Transmission of material in this release is embargoed until USDL-09-1532

8:30 a.m. (EST) Wednesday, December 16, 2009 

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

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

CONSUMER PRICE INDEX – NOVEMBER 2009 

On a seasonally adjusted basis, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) rose 0.4 

percent in November, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the last 12 months the 

index increased 1.8 percent before seasonal adjustment, the first positive 12-month change since 

February 2009. 

 

The seasonally adjusted increase in the all items index was due to a 4.1 percent increase in the energy 

index. The index for gasoline rose sharply and the indexes for electricity, fuel oil, and natural gas also 

increased, creating the fourth consecutive rise in the energy index and the largest increase since August. 

In contrast, the index for all items less food and energy was unchanged in November, after ten 

consecutive monthly increases. Declines in shelter indexes offset increases in the indexes for new and 

used motor vehicles, medical care, airline fares, and tobacco. 

The food index rose slightly in November. As in October, the food away from home index rose 

modestly while the index for food at home was unchanged. Within the latter, three grocery store food 

groups posted increases while three declined. 

-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

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

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

Percent change

 -1.7

 -0.8

 0.3 0.4

 -0.1

 0.0 0.1

 0.7

 0.0

 0.4

 0.2 0.3 0.4
- 2 -

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

Percent change

All items All items less food and energy

-3

-2

-1

0

1

2

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

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

Seasonally adjusted changes from preceding month Unadjusted

12-mos.

ended

Nov. 2009

May

2009

June

2009

July

2009

Aug.

2009

Sep.

2009

Oct.

2009

Nov.

2009

All items ................................................. .1 .7 .0 .4 .2 .3 .4 1.8 

Food .................................................... -.2 .0 -.3 .1 -.1 .1 .1 -.7 

Food at home .................................... -.5 .0 -.5 .0 -.3 .0 .0 -2.9 

Food away from home 1 .................... .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .2 2.1 

Energy ................................................. .2 7.4 -.4 4.6 .6 1.5 4.1 7.4 

Energy commodities .......................... 2.3 16.2 -.4 8.5 1.1 1.9 6.3 19.6 

Gasoline (all types) .......................... 3.1 17.3 -.8 9.1 1.0 1.6 6.4 23.6 

Fuel oil ............................................. -3.3 4.8 -1.5 6.2 1.5 6.3 9.0 -6.9 

Energy services ................................. -1.7 -1.2 -.3 .0 .1 .9 1.4 -5.1 

Electricity ......................................... -.4 -1.9 -.6 -.1 .6 .6 1.4 .1 

Utility (piped) gas service ................ -5.7 1.3 .9 .4 -1.7 1.9 1.5 -18.6 

All items less food and energy ............ .1 .2 .1 .1 .2 .2 .0 1.7 

Commodities less food and energy

commodities ................................ .2 .3 .2 -.3 .3 .4 .2 2.6 

New vehicles ................................... .5 .7 .5 -1.3 .4 1.6 .6 4.9 

Used cars and trucks ....................... 1.0 .9 .0 1.9 1.6 3.4 2.0 5.8 

Apparel ............................................ -.2 .7 .6 -.1 .1 -.4 -.3 1.0 

Medical care commodities ............... .4 .1 -.1 .5 .6 .2 .0 3.8 

Services less energy services ........... .1 .1 .0 .2 .1 .1 .0 1.4 

Shelter ............................................. .1 .1 -.2 .1 .0 .0 -.2 .3 

Transportation services ................... -.1 -.1 .5 .6 .7 .4 .6 3.6 

Medical care services ...................... .3 .2 .3 .2 .4 .2 .4 3.5 

1 Not seasonally adjusted.
- 3 -

Consumer Price Index Data for November 2009 

Food 

The food index rose 0.1 percent in November, the same increase as in October. The index for food away 

from home increased 0.2 percent while the food at home index was unchanged. Among the food at home 

groups, the dairy and related products index declined 0.7 percent in November after rising 1.0 percent in 

October, and the index for other food at home also declined in November following an October increase. 

In contrast, the indexes for fruits and vegetables and for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs both increased in 

November after declining in October. The index for nonalcoholic beverages fell for the second straight 

month, declining 0.3 percent in November, and the index for cereals and bakery products rose 0.1 

percent in November after being unchanged in October. Over the past year, the food index has declined 

0.7 percent. The food at home index has fallen 2.9 percent over the last 12 months, with five of the six 

grocery store food groups declining, but the index for food away from home has risen 2.1 percent. 

Energy 

The energy index rose 4.1 percent in November after increasing 1.5 percent in October. The index for 

energy commodities rose 6.3 percent, with the gasoline index increasing 6.4 percent. (Before seasonal 

adjustment, gasoline prices rose 4.1 percent in November.) The rise in the gasoline index accounted for 

over three-quarters of the total energy increase. The remainder of the increase was due to advances in all 

of the other energy components. The index for fuel oil rose 9.0 percent in November following a 6.3 

percent increase in October. The index for energy services increased 1.4 percent in November, with the 

electricity index rising 1.4 percent and the index for natural gas advancing 1.5 percent. The energy index 

has risen 7.4 percent over the past 12 months, with the gasoline index rising 23.6 percent. 

All items less food and energy 

The index for all items less food and energy was unchanged in November after rising 0.2 percent in 

October. The heavily weighted index for shelter, unchanged in October, declined 0.2 percent in 

November. Within the shelter group, the indexes for rent and owners’ equivalent rent both declined 0.1 

percent and the lodging away from home index fell 1.5 percent. Also declining in November were the 

indexes for household furnishings and operations and for apparel, both down 0.3 percent. Several 

indexes posted increases to offset these declines. The new vehicles index rose 0.6 percent in November, 

its tenth increase in the last eleven months. The index for used cars and trucks advanced 2.0 percent in 

November and has now risen 11.1 percent since April. The index for airline fares rose 3.8 percent in 

November and has increased 13.3 percent since June. The medical care index increased 0.3 percent in 

November and the index for tobacco advanced 1.0 percent. Over the past 12 months, the index for all 

items less food and energy has risen 1.7 percent. 

 

Not seasonally adjusted CPI measures 

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 1.8 percent over the last 12 

months to an index level of 216.330 (1982-84=100). For the month, the index increased 0.1 percent 

prior to seasonal adjustment. 
- 4 -

The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) increased 2.3 

percent over the last 12 months to an index level of 212.003 (1982-84=100). For the month, the index 

increased 0.2 percent prior to seasonal adjustment. 

The Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U) increased 1.6 percent over the 

last 12 months. For the month, the index was unchanged on a not seasonally adjusted basis. Please note 

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

The Consumer Price Index for December 2009 is scheduled to be released on Friday, January 15, 

2010, at 8:30 a.m. (EST). 
- 5 -

Expenditure Weight Update

Effective with the January 2010 release the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) will update the 

consumption expenditure weights in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) and 

Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) to the 2007-08 period. 

The updated expenditure weights for these indexes will replace the 2005-2006 weights that were 

introduced effective with the January 2008 CPI release. CPI expenditure weights will continue to be 

updated at two year intervals subsequent to the 2010 updating. 

Facilities for Sensory Impaired

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

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

Brief Explanation of the CPI 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

living. Prices are collected each month in 87 urban areas across the country from about 4,000 housing 

units and approximately 25,000 retail establishments-department stores, supermarkets, hospitals, filling 

stations, and other types of stores and service establishments. All taxes directly associated with the 

purchase and use of items are included in the index. Prices of fuels and a few other items are obtained 

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

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

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

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

weights, which represent their importance in the spending of the appropriate population group. Local 

data are then combined to obtain a U.S. city average. For the CPI-U and CPI-W separate indexes are 

also published by size of city, by region of the country, for cross-classifications of regions and 

population-size classes, and for 27 local areas. Area indexes do not measure differences in the level of 

prices among cities; they only measure the average change in prices for each area since the base period. 

For the C-CPI-U data are issued only at the national level. It is important to note that the CPI-U and 

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

two annual revisions. 
- 6 -

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. 

Note on Sampling Error in the Consumer Price Index 

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

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

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

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

example, the estimated standard error of the 1 month percent change is 0.04 percent for the U.S. All 

Items Consumer Price Index. This means that if we repeatedly sample from the universe of all retail 

prices using the same methodology, and estimate a percentage change for each sample, then 95% of 

these estimates would be within 0.08 percent of the 1 month percentage change based on all retail 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Calculating Index Changes 

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

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

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

of index point and percent changes. 

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

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

change would be if the current rate were maintained for a 12-month period. 
- 7 -

Index Point Change

CPI 202.416 

Less previous index 201.800 

Equals index point change .616 

Percent Change

Index point difference .616 

Divided by the previous index 201.800 

Equals 0.003 

Results multiplied by one hundred 0.003x100 

Equals percent change 0.3

Regions Defined 

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

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

and Vermont. 

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

Dakota, and Wisconsin. 

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

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

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

Washington, and Wyoming. 

A Note on Seasonally Adjusted and Unadjusted Data 

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

publishes seasonally adjusted as well as unadjusted changes each month. 

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

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

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

cycles, model changeovers, holidays, and sales. 

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

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

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

before adjustment for seasonal variation. 

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

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

Each year, the last 5 years of seasonally adjusted data are revised. Data from January 2004 through 
- 8 -

December 2008 were replaced in January 2009. Exceptions to the usual revision schedule were: the 

updated seasonal data at the end of 1977 replaced data from 1967 through 1977; and, in January 2002, 

dependently seasonally adjusted series were revised for January 1987-December 2001 as a result of a 

change in the aggregation weights for dependently adjusted series. For further information, please see 

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

CPI Detailed Report. 

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

movement of 73 selected components. Each year the seasonal status of every series is reevaluated based 

upon certain statistical criteria. If any of the 73 components change their seasonal adjustment status 

from seasonally adjusted to not seasonally adjusted, not seasonally adjusted data will be used in the 

aggregation of the dependent series for the last 5 years, but the seasonally adjusted indexes will be used 

before that period. Note: 47 of the 73 components are seasonally adjusted for 2009. 

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

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

agreements. 

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

enhanced seasonal adjustment procedure called Intervention Analysis Seasonal Adjustment for some 

CPI series. Intervention Analysis Seasonal Adjustment allows for better estimates of seasonally 

adjusted data. Extreme values and/or sharp movements which might distort the seasonal pattern are 

estimated and removed from the data prior to calculation of seasonal factors. Beginning with the 

calculation of seasonal factors for 1996, X-12-ARIMA software was used for Intervention Analysis 

Seasonal Adjustment. 

For the seasonal factors introduced in January 2009, BLS adjusted 29 series using Intervention Analysis 

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

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

damage to oil refineries from Hurricane Katrina. 

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

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

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

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

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

Wilson at (202) 691-6968, or by e-mail at Wilson.Jeff@bls.gov. If you have general questions about the 

CPI, please call our information staff at (202) 691-7000. 
Table 1. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category and commodity and

service group

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-U

Relative

importance,

December

2008

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Nov. 2009 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Oct.

2009

Nov.

2009

Nov.

2008

Oct.

2009

Aug. to

Sep.

Sep. to

Oct.

Oct. to

Nov.

Expenditure category

All items ........................................................................................ 100.000 216.177 216.330 1.8 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 

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

 647.570 648.028 - - - - -

Food and beverages .................................................................. 15.757 217.957 217.733 -.5 -.1 -.1 .1 .1 

Food ......................................................................................... 14.629 217.526 217.265 -.7 -.1 -.1 .1 .1 

Food at home ......................................................................... 8.156 213.605 212.816 -2.9 -.4 -.3 .0 .0 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................... 1.150 251.421 250.600 -.8 -.3 .3 .0 .1 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs .............................................. 1.898 200.597 201.202 -4.0 .3 -1.0 -.2 .3 

Dairy and related products 1 ................................................ .910 195.360 193.914 -9.0 -.7 .5 1.0 -.7 

Fruits and vegetables ........................................................... 1.194 269.467 269.832 -4.9 .1 -1.2 -.7 .1 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ................ .982 162.885 161.358 -1.0 -.9 .0 -.2 -.3 

Other food at home .............................................................. 2.022 191.266 189.640 .2 -.9 .1 .3 -.2 

Sugar and sweets .............................................................. .300 196.747 198.227 3.4 .8 1.0 .3 .7 

Fats and oils ....................................................................... .241 199.916 196.473 -4.5 -1.7 -.3 -.4 -.3 

Other foods ........................................................................ 1.481 205.814 203.671 .3 -1.0 -.1 .4 -.3 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ......................................... .433 122.112 121.263 -1.8 -.7 .2 .0 -.7 

Food away from home 1 ......................................................... 6.474 224.224 224.633 2.1 .2 .1 .1 .2 

Other food away from home 1 2 ........................................... .314 157.056 157.027 2.0 .0 .4 -.2 .0 

Alcoholic beverages ................................................................. 1.127 222.232 222.485 2.3 .1 .3 .3 .4 

Housing ...................................................................................... 43.421 216.612 215.808 -.3 -.4 .0 .1 .0 

Shelter ...................................................................................... 33.200 249.474 248.211 .3 -.5 .0 .0 -.2 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................... 5.957 248.888 248.886 .9 .0 -.1 -.1 -.1 

Lodging away from home 2 .................................................... 2.478 133.485 125.426 -6.1 -6.0 1.5 .4 -1.5 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 5 ................ 24.433 256.890 256.731 .8 -.1 -.1 .0 -.1 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................... .333 122.184 122.243 1.7 .0 .3 .0 .0 

Fuels and utilities ..................................................................... 5.431 207.937 208.955 -3.4 .5 .2 1.2 1.5 

Household energy .................................................................. 4.460 184.146 185.165 -5.3 .6 .1 1.3 1.8 

Fuel oil and other fuels ......................................................... .301 243.936 260.250 -7.7 6.7 1.1 6.0 7.3 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ................................................. 4.159 188.963 189.166 -5.1 .1 .1 .9 1.4 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................... .971 164.591 164.962 5.6 .2 .4 .8 .2 

Household furnishings and operations ..................................... 4.790 127.740 127.265 -1.0 -.4 .0 -.5 -.3 

Household operations 1 2 ....................................................... .781 150.184 150.135 .1 .0 .0 -.2 .0 

Apparel ....................................................................................... 3.691 123.998 122.465 1.0 -1.2 .1 -.4 -.3 

Men’s and boys’ apparel .......................................................... .923 114.818 113.636 -.5 -1.0 -.8 -.6 -.8 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ...................................................... 1.541 113.838 111.460 .8 -2.1 .3 -.6 -.8 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ................................................... .183 117.300 116.312 .3 -.8 .1 -1.5 -.4 

Footwear .................................................................................. .688 130.333 130.594 3.0 .2 .1 .2 .7 

Transportation ............................................................................ 15.314 185.362 188.587 8.6 1.7 .8 1.4 2.3 

Private transportation ............................................................... 14.189 180.896 184.099 9.2 1.8 .7 1.4 2.3 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ............................................. 6.931 95.131 96.039 4.8 1.0 .5 1.7 .8 

New vehicles ........................................................................ 4.480 137.268 138.831 4.9 1.1 .4 1.6 .6 

Used cars and trucks ........................................................... 1.628 132.689 134.173 5.8 1.1 1.6 3.4 2.0 

Motor fuel ............................................................................... 3.164 219.015 228.050 21.8 4.1 1.1 1.6 6.2 

Gasoline (all types) .............................................................. 2.964 218.683 227.665 23.6 4.1 1.0 1.6 6.4 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ..................................... .382 133.650 134.234 1.0 .4 -.1 .2 .4 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair 1 ................................ 1.188 245.393 245.511 2.7 .0 .4 .4 .0 

Public transportation ................................................................ 1.125 241.060 244.226 .3 1.3 2.1 .9 2.6 

Medical care ............................................................................... 6.390 378.552 379.575 3.5 .3 .4 .2 .3 

Medical care commodities ........................................................ 1.625 308.379 308.546 3.8 .1 .6 .2 .0 

Medical care services ............................................................... 4.765 400.015 401.392 3.5 .3 .4 .2 .4 

Professional services ............................................................. 2.702 321.381 321.473 2.6 .0 .4 .2 .2 

Hospital and related services 3 .............................................. 1.545 575.540 581.603 7.1 1.1 .6 .2 .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

2008

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Nov. 2009 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Oct.

2009

Nov.

2009

Nov.

2008

Oct.

2009

Aug. to

Sep.

Sep. to

Oct.

Oct. to

Nov.

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................... 5.741 114.157 113.820 -0.2 -0.3 -0.1 -0.4 -0.2 

Video and audio 2 .................................................................... 1.822 100.178 100.199 -1.6 .0 -.7 -.6 .3 

Education and communication 2 ................................................ 6.301 129.128 128.845 2.5 -.2 .1 .2 .0 

Education 2 .............................................................................. 3.107 195.849 195.649 4.8 -.1 .0 .3 .2 

Educational books and supplies ............................................. .221 494.435 495.660 7.1 .2 .3 .2 .9 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ................................ 2.886 563.352 562.623 4.6 -.1 .0 .3 .2 

Communication 2 ..................................................................... 3.194 85.055 84.768 .2 -.3 .2 .0 -.3 

Information and information processing 1 2 ............................ 3.022 81.978 81.688 .0 -.4 .2 .0 -.4 

Telephone services 1 2 ......................................................... 2.408 102.891 102.528 1.0 -.4 .3 -.1 -.4 

Information technology, hardware and services 1 6 ............. .614 9.501 9.467 -4.1 -.4 -.3 .4 -.4 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 7 ............ .214 78.213 78.077 -12.3 -.2 -.7 .3 -.2 

Other goods and services .......................................................... 3.386 375.444 376.702 7.9 .3 .3 .3 .4 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ............................................ .776 773.758 781.538 30.3 1.0 1.0 .3 1.0 

Personal care ........................................................................... 2.610 205.406 205.575 1.3 .1 .0 .2 .2 

Personal care products 1 ....................................................... .651 162.257 161.753 .5 -.3 -.1 -.1 -.3 

Personal care services 1 ........................................................ .647 228.465 228.358 1.0 .0 .3 .1 .0 

Miscellaneous personal services ........................................... 1.074 347.834 348.792 2.5 .3 -.2 .9 .6 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ................................................................................ 39.556 172.252 173.061 3.2 .5 .3 .5 .9 

Food and beverages .................................................................. 15.757 217.957 217.733 -.5 -.1 -.1 .1 .1 

Commodities less food and beverages ...................................... 23.799 148.037 149.245 5.6 .8 .4 .8 1.4 

Nondurables less food and beverages ..................................... 13.289 185.759 187.776 8.3 1.1 .4 -.8 2.8 

Apparel ................................................................................... 3.691 123.998 122.465 1.0 -1.2 .1 -.4 -.3 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel .................... 9.598 228.344 232.649 11.0 1.9 .4 -.9 3.9 

Durables ................................................................................... 10.510 110.684 111.159 1.8 .4 .4 1.1 .4 

Services ....................................................................................... 60.444 259.844 259.323 .9 -.2 .1 .1 .1 

Rent of shelter 4 ......................................................................... 32.867 260.035 258.704 .3 -.5 .1 .0 -.2 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ....................................... .333 122.184 122.243 1.7 .0 .3 .0 .0 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ....................................................... 4.159 188.963 189.166 -5.1 .1 .1 .9 1.4 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ....................... .971 164.591 164.962 5.6 .2 .4 .8 .2 

Household operations 1 2 ........................................................... .781 150.184 150.135 .1 .0 .0 -.2 .0 

Transportation services .............................................................. 5.567 254.449 255.935 3.6 .6 .7 .4 .6 

Medical care services ................................................................. 4.765 400.015 401.392 3.5 .3 .4 .2 .4 

Other services ............................................................................ 11.002 307.011 306.740 2.2 -.1 .0 .1 .1 

Special indexes

All items less food ........................................................................ 85.371 215.986 216.207 2.3 .1 .2 .3 .5 

All items less shelter .................................................................... 66.800 205.567 206.286 2.6 .3 .3 .4 .7 

All items less medical care ........................................................... 93.610 208.131 208.250 1.7 .1 .2 .3 .4 

Commodities less food ................................................................. 24.926 150.663 151.847 5.4 .8 .4 .7 1.3 

Nondurables less food ................................................................. 14.416 187.939 189.852 7.9 1.0 .4 -.7 2.6 

Nondurables less food and apparel ............................................. 10.726 226.717 230.622 10.2 1.7 .4 -.8 3.4 

Nondurables ................................................................................. 29.046 202.058 203.035 3.7 .5 .1 -.3 1.3 

Services less rent of shelter 4 ...................................................... 27.577 279.545 280.014 1.7 .2 .3 .3 .4 

Services less medical care services ............................................ 55.679 248.692 248.075 .7 -.2 .1 .2 .1 

Energy .......................................................................................... 7.624 199.198 204.026 7.4 2.4 .6 1.5 4.1 

All items less energy .................................................................... 92.376 219.624 219.291 1.3 -.2 .1 .2 .0 

All items less food and energy ................................................... 77.746 220.731 220.384 1.7 -.2 .2 .2 .0 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ..................... 21.461 143.857 143.871 2.6 .0 .3 .4 .2 

Energy commodities ............................................................... 3.465 221.749 231.226 19.6 4.3 1.1 1.9 6.3 

Services less energy services .................................................. 56.285 267.081 266.488 1.4 -.2 .1 .1 .0 

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

 $ .463 $ .462 - - - - -

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

 $ .154 $ .154 - - - - -

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

item stratum index series were calculated using a geometric means estimator. 4 Indexes on a December 1982=100 base. 5 This index series will undergo a change in composition in January, 2010.

 The expenditure class will include weight from secondary residences, and

will be re-titled Owners’ equivalent rent of residences. The item stratum

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residences, which prior to January, 2010 is

identical to the EC, will be published as well. 6 Indexes on a December 1988=100 base. 7 Indexes on a December 2007=100 base. - Data not available.

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

and commodity and service group

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-U

Seasonally adjusted indexes Seasonally adjusted annual rate percent

change for

3 months ended— 6 months

ended—

Aug.

2009

Sep.

2009

Oct.

2009

Nov.

2009

Feb.

2009

May

2009

Aug.

2009

Nov.

2009 May

2009

Nov.

2009

Expenditure category

All items .............................................................................. 215.428 215.791 216.385 217.250 -0.5 -0.2 4.9 3.4 -0.4 4.2 

Food and beverages ......................................................... 217.829 217.670 217.830 218.011 .1 -2.0 -.2 .3 -1.0 .0 

Food ................................................................................ 217.478 217.257 217.377 217.511 .0 -2.2 -.5 .1 -1.1 -.2 

Food at home ................................................................ 213.951 213.298 213.338 213.257 -2.8 -5.5 -1.8 -1.3 -4.1 -1.5 

Cereals and bakery products ...................................... 251.049 251.711 251.814 252.151 .1 -4.2 -.9 1.8 -2.1 .4 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ..................................... 202.601 200.583 200.128 200.815 -1.5 -6.9 -4.0 -3.5 -4.3 -3.7 

Dairy and related products 1 ....................................... 192.381 193.353 195.360 193.914 -15.1 -15.6 -7.3 3.2 -15.4 -2.2 

Fruits and vegetables .................................................. 273.410 270.064 268.276 268.645 -9.6 -3.4 .5 -6.8 -6.5 -3.2 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ....... 163.008 162.981 162.638 162.133 -1.5 -.8 .4 -2.1 -1.2 -.9 

Other food at home ..................................................... 190.494 190.598 191.178 190.887 4.0 -3.6 -.3 .8 .1 .3 

Sugar and sweets ..................................................... 194.991 197.000 197.535 198.855 10.0 -1.3 -2.7 8.2 4.2 2.6 

Fats and oils .............................................................. 200.546 199.971 199.118 198.430 -7.7 -7.5 1.5 -4.2 -7.6 -1.3 

Other foods ............................................................... 204.958 204.773 205.645 205.047 4.8 -3.5 -.1 .2 .6 .0

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ................................ 121.892 122.099 122.112 121.263 -3.1 .8 -3.0 -2.0 -1.1 -2.5 

Food away from home 1 ............................................... 223.675 224.003 224.224 224.633 3.5 1.9 1.2 1.7 2.7 1.4 

Other food away from home 1 2 .................................. 156.697 157.302 157.056 157.027 2.0 1.0 4.2 .8 1.5 2.5 

Alcoholic beverages ........................................................ 221.072 221.709 222.394 223.175 1.8 .8 2.7 3.9 1.3 3.3 

Housing ............................................................................. 216.726 216.770 216.964 216.918 .0 -1.0 -.6 .4 -.5 -.1 

Shelter ............................................................................. 249.658 249.655 249.678 249.122 .7 1.3 .0 -.9 1.0 -.4 

Rent of primary residence 3 .......................................... 249.266 249.132 248.868 248.682 2.6 1.9 .1 -.9 2.2 -.4 

Lodging away from home 2 ........................................... 132.411 134.342 134.890 132.806 -13.2 -6.9 -5.0 1.2 -10.1 -2.0 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 5 ...... 257.278 256.911 256.900 256.582 1.8 2.1 .4 -1.1 2.0 -.3 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ......................... 121.830 122.170 122.184 122.243 1.5 .1 3.7 1.4 .8 2.5 

Fuels and utilities ............................................................ 206.783 207.172 209.580 212.681 -4.8 -16.1 -2.1 11.9 -10.6 4.6 

Household energy ......................................................... 183.374 183.627 185.931 189.255 -6.2 -20.6 -4.3 13.5 -13.7 4.2 

Fuel oil and other fuels ................................................ 231.023 233.497 247.530 265.477 -41.5 -41.1 20.9 74.4 -41.3 45.2 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ....................................... 188.839 188.979 190.725 193.374 -2.9 -19.0 -5.8 10.0 -11.3 1.8 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 .......... 162.756 163.402 164.675 164.990 2.4 7.0 7.6 5.6 4.7 6.6 

Household furnishings and operations ............................ 128.471 128.455 127.790 127.445 .9 1.3 -2.9 -3.2 1.1 -3.0 

Household operations 1 2 ............................................. 150.494 150.437 150.184 150.135 .4 -1.8 2.8 -1.0 -.7 .9 

Apparel .............................................................................. 120.756 120.931 120.505 120.097 3.9 -2.3 4.8 -2.2 .7 1.3 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ................................................. 113.938 112.991 112.329 111.473 16.1 -5.9 -2.2 -8.4 4.5 -5.3 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ............................................. 109.390 109.688 109.020 108.138 .3 -2.6 10.6 -4.5 -1.2 2.8 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel .......................................... 116.235 116.350 114.644 114.155 -3.7 1.3 11.4 -7.0 -1.2 1.8 

Footwear ......................................................................... 127.504 127.603 127.894 128.799 .5 3.1 4.3 4.1 1.8 4.2 

Transportation ................................................................... 183.312 184.750 187.276 191.582 -7.4 -2.6 30.1 19.3 -5.0 24.6 

Private transportation ...................................................... 179.110 180.352 182.877 187.044 -6.5 -2.0 31.6 18.9 -4.3 25.1 

New and used motor vehicles 2 .................................... 93.155 93.605 95.229 96.038 1.7 3.7 1.3 13.0 2.7 7.0 

New vehicles ............................................................... 135.030 135.574 137.777 138.654 3.1 6.4 -.7 11.2 4.7 5.0 

Used cars and trucks .................................................. 126.157 128.153 132.456 135.093 -11.9 -3.1 11.4 31.5 -7.6 21.0 

Motor fuel ...................................................................... 220.836 223.273 226.932 241.049 -28.4 -16.8 160.2 42.0 -22.8 92.2 

Gasoline (all types) ..................................................... 220.967 223.146 226.688 241.196 -26.6 -14.1 160.4 42.0 -20.6 92.3 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ............................ 133.531 133.406 133.650 134.234 3.5 .7 -2.4 2.1 2.1 -.2 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair 1 ....................... 243.494 244.493 245.393 245.511 4.5 1.3 1.7 3.4 2.9 2.5 

Public transportation ....................................................... 234.384 239.281 241.437 247.709 -18.4 -10.5 11.3 24.8 -14.5 17.8 

Medical care ...................................................................... 376.919 378.555 379.229 380.284 4.3 3.5 2.7 3.6 3.9 3.2 

Medical care commodities .............................................. 306.029 308.016 308.780 308.873 5.6 3.6 2.1 3.8 4.6 2.9 

Medical care services ..................................................... 398.742 400.180 400.797 402.252 3.8 3.5 2.9 3.6 3.7 3.2 

Professional services .................................................... 320.262 321.405 322.067 322.625 2.4 2.8 2.2 3.0 2.6 2.6 

Hospital and related services 3 ..................................... 572.422 575.812 577.133 581.557 8.5 6.9 6.4 6.5 7.7 6.5 

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—

Aug.

2009

Sep.

2009

Oct.

2009

Nov.

2009

Feb.

2009

May

2009

Aug.

2009

Nov.

2009 May

2009

Nov.

2009

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ...................................................................... 114.731 114.585 114.155 113.937 1.0 -1.6 2.4 -2.7 -0.3 -0.2 

Video and audio 2 ........................................................... 101.530 100.824 100.191 100.491 -1.9 -.6 .2 -4.0 -1.2 -2.0 

Education and communication 2 ....................................... 127.967 128.074 128.285 128.226 3.3 3.1 2.5 .8 3.2 1.7 

Education 2 ..................................................................... 192.686 192.711 193.313 193.780 5.1 5.9 5.8 2.3 5.5 4.1 

Educational books and supplies ................................... 489.280 490.667 491.662 495.958 4.5 5.7 13.0 5.6 5.1 9.2 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ...................... 554.000 553.955 555.733 556.799 5.1 6.0 5.3 2.0 5.5 3.7 

Communication 2 ............................................................ 84.909 85.040 85.054 84.771 1.6 .5 -.7 -.6 1.1 -.7 

Information and information processing 1 2 .................. 81.835 81.969 81.978 81.688 1.6 -.1 -1.0 -.7 .8 -.9 

Telephone services 1 2 ............................................... 102.674 102.968 102.891 102.528 1.4 1.5 1.6 -.6 1.4 .5 

Information technology, hardware and services 1 6 .... 9.499 9.467 9.501 9.467 2.4 -5.9 -10.8 -1.3 -1.9 -6.2 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 7 ... 78.576 77.997 78.213 78.077 -5.7 -14.3 -24.8 -2.5 -10.1 -14.4 

Other goods and services ................................................. 373.425 374.442 375.427 377.051 2.0 22.3 4.6 3.9 11.7 4.3 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ................................... 763.634 771.089 773.758 781.538 8.1 114.7 13.2 9.7 52.3 11.4 

Personal care .................................................................. 204.899 204.919 205.394 205.839 .3 1.5 1.6 1.8 .9 1.7 

Personal care products 1 .............................................. 162.476 162.372 162.257 161.753 3.8 1.3 -1.4 -1.8 2.6 -1.6 

Personal care services 1 ............................................... 227.580 228.286 228.465 228.358 -.5 3.1 .0 1.4 1.3 .7 

Miscellaneous personal services .................................. 345.448 344.770 347.750 349.831 .4 .3 4.4 5.2 .3 4.8 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ....................................................................... 171.236 171.666 172.529 174.046 -2.9 -.6 10.6 6.7 -1.8 8.7 

Food and beverages ......................................................... 217.829 217.670 217.830 218.011 .1 -2.0 -.2 .3 -1.0 .0 

Commodities less food and beverages ............................. 146.689 147.347 148.472 150.490 -4.8 .4 18.0 10.8 -2.3 14.3 

Nondurables less food and beverages ........................... 185.567 186.349 184.873 190.103 -5.8 -4.8 39.4 10.1 -5.3 23.9 

Apparel .......................................................................... 120.756 120.931 120.505 120.097 3.9 -2.3 4.8 -2.2 .7 1.3 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel .......... 230.120 231.087 228.965 237.827 -8.7 -5.3 54.0 14.1 -7.0 32.5 

Durables .......................................................................... 109.238 109.714 110.882 111.316 -1.3 2.2 -1.2 7.8 .4 3.2 

Services .............................................................................. 259.344 259.617 259.979 260.154 1.3 .0 1.1 1.3 .6 1.2 

Rent of shelter 4 ................................................................ 260.033 260.233 260.293 259.821 .6 1.1 -.2 -.3 .9 -.3 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ............................. 121.830 122.170 122.184 122.243 1.5 .1 3.7 1.4 .8 2.5 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................. 188.839 188.979 190.725 193.374 -2.9 -19.0 -5.8 10.0 -11.3 1.8 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 .............. 162.756 163.402 164.675 164.990 2.4 7.0 7.6 5.6 4.7 6.6 

Household operations 1 2 ................................................. 150.494 150.437 150.184 150.135 .4 -1.8 2.8 -1.0 -.7 .9 

Transportation services ..................................................... 251.455 253.146 254.265 255.797 2.7 .6 4.1 7.1 1.6 5.6 

Medical care services ....................................................... 398.742 400.180 400.797 402.252 3.8 3.5 2.9 3.6 3.7 3.2 

Other services ................................................................... 305.733 305.795 305.965 306.142 2.8 1.5 4.1 .5 2.2 2.3 

Special indexes

All items less food ............................................................... 215.123 215.582 216.253 217.238 -.6 .1 5.8 4.0 -.2 4.9 

All items less shelter ........................................................... 204.437 204.951 205.779 207.221 -1.0 -1.0 7.4 5.6 -1.0 6.5 

All items less medical care .................................................. 207.422 207.735 208.320 209.170 -.8 -.5 5.0 3.4 -.6 4.2 

Commodities less food ........................................................ 149.315 149.975 151.091 153.080 -4.6 .4 17.3 10.5 -2.1 13.8 

Nondurables less food ........................................................ 187.699 188.493 187.110 191.970 -5.0 -4.4 36.3 9.4 -4.7 22.1 

Nondurables less food and apparel .................................... 228.214 229.166 227.347 235.089 -7.2 -5.1 48.5 12.6 -6.2 29.3 

Nondurables ........................................................................ 201.800 202.076 201.442 204.139 -2.0 -4.0 17.4 4.7 -3.0 10.9 

Services less rent of shelter 4 ............................................. 277.946 278.770 279.601 280.784 2.1 -2.0 2.5 4.1 .0 3.3 

Services less medical care services ................................... 248.063 248.397 248.834 249.009 1.1 -.6 .8 1.5 .2 1.2 

Energy ................................................................................. 199.667 200.959 203.889 212.326 -17.4 -18.9 57.1 27.9 -18.1 41.7 

All items less energy ........................................................... 218.743 219.012 219.367 219.450 1.2 1.6 1.1 1.3 1.4 1.2 

All items less food and energy .......................................... 219.692 220.053 220.453 220.527 1.5 2.3 1.4 1.5 1.9 1.5 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ........... 142.179 142.624 143.240 143.505 1.2 4.4 1.0 3.8 2.8 2.4 

Energy commodities ..................................................... 222.805 225.260 229.490 243.900 -29.4 -18.7 148.5 43.6 -24.2 88.9 

Services less energy services ......................................... 266.543 266.830 267.058 266.992 1.6 1.5 1.6 .7 1.5 1.1 

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 This index series will undergo a change in composition in January,

2010. The expenditure class will include weight from secondary residences,

and will be re-titled Owners’ equivalent rent of residences. The item stratum

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residences, which prior to January, 2010

is identical to the EC, will be published as well. 6 Indexes on a December 1988=100 base. 7 Indexes on a December 2007=100 base.

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

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-U

All items 

Pricing

schedule 1

Indexes Percent change to

Nov.2009 from—

Percent change to

Oct.2009 from—

Aug.

2009

Sep.

2009

Oct.

2009

Nov.

2009

Nov.

2008

Sep.

2009

Oct.

2009

Oct.

2008

Aug.

2009

Sep.

2009

U.S. city average ............................................ M 215.834 215.969 216.177 216.330 1.8 0.2 0.1 -0.2 0.2 0.1 

Region and area size2

Northeast urban .............................................. M 230.883 231.200 231.304 231.708 2.0 .2 .2 .2 .2 .0 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 233.314 233.695 233.415 233.785 1.8 .0 .2 .1 .0 -.1 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 136.598 136.691 137.348 137.646 2.4 .7 .2 .5 .5 .5 

Midwest urban ................................................ M 205.632 205.601 205.706 206.247 2.2 .3 .3 -.2 .0 .1 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 206.591 206.459 206.625 207.277 2.1 .4 .3 -.2 .0 .1 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 131.748 131.812 131.724 131.952 2.3 .1 .2 -.2 .0 -.1 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 201.823 201.918 202.499 203.047 2.6 .6 .3 .2 .3 .3 

South urban .................................................... M 209.000 208.912 209.292 209.738 2.0 .4 .2 -.4 .1 .2 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 211.436 211.212 211.152 211.424 1.3 .1 .1 -.7 -.1 .0 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 132.729 132.722 133.035 133.342 2.3 .5 .2 -.2 .2 .2 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 210.899 210.911 212.423 213.372 3.2 1.2 .4 -.3 .7 .7 

West urban ..................................................... M 219.884 220.294 220.447 219.728 1.2 -.3 -.3 -.3 .3 .1 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 224.072 224.412 224.372 223.489 1.2 -.4 -.4 -.3 .1 .0 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 132.756 133.128 133.618 133.335 1.4 .2 -.2 -.1 .6 .4 

Size classes

A 4 .............................................................. M 197.614 197.724 197.670 197.697 1.6 .0 .0 -.2 .0 .0 

B/C 3 ........................................................... M 133.069 133.165 133.489 133.663 2.1 .4 .1 -.1 .3 .2 

D ................................................................. M 208.369 208.503 209.139 209.567 2.3 .5 .2 -.3 .4 .3 

Selected local areas5

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI ................... M 211.441 211.345 211.708 212.206 1.5 .4 .2 -.8 .1 .2 

Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA ... M 224.507 225.226 225.264 224.317 .9 -.4 -.4 -.4 .3 .0 

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

NY-NJ-CT-PA ......................................... M 238.282 238.568 238.380 238.777 1.8 .1 .2 .0 .0 -.1 

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

 236.596 - 236.589 1.8 .0 - - - -

Cleveland-Akron, OH ...................................... 1 - 201.836 - 201.471 1.7 -.2 - - - -

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

 201.802 - 201.958 1.0 .1 - - - -

Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV 6 ...... 1 - 140.945 - 140.718 1.6 -.2 - - - -

Atlanta, GA ..................................................... 2 203.351 -

 201.068 - - - - -2.6 -1.1 -

Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI .............................. 2 204.673 -

 205.079 - - - - -.1 .2 -

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

Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ............................. 2 221.306 -

 222.416 - - - - -.6 .5 -

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,

PA-NJ-DE-MD ........................................ 2 226.039 -

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

San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA ........... 2 225.801 -

 226.051 - - - - .1 .1 -

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

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

 most other goods and services priced as indicated: 

 M - Every month. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

therefore, subject to substantially more sampling and other measurement

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

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

Labor Statistics strongly urges users to consider adopting the national

average CPI for use in their escalator clauses. 

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

and commodity and service group

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-W

Relative

importance,

December

2008

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Nov. 2009 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Oct.

2009

Nov.

2009

Nov.

2008

Oct.

2009

Aug. to

Sep.

Sep. to

Oct.

Oct. to

Nov.

Expenditure category

All items ........................................................................................ 100.000 211.549 212.003 2.3 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.5 

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

 630.140 631.491 - - - - -

Food and beverages .................................................................. 16.942 217.123 216.853 -.6 -.1 -.1 .1 .1 

Food ......................................................................................... 15.865 216.654 216.305 -.8 -.2 -.1 .1 .0 

Food at home ......................................................................... 9.201 212.396 211.488 -3.0 -.4 -.3 .1 -.1 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................... 1.249 252.049 251.376 -.8 -.3 .2 .1 .2 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs .............................................. 2.315 200.210 200.709 -4.1 .2 -1.1 -.1 .3 

Dairy and related products 1 ................................................ .992 194.120 192.695 -9.2 -.7 .5 1.1 -.7 

Fruits and vegetables ........................................................... 1.266 267.084 267.049 -5.1 .0 -1.1 -.7 -.1 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ................ 1.167 162.456 160.619 -1.1 -1.1 .0 -.1 -.4 

Other food at home .............................................................. 2.212 190.630 188.868 .1 -.9 .0 .3 -.2 

Sugar and sweets .............................................................. .304 195.752 197.031 3.4 .7 1.0 .2 .8 

Fats and oils ....................................................................... .274 200.759 197.400 -4.6 -1.7 -.3 -.2 -.4 

Other foods ........................................................................ 1.634 205.929 203.664 .3 -1.1 -.1 .4 -.4 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ......................................... .472 122.676 121.647 -1.8 -.8 .2 .1 -.8 

Food away from home 1 ......................................................... 6.664 224.382 224.815 2.1 .2 .1 .1 .2 

Other food away from home 1 2 ........................................... .233 156.909 156.853 2.2 .0 .2 -.1 .0 

Alcoholic beverages ................................................................. 1.077 222.555 223.445 2.7 .4 .0 .3 .6 

Housing ...................................................................................... 41.313 212.734 212.327 -.1 -.2 .0 .1 .0 

Shelter ...................................................................................... 31.224 242.804 242.159 .6 -.3 .0 .0 -.2 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................... 8.279 247.422 247.361 .8 .0 -.1 -.1 -.1 

Lodging away from home 2 .................................................... 1.209 134.586 127.061 -5.0 -5.6 1.5 .5 -1.2 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 5 ................ 21.430 232.761 232.635 .8 -.1 -.1 .0 -.1 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................... .306 122.761 122.830 1.9 .1 .3 .1 .1 

Fuels and utilities ..................................................................... 6.030 206.732 207.530 -3.3 .4 .3 1.0 1.4 

Household energy .................................................................. 4.996 182.227 182.994 -5.2 .4 .2 1.1 1.7 

Fuel oil and other fuels ......................................................... .283 246.153 262.340 -7.5 6.6 .8 6.2 7.0 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ................................................. 4.713 187.473 187.572 -5.0 .1 .2 .8 1.4 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................... 1.035 165.123 165.509 5.6 .2 .4 .8 .2 

Household furnishings and operations ..................................... 4.059 123.995 123.448 -.8 -.4 .2 -.5 -.3 

Household operations 1 2 ....................................................... .360 153.368 152.747 .3 -.4 .0 -.2 -.4 

Apparel ....................................................................................... 3.979 123.642 122.228 .9 -1.1 .2 -.6 -.4 

Men’s and boys’ apparel .......................................................... 1.024 115.381 114.091 -.5 -1.1 -.7 -1.0 -1.0 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ...................................................... 1.568 113.290 111.039 .4 -2.0 .7 -1.1 -.8 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ................................................... .249 119.949 119.272 .6 -.6 .3 -1.7 -.3 

Footwear .................................................................................. .840 130.596 130.682 3.2 .1 -.1 .3 .4

Transportation ............................................................................ 17.067 183.506 186.928 9.4 1.9 .8 1.6 2.5 

Private transportation ............................................................... 16.284 180.271 183.680 9.8 1.9 .7 1.6 2.5 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ............................................. 7.627 93.414 94.338 5.1 1.0 .7 2.1 1.1 

New vehicles ........................................................................ 4.057 138.422 139.952 4.9 1.1 .4 1.6 .7 

Used cars and trucks ........................................................... 2.863 133.458 134.977 5.8 1.1 1.5 3.4 2.0 

Motor fuel ............................................................................... 4.029 219.733 228.871 21.9 4.2 1.0 1.8 6.2 

Gasoline (all types) .............................................................. 3.770 219.509 228.598 23.7 4.1 .8 1.7 6.3 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ..................................... .482 133.764 134.346 .9 .4 -.1 .2 .4 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair 1 ................................ 1.242 247.811 247.972 2.7 .1 .4 .4 .1 

Public transportation ................................................................ .784 239.729 242.698 .9 1.2 1.9 .9 2.4 

Medical care ............................................................................... 5.355 379.072 380.295 3.7 .3 .5 .1 .3 

Medical care commodities ........................................................ 1.320 299.742 299.972 3.8 .1 .6 .2 .1 

Medical care services ............................................................... 4.035 402.075 403.695 3.6 .4 .4 .1 .4 

Professional services ............................................................. 2.234 324.284 324.382 2.7 .0 .4 .2 .2 

Hospital and related services 3 .............................................. 1.338 573.069 580.048 7.4 1.2 .7 .1 .9 

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

and commodity and service group-Continued

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-W

Relative

importance,

December

2008

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Nov. 2009 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Oct.

2009

Nov.

2009

Nov.

2008

Oct.

2009

Aug. to

Sep.

Sep. to

Oct.

Oct. to

Nov.

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................... 5.454 110.724 110.401 -0.4 -0.3 -0.2 -0.4 -0.2 

Video and audio 2 .................................................................... 1.982 100.639 100.681 -1.3 .0 -.7 -.6 .3 

Education and communication 2 ................................................ 6.221 124.362 124.100 2.0 -.2 .1 .1 -.1 

Education 2 .............................................................................. 2.527 192.774 192.776 4.7 .0 .0 .3 .4 

Educational books and supplies ............................................. .219 497.534 498.627 7.1 .2 .4 .1 .8 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ................................ 2.308 542.284 542.174 4.5 .0 .0 .4 .3 

Communication 2 ..................................................................... 3.694 87.786 87.468 .2 -.4 .2 .0 -.4 

Information and information processing 1 2 ............................ 3.568 85.651 85.331 .0 -.4 .2 .0 -.4 

Telephone services 1 2 ......................................................... 2.965 102.818 102.413 .8 -.4 .3 -.1 -.4 

Information technology, hardware and services 1 6 ............. .604 9.995 9.969 -3.8 -.3 -.4 .2 -.3 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 7 ............ .202 77.939 77.926 -12.1 .0 -.8 .1 .0 

Other goods and services .......................................................... 3.668 401.390 403.178 11.2 .4 .4 .2 .5 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ............................................ 1.267 778.650 786.541 30.5 1.0 1.0 .3 1.0 

Personal care ........................................................................... 2.401 203.115 203.245 1.1 .1 .0 .2 .2 

Personal care products 1 ....................................................... .662 162.242 161.784 .5 -.3 -.1 .0 -.3 

Personal care services 1 ........................................................ .580 228.683 228.614 1.0 .0 .3 .1 .0 

Miscellaneous personal services ........................................... .947 349.283 350.046 2.1 .2 -.1 .6 .4 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ................................................................................ 42.689 174.550 175.563 3.9 .6 .3 .6 1.0 

Food and beverages .................................................................. 16.942 217.123 216.853 -.6 -.1 -.1 .1 .1 

Commodities less food and beverages ...................................... 25.747 151.760 153.273 6.8 1.0 .6 .9 1.6 

Nondurables less food and beverages ..................................... 14.587 193.394 195.926 9.9 1.3 .4 -.9 2.9 

Apparel ................................................................................... 3.979 123.642 122.228 .9 -1.1 .2 -.6 -.4 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel .................... 10.609 241.005 246.085 13.1 2.1 .4 -1.1 4.1 

Durables ................................................................................... 11.160 110.988 111.575 2.3 .5 .6 1.4 .6 

Services ....................................................................................... 57.311 254.847 254.663 1.0 -.1 .1 .1 .1 

Rent of shelter 4 ......................................................................... 30.918 234.064 233.436 .6 -.3 .0 .0 -.1 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ....................................... .306 122.761 122.830 1.9 .1 .3 .1 .1 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ....................................................... 4.713 187.473 187.572 -5.0 .1 .2 .8 1.4 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ....................... 1.035 165.123 165.509 5.6 .2 .4 .8 .2 

Household operations 1 2 ........................................................... .360 153.368 152.747 .3 -.4 .0 -.2 -.4 

Transportation services .............................................................. 5.512 254.408 255.871 4.0 .6 .6 .5 .4 

Medical care services ................................................................. 4.035 402.075 403.695 3.6 .4 .4 .1 .4 

Other services ............................................................................ 10.432 293.938 293.624 1.9 -.1 .0 .0 .0 

Special indexes

All items less food ........................................................................ 84.135 210.462 211.055 2.8 .3 .2 .4 .6 

All items less shelter .................................................................... 68.776 202.441 203.301 3.0 .4 .3 .5 .8 

All items less medical care ........................................................... 94.645 204.680 205.106 2.2 .2 .2 .3 .5 

Commodities less food ................................................................. 26.824 154.147 155.650 6.6 1.0 .5 .9 1.6 

Nondurables less food ................................................................. 15.664 195.196 197.644 9.5 1.3 .3 -.9 2.7 

Nondurables less food and apparel ............................................. 11.686 238.355 243.061 12.3 2.0 .4 -1.0 3.8 

Nondurables ................................................................................. 31.530 205.647 206.876 4.5 .6 .1 -.3 1.4 

Services less rent of shelter 4 ...................................................... 26.392 246.851 247.237 1.5 .2 .3 .3 .4 

Services less medical care services ............................................ 53.275 244.258 243.991 .8 -.1 .1 .2 .1 

Energy .......................................................................................... 9.024 199.223 204.196 8.4 2.5 .6 1.5 4.2 

All items less energy .................................................................... 90.976 213.998 213.895 1.6 .0 .1 .2 .1 

All items less food and energy ................................................... 75.111 213.840 213.787 2.1 .0 .2 .2 .1 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ..................... 22.513 145.439 145.595 3.4 .1 .4 .5 .3 

Energy commodities ............................................................... 4.311 221.910 231.371 20.2 4.3 1.0 2.0 6.2 

Services less energy services .................................................. 52.598 262.196 261.979 1.5 -.1 .1 .1 .0 

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

 $ .473 $ .472 - - - - -

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

 $ .159 $ .158 - - - - -

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 This index series will undergo a change in composition in January, 2010.

 The expenditure class will include weight from secondary residences, and

will be re-titled Owners’ equivalent rent of residences. The item stratum

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residences, which prior to January, 2010 is

identical to the EC, will be published as well. 6 Indexes on a December 1988=100 base. 7 Indexes on a December 2007=100 base. - Data not available.

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

expenditure category and commodity and service group

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-W

Seasonally adjusted indexes Seasonally adjusted annual rate percent

change for

3 months ended— 6 months

ended—

Aug.

2009

Sep.

2009

Oct.

2009

Nov.

2009

Feb.

2009

May

2009

Aug.

2009

Nov.

2009 May

2009

Nov.

2009

Expenditure category

All items .............................................................................. 210.758 211.136 211.842 212.929 -0.8 -0.1 6.2 4.2 -0.5 5.2 

Food and beverages ......................................................... 217.045 216.778 217.027 217.157 -.2 -2.1 -.3 .2 -1.1 -.1 

Food ................................................................................ 216.610 216.317 216.531 216.578 -.3 -2.4 -.6 -.1 -1.3 -.3 

Food at home ................................................................ 212.744 212.018 212.185 211.957 -3.1 -5.3 -1.9 -1.5 -4.2 -1.7 

Cereals and bakery products ...................................... 251.677 252.195 252.524 252.985 -.5 -3.9 -1.0 2.1 -2.2 .6 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ..................................... 202.128 199.912 199.773 200.285 -1.4 -7.1 -4.3 -3.6 -4.3 -4.0 

Dairy and related products 1 ....................................... 191.048 192.048 194.120 192.695 -16.2 -15.4 -7.3 3.5 -15.8 -2.0 

Fruits and vegetables .................................................. 270.988 268.099 266.270 266.091 -10.5 -3.1 .9 -7.0 -6.9 -3.1 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ....... 162.465 162.444 162.244 161.516 -1.7 -.1 -.5 -2.3 -.9 -1.4 

Other food at home ..................................................... 189.945 189.934 190.529 190.114 3.6 -3.5 .0 .4 .0 .2 

Sugar and sweets ..................................................... 194.039 195.992 196.328 197.971 8.8 -1.5 -1.4 8.4 3.5 3.4 

Fats and oils .............................................................. 201.203 200.499 200.113 199.349 -7.8 -8.0 1.4 -3.6 -7.9 -1.1 

Other foods ............................................................... 205.196 204.911 205.775 204.972 4.7 -3.1 .1 -.4 .7 -.2 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ................................ 122.217 122.496 122.676 121.647 -2.7 .4 -2.9 -1.9 -1.1 -2.4 

Food away from home 1 ............................................... 223.789 224.102 224.382 224.815 3.7 1.8 1.3 1.8 2.7 1.6 

Other food away from home 1 2 .................................. 156.769 157.132 156.909 156.853 2.8 -.3 6.3 .2 1.2 3.2 

Alcoholic beverages ........................................................ 221.978 222.073 222.843 224.207 1.7 2.0 3.0 4.1 1.8 3.5 

Housing ............................................................................. 212.823 212.863 213.063 213.168 .4 -1.1 -.5 .7 -.3 .1 

Shelter ............................................................................. 243.044 242.930 242.918 242.551 1.4 1.6 .1 -.8 1.5 -.3 

Rent of primary residence 3 .......................................... 247.869 247.669 247.420 247.158 2.5 1.9 .0 -1.1 2.2 -.6 

Lodging away from home 2 ........................................... 133.451 135.480 136.095 134.437 -12.0 -7.0 -3.7 3.0 -9.5 -.4 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 5 ...... 233.061 232.761 232.770 232.516 1.8 2.0 .4 -.9 1.9 -.3 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ......................... 122.254 122.644 122.761 122.830 1.2 .7 3.7 1.9 .9 2.8 

Fuels and utilities ............................................................ 205.839 206.356 208.463 211.374 -4.3 -16.0 -1.9 11.2 -10.4 4.4 

Household energy ......................................................... 181.747 182.153 184.089 187.167 -5.6 -20.3 -3.9 12.5 -13.2 3.9 

Fuel oil and other fuels ................................................ 233.552 235.480 250.133 267.530 -39.6 -40.0 17.0 72.2 -39.8 41.9 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ....................................... 187.525 187.880 189.323 191.886 -3.0 -19.0 -5.0 9.6 -11.3 2.1 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 .......... 163.201 163.808 165.178 165.484 2.2 7.1 7.6 5.7 4.6 6.7 

Household furnishings and operations ............................ 124.347 124.592 124.011 123.581 .5 2.2 -3.4 -2.4 1.3 -2.9 

Household operations 1 2 ............................................. 153.667 153.648 153.368 152.747 -.2 -.4 4.5 -2.4 -.3 1.0 

Apparel .............................................................................. 120.672 120.949 120.228 119.712 4.1 -2.6 5.5 -3.1 .7 1.1 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ................................................. 114.936 114.131 113.038 111.949 18.0 -6.9 -.9 -10.0 4.8 -5.5 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ............................................. 108.852 109.649 108.460 107.620 -.5 -4.3 11.7 -4.5 -2.5 3.3 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel .......................................... 118.857 119.258 117.261 116.909 -3.2 2.6 9.9 -6.4 -.3 1.4 

Footwear ......................................................................... 128.063 127.912 128.352 128.802 1.6 3.6 5.1 2.3 2.6 3.7 

Transportation ................................................................... 181.285 182.716 185.612 190.266 -8.9 -3.4 35.1 21.3 -6.2 28.0 

Private transportation ...................................................... 178.196 179.519 182.415 186.999 -8.5 -3.2 36.2 21.3 -5.9 28.5 

New and used motor vehicles 2 .................................... 90.936 91.560 93.467 94.479 -1.1 2.2 3.5 16.5 .5 9.8 

New vehicles ............................................................... 136.112 136.675 138.886 139.797 3.2 5.8 -.3 11.3 4.5 5.4 

Used cars and trucks .................................................. 126.950 128.878 133.216 135.889 -12.0 -2.8 11.8 31.3 -7.5 21.1 

Motor fuel ...................................................................... 221.467 223.652 227.788 241.798 -28.1 -16.7 159.4 42.1 -22.6 92.0 

Gasoline (all types) ..................................................... 221.758 223.578 227.480 241.747 -25.8 -14.0 159.5 41.2 -20.1 91.4 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ............................ 133.587 133.504 133.764 134.346 3.5 .5 -2.5 2.3 2.0 -.1 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair 1 ....................... 245.871 246.850 247.811 247.972 4.6 1.3 1.4 3.5 2.9 2.4 

Public transportation ....................................................... 233.494 237.928 240.111 245.825 -17.7 -9.3 13.1 22.9 -13.6 17.9 

Medical care ...................................................................... 377.444 379.213 379.750 380.969 4.4 3.8 2.8 3.8 4.1 3.3 

Medical care commodities .............................................. 297.712 299.487 300.144 300.393 5.5 3.8 2.2 3.7 4.7 2.9 

Medical care services ..................................................... 400.673 402.384 402.852 404.459 4.0 3.7 3.0 3.8 3.9 3.4 

Professional services .................................................... 322.955 324.248 324.921 325.479 2.6 2.9 2.1 3.2 2.8 2.7 

Hospital and related services 3 ..................................... 570.031 573.743 574.505 579.457 8.6 7.5 6.9 6.8 8.0 6.8 

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—

Aug.

2009

Sep.

2009

Oct.

2009

Nov.

2009

Feb.

2009

May

2009

Aug.

2009

Nov.

2009 May

2009

Nov.

2009

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ...................................................................... 111.415 111.147 110.717 110.513 1.3 -1.3 1.7 -3.2 0.0 -0.8 

Video and audio 2 ........................................................... 101.924 101.243 100.681 100.943 -1.5 -.4 .6 -3.8 -.9 -1.6 

Education and communication 2 ....................................... 123.479 123.601 123.757 123.682 2.8 2.4 2.2 .7 2.6 1.4 

Education 2 ..................................................................... 189.859 189.872 190.521 191.213 4.5 5.5 5.9 2.9 5.0 4.4 

Educational books and supplies ................................... 491.859 493.984 494.705 498.822 4.9 5.2 12.7 5.8 5.1 9.2 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ...................... 533.890 533.704 535.632 537.333 4.5 5.6 5.2 2.6 5.0 3.9 

Communication 2 ............................................................ 87.664 87.807 87.785 87.470 1.6 .3 -.2 -.9 .9 -.6 

Information and information processing 1 2 .................. 85.532 85.676 85.651 85.331 1.6 .0 -.4 -.9 .8 -.7 

Telephone services 1 2 ............................................... 102.613 102.896 102.818 102.413 1.3 1.3 1.5 -.8 1.3 .4 

Information technology, hardware and services 1 6 .... 10.012 9.975 9.995 9.969 2.9 -6.4 -9.7 -1.7 -1.8 -5.8 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 7 ... 78.480 77.835 77.939 77.926 -4.5 -15.5 -23.9 -2.8 -10.1 -14.0 

Other goods and services ................................................. 398.801 400.504 401.414 403.435 3.0 34.4 5.5 4.7 17.6 5.1 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ................................... 768.483 776.198 778.650 786.541 8.3 116.5 12.6 9.7 53.1 11.2 

Personal care .................................................................. 202.705 202.795 203.135 203.463 .3 1.5 1.1 1.5 .9 1.3 

Personal care products 1 .............................................. 162.415 162.312 162.242 161.784 3.9 1.4 -1.7 -1.5 2.7 -1.6 

Personal care services 1 ............................................... 227.751 228.480 228.683 228.614 -.6 3.1 -.1 1.5 1.2 .7 

Miscellaneous personal services .................................. 347.691 347.345 349.308 350.699 .1 1.0 3.8 3.5 .5 3.7 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ....................................................................... 173.366 173.885 174.960 176.765 -3.8 -.2 13.0 8.1 -2.0 10.5 

Food and beverages ......................................................... 217.045 216.778 217.027 217.157 -.2 -2.1 -.3 .2 -1.1 -.1 

Commodities less food and beverages ............................. 150.154 150.983 152.366 154.809 -6.0 .9 22.1 13.0 -2.6 17.5 

Nondurables less food and beverages ........................... 193.645 194.337 192.499 197.997 -5.1 -3.0 45.1 9.3 -4.0 25.9 

Apparel .......................................................................... 120.672 120.949 120.228 119.712 4.1 -2.6 5.5 -3.1 .7 1.1 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel .......... 243.283 244.219 241.553 251.487 -8.7 -2.7 61.5 14.2 -5.7 35.8 

Durables .......................................................................... 108.994 109.657 111.148 111.782 -2.8 1.4 .5 10.6 -.7 5.5 

Services .............................................................................. 254.480 254.679 255.014 255.269 1.6 .0 1.1 1.2 .8 1.2 

Rent of shelter 4 ................................................................ 234.179 234.254 234.207 233.955 1.2 1.5 .0 -.4 1.4 -.2 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ............................. 122.254 122.644 122.761 122.830 1.2 .7 3.7 1.9 .9 2.8 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................. 187.525 187.880 189.323 191.886 -3.0 -19.0 -5.0 9.6 -11.3 2.1 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 .............. 163.201 163.808 165.178 165.484 2.2 7.1 7.6 5.7 4.6 6.7 

Household operations 1 2 ................................................. 153.667 153.648 153.368 152.747 -.2 -.4 4.5 -2.4 -.3 1.0 

Transportation services ..................................................... 251.654 253.079 254.314 255.433 3.9 1.7 4.1 6.1 2.8 5.1 

Medical care services ....................................................... 400.673 402.384 402.852 404.459 4.0 3.7 3.0 3.8 3.9 3.4 

Other services ................................................................... 293.179 293.119 293.183 293.238 2.4 1.4 3.8 .1 1.9 1.9 

Special indexes

All items less food ............................................................... 209.541 210.036 210.827 212.095 -.9 .3 7.5 5.0 -.3 6.2 

All items less shelter ........................................................... 201.265 201.826 202.802 204.433 -1.7 -.9 9.0 6.4 -1.3 7.7 

All items less medical care .................................................. 203.921 204.253 204.958 206.033 -1.1 -.3 6.4 4.2 -.7 5.3 

Commodities less food ........................................................ 152.561 153.374 154.747 157.172 -5.7 1.0 21.3 12.6 -2.4 16.9 

Nondurables less food ........................................................ 195.417 196.084 194.368 199.584 -4.4 -2.8 42.1 8.8 -3.6 24.4 

Nondurables less food and apparel .................................... 240.380 241.279 238.966 247.953 -7.6 -2.8 56.1 13.2 -5.2 33.0 

Nondurables ........................................................................ 205.614 205.775 205.065 207.993 -2.1 -3.2 20.1 4.7 -2.7 12.2 

Services less rent of shelter 4 ............................................. 245.730 246.381 247.071 248.031 2.0 -2.3 2.6 3.8 -.2 3.2 

Services less medical care services ................................... 243.823 244.068 244.456 244.706 1.3 -.6 1.0 1.5 .4 1.2 

Energy ................................................................................. 199.863 201.160 204.183 212.732 -17.6 -18.5 62.1 28.4 -18.1 44.2 

All items less energy ........................................................... 213.027 213.292 213.715 213.885 1.3 2.1 1.4 1.6 1.7 1.5 

All items less food and energy .......................................... 212.680 213.059 213.524 213.720 1.6 3.0 1.8 2.0 2.3 1.9 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ........... 143.376 143.992 144.772 145.230 .7 5.8 2.0 5.3 3.2 3.6 

Energy commodities ..................................................... 223.093 225.279 229.848 244.063 -28.7 -18.1 150.3 43.2 -23.6 89.3 

Services less energy services ......................................... 261.781 261.962 262.166 262.150 2.1 1.8 1.7 .6 1.9 1.1 

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 This index series will undergo a change in composition in January,

2010. The expenditure class will include weight from secondary residences,

and will be re-titled Owners’ equivalent rent of residences. The item stratum

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residences, which prior to January, 2010

is identical to the EC, will be published as well. 6 Indexes on a December 1988=100 base. 7 Indexes on a December 2007=100 base.

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

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-W

All items 

Pricing

schedule 1

Indexes Percent change to

Nov.2009 from—

Percent change to

Oct.2009 from—

Aug.

2009

Sep.

2009

Oct.

2009

Nov.

2009

Nov.

2008

Sep.

2009

Oct.

2009

Oct.

2008

Aug.

2009

Sep.

2009

U.S. city average ............................................ M 211.156 211.322 211.549 212.003 2.3 0.3 0.2 -0.3 0.2 0.1 

Region and area size2

Northeast urban .............................................. M 227.598 228.158 228.193 229.048 2.4 .4 .4 .2 .3 .0 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 228.472 229.067 228.720 229.541 2.2 .2 .4 .1 .1 -.2 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 137.109 137.400 137.959 138.527 2.8 .8 .4 .3 .6 .4 

Midwest urban ................................................ M 200.723 200.658 200.781 201.553 2.7 .4 .4 -.2 .0 .1 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 200.710 200.566 200.730 201.626 2.5 .5 .4 -.3 .0 .1 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 131.481 131.497 131.420 131.823 2.8 .2 .3 -.2 .0 -.1 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 199.404 199.416 200.053 200.748 2.9 .7 .3 .0 .3 .3 

South urban .................................................... M 205.867 205.726 206.121 206.859 2.5 .6 .4 -.6 .1 .2 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 208.995 208.677 208.577 209.161 1.7 .2 .3 -1.0 -.2 .0 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 131.302 131.284 131.621 132.129 2.8 .6 .4 -.3 .2 .3 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 211.088 210.922 212.368 213.396 3.7 1.2 .5 -.6 .6 .7 

West urban ..................................................... M 213.988 214.490 214.718 214.228 1.6 -.1 -.2 -.4 .3 .1 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 216.539 217.000 217.002 216.286 1.5 -.3 -.3 -.3 .2 .0 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 132.407 132.773 133.244 133.149 1.9 .3 -.1 -.3 .6 .4 

Size classes

A 4 .............................................................. M 195.796 195.957 195.895 196.187 1.9 .1 .1 -.4 .1 .0 

B/C 3 ........................................................... M 132.341 132.450 132.764 133.139 2.6 .5 .3 -.2 .3 .2 

D ................................................................. M 206.271 206.341 207.120 207.739 2.8 .7 .3 -.4 .4 .4 

Selected local areas5

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI ................... M 204.246 204.278 204.511 205.136 1.5 .4 .3 -1.1 .1 .1 

Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA ... M 216.628 217.302 217.474 216.618 1.2 -.3 -.4 -.6 .4 .1 

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

NY-NJ-CT-PA ......................................... M 232.841 233.502 233.084 233.893 2.3 .2 .3 .1 .1 -.2 

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

 235.744 - 236.859 2.2 .5 - - - -

Cleveland-Akron, OH ...................................... 1 - 192.800 - 192.871 2.1 .0 - - - -

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

 204.298 - 205.297 1.9 .5 - - - -

Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV 6 ...... 1 - 140.701 - 140.608 2.1 -.1 - - - -

Atlanta, GA ..................................................... 2 202.276 -

 199.736 - - - - -2.7 -1.3 -

Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI .............................. 2 200.169 -

 200.324 - - - - -.1 .1 -

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

Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ............................. 2 219.000 -

 220.358 - - - - -.8 .6 -

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,

PA-NJ-DE-MD ........................................ 2 225.481 -

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

San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA ........... 2 221.279 -

 221.708 - - - - .2 .2 -

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

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

 most other goods and services priced as indicated: 

 M - Every month. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

therefore, subject to substantially more sampling and other measurement

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

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

Labor Statistics strongly urges users to consider adopting the national

average CPI for use in their escalator clauses. 

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

category and commodity and service group

(December 1999=100, unless otherwise noted)

C-CPI-U Relative

importance,

2005-2006

 Unadjusted

 indexes

 Unadjusted

 percent change to

 Nov. 2009 from—

 Oct.

 2009

 Nov.

 2009

 Nov.

 2008

 Oct.

 2009

Expenditure category

All items ...................................................................................... 100.000 124.179 124.231 1.6 0.0 

Food and beverages ................................................................ 14.726 127.775 127.616 -.6 -.1 

Food ....................................................................................... 13.648 127.722 127.538 -.8 -.1 

Food at home ....................................................................... 7.557 122.743 122.249 -3.0 -.4 

Food away from home .......................................................... 6.091 134.188 134.427 2.1 .2 

Alcoholic beverages ............................................................... 1.077 128.803 128.961 2.3 .1 

Housing .................................................................................... 42.421 128.235 127.729 -.5 -.4 

Shelter .................................................................................... 32.409 131.398 130.640 .2 -.6 

Fuels and utilities .................................................................... 5.004 152.195 153.587 -4.0 .9 

Household furnishings and operations ................................... 5.008 94.643 94.161 -1.5 -.5 

Apparel ..................................................................................... 3.988 91.496 90.350 .5 -1.3 

Transportation .......................................................................... 17.393 124.609 126.788 8.8 1.7 

Private transportation ............................................................. 16.285 125.186 127.413 9.4 1.8 

Public transportation ............................................................... 1.108 117.852 119.391 .2 1.3 

Medical care ............................................................................. 6.085 146.888 147.213 3.3 .2 

Medical care commodities ...................................................... 1.615 130.234 130.309 3.6 .1 

Medical care services ............................................................. 4.470 153.001 153.430 3.2 .3 

Recreation ................................................................................ 5.935 104.321 103.789 -1.8 -.5 

Education and communication ................................................. 6.196 111.581 111.299 1.8 -.3 

Education ............................................................................... 2.771 180.851 180.676 4.6 -.1 

Communication ...................................................................... 3.425 73.904 73.623 -.5 -.4 

Other goods and services ........................................................ 3.257 134.750 135.123 6.7 .3 

Commodity and service group

Services ...................................................................................... 58.427 134.196 133.887 .7 -.2 

Commodities .............................................................................. 41.573 111.944 112.420 2.9 .4 

Durables ................................................................................... 11.817 81.540 81.824 1.0 .3 

Nondurables ............................................................................... 29.756 127.691 128.273 3.7 .5 

All items less food and energy ................................................. 77.561 119.380 119.113 1.3 -.2 

Energy ........................................................................................ 8.790 169.637 174.226 8.1 2.7 

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

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