News United States

Department 

of Labor

 

Bureau of Labor Statistics Washington, D.C. 20212 

FOR TECHNICAL INFORMATION:

Patrick C. Jackman (202) 691-7000 USDL-04-415

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INTERNET ADDRESS: http://www.bls.gov/cpi/ Wednesday, March 17, 2004

CONSUMER PRICE INDEX: FEBRUARY 2004

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.5 percent in February, before 

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

level of 186.2 (1982-84=100) was 1.7 percent higher than in February 2003.

The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) increased 0.6 percent in 

February, prior to seasonal adjustment. The February level of 181.9 was 1.5 percent higher than in February 2003.

The Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U) increased 0.6 percent in February, 

prior to seasonal adjustment. The February level of 108.7 (December 1999=100) was 1.4 percent higher than in 

February 2003. Please note that the indexes for the post-2002 period are subject to revision.

CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U)

On a seasonally adjusted basis, the CPI-U rose 0.3 percent in February, following an increase of 0.5 percent 

in January. Energy costs, which rose 4.7 percent in January, advanced 1.7 percent in February. Within energy, the 

index for petroleum-based energy advanced 2.5 percent and the index for energy services increased 0.9 percent. The 

index for food rose 0.2 percent in February after registering no change in January. The index for all items less food 

and energy rose 0.2 percent in February, the same as in January. 

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

Seasonally adjusted UnCompound adjusted

Expenditure Changes from preceding month annual rate 12-mos.

Category 2003 2004 3-mos. ended ended

Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Feb.’04 Feb.’04

All Items .4 .3 -.1 -.2 .2 .5 .3 3.7 1.7

 Food and beverages .3 .3 .4 .4 .5 -.1 .2 2.6 3.1

 Housing .1 .1 .2 -.1 .2 .4 .2 3.0 2.1

 Apparel .1 .2 .2 -.5 -.3 -.3 -.1 -3.0 -1.7

 Transportation 1.2 .9 -1.4 -1.3 -.2 1.7 .7 9.0 -.1

 Medical care .3 .4 .2 .3 .5 .2 .6 5.4 4.2

 Recreation .0 .1 -.1 .2 .1 .0 .3 1.5 1.1

 Education and

 communication .4 .2 .0 .2 .2 .1 .3 2.2 1.4

 Other goods and

 services .2 .1 .1 .0 .2 .3 .2 3.0 1.6

Special indexes:

 Energy 3.1 3.3 -3.5 -3.0 .3 4.7 1.7 30.1 3.8

 Food .4 .2 .5 .4 .5 .0 .2 2.7 3.3

 All items less

 food and energy .1 .1 .2 .0 .1 .2 .2 1.7 1.2
The food and beverages index advanced 0.2 percent in February. The index for food at home, which 

declined 0.3 percent in January, increased 0.1 percent in February, reflecting upturns in the indexes for fruits and 

vegetables and for other food at home. The index for fruits and vegetables rose 1.0 percent in February, following a 

1.8 percent decline in January. The indexes for fresh fruits and for fresh vegetables increased 1.6 and 0.6 percent, 

respectively. The index for processed fruits and vegetables rose 0.5 percent. (Prior to seasonal adjustment, prices for 

fresh fruits and fresh vegetables declined 2.3 and 0.9 percent, respectively.) The indexes for other food at home and 

for nonalcoholic beverages rose 0.8 and 0.1 percent, respectively. Partially offsetting these increases were declines in 

the indexes for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs and for dairy products. The index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs 

declined 0.7 percent in February. The index for beef and veal, which rose sharply in 2003, fell 1.6 percent in 

February after declining 1.8 percent in January. The indexes for pork, for poultry, and for fish and seafood also

declined in February—down 0.5, 0.7, and 0.5 percent, respectively. The index for dairy products declined for the 

second consecutive month--down 0.2 percent in February. The index for cereals and bakery products was virtually 

unchanged in February. The other two components of the food and beverage index--food away from home and

alcoholic beverages--each increased 0.3 percent.

The index for housing rose 0.2 percent in February. Shelter costs increased 0.1 percent in February, the same 

as in January. Within shelter, the indexes for rent and owners' equivalent rent each increased 0.2 percent, while the 

index for lodging away from home fell 1.6 percent. (Prior to seasonal adjustment, the index for lodging away from 

home rose 2.4 percent.) The index for fuels and utilities rose 0.9 percent in February, following a 1.6 percent rise in 

January. The index for fuel oil increased 1.1 percent in February. The indexes for natural gas and for electricity rose 

2.2 and 0.2 percent, respectively. (Prior to seasonal adjustment, natural gas prices declined 1.0 percent.) The index 

for household furnishings and operations rose 0.2 percent in February. 

The transportation index, which rose 1.7 percent in January, advanced 0.7 percent in February. The index for 

gasoline rose 2.5 percent in February, following an 8.1 percent rise in January, accounting for about 80 percent of the 

February advance in the transportation component. (Prior to seasonal adjustment, gasoline prices rose 4.7 percent in 

February.) As of February, the price of gasoline was 3.3 percent lower than its peak level of March 2003. The index 

for new vehicles registered its first increase since August--up 0.4 percent in February. During the last 12 months, new 

vehicle prices have fallen 0.6 percent. (As of January, about 90 percent of the new vehicle sample was represented 

by 2004 models.) The index for used cars and trucks also turned up in February, advancing 0.2 percent, but this 

index has declined 11.7 percent in the last 12 months. Airline fares rose 1.2 percent in February, but are 6.1 percent 

lower than in September 2001.

The index for apparel declined 0.1 percent in February. (Prior to seasonal adjustment, apparel prices rose

2.4 percent, reflecting the introduction of women’s and girls’ spring-summer wear.)

Medical care costs rose 0.6 percent in February to a level 4.2 percent higher than a year ago. The index for 

medical care commodities--prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and medical supplies--increased 0.4 percent. 

The index for medical care services rose 0.7 percent in February. Charges for physician’s services and for hospital 

and related services increased 1.1 and 0.5 percent, respectively. 

The index for recreation, which was unchanged in January, rose 0.3 percent in February. Upturns in the 

indexes for toys and for video and audio, coupled with larger increases in the indexes for sporting goods and for pets, 

pet products and services, more than offset a larger decline in the index for photography. 

The index for education and communication increased 0.3 percent in February. The education index rose 0.5

percent, while the index for communication costs was unchanged. Within the latter group, a 0.1 percent increase in 

the index for telephone services was offset by a 1.2 percent decline in the index for personal computers and peripheral 

equipment. 

The index for other goods and services rose 0.2 percent in February. A 0.1 percent decline in the index for 

tobacco and smoking products was more than offset by a 0.3 percent increase in the index for personal care. Within 

personal care, the indexes for legal services and funeral expenses rose 0.8 and 0.7 percent, respectively.
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 0.3 percent 

in February.

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 2003 2004 3-mos. ended ended

Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Feb.’04 Feb.’04

All Items .4 .3 -.2 -.3 .2 .6 .3 4.1 1.5

 Food and beverages .4 .3 .5 .5 .4 -.1 .2 2.4 3.2

 Housing .1 .2 .1 -.1 .2 .5 .2 3.4 2.2

 Apparel .1 .4 .2 -.4 -.3 -.1 .0 -1.3 -.9

 Transportation 1.3 .8 -1.7 -1.6 -.2 1.8 .6 9.4 -.9

 Medical care .3 .4 .3 .3 .4 .3 .7 5.6 4.2

 Recreation .0 .0 -.1 .2 .1 -.1 .4 1.5 .8

 Education and

 communication .3 .1 .0 .1 .1 .1 .2 1.5 .7

 Other goods and

 services .3 -.1 .1 -.1 .3 .3 .2 2.9 1.2

 Special indexes

 Energy 3.3 3.4 -3.6 -3.1 .3 4.9 1.6 31.0 3.8

 Food .4 .3 .5 .5 .5 -.1 .2 2.4 3.3

All items less

 food and energy .1 -.1 .1 -.1 .1 .2 .2 1.7 .9

Consumer Price Index data for March are scheduled for release on Wednesday, April 14, 2004, at 8:30 A.M. 

(EDT). 

CPI (Old Weights)

For the first six months of 2004, BLS also will calculate Old Weights CPI-U and Old Weights CPI-W based 

on the 1999-2000 expenditure pattern used in the CPI from 2002 through 2003. These Old Weight data are 

contained in tables 1(OW)-4(OW). From January to February, the Old Weight CPI-U rose 0.5 percent and the Old 

Weight CPI-W rose 0.6 percent. Note these series are not seasonally adjusted.
Facilities for Sensory Impaired

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

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

(202) 691-5200.

Brief Explanation of the CPI

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

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

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

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

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

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

managerial, and technical workers, the self-employed, short-term workers, the unemployed, and retirees and others 

not in the labor force.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

region of the country, for cross-classifications of regions and population-size classes, and for 27 local areas. Area 

indexes do not measure differences in the level of prices among cities; they only measure the average change in prices 

for each area since the base period. For the C-CPI-U data are issued only at the national level. It is important to 

note that the CPI-U and CPI-W are considered final when released, but the C-CPI-U is issued in preliminary form 

and subject to two annual revisions.

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

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

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

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

from $10 in 1982-84 to $11.65. 

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

and Analysis Section on (202) 691-7000.
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 1999 through 2003 were replaced 

at the end of 2003. 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: 47 of the 73 components are seasonally adjusted for 2004.

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 labor and 

supply problems for coffee. The procedure was used to account for unusual butter fat supply reductions, decreases in 

milk supply, and large swings in soybean oil inventories affecting the Fats and oils series. For the Water and sewerage 

maintenance index, the procedure was used to account for a data collection anomaly and dry weather in California. 
For Dairy products, it mitigated the effects of significant changes in milk production levels and higher demand for 

cheese. For Electricity, it was used to offset an increase in demand due to warmer than expected weather, increased 

rates to conserve supplies, and declining natural gas inventories. For New vehicles, New cars, and New trucks, the 

procedure was used to offset the effects of a model changeover combined with financing incentives.

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

Division of Consumer Prices and Price Indexes, Washington, DC 20212 or contact Daniel Chow on (202) 691-6968 

by e-mail at Chow.Daniel@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

2003

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Feb. 2004 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Jan.

2004

Feb.

2004

Feb.

2003

Jan.

2004

Nov. to

Dec.

Dec. to

Jan.

Jan. to

Feb.

Expenditure category

All items ...................................................................................... 100.000 185.2 186.2 1.7 0.5 0.2 0.5 0.3 

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

 554.9 557.9 - - - - -

Food and beverages ................................................................ 15.384 184.3 184.5 3.1 .1 .5 -.1 .2 

Food ....................................................................................... 14.383 183.8 184.1 3.3 .2 .5 .0 .2 

Food at home ....................................................................... 8.256 184.0 184.0 3.6 .0 .7 -.3 .1 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................. 1.202 203.9 204.4 1.3 .2 .1 .1 .0 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ............................................ 2.320 179.9 179.7 9.1 -.1 1.0 .0 -.7 

Dairy and related products ................................................. .842 172.4 172.1 2.9 -.2 1.1 -.3 -.2 

Fruits and vegetables ......................................................... 1.221 232.4 229.7 2.9 -1.2 .3 -1.8 1.0 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials .............. .905 140.7 141.4 .4 .5 .7 .3 .1 

Other food at home ............................................................ 1.765 162.8 163.7 .9 .6 .6 -.4 .8 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................. .305 163.0 163.9 1.3 .6 -.5 -.3 .8 

Fats and oils ..................................................................... .251 160.7 162.3 2.3 1.0 .5 1.1 1.1 

Other foods ....................................................................... 1.210 178.0 178.9 .6 .5 .8 -.7 .8 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... .308 109.1 109.5 -.9 .4 .7 -.6 .4 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 6.127 184.9 185.5 2.7 .3 .3 .3 .3 

Other food away from home 2 ............................................ .332 123.9 124.0 3.2 .1 .3 1.0 .1 

Alcoholic beverages 1 ............................................................ 1.001 189.4 189.9 2.2 .3 .1 .4 .3 

Housing .................................................................................... 42.089 186.3 187.0 2.1 .4 .2 .4 .2 

Shelter .................................................................................... 32.878 215.2 216.0 2.1 .4 .2 .1 .1 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 6.157 208.3 208.8 2.5 .2 .2 .1 .2 

Lodging away from home 2 .................................................. 2.954 117.2 120.0 2.0 2.4 1.1 -.2 -1.6 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 23.383 222.6 222.9 1.9 .1 .1 .1 .2 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. .385 114.8 115.0 .8 .2 .0 .4 .2 

Fuels and utilities .................................................................... 4.741 156.3 156.9 5.8 .4 .5 1.6 .9 

Fuels ..................................................................................... 3.830 139.2 139.5 5.8 .2 .4 1.9 .9 

Fuel oil and other fuels ....................................................... .231 149.9 155.1 -.8 3.5 -.5 6.8 1.0 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 3.599 145.5 145.5 6.3 .0 .6 1.6 .9 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. .910 120.6 121.8 5.9 1.0 .3 .5 1.1 

Household furnishings and operations ................................... 4.470 125.3 125.7 -1.6 .3 -.1 .4 .2 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... .704 122.7 123.4 1.1 .6 .2 .1 .6 

Apparel ..................................................................................... 3.975 115.8 118.6 -1.7 2.4 -.3 -.3 -.1 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ........................................................ 1.024 115.5 117.1 -.2 1.4 .0 -.1 .3 

Women’s and girls’ apparel .................................................... 1.704 105.7 110.3 -1.9 4.4 -.4 -.7 -.2 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ................................................. .195 117.7 119.3 -2.5 1.4 -.8 .2 .3 

Footwear ................................................................................ .778 115.9 117.0 -2.3 .9 -.3 -.8 .3 

Transportation .......................................................................... 16.881 157.0 158.8 -.1 1.1 -.2 1.7 .7 

Private transportation ............................................................. 15.817 153.2 154.9 -.3 1.1 -.2 1.9 .7 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 7.912 94.3 94.4 -3.7 .1 -.5 -.1 .2 

New vehicles ...................................................................... 4.817 138.0 138.3 -.6 .2 -.1 -.1 .4 

Used cars and trucks 1 ....................................................... 2.007 130.8 131.0 -11.7 .2 -.8 -.2 .2 

Motor fuel ............................................................................. 3.249 136.7 143.1 1.9 4.7 .0 8.1 2.5 

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................. 3.222 136.1 142.5 2.0 4.7 .1 8.1 2.5 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... .369 108.0 108.0 -.2 .0 -.2 .3 .0 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................. 1.349 198.2 198.2 1.9 .0 .5 .1 -.1 

Public transportation ............................................................... 1.064 206.3 208.1 2.2 .9 -.8 .2 .0 

Medical care ............................................................................. 6.074 303.6 306.0 4.2 .8 .5 .2 .6 

Medical care commodities ...................................................... 1.499 265.5 266.7 2.4 .5 .3 .1 .4 

Medical care services ............................................................. 4.575 313.8 316.6 4.7 .9 .5 .3 .7 

Professional services ........................................................... 2.749 265.5 268.0 3.6 .9 .5 .2 .8 

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 1.489 409.7 412.5 6.3 .7 .5 .3 .5 

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

2003

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Feb. 2004 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Jan.

2004

Feb.

2004

Feb.

2003

Jan.

2004

Nov. to

Dec.

Dec. to

Jan.

Jan. to

Feb.

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 5.872 107.9 108.4 1.1 0.5 0.1 0.0 0.3 

Video and audio 2 ................................................................... 1.736 103.6 104.1 .3 .5 -.1 -.3 .1 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 5.948 111.1 111.2 1.4 .1 .2 .1 .3 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 2.841 140.1 140.4 7.2 .2 .7 .5 .5 

Educational books and supplies ........................................... .219 345.4 348.6 4.7 .9 2.4 -.5 .4 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare .............................. 2.623 403.6 404.2 7.4 .1 .6 .6 .4 

Communication 2 .................................................................... 3.107 88.1 88.1 -4.1 .0 -.3 -.3 .0 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 2.925 86.1 86.1 -4.4 .0 .0 -.1 .0 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 2.315 97.0 97.1 -3.4 .1 .0 -.2 .1 

Information technology, hardware and services 1 5 ........... .610 15.3 15.2 -10.1 -.7 -.6 .0 -.7 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... .230 16.2 16.0 -16.2 -1.2 -.6 .0 -1.2 

Other goods and services ........................................................ 3.776 301.4 302.3 1.6 .3 .2 .3 .2 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... .806 473.0 472.6 .0 -.1 .3 .6 -.1 

Personal care ......................................................................... 2.970 179.7 180.4 2.1 .4 .2 .2 .3 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... .680 153.8 154.5 .8 .5 .1 .3 .5 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... .650 194.6 195.2 2.3 .3 .1 .2 .3 

Miscellaneous personal services .......................................... 1.448 288.8 290.4 3.6 .6 .2 .3 .3 

Commodity and service group

Commodities .............................................................................. 40.117 151.1 152.3 .2 .8 .1 .7 .5 

Food and beverages ................................................................ 15.384 184.3 184.5 3.1 .1 .5 -.1 .2 

Commodities less food and beverages .................................... 24.733 132.6 134.2 -1.6 1.2 -.2 1.1 .5 

Nondurables less food and beverages ................................... 13.458 148.4 151.4 .1 2.0 .7 1.2 .4 

Apparel ................................................................................. 3.975 115.8 118.6 -1.7 2.4 -.3 -.3 -.1 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel .................. 9.483 172.3 175.6 .9 1.9 .0 2.8 1.1 

Durables ................................................................................. 11.275 115.1 115.3 -3.7 .2 -.2 -.1 .4 

Services ...................................................................................... 59.883 219.1 219.9 2.8 .4 .2 .3 .2 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 32.494 224.1 224.9 2.1 .4 .2 .1 .2 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... .385 114.8 115.0 .8 .2 .0 .4 .2 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 3.599 145.5 145.5 6.3 .0 .6 1.6 .9 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... .910 120.6 121.8 5.9 1.0 .3 .5 1.1 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... .704 122.7 123.4 1.1 .6 .2 .1 .6 

Transportation services ............................................................ 6.319 218.7 219.3 2.8 .3 -.3 .5 .0 

Medical care services ............................................................... 4.575 313.8 316.6 4.7 .9 .5 .3 .7 

Other services .......................................................................... 10.896 258.4 259.2 2.7 .3 .2 .2 .3 

Special indexes

All items less food ...................................................................... 85.617 185.5 186.6 1.5 .6 .1 .5 .3 

All items less shelter ................................................................... 67.122 175.6 176.7 1.6 .6 .2 .6 .5 

All items less medical care ......................................................... 93.926 179.1 180.1 1.6 .6 .2 .4 .3 

Commodities less food ............................................................... 25.734 134.7 136.3 -1.4 1.2 -.1 1.0 .6 

Nondurables less food ................................................................ 14.459 150.8 153.7 .3 1.9 .7 1.0 .4 

Nondurables less food and apparel ............................................ 10.484 173.0 176.1 1.0 1.8 .1 2.2 1.3 

Nondurables ............................................................................... 28.842 166.4 168.1 1.7 1.0 .6 .5 .4 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 27.389 229.7 230.6 3.5 .4 .3 .3 .4 

Services less medical care services ........................................... 55.308 211.0 211.7 2.6 .3 .3 .1 .1 

Energy ........................................................................................ 7.080 137.4 140.6 3.8 2.3 .3 4.7 1.7 

All items less energy .................................................................. 92.920 191.9 192.7 1.6 .4 .2 .2 .2 

All items less food and energy ................................................. 78.537 194.0 194.9 1.2 .5 .1 .2 .2 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ................... 22.254 138.5 139.3 -2.0 .6 -.1 .0 .2 

Energy commodities ............................................................. 3.480 138.2 144.6 1.8 4.6 .0 8.0 2.5 

Services less energy services ................................................ 56.283 226.6 227.5 2.5 .4 .2 .2 .1 

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

 $ .540 $ .537 - - - - -

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

 $ .180 $ .179 - - - - -

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

item stratum index series were calculated using a geometric means estimator.

4 Indexes on a December 1982=100 base. 5 Indexes on a December 1988=100 base. - 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—

Nov.

2003

Dec.

2003

Jan.

2004

Feb.

2004

May

2003

Aug.

2003

Nov.

2003

Feb.

2004

Aug.

2003

Feb.

2004

Expenditure category

All items ...................................................................................... 184.6 184.9 185.8 186.3 0.2 2.6 0.2 3.7 1.4 2.0 

Food and beverages ................................................................ 183.1 184.0 183.9 184.3 1.6 3.6 4.7 2.6 2.6 3.7 

Food ....................................................................................... 182.6 183.5 183.5 183.8 1.6 3.9 4.7 2.7 2.7 3.7 

Food at home ....................................................................... 182.8 184.0 183.4 183.6 1.6 4.8 6.4 1.8 3.2 4.0 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................. 203.8 204.1 204.3 204.2 1.8 2.2 .4 .8 2.0 .6 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ............................................ 178.7 180.5 180.5 179.3 2.7 10.8 22.4 1.3 6.7 11.4 

Dairy and related products ................................................. 170.3 172.2 171.6 171.3 -.5 4.2 5.8 2.4 1.8 4.1 

Fruits and vegetables ......................................................... 229.5 230.3 226.1 228.4 3.7 7.7 2.3 -1.9 5.7 .2 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials .............. 139.0 140.0 140.4 140.5 .9 -1.4 -2.3 4.4 -.3 1.0 

Other food at home ............................................................ 162.3 163.2 162.6 163.9 .0 1.2 -1.5 4.0 .6 1.2 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................. 163.3 162.5 162.0 163.3 2.3 .7 2.5 .0 1.5 1.2 

Fats and oils ..................................................................... 158.0 158.8 160.6 162.3 -3.2 .0 1.5 11.3 -1.6 6.3 

Other foods ....................................................................... 177.8 179.3 178.0 179.4 .0 1.6 -2.9 3.6 .8 .3

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... 109.0 109.8 109.1 109.5 -1.4 -.7 -3.2 1.8 -1.1 -.7 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 183.8 184.3 184.9 185.5 1.8 2.4 2.7 3.8 2.1 3.2 

Other food away from home 2 ............................................ 122.3 122.7 123.9 124.0 1.7 2.0 3.0 5.7 1.8 4.3 

Alcoholic beverages 1 ............................................................ 188.6 188.7 189.4 189.9 1.7 .9 3.2 2.8 1.3 3.0 

Housing .................................................................................... 185.7 186.1 186.8 187.1 3.1 1.3 .9 3.0 2.2 2.0 

Shelter .................................................................................... 214.9 215.3 215.6 215.8 2.7 1.7 2.3 1.7 2.2 2.0 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 207.4 207.8 208.1 208.6 3.2 2.4 2.1 2.3 2.8 2.2 

Lodging away from home 2 .................................................. 120.7 122.0 121.7 119.8 9.5 -1.0 3.0 -2.9 4.1 .0 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 221.6 221.9 222.2 222.7 1.7 1.8 2.2 2.0 1.7 2.1 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. 114.3 114.3 114.8 115.0 .7 5.4 -5.1 2.5 3.0 -1.4 

Fuels and utilities .................................................................... 154.3 155.0 157.5 158.9 14.3 1.6 -4.3 12.5 7.7 3.8 

Fuels ..................................................................................... 137.3 137.9 140.5 141.8 16.4 .9 -6.4 13.8 8.4 3.2 

Fuel oil and other fuels ....................................................... 136.9 136.2 145.4 146.9 -30.4 8.5 -3.2 32.6 -13.1 13.3 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 144.2 145.0 147.3 148.6 20.6 .5 -6.9 12.8 10.1 2.5 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. 119.5 119.9 120.5 121.8 4.6 4.9 5.9 7.9 4.7 6.9 

Household furnishings and operations ................................... 125.0 124.9 125.4 125.7 -4.3 -2.2 -1.9 2.3 -3.3 .2 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... 122.4 122.6 122.7 123.4 -2.3 1.7 2.0 3.3 -.3 2.6 

Apparel ..................................................................................... 120.6 120.2 119.8 119.7 -3.9 1.0 -.3 -3.0 -1.5 -1.7 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ........................................................ 118.1 118.1 118.0 118.3 -3.0 -2.7 4.9 .7 -2.9 2.8 

Women’s and girls’ apparel .................................................... 112.9 112.5 111.7 111.5 -3.1 1.8 -.7 -4.9 -.7 -2.8 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ................................................. 120.3 119.3 119.5 119.8 .3 -1.3 -7.0 -1.7 -.5 -4.4 

Footwear ................................................................................ 119.3 119.0 118.0 118.3 -8.9 3.1 .0 -3.3 -3.1 -1.7 

Transportation .......................................................................... 155.6 155.3 157.9 159.0 -7.3 6.0 -6.9 9.0 -.9 .8 

Private transportation ............................................................. 151.4 151.1 153.9 155.0 -8.5 6.5 -7.5 9.9 -1.3 .8 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 94.5 94.0 93.9 94.1 -1.2 -3.6 -8.0 -1.7 -2.4 -4.9 

New vehicles ...................................................................... 137.1 137.0 136.9 137.5 -1.2 .3 -2.9 1.2 -.4 -.9 

Used cars and trucks 1 ....................................................... 132.0 131.0 130.8 131.0 -1.3 -11.9 -28.0 -3.0 -6.8 -16.4 

Motor fuel ............................................................................. 130.9 130.9 141.5 145.1 -36.6 39.0 -18.8 51.0 -6.1 10.7 

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................. 130.3 130.4 141.0 144.5 -36.9 39.3 -18.6 51.2 -6.3 10.9 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... 107.9 107.7 108.0 108.0 -1.5 .4 .0 .4 -.6 .2 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................. 197.0 197.9 198.0 197.8 1.7 2.5 1.8 1.6 2.1 1.7 

Public transportation ............................................................... 211.3 209.7 210.1 210.0 8.4 1.7 1.3 -2.4 5.0 -.6 

Medical care ............................................................................. 301.3 302.7 303.4 305.3 3.2 4.0 4.1 5.4 3.6 4.7 

Medical care commodities ...................................................... 264.7 265.4 265.7 266.7 2.0 2.9 1.5 3.1 2.5 2.3 

Medical care services ............................................................. 311.0 312.6 313.5 315.7 3.5 4.3 4.9 6.2 3.9 5.5 

Professional services ........................................................... 263.7 264.9 265.5 267.5 3.9 1.4 3.1 5.9 2.6 4.5

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 405.1 407.0 408.4 410.4 3.5 8.7 7.3 5.3 6.0 6.3 

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—

Nov.

2003

Dec.

2003

Jan.

2004

Feb.

2004

May

2003

Aug.

2003

Nov.

2003

Feb.

2004

Aug.

2003

Feb.

2004

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 107.9 108.0 108.0 108.3 1.1 1.1 0.7 1.5 1.1 1.1 

Video and audio 2 ................................................................... 104.0 103.9 103.6 103.7 .4 .8 1.2 -1.1 .6 .0 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 110.4 110.6 110.7 111.0 -.4 2.2 1.5 2.2 .9 1.8 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 137.8 138.8 139.5 140.2 6.9 9.7 5.1 7.2 8.3 6.1 

Educational books and supplies ........................................... 337.7 345.8 344.0 345.5 4.8 6.9 -2.0 9.6 5.8 3.6 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare .............................. 397.2 399.5 402.0 403.8 7.0 9.7 6.0 6.8 8.4 6.4 

Communication 2 .................................................................... 88.4 88.1 87.8 87.8 -6.8 -4.4 -2.7 -2.7 -5.6 -2.7 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 86.2 86.2 86.1 86.1 -9.4 -4.0 -3.6 -.5 -6.8 -2.1 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 97.2 97.2 97.0 97.1 -9.2 -1.2 -2.4 -.4 -5.3 -1.4 

Information technology, hardware and services 1 5 ........... 15.4 15.3 15.3 15.2 -11.3 -16.0 -7.4 -5.1 -13.7 -6.3 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... 16.3 16.2 16.2 16.0 -21.1 -25.9 -9.2 -7.2 -23.6 -8.2 

Other goods and services ........................................................ 300.1 300.8 301.7 302.3 .4 2.6 .5 3.0 1.5 1.7 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... 469.1 470.4 473.0 472.6 -5.9 5.4 -2.3 3.0 -.4 .3 

Personal care ......................................................................... 179.1 179.5 179.9 180.4 2.3 1.8 1.4 2.9 2.0 2.1 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... 153.2 153.4 153.8 154.5 .8 -.3 -.8 3.4 .3 1.3 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... 194.2 194.3 194.6 195.2 4.5 1.9 .6 2.1 3.2 1.3 

Miscellaneous personal services .......................................... 287.5 288.2 289.1 289.9 3.5 2.7 4.7 3.4 3.1 4.1 

Commodity and service group

Commodities .............................................................................. 150.5 150.7 151.7 152.4 -4.7 3.5 -2.6 5.1 -.7 1.2 

Food and beverages ................................................................ 183.1 184.0 183.9 184.3 1.6 3.6 4.7 2.6 2.6 3.7 

Commodities less food and beverages .................................... 132.4 132.2 133.7 134.4 -8.5 3.3 -6.7 6.2 -2.8 -.4 

Nondurables less food and beverages ................................... 149.4 150.4 152.2 152.8 -15.3 10.8 -1.9 9.4 -3.1 3.6 

Apparel ................................................................................. 120.6 120.2 119.8 119.7 -3.9 1.0 -.3 -3.0 -1.5 -1.7 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel .................. 169.3 169.3 174.1 176.0 -15.3 13.3 -7.6 16.8 -2.1 3.9 

Durables ................................................................................. 115.0 114.8 114.7 115.2 -4.0 -4.3 -7.0 .7 -4.1 -3.2 

Services ...................................................................................... 218.4 218.9 219.5 220.0 3.8 2.2 2.0 3.0 3.0 2.5 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 223.7 224.1 224.3 224.7 2.8 1.6 2.4 1.8 2.2 2.1 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... 114.3 114.3 114.8 115.0 .7 5.4 -5.1 2.5 3.0 -1.4 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 144.2 145.0 147.3 148.6 20.6 .5 -6.9 12.8 10.1 2.5 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... 119.5 119.9 120.5 121.8 4.6 4.9 5.9 7.9 4.7 6.9 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... 122.4 122.6 122.7 123.4 -2.3 1.7 2.0 3.3 -.3 2.6 

Transportation services ............................................................ 218.8 218.2 219.2 219.2 5.0 2.4 3.0 .7 3.7 1.9 

Medical care services ............................................................... 311.0 312.6 313.5 315.7 3.5 4.3 4.9 6.2 3.9 5.5 

Other services .......................................................................... 257.0 257.6 258.0 258.8 2.4 2.9 2.7 2.8 2.6 2.8 

Special indexes

All items less food ...................................................................... 185.0 185.2 186.2 186.7 .0 2.4 -.4 3.7 1.2 1.6 

All items less shelter ................................................................... 174.8 175.1 176.1 176.9 -.7 3.0 -.7 4.9 1.2 2.1 

All items less medical care ......................................................... 178.6 178.9 179.7 180.2 .0 2.7 .0 3.6 1.4 1.8 

Commodities less food ............................................................... 134.5 134.3 135.7 136.5 -8.1 3.3 -6.3 6.1 -2.6 -.3 

Nondurables less food ................................................................ 151.7 152.8 154.3 154.9 -14.7 10.9 -1.8 8.7 -2.7 3.3 

Nondurables less food and apparel ............................................ 170.0 170.2 173.9 176.1 -12.9 10.9 -6.8 15.1 -1.7 3.6 

Nondurables ............................................................................... 166.4 167.4 168.2 168.8 -7.3 7.3 1.7 5.9 -.2 3.8 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 228.8 229.5 230.2 231.1 4.7 2.9 2.5 4.1 3.8 3.3 

Services less medical care services ........................................... 210.5 211.1 211.4 211.7 3.5 2.1 2.1 2.3 2.8 2.2 

Energy ........................................................................................ 133.7 134.1 140.4 142.8 -12.7 17.3 -12.7 30.1 1.2 6.6 

All items less energy .................................................................. 191.6 191.9 192.2 192.5 1.3 1.7 1.3 1.9 1.5 1.6 

All items less food and energy ................................................. 194.0 194.1 194.4 194.8 1.3 1.2 .8 1.7 1.3 1.2 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ................... 139.3 139.1 139.1 139.4 -2.8 -1.1 -4.2 .3 -2.0 -2.0 

Energy commodities ............................................................. 131.9 131.9 142.4 146.0 -36.3 37.0 -18.0 50.1 -6.6 11.0 

Services less energy services ................................................ 226.0 226.4 226.9 227.2 2.9 2.4 2.7 2.1 2.6 2.4 

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

item stratum index series were calculated using a geometric means estimator.

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

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

Feb.2004 from—

Percent change to

Jan.2004 from—

Nov.

2003

Dec.

2003

Jan.

2004

Feb.

2004

Feb.

2003

Dec.

2003

Jan.

2004

Jan.

2003

Nov.

2003

Dec.

2003

U.S. city average ............................................ M 184.5 184.3 185.2 186.2 1.7 1.0 0.5 1.9 0.4 0.5 

Region and area size2

Northeast urban .............................................. M 195.1 194.9 195.9 196.8 2.7 1.0 .5 2.8 .4 .5 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 197.3 197.1 197.9 198.8 2.7 .9 .5 3.0 .3 .4 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 115.3 115.0 116.0 116.6 2.5 1.4 .5 2.6 .6 .9 

Midwest urban ................................................ M 178.9 178.4 179.4 180.2 1.3 1.0 .4 1.8 .3 .6 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 181.4 180.9 181.8 182.5 1.4 .9 .4 2.0 .2 .5 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 113.6 113.3 114.1 114.7 1.7 1.2 .5 1.9 .4 .7 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 171.4 171.5 171.8 173.0 .3 .9 .7 .6 .2 .2 

South urban .................................................... M 177.5 177.5 178.2 179.1 1.5 .9 .5 1.8 .4 .4 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 179.1 179.2 179.8 180.8 1.4 .9 .6 1.8 .4 .3 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 113.3 113.3 113.8 114.3 1.6 .9 .4 1.9 .4 .4 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 175.4 175.1 175.3 176.8 1.1 1.0 .9 1.2 -.1 .1 

West urban ..................................................... M 188.5 188.3 189.4 190.8 1.4 1.3 .7 1.5 .5 .6 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 191.0 190.6 191.7 193.2 1.2 1.4 .8 1.3 .4 .6 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 114.9 115.2 116.0 117.0 2.2 1.6 .9 1.9 1.0 .7 

Size classes

A 4 .............................................................. M 168.9 168.7 169.4 170.4 1.7 1.0 .6 2.0 .3 .4 

B/C 3 ........................................................... M 113.9 113.8 114.6 115.2 1.9 1.2 .5 2.0 .6 .7 

D ................................................................. M 176.6 176.5 176.9 177.9 1.1 .8 .6 1.3 .2 .2 

Selected local areas5

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI ................... M 185.6 185.5 185.4 186.4 1.2 .5 .5 1.5 -.1 -.1 

Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA ... M 187.1 187.0 188.5 190.1 1.9 1.7 .8 1.8 .7 .8 

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

NY-NJ-CT-PA ......................................... M 199.4 199.3 199.9 201.1 2.5 .9 .6 2.7 .3 .3 

Boston-Brockton-Nashua, MA-NH-ME-CT ..... 1 206.5 -

 208.4 - - - - 4.3 .9 -

Cleveland-Akron, OH ...................................... 1 177.6 - 178.4 - - - - 2.8 .5 -

Dallas-Fort Worth, TX ..................................... 1 175.9 -

 175.7 - - - - 1.0 -.1 -

Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV 6 ...... 1 116.7 - 117.1 - - - - 2.2 .3 -

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

 179.0 - 180.8 .1 1.0 - - - -

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

 181.3 - 183.4 .5 1.2 - - - -

Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX .................... 2 - 164.1 - 168.5 2.7 2.7 - - - -

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

 181.6 - 183.6 1.8 1.1 - - - -

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,

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

 189.0 - 191.4 2.6 1.3 - - - -

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

 195.3 - 198.1 .2 1.4 - - - -

Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA .................... 2 - 191.0 - 193.5 1.2 1.3 - - - -

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

2003

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Feb. 2004 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Jan.

2004

Feb.

2004

Feb.

2003

Jan.

2004

Nov. to

Dec.

Dec. to

Jan.

Jan. to

Feb.

Expenditure category

All items ...................................................................................... 100.000 180.9 181.9 1.5 0.6 0.2 0.6 0.3 

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

 538.7 541.7 - - - - -

Food and beverages ................................................................ 17.151 183.8 184.0 3.2 .1 .4 -.1 .2 

Food ....................................................................................... 16.061 183.3 183.5 3.3 .1 .5 -.1 .2 

Food at home ....................................................................... 9.637 183.2 183.2 3.7 .0 .7 -.3 .1 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................. 1.364 203.8 204.4 1.2 .3 .1 .1 .1 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ............................................ 2.908 179.9 179.7 9.2 -.1 1.1 -.1 -.6 

Dairy and related products ................................................. .955 172.2 171.7 2.8 -.3 1.1 -.3 -.3 

Fruits and vegetables ......................................................... 1.344 229.7 227.5 2.6 -1.0 .2 -2.0 1.3 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials .............. 1.076 140.0 140.8 .5 .6 .9 .2 .1 

Other food at home ............................................................ 1.991 162.3 163.3 .9 .6 .4 -.4 .7 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................. .321 162.4 163.2 1.2 .5 -.9 -.2 .6 

Fats and oils ..................................................................... .303 160.7 162.2 2.2 .9 .4 1.3 .9 

Other foods ....................................................................... 1.366 178.4 179.4 .5 .6 .7 -.8 .7 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... .350 109.6 110.1 -.7 .5 .7 -.6 .5 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 6.424 184.8 185.3 2.7 .3 .3 .3 .3 

Other food away from home 2 ............................................ .252 123.6 123.8 2.8 .2 .4 .6 .2 

Alcoholic beverages 1 ............................................................ 1.090 189.5 190.0 2.3 .3 .1 .3 .3 

Housing .................................................................................... 39.114 182.1 182.6 2.2 .3 .2 .5 .2 

Shelter .................................................................................... 30.151 209.2 209.8 2.1 .3 .1 .3 .0 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 8.065 207.4 208.0 2.5 .3 .1 .2 .3 

Lodging away from home 2 .................................................. 1.722 118.5 121.1 2.6 2.2 .7 .7 -1.9 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 20.026 202.1 202.3 1.9 .1 .1 .2 .1 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. .337 114.9 115.1 1.1 .2 .0 .4 .2 

Fuels and utilities .................................................................... 5.079 155.6 156.2 6.0 .4 .5 1.6 .9 

Fuels ..................................................................................... 4.146 138.0 138.3 6.0 .2 .6 1.8 .9 

Fuel oil and other fuels ....................................................... .216 149.6 154.5 -.8 3.3 -.9 6.9 .8 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 3.930 144.7 144.7 6.4 .0 .6 1.6 .8 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. .933 120.7 121.9 5.9 1.0 .3 .6 1.1 

Household furnishings and operations ................................... 3.884 121.0 121.4 -1.7 .3 .0 .4 .2 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... .318 123.7 124.9 1.7 1.0 .1 -.1 1.0 

Apparel ..................................................................................... 4.357 115.7 118.3 -.9 2.2 -.3 -.1 .0 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ........................................................ 1.120 115.6 117.4 .5 1.6 .0 .2 .3 

Women’s and girls’ apparel .................................................... 1.727 105.5 109.8 -1.1 4.1 -.3 -.5 -.4 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ................................................. .250 120.1 122.2 -1.1 1.7 -.6 .7 .7 

Footwear ................................................................................ 1.011 115.6 116.4 -2.4 .7 -.4 -.3 .2 

Transportation .......................................................................... 19.145 154.9 156.8 -.9 1.2 -.2 1.8 .6 

Private transportation ............................................................. 18.348 152.2 154.0 -1.1 1.2 -.1 1.9 .7 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 9.305 92.7 92.8 -5.2 .1 -.5 -.1 .1 

New vehicles ...................................................................... 4.864 139.2 139.5 -.6 .2 -.1 -.1 .4 

Used cars and trucks 1 ....................................................... 3.487 131.6 131.7 -11.7 .1 -.8 -.1 .1 

Motor fuel ............................................................................. 3.967 137.1 143.6 1.9 4.7 .1 8.1 2.5 

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................. 3.936 136.6 143.0 1.9 4.7 .2 8.1 2.5 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... .456 107.6 107.6 .1 .0 -.2 .3 .0 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................. 1.365 199.9 200.1 2.0 .1 .5 .0 .0 

Public transportation ............................................................... .797 204.6 206.2 3.2 .8 -.8 .4 .1 

Medical care ............................................................................. 4.969 302.8 305.4 4.2 .9 .4 .3 .7 

Medical care commodities ...................................................... 1.142 259.8 260.9 2.3 .4 .2 .1 .3 

Medical care services ............................................................. 3.827 313.8 316.8 4.8 1.0 .5 .3 .8 

Professional services ........................................................... 2.256 267.8 270.6 3.7 1.0 .5 .2 .8 

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 1.254 405.9 408.7 6.2 .7 .3 .5 .4 

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

2003

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Feb. 2004 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Jan.

2004

Feb.

2004

Feb.

2003

Jan.

2004

Nov. to

Dec.

Dec. to

Jan.

Jan. to

Feb.

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 5.697 105.6 106.2 0.8 0.6 0.1 -0.1 0.4 

Video and audio 2 ................................................................... 1.928 102.7 103.2 .2 .5 -.1 -.4 .1 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 5.645 109.8 110.0 .7 .2 .1 .1 .2 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 2.299 139.1 139.4 6.7 .2 .7 .7 .4 

Educational books and supplies ........................................... .215 346.1 349.5 4.8 1.0 2.2 -.7 .7 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare .............................. 2.084 392.8 393.3 6.9 .1 .5 .7 .4 

Communication 2 .................................................................... 3.345 89.6 89.6 -4.1 .0 -.3 -.3 .1 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 3.194 88.2 88.2 -4.3 .0 -.1 -.1 .0 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 2.622 97.2 97.3 -3.4 .1 .0 -.2 .1 

Information technology, hardware and services 1 5 ........... .572 15.8 15.8 -9.7 .0 -.6 .0 .0 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... .205 15.8 15.7 -15.6 -.6 -.6 -.6 -.6 

Other goods and services ........................................................ 3.923 309.3 310.0 1.2 .2 .3 .3 .2 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... 1.248 473.8 473.2 -.3 -.1 .3 .5 -.1 

Personal care ......................................................................... 2.675 178.4 179.1 1.9 .4 .3 .2 .3 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... .737 154.3 155.0 .6 .5 .1 .2 .5 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... .610 195.1 195.7 2.1 .3 .1 .1 .3 

Miscellaneous personal services .......................................... 1.152 288.4 290.2 3.7 .6 .2 .3 .3 

Commodity and service group

Commodities .............................................................................. 44.582 151.5 152.7 -.1 .8 .1 .7 .4 

Food and beverages ................................................................ 17.151 183.8 184.0 3.2 .1 .4 -.1 .2 

Commodities less food and beverages .................................... 27.430 133.5 135.2 -2.0 1.3 -.2 1.3 .5 

Nondurables less food and beverages ................................... 14.671 151.0 154.3 .3 2.2 .8 1.3 .4 

Apparel ................................................................................. 4.357 115.7 118.3 -.9 2.2 -.3 -.1 .0 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel .................. 10.315 176.5 180.2 .8 2.1 .1 2.9 1.3 

Durables ................................................................................. 12.759 114.0 114.2 -4.8 .2 -.2 -.1 .4 

Services ...................................................................................... 55.418 215.3 216.0 2.8 .3 .2 .4 .2 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 29.813 201.4 202.0 2.1 .3 .2 .2 .1 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... .337 114.9 115.1 1.1 .2 .0 .4 .2 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 3.930 144.7 144.7 6.4 .0 .6 1.6 .8 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... .933 120.7 121.9 5.9 1.0 .3 .6 1.1 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... .318 123.7 124.9 1.7 1.0 .1 -.1 1.0 

Transportation services ............................................................ 6.241 219.1 219.7 3.0 .3 -.2 .5 .0 

Medical care services ............................................................... 3.827 313.8 316.8 4.8 1.0 .5 .3 .8 

Other services .......................................................................... 10.020 251.8 252.6 2.2 .3 .2 .2 .3 

Special indexes

All items less food ...................................................................... 83.939 180.2 181.4 1.2 .7 .1 .7 .3 

All items less shelter ................................................................... 69.849 172.5 173.7 1.3 .7 .1 .6 .5 

All items less medical care ......................................................... 95.031 175.6 176.6 1.4 .6 .1 .6 .3 

Commodities less food ............................................................... 28.520 135.5 137.1 -1.9 1.2 -.1 1.2 .6 

Nondurables less food ................................................................ 15.761 153.3 156.4 .4 2.0 .7 1.2 .4 

Nondurables less food and apparel ............................................ 11.405 176.9 180.2 .8 1.9 .1 2.4 1.4 

Nondurables ............................................................................... 31.823 167.8 169.5 1.8 1.0 .7 .5 .4 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 25.605 204.1 204.9 3.5 .4 .3 .2 .4 

Services less medical care services ........................................... 51.592 207.6 208.2 2.6 .3 .2 .3 .1 

Energy ........................................................................................ 8.114 136.9 140.2 3.8 2.4 .3 4.9 1.6 

All items less energy .................................................................. 91.886 187.2 187.9 1.3 .4 .2 .2 .2 

All items less food and energy ................................................. 75.825 188.3 189.1 .9 .4 .1 .2 .2 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ................... 24.337 138.2 139.0 -2.5 .6 -.1 .0 .2 

Energy commodities ............................................................. 4.183 138.3 144.7 1.8 4.6 .0 8.0 2.4 

Services less energy services ................................................ 51.488 223.1 223.9 2.5 .4 .1 .3 .1 

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

 $ .553 $ .550 - - - - -

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

 $ .186 $ .185 - - - - -

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

item stratum index series were calculated using a geometric means estimator.

4 Indexes on a December 1984=100 base 5 Indexes on a December 1988=100 base. - 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—

Nov.

2003

Dec.

2003

Jan.

2004

Feb.

2004

May

2003

Aug.

2003

Nov.

2003

Feb.

2004

Aug.

2003

Feb.

2004

Expenditure category

All items ...................................................................................... 180.1 180.4 181.4 181.9 -0.4 2.9 -0.7 4.1 1.2 1.7 

Food and beverages ................................................................ 182.7 183.5 183.4 183.8 1.8 3.6 5.2 2.4 2.7 3.8 

Food ....................................................................................... 182.2 183.1 182.9 183.3 1.8 3.9 5.2 2.4 2.8 3.8 

Food at home ....................................................................... 182.0 183.2 182.6 182.8 1.4 5.1 6.6 1.8 3.2 4.2 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................. 203.6 203.8 204.0 204.2 1.6 2.4 -.2 1.2 2.0 .5 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ............................................ 178.6 180.5 180.4 179.3 3.0 10.8 22.7 1.6 6.8 11.6 

Dairy and related products ................................................. 170.1 171.9 171.4 170.9 -.7 3.7 6.4 1.9 1.4 4.1 

Fruits and vegetables ......................................................... 227.6 228.1 223.6 226.4 3.1 7.8 1.8 -2.1 5.4 -.2 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials .............. 138.2 139.4 139.7 139.9 1.4 -2.0 -2.3 5.0 -.3 1.3 

Other food at home ............................................................ 162.1 162.8 162.2 163.4 -.2 1.2 -.7 3.2 .5 1.2 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................. 163.2 161.8 161.5 162.5 2.8 .5 3.3 -1.7 1.6 .7 

Fats and oils ..................................................................... 157.9 158.6 160.6 162.1 -3.0 .3 1.0 11.1 -1.4 5.9 

Other foods ....................................................................... 178.5 179.8 178.4 179.7 -.4 1.6 -2.0 2.7 .6 .3 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... 109.5 110.3 109.6 110.1 -1.4 -1.4 -2.2 2.2 -1.4 .0 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 183.7 184.2 184.8 185.3 2.0 2.2 2.9 3.5 2.1 3.2 

Other food away from home 2 ............................................ 122.5 123.0 123.7 123.9 2.0 2.0 2.7 4.7 2.0 3.6 

Alcoholic beverages 1 ............................................................ 188.8 188.9 189.5 190.0 2.4 .2 4.1 2.6 1.3 3.3 

Housing .................................................................................... 181.3 181.6 182.5 182.8 2.9 1.6 .9 3.4 2.2 2.1 

Shelter .................................................................................... 208.5 208.8 209.5 209.6 2.4 2.0 2.1 2.1 2.2 2.1 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 206.5 206.8 207.2 207.8 2.8 2.6 2.0 2.5 2.7 2.3 

Lodging away from home 2 .................................................. 121.4 122.3 123.2 120.9 9.1 -.3 3.4 -1.6 4.3 .8 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 201.2 201.4 201.9 202.1 1.6 1.8 2.2 1.8 1.7 2.0 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. 114.4 114.4 114.9 115.1 .4 6.1 -4.4 2.5 3.2 -1.0 

Fuels and utilities .................................................................... 153.6 154.4 156.9 158.3 15.3 1.6 -4.6 12.8 8.2 3.8 

Fuels ..................................................................................... 136.1 136.9 139.4 140.6 17.3 1.2 -6.8 13.9 8.9 3.1 

Fuel oil and other fuels ....................................................... 136.5 135.3 144.7 145.8 -30.1 8.9 -2.0 30.2 -12.8 12.9 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 143.3 144.2 146.5 147.7 20.7 .8 -6.9 12.9 10.3 2.5 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. 119.5 119.9 120.6 121.9 5.0 4.9 5.5 8.3 4.9 6.9 

Household furnishings and operations ................................... 120.7 120.7 121.2 121.4 -5.1 -1.6 -2.3 2.3 -3.4 .0 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... 123.7 123.8 123.7 124.9 -1.3 1.6 2.6 3.9 .2 3.3 

Apparel ..................................................................................... 119.9 119.6 119.5 119.5 -3.6 .3 1.0 -1.3 -1.7 -.2 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ........................................................ 117.9 117.9 118.1 118.5 -3.0 -2.7 6.0 2.1 -2.9 4.0 

Women’s and girls’ apparel .................................................... 112.3 112.0 111.4 111.0 -3.2 2.5 .4 -4.6 -.4 -2.1

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ................................................. 122.2 121.5 122.4 123.2 1.0 -1.6 -6.9 3.3 -.3 -1.9 

Footwear ................................................................................ 118.6 118.1 117.7 117.9 -7.4 .7 -.3 -2.3 -3.4 -1.3 

Transportation .......................................................................... 153.4 153.1 155.9 156.9 -8.3 6.1 -9.6 9.4 -1.4 -.5 

Private transportation ............................................................. 150.4 150.2 153.0 154.1 -9.2 6.2 -10.0 10.2 -1.8 -.4 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 93.0 92.5 92.4 92.5 -1.2 -4.8 -12.3 -2.1 -3.1 -7.4 

New vehicles ...................................................................... 138.3 138.2 138.1 138.7 -1.1 .6 -2.6 1.2 -.3 -.7 

Used cars and trucks 1 ....................................................... 132.8 131.7 131.6 131.7 -1.3 -12.1 -27.7 -3.3 -6.8 -16.4 

Motor fuel ............................................................................. 131.2 131.3 141.9 145.5 -37.0 40.2 -19.2 51.3 -6.1 10.5 

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................. 130.6 130.8 141.4 144.9 -37.0 40.0 -19.1 51.5 -6.1 10.7 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... 107.5 107.3 107.6 107.6 -1.1 .4 .7 .4 -.4 .6 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................. 198.8 199.7 199.7 199.7 1.6 2.3 2.2 1.8 2.0 2.0 

Public transportation ............................................................... 208.7 207.1 207.9 208.1 10.1 2.1 2.1 -1.1 6.0 .5 

Medical care ............................................................................. 300.6 301.9 302.7 304.7 3.2 3.7 4.4 5.6 3.4 5.0 

Medical care commodities ...................................................... 259.2 259.8 260.0 260.9 2.1 3.0 1.4 2.6 2.5 2.0 

Medical care services ............................................................. 311.0 312.5 313.5 315.9 3.5 4.0 5.2 6.5 3.7 5.8 

Professional services ........................................................... 265.9 267.2 267.8 270.0 3.9 1.5 2.9 6.3 2.7 4.6

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 402.0 403.1 405.1 406.7 3.2 8.7 8.3 4.8 5.9 6.5 

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

expenditure category and commodity and service group-Continued

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-W

Seasonally adjusted indexes Seasonally adjusted annual rate percent change for

3 months ended— 6 months

ended—

Nov.

2003

Dec.

2003

Jan.

2004

Feb.

2004

May

2003

Aug.

2003

Nov.

2003

Feb.

2004

Aug.

2003

Feb.

2004

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 105.7 105.8 105.7 106.1 0.4 0.8 0.4 1.5 0.6 0.9 

Video and audio 2 ................................................................... 103.2 103.1 102.7 102.8 .4 .8 1.2 -1.5 .6 -.2 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 109.3 109.4 109.5 109.7 -1.1 1.5 .7 1.5 .2 1.1 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 136.9 137.8 138.7 139.3 6.3 9.0 4.5 7.2 7.7 5.8 

Educational books and supplies ........................................... 339.2 346.7 344.4 346.7 5.2 6.7 -1.5 9.1 6.0 3.7 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare .............................. 386.7 388.7 391.6 393.3 6.2 9.2 5.3 7.0 7.7 6.2 

Communication 2 .................................................................... 89.9 89.6 89.3 89.4 -6.7 -4.3 -2.6 -2.2 -5.5 -2.4 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 88.4 88.3 88.2 88.2 -9.2 -3.9 -3.1 -.9 -6.6 -2.0 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 97.4 97.4 97.2 97.3 -9.2 -1.2 -2.4 -.4 -5.3 -1.4 

Information technology, hardware and services 1 5 ........... 15.9 15.8 15.8 15.8 -10.9 -15.5 -9.5 -2.5 -13.2 -6.0 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... 16.0 15.9 15.8 15.7 -16.1 -29.7 -7.2 -7.3 -23.2 -7.2 

Other goods and services ........................................................ 307.8 308.7 309.5 310.0 -.7 2.9 -.4 2.9 1.1 1.2

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... 470.2 471.5 473.8 473.2 -6.6 5.6 -2.5 2.6 -.7 .0 

Personal care ......................................................................... 177.8 178.3 178.6 179.1 2.5 1.6 .7 3.0 2.1 1.8 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... 153.8 154.0 154.3 155.0 .5 .3 -1.3 3.2 .4 .9 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... 194.8 194.9 195.1 195.7 4.2 2.1 .4 1.9 3.2 1.1 

Miscellaneous personal services .......................................... 287.1 287.7 288.6 289.6 3.9 3.2 4.0 3.5 3.5 3.8 

Commodity and service group

Commodities .............................................................................. 150.9 151.1 152.2 152.8 -5.1 3.5 -3.4 5.1 -.9 .8 

Food and beverages ................................................................ 182.7 183.5 183.4 183.8 1.8 3.6 5.2 2.4 2.7 3.8 

Commodities less food and beverages .................................... 133.2 133.0 134.7 135.4 -9.2 3.6 -8.5 6.8 -3.0 -1.2 

Nondurables less food and beverages ................................... 151.9 153.1 155.1 155.7 -16.4 11.5 -1.6 10.4 -3.4 4.2 

Apparel ................................................................................. 119.9 119.6 119.5 119.5 -3.6 .3 1.0 -1.3 -1.7 -.2 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel .................. 173.2 173.3 178.3 180.7 -17.1 14.5 -8.1 18.5 -2.6 4.3 

Durables ................................................................................. 114.1 113.9 113.8 114.2 -3.9 -5.3 -9.9 .4 -4.6 -4.9 

Services ...................................................................................... 214.4 214.8 215.6 216.1 3.9 2.3 1.9 3.2 3.1 2.5 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 200.8 201.2 201.6 201.8 2.2 1.8 2.2 2.0 2.0 2.1 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... 114.4 114.4 114.9 115.1 .4 6.1 -4.4 2.5 3.2 -1.0 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 143.3 144.2 146.5 147.7 20.7 .8 -6.9 12.9 10.3 2.5 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... 119.5 119.9 120.6 121.9 5.0 4.9 5.5 8.3 4.9 6.9 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... 123.7 123.8 123.7 124.9 -1.3 1.6 2.6 3.9 .2 3.3 

Transportation services ............................................................ 218.7 218.3 219.4 219.4 5.4 2.6 3.0 1.3 4.0 2.1 

Medical care services ............................................................... 311.0 312.5 313.5 315.9 3.5 4.0 5.2 6.5 3.7 5.8 

Other services .......................................................................... 250.6 251.0 251.5 252.2 1.6 2.4 2.3 2.6 2.0 2.4 

Special indexes

All items less food ...................................................................... 179.6 179.7 180.9 181.5 -.9 2.7 -1.5 4.3 .9 1.3 

All items less shelter ................................................................... 171.8 172.0 173.1 173.9 -1.4 3.3 -1.6 5.0 .9 1.6 

All items less medical care ......................................................... 175.0 175.2 176.2 176.7 -.5 2.8 -.7 3.9 1.2 1.6 

Commodities less food ............................................................... 135.2 135.0 136.6 137.4 -8.8 3.6 -7.9 6.7 -2.8 -.9 

Nondurables less food ................................................................ 154.2 155.3 157.1 157.8 -16.0 11.6 -1.3 9.7 -3.2 4.0 

Nondurables less food and apparel ............................................ 173.6 173.8 177.9 180.4 -14.2 11.6 -7.3 16.6 -2.1 4.0 

Nondurables ............................................................................... 167.6 168.7 169.6 170.2 -7.2 7.3 1.7 6.4 -.2 4.0 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 203.3 204.0 204.5 205.3 4.9 3.0 2.2 4.0 4.0 3.1 

Services less medical care services ........................................... 207.0 207.4 208.0 208.2 3.8 2.0 2.2 2.3 2.9 2.2 

Energy ........................................................................................ 133.0 133.4 140.0 142.3 -14.6 19.1 -13.2 31.0 .9 6.6 

All items less energy .................................................................. 186.8 187.1 187.4 187.7 1.1 1.5 .6 1.9 1.3 1.3 

All items less food and energy ................................................. 188.2 188.3 188.7 189.0 .9 1.1 -.2 1.7 1.0 .7 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ................... 139.0 138.8 138.8 139.1 -2.8 -1.7 -5.8 .3 -2.2 -2.8 

Energy commodities ............................................................. 132.0 132.0 142.6 146.0 -36.9 38.7 -18.4 49.7 -6.4 10.5 

Services less energy services ................................................ 222.3 222.6 223.3 223.6 2.6 2.4 2.6 2.4 2.5 2.5 

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

item stratum index series were calculated using a geometric means estimator.

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

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

Feb.2004 from—

Percent change to

Jan.2004 from—

Nov.

2003

Dec.

2003

Jan.

2004

Feb.

2004

Feb.

2003

Dec.

2003

Jan.

2004

Jan.

2003

Nov.

2003

Dec.

2003

U.S. city average ............................................ M 180.2 179.9 180.9 181.9 1.5 1.1 0.6 1.8 0.4 0.6 

Region and area size2

Northeast urban .............................................. M 191.9 191.7 192.6 193.6 2.7 1.0 .5 2.9 .4 .5 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 192.8 192.7 193.3 194.3 2.7 .8 .5 3.0 .3 .3 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 115.4 115.2 116.1 116.7 2.4 1.3 .5 2.6 .6 .8 

Midwest urban ................................................ M 173.9 173.4 174.5 175.3 1.2 1.1 .5 1.6 .3 .6 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 175.7 175.1 176.2 176.9 1.3 1.0 .4 1.9 .3 .6 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 112.7 112.4 113.3 113.8 1.2 1.2 .4 1.4 .5 .8 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 169.1 169.1 169.4 170.6 .3 .9 .7 .6 .2 .2 

South urban .................................................... M 174.3 174.2 175.0 175.8 1.1 .9 .5 1.4 .4 .5 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 176.4 176.4 177.1 178.0 1.3 .9 .5 1.8 .4 .4 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 111.9 111.8 112.3 112.7 .9 .8 .4 1.3 .4 .4 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 174.5 174.2 174.6 176.0 .7 1.0 .8 .8 .1 .2 

West urban ..................................................... M 183.5 183.3 184.3 185.7 1.4 1.3 .8 1.5 .4 .5 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 184.4 183.9 185.0 186.5 1.1 1.4 .8 1.4 .3 .6 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 114.6 114.8 115.4 116.4 2.1 1.4 .9 1.9 .7 .5 

Size classes

A 4 .............................................................. M 167.1 166.8 167.6 168.6 1.7 1.1 .6 2.0 .3 .5 

B/C 3 ........................................................... M 113.0 112.9 113.6 114.2 1.4 1.2 .5 1.6 .5 .6 

D ................................................................. M 174.5 174.3 174.8 175.8 .6 .9 .6 .9 .2 .3 

Selected local areas5

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI ................... M 179.1 178.8 179.0 179.9 1.0 .6 .5 1.5 -.1 .1 

Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA ... M 180.5 180.2 181.7 183.4 2.1 1.8 .9 2.2 .7 .8 

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

NY-NJ-CT-PA ......................................... M 194.7 194.6 194.9 196.3 2.6 .9 .7 2.7 .1 .2 

Boston-Brockton-Nashua, MA-NH-ME-CT ..... 1 205.6 -

 206.8 - - - - 3.8 .6 -

Cleveland-Akron, OH ...................................... 1 168.3 - 169.8 - - - - 2.7 .9 -

Dallas-Fort Worth, TX ..................................... 1 175.6 -

 175.7 - - - - 1.4 .1 -

Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV 6 ...... 1 116.1 - 116.5 - - - - 2.1 .3 -

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

 176.6 - 178.7 .3 1.2 - - - -

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

 175.9 - 178.1 .7 1.3 - - - -

Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX .................... 2 - 162.2 - 165.7 2.5 2.2 - - - -

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

 178.9 - 180.8 1.6 1.1 - - - -

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,

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

 189.0 - 191.2 2.9 1.2 - - - -

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

 191.1 - 194.1 .2 1.6 - - - -

Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA .................... 2 - 185.3 - 187.8 .9 1.3 - - - -

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 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,

2001-2002

 Unadjusted

 indexes

 Unadjusted

 percent change to

 Feb. 2004 from—

 Jan.

 2004

 Feb.

 2004

 Feb.

 2003

 Jan.

 2004

Expenditure category

All items ...................................................................................... 100.000 108.1 108.7 1.4 0.6 

Food and beverages ................................................................ 15.076 109.9 110.0 2.9 .1 

Food ....................................................................................... 14.086 109.9 110.0 3.0 .1 

Food at home ....................................................................... 8.062 109.1 109.1 3.3 .0 

Food away from home .......................................................... 6.023 110.9 111.2 2.6 .3 

Alcoholic beverages ............................................................... .990 109.7 110.0 2.1 .3 

Housing .................................................................................... 41.793 112.1 112.5 2.0 .4 

Shelter .................................................................................... 32.380 113.8 114.2 2.1 .4 

Fuels and utilities .................................................................... 4.643 120.1 120.5 5.8 .3 

Household furnishings and operations ................................... 4.771 95.7 96.0 -1.9 .3 

Apparel ..................................................................................... 4.317 87.6 89.7 -.9 2.4 

Transportation .......................................................................... 17.315 104.3 105.4 -.8 1.1 

Private transportation ............................................................. 16.206 104.4 105.5 -1.0 1.1 

Public transportation ............................................................... 1.109 102.4 103.3 2.1 .9 

Medical care ............................................................................. 5.783 118.9 119.8 4.1 .8 

Medical care commodities ...................................................... 1.466 113.2 113.7 2.3 .4 

Medical care services ............................................................. 4.317 120.8 121.9 4.6 .9 

Recreation ................................................................................ 5.978 103.5 103.9 .6 .4 

Education and communication ................................................. 6.004 99.5 99.5 -.4 .0 

Education ............................................................................... 2.560 129.0 129.3 7.2 .2 

Communication ...................................................................... 3.444 81.0 80.9 -5.6 -.1 

Other goods and services ........................................................ 3.734 112.9 113.2 1.5 .3 

Commodity and service group

Services ...................................................................................... 58.567 114.3 114.7 2.6 .3 

Commodities .............................................................................. 41.433 100.2 101.0 -.3 .8 

Durables ................................................................................... 12.521 87.1 87.3 -4.4 .2 

Nondurables ............................................................................... 28.912 106.3 107.3 1.6 .9 

All items less food and energy ................................................. 78.985 106.7 107.2 .8 .5 

Energy ........................................................................................ 6.929 120.9 123.6 4.0 2.2 

Indexes for 2004 are initial estimates. Indexes for 2003 are interim adjustments.

NOTE: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.
Table 1 (OW). Old Weight Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure

category and commodity and service group 

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

Item and group

Relative

importance,

December

2003

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Feb. 2004 from—

Jan.

2004

Feb.

2004

Feb.

2003

Jan.

2004

Expenditure category

All items ............................................................................................... 100.000 185.3 186.3 1.7 0.5 

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

 555.1 558.2 - -

Food and beverages .......................................................................... 15.832 184.3 184.6 3.2 .2 

Food ................................................................................................ 14.801 183.9 184.1 3.3 .1 

Food at home ................................................................................ 8.558 184.0 184.0 3.6 .0 

Cereals and bakery products ....................................................... 1.293 204.1 204.4 1.3 .1 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ...................................................... 2.433 179.8 179.4 8.9 -.2 

Dairy and related products .......................................................... .889 172.4 172.2 3.0 -.1 

Fruits and vegetables .................................................................. 1.252 232.4 230.1 3.0 -1.0 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ........................ .933 140.9 141.4 .4 .4 

Other food at home ...................................................................... 1.759 162.8 163.8 1.0 .6 

Sugar and sweets ...................................................................... .311 163.0 163.9 1.3 .6 

Fats and oils .............................................................................. .255 160.6 162.4 2.3 1.1 

Other foods ................................................................................ 1.192 178.0 178.9 .6 .5 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 ................................................... .280 109.1 109.4 -1.0 .3 

Food away from home ................................................................... 6.243 185.0 185.5 2.7 .3 

Other food away from home 1 ..................................................... .391 124.1 124.4 3.5 .2 

Alcoholic beverages ........................................................................ 1.031 189.3 189.9 2.2 .3 

Housing ............................................................................................. 40.998 186.3 187.0 2.1 .4 

Shelter ............................................................................................. 31.834 215.3 216.1 2.1 .4 

Rent of primary residence 2 ........................................................... 6.516 208.3 208.8 2.5 .2 

Lodging away from home 1 ........................................................... 2.693 118.0 120.9 2.8 2.5 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 2 3 .......................... 22.261 222.6 222.9 1.9 .1 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 ............................................. .364 114.6 114.9 .7 .3 

Fuels and utilities ............................................................................. 4.674 156.2 156.8 5.7 .4 

Fuels .............................................................................................. 3.787 139.1 139.4 5.7 .2 

Fuel oil and other fuels ................................................................ .220 149.9 155.2 -.7 3.5 

Gas (piped) and electricity 2 ........................................................ 3.568 145.4 145.4 6.2 .0 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 1 .......................... .887 120.6 121.8 5.9 1.0 

Household furnishings and operations ............................................ 4.489 125.3 125.7 -1.6 .3 

Household operations 1 ................................................................. .822 122.8 123.7 1.4 .7 

Apparel .............................................................................................. 4.058 116.2 119.1 -1.2 2.5

Men’s and boys’ apparel .................................................................. 1.034 115.6 116.8 -.4 1.0 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ............................................................. 1.673 105.6 110.7 -1.5 4.8 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel .......................................................... .180 117.5 119.5 -2.3 1.7 

Footwear .......................................................................................... .822 116.1 117.4 -2.0 1.1 

Transportation ................................................................................... 17.035 157.1 158.9 .0 1.1 

Private transportation ...................................................................... 15.870 153.3 155.0 -.2 1.1 

New and used motor vehicles 1 ..................................................... 7.674 94.3 94.4 -3.7 .1 

New vehicles ............................................................................... 4.686 138.0 138.3 -.6 .2 

Used cars and trucks ................................................................... 1.753 130.8 131.0 -11.7 .2 

Motor fuel ....................................................................................... 3.269 136.7 143.2 2.0 4.8 

Gasoline (all types) ...................................................................... 3.241 136.1 142.5 2.0 4.7 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment ............................................... .411 108.0 108.0 -.2 .0 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair .......................................... 1.426 198.2 198.2 1.9 .0 

Public transportation ........................................................................ 1.165 206.3 208.0 2.2 .8 

Medical care ...................................................................................... 6.067 303.6 306.1 4.2 .8 

Medical care commodities ............................................................... 1.390 265.5 266.7 2.4 .5 

Medical care services ...................................................................... 4.677 313.9 316.7 4.8 .9 

Professional services ..................................................................... 2.833 265.5 268.0 3.6 .9 

Hospital and related services 2 ...................................................... 1.515 409.8 413.0 6.4 .8 

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

category and commodity and service group -Continued

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

Item and group

Relative

importance,

December

2003

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Feb. 2004 from—

Jan.

2004

Feb.

2004

Feb.

2003

Jan.

2004

Expenditure category

Recreation 1 ...................................................................................... 5.897 108.0 108.5 1.2 0.5 

Video and audio 1 ............................................................................ 1.609 103.8 104.3 .5 .5 

Education and communication 1 ........................................................ 5.780 111.2 111.3 1.5 .1 

Education 1 ...................................................................................... 2.985 140.2 140.5 7.3 .2 

Educational books and supplies .................................................... .246 345.5 348.9 4.8 1.0 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ....................................... 2.740 403.9 404.5 7.5 .1 

Communication 1 ............................................................................. 2.794 88.1 88.0 -4.2 -.1 

Information and information processing 1 ...................................... 2.600 86.1 86.0 -4.6 -.1 

Telephone services 1 ................................................................... 2.171 97.1 97.1 -3.4 .0 

Information technology, hardware and services 4 ....................... .429 15.3 15.2 -10.1 -.7 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 ...................... .169 16.2 16.0 -16.2 -1.2 

Other goods and services .................................................................. 4.333 301.5 302.4 1.6 .3 

Tobacco and smoking products ....................................................... .969 473.1 472.3 -.1 -.2 

Personal care .................................................................................. 3.364 179.7 180.5 2.2 .4 

Personal care products .................................................................. .668 153.9 154.5 .8 .4 

Personal care services .................................................................. .901 194.6 195.2 2.3 .3 

Miscellaneous personal services ................................................... 1.601 288.9 290.8 3.7 .7 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ........................................................................................ 40.254 151.1 152.4 .3 .9 

Food and beverages .......................................................................... 15.832 184.3 184.6 3.2 .2 

Commodities less food and beverages ............................................. 24.422 132.7 134.4 -1.5 1.3 

Nondurables less food and beverages ............................................ 13.706 148.5 151.6 .3 2.1 

Apparel .......................................................................................... 4.058 116.2 119.1 -1.2 2.5 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel ........................... 9.648 172.3 175.6 .9 1.9 

Durables .......................................................................................... 10.716 115.1 115.3 -3.7 .2 

Services ............................................................................................... 59.746 219.2 220.0 2.8 .4 

Rent of shelter 3 ................................................................................ 31.470 224.2 225.0 2.1 .4 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 ................................................. .364 114.6 114.9 .7 .3 

Gas (piped) and electricity 2 .............................................................. 3.568 145.4 145.4 6.2 .0 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 1 .............................. .887 120.6 121.8 5.9 1.0 

Household operations 1 ..................................................................... .822 122.8 123.7 1.4 .7 

Transportation services ..................................................................... 6.774 218.9 219.5 2.9 .3 

Medical care services ........................................................................ 4.677 313.9 316.7 4.8 .9 

Other services ................................................................................... 11.183 258.5 259.4 2.8 .3 

Special indexes

All items less food ................................................................................ 85.199 185.6 186.7 1.5 .6 

All items less shelter ............................................................................ 68.166 175.6 176.8 1.6 .7 

All items less medical care .................................................................. 93.933 179.2 180.2 1.6 .6 

Commodities less food ........................................................................ 25.453 134.7 136.4 -1.4 1.3 

Nondurables less food ......................................................................... 14.737 150.9 153.8 .3 1.9 

Nondurables less food and apparel ..................................................... 10.679 173.0 176.0 .9 1.7 

Nondurables ........................................................................................ 29.538 166.5 168.2 1.8 1.0 

Services less rent of shelter 3 .............................................................. 28.276 229.8 230.7 3.5 .4 

Services less medical care services .................................................... 55.068 211.1 211.8 2.6 .3 

Energy ................................................................................................. 7.056 137.4 140.7 3.9 2.4 

All items less energy ............................................................................ 92.944 192.0 192.8 1.6 .4 

All items less food and energy ........................................................... 78.143 194.1 195.0 1.3 .5 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ............................ 21.965 138.5 139.5 -1.8 .7 

Energy commodities ...................................................................... 3.488 138.2 144.6 1.8 4.6 

Services less energy services ......................................................... 56.178 226.7 227.6 2.6 .4 

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

 $ .540 $ .537 - -

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

 $ .180 $ .179 - -

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

All other item stratum index series were calculated using a geometric

means estimator.

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

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

average, by expenditure category and commodity and service group 

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

Item and group

Relative

importance,

December

2003

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Feb. 2004 from—

Jan.

2004

Feb.

2004

Feb.

2003

Jan.

2004

Expenditure category

All items ............................................................................................... 100.000 180.9 181.9 1.5 0.6 

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

 538.7 541.7 - -

Food and beverages .......................................................................... 17.410 183.8 184.1 3.3 .2 

Food ................................................................................................ 16.404 183.4 183.6 3.3 .1 

Food at home ................................................................................ 9.937 183.3 183.3 3.7 .0 

Cereals and bakery products ....................................................... 1.467 204.0 204.4 1.2 .2 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ...................................................... 3.043 179.7 179.5 9.1 -.1 

Dairy and related products .......................................................... .993 172.2 171.8 2.8 -.2 

Fruits and vegetables .................................................................. 1.355 230.1 228.1 2.8 -.9 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ........................ 1.096 140.1 140.8 .5 .5 

Other food at home ...................................................................... 1.982 162.4 163.4 .9 .6 

Sugar and sweets ...................................................................... .335 162.7 163.5 1.4 .5 

Fats and oils .............................................................................. .306 160.7 162.4 2.3 1.1 

Other foods ................................................................................ 1.341 178.3 179.3 .4 .6 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 ................................................... .302 109.5 109.8 -1.0 .3 

Food away from home ................................................................... 6.466 184.9 185.4 2.7 .3 

Other food away from home 1 ..................................................... .280 124.2 124.4 3.3 .2 

Alcoholic beverages ........................................................................ 1.007 189.4 190.0 2.3 .3 

Housing ............................................................................................. 38.367 182.0 182.6 2.2 .3 

Shelter ............................................................................................. 29.566 209.1 209.6 2.0 .2 

Rent of primary residence 2 ........................................................... 8.532 207.4 207.9 2.4 .2 

Lodging away from home 1 ........................................................... 1.525 117.9 120.6 2.2 2.3 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 2 3 .......................... 19.185 202.1 202.3 1.9 .1 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 ............................................. .324 114.7 114.9 .9 .2 

Fuels and utilities ............................................................................. 5.017 155.6 156.2 6.0 .4 

Fuels .............................................................................................. 4.111 138.0 138.3 6.0 .2 

Fuel oil and other fuels ................................................................ .206 149.6 154.8 -.6 3.5 

Gas (piped) and electricity 2 ........................................................ 3.905 144.7 144.7 6.4 .0 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 1 .......................... .906 120.7 121.9 5.9 1.0 

Household furnishings and operations ............................................ 3.784 120.9 121.4 -1.7 .4 

Household operations 1 ................................................................. .360 124.0 125.3 2.0 1.0 

Apparel .............................................................................................. 4.483 115.5 118.0 -1.2 2.2

Men’s and boys’ apparel .................................................................. 1.147 115.3 116.3 -.4 .9 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ............................................................. 1.744 104.9 109.4 -1.4 4.3 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel .......................................................... .230 119.6 120.9 -2.2 1.1 

Footwear .......................................................................................... 1.090 115.8 117.1 -1.8 1.1 

Transportation ................................................................................... 19.281 155.0 156.9 -.8 1.2 

Private transportation ...................................................................... 18.361 152.3 154.1 -1.0 1.2 

New and used motor vehicles 1 ..................................................... 8.868 92.7 92.8 -5.2 .1 

New vehicles ............................................................................... 4.524 139.2 139.6 -.5 .3 

Used cars and trucks ................................................................... 3.283 131.5 131.7 -11.7 .2 

Motor fuel ....................................................................................... 4.029 137.1 143.6 1.9 4.7 

Gasoline (all types) ...................................................................... 3.995 136.6 143.0 1.9 4.7 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment ............................................... .521 107.6 107.5 .0 -.1 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair .......................................... 1.469 199.9 200.0 1.9 .1 

Public transportation ........................................................................ .920 204.4 205.8 3.0 .7 

Medical care ...................................................................................... 4.844 303.0 305.5 4.3 .8 

Medical care commodities ............................................................... 1.017 259.9 261.0 2.3 .4 

Medical care services ...................................................................... 3.827 314.0 316.9 4.8 .9 

Professional services ..................................................................... 2.290 267.9 270.4 3.6 .9 

Hospital and related services 2 ...................................................... 1.232 406.3 409.7 6.5 .8 

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

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

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

Item and group

Relative

importance,

December

2003

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Feb. 2004 from—

Jan.

2004

Feb.

2004

Feb.

2003

Jan.

2004

Expenditure category

Recreation 1 ...................................................................................... 5.515 105.8 106.4 0.9 0.6 

Video and audio 1 ............................................................................ 1.766 103.0 103.5 .5 .5 

Education and communication 1 ........................................................ 5.559 109.9 110.0 .7 .1 

Education 1 ...................................................................................... 2.595 139.1 139.4 6.7 .2 

Educational books and supplies .................................................... .226 346.2 349.3 4.7 .9 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ....................................... 2.369 392.7 393.3 6.9 .2 

Communication 1 ............................................................................. 2.965 89.6 89.6 -4.1 .0 

Information and information processing 1 ...................................... 2.807 88.2 88.1 -4.4 -.1 

Telephone services 1 ................................................................... 2.427 97.3 97.3 -3.4 .0 

Information technology, hardware and services 4 ....................... .381 15.8 15.7 -10.3 -.6 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 ...................... .154 15.9 15.7 -15.6 -1.3 

Other goods and services .................................................................. 4.540 309.4 310.0 1.2 .2 

Tobacco and smoking products ....................................................... 1.508 474.2 473.3 -.3 -.2 

Personal care .................................................................................. 3.033 178.4 179.1 1.9 .4 

Personal care products .................................................................. .772 154.6 155.2 .8 .4 

Personal care services .................................................................. .901 195.1 195.8 2.2 .4 

Miscellaneous personal services ................................................... 1.193 288.4 290.0 3.6 .6 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ........................................................................................ 44.446 151.5 152.8 .0 .9 

Food and beverages .......................................................................... 17.410 183.8 184.1 3.3 .2 

Commodities less food and beverages ............................................. 27.036 133.5 135.3 -2.0 1.3 

Nondurables less food and beverages ............................................ 15.078 151.0 154.2 .3 2.1 

Apparel .......................................................................................... 4.483 115.5 118.0 -1.2 2.2 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel ........................... 10.596 176.5 180.1 .8 2.0 

Durables .......................................................................................... 11.957 114.0 114.3 -4.7 .3 

Services ............................................................................................... 55.554 215.3 216.0 2.8 .3 

Rent of shelter 3 ................................................................................ 29.242 201.3 201.9 2.0 .3 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 ................................................. .324 114.7 114.9 .9 .2 

Gas (piped) and electricity 2 .............................................................. 3.905 144.7 144.7 6.4 .0 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 1 .............................. .906 120.7 121.9 5.9 1.0 

Household operations 1 ..................................................................... .360 124.0 125.3 2.0 1.0 

Transportation services ..................................................................... 6.796 219.3 219.9 3.1 .3 

Medical care services ........................................................................ 3.827 314.0 316.9 4.8 .9 

Other services ................................................................................... 10.194 251.8 252.6 2.2 .3 

Special indexes

All items less food ................................................................................ 83.596 180.2 181.4 1.2 .7 

All items less shelter ............................................................................ 70.434 172.5 173.7 1.3 .7 

All items less medical care .................................................................. 95.156 175.6 176.6 1.4 .6 

Commodities less food ........................................................................ 28.042 135.5 137.2 -1.8 1.3 

Nondurables less food ......................................................................... 16.085 153.3 156.3 .3 2.0 

Nondurables less food and apparel ..................................................... 11.602 176.9 180.3 .9 1.9 

Nondurables ........................................................................................ 32.489 167.7 169.5 1.8 1.1 

Services less rent of shelter 3 .............................................................. 26.312 204.2 204.9 3.5 .3 

Services less medical care services .................................................... 51.727 207.6 208.2 2.6 .3 

Energy ................................................................................................. 8.139 136.9 140.3 3.8 2.5 

All items less energy ............................................................................ 91.861 187.2 187.9 1.3 .4 

All items less food and energy ........................................................... 75.457 188.3 189.1 .9 .4 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ............................ 23.808 138.2 139.0 -2.5 .6 

Energy commodities ...................................................................... 4.234 138.2 144.7 1.8 4.7 

Services less energy services ......................................................... 51.649 223.1 223.9 2.5 .4 

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

 $ .553 $ .550 - -

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

 $ .186 $ .185 - -

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

All other item stratum index series were calculated using a geometric

means estimator.

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

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

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

Area

All items 

Pricing

schedule 1

Indexes Percent change to 

Feb. 2004 from—

Percent change to 

Jan. 2004 from—

Nov.

2003

Dec.

2003

Jan.

2004

Feb.

2004

Feb.

2003

Dec.

2003

Jan.

2004

Jan.

2003

Nov.

2003

Dec.

2003

U.S. city average ............................................ M 184.5 184.3 185.3 186.3 1.7 1.1 0.5 2.0 0.4 0.5 

Region and area size2

Northeast urban .............................................. M 195.1 194.9 195.9 196.7 2.6 .9 .4 2.8 .4 .5 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 197.3 197.1 197.9 198.7 2.7 .8 .4 3.0 .3 .4 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 115.3 115.0 115.9 116.5 2.4 1.3 .5 2.5 .5 .8 

Midwest urban ................................................ M 178.9 178.4 179.5 180.3 1.4 1.1 .4 1.9 .3 .6 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 181.4 180.9 182.0 182.5 1.4 .9 .3 2.1 .3 .6 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 113.6 113.3 114.1 114.7 1.7 1.2 .5 1.9 .4 .7 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 171.4 171.5 171.7 173.1 .3 .9 .8 .6 .2 .1 

South urban .................................................... M 177.5 177.5 178.2 179.2 1.6 1.0 .6 1.8 .4 .4 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 179.1 179.2 179.9 181.0 1.5 1.0 .6 1.8 .4 .4 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 113.3 113.3 113.8 114.3 1.6 .9 .4 1.9 .4 .4 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 175.4 175.1 175.4 176.8 1.1 1.0 .8 1.3 .0 .2 

West urban ..................................................... M 188.5 188.3 189.5 191.1 1.6 1.5 .8 1.6 .5 .6 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 191.0 190.6 191.9 193.6 1.4 1.6 .9 1.4 .5 .7 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 114.9 115.2 116.0 117.0 2.2 1.6 .9 1.9 1.0 .7 

Size classes

A 4 .............................................................. M 168.9 168.7 169.6 170.5 1.8 1.1 .5 2.1 .4 .5 

B/C 3 ........................................................... M 113.9 113.8 114.6 115.2 1.9 1.2 .5 2.0 .6 .7 

D ................................................................. M 176.6 176.5 176.9 177.9 1.1 .8 .6 1.3 .2 .2 

Selected local areas5

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI ................... M 185.6 185.5 185.3 186.3 1.2 .4 .5 1.4 -.2 -.1 

Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA ... M 187.1 187.0 188.6 190.5 2.1 1.9 1.0 1.8 .8 .9 

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

NY-NJ-CT-PA ......................................... M 199.4 199.3 200.0 201.2 2.5 1.0 .6 2.7 .3 .4 

Boston-Brockton-Nashua, MA-NH-ME-CT ..... 1 206.5 -

 208.0 - - - - 4.1 .7 -

Cleveland-Akron, OH ...................................... 1 177.6 -

 178.3 - - - - 2.8 .4 -

Dallas-Fort Worth, TX ..................................... 1 175.9 - 176.1 - - - - 1.2 .1 -

Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV 6 ...... 1 116.7 -

 117.2 - - - - 2.3 .4 -

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

 179.0 - 181.1 .2 1.2 - - - -

Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI .............................. 2 - 181.3 - 183.3 .5 1.1 - - - -

Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX .................... 2 -

 164.1 - 168.5 2.7 2.7 - - - -

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

 181.6 - 183.5 1.8 1.0 - - - -

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,

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

 189.0 - 191.1 2.4 1.1 - - - -

San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA ........... 2 - 195.3 - 199.0 .7 1.9 - - - -

Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA .................... 2 -

 191.0 - 193.9 1.4 1.5 - - - -

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

 most other goods and services priced as indicated: 

 M - Every month. 

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

 2 - February, April, June, August, October, and December. 2 Regions defined as the four Census regions. See map in technical

notes. 3 Indexes on a December 1996=100 base. 4 Indexes on a December 1986=100 base. 5 In addition, the following metropolitan areas are published semiannually

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

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

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

Milwaukee-Racine, WI; Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI; 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 (OW). Old Weight Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W): Selected areas, all items

index 

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

Area

All items 

Pricing

schedule 1

Indexes Percent change to 

Feb. 2004 from—

Percent change to 

Jan. 2004 from—

Nov.

2003

Dec.

2003

Jan.

2004

Feb.

2004

Feb.

2003

Dec.

2003

Jan.

2004

Jan.

2003

Nov.

2003

Dec.

2003

U.S. city average ............................................ M 180.2 179.9 180.9 181.9 1.5 1.1 0.6 1.8 0.4 0.6 

Region and area size2

Northeast urban .............................................. M 191.9 191.7 192.5 193.5 2.6 .9 .5 2.8 .3 .4 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 192.8 192.7 193.2 194.1 2.6 .7 .5 2.9 .2 .3 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 115.4 115.2 116.2 116.8 2.5 1.4 .5 2.7 .7 .9 

Midwest urban ................................................ M 173.9 173.4 174.4 175.2 1.1 1.0 .5 1.5 .3 .6 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 175.7 175.1 176.1 176.7 1.2 .9 .3 1.9 .2 .6 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 112.7 112.4 113.3 113.8 1.2 1.2 .4 1.4 .5 .8 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 169.1 169.1 169.3 170.6 .3 .9 .8 .5 .1 .1 

South urban .................................................... M 174.3 174.2 175.0 175.8 1.1 .9 .5 1.4 .4 .5 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 176.4 176.4 177.2 178.2 1.4 1.0 .6 1.8 .5 .5 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 111.9 111.8 112.3 112.7 .9 .8 .4 1.3 .4 .4 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 174.5 174.2 174.5 175.9 .6 1.0 .8 .8 .0 .2 

West urban ..................................................... M 183.5 183.3 184.3 185.9 1.5 1.4 .9 1.5 .4 .5 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 184.4 183.9 185.1 186.7 1.2 1.5 .9 1.4 .4 .7 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 114.6 114.8 115.4 116.3 2.0 1.3 .8 1.9 .7 .5 

Size classes

A 4 .............................................................. M 167.1 166.8 167.6 168.6 1.7 1.1 .6 2.0 .3 .5 

B/C 3 ........................................................... M 113.0 112.9 113.6 114.2 1.4 1.2 .5 1.6 .5 .6 

D ................................................................. M 174.5 174.3 174.7 175.8 .6 .9 .6 .9 .1 .2 

Selected local areas5

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI ................... M 179.1 178.8 178.9 180.0 1.1 .7 .6 1.4 -.1 .1 

Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA ... M 180.5 180.2 181.6 183.5 2.2 1.8 1.0 2.1 .6 .8 

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

NY-NJ-CT-PA ......................................... M 194.7 194.6 195.0 196.2 2.6 .8 .6 2.8 .2 .2 

Boston-Brockton-Nashua, MA-NH-ME-CT ..... 1 205.6 -

 206.3 - - - - 3.5 .3 -

Cleveland-Akron, OH ...................................... 1 168.3 - 169.4 - - - - 2.5 .7 -

Dallas-Fort Worth, TX ..................................... 1 175.6 -

 175.8 - - - - 1.4 .1 -

Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV 6 ...... 1 116.1 -

 116.6 - - - - 2.2 .4 -

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

 176.6 - 178.6 .3 1.1 - - - -

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

 175.9 - 177.8 .6 1.1 - - - -

Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX .................... 2 -

 162.2 - 166.1 2.7 2.4 - - - -

Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ............................. 2 - 178.9 - 181.0 1.7 1.2 - - - -

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,

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

 189.0 - 190.7 2.6 .9 - - - -

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

 191.1 - 194.8 .6 1.9 - - - -

Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA .................... 2 - 185.3 - 187.7 .8 1.3 - - - -

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 map in technical

notes. 3 Indexes on a December 1996=100 base. 4 Indexes on a December 1986=100 base. 5 In addition, the following metropolitan areas are published semiannually

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

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

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

Milwaukee-Racine, WI; Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI; 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.