News United States 

Department 

of Labor 

Bureau of Labor Statistics Washington, D.C. 20212 

FOR TECHNICAL INFORMATION: 

Patrick C. Jackman (202) 691-7000 USDL-05-99 

CPI QUICKLINE: (202) 691-6994 TRANSMISSION OF 

FOR CURRENT AND HISTORICAL MATERIAL IN THIS 

INFORMATION: (202) 691-5200 RELEASE IS EMBARGOED 

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INTERNET ADDRESS: http://www.bls.gov/cpi/ Wednesday, January 19, 2005 

CONSUMER PRICE INDEX: DECEMBER 2004 

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) decreased 0.4 percent in December, 

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

The December level of 190.3 (1982-84=100) was 3.3 percent higher than in December 2003. 

The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) also decreased 0.4 

percent in December, prior to seasonal adjustment. The December level of 186.0 was 3.4 percent higher than 

in December 2003. 

The Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U) declined 0.4 percent in 

December on a not seasonally adjusted basis. The December level of 110.7 (December 1999=100) was 2.9 

percent higher than in December 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 decreased 0.1 percent in December, following an increase of 

0.2 percent in November. The index for food was unchanged in December, with the index for food at home 

down 0.2 percent. Energy costs fell 1.8 percent in December, following a 0.2 percent increase in November. 

A 3.7 percent decline in the index for petroleum-based energy more than offset a 0.4 percent increase in the 

index for energy services. The index for all items less food and energy increased 0.2 percent in December, the 

same as in each of the preceding two months. 

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

 Seasonally adjusted Un-

 Compound adjusted

Expenditure Changes from preceding month annual rate 12-mos. 

Category 2004 3-mos. ended ended

 June July Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec. Dec. ’04 Dec. ’04

All Items .3 -.1 .1 .2 .6 .2 -.1 3.0 3.3

 Food and beverages .2 .2 .1 .0 .5 .2 -.1 2.8 2.6 

 Housing .3 .2 .2 .2 .2 .3 .2 2.5 3.0 

 Apparel .2 -.8 -.2 .0 .2 .1 -.4 -.7 -.2 

 Transportation .8 -.8 -.3 .2 2.3 -.1 -.9 5.2 6.5 

 Medical care .3 .3 .2 .3 .4 .2 .3 3.8 4.2 

 Recreation .3 -.2 -.2 .2 .1 .1 -.1 .4 .7 

 Education and 

 communication .2 -.1 .1 .4 -.3 .4 .0 .4 1.5 

 Other goods and 

 services .1 .3 .2 .3 .2 .1 .5 3.0 2.5 

 Special Indexes 

 Energy 2.6 -1.9 -.3 -.4 4.2 .2 -1.8 10.4 16.6 

 Food .2 .3 .1 .0 .6 .2 .0 3.0 2.7 

 All Items less 

 food and energy .1 .1 .1 .3 .2 .2 .2 2.0 2.2 
Consumer prices rose at a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of 3.0 percent in the fourth quarter of 

2004. This followed increases in the first three quarters at annual rates of 5.1, 4.8, and 0.6 percent, respectively. For 

the 12 month period ended in December, the CPI rose 3.3 percent. This compares with an increase of 1.9 percent in 

all of 2003. In 2004, the index for energy rose 16.6 percent, its largest annual increase since an 18.1 percent rise in 

1990, and accounted for about 36 percent of the overall advance in the CPI-U. The food index, which rose 3.6

percent in 2003, increased 2.7 percent in 2004. The index for food at home rose 2.4 percent in 2004, following a 4.5 

percent increase in 2003. A smaller increase in the index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs--up 1.1 percent in 2004 

after increasing 11.5 percent in 2003--was largely responsible for the moderation.

Excluding food and energy, the CPI-U advanced at a 2.0 percent SAAR in the fourth quarter, following 

increases at rates of 2.9, 2.3, and 1.8 percent in the first three quarters of 2004. The 2.2 percent advance in 2004

compares with a 1.1 percent rise in all of 2003. Five of the seven major non-food groups, including the non-energy 

portions of housing and transportation, advanced more in 2004 than in 2003. In particular, the upturn in prices for 

new and used vehicles and a larger increase in shelter costs accounted for almost three-fourths of the acceleration in 

the index for all items less food and energy. The annual rates for selected groups for the last eight years are shown 

below.

Percentage change 12 months

 ended in December

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

All items 1.7 1.6 2.7 3.4 1.6 2.4 1.9 3.3

 Food and beverages 1.6 2.3 2.0 2.8 2.8 1.5 3.5 2.6

 Housing 2.4 2.3 2.2 4.3 2.9 2.4 2.2 3.0

 Apparel 1.0 -.7 -.5 -1.8 -3.2 -1.8 -2.1 -.2

 Transportation -1.4 -1.7 5.4 4.1 -3.8 3.8 .3 6.5

 Medical care 2.8 3.4 3.7 4.2 4.7 5.0 3.7 4.2

 Recreation 1.5 1.2 .8 1.7 1.5 1.1 1.1 .7

 Education and

 communication 3.0 .7 1.6 1.3 3.2 2.2 1.6 1.5

 Other goods and services 5.2 8.8 5.1 4.2 4.5 3.3 1.5 2.5

Special indexes

 Energy -3.4 -8.8 13.4 14.2 -13.0 10.7 6.9 16.6

 Energy commodities -6.9 -15.1 29.5 15.7 -24.5 23.7 6.9 26.7

 Energy services .2 -3.3 1.2 12.7 -1.5 .4 6.9 6.8

 All items less energy 2.1 2.4 2.0 2.6 2.8 1.8 1.5 2.2

 Food 1.5 2.3 1.9 2.8 2.8 1.5 3.6 2.7

 All items less

 food and energy 2.2 2.4 1.9 2.6 2.7 1.9 1.1 2.2
The food and beverages index registered a 0.1 percent decline in December. The index for food at home

declined 0.2 percent, reflecting decreases in four of the six major grocery store food groups. The index for fruits and 

vegetables turned down in December, declining 0.9 percent, but advanced 7.9 percent during the last 12 months. In 

December, the indexes for fresh fruits and for fresh vegetables declined 0.7 and 1.3 percent, respectively. (Prior to 

seasonal adjustment, prices for fresh fruits and for fresh vegetables each rose 1.4 percent in December.) The index

for processed fruits and vegetables declined 0.5 percent in December. Price declines for cereal and bakery products, 

for dairy products, and for other food at home also contributed to the drop in the overall food at home index in 

December. Partially offsetting these declines, the indexes for meats, poultry, fish and eggs and for nonalcoholic 

beverages each increased 0.4 percent in December. Within the meats, poultry, fish, and eggs group, beef prices

turned up in December but declined 0.9 percent during the last 12 months. During the 12 month period ended in 

December 2003, beef prices had increased 23.5 percent. Egg prices turned up sharply in December, but declined 

19.9 percent in 2004 after increasing 30.1 percent in the preceding 12 month period. Prices for pork and for poultry

declined in December, but rose 4.7 and 5.1 percent, respectively, in 2004. The other two components of the food 

and beverages index--food away from home and alcoholic beverages--increased 0.2 and declined 0.1 percent, 

respectively, in December and rose 3.0 and 2.8 percent in 2004.

The index for housing increased 0.2 percent in December. Shelter costs, which were virtually unchanged in 

November, increased 0.2 percent in December. Within shelter, the indexes for rent and for owners' equivalent rent

each rose 0.2 percent and the index for lodging away from home rose 0.3 percent. (Prior to seasonal adjustment, the 

index for lodging away from home declined 2.6 percent.) During the 12 month period ended in December, the 

indexes for rent and owners’ equivalent rent rose 2.9 and 2.3 percent, respectively. The index for fuels and utilities

increased 0.1 percent in December. Charges for natural gas and for electricity increased 1.0 and 0.1 percent, 

respectively, while the index for fuel oil declined 4.8 percent. During the 12 month period ended in December, 

charges for natural gas and for electricity rose 16.4 and 2.1 percent, respectively, and fuel oil prices increased 39.5

percent. The index for household furnishings and operations decreased 0.1 percent in December, but rose 0.6

percent during the last 12 months, its first annual increase since a 0.2 percent rise in December 2001. 

The transportation index declined 0.9 percent in December, reflecting a 3.7 percent decrease in the index for 

gasoline. Gasoline prices fell 7.1 percent in the six-month period following the peak level reached in June 2004, but 

remained 26.1 percent higher than their level in December 2003. The index for new vehicles increased for the third 

consecutive month--up 0.3 percent in December. (As of December, about 65 percent of the new vehicle sample was 

represented by 2005 models. The 2005 models will continue to be phased in, with appropriate adjustments for 

quality change, over the next several months as they replace old models at dealerships.) New vehicle prices were 0.6

percent higher than in December 2003, their first annual increase since a 1.8 percent advance in the 12 months ended 

in December 1996. The index for used cars and trucks increased 0.4 percent in December, and this index has risen

4.8 percent in the last 12 months after declining 11.8 percent in all of 2003. The index for public transportation 

declined 1.3 percent in December, reflecting a 2.9 percent drop in airline fares. These fares fell 1.5 percent in all of 

2004, their fourth consecutive annual decline. 

The index for apparel declined 0.4 percent in December. (Prior to seasonal adjustment, apparel prices fell 3.4

percent, largely as a result of pre-holiday discounting.) During the 12 month period ended in December, apparel 

prices declined 0.2 percent, their seventh consecutive annual decline.

Medical care costs rose 0.3 percent in December. The index for medical care commodities--prescription 

drugs, nonprescription drugs, and medical supplies--decreased 0.3 percent, reflecting a drop in nonprescription drugs. 

The index for medical care services rose 0.5 percent in December. The indexes for professional services and for

hospital and related services increased 0.3 and 0.8 percent, respectively. In the 12 months ended in December 2004, 

the index for medical care rose 4.2 percent after increasing 3.7 percent in 2003. The acceleration in 2004 reflects 

larger increases in the indexes for prescription drugs and professional services--up 3.5 and 4.0 percent, respectively--

following increases of 2.5 and 2.8 percent in 2003. Charges for hospital and related services increased 5.2 percent in 

the 12 month period ended in December 2004 after advancing 6.4 percent in 2003.

The index for recreation declined 0.1 percent in December. Price increases for cable and satellite television 

and radio service and for pets, pet products and services were more than offset by decreases in the indexes for toys,

for sporting goods, and for photography. During the 12 months ended in December, the indexes for cable and for 

pets increased 4.0 and 4.3 percent, respectively, while prices for toys, for sporting goods and equipment, and for 

photography all declined.

The index for education and communication was unchanged in December. Educational costs increased 0.5

percent, while communication costs declined 0.4 percent. During the 12 months ended in December, educational 
costs rose 6.5 percent, largely as a result of an 8.6 percent rise in the index for college tuition and fees. The index for 

communication declined 3.2 percent during the last 12 months, reflecting declines in prices for long distance telephone 

services and for personal computers and peripheral equipment--down 7.7 and 14.2 percent, respectively.

The index for other goods and services increased 0.5 percent in December, reflecting a 0.6 percent increase in 

the index for tobacco and smoking products. During the 12 months ended in December, these prices increased 3.1 

percent after declining 0.4 percent in all of 2003. 

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

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

percent in December.

 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 1

9

2004 3-mos. ended ended

June July Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec. Dec. ’04 Dec. ’04

All Items .3 -.1 .1 .2 .6 .2 -.1 2.8 ’98‘97Jan.’ 3.4

 Food and beverages .2 .3 .1 .0 .5 .2 .0 2.8 2.6

 Housing .4 .3 .2 .1 .2 .3 .1 2.2 3.0

 Apparel .0 -.7 -.4 .3 .3 -.1 -.3 -.7 -.1

 Transportation .7 -.9 -.2 .4 2.3 -.2 -.8 5.3 7.1

 Medical care .3 .3 .2 .4 .3 .3 .4 3.8 4.3

 Recreation .2 -.3 -.2 .2 .1 .1 .0 .8 .6

 Education and

 communication .2 -.1 .0 .4 -.3 .3 .0 .0 .7

 Other goods and

 services .1 .4 .2 .3 .1 .1 .5 2.8 2.5

 Special Indexes

 Energy 2.7 -2.0 -.5 -.3 4.3 .0 -1.9 9.8 16.9

 Food .1 .3 .1 -.1 .5 .2 -.1 2.8 2.6

 All Items less

 food and energy .2 .1 .1 .3 .2 .2 .1 1.9 2.1

Consumer Price Index data for January are scheduled for release on Wednesday, February 23, 2005, at 8:30 

A.M. (EST). 

 

 

 
Recalculated Seasonally Adjusted Indexes to be Available on February 18, 2005

Each year with the release of the January CPI, seasonal adjustment factors are recalculated to reflect price movements 

from the just-completed calendar year. This routine annual recalculation may result in revisions to seasonally adjusted 

indexes for the previous 5 years. BLS will make available recalculated seasonally adjusted indexes, as well as 

recalculated seasonal adjustment factors, for the period January 2000 through December 2004, on Friday, February 

18, 2005. This date is two working days before the scheduled release of the January 2005 CPI on Wednesday, 

February 23, 2005.

The revised indexes and seasonal factors will be available on the internet. The address is http://www.bls.gov/cpi. 

Look under Tables Created by BLS and select Revised Seasonally Adjusted Data, 2004.

For further information please contact Dan Chow or Jeff Wilson on (202) 691-6968.

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 CPIU and CPI-W are considered final when released, but the C-CPI-U is issued in preliminary form and subject to two 

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

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

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

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

from $10 in 1982-84 to $11.65. 

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

and Analysis Section on (202) 691-7000.

Calculating Index Changes

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

month period.

Index Point Change

CPI 115.7

Less previous index 111.2

Equals index point change 4.5

Percent Change

Index point difference 4.5

Divided by the previous index 111.2

Equals 0.040

Results multiplied by one hundred 0.040x100

Equals percent change 4.0

Regions Defined

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

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

Vermont. 

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

Wisconsin. 

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

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

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

Wyoming. 
A Note on Seasonally Adjusted and Unadjusted Data

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

seasonally adjusted as well as unadjusted changes each month.

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

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

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

sales.

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

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

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

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

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

Subsequent annual updates have replaced 5 years of seasonal data, e.g., data from 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

Dec. 2004 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Nov.

2004

Dec.

2004

Dec.

2003

Nov.

2004

Sep. to

Oct.

Oct. to

Nov.

Nov. to

Dec.

Expenditure category

All items ...................................................................................... 100.000 191.0 190.3 3.3 -0.4 0.6 0.2 -0.1 

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

 572.2 570.1 - - - - -

Food and beverages ................................................................ 15.384 188.6 188.9 2.6 .2 .5 .2 -.1 

Food ....................................................................................... 14.383 188.2 188.5 2.7 .2 .6 .2 .0 

Food at home ....................................................................... 8.256 188.1 188.5 2.4 .2 .8 .3 -.2 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................. 1.202 206.8 206.4 1.7 -.2 .4 .3 -.2 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ............................................ 2.320 182.4 183.1 1.1 .4 -.3 -.5 .4 

Dairy and related products ................................................. .842 180.9 180.1 4.1 -.4 -.2 -.7 -.4 

Fruits and vegetables ......................................................... 1.221 248.3 250.8 7.9 1.0 6.0 3.3 -.9 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials .............. .905 139.6 140.6 .9 .7 -.3 .3 .4 

Other food at home ............................................................ 1.765 164.4 163.6 .4 -.5 .3 -.5 -.5 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................. .305 163.1 161.3 .2 -1.1 -.4 1.2 -1.2 

Fats and oils ..................................................................... .251 167.8 167.4 6.2 -.2 -.8 -.1 .1 

Other foods ....................................................................... 1.210 178.9 178.3 -.7 -.3 .7 -1.0 -.4 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... .308 110.5 110.8 .9 .3 -.5 .5 .3 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 6.127 189.6 189.9 3.0 .2 .3 .1 .2 

Other food away from home 2 ............................................ .332 126.7 127.0 3.3 .2 .7 -.1 .4 

Alcoholic beverages 1 ............................................................ 1.001 194.0 193.9 2.8 -.1 .1 .2 -.1 

Housing .................................................................................... 42.089 190.8 190.7 3.0 -.1 .2 .3 .2 

Shelter .................................................................................... 32.878 219.9 219.8 2.7 .0 .1 .0 .2 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 6.157 213.2 213.9 2.9 .3 .2 .2 .2 

Lodging away from home 2 .................................................. 2.954 121.9 118.7 5.1 -2.6 .2 -.5 .3 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 23.383 226.8 227.2 2.3 .2 .2 .0 .2 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. .385 117.7 118.7 3.8 .8 -.3 1.2 .8 

Fuels and utilities .................................................................... 4.741 165.6 165.7 7.9 .1 -.2 2.1 .1 

Fuels ..................................................................................... 3.830 147.8 148.0 8.4 .1 -.2 2.5 .1 

Fuel oil and other fuels ....................................................... .231 186.6 183.7 34.1 -1.6 8.1 3.5 -3.6 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 3.599 152.7 153.0 6.8 .2 -.9 2.4 .4 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. .910 126.2 126.3 5.4 .1 .3 .2 .2 

Household furnishings and operations ................................... 4.470 125.8 125.5 .6 -.2 1.0 -.2 -.1 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... .704 127.0 127.0 3.6 .0 .1 .6 .0 

Apparel ..................................................................................... 3.975 123.0 118.8 -.2 -3.4 .2 .1 -.4 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ........................................................ 1.024 118.9 116.3 -1.4 -2.2 -1.1 .2 .6 

Women’s and girls’ apparel .................................................... 1.704 116.8 110.0 -.8 -5.8 1.8 -.1 -1.9 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ................................................. .195 120.3 118.6 -.5 -1.4 -.8 -.2 .9 

Footwear ................................................................................ .778 121.8 120.3 1.5 -1.2 -1.1 .2 .6 

Transportation .......................................................................... 16.881 167.2 164.8 6.5 -1.4 2.3 -.1 -.9

Private transportation ............................................................. 15.817 163.6 161.3 7.0 -1.4 2.3 -.2 -.8 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 7.912 95.2 95.4 1.1 .2 .2 .4 .1 

New vehicles ...................................................................... 4.817 137.9 138.8 .6 .7 .4 .7 .3 

Used cars and trucks 1 ....................................................... 2.007 136.7 137.3 4.8 .4 .2 -.1 .4 

Motor fuel ............................................................................. 3.249 171.9 161.2 26.1 -6.2 8.6 -1.8 -3.7 

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................. 3.222 171.0 160.4 26.1 -6.2 8.6 -1.8 -3.7 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... .369 109.9 109.9 2.0 .0 .2 .4 .0 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................. 1.349 202.9 203.3 2.7 .2 .4 .6 .3 

Public transportation ............................................................... 1.064 208.6 205.4 -.1 -1.5 1.4 2.4 -1.3 

Medical care ............................................................................. 6.074 314.1 314.9 4.2 .3 .4 .2 .3 

Medical care commodities ...................................................... 1.499 271.2 270.8 2.2 -.1 .4 .1 -.3 

Medical care services ............................................................. 4.575 326.0 327.3 4.9 .4 .4 .3 .5 

Professional services ........................................................... 2.749 274.2 274.6 4.0 .1 .1 .3 .3 

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 1.489 425.0 428.0 5.2 .7 .4 .4 .8 

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

service group-Continued

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-U

Relative

importance,

December

2003

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Dec. 2004 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Nov.

2004

Dec.

2004

Dec.

2003

Nov.

2004

Sep. to

Oct.

Oct. to

Nov.

Nov. to

Dec.

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 5.872 108.7 108.5 0.7 -0.2 0.1 0.1 -0.1 

Video and audio 2 ................................................................... 1.736 104.0 103.9 .6 -.1 .2 -.4 .2 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 5.948 112.7 112.6 1.5 -.1 -.3 .4 .0 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 2.841 148.4 148.5 6.5 .1 .4 .6 .5 

Educational books and supplies ........................................... .219 354.4 355.9 3.8 .4 .3 1.1 .8 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare .............................. 2.623 428.7 428.9 6.8 .0 .4 .6 .4 

Communication 2 .................................................................... 3.107 85.6 85.4 -3.2 -.2 -.9 .1 -.4 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 2.925 83.5 83.3 -3.4 -.2 -.8 .1 -.2 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 2.315 94.9 94.8 -2.5 -.1 -.7 .3 -.1 

Information technology, hardware and services 1 5 ........... .610 14.3 14.2 -7.2 -.7 -1.4 -1.4 -.7 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... .230 14.2 13.9 -14.2 -2.1 -2.7 -2.7 -2.1 

Other goods and services ........................................................ 3.776 307.0 307.8 2.5 .3 .2 .1 .5 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... .806 481.7 484.8 3.1 .6 -.1 -.1 .6 

Personal care ......................................................................... 2.970 183.0 183.3 2.4 .2 .3 .2 .4 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... .680 153.8 153.4 .0 -.3 .3 -.1 -.3 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... .650 200.0 201.2 3.6 .6 .2 .3 .6 

Miscellaneous personal services .......................................... 1.448 296.9 297.7 3.7 .3 .1 .3 .5 

Commodity and service group

Commodities .............................................................................. 40.117 157.2 155.8 3.6 -.9 1.3 -.1 -.4

Food and beverages ................................................................ 15.384 188.6 188.9 2.6 .2 .5 .2 -.1 

Commodities less food and beverages .................................... 24.733 139.4 137.2 4.2 -1.6 1.8 -.2 -.7 

Nondurables less food and beverages ................................... 13.458 162.0 157.4 7.3 -2.8 3.8 .9 -.7 

Apparel ................................................................................. 3.975 123.0 118.8 -.2 -3.4 .2 .1 -.4 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel .................. 9.483 190.2 185.2 10.4 -2.6 3.8 -.5 -1.7 

Durables ................................................................................. 11.275 115.3 115.5 .4 .2 .3 .1 .2 

Services ...................................................................................... 59.883 224.6 224.6 3.1 .0 .1 .3 .2 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 32.494 229.0 228.9 2.7 .0 .1 -.1 .3 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... .385 117.7 118.7 3.8 .8 -.3 1.2 .8 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 3.599 152.7 153.0 6.8 .2 -.9 2.4 .4 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... .910 126.2 126.3 5.4 .1 .3 .2 .2 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... .704 127.0 127.0 3.6 .0 .1 .6 .0 

Transportation services ............................................................ 6.319 222.8 221.8 1.9 -.4 .4 .6 -.3 

Medical care services ............................................................... 4.575 326.0 327.3 4.9 .4 .4 .3 .5 

Other services .......................................................................... 10.896 264.2 264.3 2.7 .0 .0 .4 .2 

Special indexes

All items less food ...................................................................... 85.617 191.5 190.6 3.4 -.5 .6 .2 -.1 

All items less shelter ................................................................... 67.122 181.9 180.9 3.5 -.5 .8 .2 -.2 

All items less medical care ......................................................... 93.926 184.7 183.9 3.2 -.4 .6 .2 -.1 

Commodities less food ............................................................... 25.734 141.4 139.3 4.1 -1.5 1.7 -.1 -.7 

Nondurables less food ................................................................ 14.459 163.9 159.5 6.9 -2.7 3.6 .7 -.7 

Nondurables less food and apparel ............................................ 10.484 189.7 185.1 9.7 -2.4 3.5 -.5 -1.6 

Nondurables ............................................................................... 28.842 175.6 173.3 4.8 -1.3 2.2 .5 -.3 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 27.389 236.4 236.5 3.5 .0 .0 .9 .3 

Services less medical care services ........................................... 55.308 216.1 216.0 2.9 .0 .1 .3 .3 

Energy ........................................................................................ 7.080 158.6 153.7 16.6 -3.1 4.2 .2 -1.8 

All items less energy .................................................................. 92.920 196.0 195.8 2.2 -.1 .3 .2 .1 

All items less food and energy ................................................. 78.537 198.1 197.8 2.2 -.2 .2 .2 .2 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ................... 22.254 140.6 139.8 .6 -.6 .4 .1 -.1 

Energy commodities ............................................................. 3.480 173.6 163.4 26.7 -5.9 8.5 -1.4 -3.7 

Services less energy services ................................................ 56.283 231.9 231.9 2.8 .0 .2 .2 .2 

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

 $ .524 $ .525 - - - - -

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

 $ .175 $ .175 - - - - -

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—

Sep.

2004

Oct.

2004

Nov.

2004

Dec.

2004

Mar.

2004

June

2004

Sep.

2004

Dec.

2004

June

2004

Dec.

2004

Expenditure category

All items ...................................................................................... 189.7 190.9 191.2 191.1 5.1 4.8 0.6 3.0 4.9 1.8 

Food and beverages ................................................................ 187.5 188.5 188.9 188.8 1.5 4.9 1.3 2.8 3.2 2.0 

Food ....................................................................................... 187.0 188.1 188.4 188.4 1.3 5.1 1.3 3.0 3.2 2.2 

Food at home ....................................................................... 186.6 188.1 188.6 188.3 -.2 6.7 -.6 3.7 3.2 1.5 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................. 206.6 207.4 208.1 207.7 2.2 1.6 1.2 2.1 1.9 1.7 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ............................................ 183.4 182.9 181.9 182.6 -3.7 8.5 2.0 -1.7 2.2 .1 

Dairy and related products ................................................. 181.6 181.2 180.0 179.2 .0 47.9 -16.4 -5.2 21.6 -11.0 

Fruits and vegetables ......................................................... 228.9 242.6 250.5 248.3 -2.2 -2.6 2.5 38.5 -2.4 19.1 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials .............. 140.7 140.3 140.7 141.3 .6 -.9 2.3 1.7 -.1 2.0 

Other food at home ............................................................ 165.1 165.6 164.8 163.9 4.2 1.5 -1.0 -2.9 2.8 -1.9 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................. 163.5 162.8 164.7 162.8 .7 -.2 2.0 -1.7 .2 .1 

Fats and oils ..................................................................... 170.0 168.6 168.5 168.6 20.3 14.4 -4.6 -3.3 17.3 -3.9 

Other foods ....................................................................... 179.4 180.7 178.9 178.1 2.0 -1.1 -.7 -2.9 .4 -1.8 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... 110.5 109.9 110.5 110.8 7.1 -2.8 -1.4 1.1 2.0 -.2 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 188.9 189.4 189.6 189.9 3.3 2.6 4.1 2.1 3.0 3.1 

Other food away from home 2 ............................................ 125.5 126.4 126.3 126.8 5.0 3.3 1.0 4.2 4.1 2.6 

Alcoholic beverages 1 ............................................................ 193.4 193.6 194.0 193.9 4.5 3.4 2.1 1.0 4.0 1.6 

Housing .................................................................................... 190.7 191.1 191.6 191.9 3.5 4.1 2.3 2.5 3.8 2.4 

Shelter .................................................................................... 220.4 220.7 220.8 221.3 3.4 3.2 3.0 1.6 3.3 2.3 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 212.4 212.8 213.2 213.6 2.3 3.7 2.9 2.3 3.0 2.6 

Lodging away from home 2 .................................................. 128.5 128.7 128.1 128.5 8.1 3.9 9.6 .0 6.0 4.7 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 226.1 226.5 226.6 227.0 2.5 3.1 2.0 1.6 2.8 1.8 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. 116.6 116.3 117.7 118.7 2.8 3.9 1.4 7.4 3.4 4.3 

Fuels and utilities .................................................................... 163.7 163.4 166.8 166.9 5.5 15.0 2.5 8.1 10.2 5.2 

Fuels ..................................................................................... 145.9 145.6 149.2 149.3 5.6 16.7 1.7 9.7 11.0 5.6 

Fuel oil and other fuels ....................................................... 169.3 183.0 189.4 182.6 25.6 27.7 48.8 35.3 26.7 41.9 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 151.7 150.4 154.0 154.6 4.2 16.2 -1.0 7.9 10.0 3.3 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. 125.6 126.0 126.2 126.4 6.8 6.7 5.6 2.6 6.8 4.1 

Household furnishings and operations ................................... 124.9 126.2 125.9 125.8 1.9 .0 -1.9 2.9 1.0 .5 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... 126.1 126.2 127.0 127.0 3.3 3.6 4.6 2.9 3.5 3.7 

Apparel ..................................................................................... 120.1 120.3 120.4 119.9 2.0 2.0 -4.2 -.7 2.0 -2.5 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ........................................................ 116.8 115.5 115.7 116.4 .3 1.4 -5.9 -1.4 .8 -3.7

Women’s and girls’ apparel .................................................... 112.0 114.0 113.9 111.7 2.5 3.6 -7.5 -1.1 3.0 -4.3 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ................................................. 118.8 117.8 117.6 118.7 3.4 -8.4 3.8 -.3 -2.7 1.7 

Footwear ................................................................................ 121.2 119.9 120.1 120.8 1.7 -1.7 7.6 -1.3 .0 3.0 

Transportation .......................................................................... 163.4 167.1 167.0 165.5 14.9 10.9 -3.8 5.2 12.9 .6 

Private transportation ............................................................. 159.9 163.6 163.2 161.9 16.3 11.7 -3.4 5.1 14.0 .7 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 94.4 94.6 95.0 95.1 -.4 -.4 2.6 3.0 -.4 2.8 

New vehicles ...................................................................... 136.0 136.5 137.5 137.9 .9 .9 -4.6 5.7 .9 .4 

Used cars and trucks 1 ....................................................... 136.5 136.8 136.7 137.3 .6 -1.8 19.3 2.4 -.6 10.5 

Motor fuel ............................................................................. 160.9 174.7 171.5 165.2 87.1 51.7 -19.6 11.1 68.5 -5.5 

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................. 160.1 173.8 170.7 164.4 86.6 52.3 -20.0 11.2 68.6 -5.7 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... 109.3 109.5 109.9 109.9 .4 1.5 4.1 2.2 .9 3.2 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................. 200.7 201.5 202.7 203.3 .8 3.3 1.6 5.3 2.0 3.4 

Public transportation ............................................................... 204.3 207.1 212.0 209.3 1.7 -3.4 -8.3 10.2 -.9 .5 

Medical care ............................................................................. 312.6 313.9 314.6 315.5 5.8 3.8 3.5 3.8 4.8 3.6 

Medical care commodities ...................................................... 270.9 271.9 272.1 271.3 2.9 3.2 2.2 .6 3.0 1.4 

Medical care services ............................................................. 324.0 325.4 326.4 327.9 6.8 4.1 3.8 4.9 5.4 4.3 

Professional services ........................................................... 273.6 273.9 274.8 275.5 7.0 2.9 3.4 2.8 4.9 3.1

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 421.2 423.0 424.6 428.0 5.5 5.5 3.0 6.6 5.5 4.8 

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—

Sep.

2004

Oct.

2004

Nov.

2004

Dec.

2004

Mar.

2004

June

2004

Sep.

2004

Dec.

2004

June

2004

Dec.

2004

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 108.7 108.8 108.9 108.8 2.2 1.1 -0.7 0.4 1.7 -0.2 

Video and audio 2 ................................................................... 104.4 104.6 104.2 104.4 .4 1.2 .4 .0 .8 .2 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 112.1 111.8 112.2 112.2 1.8 1.8 1.8 .4 1.8 1.1 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 145.6 146.2 147.1 147.8 6.5 6.7 6.6 6.2 6.6 6.4 

Educational books and supplies ........................................... 351.1 352.1 356.1 359.1 2.0 4.4 -.2 9.4 3.2 4.5 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare .............................. 420.2 421.9 424.4 426.3 7.0 6.8 7.2 5.9 6.9 6.5 

Communication 2 .................................................................... 86.4 85.6 85.7 85.4 -2.7 -2.3 -2.7 -4.5 -2.5 -3.6 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 84.1 83.4 83.5 83.3 -2.3 -4.6 -2.8 -3.8 -3.4 -3.3 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 95.3 94.6 94.9 94.8 -2.0 -3.7 -2.1 -2.1 -2.9 -2.1 

Information technology, hardware and services 1 5 ........... 14.7 14.5 14.3 14.2 -2.6 -7.7 -5.3 -12.9 -5.2 -9.2 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... 15.0 14.6 14.2 13.9 -9.5 -7.4 -12.3 -26.3 -8.5 -19.6 

Other goods and services ........................................................ 306.3 306.8 307.2 308.6 2.8 1.3 3.2 3.0 2.1 3.1

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... 482.9 482.3 481.7 484.8 2.7 2.0 5.9 1.6 2.4 3.7 

Personal care ......................................................................... 182.3 182.8 183.2 183.9 2.7 1.3 2.2 3.6 2.0 2.9 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... 153.5 154.0 153.8 153.4 2.9 -1.8 -.8 -.3 .5 -.5 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... 199.1 199.4 200.0 201.2 3.1 2.3 4.5 4.3 2.7 4.4 

Miscellaneous personal services .......................................... 296.2 296.5 297.5 298.9 4.1 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.6 

Commodity and service group

Commodities .............................................................................. 155.0 157.0 156.9 156.2 7.4 6.4 -2.0 3.1 6.9 .5 

Food and beverages ................................................................ 187.5 188.5 188.9 188.8 1.5 4.9 1.3 2.8 3.2 2.0 

Commodities less food and beverages .................................... 136.7 139.1 138.8 137.8 11.0 7.3 -4.0 3.3 9.1 -.4 

Nondurables less food and beverages ................................... 155.2 161.1 162.5 161.4 13.7 8.2 -7.8 17.0 10.9 3.8 

Apparel ................................................................................. 120.1 120.3 120.4 119.9 2.0 2.0 -4.2 -.7 2.0 -2.5 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel .................. 184.3 191.3 190.4 187.1 28.9 19.0 -8.4 6.2 23.8 -1.4 

Durables ................................................................................. 114.6 115.0 115.1 115.3 .7 -1.7 .3 2.5 -.5 1.4 

Services ...................................................................................... 224.3 224.5 225.2 225.6 3.5 3.7 2.7 2.3 3.6 2.5 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 229.5 229.8 229.6 230.2 3.6 3.6 2.5 1.2 3.6 1.8 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... 116.6 116.3 117.7 118.7 2.8 3.9 1.4 7.4 3.4 4.3 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 151.7 150.4 154.0 154.6 4.2 16.2 -1.0 7.9 10.0 3.3 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... 125.6 126.0 126.2 126.4 6.8 6.7 5.6 2.6 6.8 4.1 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... 126.1 126.2 127.0 127.0 3.3 3.6 4.6 2.9 3.5 3.7 

Transportation services ............................................................ 220.8 221.6 222.9 222.3 2.0 1.5 1.3 2.7 1.7 2.0 

Medical care services ............................................................... 324.0 325.4 326.4 327.9 6.8 4.1 3.8 4.9 5.4 4.3 

Other services .......................................................................... 263.0 262.9 263.9 264.4 2.8 2.5 3.1 2.1 2.7 2.6 

Special indexes

All items less food ...................................................................... 190.2 191.4 191.7 191.5 5.5 4.8 .6 2.8 5.1 1.7 

All items less shelter ................................................................... 179.9 181.3 181.7 181.4 5.8 5.5 -.2 3.4 5.7 1.6 

All items less medical care ......................................................... 183.4 184.5 184.8 184.7 4.8 5.0 .4 2.9 4.9 1.6 

Commodities less food ............................................................... 138.8 141.1 140.9 139.9 10.8 6.8 -3.7 3.2 8.8 -.3 

Nondurables less food ................................................................ 157.6 163.2 164.4 163.3 12.9 7.8 -7.0 15.3 10.3 3.5 

Nondurables less food and apparel ............................................ 184.2 190.7 189.7 186.6 26.8 17.9 -8.2 5.3 22.3 -1.7 

Nondurables ............................................................................... 171.4 175.1 176.0 175.5 6.9 7.5 -4.3 9.9 7.2 2.6 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 235.0 235.1 237.1 237.7 2.5 4.6 2.6 4.7 3.5 3.6 

Services less medical care services ........................................... 215.7 216.0 216.7 217.3 2.7 3.8 2.3 3.0 3.2 2.6 

Energy ........................................................................................ 152.4 158.8 159.1 156.2 38.6 33.5 -9.8 10.4 36.0 -.3 

All items less energy .................................................................. 195.3 195.8 196.1 196.3 2.7 2.7 1.7 2.1 2.7 1.9 

All items less food and energy ................................................. 197.5 197.9 198.2 198.5 2.9 2.3 1.8 2.0 2.6 1.9 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ................... 139.4 139.9 140.0 139.9 1.4 .3 -.9 1.4 .9 .3 

Energy commodities ............................................................. 162.2 176.0 173.5 167.1 82.5 50.2 -16.5 12.6 65.5 -3.0 

Services less energy services ................................................ 231.7 232.1 232.5 232.9 3.4 3.0 3.0 2.1 3.2 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 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

Dec.2004 from—

Percent change to

Nov.2004 from—

Sep.

2004

Oct.

2004

Nov.

2004

Dec.

2004

Dec.

2003

Oct.

2004

Nov.

2004

Nov.

2003

Sep.

2004

Oct.

2004

U.S. city average ............................................ M 189.9 190.9 191.0 190.3 3.3 -0.3 -0.4 3.5 0.6 0.1 

Region and area size2

Northeast urban .............................................. M 201.2 202.5 202.6 201.9 3.6 -.3 -.3 3.8 .7 .0 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 203.2 204.5 204.6 204.1 3.6 -.2 -.2 3.7 .7 .0 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 119.2 120.1 120.1 119.2 3.7 -.7 -.7 4.2 .8 .0 

Midwest urban ................................................ M 183.6 184.5 184.8 183.8 3.0 -.4 -.5 3.3 .7 .2 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 185.9 186.8 186.9 185.7 2.7 -.6 -.6 3.0 .5 .1 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 116.8 117.4 117.7 117.3 3.5 -.1 -.3 3.6 .8 .3 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 176.4 177.1 177.7 177.2 3.3 .1 -.3 3.7 .7 .3 

South urban .................................................... M 182.8 183.7 183.7 183.3 3.3 -.2 -.2 3.5 .5 .0 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 184.0 185.0 185.0 184.9 3.2 -.1 -.1 3.3 .5 .0 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 116.9 117.4 117.4 117.1 3.4 -.3 -.3 3.6 .4 .0 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 181.2 182.8 182.5 181.9 3.9 -.5 -.3 4.0 .7 -.2 

West urban ..................................................... M 193.8 195.0 195.1 194.2 3.1 -.4 -.5 3.5 .7 .1 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 196.4 197.5 197.6 196.5 3.1 -.5 -.6 3.5 .6 .1 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 118.4 119.2 119.3 119.0 3.3 -.2 -.3 3.8 .8 .1 

Size classes

A 4 .............................................................. M 173.6 174.6 174.6 174.0 3.1 -.3 -.3 3.4 .6 .0 

B/C 3 ........................................................... M 117.4 118.1 118.2 117.7 3.4 -.3 -.4 3.8 .7 .1 

D ................................................................. M 181.8 182.9 183.0 182.4 3.3 -.3 -.3 3.6 .7 .1 

Selected local areas5

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI ................... M 190.0 190.8 190.7 189.6 2.2 -.6 -.6 2.7 .4 -.1 

Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA ... M 194.5 196.3 196.9 195.2 4.4 -.6 -.9 5.2 1.2 .3 

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

NY-NJ-CT-PA ......................................... M 205.9 207.3 207.2 206.8 3.8 -.2 -.2 3.9 .6 .0 

Boston-Brockton-Nashua, MA-NH-ME-CT ..... 1 209.8 -

 211.7 - - - - 2.5 .9 -

Cleveland-Akron, OH ...................................... 1 183.8 - 183.2 - - - - 3.2 -.3 -

Dallas-Fort Worth, TX ..................................... 1 179.7 -

 179.9 - - - - 2.3 .1 -

Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV 6 ...... 1 120.8 - 120.9 - - - - 3.6 .1 -

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

 183.9 - 183.2 2.3 -.4 - - - -

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

 187.6 - 185.3 2.2 -1.2 - - - -

Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX .................... 2 - 171.8 - 170.0 3.6 -1.0 - - - -

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

 187.0 - 188.6 3.9 .9 - - - -

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,

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

 200.2 - 197.8 4.7 -1.2 - - - -

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

 200.3 - 199.5 2.2 -.4 - - - -

Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA .................... 2 - 196.5 - 195.1 2.1 -.7 - - - -

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

 most other goods and services priced as indicated: 

 M - Every month. 

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

 2 - February, April, June, August, October, and December. 2 Regions defined as the four Census regions. See 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

Dec. 2004 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Nov.

2004

Dec.

2004

Dec.

2003

Nov.

2004

Sep. to

Oct.

Oct. to

Nov.

Nov. to

Dec.

Expenditure category

All items ...................................................................................... 100.000 186.8 186.0 3.4 -0.4 0.6 0.2 -0.1 

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

 556.3 554.2 - - - - -

Food and beverages ................................................................ 17.151 188.1 188.4 2.6 .2 .5 .2 .0 

Food ....................................................................................... 16.061 187.6 187.9 2.6 .2 .5 .2 -.1 

Food at home ....................................................................... 9.637 187.3 187.6 2.3 .2 .8 .2 -.1 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................. 1.364 206.8 206.3 1.7 -.2 .3 .4 -.4 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ............................................ 2.908 182.4 183.2 1.2 .4 -.4 -.6 .4 

Dairy and related products ................................................. .955 180.8 179.9 4.2 -.5 -.4 -.6 -.5 

Fruits and vegetables ......................................................... 1.344 246.4 248.6 8.2 .9 6.2 3.5 -.9 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials .............. 1.076 138.9 140.0 1.0 .8 -.4 .1 .7 

Other food at home ............................................................ 1.991 163.8 163.2 .4 -.4 .2 -.4 -.5 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................. .321 162.1 160.6 .1 -.9 -.4 .9 -1.2 

Fats and oils ..................................................................... .303 167.7 167.3 6.1 -.2 -.9 -.1 .1 

Other foods ....................................................................... 1.366 179.2 178.6 -.8 -.3 .7 -.9 -.5 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... .350 111.1 111.3 .9 .2 -.6 .7 .2 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 6.424 189.5 189.7 3.0 .1 .3 .1 .1 

Other food away from home 2 ............................................ .252 126.8 127.0 3.2 .2 .7 .0 .3 

Alcoholic beverages 1 ............................................................ 1.090 194.2 194.2 2.8 .0 -.1 .2 .0 

Housing .................................................................................... 39.114 186.4 186.4 3.0 .0 .2 .3 .1 

Shelter .................................................................................... 30.151 213.4 213.5 2.5 .0 .2 .0 .1 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 8.065 212.4 213.0 2.9 .3 .3 .1 .2 

Lodging away from home 2 .................................................. 1.722 121.8 118.6 4.6 -2.6 .0 -.9 .5 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 20.026 205.8 206.1 2.2 .1 .2 .0 .0 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. .337 118.1 118.9 3.9 .7 -.3 1.4 .7 

Fuels and utilities .................................................................... 5.079 164.5 164.7 7.6 .1 -.2 2.0 .1 

Fuels ..................................................................................... 4.146 146.2 146.4 8.1 .1 -.5 2.4 .1 

Fuel oil and other fuels ....................................................... .216 186.5 183.4 34.7 -1.7 8.3 3.2 -3.8 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 3.930 151.7 152.0 6.7 .2 -1.0 2.3 .3 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. .933 126.4 126.5 5.5 .1 .3 .2 .1 

Household furnishings and operations ................................... 3.884 121.5 121.3 .7 -.2 .9 -.2 .1 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... .318 129.2 129.3 4.4 .1 .2 1.0 .1 

Apparel ..................................................................................... 4.357 122.6 118.6 -.1 -3.3 .3 -.1 -.3 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ........................................................ 1.120 118.6 115.7 -1.8 -2.4 -.9 .1 .3 

Women’s and girls’ apparel .................................................... 1.727 116.9 110.2 -.3 -5.7 2.1 -.3 -1.9 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ................................................. .250 123.1 121.4 .0 -1.4 -.9 -.1 .9 

Footwear ................................................................................ 1.011 120.6 119.4 1.4 -1.0 -1.0 .1 .8 

Transportation .......................................................................... 19.145 165.8 163.4 7.1 -1.4 2.3 -.2 -.8

Private transportation ............................................................. 18.348 163.2 160.9 7.5 -1.4 2.4 -.3 -.8 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 9.305 94.0 94.3 1.6 .3 .3 .3 .1 

New vehicles ...................................................................... 4.864 138.9 139.8 .4 .6 .4 .7 .2 

Used cars and trucks 1 ....................................................... 3.487 137.5 138.1 4.9 .4 .2 -.1 .4 

Motor fuel ............................................................................. 3.967 172.3 161.7 26.2 -6.2 8.6 -1.9 -3.5 

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................. 3.936 171.6 160.9 26.1 -6.2 8.6 -1.9 -3.6 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... .456 109.4 109.3 1.9 -.1 .2 .5 -.1 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................. 1.365 204.9 205.3 2.8 .2 .4 .6 .2 

Public transportation ............................................................... .797 207.1 204.2 .3 -1.4 1.3 2.6 -1.1 

Medical care ............................................................................. 4.969 313.6 314.4 4.3 .3 .3 .3 .4 

Medical care commodities ...................................................... 1.142 264.9 264.4 1.9 -.2 .3 .0 -.3 

Medical care services ............................................................. 3.827 326.3 327.7 5.1 .4 .2 .4 .5 

Professional services ........................................................... 2.256 276.9 277.2 4.0 .1 .1 .4 .1 

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 1.254 421.0 424.2 5.2 .8 .4 .4 .8 

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

and commodity and service group-Continued

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-W

Relative

importance,

December

2003

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Dec. 2004 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Nov.

2004

Dec.

2004

Dec.

2003

Nov.

2004

Sep. to

Oct.

Oct. to

Nov.

Nov. to

Dec.

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 5.697 106.3 106.1 0.6 -0.2 0.1 0.1 0.0 

Video and audio 2 ................................................................... 1.928 103.3 103.2 .7 -.1 .4 -.5 .3 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 5.645 110.6 110.5 .7 -.1 -.3 .3 .0 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 2.299 146.8 147.0 6.2 .1 .6 .5 .5 

Educational books and supplies ........................................... .215 356.1 357.6 4.0 .4 .4 1.0 .7 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare .............................. 2.084 415.6 415.8 6.4 .0 .5 .5 .4 

Communication 2 .................................................................... 3.345 87.2 87.0 -3.0 -.2 -.9 .1 -.5 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 3.194 85.7 85.5 -3.2 -.2 -.8 .1 -.2 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 2.622 95.1 95.0 -2.5 -.1 -.7 .3 -.1 

Information technology, hardware and services 1 5 ........... .572 14.9 14.8 -6.3 -.7 -1.3 -.7 -.7 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... .205 13.9 13.7 -13.8 -1.4 -3.4 -2.8 -1.4 

Other goods and services ........................................................ 3.923 314.9 315.9 2.5 .3 .1 .1 .5 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... 1.248 482.5 485.7 3.0 .7 -.2 -.1 .7 

Personal care ......................................................................... 2.675 181.7 181.9 2.3 .1 .3 .3 .3 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... .737 154.3 153.8 -.1 -.3 .2 .0 -.3 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... .610 200.6 201.8 3.5 .6 .1 .4 .6 

Miscellaneous personal services .......................................... 1.152 297.5 298.4 4.1 .3 .1 .4 .5 

Commodity and service group

Commodities .............................................................................. 44.582 158.1 156.6 3.9 -.9 1.3 -.1 -.4

Food and beverages ................................................................ 17.151 188.1 188.4 2.6 .2 .5 .2 .0 

Commodities less food and beverages .................................... 27.430 141.0 138.8 4.8 -1.6 1.8 -.3 -.7 

Nondurables less food and beverages ................................... 14.671 165.9 160.9 8.0 -3.0 4.2 .8 -.6 

Apparel ................................................................................. 4.357 122.6 118.6 -.1 -3.3 .3 -.1 -.3 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel .................. 10.315 196.5 190.8 11.4 -2.9 4.2 -.4 -1.9 

Durables ................................................................................. 12.759 114.8 115.1 1.0 .3 .4 .3 .2 

Services ...................................................................................... 55.418 220.4 220.5 2.9 .0 .1 .3 .2 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 29.813 205.5 205.6 2.5 .0 .1 .0 .1 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... .337 118.1 118.9 3.9 .7 -.3 1.4 .7 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 3.930 151.7 152.0 6.7 .2 -1.0 2.3 .3 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... .933 126.4 126.5 5.5 .1 .3 .2 .1 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... .318 129.2 129.3 4.4 .1 .2 1.0 .1 

Transportation services ............................................................ 6.241 223.4 222.7 2.2 -.3 .3 .5 -.1 

Medical care services ............................................................... 3.827 326.3 327.7 5.1 .4 .2 .4 .5 

Other services .......................................................................... 10.020 256.3 256.5 2.2 .1 .0 .3 .2 

Special indexes

All items less food ...................................................................... 83.939 186.4 185.5 3.5 -.5 .6 .1 -.1 

All items less shelter ................................................................... 69.849 179.1 178.0 3.7 -.6 .8 .2 -.2 

All items less medical care ......................................................... 95.031 181.3 180.6 3.4 -.4 .7 .1 -.1 

Commodities less food ............................................................... 28.520 142.9 140.7 4.6 -1.5 1.7 -.3 -.6 

Nondurables less food ................................................................ 15.761 167.6 162.9 7.6 -2.8 4.0 .7 -.6 

Nondurables less food and apparel ............................................ 11.405 195.4 190.3 10.6 -2.6 4.0 -.6 -1.6 

Nondurables ............................................................................... 31.823 177.5 175.1 5.1 -1.4 2.3 .5 -.4 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 25.605 209.8 209.9 3.4 .0 .0 .8 .3 

Services less medical care services ........................................... 51.592 212.3 212.4 2.8 .0 .0 .3 .2 

Energy ........................................................................................ 8.114 158.5 153.3 16.9 -3.3 4.3 .0 -1.9 

All items less energy .................................................................. 91.886 191.1 191.0 2.2 -.1 .3 .2 .1 

All items less food and energy ................................................. 75.825 192.2 192.0 2.1 -.1 .2 .2 .1 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ................... 24.337 140.6 139.9 .9 -.5 .3 .1 .1 

Energy commodities ............................................................. 4.183 173.7 163.4 26.7 -5.9 8.6 -1.7 -3.6 

Services less energy services ................................................ 51.488 228.0 228.1 2.7 .0 .1 .2 .1 

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

 $ .535 $ .537 - - - - -

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

 $ .180 $ .180 - - - - -

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—

Sep.

2004

Oct.

2004

Nov.

2004

Dec.

2004

Mar.

2004

June

2004

Sep.

2004

Dec.

2004

June

2004

Dec.

2004

Expenditure category

All items ...................................................................................... 185.3 186.5 186.8 186.6 5.4 4.9 0.7 2.8 5.2 1.7 

Food and beverages ................................................................ 187.0 188.0 188.3 188.3 1.3 5.1 1.3 2.8 3.2 2.0 

Food ....................................................................................... 186.5 187.5 187.9 187.8 1.1 5.1 1.3 2.8 3.1 2.1 

Food at home ....................................................................... 185.9 187.3 187.7 187.5 -.2 7.2 -.9 3.5 3.4 1.3 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................. 206.5 207.1 208.0 207.2 2.6 1.6 1.2 1.4 2.1 1.3 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ............................................ 183.6 182.9 181.8 182.6 -3.5 8.8 2.0 -2.2 2.5 -.1 

Dairy and related products ................................................. 181.6 180.9 179.9 179.0 -.9 51.3 -16.9 -5.6 22.4 -11.4 

Fruits and vegetables ......................................................... 226.4 240.5 248.9 246.7 -2.4 -3.1 2.7 41.0 -2.8 20.3 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials .............. 140.2 139.7 139.9 140.9 .0 .0 2.3 2.0 .0 2.2 

Other food at home ............................................................ 164.7 165.1 164.4 163.5 4.2 1.5 -1.0 -2.9 2.8 -1.9 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................. 163.1 162.5 163.9 161.9 1.0 -.7 3.0 -2.9 .1 .0 

Fats and oils ..................................................................... 169.9 168.4 168.3 168.4 20.0 16.1 -5.5 -3.5 18.0 -4.5 

Other foods ....................................................................... 179.7 180.9 179.3 178.4 1.8 -1.1 -.9 -2.9 .3 -1.9 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... 111.0 110.3 111.1 111.3 7.1 -2.8 -1.4 1.1 2.0 -.2 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 188.8 189.3 189.5 189.7 3.1 2.6 4.4 1.9 2.8 3.1 

Other food away from home 2 ............................................ 125.5 126.4 126.4 126.8 3.3 3.3 1.6 4.2 3.3 2.9 

Alcoholic beverages 1 ............................................................ 194.0 193.9 194.2 194.2 5.0 3.2 2.7 .4 4.1 1.6 

Housing .................................................................................... 186.1 186.4 186.9 187.1 3.6 4.0 2.4 2.2 3.8 2.3 

Shelter .................................................................................... 213.5 213.9 213.9 214.2 3.3 3.1 2.7 1.3 3.2 2.0 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 211.6 212.2 212.4 212.8 2.7 3.7 2.9 2.3 3.2 2.6 

Lodging away from home 2 .................................................. 128.7 128.7 127.5 128.2 9.8 1.0 10.6 -1.5 5.3 4.3 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 205.1 205.5 205.6 205.7 2.6 2.8 2.0 1.2 2.7 1.6 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. 116.8 116.5 118.1 118.9 2.8 4.6 1.0 7.4 3.7 4.2 

Fuels and utilities .................................................................... 163.0 162.6 165.8 165.9 6.1 14.5 2.2 7.3 10.2 4.7 

Fuels ..................................................................................... 144.8 144.1 147.6 147.7 5.7 16.5 1.7 8.3 10.9 4.9 

Fuel oil and other fuels ....................................................... 169.6 183.6 189.4 182.2 24.8 29.0 53.4 33.2 26.9 42.9 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 151.0 149.5 153.0 153.5 4.8 16.0 -1.1 6.8 10.2 2.8 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. 125.7 126.1 126.4 126.5 7.9 6.0 5.6 2.6 7.0 4.1 

Household furnishings and operations ................................... 120.6 121.7 121.5 121.6 2.3 -.7 -2.0 3.4 .8 .7 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... 127.6 127.9 129.2 129.3 5.3 5.2 1.9 5.4 5.2 3.7 

Apparel ..................................................................................... 119.7 120.0 119.9 119.5 3.0 .7 -3.3 -.7 1.8 -2.0 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ........................................................ 116.5 115.4 115.5 115.8 1.7 -.3 -5.9 -2.4 .7 -4.2 

Women’s and girls’ apparel .................................................... 111.8 114.1 113.8 111.6 4.0 2.9 -7.2 -.7 3.4 -4.0

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ................................................. 121.5 120.4 120.3 121.4 7.4 -10.8 4.4 -.3 -2.1 2.0 

Footwear ................................................................................ 119.9 118.7 118.8 119.8 .3 -2.0 8.1 -.3 -.8 3.8 

Transportation .......................................................................... 162.1 165.9 165.6 164.2 16.0 11.5 -2.9 5.3 13.8 1.1 

Private transportation ............................................................. 159.6 163.4 162.9 161.6 16.7 12.3 -2.7 5.1 14.5 1.1 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 93.3 93.6 93.9 94.0 -.4 -.9 4.9 3.0 -.6 3.9 

New vehicles ...................................................................... 137.1 137.6 138.5 138.8 .6 .6 -4.3 5.1 .6 .3 

Used cars and trucks 1 ....................................................... 137.3 137.6 137.5 138.1 .9 -1.8 19.2 2.4 -.5 10.5 

Motor fuel ............................................................................. 161.5 175.4 172.0 165.9 85.8 53.4 -19.7 11.4 68.8 -5.4 

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................. 160.7 174.6 171.2 165.1 85.7 53.6 -20.2 11.4 68.9 -5.7 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... 108.7 108.9 109.4 109.3 .4 1.5 3.4 2.2 .9 2.8 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................. 202.7 203.6 204.9 205.3 .8 3.2 2.0 5.2 2.0 3.6 

Public transportation ............................................................... 202.1 204.8 210.1 207.7 3.3 -4.0 -8.6 11.6 -.4 1.0 

Medical care ............................................................................. 312.2 313.0 314.0 315.1 6.1 3.8 3.8 3.8 5.0 3.8 

Medical care commodities ...................................................... 264.8 265.7 265.7 265.0 2.6 2.8 2.3 .3 2.7 1.3 

Medical care services ............................................................. 324.6 325.4 326.7 328.4 7.1 4.2 4.3 4.8 5.6 4.5 

Professional services ........................................................... 276.2 276.6 277.7 278.1 7.4 2.7 3.6 2.8 5.0 3.2

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 417.3 418.9 420.6 423.8 5.7 5.5 3.0 6.4 5.6 4.7 

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—

Sep.

2004

Oct.

2004

Nov.

2004

Dec.

2004

Mar.

2004

June

2004

Sep.

2004

Dec.

2004

June

2004

Dec.

2004

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 106.3 106.4 106.5 106.5 2.3 0.8 -1.1 0.8 1.5 -0.2 

Video and audio 2 ................................................................... 103.6 104.0 103.5 103.8 .4 1.6 .0 .8 1.0 .4 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 110.3 110.0 110.3 110.3 1.5 .7 1.1 .0 1.1 .5 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 144.2 145.0 145.7 146.4 6.8 5.5 6.3 6.2 6.2 6.3 

Educational books and supplies ........................................... 353.1 354.5 357.9 360.5 2.1 4.3 1.0 8.7 3.2 4.8 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare .............................. 407.9 409.9 411.9 413.7 7.1 5.9 7.0 5.8 6.5 6.4 

Communication 2 .................................................................... 88.0 87.2 87.3 86.9 -2.2 -2.7 -2.2 -4.9 -2.4 -3.6 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 86.3 85.6 85.7 85.5 -1.8 -4.5 -2.7 -3.7 -3.1 -3.2 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 95.5 94.8 95.1 95.0 -2.0 -3.3 -2.5 -2.1 -2.7 -2.3 

Information technology, hardware and services 1 5 ........... 15.2 15.0 14.9 14.8 -2.5 -7.4 -5.1 -10.1 -5.0 -7.6 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... 14.8 14.3 13.9 13.7 -9.7 -7.5 -10.1 -26.6 -8.6 -18.8 

Other goods and services ........................................................ 314.4 314.7 315.1 316.6 2.5 1.3 3.6 2.8 1.9 3.2

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... 483.9 483.0 482.5 485.7 2.3 2.3 6.0 1.5 2.3 3.7 

Personal care ......................................................................... 180.9 181.4 181.9 182.5 2.7 .9 2.2 3.6 1.8 2.9 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... 154.0 154.3 154.3 153.8 2.6 -1.8 -.8 -.5 .4 -.6 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... 199.7 199.9 200.6 201.8 2.9 2.5 4.5 4.3 2.7 4.4 

Miscellaneous personal services .......................................... 296.5 296.9 298.1 299.6 4.2 3.9 4.2 4.2 4.1 4.2 

Commodity and service group

Commodities .............................................................................. 155.9 157.9 157.8 157.1 7.6 6.7 -1.3 3.1 7.1 .9 

Food and beverages ................................................................ 187.0 188.0 188.3 188.3 1.3 5.1 1.3 2.8 3.2 2.0 

Commodities less food and beverages .................................... 138.3 140.8 140.4 139.4 11.9 7.8 -3.1 3.2 9.9 .0 

Nondurables less food and beverages ................................... 158.4 165.1 166.4 165.4 15.2 8.9 -8.6 18.9 12.0 4.2 

Apparel ................................................................................. 119.7 120.0 119.9 119.5 3.0 .7 -3.3 -.7 1.8 -2.0 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel .................. 189.8 197.7 196.9 193.1 32.1 20.3 -9.5 7.1 26.1 -1.5 

Durables ................................................................................. 114.1 114.5 114.8 115.0 .4 -1.7 2.1 3.2 -.7 2.7 

Services ...................................................................................... 219.9 220.1 220.8 221.2 3.4 3.7 2.4 2.4 3.6 2.4 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 205.7 205.9 206.0 206.2 3.2 3.2 2.6 1.0 3.2 1.8 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... 116.8 116.5 118.1 118.9 2.8 4.6 1.0 7.4 3.7 4.2 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 151.0 149.5 153.0 153.5 4.8 16.0 -1.1 6.8 10.2 2.8 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... 125.7 126.1 126.4 126.5 7.9 6.0 5.6 2.6 7.0 4.1 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... 127.6 127.9 129.2 129.3 5.3 5.2 1.9 5.4 5.2 3.7 

Transportation services ............................................................ 221.4 222.1 223.3 223.0 2.4 1.6 1.6 2.9 2.0 2.3 

Medical care services ............................................................... 324.6 325.4 326.7 328.4 7.1 4.2 4.3 4.8 5.6 4.5 

Other services .......................................................................... 255.5 255.4 256.2 256.6 2.7 1.9 2.5 1.7 2.3 2.1 

Special indexes

All items less food ...................................................................... 185.0 186.2 186.4 186.2 6.1 5.1 .7 2.6 5.6 1.6 

All items less shelter ................................................................... 177.1 178.6 178.9 178.5 6.2 6.1 -.2 3.2 6.1 1.5 

All items less medical care ......................................................... 179.9 181.1 181.3 181.1 5.4 5.1 .4 2.7 5.2 1.6 

Commodities less food ............................................................... 140.3 142.7 142.3 141.4 11.4 7.7 -2.8 3.2 9.6 .1 

Nondurables less food ................................................................ 160.5 167.0 168.1 167.1 14.7 7.7 -7.6 17.5 11.1 4.2 

Nondurables less food and apparel ............................................ 189.1 196.6 195.4 192.2 29.5 19.6 -9.5 6.7 24.5 -1.7 

Nondurables ............................................................................... 173.1 177.0 177.9 177.2 7.6 7.4 -4.1 9.8 7.5 2.6 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 208.7 208.8 210.4 211.0 2.2 4.6 2.5 4.5 3.4 3.5 

Services less medical care services ........................................... 211.9 212.0 212.7 213.2 2.7 3.7 2.3 2.5 3.2 2.4 

Energy ........................................................................................ 152.4 159.0 159.0 156.0 41.1 34.9 -10.5 9.8 38.0 -.9 

All items less energy .................................................................. 190.3 190.8 191.1 191.2 2.4 2.6 1.9 1.9 2.5 1.9 

All items less food and energy ................................................. 191.4 191.8 192.1 192.3 2.8 1.9 1.9 1.9 2.4 1.9 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ................... 139.5 139.9 140.0 140.1 1.4 .0 .6 1.7 .7 1.2 

Energy commodities ............................................................. 162.5 176.5 173.5 167.3 82.4 51.9 -17.1 12.3 66.4 -3.5 

Services less energy services ................................................ 227.6 227.9 228.3 228.6 3.5 2.7 2.9 1.8 3.1 2.3 

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

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

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

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

Dec.2004 from—

Percent change to

Nov.2004 from—

Sep.

2004

Oct.

2004

Nov.

2004

Dec.

2004

Dec.

2003

Oct.

2004

Nov.

2004

Nov.

2003

Sep.

2004

Oct.

2004

U.S. city average ............................................ M 185.4 186.5 186.8 186.0 3.4 -0.3 -0.4 3.7 0.8 0.2 

Region and area size2

Northeast urban .............................................. M 197.7 199.0 199.4 198.7 3.7 -.2 -.4 3.9 .9 .2 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 198.4 199.7 200.2 199.6 3.6 -.1 -.3 3.8 .9 .3 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 119.2 120.1 120.2 119.4 3.6 -.6 -.7 4.2 .8 .1 

Midwest urban ................................................ M 178.6 179.5 179.8 178.8 3.1 -.4 -.6 3.4 .7 .2 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 180.2 181.1 181.2 180.1 2.9 -.6 -.6 3.1 .6 .1 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 115.9 116.6 116.9 116.4 3.6 -.2 -.4 3.7 .9 .3 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 173.7 174.4 175.2 174.9 3.4 .3 -.2 3.6 .9 .5 

South urban .................................................... M 179.7 180.6 180.7 180.3 3.5 -.2 -.2 3.7 .6 .1 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 181.4 182.5 182.5 182.4 3.4 -.1 -.1 3.5 .6 .0 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 115.4 115.9 116.0 115.6 3.4 -.3 -.3 3.7 .5 .1 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 180.7 182.3 182.2 181.5 4.2 -.4 -.4 4.4 .8 -.1 

West urban ..................................................... M 188.8 190.0 190.2 189.4 3.3 -.3 -.4 3.7 .7 .1 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 189.9 191.0 191.2 190.2 3.4 -.4 -.5 3.7 .7 .1 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 117.8 118.7 118.9 118.6 3.3 -.1 -.3 3.8 .9 .2 

Size classes

A 4 .............................................................. M 171.8 172.8 173.0 172.4 3.4 -.2 -.3 3.5 .7 .1 

B/C 3 ........................................................... M 116.5 117.2 117.3 116.9 3.5 -.3 -.3 3.8 .7 .1 

D ................................................................. M 179.7 180.8 181.1 180.6 3.6 -.1 -.3 3.8 .8 .2 

Selected local areas5

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI ................... M 183.1 184.0 184.2 183.1 2.4 -.5 -.6 2.8 .6 .1 

Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA ... M 187.8 189.8 190.3 188.5 4.6 -.7 -.9 5.4 1.3 .3 

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

NY-NJ-CT-PA ......................................... M 200.6 201.9 202.2 201.8 3.7 .0 -.2 3.9 .8 .1 

Boston-Brockton-Nashua, MA-NH-ME-CT ..... 1 208.8 -

 211.0 - - - - 2.6 1.1 -

Cleveland-Akron, OH ...................................... 1 174.8 - 173.9 - - - - 3.3 -.5 -

Dallas-Fort Worth, TX ..................................... 1 180.0 -

 180.5 - - - - 2.8 .3 -

Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV 6 ...... 1 120.4 - 120.4 - - - - 3.7 .0 -

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

 181.7 - 181.5 2.8 -.1 - - - -

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

 183.0 - 180.7 2.7 -1.3 - - - -

Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX .................... 2 - 169.5 - 167.7 3.4 -1.1 - - - -

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

 185.1 - 186.6 4.3 .8 - - - -

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,

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

 199.8 - 197.9 4.7 -1.0 - - - -

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

 196.4 - 195.9 2.5 -.3 - - - -

Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA .................... 2 - 191.6 - 190.3 2.7 -.7 - - - -

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

 most other goods and services priced as indicated: 

 M - Every month. 

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

 2 - February, April, June, August, October, and December. 2 Regions defined as the four Census regions. See 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

 Dec. 2004 from—

 Nov.

 2004

 Dec.

 2004

 Dec.

 2003

 Nov.

 2004

Expenditure category

All items ...................................................................................... 100.000 111.1 110.7 2.9 -0.4 

Food and beverages ................................................................ 15.076 112.3 112.4 2.5 .1 

Food ....................................................................................... 14.086 112.3 112.4 2.5 .1 

Food at home ....................................................................... 8.062 111.2 111.4 2.1 .2 

Food away from home .......................................................... 6.023 113.7 113.8 2.9 .1 

Alcoholic beverages ............................................................... .990 112.4 112.2 2.6 -.2 

Housing .................................................................................... 41.793 114.7 114.6 2.9 -.1 

Shelter .................................................................................... 32.380 116.2 116.1 2.6 -.1 

Fuels and utilities .................................................................... 4.643 126.4 126.5 6.9 .1 

Household furnishings and operations ................................... 4.771 95.8 95.5 .2 -.3 

Apparel ..................................................................................... 4.317 92.9 89.8 -.4 -3.3 

Transportation .......................................................................... 17.315 110.1 108.9 5.8 -1.1 

Private transportation ............................................................. 16.206 110.5 109.4 6.3 -1.0 

Public transportation ............................................................... 1.109 103.5 101.7 -.4 -1.7 

Medical care ............................................................................. 5.783 122.9 123.1 4.1 .2 

Medical care commodities ...................................................... 1.466 115.5 115.3 2.1 -.2 

Medical care services ............................................................. 4.317 125.4 125.9 4.8 .4 

Recreation ................................................................................ 5.978 103.4 103.2 .0 -.2 

Education and communication ................................................. 6.004 99.7 99.5 .3 -.2 

Education ............................................................................... 2.560 136.4 136.5 6.3 .1 

Communication ...................................................................... 3.444 78.0 77.7 -4.0 -.4 

Other goods and services ........................................................ 3.734 114.8 115.1 2.4 .3 

Commodity and service group

Services ...................................................................................... 58.567 117.0 116.9 2.8 -.1 

Commodities .............................................................................. 41.433 103.6 102.8 2.9 -.8 

Durables ................................................................................... 12.521 87.1 87.2 .1 .1 

Nondurables ............................................................................... 28.912 111.5 110.2 4.3 -1.2 

All items less food and energy ................................................. 78.985 108.8 108.5 1.9 -.3 

Energy ........................................................................................ 6.929 138.1 134.2 15.6 -2.8 

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 1A. 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 Annual

average

2003

Annual

average

2004

Percent

change

from 2003

to 2004

Expenditure category

All items ............................................................................................................ 184.0 188.9 2.7 

All items (1967=100) ........................................................................................ 551.1 565.8 -

Food and beverages ....................................................................................... 180.5 186.6 3.4 

Food ............................................................................................................. 180.0 186.2 3.4 

Food at home ............................................................................................. 179.4 186.2 3.8 

Cereals and bakery products .................................................................... 202.8 206.0 1.6 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ................................................................... 169.3 181.7 7.3 

Dairy and related products ....................................................................... 167.9 180.2 7.3 

Fruits and vegetables ............................................................................... 225.9 232.7 3.0 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ..................................... 139.8 140.4 .4 

Other food at home ................................................................................... 162.6 164.9 1.4 

Sugar and sweets ................................................................................... 162.0 163.2 .7 

Fats and oils ........................................................................................... 157.4 167.8 6.6 

Other foods ............................................................................................. 178.8 179.7 .5 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 ................................................................ 110.3 110.4 .1 

Food away from home ................................................................................ 182.1 187.5 3.0 

Other food away from home 1 .................................................................. 121.3 125.3 3.3 

Alcoholic beverages ..................................................................................... 187.2 192.1 2.6 

Housing .......................................................................................................... 184.8 189.5 2.5 

Shelter .......................................................................................................... 213.1 218.8 2.7 

Rent of primary residence .......................................................................... 205.5 211.0 2.7 

Lodging away from home 1 ........................................................................ 119.3 125.9 5.5 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 2 ......................................... 219.9 224.9 2.3 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 .......................................................... 114.8 116.2 1.2 

Fuels and utilities .......................................................................................... 154.5 161.9 4.8 

Fuels ........................................................................................................... 138.2 144.4 4.5

Fuel oil and other fuels ............................................................................. 139.5 160.5 15.1 

Gas (piped) and electricity ........................................................................ 145.0 150.6 3.9 

Household furnishings and operations ......................................................... 126.1 125.5 -.5 

Apparel ........................................................................................................... 120.9 120.4 -.4 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ............................................................................... 118.0 117.5 -.4 

Women’s and girls’ apparel .......................................................................... 113.1 113.0 -.1 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ....................................................................... 122.1 118.5 -2.9 

Footwear ....................................................................................................... 119.6 119.3 -.3 

Transportation ................................................................................................ 157.6 163.1 3.5 

Private transportation ................................................................................... 153.6 159.4 3.8 

New and used motor vehicles 1 .................................................................. 96.5 94.2 -2.4 

New vehicles ............................................................................................ 137.9 137.1 -.6 

Used cars and trucks ................................................................................ 142.9 133.3 -6.7 

Motor fuel .................................................................................................... 135.8 160.4 18.1 

Gasoline (all types) ................................................................................... 135.1 159.7 18.2 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment ............................................................ 107.8 108.7 .8 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ....................................................... 195.6 200.2 2.4 

Public transportation ..................................................................................... 209.3 209.1 -.1 

Medical care ................................................................................................... 297.1 310.1 4.4 

Medical care commodities ............................................................................ 262.8 269.3 2.5 

Medical care services ................................................................................... 306.0 321.3 5.0 

Professional services .................................................................................. 261.2 271.5 3.9 

Hospital and related services ..................................................................... 394.8 417.9 5.9 

Recreation 1 ................................................................................................... 107.5 108.6 1.0 

Video and audio 1 ......................................................................................... 103.6 104.2 .6 

See footnotes at end of table.
Table 1A. 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 Annual

average

2003

Annual

average

2004

Percent

change

from 2003

to 2004

Expenditure category

Education and communication 1 ..................................................................... 109.8 111.6 1.6 

Education 1 ................................................................................................... 134.4 143.7 6.9 

Educational books and supplies ................................................................. 335.4 351.0 4.7 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare .................................................... 386.7 414.3 7.1 

Communication 1 .......................................................................................... 89.7 86.7 -3.3 

Information and information processing 1 ................................................... 87.8 84.6 -3.6 

Telephone services 1 ................................................................................ 98.3 95.8 -2.5 

Information technology, hardware and services 3 .................................... 16.1 14.8 -8.1 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 ................................... 17.6 15.3 -13.1 

Other goods and services ............................................................................... 298.7 304.7 2.0 

Tobacco and smoking products .................................................................... 469.0 478.0 1.9 

Personal care ............................................................................................... 178.0 181.7 2.1 

Personal care products ............................................................................... 153.5 153.9 .3 

Personal care services ............................................................................... 193.2 197.6 2.3 

Miscellaneous personal services ................................................................ 283.5 293.9 3.7 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ..................................................................................................... 151.2 154.7 2.3

Food and beverages ....................................................................................... 180.5 186.6 3.4 

Commodities less food and beverages .......................................................... 134.5 136.7 1.6 

Nondurables less food and beverages ......................................................... 149.7 157.2 5.0 

Apparel ....................................................................................................... 120.9 120.4 -.4 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel ........................................ 171.5 183.9 7.2 

Durables ....................................................................................................... 117.5 114.8 -2.3

Services ............................................................................................................ 216.5 222.8 2.9 

Rent of shelter 2 ............................................................................................. 221.9 227.9 2.7 

Transportation services .................................................................................. 216.3 220.6 2.0 

Other services ................................................................................................ 254.4 261.3 2.7 

Special indexes

All items less food ............................................................................................. 184.7 189.4 2.5

All items less shelter ......................................................................................... 174.6 179.3 2.7 

All items less medical care ............................................................................... 178.1 182.7 2.6 

Commodities less food ..................................................................................... 136.5 138.8 1.7 

Nondurables less food ...................................................................................... 151.9 159.3 4.9 

Nondurables less food and apparel .................................................................. 172.1 183.8 6.8 

Nondurables ..................................................................................................... 165.3 172.2 4.2

Services less rent of shelter 2 ........................................................................... 226.4 233.5 3.1 

Services less medical care services ................................................................. 208.7 214.5 2.8 

Energy .............................................................................................................. 136.5 151.4 10.9 

All items less energy ......................................................................................... 190.6 194.4 2.0 

All items less food and energy ........................................................................ 193.2 196.6 1.8 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ......................................... 140.9 139.6 -.9 

Energy commodities ................................................................................... 136.7 161.2 17.9 

Services less energy services ...................................................................... 223.8 230.2 2.9 

Purchasing power of the consumer dollar (1982-84=$1.00) ............................ $ .544 $ .530 -

Purchasing power of the consumer dollar (1967=$1.00) .................................. $ .182 $ .177 -

1 Indexes on a December 1997=100 base. 2 Indexes on a December 1982=100 base. 3 Indexes on a December 1988=100 base. - Data not available.
Table 4A. 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 Annual

average

2003

Annual

average

2004

Percent

change

from 2003

to 2004

Expenditure category

All items ............................................................................................................ 179.8 184.5 2.6 

All items (1967=100) ........................................................................................ 535.6 549.5 -

Food and beverages ....................................................................................... 179.9 186.2 3.5 

Food ............................................................................................................. 179.4 185.7 3.5 

Food at home ............................................................................................. 178.5 185.4 3.9 

Cereals and bakery products .................................................................... 202.8 206.0 1.6 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ................................................................... 169.2 181.8 7.4 

Dairy and related products ....................................................................... 167.6 180.0 7.4 

Fruits and vegetables ............................................................................... 224.3 230.4 2.7 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ..................................... 139.1 139.7 .4 

Other food at home ................................................................................... 162.2 164.5 1.4 

Sugar and sweets ................................................................................... 161.6 162.5 .6 

Fats and oils ........................................................................................... 157.4 167.8 6.6 

Other foods ............................................................................................. 179.2 180.1 .5 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 ................................................................ 110.8 110.9 .1 

Food away from home ................................................................................ 182.0 187.4 3.0 

Other food away from home 1 .................................................................. 121.5 125.1 3.0 

Alcoholic beverages ..................................................................................... 187.1 192.4 2.8 

Housing .......................................................................................................... 180.4 185.0 2.5 

Shelter .......................................................................................................... 206.9 212.2 2.6 

Rent of primary residence .......................................................................... 204.7 210.2 2.7 

Lodging away from home 1 ........................................................................ 119.8 126.4 5.5 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 2 ......................................... 199.7 204.1 2.2 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 .......................................................... 114.7 116.4 1.5 

Fuels and utilities .......................................................................................... 153.9 161.2 4.7 

Fuels ........................................................................................................... 137.0 143.2 4.5

Fuel oil and other fuels ............................................................................. 138.7 160.0 15.4 

Gas (piped) and electricity ........................................................................ 144.1 149.8 4.0 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 1 ....................................... 117.3 124.1 5.8 

Household furnishings and operations ......................................................... 121.9 121.1 -.7 

Household operations 1 .............................................................................. 122.9 126.8 3.2 

Apparel ........................................................................................................... 120.0 120.0 .0 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ............................................................................... 117.5 117.3 -.2 

Women’s and girls’ apparel .......................................................................... 112.1 112.8 .6 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ....................................................................... 124.1 121.3 -2.3 

Footwear ....................................................................................................... 119.1 118.2 -.8 

Transportation ................................................................................................ 156.3 161.5 3.3 

Private transportation ................................................................................... 153.5 158.8 3.5 

New and used motor vehicles 1 .................................................................. 96.0 92.8 -3.3 

New vehicles ............................................................................................ 139.0 138.1 -.6 

Used cars and trucks ................................................................................ 143.7 134.1 -6.7 

Motor fuel .................................................................................................... 136.1 160.9 18.2 

Gasoline (all types) ................................................................................... 135.5 160.2 18.2 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment ............................................................ 107.3 108.2 .8 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ....................................................... 197.3 202.0 2.4 

Public transportation ..................................................................................... 206.0 207.1 .5 

Medical care ................................................................................................... 296.3 309.5 4.5 

Medical care commodities ............................................................................ 257.4 263.2 2.3 

Medical care services ................................................................................... 305.9 321.5 5.1 

Professional services .................................................................................. 263.4 274.0 4.0 

Hospital and related services ..................................................................... 391.2 414.0 5.8 

See footnotes at end of table.
Table 4A. 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 Annual

average

2003

Annual

average

2004

Percent

change

from 2003

to 2004

Expenditure category

Recreation 1 ................................................................................................... 105.5 106.3 0.8 

Video and audio 1 ......................................................................................... 102.9 103.4 .5 

Education and communication 1 ..................................................................... 109.0 110.0 .9 

Education 1 ................................................................................................... 133.8 142.5 6.5 

Educational books and supplies ................................................................. 336.5 352.2 4.7 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare .................................................... 377.3 402.5 6.7 

Communication 1 .......................................................................................... 91.2 88.3 -3.2 

Information and information processing 1 ................................................... 89.9 86.8 -3.4 

Telephone services 1 ................................................................................ 98.5 96.0 -2.5 

Information technology, hardware and services 3 .................................... 16.7 15.3 -8.4 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 ................................... 17.3 15.0 -13.3 

Other goods and services ............................................................................... 307.0 312.6 1.8 

Tobacco and smoking products .................................................................... 470.5 478.8 1.8 

Personal care ............................................................................................... 177.0 180.4 1.9 

Personal care products ............................................................................... 154.2 154.4 .1 

Personal care services ............................................................................... 193.9 198.2 2.2 

Miscellaneous personal services ................................................................ 283.3 294.0 3.8 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ..................................................................................................... 151.8 155.4 2.4

Food and beverages ....................................................................................... 179.9 186.2 3.5 

Commodities less food and beverages .......................................................... 135.8 138.1 1.7 

Nondurables less food and beverages ......................................................... 152.1 160.6 5.6 

Apparel ....................................................................................................... 120.0 120.0 .0 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel ........................................ 175.6 189.6 8.0 

Durables ....................................................................................................... 117.4 114.0 -2.9

Services ............................................................................................................ 212.6 218.6 2.8 

Rent of shelter 2 ............................................................................................. 199.2 204.3 2.6 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 .............................................................. 114.7 116.4 1.5 

Gas (piped) and electricity .............................................................................. 144.1 149.8 4.0 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 1 ........................................... 117.3 124.1 5.8 

Household operations 1 .................................................................................. 122.9 126.8 3.2 

Transportation services .................................................................................. 216.2 220.9 2.2 

Medical care services ..................................................................................... 305.9 321.5 5.1 

Other services ................................................................................................ 248.5 254.1 2.3 

Special indexes

All items less food ............................................................................................. 179.7 184.1 2.4

All items less shelter ......................................................................................... 171.9 176.4 2.6 

All items less medical care ............................................................................... 174.8 179.1 2.5 

Commodities less food ..................................................................................... 137.7 140.0 1.7 

Nondurables less food ...................................................................................... 154.2 162.6 5.4 

Nondurables less food and apparel .................................................................. 175.9 189.0 7.4 

Nondurables ..................................................................................................... 166.4 173.9 4.5

Services less rent of shelter 2 ........................................................................... 201.3 207.4 3.0 

Services less medical care services ................................................................. 205.2 210.6 2.6 

Energy .............................................................................................................. 135.9 151.3 11.3 

All items less energy ......................................................................................... 186.1 189.5 1.8 

All items less food and energy ........................................................................ 187.9 190.6 1.4 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ......................................... 141.1 139.4 -1.2 

Energy commodities ................................................................................... 136.8 161.5 18.1 

Services less energy services ...................................................................... 220.2 226.2 2.7 

Purchasing power of the consumer dollar (1982-84=$1.00) ............................ $ .556 $ .542 -

Purchasing power of the consumer dollar (1967=$1.00) .................................. $ .187 $ .182 -

1 Indexes on a December 1997=100 base. 2 Indexes on a December 1984=100 base 3 Indexes on a December 1988=100 base. - Data not available.