News United States

Department 

of Labor

 

Bureau of Labor Statistics Washington, D.C. 20212 

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INTERNET ADDRESS: http://www.bls.gov/cpi/ Wednesday, June 15, 2005

CONSUMER PRICE INDEX: MAY 2005

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

adjustment, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. The May level of 194.4

(1982-84=100) was 2.8 percent higher than in May 2004.

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

May, prior to seasonal adjustment. The May level of 190.0 was 2.9 percent higher than in May 2004.

The Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U) was unchanged in May on a not 

seasonally adjusted basis. The May level of 113.1 (December 1999=100) was 2.5 percent higher than in May 2004. 

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

CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U)

On a seasonally adjusted basis, the CPI-U declined 0.1 percent in May, following an increase of 0.5 percent 

in April. Energy costs, which advanced sharply in each of the preceding three months, declined 2.0 percent in May. 

Within energy, the index for petroleum-based energy decreased 4.2 percent while the index for energy services 

increased 0.8 percent. The index for food rose 0.1 percent, following a 0.7 percent increase in April. The index for 

all items less food and energy, which was virtually unchanged in April, increased 0.1 percent in May. Shelter costs 

were virtually unchanged for the second consecutive month as a decline in the index for lodging while away from home

offset increases in the indexes for rent and owners’ equivalent rent.

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

Seasonally adjusted UnCompound adjusted

Expenditure Changes from preceding month annual rate 12-mos.

Category 2004 2005 3-mos. ended ended

Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May May ’05 May ’05 

All Items .3 .0 .1 .4 .6 .5 -.1 4.4 ’98‘97Jan.’ 2.8

Food and beverages .3 .0 .1 .1 .2 .6 .1 3.9 2.5

 Housing .3 .2 .1 .4 .5 .3 .1 3.4 3.0

 Apparel .2 -.4 .3 -.2 .8 -.6 .0 .7 -.8

 Transportation .2 -.7 -.2 .8 1.9 1.8 -1.0 11.0 4.2

 Medical care .3 .3 .4 .6 .5 .2 .3 4.2 4.3

 Recreation .1 .0 .1 -.2 .0 .2 .3 1.9 .6

 Education and

 communication .4 .1 .1 .3 .2 .4 .0 2.5 1.9

 Other goods and

 services .1 .4 .4 .3 .1 .0 .4 2.2 2.9

 Special Indexes

 Energy 1.0 -1.3 -1.1 2.0 4.0 4.5 -2.0 28.7 9.9

 Food .3 .0 .1 .1 .2 .7 .1 3.9 2.4

 All Items less

 food and energy .2 .2 .2 .3 .4 .0 .1 2.2 2.2
During the first five months of 2005, the CPI-U rose at a 3.7 percent seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR). 

This compares with an increase of 3.3 percent for all of 2004. The index for energy, which rose 16.6 percent in 

2004, advanced at an 18.7 percent SAAR in the first five months of 2005. Petroleum-based energy costs increased 

at a 27.4 percent annual rate and charges for energy services rose at a 9.0 percent annual rate. The food index has 

increased at a 2.7 percent SAAR thus far this year, the same as for all of 2004. Excluding food and energy, the CPIU advanced at a 2.4 percent SAAR in the first five months, following a 2.2 percent rise for all of 2004.

The food and beverages index increased 0.1 percent in May. The index for food at home, which advanced 

1.1 percent in April, rose 0.1 percent in May. The indexes for fruits and vegetables, for nonalcoholic beverages, and 

for other food at home, which had accounted for five-sixths of the advance in the April food at home index, each 

decelerated sharply in May. The index for fruits and vegetables, which rose 3.4 percent in April, increased 0.6 

percent in May. In May, the indexes for fresh fruits and for fresh vegetables rose 1.7 and 0.4 percent, respectively, 

while the index for processed fruits and vegetables decreased 1.0 percent. The index for nonalcoholic beverages rose 

0.1 percent after increasing 1.1 percent in April. The deceleration reflected a decline in prices for carbonated drinks 

and a much smaller increase in coffee prices. Downturns in the indexes for snacks, for sugar and sweets, and for 

butter and margarine, whose advances were largely responsible for the 1.3 percent increase in the April index for 

other food at home, accounted for the May decline of 0.8 percent. The index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs also 

advanced less in May than in April--up 0.2 percent after increasing 0.4 percent in April. A sharp increase in beef 

prices--up 1.5 percent--was largely offset by declines in the indexes for pork and poultry. The index for dairy 

products increased 0.4 percent, the same as in April, and the index for cereals and bakery products, which was 

virtually unchanged in April, increased 0.1 percent in May. The other two components of the food and beverage 

index--food away from home and alcoholic beverages--increased 0.3 and declined 0.2 percent, respectively.

The index for housing rose 0.1 percent in May. For the second consecutive month, shelter costs were virtually 

unchanged, again largely as a result of a decline in the index for lodging away from home. The index for lodging away 

from home declined 2.4 percent in May, following a 1.2 percent decrease in April. In May, the indexes for rent and

owners' equivalent rent increased 0.2 and 0.3 percent, respectively. The index for fuels and utilities rose 0.6 percent, 

following a 2.1 percent increase in April. Declines in the indexes for fuel oil and for natural gas--down 2.3 and 0.2

percent, respectively--were more than offset by a 1.4 percent increase in the index for electricity. (Prior to seasonal 

adjustment, charges for electricity rose 3.0 percent, reflecting the switch to seasonal rates in some areas.) The index 

for household furnishings and operations, which was unchanged in the preceding two months, rose 0.5 percent in May. 

Within this group, the index for moving, storage, and freight expenses registered the largest advance--up 2.9 percent. 

The transportation index declined 1.0 percent in May, largely reflecting a 4.4 percent decrease in the index for 

gasoline. (Prior to seasonal adjustment, the price of gasoline was 2.9 percent lower than its peak level of last month, 

but 10.3 percent higher than a year earlier.) The index for new vehicles rose 0.1 percent in May, following declines in 

each of the preceding two months. The index for used cars and trucks rose 0.5 percent in May to a level 5.3 percent 

above May 2004. The index for public transportation increased 0.7 percent in May, largely reflecting an increase in 

the index for airline fares. Airline fares registered their fourth consecutive advance, up 2.2 percent in May. With the 

recent advances, airline fares are 4.1 percent higher than a year ago, but are 1.8 percent lower than in the month prior 

to the terrorist attacks in 2001. 

The index for apparel was unchanged in May, following a 0.6 percent decline in April. (Prior to seasonal 

adjustment, apparel prices declined 1.1 percent, reflecting discounting of women’s and girls’ apparel--down 2.1 

percent.)

Medical care costs rose 0.3 percent in May to a level 4.3 percent higher than a year ago. The index for 

medical care commodities--prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and medical supplies--increased 0.5 percent in 

May. The index for medical care services rose 0.3 percent in May, with the indexes for professional services and for 

hospital and related services each up 0.3 percent. 

The index for recreation increased 0.3 percent in May. The index for admissions to movies, theaters, 

concerts, and sporting events rose 1.4 percent in May after declining 0.8 percent in April, accounting for about 55 

percent of the advance in the overall recreation index. Upturns in the indexes for televisions and for toys--up 0.7 and 

0.9 percent, respectively--also contributed to the May advance. 

The index for education and communication was unchanged in May. The education index rose 0.7 percent

while the index for communication costs decreased 0.5 percent. Within the latter group, the index for telephone

services declined 0.5 percent, reflecting decreases in both local and long distance land-line telephone charges. The 

index for personal computers and peripheral equipment declined 1.5 percent in May to a level 15.9 percent lower than 

a year ago.
The index for other goods and services rose 0.4 percent in May. The index for personal care products rose 

0.7 percent. Charges for legal services increased 1.1 percent, their largest advance since a similar increase in March 

2003. The index for tobacco and smoking products increased 0.2 percent in May. 

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 May.

 

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 2004 2005 3-mos. ended ended

Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May May ’05 May ’05 

All Items .3 -.1 .1 .4 .6 .6 -.1 4.6 2.9

 Food and beverages .3 .0 .1 .1 .2 .6 .1 3.9 2.4

 Housing .3 .2 .2 .4 .3 .3 .2 3.4 3.0

 Apparel .2 -.3 .5 -.1 .5 -.7 .1 -.7 -.7

 Transportation .1 -.5 -.3 .8 2.1 1.8 -1.0 11.6 4.5

 Medical care .3 .3 .3 .6 .4 .3 .4 4.7 4.4

 Recreation .1 -.1 .2 -.2 .0 .1 .4 1.9 .4

 Education and

 communication .3 .1 .1 .3 .1 .4 .0 1.8 1.3

 Other goods and

 services .2 .4 .5 .4 .0 .0 .3 1.5 3.0

 Special Indexes

 Energy .7 -1.3 -1.3 2.0 4.4 4.6 -2.1 30.0 9.8

 Food .3 .0 .1 .1 .2 .7 .1 4.1 2.4

 All Items less

 food and energy .2 .2 .2 .3 .2 .1 .2 2.1 2.2

Consumer Price Index data for June are scheduled for release on Thursday, July 14, 2005, at 8:30 A.M. 

(EDT). 

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. Seasonally adjusted indexes and seasonal factors are computed annually. Each year, the last 5 

years of seasonally adjusted data are revised. Data from January 2000 through December 2004 were replaced in 

January 2005. Exceptions to the usual revision schedule were: the updated seasonal data at the end of 1977 replaced 

data from 1967 through 1977; and, in January 2002, dependently seasonally adjusted series were revised for January 

1987-December 2001 as a result of a change in the aggregation weights for dependently adjusted series. For further 

information, please see “Aggregation of Dependently Adjusted Seasonally Adjusted Series,” in the October 2001 issue 

of the CPI Detailed Report.

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

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

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

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

before that period. Note: 43 of the 73 components are seasonally adjusted for 2005.

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, utility (piped) 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, changes in 

milk supply, and large swings in soybean oil inventories affecting the Fats and oils series. For Dairy products, it 

mitigated the effects of significant changes in milk, butter and cheese production levels. For Fresh vegetable series, the 

method was used to account for the effects of hurricane-related disruptions. 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 vehicle series, 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

2004

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

May 2005 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Apr.

2005

May

2005

May

2004

Apr.

2005

Feb. to

Mar.

Mar. to

Apr.

Apr. to

May

Expenditure category

All items ...................................................................................... 100.000 194.6 194.4 2.8 -0.1 0.6 0.5 -0.1 

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

 582.9 582.4 - - - - -

Food and beverages ................................................................ 15.291 190.7 191.1 2.5 .2 .2 .6 .1 

Food ....................................................................................... 14.295 190.2 190.6 2.4 .2 .2 .7 .1 

Food at home ....................................................................... 8.183 189.8 190.3 2.0 .3 .2 1.1 .1 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................. 1.185 209.1 209.7 1.7 .3 .2 .0 .1 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ............................................ 2.272 184.7 185.0 2.2 .2 .2 .4 .2 

Dairy and related products ................................................. .849 182.2 183.3 -1.4 .6 .2 .4 .4 

Fruits and vegetables ......................................................... 1.276 240.1 244.7 5.6 1.9 -.5 3.4 .6 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials .............. .884 144.8 144.3 3.1 -.3 1.0 1.1 .1 

Other food at home ............................................................ 1.716 167.5 166.3 .5 -.7 .2 1.3 -.8 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................. .296 164.9 163.3 -.1 -1.0 -.9 1.9 -1.2 

Fats and oils ..................................................................... .258 169.4 167.8 -.9 -.9 -1.3 1.8 -1.4 

Other foods 1 .................................................................... 1.163 183.0 182.0 1.1 -.5 .9 .9 -.5 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... .301 110.8 110.8 .0 .0 1.5 -1.0 .0 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 6.113 192.1 192.6 3.2 .3 .2 .2 .3 

Other food away from home 2 ............................................ .332 129.6 130.3 4.4 .5 .5 .2 .6 

Alcoholic beverages 1 ............................................................ .996 195.9 195.5 2.0 -.2 .3 .1 -.2 

Housing .................................................................................... 41.993 194.4 194.5 3.0 .1 .5 .3 .1 

Shelter .................................................................................... 32.686 224.4 224.0 2.4 -.2 .6 .0 .0 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 6.133 216.0 216.4 2.9 .2 .2 .3 .2 

Lodging away from home 2 .................................................. 3.008 136.2 131.7 2.7 -3.3 3.9 -1.2 -2.4 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 23.158 229.0 229.4 2.3 .2 .3 .1 .3 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. .387 118.2 118.0 1.6 -.2 .3 -.7 -.2 

Fuels and utilities .................................................................... 4.951 169.6 171.7 8.6 1.2 .1 2.1 .6 

Fuels ..................................................................................... 4.021 151.5 153.7 9.5 1.5 .1 2.5 .6 

Fuel oil and other fuels ....................................................... .300 199.5 193.9 28.9 -2.8 4.6 4.8 -1.6 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 3.722 155.9 158.7 8.1 1.8 -.3 2.3 .8 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. .930 129.1 129.5 5.0 .3 .2 .2 .4 

Household furnishings and operations ................................... 4.355 126.3 126.7 1.0 .3 .0 .0 .6 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... .707 129.1 129.7 4.6 .5 -.2 .6 .5 

Apparel ..................................................................................... 3.841 123.7 122.4 -.8 -1.1 .8 -.6 .0 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ........................................................ .977 120.4 119.7 -.5 -.6 .4 .0 -.3 

Women’s and girls’ apparel .................................................... 1.638 116.6 114.2 -2.3 -2.1 2.0 -1.3 -.2 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ................................................. .188 121.3 119.8 1.4 -1.2 -1.3 2.6 -.6 

Footwear ................................................................................ .765 123.8 123.2 2.4 -.5 -.9 -.1 .2 

Transportation .......................................................................... 17.414 173.2 172.1 4.2 -.6 1.9 1.8 -1.0

Private transportation ............................................................. 16.385 169.6 168.3 4.2 -.8 2.0 1.7 -1.1 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 7.744 95.6 95.7 1.8 .1 -.1 .0 .3 

New vehicles ...................................................................... 4.692 138.8 138.7 .9 -.1 -.4 -.1 .1 

Used cars and trucks 1 ....................................................... 2.037 138.1 138.8 5.3 .5 .1 .3 .5 

Motor fuel ............................................................................. 3.969 193.9 188.2 10.4 -2.9 8.0 6.4 -4.4

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................. 3.934 192.9 187.3 10.3 -2.9 7.9 6.4 -4.4 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... .364 110.8 111.0 2.9 .2 .0 -.1 .2 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................. 1.341 205.0 205.6 3.3 .3 .6 .2 .3 

Public transportation ............................................................... 1.029 215.0 218.0 3.5 1.4 1.3 1.7 .7 

Medical care ............................................................................. 6.132 321.5 322.2 4.3 .2 .5 .2 .3 

Medical care commodities ...................................................... 1.484 273.5 274.6 2.0 .4 .0 .0 .5 

Medical care services ............................................................. 4.649 335.2 335.9 5.0 .2 .6 .3 .3 

Professional services ........................................................... 2.767 281.0 281.6 3.9 .2 .4 .4 .3 

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 1.516 437.1 437.3 5.5 .0 .7 .4 .3 

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

2004

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

May 2005 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Apr.

2005

May

2005

May

2004

Apr.

2005

Feb. to

Mar.

Mar. to

Apr.

Apr. to

May

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 5.733 109.2 109.5 0.6 0.3 0.0 0.2 0.3 

Video and audio 2 ................................................................... 1.691 104.8 104.6 .0 -.2 .5 .2 -.2 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 5.846 112.9 112.7 1.9 -.2 .2 .4 .0 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 2.931 149.5 149.9 6.4 .3 .5 .6 .7 

Educational books and supplies ........................................... .220 361.3 362.3 3.6 .3 .4 .6 .6 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare .............................. 2.712 431.4 432.7 6.7 .3 .6 .6 .7 

Communication 2 .................................................................... 2.914 85.4 84.9 -2.3 -.6 -.2 .1 -.5 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 2.737 83.2 82.7 -2.5 -.6 -.2 .1 -.6 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 2.187 95.3 94.8 -1.1 -.5 -.1 .3 -.5 

Information technology, hardware and services 1 5 ........... .550 13.9 13.8 -7.4 -.7 .0 -.7 -.7 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... .192 13.4 13.2 -15.9 -1.5 -.7 .0 -1.5 

Other goods and services ........................................................ 3.750 311.6 312.5 2.9 .3 .1 .0 .4 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... .804 497.0 498.0 5.2 .2 .1 .1 .2 

Personal care ......................................................................... 2.946 184.9 185.5 2.3 .3 .1 .0 .4 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... .658 153.4 154.4 -.1 .7 -.6 .3 .7 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... .652 203.3 202.8 3.2 -.2 .2 .0 -.2 

Miscellaneous personal services .......................................... 1.454 301.4 302.8 3.3 .5 .2 .3 .5 

Commodity and service group

Commodities .............................................................................. 40.239 160.3 159.8 2.4 -.3 .9 .9 -.4 

Food and beverages ................................................................ 15.291 190.7 191.1 2.5 .2 .2 .6 .1 

Commodities less food and beverages .................................... 24.948 142.9 142.0 2.5 -.6 1.4 1.1 -.7 

Nondurables less food and beverages ................................... 13.980 168.9 167.0 3.8 -1.1 1.7 2.2 -1.9 

Apparel ................................................................................. 3.841 123.7 122.4 -.8 -1.1 .8 -.6 .0 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel .................. 10.139 201.0 198.6 5.5 -1.2 3.2 2.9 -1.6 

Durables ................................................................................. 10.967 115.6 115.7 .8 .1 -.3 -.2 .3 

Services ...................................................................................... 59.761 228.6 228.8 3.1 .1 .4 .3 .1 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 32.300 233.7 233.2 2.4 -.2 .6 .1 -.1 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... .387 118.2 118.0 1.6 -.2 .3 -.7 -.2 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 3.722 155.9 158.7 8.1 1.8 -.3 2.3 .8 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... .930 129.1 129.5 5.0 .3 .2 .2 .4 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... .707 129.1 129.7 4.6 .5 -.2 .6 .5 

Transportation services ............................................................ 6.235 224.4 225.1 2.3 .3 .4 .4 .3 

Medical care services ............................................................... 4.649 335.2 335.9 5.0 .2 .6 .3 .3 

Other services .......................................................................... 10.833 266.7 266.9 2.8 .1 .2 .3 .3 

Special indexes

All items less food ...................................................................... 85.705 195.3 195.1 2.9 -.1 .7 .5 -.1 

All items less shelter ................................................................... 67.314 185.1 185.0 3.0 -.1 .7 .8 -.1 

All items less medical care ......................................................... 93.868 188.1 187.9 2.7 -.1 .6 .5 -.1 

Commodities less food ............................................................... 25.943 144.9 144.0 2.4 -.6 1.4 1.1 -.6 

Nondurables less food ................................................................ 14.976 170.6 168.7 3.6 -1.1 1.5 2.0 -1.7 

Nondurables less food and apparel ............................................ 11.135 199.7 197.5 5.2 -1.1 3.0 2.6 -1.4 

Nondurables ............................................................................... 29.271 180.3 179.4 3.0 -.5 .9 1.5 -.8

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 27.462 239.8 240.7 3.9 .4 .3 .7 .3 

Services less medical care services ........................................... 55.113 219.7 219.9 2.9 .1 .4 .3 .2 

Energy ........................................................................................ 7.991 170.9 169.4 9.9 -.9 4.0 4.5 -2.0 

All items less energy .................................................................. 92.009 198.6 198.6 2.2 .0 .4 .2 .2 

All items less food and energy ................................................. 77.714 200.9 200.8 2.2 .0 .4 .0 .1 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ................... 21.674 141.2 141.1 .6 -.1 .0 -.1 .2 

Energy commodities ............................................................. 4.269 195.2 189.4 11.3 -3.0 7.8 6.3 -4.2 

Services less energy services ................................................ 56.040 236.0 235.9 2.7 .0 .5 .2 .1 

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

 $ .514 $ .514 - - - - -

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

 $ .172 $ .172 - - - - -

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—

Feb.

2005

Mar.

2005

Apr.

2005

May

2005

Aug.

2004

Nov.

2004

Feb.

2005

May

2005

Nov.

2004

May

2005

Expenditure category

All items ...................................................................................... 192.0 193.2 194.2 194.1 1.1 4.1 1.7 4.4 2.6 3.1 

Food and beverages ................................................................ 189.2 189.6 190.8 191.0 1.9 3.2 .6 3.9 2.6 2.2 

Food ....................................................................................... 188.7 189.0 190.3 190.5 1.9 3.2 .6 3.9 2.6 2.2 

Food at home ....................................................................... 187.7 188.0 190.0 190.1 1.1 3.5 -1.7 5.2 2.3 1.7 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................. 208.2 208.7 208.8 209.1 1.4 3.3 .4 1.7 2.3 1.1 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ............................................ 184.0 184.4 185.2 185.6 3.3 -2.4 4.0 3.5 .4 3.8 

Dairy and related products ................................................. 181.6 181.9 182.6 183.3 -1.5 -10.6 3.4 3.8 -6.1 3.6 

Fruits and vegetables ......................................................... 234.2 233.1 241.0 242.5 -3.1 42.6 -21.4 14.9 17.5 -4.9 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials .............. 141.5 142.9 144.5 144.6 1.1 1.1 1.7 9.1 1.1 5.3 

Other food at home ............................................................ 165.1 165.5 167.6 166.2 1.7 -2.9 .7 2.7 -.6 1.7 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................. 163.3 161.9 165.0 163.0 2.0 1.2 -2.9 -.7 1.6 -1.8 

Fats and oils ..................................................................... 168.8 166.6 169.6 167.3 .5 .0 -.9 -3.5 .2 -2.2 

Other foods 1 .................................................................... 179.7 181.3 183.0 182.0 1.8 -4.3 1.8 5.2 -1.3 3.5 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... 110.3 111.9 110.8 110.8 2.6 -3.5 -.7 1.8 -.5 .5 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 191.4 191.7 192.1 192.6 3.7 2.6 3.9 2.5 3.1 3.2 

Other food away from home 2 ............................................ 128.7 129.4 129.6 130.4 1.9 2.9 7.1 5.4 2.4 6.3 

Alcoholic beverages 1 ............................................................ 195.2 195.7 195.9 195.5 1.7 3.2 2.5 .6 2.4 1.6 

Housing .................................................................................... 193.0 193.9 194.4 194.6 2.8 3.2 2.7 3.4 3.0 3.0 

Shelter .................................................................................... 222.4 223.7 223.8 223.7 2.0 2.4 2.9 2.4 2.2 2.6 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 214.8 215.3 216.0 216.4 3.5 2.1 3.2 3.0 2.8 3.1 

Lodging away from home 2 .................................................. 129.2 134.3 132.7 129.5 -2.5 9.9 2.8 .9 3.5 1.9 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 228.1 228.7 229.0 229.6 2.3 1.4 2.7 2.7 1.9 2.7 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. 118.7 119.0 118.2 118.0 .7 4.9 3.4 -2.3 2.8 .5 

Fuels and utilities .................................................................... 168.9 169.0 172.5 173.5 10.9 8.6 3.6 11.3 9.7 7.4 

Fuels ..................................................................................... 150.9 151.0 154.7 155.7 12.0 9.9 2.7 13.3 11.0 7.9 

Fuel oil and other fuels ....................................................... 178.6 186.9 195.8 192.6 41.7 80.8 -20.3 35.2 60.0 3.8 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 156.7 156.2 159.8 161.0 10.3 5.6 5.0 11.4 7.9 8.2 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. 128.5 128.7 129.0 129.5 5.6 4.2 7.2 3.1 4.9 5.1 

Household furnishings and operations ................................... 125.9 125.9 125.9 126.7 -1.0 3.2 -.3 2.6 1.1 1.1 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... 128.6 128.3 129.1 129.7 6.9 2.9 5.1 3.5 4.9 4.3 

Apparel ..................................................................................... 120.0 120.9 120.2 120.2 -3.6 1.0 -1.3 .7 -1.3 -.3 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ........................................................ 117.4 117.9 117.9 117.6 -3.3 -4.0 4.9 .7 -3.7 2.8 

Women’s and girls’ apparel .................................................... 110.8 113.0 111.5 111.3 -4.8 4.0 -9.8 1.8 -.5 -4.2 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ................................................. 118.6 117.1 120.1 119.4 -2.4 2.8 2.4 2.7 .2 2.6 

Footwear ................................................................................ 123.0 121.9 121.8 122.0 -.3 2.7 11.1 -3.2 1.2 3.7 

Transportation .......................................................................... 166.6 169.7 172.7 171.0 -3.6 10.2 -.2 11.0 3.1 5.2 

Private transportation ............................................................. 163.0 166.2 169.1 167.3 -3.7 10.2 .2 11.0 3.0 5.5 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 95.5 95.4 95.4 95.7 .0 4.8 2.1 .8 2.4 1.5 

New vehicles ...................................................................... 139.0 138.5 138.4 138.5 -3.2 3.6 4.7 -1.4 .1 1.6 

Used cars and trucks 1 ....................................................... 137.6 137.7 138.1 138.8 6.2 9.0 2.7 3.5 7.6 3.1 

Motor fuel ............................................................................. 167.6 181.0 192.5 184.1 -17.2 31.3 -6.4 45.6 4.2 16.7 

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................. 166.8 180.0 191.6 183.2 -17.3 31.1 -6.2 45.5 4.1 16.8 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... 110.9 110.9 110.8 111.0 4.1 3.3 3.7 .4 3.7 2.0 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................. 203.5 204.7 205.2 205.8 3.7 3.2 1.8 4.6 3.4 3.2 

Public transportation ............................................................... 208.0 210.8 214.3 215.7 -2.5 8.8 -6.6 15.7 3.0 3.9 

Medical care ............................................................................. 318.7 320.2 320.9 322.0 3.8 3.9 5.2 4.2 3.9 4.7 

Medical care commodities ...................................................... 273.1 273.2 273.3 274.6 1.0 2.8 2.2 2.2 1.9 2.2 

Medical care services ............................................................. 331.5 333.6 334.6 335.5 4.7 4.3 6.0 4.9 4.5 5.5 

Professional services ........................................................... 278.0 279.2 280.4 281.3 3.7 2.8 4.4 4.8 3.3 4.6

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 432.6 435.5 437.1 438.6 3.2 5.7 7.4 5.7 4.4 6.6 

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—

Feb.

2005

Mar.

2005

Apr.

2005

May

2005

Aug.

2004

Nov.

2004

Feb.

2005

May

2005

Nov.

2004

May

2005

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 108.8 108.8 109.0 109.3 -0.7 1.5 -0.4 1.9 0.4 0.7 

Video and audio 2 ................................................................... 103.8 104.3 104.5 104.3 -.8 .8 -1.9 1.9 .0 .0 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 112.7 112.9 113.4 113.4 1.1 2.2 1.8 2.5 1.6 2.2 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 149.0 149.8 150.7 151.8 6.3 6.5 5.3 7.7 6.4 6.5 

Educational books and supplies ........................................... 357.0 358.5 360.6 362.6 4.8 2.7 .7 6.4 3.7 3.5 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare .............................. 430.2 432.6 435.3 438.4 6.6 6.9 5.6 7.8 6.7 6.7 

Communication 2 .................................................................... 85.4 85.2 85.3 84.9 -3.6 -2.3 -.9 -2.3 -3.0 -1.6 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 83.3 83.1 83.2 82.7 -3.7 -2.4 -1.0 -2.9 -3.0 -1.9 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 95.1 95.0 95.3 94.8 -3.7 -.4 .8 -1.3 -2.1 -.2 

Information technology, hardware and services 1 5 ........... 14.0 14.0 13.9 13.8 -5.3 -10.4 -8.1 -5.6 -7.9 -6.9 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... 13.5 13.4 13.4 13.2 -14.4 -21.8 -18.3 -8.6 -18.2 -13.6 

Other goods and services ........................................................ 310.6 311.0 311.1 312.3 3.1 2.1 4.4 2.2 2.6 3.3

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... 496.1 496.6 497.0 498.0 7.0 .1 12.5 1.5 3.5 6.9 

Personal care ......................................................................... 184.3 184.5 184.5 185.3 2.0 2.7 2.4 2.2 2.3 2.3 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... 153.9 153.0 153.4 154.4 -4.6 2.6 .3 1.3 -1.0 .8 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... 202.9 203.3 203.3 202.8 4.8 2.2 5.9 -.2 3.5 2.8 

Miscellaneous personal services .......................................... 299.2 299.9 300.8 302.2 3.5 3.3 2.3 4.1 3.4 3.2 

Commodity and service group

Commodities .............................................................................. 156.8 158.2 159.7 159.1 -1.8 5.5 .3 6.0 1.8 3.1 

Food and beverages ................................................................ 189.2 189.6 190.8 191.0 1.9 3.2 .6 3.9 2.6 2.2 

Commodities less food and beverages .................................... 138.5 140.4 142.0 141.0 -4.0 6.9 -.3 7.4 1.3 3.5 

Nondurables less food and beverages ................................... 159.9 162.6 166.1 163.0 .5 13.0 -5.8 8.0 6.6 .9 

Apparel ................................................................................. 120.0 120.9 120.2 120.2 -3.6 1.0 -1.3 .7 -1.3 -.3 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel .................. 188.5 194.6 200.2 197.0 -6.9 15.2 -3.1 19.3 3.6 7.5 

Durables ................................................................................. 115.8 115.5 115.3 115.6 -1.4 3.5 2.1 -.7 1.0 .7 

Services ...................................................................................... 226.9 227.9 228.6 228.9 2.9 3.1 2.9 3.6 3.0 3.2 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 231.7 233.0 233.2 233.0 1.9 2.1 3.2 2.3 2.0 2.7 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... 118.7 119.0 118.2 118.0 .7 4.9 3.4 -2.3 2.8 .5 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 156.7 156.2 159.8 161.0 10.3 5.6 5.0 11.4 7.9 8.2 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... 128.5 128.7 129.0 129.5 5.6 4.2 7.2 3.1 4.9 5.1 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... 128.6 128.3 129.1 129.7 6.9 2.9 5.1 3.5 4.9 4.3 

Transportation services ............................................................ 222.3 223.1 224.0 224.6 2.6 3.5 -.9 4.2 3.0 1.6 

Medical care services ............................................................... 331.5 333.6 334.6 335.5 4.7 4.3 6.0 4.9 4.5 5.5 

Other services .......................................................................... 265.5 266.0 266.8 267.6 2.3 3.2 2.6 3.2 2.8 2.9 

Special indexes

All items less food ...................................................................... 192.5 193.9 194.9 194.7 .8 4.3 1.7 4.7 2.6 3.2 

All items less shelter ................................................................... 182.2 183.4 184.8 184.7 .4 5.0 1.1 5.6 2.7 3.3 

All items less medical care ......................................................... 185.5 186.7 187.7 187.6 .9 4.0 1.5 4.6 2.4 3.1 

Commodities less food ............................................................... 140.6 142.5 144.0 143.1 -3.9 7.1 -.3 7.3 1.4 3.4 

Nondurables less food ................................................................ 162.1 164.6 167.9 165.1 .3 12.6 -5.0 7.6 6.2 1.1 

Nondurables less food and apparel ............................................ 188.3 193.9 198.9 196.1 -6.3 14.0 -2.5 17.6 3.4 7.1 

Nondurables ............................................................................... 174.7 176.3 179.0 177.5 .9 7.4 -2.3 6.6 4.1 2.1 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 238.2 238.9 240.5 241.2 4.2 4.0 2.2 5.1 4.1 3.7 

Services less medical care services ........................................... 218.2 219.0 219.7 220.1 2.6 2.8 2.8 3.5 2.7 3.2 

Energy ........................................................................................ 158.2 164.6 172.0 168.5 -3.9 20.0 -2.0 28.7 7.4 12.3 

All items less energy .................................................................. 197.1 197.8 198.1 198.4 1.5 2.9 1.8 2.7 2.2 2.3 

All items less food and energy ................................................. 199.4 200.1 200.2 200.5 1.4 2.7 2.4 2.2 2.0 2.3 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ................... 140.4 140.4 140.3 140.6 -1.7 2.6 1.1 .6 .4 .9 

Energy commodities ............................................................. 169.1 182.3 193.7 185.5 -14.5 34.1 -7.4 44.8 7.1 15.8 

Services less energy services ................................................ 234.1 235.2 235.6 235.8 2.5 2.8 2.8 2.9 2.6 2.9 

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

May2005 from—

Percent change to

Apr.2005 from—

Feb.

2005

Mar.

2005

Apr.

2005

May

2005

May

2004

Mar.

2005

Apr.

2005

Apr.

2004

Feb.

2005

Mar.

2005

U.S. city average ............................................ M 191.8 193.3 194.6 194.4 2.8 0.6 -0.1 3.5 1.5 0.7 

Region and area size2

Northeast urban .............................................. M 203.6 206.0 206.9 206.2 3.2 .1 -.3 3.8 1.6 .4 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 206.0 208.6 209.3 208.6 3.3 .0 -.3 3.9 1.6 .3 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 120.1 121.3 122.0 121.6 2.8 .2 -.3 3.3 1.6 .6 

Midwest urban ................................................ M 185.2 186.3 187.7 187.4 2.5 .6 -.2 3.4 1.3 .8 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 187.1 188.3 189.6 189.4 2.4 .6 -.1 3.2 1.3 .7 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 118.1 118.7 119.6 119.3 2.5 .5 -.3 3.5 1.3 .8 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 179.2 179.9 181.7 181.6 3.2 .9 -.1 4.5 1.4 1.0 

South urban .................................................... M 184.7 185.9 187.3 187.3 2.9 .8 .0 3.5 1.4 .8 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 186.6 187.9 189.1 189.2 3.2 .7 .1 3.6 1.3 .6 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 117.7 118.4 119.3 119.4 2.6 .8 .1 3.2 1.4 .8 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 183.1 184.5 187.2 186.6 4.0 1.1 -.3 4.8 2.2 1.5 

West urban ..................................................... M 195.7 197.1 198.6 198.8 2.8 .9 .1 3.3 1.5 .8 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 198.3 199.8 201.3 201.5 2.9 .9 .1 3.4 1.5 .8 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 119.6 120.4 121.4 121.3 2.6 .7 -.1 3.1 1.5 .8 

Size classes

A 4 .............................................................. M 175.5 177.0 178.1 178.0 2.9 .6 -.1 3.5 1.5 .6 

B/C 3 ........................................................... M 118.5 119.2 120.1 120.0 2.6 .7 -.1 3.3 1.4 .8 

D ................................................................. M 183.7 184.8 186.9 186.9 3.3 1.1 .0 4.2 1.7 1.1 

Selected local areas5

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI ................... M 190.5 191.3 193.2 193.3 2.4 1.0 .1 3.2 1.4 1.0 

Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA ... M 197.4 199.2 201.1 201.5 4.2 1.2 .2 4.8 1.9 1.0 

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

NY-NJ-CT-PA ......................................... M 208.9 212.4 212.5 211.4 3.4 -.5 -.5 4.2 1.7 .0 

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

 214.2 - 214.6 2.8 .2 - - - -

Cleveland-Akron, OH ...................................... 1 - 186.3 - 186.8 3.0 .3 - - - -

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

 181.3 - 183.5 2.5 1.2 - - - -

Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV 6 ...... 1 - 122.7 - 123.6 4.0 .7 - - - -

Atlanta, GA ..................................................... 2 185.3 -

 188.0 - - - - 3.1 1.5 -

Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI .............................. 2 187.8 -

 189.8 - - - - 2.8 1.1 -

Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX .................... 2 174.6 - 175.0 - - - - 3.1 .2 -

Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ............................. 2 190.6 -

 193.2 - - - - 4.3 1.4 -

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,

PA-NJ-DE-MD ........................................ 2 200.1 -

 203.3 - - - - 4.4 1.6 -

San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA ........... 2 201.2 -

 202.5 - - - - 2.1 .6 -

Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA .................... 2 197.6 - 201.3 - - - - 3.6 1.9 -

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

2004

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

May 2005 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Apr.

2005

May

2005

May

2004

Apr.

2005

Feb. to

Mar.

Mar. to

Apr.

Apr. to

May

Expenditure category

All items ...................................................................................... 100.000 190.2 190.0 2.9 -0.1 0.6 0.6 -0.1 

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

 566.4 566.0 - - - - -

Food and beverages ................................................................ 17.024 190.1 190.4 2.4 .2 .2 .6 .1 

Food ....................................................................................... 15.940 189.6 190.0 2.4 .2 .2 .7 .1 

Food at home ....................................................................... 9.540 188.9 189.4 1.9 .3 .2 1.0 .1 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................. 1.342 209.0 209.7 1.8 .3 .2 .0 .2 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ............................................ 2.845 184.5 184.9 2.1 .2 .2 .3 .3 

Dairy and related products ................................................. .962 182.1 183.1 -1.6 .5 .2 .4 .5 

Fruits and vegetables ......................................................... 1.407 237.5 242.2 5.8 2.0 -.4 3.2 .7 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials .............. 1.051 144.1 143.7 3.2 -.3 1.1 1.3 -.1 

Other food at home ............................................................ 1.934 167.0 165.8 .4 -.7 .2 1.2 -.8 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................. .311 163.9 162.3 -.4 -1.0 -1.0 1.9 -1.5 

Fats and oils ..................................................................... .311 169.4 168.0 -.8 -.8 -1.1 1.7 -1.2 

Other foods 1 .................................................................... 1.312 183.4 182.3 1.0 -.6 .8 .9 -.6 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... .341 111.1 111.3 .1 .2 1.4 -1.2 .2 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 6.400 192.0 192.4 3.1 .2 .2 .2 .2 

Other food away from home 2 ............................................ .251 129.2 129.6 4.0 .3 .6 .2 .3 

Alcoholic beverages 1 ............................................................ 1.084 196.2 195.3 1.7 -.5 .4 .1 -.5 

Housing .................................................................................... 38.973 189.4 189.7 3.0 .2 .3 .3 .2 

Shelter .................................................................................... 29.902 216.9 216.8 2.4 .0 .4 .1 .1 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 8.025 215.2 215.5 2.9 .1 .3 .3 .1 

Lodging away from home 2 .................................................. 1.742 135.2 131.1 2.3 -3.0 2.9 -1.1 -2.0 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 19.795 207.7 208.0 2.2 .1 .1 .1 .2 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. .339 118.5 118.3 1.6 -.2 .4 -.8 -.2 

Fuels and utilities .................................................................... 5.288 168.6 170.7 8.4 1.2 .1 2.1 .6 

Fuels ..................................................................................... 4.336 149.8 152.1 9.2 1.5 .1 2.5 .7 

Fuel oil and other fuels ....................................................... .281 199.2 193.6 29.4 -2.8 4.9 4.8 -1.2 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 4.055 155.0 157.7 7.9 1.7 -.3 2.3 .9 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. .952 129.4 129.7 5.0 .2 .2 .2 .3 

Household furnishings and operations ................................... 3.783 122.1 122.5 1.2 .3 -.1 .1 .6 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... .321 131.3 132.2 5.0 .7 -.5 .8 .7 

Apparel ..................................................................................... 4.208 123.2 121.9 -.7 -1.1 .5 -.7 .1 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ........................................................ 1.063 119.9 119.2 -.9 -.6 .6 -.4 -.3 

Women’s and girls’ apparel .................................................... 1.664 116.1 113.9 -2.4 -1.9 1.7 -1.6 .1 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ................................................. .242 124.1 122.5 1.3 -1.3 -1.4 2.1 -.2 

Footwear ................................................................................ .991 122.7 122.4 2.9 -.2 -.8 -.2 .2 

Transportation .......................................................................... 19.845 172.2 171.0 4.5 -.7 2.1 1.8 -1.0

Private transportation ............................................................. 19.072 169.5 168.2 4.5 -.8 2.1 1.8 -1.1 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 9.146 94.5 94.7 2.4 .2 -.1 .1 .2 

New vehicles ...................................................................... 4.725 139.7 139.6 .8 -.1 -.4 -.1 .1 

Used cars and trucks 1 ....................................................... 3.536 138.9 139.6 5.3 .5 .1 .3 .5 

Motor fuel ............................................................................. 4.843 194.5 188.7 10.3 -3.0 8.0 6.3 -4.4

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................. 4.803 193.7 187.9 10.3 -3.0 8.0 6.3 -4.3 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... .449 110.4 110.5 2.8 .1 .1 -.1 .1 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................. 1.357 207.2 207.9 3.5 .3 .6 .2 .3 

Public transportation ............................................................... .773 213.3 215.8 3.4 1.2 1.4 1.5 .3 

Medical care ............................................................................. 5.014 321.1 321.9 4.4 .2 .4 .3 .4 

Medical care commodities ...................................................... 1.126 266.9 267.9 1.7 .4 .0 .0 .4 

Medical care services ............................................................. 3.888 335.8 336.5 5.2 .2 .5 .4 .4 

Professional services ........................................................... 2.270 283.6 284.3 3.9 .2 .3 .4 .4 

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 1.276 433.4 433.7 5.6 .1 .7 .3 .4 

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

and commodity and service group-Continued

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-W

Relative

importance,

December

2004

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

May 2005 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Apr.

2005

May

2005

May

2004

Apr.

2005

Feb. to

Mar.

Mar. to

Apr.

Apr. to

May

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 5.546 106.8 107.0 0.4 0.2 0.0 0.1 0.4 

Video and audio 2 ................................................................... 1.878 104.0 103.9 .0 -.1 .4 .1 -.1 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 5.498 110.8 110.6 1.3 -.2 .1 .4 .0 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 2.361 148.0 148.5 6.1 .3 .5 .5 .7 

Educational books and supplies ........................................... .217 363.1 364.0 3.9 .2 .4 .6 .7 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare .............................. 2.145 418.5 419.8 6.4 .3 .5 .5 .7 

Communication 2 .................................................................... 3.137 87.0 86.5 -2.1 -.6 -.2 .2 -.6 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 2.990 85.5 85.0 -2.3 -.6 -.2 .2 -.6 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 2.473 95.4 94.9 -1.2 -.5 -.2 .3 -.5 

Information technology, hardware and services 1 5 ........... .517 14.5 14.3 -7.1 -1.4 -.7 .0 -1.4 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... .171 13.2 13.0 -15.6 -1.5 -.8 .0 -1.5 

Other goods and services ........................................................ 3.891 319.9 320.8 3.0 .3 .0 .0 .3 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... 1.244 497.8 498.7 5.1 .2 .1 .1 .2 

Personal care ......................................................................... 2.648 183.2 183.8 2.0 .3 -.1 .0 .4 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... .712 153.6 154.5 -.4 .6 -.6 .2 .6 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... .611 203.6 203.1 3.0 -.2 .1 .0 -.2 

Miscellaneous personal services .......................................... 1.160 301.5 303.2 3.4 .6 .2 .3 .7 

Commodity and service group

Commodities .............................................................................. 44.809 161.5 160.9 2.7 -.4 1.0 1.0 -.4

Food and beverages ................................................................ 17.024 190.1 190.4 2.4 .2 .2 .6 .1 

Commodities less food and beverages .................................... 27.786 145.0 144.0 2.9 -.7 1.5 1.2 -.7 

Nondurables less food and beverages ................................... 15.322 173.6 171.5 4.1 -1.2 1.8 2.3 -2.0 

Apparel ................................................................................. 4.208 123.2 121.9 -.7 -1.1 .5 -.7 .1 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel .................. 11.113 208.9 206.0 5.9 -1.4 3.6 2.9 -1.6 

Durables ................................................................................. 12.464 115.3 115.5 1.4 .2 -.3 .0 .2 

Services ...................................................................................... 55.191 223.8 224.2 3.0 .2 .3 .4 .2 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 29.562 208.9 208.8 2.4 .0 .4 .1 .0 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... .339 118.5 118.3 1.6 -.2 .4 -.8 -.2 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 4.055 155.0 157.7 7.9 1.7 -.3 2.3 .9 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... .952 129.4 129.7 5.0 .2 .2 .2 .3 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... .321 131.3 132.2 5.0 .7 -.5 .8 .7 

Transportation services ............................................................ 6.166 224.8 225.3 2.3 .2 .3 .3 .2 

Medical care services ............................................................... 3.888 335.8 336.5 5.2 .2 .5 .4 .4 

Other services .......................................................................... 9.907 258.7 258.9 2.5 .1 .2 .3 .2 

Special indexes

All items less food ...................................................................... 84.060 190.1 189.9 3.0 -.1 .7 .6 -.1 

All items less shelter ................................................................... 70.098 182.4 182.3 3.1 -.1 .7 .8 -.2 

All items less medical care ......................................................... 94.986 184.6 184.4 2.8 -.1 .6 .7 -.1 

Commodities less food ............................................................... 28.870 146.8 145.9 2.9 -.6 1.5 1.1 -.8 

Nondurables less food ................................................................ 16.406 175.1 173.0 4.0 -1.2 1.7 2.1 -2.0 

Nondurables less food and apparel ............................................ 12.197 206.9 204.2 5.5 -1.3 3.5 2.5 -1.5 

Nondurables ............................................................................... 32.346 182.5 181.5 3.2 -.5 1.0 1.5 -1.0 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 25.628 212.7 213.6 3.8 .4 .2 .7 .3 

Services less medical care services ........................................... 51.303 215.4 215.7 2.9 .1 .2 .4 .1 

Energy ........................................................................................ 9.179 171.4 169.6 9.8 -1.1 4.4 4.6 -2.1 

All items less energy .................................................................. 90.821 193.3 193.4 2.2 .1 .2 .2 .2 

All items less food and energy ................................................. 74.881 194.5 194.5 2.2 .0 .2 .1 .2 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ................... 23.745 141.4 141.3 1.0 -.1 .0 -.1 .2 

Energy commodities ............................................................. 5.124 195.5 189.7 11.1 -3.0 7.9 6.2 -4.2 

Services less energy services ................................................ 51.136 231.4 231.5 2.7 .0 .3 .2 .2 

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

 $ .526 $ .526 - - - - -

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

 $ .177 $ .177 - - - - -

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—

Feb.

2005

Mar.

2005

Apr.

2005

May

2005

Aug.

2004

Nov.

2004

Feb.

2005

May

2005

Nov.

2004

May

2005

Expenditure category

All items ...................................................................................... 187.6 188.7 189.9 189.7 1.1 4.2 1.7 4.6 2.6 3.1 

Food and beverages ................................................................ 188.6 189.0 190.2 190.4 2.2 3.0 .4 3.9 2.6 2.1 

Food ....................................................................................... 188.1 188.5 189.8 190.0 2.2 3.0 .4 4.1 2.6 2.2 

Food at home ....................................................................... 186.9 187.3 189.2 189.3 1.1 3.3 -1.7 5.2 2.2 1.7 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................. 208.3 208.7 208.8 209.3 1.4 3.5 .6 1.9 2.4 1.3 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ............................................ 184.0 184.4 185.0 185.5 3.6 -2.2 3.8 3.3 .7 3.5 

Dairy and related products ................................................. 181.4 181.7 182.4 183.3 -1.9 -11.0 3.1 4.3 -6.5 3.7 

Fruits and vegetables ......................................................... 231.8 230.9 238.4 240.1 -2.1 44.9 -22.9 15.1 19.1 -5.8 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials .............. 140.7 142.2 144.1 144.0 .6 .9 1.7 9.7 .7 5.6 

Other food at home ............................................................ 164.8 165.1 167.1 165.7 1.7 -3.3 1.2 2.2 -.8 1.7 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................. 162.9 161.3 164.3 161.8 2.5 -.5 -1.0 -2.7 1.0 -1.8

Fats and oils ..................................................................... 168.6 166.7 169.6 167.5 1.2 -.9 -1.2 -2.6 .1 -1.9 

Other foods 1 .................................................................... 180.2 181.7 183.4 182.3 2.0 -4.8 2.3 4.7 -1.4 3.5 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... 110.9 112.5 111.1 111.3 2.9 -3.2 -.7 1.5 -.2 .4 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 191.2 191.6 192.0 192.4 3.5 2.8 3.6 2.5 3.1 3.1 

Other food away from home 2 ............................................ 128.4 129.2 129.4 129.8 1.9 3.6 6.1 4.4 2.7 5.3 

Alcoholic beverages 1 ............................................................ 195.2 196.0 196.2 195.3 1.7 2.9 2.1 .2 2.3 1.1 

Housing .................................................................................... 188.4 189.0 189.6 190.0 2.8 2.8 3.0 3.4 2.8 3.2 

Shelter .................................................................................... 215.6 216.4 216.6 216.8 2.3 2.1 3.0 2.2 2.2 2.6 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 214.0 214.6 215.2 215.5 3.1 2.5 3.0 2.8 2.8 2.9 

Lodging away from home 2 .................................................. 129.5 133.3 131.8 129.2 1.6 3.8 5.1 -.9 2.7 2.0 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 207.2 207.4 207.7 208.2 2.0 1.6 3.1 1.9 1.8 2.5 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. 118.9 119.4 118.5 118.3 .3 5.6 2.7 -2.0 2.9 .3 

Fuels and utilities .................................................................... 168.0 168.1 171.6 172.7 11.0 7.5 3.9 11.7 9.2 7.7 

Fuels ..................................................................................... 149.3 149.4 153.1 154.2 12.1 8.2 3.0 13.8 10.2 8.3 

Fuel oil and other fuels ....................................................... 177.3 186.0 194.9 192.6 41.9 84.2 -23.0 39.2 61.6 3.5 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 155.6 155.2 158.8 160.2 10.4 4.5 5.0 12.4 7.4 8.6 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. 128.8 129.0 129.3 129.7 5.6 3.9 7.8 2.8 4.8 5.3 

Household furnishings and operations ................................... 121.7 121.6 121.7 122.4 -1.3 3.4 .3 2.3 1.0 1.3 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... 130.8 130.2 131.3 132.2 6.8 3.8 5.0 4.4 5.3 4.7 

Apparel ..................................................................................... 120.0 120.6 119.7 119.8 -3.3 1.0 .3 -.7 -1.2 -.2 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ........................................................ 117.1 117.8 117.3 117.0 -4.0 -4.0 4.9 -.3 -4.0 2.3 

Women’s and girls’ apparel .................................................... 110.9 112.8 111.0 111.1 -4.8 4.0 -8.9 .7 -.5 -4.2

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ................................................. 121.7 120.0 122.5 122.2 -3.0 3.7 3.4 1.7 .3 2.5 

Footwear ................................................................................ 122.2 121.2 120.9 121.2 .3 2.1 13.1 -3.2 1.2 4.6 

Transportation .......................................................................... 165.2 168.6 171.6 169.8 -3.6 10.8 -.2 11.6 3.3 5.5 

Private transportation ............................................................. 162.6 166.0 169.0 167.1 -3.5 10.8 .0 11.5 3.4 5.6 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 94.4 94.3 94.4 94.6 .9 5.3 2.1 .9 3.0 1.5 

New vehicles ...................................................................... 139.9 139.4 139.3 139.4 -2.9 3.2 4.1 -1.4 .1 1.3 

Used cars and trucks 1 ....................................................... 138.4 138.5 138.9 139.6 6.2 8.9 2.6 3.5 7.5 3.1 

Motor fuel ............................................................................. 168.1 181.6 193.0 184.5 -17.2 31.5 -6.4 45.1 4.3 16.5 

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................. 167.3 180.7 192.1 183.9 -17.4 31.6 -6.6 46.0 4.2 16.7 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... 110.4 110.5 110.4 110.5 3.4 3.7 3.7 .4 3.6 2.0 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................. 205.7 206.9 207.4 208.1 4.0 3.4 2.0 4.7 3.7 3.3 

Public transportation ............................................................... 206.8 209.6 212.8 213.4 -1.9 8.4 -5.6 13.4 3.1 3.5 

Medical care ............................................................................. 318.2 319.5 320.5 321.9 3.5 4.2 5.2 4.7 3.9 5.0 

Medical care commodities ...................................................... 266.5 266.6 266.7 267.7 .8 2.8 1.7 1.8 1.8 1.7 

Medical care services ............................................................. 332.0 333.8 335.1 336.5 4.4 4.5 6.3 5.5 4.5 5.9 

Professional services ........................................................... 280.7 281.5 282.7 283.7 4.2 3.1 4.1 4.3 3.6 4.2

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 428.7 431.9 433.4 435.0 2.9 5.6 7.7 6.0 4.3 6.9 

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

expenditure category and commodity and service group-Continued

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-W

Seasonally adjusted indexes Seasonally adjusted annual rate percent change for

3 months ended— 6 months

ended—

Feb.

2005

Mar.

2005

Apr.

2005

May

2005

Aug.

2004

Nov.

2004

Feb.

2005

May

2005

Nov.

2004

May

2005

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 106.4 106.4 106.5 106.9 -0.7 1.1 -0.4 1.9 0.2 0.8 

Video and audio 2 ................................................................... 103.2 103.6 103.7 103.6 .0 .4 -1.5 1.6 .2 .0 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 110.7 110.8 111.2 111.2 .4 1.5 1.8 1.8 .9 1.8 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 147.6 148.3 149.1 150.1 6.1 6.3 5.3 6.9 6.2 6.1 

Educational books and supplies ........................................... 358.6 360.2 362.3 364.8 5.1 2.8 .8 7.1 4.0 3.9 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare .............................. 417.6 419.7 421.9 424.9 6.3 6.6 5.7 7.2 6.4 6.4 

Communication 2 .................................................................... 87.0 86.8 87.0 86.5 -3.6 -1.8 -.9 -2.3 -2.7 -1.6 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 85.5 85.3 85.5 85.0 -3.6 -2.3 -.9 -2.3 -3.0 -1.6 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 95.3 95.1 95.4 94.9 -3.7 -.4 .8 -1.7 -2.1 -.4 

Information technology, hardware and services 1 5 ........... 14.6 14.5 14.5 14.3 -2.6 -10.1 -7.8 -8.0 -6.4 -7.9 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... 13.3 13.2 13.2 13.0 -12.4 -24.3 -16.2 -8.7 -18.5 -12.5 

Other goods and services ........................................................ 319.4 319.4 319.5 320.6 3.1 1.9 5.4 1.5 2.5 3.5

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... 496.9 497.4 497.8 498.7 7.1 -.1 12.5 1.5 3.4 6.8 

Personal care ......................................................................... 182.9 182.8 182.8 183.6 1.3 2.9 2.2 1.5 2.1 1.9 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... 154.2 153.3 153.6 154.5 -5.1 3.2 -.3 .8 -1.0 .3 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... 203.3 203.6 203.6 203.1 5.0 2.2 5.5 -.4 3.6 2.5 

Miscellaneous personal services .......................................... 299.2 299.9 300.9 302.9 3.6 3.7 1.6 5.0 3.7 3.3 

Commodity and service group

Commodities .............................................................................. 157.7 159.3 160.9 160.2 -1.5 5.8 .3 6.5 2.1 3.3 

Food and beverages ................................................................ 188.6 189.0 190.2 190.4 2.2 3.0 .4 3.9 2.6 2.1 

Commodities less food and beverages .................................... 140.2 142.3 144.0 143.0 -4.0 7.8 .0 8.2 1.7 4.0 

Nondurables less food and beverages ................................... 163.9 166.8 170.7 167.3 .0 14.7 -5.6 8.6 7.1 1.2 

Apparel ................................................................................. 120.0 120.6 119.7 119.8 -3.3 1.0 .3 -.7 -1.2 -.2 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel .................. 194.7 201.8 207.6 204.2 -7.8 16.6 -3.2 21.0 3.7 8.2 

Durables ................................................................................. 115.4 115.1 115.1 115.3 -1.1 5.4 1.8 -.3 2.1 .7 

Services ...................................................................................... 222.6 223.2 224.0 224.4 3.0 2.8 3.1 3.3 2.9 3.2 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 207.5 208.4 208.7 208.8 2.4 1.6 3.1 2.5 2.0 2.8 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... 118.9 119.4 118.5 118.3 .3 5.6 2.7 -2.0 2.9 .3 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 155.6 155.2 158.8 160.2 10.4 4.5 5.0 12.4 7.4 8.6 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... 128.8 129.0 129.3 129.7 5.6 3.9 7.8 2.8 4.8 5.3 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... 130.8 130.2 131.3 132.2 6.8 3.8 5.0 4.4 5.3 4.7 

Transportation services ............................................................ 223.1 223.8 224.4 224.9 2.6 3.3 -.2 3.3 2.9 1.5 

Medical care services ............................................................... 332.0 333.8 335.1 336.5 4.4 4.5 6.3 5.5 4.5 5.9 

Other services .......................................................................... 257.6 258.1 258.8 259.4 1.7 3.0 2.2 2.8 2.4 2.5 

Special indexes

All items less food ...................................................................... 187.3 188.6 189.7 189.5 .7 4.4 1.9 4.8 2.5 3.4 

All items less shelter ................................................................... 179.4 180.7 182.2 181.9 .5 5.1 1.1 5.7 2.7 3.4 

All items less medical care ......................................................... 182.0 183.1 184.3 184.1 .9 4.1 1.6 4.7 2.5 3.1 

Commodities less food ............................................................... 142.2 144.3 145.9 144.8 -3.6 7.4 .3 7.5 1.7 3.8 

Nondurables less food ................................................................ 165.8 168.7 172.3 168.9 .5 13.7 -5.1 7.7 6.9 1.1 

Nondurables less food and apparel ............................................ 193.8 200.5 205.6 202.6 -7.3 15.2 -2.8 19.4 3.4 7.7 

Nondurables ............................................................................... 176.8 178.5 181.2 179.4 .9 8.0 -2.0 6.0 4.4 1.9 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 211.6 212.0 213.4 214.1 4.1 3.9 2.5 4.8 4.0 3.6 

Services less medical care services ........................................... 214.2 214.7 215.6 215.9 3.3 2.5 2.7 3.2 2.9 2.9 

Energy ........................................................................................ 157.9 164.8 172.3 168.6 -4.9 20.1 -2.2 30.0 6.9 12.7 

All items less energy .................................................................. 192.1 192.5 192.9 193.2 1.5 2.8 2.1 2.3 2.1 2.2 

All items less food and energy ................................................. 193.3 193.7 193.9 194.3 1.5 2.5 2.5 2.1 2.0 2.3 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ................... 140.6 140.6 140.5 140.8 -.9 2.6 1.7 .6 .9 1.1 

Energy commodities ............................................................. 169.2 182.5 193.8 185.6 -14.9 33.8 -7.4 44.8 6.7 15.8 

Services less energy services ................................................ 230.0 230.7 231.1 231.5 2.5 2.5 3.0 2.6 2.5 2.8 

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

May2005 from—

Percent change to

Apr.2005 from—

Feb.

2005

Mar.

2005

Apr.

2005

May

2005

May

2004

Mar.

2005

Apr.

2005

Apr.

2004

Feb.

2005

Mar.

2005

U.S. city average ............................................ M 187.3 188.6 190.2 190.0 2.9 0.7 -0.1 3.7 1.5 0.8 

Region and area size2

Northeast urban .............................................. M 200.0 201.8 202.9 202.5 3.1 .3 -.2 3.7 1.5 .5 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 201.1 202.8 203.8 203.5 3.2 .3 -.1 3.8 1.3 .5 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 120.1 121.2 122.1 121.6 2.7 .3 -.4 3.4 1.7 .7 

Midwest urban ................................................ M 180.2 181.2 182.8 182.4 2.6 .7 -.2 3.7 1.4 .9 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 181.3 182.5 184.1 183.8 2.5 .7 -.2 3.5 1.5 .9 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 117.2 117.8 118.8 118.5 2.6 .6 -.3 3.7 1.4 .8 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 176.5 177.3 179.1 178.8 3.2 .8 -.2 4.6 1.5 1.0 

South urban .................................................... M 181.5 182.7 184.3 184.2 3.0 .8 -.1 3.8 1.5 .9 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 184.0 185.3 186.7 186.8 3.3 .8 .1 3.9 1.5 .8 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 116.3 117.0 117.9 117.9 2.7 .8 .0 3.4 1.4 .8 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 182.7 184.1 186.7 186.2 4.0 1.1 -.3 5.0 2.2 1.4 

West urban ..................................................... M 190.5 192.0 193.7 193.9 2.8 1.0 .1 3.4 1.7 .9 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 191.6 193.2 194.9 195.2 3.0 1.0 .2 3.6 1.7 .9 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 119.0 119.8 120.8 120.8 2.5 .8 .0 3.1 1.5 .8 

Size classes

A 4 .............................................................. M 173.7 175.0 176.3 176.3 3.0 .7 .0 3.7 1.5 .7 

B/C 3 ........................................................... M 117.5 118.3 119.2 119.1 2.7 .7 -.1 3.4 1.4 .8 

D ................................................................. M 181.7 182.9 185.1 185.0 3.5 1.1 -.1 4.5 1.9 1.2 

Selected local areas5

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI ................... M 184.2 184.8 186.9 186.8 2.5 1.1 -.1 3.5 1.5 1.1 

Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA ... M 190.3 192.1 194.2 194.6 4.2 1.3 .2 4.9 2.0 1.1 

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

NY-NJ-CT-PA ......................................... M 203.3 205.5 206.0 205.6 3.3 .0 -.2 3.8 1.3 .2 

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

 213.1 - 214.0 2.9 .4 - - - -

Cleveland-Akron, OH ...................................... 1 - 177.2 - 177.9 3.1 .4 - - - -

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

 181.6 - 184.1 2.6 1.4 - - - -

Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV 6 ...... 1 - 122.3 - 123.2 4.1 .7 - - - -

Atlanta, GA ..................................................... 2 183.4 -

 186.0 - - - - 3.3 1.4 -

Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI .............................. 2 182.6 -

 185.2 - - - - 3.3 1.4 -

Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX .................... 2 171.8 - 172.8 - - - - 3.6 .6 -

Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ............................. 2 188.3 -

 191.2 - - - - 4.7 1.5 -

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,

PA-NJ-DE-MD ........................................ 2 200.0 -

 202.9 - - - - 4.6 1.5 -

San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA ........... 2 197.3 -

 199.3 - - - - 2.4 1.0 -

Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA .................... 2 192.4 - 196.2 - - - - 3.8 2.0 -

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

 May 2005 from—

 Apr.

 2005

 May

 2005

 May

 2004

 Apr.

 2005

Expenditure category

All items ...................................................................................... 100.000 113.1 113.1 2.5 0.0 

Food and beverages ................................................................ 15.076 113.3 113.5 2.3 .2 

Food ....................................................................................... 14.086 113.4 113.6 2.3 .2 

Food at home ....................................................................... 8.062 111.8 112.0 1.8 .2 

Food away from home .......................................................... 6.023 115.3 115.5 3.0 .2 

Alcoholic beverages ............................................................... .990 113.1 112.8 1.9 -.3 

Housing .................................................................................... 41.793 117.0 117.1 2.8 .1 

Shelter .................................................................................... 32.380 118.3 118.2 2.4 -.1 

Fuels and utilities 1 ................................................................. 4.643 130.9 132.8 8.0 1.5 

Household furnishings and operations ................................... 4.771 96.6 96.9 .6 .3 

Apparel ..................................................................................... 4.317 93.2 92.2 -1.2 -1.1 

Transportation .......................................................................... 17.315 113.7 113.3 3.7 -.4 

Private transportation ............................................................. 16.206 114.3 113.7 3.6 -.5 

Public transportation ............................................................... 1.109 106.3 107.9 3.5 1.5 

Medical care ............................................................................. 5.783 125.7 126.0 4.1 .2 

Medical care commodities ...................................................... 1.466 116.2 116.6 1.8 .3 

Medical care services ............................................................. 4.317 129.0 129.2 4.9 .2 

Recreation ................................................................................ 5.978 103.6 103.8 .0 .2 

Education and communication ................................................. 6.004 100.2 99.9 .5 -.3 

Education ............................................................................... 2.560 137.7 138.1 6.2 .3 

Communication ...................................................................... 3.444 77.7 77.2 -3.5 -.6 

Other goods and services ........................................................ 3.734 116.2 116.5 2.6 .3 

Commodity and service group

Services ...................................................................................... 58.567 119.1 119.2 2.8 .1 

Commodities .............................................................................. 41.433 105.5 105.2 1.8 -.3 

Durables ................................................................................... 12.521 88.1 88.1 .3 .0 

Nondurables ............................................................................... 28.912 113.9 113.5 2.4 -.4 

All items less food and energy ................................................. 78.985 110.3 110.2 1.8 -.1 

Energy ........................................................................................ 6.929 148.1 147.5 9.5 -.4 

1 Revised index: Mar. 2005=129.0.

Indexes for 2005 are initial estimates. Indexes for 2004 are interim adjustments.

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