News United States

Department

of Labor

Bureau of Labor Statistics Washington, D.C. 20212

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Patrick C. Jackman (202) 691-7000 USDL-02-647

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INTERNET ADDRESS: http://www.bls.gov/cpi/ Tuesday, November 19, 2002

CONSUMER PRICE INDEX: OCTOBER 2002

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.2 percent in October, before

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

level of 181.3 (1982-84=100) was 2.0 percent higher than its level in October 2001.

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

October, prior to seasonal adjustment. The October level of 177.3 was 1.9 percent higher than the index in October

2001.

CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U)

On a seasonally adjusted basis, the CPI-U rose 0.3 percent in October, following an increase of 0.2 percent

in September. The index for food rose 0.1 percent in October. The index for food at home declined 0.1 percent,

reflecting decreases in the indexes for fruits and vegetables and for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs. Energy costs

advanced for the fourth consecutive month--up 1.9 percent in October--and accounted for about half of the overall

October advance. Within energy, the index for petroleum-based energy rose 3.3 percent and the index for energy

services increased 0.4 percent. Excluding food and energy, the CPI-U rose 0.2 percent after increasing 0.1 percent in

September. Larger increases in the indexes for shelter, for medical care, and for recreation more than offset a sharp

drop in cigarette prices.

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

Seasonally adjusted UnCompound adjusted

Expenditure Changes from preceding month annual rate 12-mos.

Category 2002 3-mos. ended ended

Apr. May June July Aug. Sep. Oct. Oct. ’02 Oct.’02

All Items .5 .0 .1 .1 .3 .2 .3 3.1 2.0

 Food and beverages .1 -.2 .1 .2 -.1 .2 .1 .9 1.0

 Housing .3 .3 .1 .1 .3 .1 .3 2.9 2.7

 Apparel -.6 -.6 -.9 -1.0 1.1 .1 .0 4.7 -2.1

 Transportation 1.7 -.4 .1 .3 .4 .3 .6 5.1 1.7

 Medical care .5 .5 .2 .7 .2 .3 .6 4.7 4.8

 Recreation .3 -.1 -.3 .1 .1 .0 .3 1.5 1.0

 Education and

 communication -.2 .6 .3 .7 .7 -.2 .0 2.2 2.1

 Other goods and

 services 1.5 -.5 1.0 .0 .5 .4 -.5 1.2 3.4

 Special Indexes

 Energy 4.5 -.7 .0 .4 .6 .7 1.9 13.4 3.0

 Food .1 -.2 .0 .2 -.1 .2 .1 .9 .9

 All Items less

 food and energy .3 .2 .1 .2 .3 .1 .2 2.3 2.2

 See page 3 and table 7 for the release of the Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers

(C-CPI-U), a new supplemental index of consumer price change.
During the first 10 months of 2002, the CPI-U rose at a 2.7 percent seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR).

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

2001, increased at a 14.2 percent SAAR in the first 10 months of 2002. Petroleum-based energy costs increased at

a 31.8 percent annual rate and charges for energy services rose at a 0.3 percent annual rate. The food index has

increased at a 1.2 percent SAAR thus far this year, following a 2.8 percent rise for all of 2001. Excluding food and

energy, the CPI-U advanced at a 2.1 percent SAAR in the first 10 months, following a 2.7 percent rise in all of 2001.

The food and beverages index increased 0.1 percent in October. The index for food at home declined 0.1

percent in October, following a 0.3 percent increase in September. Decreases in the indexes for fruits and vegetables

and for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs--down 0.9 and 0.4 percent, respectively--more than offset increases in the other

major food at home groups. Within the fruits and vegetables group, the index for fresh vegetables declined 1.8

percent, the index for fresh fruits fell 0.2 percent, and the index for processed fruits and vegetables decreased 0.4

percent. Each of the main groups within the index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs declined in October. The index

for meats decreased 0.2 percent, reflecting a drop in prices for lamb and mutton; the indexes for pork and for beef

were unchanged and rose 0.1 percent, respectively. The indexes for cereal and bakery products and for other food at

home rose 0.4 and 0.3 percent, respectively. The other two major food at home groups--dairy products and

nonalcoholic beverages--each increased 0.1 percent. The small advance in the index for dairy products was its first

increase in five months, while the index for nonalcoholic beverages had registered a 2.2 percent increase in

September. The other two components of the food and beverages index, food away from home and alcoholic

beverages, increased 0.2 and 0.4 percent, respectively.

The index for housing rose 0.3 percent in October, following a 0.1 percent rise in September. Shelter costs,

which increased 0.1 percent in September, advanced 0.2 percent in October. Within shelter, the indexes for rent and

owners' equivalent rent each increased 0.3 percent, while the index for lodging away from home was unchanged.

(Prior to seasonal adjustment, the index for lodging away from home declined 0.5 percent.) The index for fuels and

utilities rose 0.4 percent in October, the same as in September. The index for fuel oil increased 1.9 percent in

October, and prices for fuel oil have risen 8.6 percent in the first 10 months of 2002. In October, the index for natural

gas rose 2.9 percent, while the index for electricity declined 0.5 percent. (Prior to seasonal adjustment, fuel oil prices

rose 4.3 percent and charges for natural gas rose 3.0 percent, while charges for electricity fell 4.7 percent.) The index

for household furnishings and operations rose 0.3 percent in October.

The transportation index rose 0.6 percent in October. The index for gasoline increased for the fifth

consecutive month--up 3.8 percent in October. Gasoline prices have risen 29.9 percent thus far this year, but remain

15.1 percent below their peak level in May 2001. The index for new vehicles increased 0.4 percent in October,

following a 0.5 percent rise in September. During the last 12 months, however, new vehicle prices have declined 1.1

percent. (As of October, about 35 percent of the new vehicle sample was represented by 2003 models. The 2003

models will continue to be phased in, with appropriate adjustments for quality change, over the next several months as

they replace old models at dealerships. For a report on quality changes for the 2003 vehicles represented in the

Producer Price Index sample, see news release USDL-02-634, dated November 15, 2002.) The index for used cars

and trucks declined 1.6 percent in October to a level 4.5 percent lower than in October 2001. Airline fares declined

for the second consecutive month--down 2.4 percent in October--and are 5.1 percent lower than a year ago.

The index for apparel was unchanged in October, following a 0.1 percent increase in September. (Prior to

seasonal adjustment, apparel prices rose 1.8 percent, reflecting price increases associated with the continued

introduction of fall-winter wear.)

The medical care index rose 0.6 percent in October to a level 4.8 percent above its level a year ago. The

index for medical care commodities--prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and medical supplies--increased 0.3

percent. The index for medical care services rose 0.7 percent in October. Charges for professional services rose 0.6

percent and those for hospital and related services increased 0.9 percent.

The index for recreation, which was unchanged in September, rose 0.3 percent in October. Increases in the

indexes for admissions to movies, theaters, concerts, and sporting events and for cable television--up 1.4 and 1.0

percent, respectively--more than offset declines in the indexes for pets and pet products, for photography, and for

toys.

The index for education and communication, which declined 0.2 percent in September, was unchanged in

October. The education index rose 0.3 percent, reflecting a 0.5 percent increase in the index for college tuition and
fees. The index for communication costs declined 0.3 percent, reflecting decreases in the indexes for telephone

services and for personal computers and peripheral equipment--down 0.2 and 1.9 percent, respectively.

The index for other goods and services fell 0.5 percent in October, largely as a result of a 3.1 percent decline

in the index for tobacco and smoking products. Prices for cigarettes decreased 3.3 percent, reflecting increased

discounting of some major brands.

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

On a seasonally adjusted basis, the CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers increased 0.2 percent

in October.

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

Seasonally adjusted UnCompound adjusted

Expenditure Changes from preceding month annual rate 12-mos.

Category 2002 3-mos. ended ended

Apr. May June July Aug. Sep. Oct. Oct. ’02 Oct. ’02

All Items .6 -.1 .1 .2 .3 .2 .2 2.8 1.9

 Food and beverages .0 -.2 .1 .1 -.1 .2 .1 .9 .9

 Housing .2 .3 .1 .2 .2 .2 .3 2.8 2.6

 Apparel -.2 -.8 -.9 -1.0 1.1 .1 -.2 4.0 -2.2

 Transportation 1.9 -.6 .2 .4 .5 .3 .5 4.8 1.7

 Medical care .4 .5 .1 .8 .2 .3 .7 4.9 4.9

 Recreation .3 -.2 -.3 .1 .0 .0 .3 1.2 .8

 Education and

 communication -.4 .7 .3 .7 .7 -.2 .0 2.2 1.8

 Other goods and

 services 2.2 -.9 1.5 .0 .8 .6 -.9 1.9 4.3

 Special Indexes

 Energy 5.0 -1.3 .2 .4 .7 .7 1.9 14.2 3.3

 Food -.1 -.2 .1 .2 -.1 .2 .1 .7 .8

 All Items less

 food and energy .3 .1 .1 .2 .3 .2 .1 2.2 2.0

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

The C-CPI-U rose 0.2 percent in October on a not seasonally adjusted basis. The October level of 106.2

(December 1999=100) was 1.7 percent higher than the index in October 2001. Table 7 contains the most recent

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

Report and are available on the CPI home page: http://www.bls.gov/cpi/. Please note that the indexes for the post2000 period are subject to revision.

Consumer Price Index data for November are scheduled for release on Tuesday, December 17, 2002, at 8:30

A.M. (EST).
NOTE ON A NEW, SUPPLEMENTAL INDEX

 OF CONSUMER PRICE CHANGE

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

Price Index for All Urban Consumers, effective with release of July data on August 16, 2002. Designated the C-CPIU, the index supplements the existing indexes already produced by the BLS: the CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U)

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

The C-CPI-U employs a Tornqvist formula and utilizes expenditure data in adjacent time periods in order to

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

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

index than the CPI-U and CPI-W. The use of expenditure data for both a base period and the current period in order

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

to two subsequent revisions. Accordingly, with release of the July data, “final” values of the C-CPI-U have been issued

for the 12 months of 2000, “interim” values have been issued for the 12 months of 2001, and “initial” values have been

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

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

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

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

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

from its previously published level.
Facilities for Sensory Impaired

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

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

691-5200.

Brief Explanation of the CPI

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

force.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

the country, for cross-classifications of regions and population-size classes, and for 26 local areas. Area indexes do not

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

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

annual revisions.

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

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

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

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

from $10 in 1982-84 to $11.65.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

month period.

Index Point Change

CPI 115.7

Less previous index 111.2

Equals index point change 4.5

Percent Change

Index point difference 4.5

Divided by the previous index 111.2

Equals 0.040

Results multiplied by one hundred 0.040x100

Equals percent change 4.0

Regions Defined

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

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

Vermont.

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

Wisconsin.

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

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

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

Wyoming.
A Note on Seasonally Adjusted and Unadjusted Data

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

seasonally adjusted as well as unadjusted changes each month.

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

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

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

sales.

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

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

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

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

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

Subsequent annual updates have replaced 5 years of seasonal data; e.g., data from 1997 through 2001 were replaced

at the end of 2001. In January 2002, dependently seasonally adjusted series were revised for January 1987-December

2001 as a result of a change in the aggregation weights for dependently adjusted series. For further information, please

see “Aggregation of Dependently Adjusted Seasonally Adjusted Series,” in the October 2001 issue of the CPI Detailed

Report.

 The seasonal movement of all items and 54 other aggregations is derived by combining the seasonal movement of 73

selected components. Each year the seasonal status of every series is reevaluated based upon certain statistical criteria.

If any of the 73 components change their seasonal adjustment status from seasonally adjusted to not seasonally

adjusted, not seasonally adjusted data will be used for the last 5 years, but the seasonally adjusted indexes will be used

before that period. Note: 39 of the 73 components are seasonally adjusted for 2002.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Intervention Analysis Seasonal Adjustment.

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

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

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

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

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

procedure was used to account for a data collection anomaly. It was used to offset an increase in summer demand in

the Midwest and South for Electricity. For New vehicles, New cars, and New trucks, the procedure was used to offset

the effects of a model changeover combined with financing incentives.
 A description of Intervention Analysis Seasonal Adjustment, as well as a list of unusual events modeled and seasonal

factors for these items may be obtained by writing the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Division of Consumer Prices and

Price Indexes, Washington, DC 20212 or by calling Daniel Chow on (202) 691-6968 or sending e-mail to

Chow_Dan@BLS.GOV. If you have general questions about the CPI, please call our information staff at (202) 691-

7000.
Table 1. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category and commodity and

service group

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-U

Relative

importance,

December

2001

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Oct. 2002 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Sep.

2002

Oct.

2002

Oct.

2001

Sep.

2002

July to

Aug.

Aug. to

Sep.

Sep. to

Oct.

Expenditure category

All items ..................................................................................... 100.000 181.0 181.3 2.0 0.2 0.3 0.2 0.3 

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

 542.1 543.2 - - - - -

Food and beverages ............................................................... 15.719 176.9 177.1 1.0 .1 -.1 .2 .1 

Food ...................................................................................... 14.688 176.4 176.5 .9 .1 -.1 .2 .1 

Food at home ...................................................................... 8.468 175.2 175.1 -.1 -.1 -.3 .3 -.1 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................ 1.298 198.4 198.9 1.9 .3 -.1 .4 .4 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ........................................... 2.271 161.8 161.3 -1.3 -.3 -.4 -.2 -.4 

Dairy and related products 1 .............................................. .916 166.3 166.5 -2.5 .1 -.2 -.5 .1 

Fruits and vegetables ........................................................ 1.204 218.4 217.4 1.8 -.5 .2 .0 -.9 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ............. .967 140.2 140.5 .4 .2 -.6 2.2 .1 

Other food at home ........................................................... 1.811 160.8 160.9 .0 .1 -.4 .5 .3 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................ .315 159.6 159.9 2.2 .2 -.3 -.3 .4 

Fats and oils .................................................................... .265 155.3 155.9 -2.3 .4 -.6 1.1 .1 

Other foods ...................................................................... 1.232 177.0 177.0 .0 .0 -.3 .6 .3 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... .289 109.7 109.8 .8 .1 -.7 .4 .1 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 6.220 179.2 179.6 2.3 .2 .2 .2 .2 

Other food away from home 1 2 ......................................... .383 118.8 119.1 3.2 .3 .3 .6 .3 

Alcoholic beverages .............................................................. 1.031 183.9 184.7 2.2 .4 .3 -.2 .4 

Housing ................................................................................... 40.873 181.5 181.4 2.7 -.1 .3 .1 .3 

Shelter ................................................................................... 31.522 209.2 209.7 3.6 .2 .4 .1 .2 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 6.421 200.7 201.3 3.4 .3 .2 .1 .3 

Lodging away from home 2 3 ................................................ 2.702 117.6 117.0 2.2 -.5 1.8 -.6 .0 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 22.046 216.2 216.8 3.7 .3 .3 .2 .3 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. .353 110.0 110.0 2.9 .0 .9 .4 .0 

Fuels and utilities ................................................................... 4.511 147.2 144.4 -.1 -1.9 .3 .4 .4 

Fuels .................................................................................... 3.654 131.0 127.9 -.9 -2.4 .5 .4 .5 

Fuel oil and other fuels ...................................................... .188 115.2 119.3 -1.8 3.6 1.8 1.2 1.7 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 3.466 138.7 134.9 -.7 -2.7 .4 .4 .4 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. .857 113.6 113.9 3.0 .3 .3 .2 .4 

Household furnishings and operations .................................. 4.840 128.1 128.0 -.8 -.1 -.3 -.2 .3 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... .820 119.7 119.7 2.6 .0 .2 .4 .0 

Apparel .................................................................................... 4.399 124.6 126.8 -2.1 1.8 1.1 .1 .0 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ....................................................... 1.122 120.1 122.8 -3.7 2.2 -.4 .1 -.2 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ................................................... 1.807 118.0 120.5 -1.3 2.1 2.0 -.4 .3 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel 1 .............................................. .203 126.2 127.7 -2.9 1.2 1.1 1.5 1.2 

Footwear ............................................................................... .874 121.6 123.0 -1.5 1.2 .9 .6 -.3 

Transportation ......................................................................... 17.055 154.0 154.9 1.7 .6 .4 .3 .6 

Private transportation ............................................................ 15.845 150.0 151.1 2.0 .7 .3 .3 .7 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 8.614 98.7 98.9 -1.7 .2 .2 .1 -.2 

New vehicles ..................................................................... 5.083 138.7 139.5 -1.1 .6 -.1 .5 .4 

Used cars and trucks ......................................................... 2.195 152.2 150.7 -4.5 -1.0 .5 -.8 -1.6 

Motor fuel ............................................................................ 2.564 121.7 124.5 7.1 2.3 .8 1.0 3.4 

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................ 2.536 121.1 123.9 7.2 2.3 .5 1.0 3.8 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... .421 107.4 106.9 1.3 -.5 .3 -.3 -.5 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................ 1.400 191.4 191.8 3.1 .2 .6 .0 .1 

Public transportation .............................................................. 1.211 206.5 203.4 -2.7 -1.5 .8 -.9 -1.6 

Medical care ............................................................................ 5.810 287.7 289.2 4.8 .5 .2 .3 .6 

Medical care commodities ..................................................... 1.377 257.9 258.3 3.2 .2 .2 .2 .3 

Medical care services ............................................................ 4.434 295.2 297.1 5.4 .6 .2 .4 .7 

Professional services 3 ......................................................... 2.784 254.8 256.0 3.1 .5 .0 .0 .6 

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 1.353 373.3 376.7 9.3 .9 .7 .7 .9 

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

service group-Continued

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-U

Relative

importance,

December

2001

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Oct. 2002 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Sep.

2002

Oct.

2002

Oct.

2001

Sep.

2002

July to

Aug.

Aug. to

Sep.

Sep. to

Oct.

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 6.019 106.2 106.4 1.0 0.2 0.1 0.0 0.3 

Video and audio 2 ................................................................... 1.645 102.3 102.6 1.3 .3 -.3 .3 .4 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 5.813 109.5 109.4 2.1 -.1 .7 -.2 .0 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 2.726 129.6 129.9 6.3 .2 .6 .6 .3 

Educational books and supplies .......................................... .220 323.2 323.2 5.2 .0 .1 -.1 -.1 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ............................. 2.506 372.8 373.8 6.3 .3 .7 .7 .4 

Communication 1 2 ................................................................. 3.087 92.5 92.2 -1.5 -.3 .6 -.8 -.3 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 2.903 90.7 90.4 -2.3 -.3 .8 -.9 -.3 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 2.324 100.1 99.9 .0 -.2 1.1 -.5 -.2 

Information and information processing other than

telephone services 1 5 ................................................ .580 17.8 17.7 -12.4 -.6 -.5 -2.7 -.6 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... .275 21.1 20.7 -21.6 -1.9 -1.3 -4.1 -1.9 

Other goods and services ....................................................... 4.312 297.0 295.4 3.4 -.5 .5 .4 -.5 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... .928 485.8 470.6 9.5 -3.1 2.4 1.6 -3.1 

Personal care 1 ...................................................................... 3.384 174.9 175.3 1.7 .2 -.1 .0 .2 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... .706 154.4 154.6 -.5 .1 -.2 .1 .1 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... .901 189.2 189.3 1.8 .1 .2 .1 .1 

Miscellaneous personal services ......................................... 1.562 275.2 276.0 3.3 .3 .0 -.1 .3 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ............................................................................. 41.300 150.2 150.7 .1 .3 .2 .2 .1 

Food and beverages ............................................................... 15.719 176.9 177.1 1.0 .1 -.1 .2 .1 

Commodities less food and beverages ................................... 25.582 134.8 135.5 -.4 .5 .3 .1 .2 

Nondurables less food and beverages .................................. 13.493 147.2 148.4 1.6 .8 1.2 -.6 .8 

Apparel ................................................................................ 4.399 124.6 126.8 -2.1 1.8 1.1 .1 .0 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel ................. 9.094 165.2 166.0 3.5 .5 1.3 -1.0 1.3 

Durables ................................................................................ 12.089 120.6 120.6 -2.4 .0 .0 -.2 -.2 

Services ..................................................................................... 58.700 211.5 211.7 3.4 .1 .4 .2 .3 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 31.169 217.9 218.4 3.6 .2 .4 .1 .3 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... .353 110.0 110.0 2.9 .0 .9 .4 .0 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 3.466 138.7 134.9 -.7 -2.7 .4 .4 .4 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... .857 113.6 113.9 3.0 .3 .3 .2 .4 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... .820 119.7 119.7 2.6 .0 .2 .4 .0 

Transportation services ........................................................... 6.638 210.1 210.9 3.7 .4 .5 .1 .1 

Medical care services .............................................................. 4.434 295.2 297.1 5.4 .6 .2 .4 .7 

Other services ......................................................................... 10.963 249.1 249.7 3.4 .2 .4 .1 .3 

Special indexes

All items less food ..................................................................... 85.312 181.8 182.2 2.2 .2 .4 .2 .3 

All items less shelter .................................................................. 68.478 171.9 172.2 1.4 .2 .2 .2 .2 

All items less medical care ........................................................ 94.190 175.3 175.6 1.9 .2 .3 .2 .2 

Commodities less food .............................................................. 26.612 136.7 137.3 -.4 .4 .3 .1 .2 

Nondurables less food ............................................................... 14.524 149.3 150.6 1.7 .9 1.1 -.6 .7 

Nondurables less food and apparel ........................................... 10.125 166.1 166.9 3.3 .5 1.2 -.9 1.3 

Nondurables .............................................................................. 29.212 162.2 163.0 1.4 .5 .6 -.2 .3 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 27.531 220.0 219.9 3.2 .0 .5 .3 .4 

Services less medical care services .......................................... 54.266 204.1 204.2 3.2 .0 .4 .2 .2 

Energy ....................................................................................... 6.218 126.1 125.8 3.0 -.2 .6 .7 1.9 

All items less energy ................................................................. 93.782 188.4 188.8 2.0 .2 .3 .1 .2 

All items less food and energy ................................................ 79.094 191.3 191.8 2.2 .3 .3 .1 .2 

Commodities less food and energy commodities .................. 23.860 143.6 143.9 -1.2 .2 .2 .0 -.1 

Energy commodities ............................................................ 2.752 122.0 124.8 6.8 2.3 .8 1.0 3.3 

Services less energy services ............................................... 55.234 218.9 219.5 3.7 .3 .4 .1 .3 

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

 $ .553 $ .552 - - - - -

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

 $ .184 $ .184 - - - - -

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

item stratum index series converted to a geometric means estimator in

January, 1999.

4 Indexes on a December 1982=100 base. 5 Indexes on a December 1988=100 base. - Data not available.

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

and commodity and service group

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-U

Seasonally adjusted indexes Seasonally adjusted annual rate percent change for

3 months ended— 6 months

ended—

July

2002

Aug.

2002

Sep.

2002

Oct.

2002

Jan.

2002

Apr.

2002

July

2002

Oct.

2002

Apr.

2002

Oct.

2002

Expenditure category

All items ..................................................................................... 179.9 180.5 180.8 181.3 0.0 4.3 0.9 3.1 2.2 2.0 

Food and beverages ............................................................... 176.7 176.6 177.0 177.1 1.1 1.8 .0 .9 1.5 .5 

Food ...................................................................................... 176.1 176.0 176.4 176.5 1.1 1.8 -.2 .9 1.5 .3 

Food at home ...................................................................... 175.3 174.8 175.4 175.2 .7 1.8 -2.2 -.2 1.3 -1.2 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................ 197.7 197.6 198.4 199.1 3.3 2.3 -.8 2.9 2.8 1.0 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ........................................... 162.4 161.7 161.4 160.7 -1.7 2.0 -1.5 -4.1 .1 -2.8 

Dairy and related products 1 .............................................. 167.6 167.2 166.3 166.5 -2.1 -2.8 -2.6 -2.6 -2.4 -2.6 

Fruits and vegetables ........................................................ 219.9 220.3 220.4 218.4 8.1 6.6 -4.1 -2.7 7.3 -3.4 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ............. 138.5 137.6 140.6 140.7 -2.8 1.4 -3.1 6.5 -.7 1.6 

Other food at home ........................................................... 160.5 159.9 160.7 161.2 .0 .7 -2.5 1.8 .4 -.4 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................ 160.2 159.7 159.3 160.0 2.3 6.2 .8 -.5 4.3 .1 

Fats and oils .................................................................... 154.6 153.6 155.3 155.4 -3.2 -3.3 -4.5 2.1 -3.2 -1.3 

Other foods ...................................................................... 176.6 176.0 177.0 177.5 .5 .0 -2.7 2.1 .2 -.3

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... 110.1 109.3 109.7 109.8 .0 -3.3 8.0 -1.1 -1.6 3.4 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 178.5 178.8 179.2 179.6 1.8 1.8 3.0 2.5 1.8 2.7 

Other food away from home 1 2 ......................................... 117.7 118.1 118.8 119.1 .3 4.9 2.8 4.8 2.6 3.8 

Alcoholic beverages .............................................................. 183.7 184.2 183.9 184.7 2.2 2.4 1.8 2.2 2.3 2.0 

Housing ................................................................................... 180.3 180.9 181.1 181.6 2.7 3.0 1.8 2.9 2.8 2.4 

Shelter ................................................................................... 208.2 209.0 209.3 209.8 5.0 4.2 2.1 3.1 4.6 2.6 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 200.0 200.4 200.7 201.3 4.4 3.5 3.1 2.6 3.9 2.8 

Lodging away from home 2 3 ................................................ 116.8 118.9 118.2 118.2 5.7 7.0 -7.5 4.9 6.3 -1.5 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 215.1 215.7 216.2 216.8 4.7 4.0 3.0 3.2 4.4 3.1 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. 108.6 109.6 110.0 110.0 -1.9 3.0 5.3 5.3 .6 5.3 

Fuels and utilities ................................................................... 143.2 143.7 144.3 144.9 -5.9 -1.9 2.3 4.8 -4.0 3.5 

Fuels .................................................................................... 126.8 127.4 127.9 128.5 -7.8 -3.4 2.6 5.5 -5.6 4.0 

Fuel oil and other fuels ...................................................... 115.5 117.6 119.0 121.0 -38.1 13.8 9.5 20.5 -16.0 14.9 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 133.9 134.4 134.9 135.5 -5.2 -4.4 2.1 4.9 -4.8 3.5 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. 113.0 113.3 113.5 113.9 4.0 3.3 1.4 3.2 3.6 2.3 

Household furnishings and operations .................................. 128.5 128.1 127.8 128.2 -1.2 -.9 .0 -.9 -1.1 -.5 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... 119.0 119.2 119.7 119.7 3.8 2.1 2.0 2.4 2.9 2.2 

Apparel .................................................................................... 122.4 123.7 123.8 123.8 -7.7 4.6 -9.2 4.7 -1.7 -2.5 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ....................................................... 121.1 120.6 120.7 120.4 -5.9 3.0 -9.0 -2.3 -1.6 -5.7 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ................................................... 114.0 116.3 115.8 116.1 -7.6 5.7 -9.6 7.6 -1.2 -1.4 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel 1 .............................................. 122.9 124.3 126.2 127.7 -18.4 13.1 -17.4 16.6 -3.9 -1.9 

Footwear ............................................................................... 119.8 120.9 121.6 121.2 -11.8 11.2 -8.5 4.8 -1.0 -2.1 

Transportation ......................................................................... 153.3 153.9 154.3 155.2 -8.4 11.5 .0 5.1 1.1 2.5 

Private transportation ............................................................ 149.3 149.8 150.3 151.4 -9.1 12.4 .3 5.7 1.1 3.0 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 99.0 99.2 99.3 99.1 -.8 -5.5 -.8 .4 -3.1 -.2 

New vehicles ..................................................................... 139.3 139.2 139.9 140.4 .0 -5.5 -1.4 3.2 -2.8 .9 

Used cars and trucks ......................................................... 152.9 153.7 152.4 149.9 -3.3 -8.0 1.3 -7.6 -5.7 -3.3 

Motor fuel ............................................................................ 118.8 119.7 120.9 125.0 -43.9 101.1 -5.2 22.6 6.3 7.8 

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................ 118.4 119.0 120.2 124.8 -43.5 96.7 -3.6 23.4 5.4 9.1 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... 107.4 107.7 107.4 106.9 2.7 2.3 2.3 -1.8 2.5 .2 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................ 190.0 191.2 191.2 191.4 3.3 4.6 1.7 3.0 3.9 2.3 

Public transportation .............................................................. 206.6 208.2 206.3 203.1 .0 -3.2 -1.2 -6.6 -1.6 -3.9 

Medical care ............................................................................ 286.5 287.1 288.0 289.8 5.0 4.4 5.5 4.7 4.7 5.1 

Medical care commodities ..................................................... 257.0 257.5 257.9 258.8 3.6 2.9 3.8 2.8 3.2 3.3 

Medical care services ............................................................ 293.8 294.4 295.5 297.7 5.3 4.8 5.9 5.4 5.1 5.7 

Professional services 3 ......................................................... 254.8 254.9 255.0 256.5 3.3 1.4 4.9 2.7 2.3 3.8 

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 368.0 370.6 373.3 376.7 9.0 11.8 6.3 9.8 10.4 8.0 

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

2002

Aug.

2002

Sep.

2002

Oct.

2002

Jan.

2002

Apr.

2002

July

2002

Oct.

2002

Apr.

2002

Oct.

2002

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 106.1 106.2 106.2 106.5 1.5 2.3 -1.1 1.5 1.9 0.2 

Video and audio 1 2 ................................................................ 102.5 102.2 102.5 102.9 2.4 2.0 -.8 1.6 2.2 .4 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 108.2 109.0 108.8 108.8 1.9 -1.9 6.5 2.2 .0 4.4 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 126.4 127.2 128.0 128.4 4.7 6.4 7.6 6.5 5.5 7.0 

Educational books and supplies .......................................... 320.9 321.2 320.9 320.6 -4.8 19.6 7.7 -.4 6.7 3.6 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ............................. 363.1 365.6 368.0 369.4 5.6 5.2 7.5 7.1 5.4 7.3 

Communication 1 2 ................................................................. 92.6 93.2 92.5 92.2 -.9 -9.1 6.3 -1.7 -5.1 2.2 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 90.8 91.5 90.7 90.4 -1.3 -9.2 3.6 -1.8 -5.3 .9 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 99.5 100.6 100.1 99.9 1.6 -8.1 5.4 1.6 -3.4 3.5 

Information and information processing other than

telephone services 1 5 ................................................ 18.4 18.3 17.8 17.7 -14.9 -15.5 -4.2 -14.4 -15.2 -9.4 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... 22.3 22.0 21.1 20.7 -24.6 -24.9 -10.1 -25.8 -24.8 -18.3 

Other goods and services ....................................................... 294.5 295.9 297.0 295.4 2.3 8.2 2.2 1.2 5.2 1.7

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... 467.2 478.2 485.8 470.6 2.7 29.2 5.1 2.9 15.2 4.0 

Personal care 1 ...................................................................... 175.0 174.9 174.9 175.3 2.1 2.8 1.4 .7 2.5 1.0 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... 154.6 154.3 154.4 154.6 -.5 .5 -2.0 .0 .0 -1.0 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... 188.7 189.1 189.2 189.3 .9 3.5 1.7 1.3 2.2 1.5 

Miscellaneous personal services ......................................... 275.4 275.4 275.2 276.0 5.3 3.4 3.6 .9 4.4 2.2 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ............................................................................. 149.7 150.0 150.3 150.5 -5.2 5.8 -1.8 2.2 .1 .1 

Food and beverages ............................................................... 176.7 176.6 177.0 177.1 1.1 1.8 .0 .9 1.5 .5 

Commodities less food and beverages ................................... 134.2 134.6 134.8 135.1 -9.1 8.4 -2.9 2.7 -.7 -.1 

Nondurables less food and beverages .................................. 145.1 146.8 145.9 147.1 -12.4 20.2 -4.0 5.6 2.6 .7 

Apparel ................................................................................ 122.4 123.7 123.8 123.8 -7.7 4.6 -9.2 4.7 -1.7 -2.5 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel ................. 163.1 165.2 163.6 165.7 -13.9 27.0 -1.5 6.5 4.5 2.5 

Durables ................................................................................ 121.3 121.3 121.1 120.9 -2.2 -5.1 -1.0 -1.3 -3.7 -1.1 

Services ..................................................................................... 210.0 210.8 211.2 211.8 4.0 3.1 3.1 3.5 3.5 3.3 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 216.8 217.6 217.9 218.6 5.0 4.6 1.7 3.4 4.8 2.5 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... 108.6 109.6 110.0 110.0 -1.9 3.0 5.3 5.3 .6 5.3 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 133.9 134.4 134.9 135.5 -5.2 -4.4 2.1 4.9 -4.8 3.5 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... 113.0 113.3 113.5 113.9 4.0 3.3 1.4 3.2 3.6 2.3 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... 119.0 119.2 119.7 119.7 3.8 2.1 2.0 2.4 2.9 2.2 

Transportation services ........................................................... 209.3 210.3 210.6 210.8 4.6 3.5 3.7 2.9 4.1 3.3 

Medical care services .............................................................. 293.8 294.4 295.5 297.7 5.3 4.8 5.9 5.4 5.1 5.7 

Other services ......................................................................... 247.0 248.1 248.4 249.1 3.5 1.8 5.0 3.4 2.7 4.2 

Special indexes

All items less food ..................................................................... 180.6 181.3 181.6 182.1 -.2 4.8 1.1 3.4 2.3 2.2 

All items less shelter .................................................................. 170.9 171.3 171.7 172.1 -2.1 4.1 .7 2.8 .9 1.8 

All items less medical care ........................................................ 174.3 174.9 175.2 175.6 -.2 4.2 .7 3.0 2.0 1.8 

Commodities less food .............................................................. 136.1 136.5 136.7 137.0 -8.7 8.0 -2.6 2.7 -.7 .0 

Nondurables less food ............................................................... 147.5 149.1 148.2 149.3 -11.2 18.9 -3.4 5.0 2.7 .7 

Nondurables less food and apparel ........................................... 164.2 166.1 164.6 166.7 -12.7 24.0 -.7 6.2 4.0 2.7

Nondurables .............................................................................. 161.1 162.0 161.6 162.1 -5.4 10.8 -2.0 2.5 2.4 .2 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 217.7 218.7 219.3 220.1 1.7 2.6 4.1 4.5 2.2 4.3 

Services less medical care services .......................................... 202.5 203.4 203.9 204.4 2.9 4.1 2.2 3.8 3.5 3.0 

Energy ....................................................................................... 122.5 123.2 124.1 126.4 -25.0 34.1 -1.3 13.4 .3 5.8 

All items less energy ................................................................. 187.6 188.2 188.4 188.7 2.4 2.4 1.1 2.4 2.4 1.7 

All items less food and energy ................................................ 190.5 191.1 191.3 191.6 2.6 2.6 1.5 2.3 2.6 1.9 

Commodities less food and energy commodities .................. 143.4 143.7 143.7 143.5 -2.2 -.3 -2.2 .3 -1.2 -1.0 

Energy commodities ............................................................ 119.2 120.2 121.4 125.4 -42.8 94.7 -4.6 22.5 5.5 8.1 

Services less energy services ............................................... 217.7 218.6 218.9 219.6 4.6 3.8 3.0 3.5 4.2 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 converted to a geometric means estimator in

January, 1999. 4 Indexes on a December 1982=100 base. 5 Indexes on a December 1988=100 base.

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

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-U

All items 

Pricing

schedule 1

Indexes Percent change to

Oct.2002 from—

Percent change to

Sep.2002 from—

July

2002

Aug.

2002

Sep.

2002

Oct.

2002

Oct.

2001

Aug.

2002

Sep.

2002

Sep.

2001

July

2002

Aug.

2002

U.S. city average ........................................... M 180.1 180.7 181.0 181.3 2.0 0.3 0.2 1.5 0.5 0.2 

Region and area size2

Northeast urban ............................................. M 188.3 189.3 189.5 189.9 2.6 .3 .2 2.4 .6 .1 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ................... M 190.1 191.3 191.2 191.5 2.8 .1 .2 2.5 .6 -.1 

Size B/C 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................. M 111.8 112.0 112.6 113.0 2.2 .9 .4 2.0 .7 .5 

Midwest urban ............................................... M 175.3 175.8 176.2 176.3 2.1 .3 .1 .9 .5 .2 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 .................. M 177.5 178.2 178.8 178.7 2.4 .3 -.1 1.5 .7 .3 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 111.3 111.4 111.5 111.9 1.7 .4 .4 -.1 .2 .1 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) .............................................. M 169.4 169.7 170.0 170.2 2.0 .3 .1 .7 .4 .2 

South urban ................................................... M 173.6 173.8 174.2 174.9 1.9 .6 .4 1.2 .3 .2 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ................... M 174.8 175.4 175.7 176.5 2.0 .6 .5 1.4 .5 .2 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ............... M 111.0 110.9 111.2 111.6 1.7 .6 .4 .9 .2 .3 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) .............................................. M 172.2 172.7 172.6 172.9 1.8 .1 .2 1.7 .2 -.1 

West urban .................................................... M 184.7 185.3 185.7 185.8 1.8 .3 .1 1.8 .5 .2 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 .................. M 187.4 187.9 188.2 188.4 2.1 .3 .1 1.9 .4 .2 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 112.5 113.0 113.1 113.3 1.1 .3 .2 1.3 .5 .1 

Size classes

A 4 .............................................................. M 164.6 165.3 165.5 165.8 2.3 .3 .2 1.8 .5 .1 

B/C 3 ........................................................... M 111.4 111.5 111.8 112.1 1.6 .5 .3 .9 .4 .3 

D ................................................................ M 173.3 173.9 174.3 174.3 1.6 .2 .0 1.3 .6 .2 

Selected local areas5

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI .................. M 181.2 181.6 182.1 182.8 2.6 .7 .4 1.3 .5 .3 

Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA .. M 182.2 183.0 183.4 183.7 3.0 .4 .2 2.6 .7 .2 

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

NY-NJ-CT-PA ........................................ M 192.0 193.1 193.3 193.7 3.1 .3 .2 2.8 .7 .1 

Boston-Brockton-Nashua, MA-NH-ME-CT .... 1 195.7 -

 199.1 - - - - 3.3 1.7 -

Cleveland-Akron, OH ..................................... 1 173.4 - 174.6 - - - - .0 .7 -

Dallas-Fort Worth, TX .................................... 1 172.9 -

 173.2 - - - - .2 .2 -

Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV 6 ...... 1 113.4 - 114.0 - - - - 2.1 .5 -

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

 179.7 - 179.4 1.5 -.2 - - - -

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

 180.9 - 180.4 3.2 -.3 - - - -

Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX ................... 2 - 160.1 - 162.6 2.0 1.6 - - - -

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

 175.2 - 177.0 1.6 1.0 - - - -

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,

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

 188.3 - 185.8 1.6 -1.3 - - - -

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

 193.5 - 194.3 1.4 .4 - - - -

Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA ................... 2 - 190.3 - 190.9 1.6 .3 - - - -

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

 most other goods and services priced as indicated: 

 M - Every month. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

therefore, subject to substantially more sampling and other measurement

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

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

Labor Statistics strongly urges users to consider adopting the national

average CPI for use in their escalator clauses. 

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

and commodity and service group

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-W

Relative

importance,

December

2001

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Oct. 2002 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Sep.

2002

Oct.

2002

Oct.

2001

Sep.

2002

July to

Aug.

Aug. to

Sep.

Sep. to

Oct.

Expenditure category

All items ..................................................................................... 100.000 177.0 177.3 1.9 0.2 0.3 0.2 0.2 

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

 527.3 528.2 - - - - -

Food and beverages ............................................................... 17.229 176.2 176.3 .9 .1 -.1 .2 .1 

Food ...................................................................................... 16.228 175.7 175.7 .8 .0 -.1 .2 .1 

Food at home ...................................................................... 9.798 174.3 174.2 -.1 -.1 -.2 .2 -.1 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................ 1.468 198.4 198.9 1.9 .3 -.3 .6 .3 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ........................................... 2.831 161.5 161.2 -1.2 -.2 -.4 -.4 -.3 

Dairy and related products 1 .............................................. 1.021 166.1 166.4 -2.6 .2 -.2 -.5 .2 

Fruits and vegetables ........................................................ 1.307 217.5 216.2 1.9 -.6 .3 .0 -.9 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ............. 1.132 139.6 139.9 .5 .2 -.7 2.3 .1 

Other food at home ........................................................... 2.038 160.3 160.3 -.1 .0 -.3 .5 .2 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................ .339 159.5 159.5 2.1 .0 -.2 -.1 .2 

Fats and oils .................................................................... .316 155.2 155.8 -2.1 .4 -.5 1.0 .1 

Other foods ...................................................................... 1.383 177.2 177.2 -.1 .0 -.3 .5 .3 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... .310 110.1 110.1 .5 .0 -.8 .2 .0 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 6.430 179.0 179.4 2.2 .2 .2 .2 .2 

Other food away from home 1 2 ......................................... .275 119.3 119.6 3.4 .3 .3 .7 .3 

Alcoholic beverages .............................................................. 1.001 183.4 184.3 2.1 .5 .2 -.2 .6 

Housing ................................................................................... 38.141 177.0 176.9 2.6 -.1 .2 .2 .3 

Shelter ................................................................................... 29.212 203.0 203.5 3.5 .2 .2 .2 .3 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 8.395 200.0 200.6 3.4 .3 .2 .1 .3 

Lodging away from home 2 3 ................................................ 1.523 117.7 117.7 2.5 .0 1.6 -.3 .3 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 18.980 196.4 196.9 3.6 .3 .2 .4 .3 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. .314 110.1 110.1 2.9 .0 .9 .4 .0 

Fuels and utilities ................................................................... 4.829 146.5 143.6 -.3 -2.0 .4 .3 .5 

Fuels .................................................................................... 3.955 129.9 126.7 -.9 -2.5 .5 .2 .6 

Fuel oil and other fuels ...................................................... .177 114.5 118.6 -2.3 3.6 1.6 1.6 2.1 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 3.778 137.6 133.8 -.9 -2.8 .4 .2 .5 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. .873 113.7 114.0 3.1 .3 .3 .3 .3 

Household furnishings and operations .................................. 4.101 123.9 123.9 -1.3 .0 -.3 -.4 .3 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... .357 120.2 120.4 2.4 .2 .3 .2 .2 

Apparel .................................................................................... 4.831 123.5 125.5 -2.2 1.6 1.1 .1 -.2 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ....................................................... 1.243 119.8 122.3 -3.9 2.1 -.5 -.2 -.5 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ................................................... 1.864 116.8 119.3 -.7 2.1 2.3 -.3 .3 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel 1 .............................................. .256 128.4 129.5 -3.0 .9 1.2 1.3 .9 

Footwear ............................................................................... 1.165 121.4 122.3 -2.1 .7 .9 .4 -.7 

Transportation ......................................................................... 19.393 153.1 154.0 1.7 .6 .5 .3 .5 

Private transportation ............................................................ 18.452 150.4 151.4 1.9 .7 .4 .3 .6 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 10.145 99.0 99.0 -2.1 .0 .2 -.1 -.4 

New vehicles ..................................................................... 4.897 139.8 140.7 -1.0 .6 .0 .5 .4 

Used cars and trucks ......................................................... 4.099 153.1 151.5 -4.5 -1.0 .4 -.8 -1.6 

Motor fuel ............................................................................ 3.153 122.1 124.9 7.5 2.3 .8 1.2 3.5 

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................ 3.120 121.6 124.4 7.7 2.3 .8 1.3 3.4 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... .530 106.7 106.2 1.4 -.5 .3 -.3 -.5 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................ 1.438 192.9 193.3 3.1 .2 .7 -.1 .1 

Public transportation .............................................................. .941 201.9 199.2 -2.2 -1.3 .7 -.9 -1.2 

Medical care ............................................................................ 4.620 286.7 288.3 4.9 .6 .2 .3 .7 

Medical care commodities ..................................................... 1.006 252.5 252.8 3.1 .1 .1 .2 .2 

Medical care services ............................................................ 3.614 294.9 296.9 5.4 .7 .2 .3 .8 

Professional services 3 ......................................................... 2.245 256.8 258.2 3.1 .5 .0 .0 .7 

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 1.092 368.9 372.6 9.4 1.0 .8 .6 1.1 

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

2001

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Oct. 2002 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Sep.

2002

Oct.

2002

Oct.

2001

Sep.

2002

July to

Aug.

Aug. to

Sep.

Sep. to

Oct.

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 5.649 104.4 104.6 0.8 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.3 

Video and audio 2 ................................................................... 1.803 101.4 101.8 1.2 .4 -.3 .1 .6 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 5.637 109.1 109.0 1.8 -.1 .7 -.2 .0 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 2.382 129.3 129.6 6.0 .2 .7 .6 .3 

Educational books and supplies .......................................... .203 323.9 324.2 4.0 .1 .3 .0 .2 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ............................. 2.178 364.9 365.7 6.2 .2 .8 .7 .3 

Communication 1 2 ................................................................. 3.255 93.9 93.6 -1.4 -.3 .7 -.7 -.3 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 3.107 92.7 92.4 -1.9 -.3 .8 -.7 -.3 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 2.591 100.3 100.2 .1 -.1 1.1 -.5 -.1 

Information and information processing other than

telephone services 1 5 ................................................ .516 18.5 18.3 -12.9 -1.1 -1.0 -2.1 -1.1 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... .253 20.8 20.4 -21.8 -1.9 -1.8 -4.1 -1.9 

Other goods and services ....................................................... 4.499 307.8 304.9 4.3 -.9 .8 .6 -.9 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... 1.441 488.4 473.1 9.8 -3.1 2.5 1.6 -3.1 

Personal care 1 ...................................................................... 3.059 174.4 174.8 1.7 .2 -.1 .1 .2 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... .815 155.2 155.5 -.4 .2 -.1 .1 .2 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... .900 190.0 190.1 1.9 .1 .2 .1 .1 

Miscellaneous personal services ......................................... 1.161 274.9 275.9 3.4 .4 .1 .0 .3 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ............................................................................. 45.559 151.0 151.4 .1 .3 .2 .2 .1 

Food and beverages ............................................................... 17.229 176.2 176.3 .9 .1 -.1 .2 .1 

Commodities less food and beverages ................................... 28.330 136.4 136.9 -.4 .4 .4 .1 .1 

Nondurables less food and beverages .................................. 14.685 149.4 150.6 2.2 .8 1.6 -.8 .8 

Apparel ................................................................................ 4.831 123.5 125.5 -2.2 1.6 1.1 .1 -.2 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel ................. 9.854 169.1 169.7 4.3 .4 1.6 -1.1 1.3 

Durables ................................................................................ 13.645 121.1 121.0 -2.7 -.1 .0 -.2 -.3

Services ..................................................................................... 54.441 207.6 207.8 3.4 .1 .3 .2 .3 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 28.898 195.5 196.1 3.6 .3 .2 .2 .3 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... .314 110.1 110.1 2.9 .0 .9 .4 .0 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 3.778 137.6 133.8 -.9 -2.8 .4 .2 .5 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... .873 113.7 114.0 3.1 .3 .3 .3 .3 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... .357 120.2 120.4 2.4 .2 .3 .2 .2 

Transportation services ........................................................... 6.573 208.8 210.0 4.5 .6 .5 .2 .2 

Medical care services .............................................................. 3.614 294.9 296.9 5.4 .7 .2 .3 .8 

Other services ......................................................................... 10.033 244.1 244.6 3.3 .2 .5 .1 .2 

Special indexes

All items less food ..................................................................... 83.772 177.1 177.5 2.1 .2 .4 .2 .3 

All items less shelter .................................................................. 70.788 169.5 169.7 1.3 .1 .4 .1 .2 

All items less medical care ........................................................ 95.380 172.2 172.5 1.8 .2 .3 .2 .2 

Commodities less food .............................................................. 29.331 138.1 138.6 -.3 .4 .4 .1 .1 

Nondurables less food ............................................................... 15.687 151.5 152.6 2.1 .7 1.3 -.7 .8 

Nondurables less food and apparel ........................................... 10.855 169.6 170.3 4.2 .4 1.6 -1.1 1.3 

Nondurables .............................................................................. 31.915 163.2 163.9 1.5 .4 .7 -.2 .3 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 25.543 195.3 195.2 3.3 -.1 .5 .2 .4 

Services less medical care services .......................................... 50.827 200.6 200.7 3.2 .0 .4 .4 .2 

Energy ....................................................................................... 7.109 125.3 125.2 3.3 -.1 .7 .7 1.9 

All items less energy ................................................................. 92.891 184.3 184.7 1.9 .2 .3 .1 .1 

All items less food and energy ................................................ 76.663 186.5 186.9 2.0 .2 .3 .2 .1 

Commodities less food and energy commodities .................. 26.001 144.4 144.5 -1.2 .1 .3 -.1 -.3 

Energy commodities ............................................................ 3.330 122.2 125.1 7.2 2.4 .8 1.2 3.4 

Services less energy services ............................................... 50.663 215.4 216.1 3.7 .3 .3 .2 .3 

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

 $ .565 $ .564 - - - - -

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

 $ .190 $ .189 - - - - -

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

item stratum index series converted to a geometric means estimator in

January, 1999.

4 Indexes on a December 1984=100 base 5 Indexes on a December 1988=100 base. - Data not available.

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

expenditure category and commodity and service group

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-W

Seasonally adjusted indexes Seasonally adjusted annual rate percent change for

3 months ended— 6 months

ended—

July

2002

Aug.

2002

Sep.

2002

Oct.

2002

Jan.

2002

Apr.

2002

July

2002

Oct.

2002

Apr.

2002

Oct.

2002

Expenditure category

All items ..................................................................................... 176.0 176.5 176.8 177.2 -0.5 4.4 0.9 2.8 2.0 1.8 

Food and beverages ............................................................... 176.0 175.9 176.3 176.4 1.1 1.6 .0 .9 1.4 .5 

Food ...................................................................................... 175.5 175.3 175.7 175.8 1.2 1.6 .0 .7 1.4 .3 

Food at home ...................................................................... 174.4 174.0 174.4 174.2 .5 1.8 -2.0 -.5 1.2 -1.3 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................ 198.0 197.5 198.6 199.1 3.1 2.0 .2 2.2 2.6 1.2 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ........................................... 162.3 161.7 161.1 160.6 -1.5 1.5 -.7 -4.1 .0 -2.4 

Dairy and related products 1 .............................................. 167.4 167.0 166.1 166.4 -2.6 -2.3 -3.0 -2.4 -2.4 -2.7 

Fruits and vegetables ........................................................ 218.6 219.2 219.1 217.1 8.1 7.0 -4.3 -2.7 7.6 -3.5 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ............. 137.9 137.0 140.1 140.2 -3.1 2.0 -3.1 6.8 -.6 1.7 

Other food at home ........................................................... 160.0 159.5 160.3 160.6 .2 .5 -2.5 1.5 .4 -.5 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................ 159.7 159.4 159.3 159.6 3.1 4.9 .5 -.3 4.0 .1 

Fats and oils .................................................................... 154.4 153.6 155.2 155.4 -3.5 -3.0 -4.0 2.6 -3.3 -.8 

Other foods ...................................................................... 176.9 176.4 177.2 177.7 .5 .2 -2.9 1.8 .3 -.6

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... 110.8 109.9 110.1 110.1 -.7 -2.9 8.8 -2.5 -1.8 3.0 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 178.4 178.7 179.0 179.4 1.8 1.6 3.0 2.3 1.7 2.6 

Other food away from home 1 2 ......................................... 118.2 118.5 119.3 119.6 .3 5.6 2.8 4.8 3.0 3.8 

Alcoholic beverages .............................................................. 183.4 183.8 183.4 184.5 1.6 3.1 1.3 2.4 2.3 1.9 

Housing ................................................................................... 175.8 176.2 176.5 177.0 2.6 2.6 2.1 2.8 2.6 2.4 

Shelter ................................................................................... 202.0 202.5 203.0 203.6 4.8 3.9 2.4 3.2 4.3 2.8 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 199.4 199.8 200.0 200.6 4.4 3.5 3.3 2.4 4.0 2.9 

Lodging away from home 2 3 ................................................ 116.5 118.4 118.1 118.5 6.7 7.7 -10.0 7.0 7.2 -1.8 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 195.4 195.7 196.4 196.9 4.5 3.8 3.1 3.1 4.1 3.1 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. 108.7 109.7 110.1 110.1 -2.2 3.0 5.7 5.3 .4 5.5 

Fuels and utilities ................................................................... 142.4 143.0 143.4 144.1 -5.4 -2.2 1.7 4.9 -3.8 3.3 

Fuels .................................................................................... 125.6 126.2 126.5 127.3 -7.3 -3.4 1.6 5.5 -5.4 3.5 

Fuel oil and other fuels ...................................................... 114.6 116.4 118.3 120.8 -38.6 12.2 7.3 23.5 -17.0 15.1 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 132.9 133.4 133.7 134.4 -4.9 -4.1 1.5 4.6 -4.5 3.0 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. 113.1 113.4 113.7 114.0 4.0 3.3 1.8 3.2 3.6 2.5 

Household furnishings and operations .................................. 124.6 124.2 123.7 124.1 -1.3 -1.3 -.6 -1.6 -1.3 -1.1 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... 119.7 120.0 120.2 120.4 3.1 1.7 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.4 

Apparel .................................................................................... 121.5 122.8 122.9 122.7 -8.0 6.3 -10.2 4.0 -1.1 -3.3 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ....................................................... 121.3 120.7 120.5 119.9 -5.3 4.0 -9.3 -4.5 -.8 -7.0 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ................................................... 112.4 115.0 114.7 115.1 -7.7 8.0 -11.5 10.0 -.2 -1.4 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel 1 .............................................. 125.3 126.8 128.4 129.5 -18.9 16.7 -18.1 14.1 -2.7 -3.3 

Footwear ............................................................................... 119.7 120.8 121.3 120.5 -10.0 8.3 -8.2 2.7 -1.3 -2.9 

Transportation ......................................................................... 152.4 153.1 153.5 154.2 -9.4 12.4 .0 4.8 .9 2.4 

Private transportation ............................................................ 149.7 150.3 150.7 151.6 -9.6 13.0 .3 5.2 1.1 2.7 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 99.4 99.6 99.5 99.1 -1.2 -6.2 .0 -1.2 -3.7 -.6 

New vehicles ..................................................................... 140.4 140.4 141.1 141.6 -.3 -5.2 -1.4 3.5 -2.8 1.0 

Used cars and trucks ......................................................... 153.9 154.5 153.2 150.7 -3.3 -7.9 1.6 -8.1 -5.6 -3.4 

Motor fuel ............................................................................ 119.1 120.1 121.5 125.7 -43.4 104.2 -6.4 24.1 7.5 7.7 

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................ 118.5 119.5 121.0 125.1 -43.6 103.7 -5.9 24.2 7.2 8.1 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... 106.7 107.0 106.7 106.2 2.3 2.7 2.7 -1.9 2.5 .4 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................ 191.6 192.9 192.7 192.9 3.2 4.5 1.9 2.7 3.9 2.3 

Public transportation .............................................................. 202.0 203.5 201.7 199.2 -.2 -2.5 -.6 -5.4 -1.4 -3.0 

Medical care ............................................................................ 285.4 286.0 286.9 288.8 4.9 4.1 5.8 4.9 4.5 5.3 

Medical care commodities ..................................................... 251.8 252.1 252.5 253.1 4.0 2.4 3.9 2.1 3.2 3.0 

Medical care services ............................................................ 293.5 294.2 295.2 297.5 5.1 4.7 6.4 5.6 4.9 6.0 

Professional services 3 ......................................................... 256.9 256.9 257.0 258.7 3.2 1.1 5.0 2.8 2.2 3.9 

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 363.5 366.4 368.5 372.6 8.9 11.0 7.4 10.4 9.9 8.9 

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

2002

Aug.

2002

Sep.

2002

Oct.

2002

Jan.

2002

Apr.

2002

July

2002

Oct.

2002

Apr.

2002

Oct.

2002

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 104.5 104.5 104.5 104.8 1.2 2.3 -1.5 1.2 1.7 -0.2 

Video and audio 1 2 ................................................................ 101.7 101.4 101.5 102.1 2.4 2.0 -1.2 1.6 2.2 .2 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 107.9 108.7 108.5 108.5 1.9 -3.0 6.6 2.2 -.6 4.4 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 126.2 127.1 127.9 128.3 4.0 6.0 7.3 6.8 5.0 7.1 

Educational books and supplies .......................................... 321.7 322.6 322.7 323.2 -10.9 17.8 9.2 1.9 2.5 5.5 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ............................. 355.3 358.0 360.6 361.8 5.4 4.8 7.0 7.5 5.1 7.3 

Communication 1 2 ................................................................. 93.9 94.6 93.9 93.6 -.8 -8.6 5.7 -1.3 -4.8 2.2 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 92.7 93.4 92.7 92.4 -.8 -9.4 4.4 -1.3 -5.2 1.5 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 99.7 100.8 100.3 100.2 1.2 -7.7 5.4 2.0 -3.4 3.7 

Information and information processing other than

telephone services 1 5 ................................................ 19.1 18.9 18.5 18.3 -16.1 -15.0 -4.1 -15.7 -15.5 -10.1 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... 22.1 21.7 20.8 20.4 -24.9 -26.5 -6.9 -27.4 -25.7 -17.8 

Other goods and services ....................................................... 303.5 306.0 307.8 304.9 2.2 10.9 2.4 1.9 6.5 2.1 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... 468.8 480.7 488.4 473.1 2.4 29.8 5.4 3.7 15.3 4.5 

Personal care 1 ...................................................................... 174.4 174.3 174.4 174.8 1.9 2.8 1.2 .9 2.3 1.0 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... 155.3 155.1 155.2 155.5 -.5 .8 -2.3 .5 .1 -.9 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... 189.4 189.8 190.0 190.1 1.1 3.7 1.5 1.5 2.4 1.5 

Miscellaneous personal services ......................................... 275.0 275.2 275.2 275.9 4.6 3.9 3.9 1.3 4.2 2.6 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ............................................................................. 150.5 150.8 151.1 151.2 -5.7 6.6 -1.8 1.9 .3 .0 

Food and beverages ............................................................... 176.0 175.9 176.3 176.4 1.1 1.6 .0 .9 1.4 .5 

Commodities less food and beverages ................................... 135.7 136.3 136.4 136.6 -9.6 9.6 -2.9 2.7 -.4 -.1 

Nondurables less food and beverages .................................. 146.9 149.2 148.0 149.2 -13.0 23.3 -4.8 6.4 3.6 .7 

Apparel ................................................................................ 121.5 122.8 122.9 122.7 -8.0 6.3 -10.2 4.0 -1.1 -3.3 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel ................. 166.3 169.0 167.2 169.4 -15.1 31.7 -1.7 7.7 5.7 2.9 

Durables ................................................................................ 121.8 121.8 121.6 121.2 -2.5 -5.4 -.7 -2.0 -4.0 -1.3 

Services ..................................................................................... 206.0 206.7 207.2 207.9 3.8 3.0 3.2 3.7 3.4 3.5 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 194.7 195.1 195.5 196.1 4.7 4.0 2.5 2.9 4.4 2.7 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... 108.7 109.7 110.1 110.1 -2.2 3.0 5.7 5.3 .4 5.5 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 132.9 133.4 133.7 134.4 -4.9 -4.1 1.5 4.6 -4.5 3.0 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... 113.1 113.4 113.7 114.0 4.0 3.3 1.8 3.2 3.6 2.5 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... 119.7 120.0 120.2 120.4 3.1 1.7 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.4 

Transportation services ........................................................... 208.0 209.0 209.5 210.0 5.3 4.6 4.3 3.9 4.9 4.1 

Medical care services .............................................................. 293.5 294.2 295.2 297.5 5.1 4.7 6.4 5.6 4.9 6.0 

Other services ......................................................................... 242.0 243.3 243.5 244.1 3.1 1.5 4.9 3.5 2.3 4.2 

Special indexes

All items less food ..................................................................... 175.9 176.6 176.9 177.4 -.9 5.2 .9 3.5 2.1 2.2 

All items less shelter .................................................................. 168.4 169.0 169.2 169.5 -2.6 4.9 .2 2.6 1.1 1.4 

All items less medical care ........................................................ 171.2 171.7 172.0 172.4 -.9 4.6 .7 2.8 1.8 1.8 

Commodities less food .............................................................. 137.4 138.0 138.2 138.3 -9.2 9.2 -2.9 2.6 -.4 -.1 

Nondurables less food ............................................................... 149.3 151.2 150.2 151.4 -12.1 22.0 -3.9 5.7 3.5 .8 

Nondurables less food and apparel ........................................... 167.0 169.7 167.9 170.1 -13.9 28.9 -1.7 7.6 5.3 2.9 

Nondurables .............................................................................. 161.9 163.0 162.6 163.1 -6.1 11.6 -2.0 3.0 2.4 .5 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 193.4 194.4 194.7 195.4 1.7 2.3 4.9 4.2 2.0 4.6 

Services less medical care services .......................................... 199.0 199.7 200.4 200.9 2.9 3.5 2.9 3.9 3.2 3.4 

Energy ....................................................................................... 121.7 122.5 123.4 125.8 -26.2 38.1 -2.6 14.2 1.0 5.5 

All items less energy ................................................................. 183.6 184.1 184.3 184.5 1.8 2.2 1.3 2.0 2.0 1.6 

All items less food and energy ................................................ 185.7 186.3 186.6 186.7 2.2 2.2 1.5 2.2 2.2 1.8 

Commodities less food and energy commodities .................. 144.1 144.6 144.5 144.0 -2.2 .0 -2.5 -.3 -1.1 -1.4 

Energy commodities ............................................................ 119.4 120.4 121.8 126.0 -42.8 98.6 -5.8 24.0 6.6 8.1 

Services less energy services ............................................... 214.2 214.9 215.4 216.1 4.5 3.5 3.4 3.6 4.0 3.5 

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 converted to a geometric means estimator in

January, 1999. 4 Indexes on a December 1984=100 base 5 Indexes on a December 1988=100 base.

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

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-W

All items 

Pricing

schedule 1

Indexes Percent change to

Oct.2002 from—

Percent change to

Sep.2002 from—

July

2002

Aug.

2002

Sep.

2002

Oct.

2002

Oct.

2001

Aug.

2002

Sep.

2002

Sep.

2001

July

2002

Aug.

2002

U.S. city average ........................................... M 176.1 176.6 177.0 177.3 1.9 0.4 0.2 1.3 0.5 0.2 

Region and area size2

Northeast urban ............................................. M 184.7 185.7 186.2 186.5 2.6 .4 .2 2.4 .8 .3 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ................... M 185.2 186.4 186.7 186.9 2.7 .3 .1 2.4 .8 .2 

Size B/C 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................. M 111.7 112.0 112.5 112.9 2.5 .8 .4 2.4 .7 .4 

Midwest urban ............................................... M 170.8 171.3 171.7 171.8 2.0 .3 .1 .5 .5 .2 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 .................. M 172.1 172.8 173.4 173.3 2.3 .3 -.1 1.2 .8 .3 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 110.9 111.0 111.1 111.4 1.5 .4 .3 -.6 .2 .1 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) .............................................. M 167.3 167.6 167.8 168.1 1.9 .3 .2 .4 .3 .1 

South urban ................................................... M 171.1 171.3 171.7 172.3 1.5 .6 .3 .8 .4 .2 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ................... M 172.2 172.7 172.9 173.7 1.8 .6 .5 1.2 .4 .1 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ............... M 110.2 110.2 110.5 110.9 1.4 .6 .4 .5 .3 .3 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) .............................................. M 172.1 172.8 173.0 173.2 1.4 .2 .1 1.3 .5 .1 

West urban .................................................... M 179.8 180.3 180.7 180.8 1.7 .3 .1 1.7 .5 .2 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 .................. M 180.8 181.3 181.7 181.7 2.1 .2 .0 2.0 .5 .2 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 112.2 112.5 112.7 112.9 1.0 .4 .2 1.2 .4 .2 

Size classes

A 4 .............................................................. M 162.7 163.4 163.8 164.0 2.3 .4 .1 1.8 .7 .2 

B/C 3 ........................................................... M 110.9 111.0 111.3 111.6 1.5 .5 .3 .6 .4 .3 

D ................................................................ M 172.0 172.5 172.9 173.0 1.5 .3 .1 1.1 .5 .2 

Selected local areas5

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI .................. M 175.1 175.5 175.8 176.5 2.7 .6 .4 1.2 .4 .2 

Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA .. M 175.0 175.6 176.3 176.5 3.2 .5 .1 2.8 .7 .4 

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

NY-NJ-CT-PA ........................................ M 187.1 188.1 188.6 188.8 3.0 .4 .1 2.7 .8 .3 

Boston-Brockton-Nashua, MA-NH-ME-CT .... 1 194.1 -

 197.7 - - - - 3.0 1.9 -

Cleveland-Akron, OH ..................................... 1 164.5 - 165.7 - - - - -.5 .7 -

Dallas-Fort Worth, TX .................................... 1 172.6 -

 172.9 - - - - .2 .2 -

Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV 6 ...... 1 113.1 - 113.7 - - - - 1.9 .5 -

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

 176.8 - 176.3 1.3 -.3 - - - -

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

 175.0 - 175.0 3.5 .0 - - - -

Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX ................... 2 - 158.0 - 160.3 1.6 1.5 - - - -

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

 172.8 - 174.5 1.6 1.0 - - - -

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,

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

 186.7 - 185.6 1.8 -.6 - - - -

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

 189.3 - 190.0 1.3 .4 - - - -

Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA ................... 2 - 184.8 - 185.5 1.3 .4 - - - -

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

 most other goods and services priced as indicated: 

 M - Every month. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

therefore, subject to substantially more sampling and other measurement

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

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

Labor Statistics strongly urges users to consider adopting the national

average CPI for use in their escalator clauses. 

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

category and commodity and service group

(December 1999=100, unless otherwise noted)

C-CPI-U Relative

importance,

1999-2000

 Unadjusted

 indexes

 Unadjusted

 percent change to

 Oct. 2002 from—

 Sep.

 2002

 Oct.

 2002

 Oct.

 2001

 Sep.

 2002

Expenditure category

All items ..................................................................................... 100.000 106.0 106.2 1.7 0.2 

Food and beverages ............................................................... 15.451 106.2 106.3 1.0 .1 

Food ...................................................................................... 14.432 106.2 106.3 1.0 .1 

Food at home ...................................................................... 8.335 105.3 105.2 .0 -.1 

Food away from home ......................................................... 6.096 107.6 107.8 2.4 .2 

Alcoholic beverages .............................................................. 1.019 106.4 106.8 2.0 .4 

Housing ................................................................................... 40.040 109.4 109.3 2.4 -.1 

Shelter ................................................................................... 30.643 110.7 111.0 3.4 .3 

Fuels and utilities 1 ................................................................. 4.376 113.8 111.4 -.2 -2.1 

Household furnishings and operations .................................. 5.020 98.2 98.1 -1.2 -.1 

Apparel .................................................................................... 4.819 94.8 96.5 -2.4 1.8 

Transportation ......................................................................... 17.770 103.0 103.6 1.6 .6 

Private transportation ............................................................ 16.520 103.0 103.8 1.9 .8 

Public transportation .............................................................. 1.250 102.3 100.7 -2.7 -1.6 

Medical care ............................................................................ 5.563 112.7 113.3 4.7 .5 

Medical care commodities ..................................................... 1.330 109.6 109.7 3.1 .1 

Medical care services ............................................................ 4.233 113.7 114.4 5.1 .6 

Recreation ............................................................................... 6.124 102.1 102.2 .2 .1 

Education and communication ................................................ 6.068 97.6 97.4 -.1 -.2 

Education .............................................................................. 2.546 118.3 118.6 6.3 .3 

Communication ..................................................................... 3.522 84.7 84.2 -4.4 -.6 

Other goods and services ....................................................... 4.164 111.3 110.8 3.0 -.4 

Commodity and service group

Services 2 ................................................................................... 57.098 110.4 110.5 3.2 .1 

Commodities ............................................................................. 42.902 100.5 100.8 -.3 .3 

Durables .................................................................................. 12.953 91.8 91.7 -3.4 -.1 

Nondurables .............................................................................. 29.949 104.5 105.0 1.1 .5 

All items less food and energy ................................................ 78.851 105.5 105.7 1.7 .2 

Energy 3 ..................................................................................... 6.717 R111.7 111.3 2.7 -.4 

1 Revised index for U.S. city average: Aug. 2002=113.6. 2 Revised index for U.S. city average: Aug. 2002=110.5. 3 Revised index for U.S. city average: July 2002=111.2. R Revised.

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

Indexes for 2002 are initial estimates. Indexes for 2001 are interim adjustments.