363 213.998 1.6 .3 .1 .1 .2 

All items less food and energy ................................................... 75.111 213.144 213.840 2.1 .3 .1 .2 .2 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ..................... 22.513 144.148 145.439 2.9 .9 -.1 .4 .5 

Energy commodities ............................................................... 4.311 223.048 221.910 -18.7 -.5 8.6 1.0 2.0 

Services less energy services .................................................. 52.598 261.990 262.196 1.7 .1 .2 .1 .1 

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

 $ .473 $ .473 - - - - -

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

 $ .159 $ .159 - - - - -

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—

July

2009

Aug.

2009

Sep.

2009

Oct.

2009

Jan.

2009

Apr.

2009

July

2009

Oct.

2009 Apr.

2009

Oct.

2009

Expenditure category

All items .............................................................................. 209.598 210.758 211.136 211.842 -10.5 1.1 4.4 4.4 -4.9 4.4 

Food and beverages ......................................................... 216.821 217.045 216.778 217.027 1.2 -1.9 -1.6 .4 -.3 -.6 

Food ................................................................................ 216.395 216.610 216.317 216.531 1.0 -2.0 -1.9 .3 -.5 -.9 

Food at home ................................................................ 212.646 212.744 212.018 212.185 -1.3 -5.2 -4.0 -.9 -3.3 -2.4 

Cereals and bakery products ...................................... 251.916 251.677 252.195 252.524 3.8 -5.5 -1.5 1.0 -.9 -.3 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ..................................... 201.245 202.128 199.912 199.773 -3.4 -3.6 -9.3 -2.9 -3.5 -6.1 

Dairy and related products 1 ....................................... 191.783 191.048 192.048 194.120 -6.0 -22.4 -7.8 5.0 -14.6 -1.6 

Fruits and vegetables .................................................. 273.468 270.988 268.099 266.270 -14.2 1.9 .1 -10.1 -6.5 -5.1 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ....... 161.977 162.465 162.444 162.244 .4 -1.1 -1.9 .7 -.4 -.6 

Other food at home ..................................................... 189.366 189.945 189.934 190.529 7.7 -4.5 -1.4 2.5 1.4 .5 

Sugar and sweets ..................................................... 193.001 194.039 195.992 196.328 11.9 -1.0 -4.2 7.1 5.3 1.3 

Fats and oils .............................................................. 201.077 201.203 200.499 200.113 -3.3 -8.2 -2.2 -1.9 -5.8 -2.0 

Other foods ............................................................... 204.578 205.196 204.911 205.775 8.9 -4.5 -.8 2.4 2.0 .8 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ................................ 122.119 122.217 122.496 122.676 4.8 -4.3 -3.2 1.8 .1 -.7 

Food away from home 1 ............................................... 223.408 223.789 224.102 224.382 4.2 2.7 .8 1.8 3.4 1.3 

Other food away from home 1 2 .................................. 156.904 156.769 157.132 156.909 1.3 2.7 6.6 .0 2.0 3.3 

Alcoholic beverages ........................................................ 221.612 221.978 222.073 222.843 4.9 -1.0 4.4 2.2 1.9 3.3 

Housing ............................................................................. 212.765 212.823 212.863 213.063 .1 -.7 -.8 .6 -.3 -.1 

Shelter ............................................................................. 242.884 243.044 242.930 242.918 2.1 1.2 .5 .1 1.6 .3 

Rent of primary residence 3 .......................................... 247.880 247.869 247.669 247.420 3.0 1.8 .6 -.7 2.4 -.1 

Lodging away from home 2 ........................................... 133.136 133.451 135.480 136.095 -8.0 -13.5 -3.9 9.2 -10.8 2.4 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ......... 232.879 233.061 232.761 232.770 2.4 1.9 .7 -.2 2.1 .2 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ......................... 121.765 122.254 122.644 122.761 1.5 1.2 2.3 3.3 1.4 2.8 

Fuels and utilities ............................................................ 205.268 205.839 206.356 208.463 -9.2 -12.0 -7.5 6.4 -10.6 -.8 

Household energy ......................................................... 181.483 181.747 182.153 184.089 -11.6 -15.1 -10.4 5.9 -13.4 -2.6 

Fuel oil and other fuels ................................................ 225.175 233.552 235.480 250.133 -56.9 -38.2 -10.3 52.3 -48.4 16.9 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ....................................... 187.619 187.525 187.880 189.323 -7.3 -13.6 -10.4 3.7 -10.5 -3.6 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 .......... 161.801 163.201 163.808 165.178 3.6 4.6 6.7 8.6 4.1 7.6 

Household furnishings and operations ............................ 125.131 124.347 124.592 124.011 -.6 2.5 -.5 -3.5 .9 -2.1 

Household operations 1 2 ............................................. 152.577 153.667 153.648 153.368 -.9 1.9 -1.0 2.1 .5 .5 

Apparel .............................................................................. 120.666 120.672 120.949 120.228 .3 1.3 5.5 -1.4 .8 2.0 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ................................................. 114.086 114.936 114.131 113.038 3.4 1.7 -1.7 -3.6 2.5 -2.7 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ............................................. 109.019 108.852 109.649 108.460 -1.7 -2.4 11.9 -2.0 -2.1 4.7 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel .......................................... 117.941 118.857 119.258 117.261 1.6 5.1 .6 -2.3 3.3 -.8 

Footwear ......................................................................... 128.313 128.063 127.912 128.352 1.2 6.0 6.2 .1 3.6 3.1 

Transportation ................................................................... 176.456 181.285 182.716 185.612 -46.8 .6 25.8 22.4 -26.8 24.1 

Private transportation ...................................................... 173.340 178.196 179.519 182.415 -47.7 1.3 26.9 22.6 -27.2 24.7 

New and used motor vehicles 2 .................................... 90.888 90.936 91.560 93.467 -3.9 -.1 5.6 11.8 -2.0 8.7 

New vehicles ............................................................... 137.855 136.112 136.675 138.886 -1.2 6.9 6.8 3.0 2.7 4.9 

Used cars and trucks .................................................. 124.569 126.950 128.878 133.216 -10.8 -12.9 7.8 30.8 -11.8 18.7 

Motor fuel ...................................................................... 203.579 221.467 223.652 227.788 -86.4 .6 105.0 56.7 -63.0 79.3 

Gasoline (all types) ..................................................... 203.341 221.758 223.578 227.480 -86.6 4.6 106.8 56.6 -62.6 80.0 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ............................ 133.787 133.587 133.504 133.764 4.8 2.9 -2.4 -.1 3.9 -1.3 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair 1 ....................... 245.421 245.871 246.850 247.811 4.9 2.6 .4 4.0 3.8 2.2 

Public transportation ....................................................... 230.677 233.494 237.928 240.111 -19.1 -13.1 3.8 17.4 -16.1 10.4 

Medical care ...................................................................... 376.321 377.444 379.213 379.750 3.8 3.8 3.0 3.7 3.8 3.4 

Medical care commodities .............................................. 296.084 297.712 299.487 300.144 4.8 5.0 1.4 5.6 4.9 3.5 

Medical care services ..................................................... 399.808 400.673 402.384 402.852 3.5 3.4 3.5 3.1 3.4 3.3 

Professional services .................................................... 322.537 322.955 324.248 324.921 3.3 1.0 3.9 3.0 2.1 3.5 

Hospital and related services 3 ..................................... 566.848 570.031 573.743 574.505 5.8 9.8 5.5 5.5 7.8 5.5 

See footnotes at end of table.
Table 5. Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W): Seasonally adjusted U.S. city average, by

expenditure category and commodity and service group-Continued

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-W

Seasonally adjusted indexes Seasonally adjusted annual rate percent

change for

3 months ended— 6 months

ended—

July

2009

Aug.

2009

Sep.

2009

Oct.

2009

Jan.

2009

Apr.

2009

July

2009

Oct.

2009 Apr.

2009

Oct.

2009

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ...................................................................... 111.418 111.415 111.147 110.717 -0.5 0.6 1.6 -2.5 0.1 -0.5 

Video and audio 2 ........................................................... 102.121 101.924 101.243 100.681 -2.0 .9 .4 -5.5 -.6 -2.6 

Education and communication 2 ....................................... 123.348 123.479 123.601 123.757 2.8 2.3 2.8 1.3 2.5 2.1 

Education 2 ..................................................................... 189.018 189.859 189.872 190.521 4.3 5.2 6.2 3.2 4.7 4.7 

Educational books and supplies ................................... 490.109 491.859 493.984 494.705 4.2 5.4 13.1 3.8 4.8 8.4 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ...................... 531.480 533.890 533.704 535.632 4.3 5.2 5.5 3.2 4.7 4.3 

Communication 2 ............................................................ 87.778 87.664 87.807 87.785 1.7 .3 .5 .0 1.0 .3 

Information and information processing 1 2 .................. 85.653 85.532 85.676 85.651 1.7 .3 .0 .0 1.0 .0 

Telephone services 1 2 ............................................... 102.587 102.613 102.896 102.818 1.7 .7 2.1 .9 1.2 1.5 

Information technology, hardware and services 1 5 .... 10.113 10.012 9.975 9.995 1.7 -1.3 -10.1 -4.6 .2 -7.4 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 6 ... 80.736 78.480 77.835 77.939 -6.6 -12.0 -20.1 -13.2 -9.3 -16.7 

Other goods and services ................................................. 398.522 398.801 400.504 401.414 2.5 36.8 4.3 2.9 18.4 3.6 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ................................... 768.005 768.483 776.198 778.650 5.4 125.2 11.2 5.7 54.1 8.4 

Personal care .................................................................. 202.553 202.705 202.795 203.135 1.0 2.2 .0 1.2 1.6 .6 

Personal care products 1 .............................................. 162.767 162.415 162.312 162.242 7.1 3.1 -2.8 -1.3 5.1 -2.0 

Personal care services 1 ............................................... 227.512 227.751 228.480 228.683 .3 3.9 -1.1 2.1 2.1 .5 

Miscellaneous personal services .................................. 346.809 347.691 347.345 349.308 -1.4 1.1 2.9 2.9 -.2 2.9 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ....................................................................... 171.568 173.366 173.885 174.960 -23.7 2.1 9.6 8.1 -11.8 8.9 

Food and beverages ......................................................... 216.821 217.045 216.778 217.027 1.2 -1.9 -1.6 .4 -.3 -.6 

Commodities less food and beverages ............................. 147.760 150.154 150.983 152.366 -35.8 4.7 17.1 13.1 -18.0 15.1 

Nondurables less food and beverages ........................... 187.184 193.645 194.337 192.499 -47.8 5.1 32.1 11.9 -25.9 21.6 

Apparel .......................................................................... 120.666 120.672 120.949 120.228 .3 1.3 5.5 -1.4 .8 2.0 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel .......... 232.430 243.283 244.219 241.553 -57.7 7.8 40.4 16.6 -32.4 28.0 

Durables .......................................................................... 109.321 108.994 109.657 111.148 -4.7 -.6 3.2 6.9 -2.7 5.0 

Services .............................................................................. 254.063 254.480 254.679 255.014 1.3 .4 .6 1.5 .9 1.0 

Rent of shelter 4 ................................................................ 234.008 234.179 234.254 234.207 2.2 .8 .4 .3 1.5 .3 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ............................. 121.765 122.254 122.644 122.761 1.5 1.2 2.3 3.3 1.4 2.8 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................. 187.619 187.525 187.880 189.323 -7.3 -13.6 -10.4 3.7 -10.5 -3.6 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 .............. 161.801 163.201 163.808 165.178 3.6 4.6 6.7 8.6 4.1 7.6 

Household operations 1 2 ................................................. 152.577 153.667 153.648 153.368 -.9 1.9 -1.0 2.1 .5 .5 

Transportation services ..................................................... 250.263 251.654 253.079 254.314 1.9 3.3 1.8 6.6 2.6 4.2 

Medical care services ....................................................... 399.808 400.673 402.384 402.852 3.5 3.4 3.5 3.1 3.4 3.3 

Other services ................................................................... 292.500 293.179 293.119 293.183 2.0 1.8 3.6 .9 1.9 2.3 

Special indexes

All items less food ............................................................... 208.216 209.541 210.036 210.827 -12.5 1.7 5.6 5.1 -5.7 5.4 

All items less shelter ........................................................... 199.725 201.265 201.826 202.802 -15.6 1.1 6.2 6.3 -7.6 6.3 

All items less medical care .................................................. 202.769 203.921 204.253 204.958 -11.2 1.0 4.5 4.4 -5.3 4.4 

Commodities less food ........................................................ 150.211 152.561 153.374 154.747 -34.6 4.5 16.6 12.6 -17.3 14.6 

Nondurables less food ........................................................ 189.232 195.417 196.084 194.368 -45.4 4.6 30.0 11.3 -24.4 20.3 

Nondurables less food and apparel .................................... 230.427 240.380 241.279 238.966 -54.5 6.9 36.9 15.7 -30.3 25.8 

Nondurables ........................................................................ 201.960 205.614 205.775 205.065 -26.6 1.9 12.0 6.3 -13.5 9.1 

Services less rent of shelter 4 ............................................. 244.854 245.730 246.381 247.071 .9 -.6 .3 3.7 .1 2.0 

Services less medical care services ................................... 243.332 243.823 244.068 244.456 1.4 -.1 .0 1.9 .7 .9 

Energy ................................................................................. 190.731 199.863 201.160 204.183 -67.3 -7.9 36.8 31.3 -45.2 34.0 

All items less energy ........................................................... 212.846 213.027 213.292 213.715 1.2 2.1 1.4 1.6 1.6 1.5 

All items less food and energy .......................................... 212.505 212.680 213.059 213.524 1.2 3.0 2.1 1.9 2.1 2.0 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ........... 143.589 143.376 143.992 144.772 -1.0 5.8 3.5 3.3 2.4 3.4 

Energy commodities ..................................................... 205.483 223.093 225.279 229.848 -85.5 -2.1 97.1 56.6 -62.4 75.7 

Services less energy services ......................................... 261.304 261.781 261.962 262.166 2.2 1.8 1.6 1.3 2.0 1.5 

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

Oct.2009 from—

Percent change to

Sep.2009 from—

July

2009

Aug.

2009

Sep.

2009

Oct.

2009

Oct.

2008

Aug.

2009

Sep.

2009

Sep.

2008

July

2009

Aug.

2009

U.S. city average ............................................ M 210.526 211.156 211.322 211.549 -0.3 0.2 0.1 -1.7 0.4 0.1 

Region and area size2

Northeast urban .............................................. M 226.714 227.598 228.158 228.193 .2 .3 .0 -.8 .6 .2 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 227.550 228.472 229.067 228.720 .1 .1 -.2 -.7 .7 .3 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 136.626 137.109 137.400 137.959 .3 .6 .4 -1.1 .6 .2 

Midwest urban ................................................ M 199.824 200.723 200.658 200.781 -.2 .0 .1 -2.1 .4 .0 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 199.611 200.710 200.566 200.730 -.3 .0 .1 -2.2 .5 -.1 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 131.096 131.481 131.497 131.420 -.2 .0 -.1 -2.0 .3 .0 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 198.455 199.404 199.416 200.053 .0 .3 .3 -2.3 .5 .0 

South urban .................................................... M 205.415 205.867 205.726 206.121 -.6 .1 .2 -2.3 .2 -.1 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 208.492 208.995 208.677 208.577 -1.0 -.2 .0 -2.3 .1 -.2 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 131.063 131.302 131.284 131.621 -.3 .2 .3 -2.2 .2 .0 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 210.341 211.088 210.922 212.368 -.6 .6 .7 -2.7 .3 -.1 

West urban ..................................................... M 213.541 213.988 214.490 214.718 -.4 .3 .1 -1.2 .4 .2 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 215.955 216.539 217.000 217.002 -.3 .2 .0 -1.0 .5 .2 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 132.314 132.407 132.773 133.244 -.3 .6 .4 -1.6 .3 .3 

Size classes

A 4 .............................................................. M 195.096 195.796 195.957 195.895 -.4 .1 .0 -1.5 .4 .1 

B/C 3 ........................................................... M 132.069 132.341 132.450 132.764 -.2 .3 .2 -1.9 .3 .1 

D ................................................................. M 205.504 206.271 206.341 207.120 -.4 .4 .4 -2.1 .4 .0 

Selected local areas5

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI ................... M 203.554 204.246 204.278 204.511 -1.1 .1 .1 -2.3 .4 .0 

Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA ... M 216.128 216.628 217.302 217.474 -.6 .4 .1 -1.4 .5 .3 

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

NY-NJ-CT-PA ......................................... M 232.177 232.841 233.502 233.084 .1 .1 -.2 -.5 .6 .3 

Boston-Brockton-Nashua, MA-NH-ME-CT ..... 1 232.535 -

 235.744 - - - - -1.0 1.4 -

Cleveland-Akron, OH ...................................... 1 191.494 - 192.800 - - - - -2.3 .7 -

Dallas-Fort Worth, TX ..................................... 1 203.075 -

 204.298 - - - - -2.6 .6 -

Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV 6 ...... 1 140.434 - 140.701 - - - - -.7 .2 -

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

 202.276 - 199.736 -2.7 -1.3 - - - -

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

 200.169 - 200.324 -.1 .1 - - - -

Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX .................... 2 - 189.503 - 189.304 -.7 -.1 - - - -

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

 219.000 - 220.358 -.8 .6 - - - -

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,

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

 225.481 - 224.573 -.2 -.4 - - - -

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

 221.279 - 221.708 .2 .2 - - - -

Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA .................... 2 - 221.873 - 221.339 .3 -.2 - - - -

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

 most other goods and services priced as indicated: 

 M - Every month. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

therefore, subject to substantially more sampling and other measurement

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

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

Labor Statistics strongly urges users to consider adopting the national

average CPI for use in their escalator clauses. 

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

category and commodity and service group

(December 1999=100, unless otherwise noted)

C-CPI-U Relative

importance,

2005-2006

 Unadjusted

 indexes

 Unadjusted

 percent change to

 Oct. 2009 from—

 Sep.

 2009

 Oct.

 2009

 Oct.

 2008

 Sep.

 2009

Expenditure category

All items ...................................................................................... 100.000 124.021 124.179 -0.5 0.1

Food and beverages ................................................................ 14.726 127.542 127.775 -.4 .2 

Food ....................................................................................... 13.648 127.505 127.722 -.6 .2 

Food at home ....................................................................... 7.557 122.477 122.743 -2.9 .2 

Food away from home .......................................................... 6.091 134.038 134.188 2.2 .1 

Alcoholic beverages ............................................................... 1.077 128.371 128.803 2.4 .3 

Housing .................................................................................... 42.421 128.505 128.235 -.5 -.2 

Shelter .................................................................................... 32.409 131.413 131.398 .6 .0 

Fuels and utilities .................................................................... 5.004 154.183 152.195 -7.0 -1.3 

Household furnishings and operations ................................... 5.008 95.039 94.643 -1.2 -.4 

Apparel ..................................................................................... 3.988 90.302 91.496 1.1 1.3 

Transportation .......................................................................... 17.393 123.573 124.609 -3.3 .8 

Private transportation ............................................................. 16.285 124.115 125.186 -3.2 .9 

Public transportation ............................................................... 1.108 117.307 117.852 -4.6 .5 

Medical care ............................................................................. 6.085 146.587 146.888 3.3 .2 

Medical care commodities ...................................................... 1.615 129.938 130.234 4.1 .2 

Medical care services ............................................................. 4.470 152.700 153.001 3.0 .2 

Recreation ................................................................................ 5.935 104.955 104.321 -1.5 -.6 

Education and communication ................................................. 6.196 111.486 111.581 2.1 .1 

Education ............................................................................... 2.771 180.639 180.851 4.8 .1 

Communication ...................................................................... 3.425 73.860 73.904 -.1 .1 

Other goods and services ........................................................ 3.257 134.310 134.750 4.0 .3 

Commodity and service group

Services ...................................................................................... 58.427 134.306 134.196 .5 -.1 

Commodities .............................................................................. 41.573 111.473 111.944 -1.9 .4 

Durables ................................................................................... 11.817 80.658 81.540 .2 1.1 

Nondurables ............................................................................... 29.756 127.490 127.691 -2.7 .2 

All items less food and energy ................................................. 77.561 119.059 119.380 1.3 .3 

Energy ........................................................................................ 8.790 171.660 169.637 -14.4 -1.2 

Indexes for 2009 are initial estimates. Indexes for 2008 are interim adjustments.

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