News United States

Department 

of Labor

 

Bureau of Labor Statistics Washington, D.C. 20212 

FOR TECHNICAL INFORMATION:

Patrick C. Jackman (202) 691-7000 USDL-04-664

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INTERNET ADDRESS: http://www.bls.gov/cpi/ Wednesday, April 14, 2004

CONSUMER PRICE INDEX: MARCH 2004

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.6 percent in March, before seasonal 

adjustment, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. The March level of 187.4

(1982-84=100) was 1.7 percent higher than in March 2003.

The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) increased 0.5 percent in 

March, prior to seasonal adjustment. The March level of 182.9 was 1.4 percent higher than in March 2003.

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

prior to seasonal adjustment. The March level of 109.4 (December 1999=100) was 1.4 percent higher than in March

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

CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U)

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

February. Energy costs advanced sharply for the third consecutive month--up 1.9 percent in March. Within energy, 

the index for petroleum-based energy increased 5.0 percent, while the index for energy services decreased 1.4 percent. 

The index for food rose 0.2 percent in March, the same as in February. The index for all items less food and energy, 

which rose 0.2 percent in February, increased 0.4 percent in March. Upturns in the indexes for lodging while away 

from home and for apparel accounted for the larger advance in March.

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

Seasonally adjusted UnCompound adjusted

Expenditure Changes from preceding month annual rate 12-mos.

Category 2003 2004 3-mos. ended ended

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

’ ‘01

Mar. ’04 

All Items .3 -.1 -.2 .2 .5 .3 .5 5.1 ’98‘97Jan.’ 1.7

 Food and beverages .3 .4 .4 .5 -.1 .2 .2 1.5 3.2

 Housing .1 .2 -.1 .2 .4 .2 .3 3.5 2.0

 Apparel .2 .2 -.5 -.3 -.3 -.1 .9 2.0 -.1

 Transportation .9 -1.4 -1.3 -.2 1.7 .7 1.1 14.9 -.3

 Medical care .4 .2 .3 .5 .2 .6 .6 5.8 4.5

 Recreation .1 -.1 .2 .1 .0 .3 .3 2.2 1.3

 Education and

 communication .2 .0 .2 .2 .1 .3 .1 1.8 1.6

 Other goods and

 services .1 .1 .0 .2 .3 .2 .2 2.8 2.0

 Special Indexes

 Energy 3.3 -3.5 -3.0 .3 4.7 1.7 1.9 38.6 .4

 Food .2 .5 .4 .5 .0 .2 .2 1.3 3.2

 All Items less

 food and energy .1 .2 .0 .1 .2 .2 .4 2.9 1.6
For the first three months of 2004, consumer prices increased at a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of 

5.1 percent. This compares with an increase of 1.9 percent for all of 2003. The index for energy, which rose 6.9

percent in 2003, accelerated in the first quarter of 2004, advancing at a 38.6 percent SAAR and accounting for about 

half of the first quarter advance in the overall CPI-U. Petroleum-based energy costs increased at an 82.5 percent 

annual rate and charges for energy services rose at a 4.2 percent annual rate. The food index rose at a 1.3 percent 

SAAR in the first quarter of 2004. The index for grocery store food prices decreased at a 0.2 percent annual rate, 

reflecting declines in the indexes for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs and for fruits and vegetables--down at annual rates of 

3.7 and 2.2 percent, respectively.

 Excluding food and energy, the CPI-U advanced at a 2.9 percent SAAR in the first quarter, following a 1.1

percent rise in all of 2003. While many categories advanced at a faster rate in the first quarter of 2004 than in all of 

2003, most of the acceleration was accounted for by larger increases in the indexes for shelter and for medical care, and 

an upturn in the index for apparel. The annual rates for selected groups for the last seven and one-quarter years are 

shown below.

Percentage change 12 months SAAR 3

 ended in December mos. ended

in March

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

All items 1.7 1.6 2.7 3.4 1.6 2.4 1.9 5.1

 Food and beverages 1.6 2.3 2.0 2.8 2.8 1.5 3.5 1.5

 Housing 2.4 2.3 2.2 4.3 2.9 2.4 2.2 3.5

 Apparel 1.0 -.7 -.5 -1.8 -3.2 -1.8 -2.1 2.0

 Transportation -1.4 -1.7 5.4 4.1 -3.8 3.8 .3 14.9

 Medical care 2.8 3.4 3.7 4.2 4.7 5.0 3.7 5.8

 Recreation 1.5 1.2 .8 1.7 1.5 1.1 1.1 2.2

 Education and

 communication 3.0 .7 1.6 1.3 3.2 2.2 1.6 1.8

 Other goods and services 5.2 8.8 5.1 4.2 4.5 3.3 1.5 2.8

Special indexes

 Energy -3.4 -8.8 13.4 14.2 -13.0 10.7 6.9 38.6

 Energy commodities -6.9 -15.1 29.5 15.7 -24.5 23.7 6.9 82.5

 Energy services .2 -3.3 1.2 12.7 -1.5 .4 6.9 4.2

 All items less energy 2.1 2.4 2.0 2.6 2.8 1.8 1.5 2.7

 Food 1.5 2.3 1.9 2.8 2.8 1.5 3.6 1.3

 All items less

 food and energy 2.2 2.4 1.9 2.6 2.7 1.9 1.1 2.9
The food and beverages index increased 0.2 percent in March. The index for food at home, which rose 0.1

percent in February, advanced 0.2 percent in March. The index for fruits and vegetables increased 0.3 percent in 

March, following a 1.0 percent rise in February. The indexes for fresh fruits and for processed fruits and vegetables 

each increased 0.6 percent, while the index for fresh vegetables declined 0.3 percent. The index for dairy products rose 

0.5 percent in March, following declines in the first two months of 2004. The index for cereals and bakery products 

also increased 0.5 percent in March, as price increases for bakery products more than offset a decline in cereal prices. 

The index for other food at home rose 0.6 percent, reflecting a 15.2 percent increase in the index for butter. Partially 

offsetting these increases were decreases in the index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs and for nonalcoholic beverages. 

The index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs declined 0.3 percent. The index for beef and veal, which rose sharply in 

2003, declined for the third consecutive month--down 2.5 percent in March. Despite the recent declines, beef prices 

were 12.8 percent higher than in March 2003. The indexes for pork and for poultry, each of which declined in 

February, turned up sharply in March--advancing 1.1 and 2.1 percent, respectively. The index for nonalcoholic 

beverages decreased 0.2 percent, reflecting a decline in prices for carbonated drinks. The other two components of the 

food and beverage index--food away from home and alcoholic beverages--increased 0.2 and 0.5 percent, respectively.

The index for housing rose 0.3 percent in March. Shelter costs, which rose 0.1 percent in February, increased 

0.6 percent in March, largely as a result of a 3.8 percent advance in the index for lodging away from home. (Prior to 

seasonal adjustment, the index for lodging away from home rose 6.8 percent.) The indexes for rent and owners' 

equivalent rent increased 0.2 and 0.3 percent, respectively. The index for fuels and utilities declined 1.1 percent, 

following a 0.9 percent increase in February. Prices for each of the three major household fuels declined in March. The 

index for fuel oil decreased 1.0 percent; the indexes for natural gas and for electricity fell 2.4 and 0.9 percent, 

respectively. The index for household furnishings and operations, which increased in the first two months of 2004, 

turned back down in March. A 0.2 percent drop in March brought the index 1.1 percent lower than in March 2003. 

The transportation index rose 1.1 percent in March. A 5.5 percent increase in the index for gasoline accounted

for over 95 percent of the advance in the overall transportation component. As of March, the price of gasoline was 1.6

percent higher than its previous peak level of March 2003. The index for new vehicles, which rose 0.4 percent in 

February, turned back down in March, declining 0.1 percent. During the last 12 months, new vehicle prices have fallen 

1.0 percent. The index for used cars and trucks rose 0.2 percent in March, but during the last 12 months this index has 

declined 11.6 percent. Airline fares registered their third consecutive advance, up 1.1 percent in March, and are 0.5 

percent higher than a year ago. 

The index for apparel increased 0.9 percent in March. (Prior to seasonal adjustment, apparel prices rose 4.1

percent, reflecting the continued introduction of spring-summer wear.)

Medical care costs rose 0.6 percent in March to a level 4.5 percent higher than a year ago. The index for 

medical care commodities--prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and medical supplies--increased 0.2 percent. 

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

related services increased 0.9 and 0.5 percent, respectively. 

The index for recreation rose 0.3 percent in March. Increases in the indexes for pets, pet products and services 

and for recreational reading materials--recreational books, newspapers, and magazines--each up 0.9 percent--

accounted for nearly one-half of the March advance in the index for recreation. 

The index for education and communication increased 0.1 percent in March. The education index rose 0.6

percent, while the index for communication costs declined 0.3 percent. Within the latter group, the index for telephone

services decreased 0.4 percent, reflecting a decline in long distance charges. The index for personal computers and 

peripheral equipment declined 1.3 percent in March and 16.8 percent during the last 12 months. 

The index for other goods and services rose 0.2 percent in March. The indexes for tobacco and smoking 

products and for personal care each increased 0.2 percent. Within personal care, the index for legal services advanced

0.8 percent in March, the same as in each of the preceding two months.
CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W)

On a seasonally adjusted basis, the CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers increased 0.5 percent 

in March.

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

Seasonally adjusted UnCompound adjusted

Expenditure Changes from preceding month annual rate 12-mos.

Category 2003 2004 3-mos. ended ended

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

’ ‘01

Mar. ’04 

All Items .3 -.2 -.3 .2 .6 .3 .5 5.4 ’98‘97Jan.’ 1.4

 Food and beverages .3 .5 .5 .4 -.1 .2 .2 1.3 3.3

 Housing .2 .1 -.1 .2 .5 .2 .2 3.6 1.8

 Apparel .4 .2 -.4 -.3 -.1 .0 .8 3.0 .3

 Transportation .8 -1.7 -1.6 -.2 1.8 .6 1.3 16.0 -1.1

 Medical care .4 .3 .3 .4 .3 .7 .6 6.1 4.6

 Recreation .0 -.1 .2 .1 -.1 .4 .3 2.3 1.0

 Education and

 communication .1 .0 .1 .1 .1 .2 .1 1.5 .8

 Other goods and

 services -.1 .1 -.1 .3 .3 .2 .2 2.5 1.7

 Special Indexes

 Energy 3.4 -3.6 -3.1 .3 4.9 1.6 2.2 41.1 .6

 Food .3 .5 .5 .5 -.1 .2 .2 1.1 3.3

 All Items less

 food and energy -.1 .1 -.1 .1 .2 .2 .3 2.8 1.1

Consumer Price Index data for April are scheduled for release on Friday, May 14, 2004, at 8:30 A.M. (EDT). 

CPI (Old Weights)

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

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

in tables 1(OW)-4(OW). From February to March, the Old Weight CPI-U rose 0.6 percent and the Old Weight CPIW rose 0.5 percent. Note these series are not seasonally adjusted.
Facilities for Sensory Impaired

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

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

691-5200.

Brief Explanation of the CPI

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

force.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

the country, for cross-classifications of regions and population-size classes, and for 27 local areas. Area indexes do not 

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

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

annual revisions.

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

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

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

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

from $10 in 1982-84 to $11.65. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

month period.

Index Point Change

CPI 115.7

Less previous index 111.2

Equals index point change 4.5

Percent Change

Index point difference 4.5

Divided by the previous index 111.2

Equals 0.040

Results multiplied by one hundred 0.040x100

Equals percent change 4.0

Regions Defined

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

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

Vermont. 

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

Wisconsin. 

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

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

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

Wyoming. 
A Note on Seasonally Adjusted and Unadjusted Data

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

seasonally adjusted as well as unadjusted changes each month.

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

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

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

sales.

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

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

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

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

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

Subsequent annual updates have replaced 5 years of seasonal data, e.g., data from 1999 through 2003 were replaced 

at the end of 2003. In January 2002, dependently seasonally adjusted series were revised for January 1987-December 

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

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

Report.

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

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

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

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

before that period. Note: 47 of the 73 components are seasonally adjusted for 2004.

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

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

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

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

Intervention Analysis Seasonal Adjustment allows for better estimates of seasonally adjusted data. Extreme values 

and/or sharp movements which might distort the seasonal pattern are estimated and removed from the data prior to 

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

was used for Intervention Analysis Seasonal Adjustment.

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

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

those series. For the Nonalcoholic beverages index, the procedure was used to offset the effects of labor and supply 

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

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

maintenance index, the procedure was used to account for a data collection anomaly and dry weather in California. For 

Dairy products, it mitigated the effects of significant changes in milk production levels and higher demand for cheese. 
For Electricity, it was used to offset an increase in demand due to warmer than expected weather, increased rates to 

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

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

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

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

by e-mail at Chow.Daniel@bls.gov. If you have general questions about the CPI, please call our information staff at 

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

service group

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-U

Relative

importance,

December

2003

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Mar. 2004 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Feb.

2004

Mar.

2004

Mar.

2003

Feb.

2004

Dec. to

Jan.

Jan. to

Feb.

Feb. to

Mar.

Expenditure category

All items ...................................................................................... 100.000 186.2 187.4 1.7 0.6 0.5 0.3 0.5 

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

 557.9 561.5 - - - - -

Food and beverages ................................................................ 15.384 184.5 184.9 3.2 .2 -.1 .2 .2 

Food ....................................................................................... 14.383 184.1 184.4 3.2 .2 .0 .2 .2 

Food at home ....................................................................... 8.256 184.0 184.3 3.7 .2 -.3 .1 .2 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................. 1.202 204.4 204.8 1.3 .2 .1 .0 .5 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ............................................ 2.320 179.7 179.5 8.9 -.1 .0 -.7 -.3 

Dairy and related products ................................................. .842 172.1 171.9 2.9 -.1 -.3 -.2 .5 

Fruits and vegetables ......................................................... 1.221 229.7 230.1 2.9 .2 -1.8 1.0 .3 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials .............. .905 141.4 140.8 .4 -.4 .3 .1 -.2 

Other food at home ............................................................ 1.765 163.7 165.1 1.5 .9 -.4 .8 .6 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................. .305 163.9 163.3 .5 -.4 -.3 .8 -.3 

Fats and oils ..................................................................... .251 162.3 166.2 5.5 2.4 1.1 1.1 2.5 

Other foods ....................................................................... 1.210 178.9 180.4 1.0 .8 -.7 .8 .4 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... .308 109.5 111.7 1.5 2.0 -.6 .4 2.0 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 6.127 185.5 185.8 2.7 .2 .3 .3 .2 

Other food away from home 2 ............................................ .332 124.0 124.1 3.1 .1 1.0 .1 .2 

Alcoholic beverages 1 ............................................................ 1.001 189.9 190.8 2.3 .5 .4 .3 .5 

Housing .................................................................................... 42.089 187.0 187.9 2.0 .5 .4 .2 .3 

Shelter .................................................................................... 32.878 216.0 217.8 2.7 .8 .1 .1 .6 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 6.157 208.8 209.2 2.5 .2 .1 .2 .2 

Lodging away from home 2 .................................................. 2.954 120.0 128.1 7.0 6.8 -.2 -1.6 3.8 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 23.383 222.9 223.3 2.0 .2 .1 .2 .3 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. .385 115.0 115.1 1.0 .1 .4 .2 .1 

Fuels and utilities .................................................................... 4.741 156.9 155.2 .5 -1.1 1.6 .9 -1.1 

Fuels ..................................................................................... 3.830 139.5 137.6 -.6 -1.4 1.9 .9 -1.4 

Fuel oil and other fuels ....................................................... .231 155.1 152.5 -9.8 -1.7 6.8 1.0 -1.8 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 3.599 145.5 143.5 .0 -1.4 1.6 .9 -1.4 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. .910 121.8 122.2 5.4 .3 .5 1.1 .1 

Household furnishings and operations ................................... 4.470 125.7 125.7 -1.1 .0 .4 .2 -.2 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... .704 123.4 123.6 1.6 .2 .1 .6 .2 

Apparel ..................................................................................... 3.975 118.6 123.5 -.1 4.1 -.3 -.1 .9 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ........................................................ 1.024 117.1 119.8 -1.0 2.3 -.1 .3 -.1 

Women’s and girls’ apparel .................................................... 1.704 110.3 117.6 .3 6.6 -.7 -.2 1.5 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ................................................. .195 119.3 121.9 -1.8 2.2 .2 .3 .4 

Footwear ................................................................................ .778 117.0 120.1 .3 2.6 -.8 .3 1.0 

Transportation .......................................................................... 16.881 158.8 160.5 -.3 1.1 1.7 .7 1.1 

Private transportation ............................................................. 15.817 154.9 156.6 -.4 1.1 1.9 .7 1.2 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 7.912 94.4 94.2 -3.9 -.2 -.1 .2 -.2 

New vehicles ...................................................................... 4.817 138.3 137.9 -1.0 -.3 -.1 .4 -.1 

Used cars and trucks 1 ....................................................... 2.007 131.0 131.2 -11.6 .2 -.2 .2 .2 

Motor fuel ............................................................................. 3.249 143.1 150.5 1.6 5.2 8.1 2.5 5.5 

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................. 3.222 142.5 149.8 1.6 5.1 8.1 2.5 5.5 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... .369 108.0 107.8 -.1 -.2 .3 .0 -.2 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................. 1.349 198.2 198.5 2.2 .2 .1 -.1 .3 

Public transportation ............................................................... 1.064 208.1 209.9 1.8 .9 .2 .0 .3 

Medical care ............................................................................. 6.074 306.0 307.5 4.5 .5 .2 .6 .6 

Medical care commodities ...................................................... 1.499 266.7 267.3 2.3 .2 .1 .4 .2 

Medical care services ............................................................. 4.575 316.6 318.4 5.2 .6 .3 .7 .7 

Professional services ........................................................... 2.749 268.0 269.7 4.1 .6 .2 .8 .7 

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 1.489 412.5 413.8 6.5 .3 .3 .5 .5 

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

service group-Continued

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-U

Relative

importance,

December

2003

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Mar. 2004 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Feb.

2004

Mar.

2004

Mar.

2003

Feb.

2004

Dec. to

Jan.

Jan. to

Feb.

Feb. to

Mar.

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 5.872 108.4 108.8 1.3 0.4 0.0 0.3 0.3 

Video and audio 2 ................................................................... 1.736 104.1 104.3 .6 .2 -.3 .1 .3 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 5.948 111.2 111.1 1.6 -.1 .1 .3 .1 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 2.841 140.4 140.6 7.2 .1 .5 .5 .6 

Educational books and supplies ........................................... .219 348.6 348.9 4.7 .1 -.5 .4 .6 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare .............................. 2.623 404.2 404.7 7.5 .1 .6 .4 .6 

Communication 2 .................................................................... 3.107 88.1 87.7 -3.9 -.5 -.3 .0 -.3 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 2.925 86.1 85.7 -4.2 -.5 -.1 .0 -.5 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 2.315 97.1 96.7 -3.0 -.4 -.2 .1 -.4 

Information technology, hardware and services 1 5 ........... .610 15.2 15.2 -9.5 .0 .0 -.7 .0 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... .230 16.0 15.8 -16.8 -1.3 .0 -1.2 -1.3 

Other goods and services ........................................................ 3.776 302.3 303.1 2.0 .3 .3 .2 .2 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... .806 472.6 473.6 1.4 .2 .6 -.1 .2 

Personal care ......................................................................... 2.970 180.4 180.9 2.1 .3 .2 .3 .2 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... .680 154.5 154.5 .8 .0 .3 .5 .0 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... .650 195.2 195.8 2.1 .3 .2 .3 .3 

Miscellaneous personal services .......................................... 1.448 290.4 291.6 3.6 .4 .3 .3 .4 

Commodity and service group

Commodities .............................................................................. 40.117 152.3 153.7 .4 .9 .7 .5 .7 

Food and beverages ................................................................ 15.384 184.5 184.9 3.2 .2 -.1 .2 .2 

Commodities less food and beverages .................................... 24.733 134.2 136.0 -1.4 1.3 1.1 .5 1.0 

Nondurables less food and beverages ................................... 13.458 151.4 155.3 .5 2.6 1.2 .4 1.6 

Apparel ................................................................................. 3.975 118.6 123.5 -.1 4.1 -.3 -.1 .9 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel .................. 9.483 175.6 179.1 .7 2.0 2.8 1.1 2.5 

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

Services ...................................................................................... 59.883 219.9 221.0 2.7 .5 .3 .2 .4 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 32.494 224.9 226.8 2.7 .8 .1 .2 .6 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... .385 115.0 115.1 1.0 .1 .4 .2 .1 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 3.599 145.5 143.5 .0 -1.4 1.6 .9 -1.4 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... .910 121.8 122.2 5.4 .3 .5 1.1 .1 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... .704 123.4 123.6 1.6 .2 .1 .6 .2 

Transportation services ............................................................ 6.319 219.3 219.7 2.6 .2 .5 .0 .0 

Medical care services ............................................................... 4.575 316.6 318.4 5.2 .6 .3 .7 .7 

Other services .......................................................................... 10.896 259.2 259.5 2.7 .1 .2 .3 .2 

Special indexes

All items less food ...................................................................... 85.617 186.6 188.0 1.5 .8 .5 .3 .5 

All items less shelter ................................................................... 67.122 176.7 177.6 1.3 .5 .6 .5 .4 

All items less medical care ......................................................... 93.926 180.1 181.3 1.6 .7 .4 .3 .4 

Commodities less food ............................................................... 25.734 136.3 138.0 -1.3 1.2 1.0 .6 1.0 

Nondurables less food ................................................................ 14.459 153.7 157.5 .6 2.5 1.0 .4 1.7 

Nondurables less food and apparel ............................................ 10.484 176.1 179.4 1.0 1.9 2.2 1.3 2.6 

Nondurables ............................................................................... 28.842 168.1 170.3 1.9 1.3 .5 .4 .8 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 27.389 230.6 230.7 2.8 .0 .3 .4 -.1 

Services less medical care services ........................................... 55.308 211.7 212.7 2.6 .5 .1 .1 .4 

Energy ........................................................................................ 7.080 140.6 143.1 .4 1.8 4.7 1.7 1.9 

All items less energy .................................................................. 92.920 192.7 193.7 1.8 .5 .2 .2 .4 

All items less food and energy ................................................. 78.537 194.9 196.1 1.6 .6 .2 .2 .4 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ................... 22.254 139.3 140.3 -1.6 .7 .0 .2 .1 

Energy commodities ............................................................. 3.480 144.6 151.3 .8 4.6 8.0 2.5 5.0 

Services less energy services ................................................ 56.283 227.5 228.9 2.9 .6 .2 .1 .5 

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

 $ .537 $ .534 - - - - -

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

 $ .179 $ .178 - - - - -

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

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

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

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

and commodity and service group

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-U

Seasonally adjusted indexes Seasonally adjusted annual rate percent change for

3 months ended— 6 months

ended—

Dec.

2003

Jan.

2004

Feb.

2004

Mar.

2004

June

2003

Sep.

2003

Dec.

2003

Mar.

2004

Sep.

2003

Mar.

2004

Expenditure category

All items ...................................................................................... 184.9 185.8 186.3 187.2 -1.1 3.5 -0.4 5.1 1.2 2.3 

Food and beverages ................................................................ 184.0 183.9 184.3 184.7 2.7 2.9 5.6 1.5 2.8 3.6 

Food ....................................................................................... 183.5 183.5 183.8 184.1 2.7 2.9 5.9 1.3 2.8 3.6 

Food at home ....................................................................... 184.0 183.4 183.6 183.9 3.7 3.6 7.7 -.2 3.6 3.7 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................. 204.1 204.3 204.2 205.2 1.0 1.6 .8 2.2 1.3 1.5 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ............................................ 180.5 180.5 179.3 178.8 8.0 9.4 23.6 -3.7 8.7 9.1 

Dairy and related products ................................................. 172.2 171.6 171.3 172.2 -6.1 14.0 4.5 .0 3.5 2.2 

Fruits and vegetables ......................................................... 230.3 226.1 228.4 229.0 10.7 -1.2 5.2 -2.2 4.5 1.4 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials .............. 140.0 140.4 140.5 140.2 1.7 -2.3 1.2 .6 -.3 .9 

Other food at home ............................................................ 163.2 162.6 163.9 164.9 1.2 .0 .5 4.2 .6 2.3 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................. 162.5 162.0 163.3 162.8 1.5 -1.0 .7 .7 .2 .7 

Fats and oils ..................................................................... 158.8 160.6 162.3 166.3 -1.3 .5 3.9 20.3 -.4 11.8 

Other foods ....................................................................... 179.3 178.0 179.4 180.2 1.8 .2 -.2 2.0 1.0 .9

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... 109.8 109.1 109.5 111.7 5.2 -1.8 -4.3 7.1 1.6 1.3 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 184.3 184.9 185.5 185.8 2.0 2.0 3.3 3.3 2.0 3.3 

Other food away from home 2 ............................................ 122.7 123.9 124.0 124.2 3.7 -.7 4.4 5.0 1.5 4.7 

Alcoholic beverages 1 ............................................................ 188.7 189.4 189.9 190.8 1.1 1.7 1.7 4.5 1.4 3.1 

Housing .................................................................................... 186.1 186.8 187.1 187.7 1.5 1.5 1.3 3.5 1.5 2.4 

Shelter .................................................................................... 215.3 215.6 215.8 217.1 2.3 2.5 2.5 3.4 2.4 2.9 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 207.8 208.1 208.6 209.0 2.8 2.8 2.1 2.3 2.8 2.2 

Lodging away from home 2 .................................................. 122.0 121.7 119.8 124.4 10.4 1.7 7.9 8.1 5.9 8.0 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 221.9 222.2 222.7 223.3 1.1 2.6 2.0 2.5 1.8 2.3 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. 114.3 114.8 115.0 115.1 4.3 2.5 -5.4 2.8 3.4 -1.4 

Fuels and utilities .................................................................... 155.0 157.5 158.9 157.1 -.5 .5 -3.8 5.5 .0 .8 

Fuels ..................................................................................... 137.9 140.5 141.8 139.8 -1.4 -.6 -5.9 5.6 -1.0 -.3 

Fuel oil and other fuels ....................................................... 136.2 145.4 146.9 144.2 -49.8 6.4 -1.2 25.6 -26.9 11.4 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 145.0 147.3 148.6 146.5 3.3 -1.1 -6.1 4.2 1.1 -1.1 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. 119.9 120.5 121.8 121.9 3.5 5.6 5.5 6.8 4.5 6.2 

Household furnishings and operations ................................... 124.9 125.4 125.7 125.5 -2.8 -3.1 -.6 1.9 -3.0 .6 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... 122.6 122.7 123.4 123.6 .7 1.7 1.0 3.3 1.2 2.1 

Apparel ..................................................................................... 120.2 119.8 119.7 120.8 -.7 .3 -2.3 2.0 -.2 -.2 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ........................................................ 118.1 118.0 118.3 118.2 -7.2 2.1 1.0 .3 -2.7 .7 

Women’s and girls’ apparel .................................................... 112.5 111.7 111.5 113.2 1.4 -1.1 -1.4 2.5 .2 .5 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ................................................. 119.3 119.5 119.8 120.3 -.7 3.6 -12.6 3.4 1.5 -5.0 

Footwear ................................................................................ 119.0 118.0 118.3 119.5 1.0 1.0 -2.6 1.7 1.0 -.5 

Transportation .......................................................................... 155.3 157.9 159.0 160.8 -12.1 9.5 -11.0 14.9 -1.9 1.1 

Private transportation ............................................................. 151.1 153.9 155.0 156.9 -13.5 10.7 -12.0 16.3 -2.1 1.2 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 94.0 93.9 94.1 93.9 -2.4 -6.8 -6.1 -.4 -4.6 -3.3 

New vehicles ...................................................................... 137.0 136.9 137.5 137.3 -3.1 -.6 -1.4 .9 -1.9 -.3 

Used cars and trucks 1 ....................................................... 131.0 130.8 131.0 131.2 -2.9 -20.9 -21.1 .6 -12.4 -10.9 

Motor fuel ............................................................................. 130.9 141.5 145.1 153.1 -48.6 75.7 -37.0 87.1 -5.0 8.6 

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................. 130.4 141.0 144.5 152.4 -48.8 76.7 -36.9 86.6 -4.9 8.5 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... 107.7 108.0 108.0 107.8 -.7 .0 .0 .4 -.4 .2 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................. 197.9 198.0 197.8 198.3 2.3 2.1 3.3 .8 2.2 2.0 

Public transportation ............................................................... 209.7 210.1 210.0 210.6 8.0 -.9 -.9 1.7 3.4 .4 

Medical care ............................................................................. 302.7 303.4 305.3 307.0 3.6 4.5 4.2 5.8 4.1 5.0 

Medical care commodities ...................................................... 265.4 265.7 266.7 267.3 .6 5.0 .8 2.9 2.8 1.8 

Medical care services ............................................................. 312.6 313.5 315.7 317.8 4.4 4.4 5.3 6.8 4.4 6.1 

Professional services ........................................................... 264.9 265.5 267.5 269.4 3.6 2.5 3.5 7.0 3.0 5.2

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 407.0 408.4 410.4 412.5 5.9 7.5 6.9 5.5 6.7 6.2 

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—

Dec.

2003

Jan.

2004

Feb.

2004

Mar.

2004

June

2003

Sep.

2003

Dec.

2003

Mar.

2004

Sep.

2003

Mar.

2004

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 108.0 108.0 108.3 108.6 1.5 0.7 0.7 2.2 1.1 1.5 

Video and audio 2 ................................................................... 103.9 103.6 103.7 104.0 1.2 1.2 .0 .4 1.2 .2 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 110.6 110.7 111.0 111.1 -.4 3.3 1.5 1.8 1.5 1.6 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 138.8 139.5 140.2 141.0 6.9 9.0 6.6 6.5 7.9 6.5 

Educational books and supplies ........................................... 345.8 344.0 345.5 347.5 4.2 1.8 11.4 2.0 3.0 6.6 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare .............................. 399.5 402.0 403.8 406.3 7.1 9.6 6.2 7.0 8.3 6.6 

Communication 2 .................................................................... 88.1 87.8 87.8 87.5 -7.3 -2.2 -3.6 -2.7 -4.8 -3.1 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 86.2 86.1 86.1 85.7 -9.9 -2.3 -2.3 -2.3 -6.2 -2.3 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 97.2 97.0 97.1 96.7 -8.5 -.4 -.8 -2.0 -4.6 -1.4 

Information technology, hardware and services 1 5 ........... 15.3 15.3 15.2 15.2 -13.5 -14.0 -7.5 -2.6 -13.8 -5.1 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... 16.2 16.2 16.0 15.8 -28.0 -24.7 -2.4 -9.5 -26.4 -6.0 

Other goods and services ........................................................ 300.8 301.7 302.3 302.9 1.1 2.7 1.2 2.8 1.9 2.0

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... 470.4 473.0 472.6 473.6 -3.1 4.6 1.5 2.7 .6 2.1 

Personal care ......................................................................... 179.5 179.9 180.4 180.7 2.3 2.3 1.1 2.7 2.3 1.9 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... 153.4 153.8 154.5 154.5 1.3 -1.0 .0 2.9 .1 1.4 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... 194.3 194.6 195.2 195.8 2.3 5.5 -2.2 3.1 3.9 .4 

Miscellaneous personal services .......................................... 288.2 289.1 289.9 291.1 4.3 2.6 3.8 4.1 3.4 4.0 

Commodity and service group

Commodities .............................................................................. 150.7 151.7 152.4 153.4 -6.4 4.6 -3.6 7.4 -1.0 1.7 

Food and beverages ................................................................ 184.0 183.9 184.3 184.7 2.7 2.9 5.6 1.5 2.8 3.6 

Commodities less food and beverages .................................... 132.2 133.7 134.4 135.7 -11.7 5.8 -9.1 11.0 -3.3 .4 

Nondurables less food and beverages ................................... 150.4 152.2 152.8 155.3 -21.3 14.5 -.3 13.7 -5.1 6.5 

Apparel ................................................................................. 120.2 119.8 119.7 120.8 -.7 .3 -2.3 2.0 -.2 -.2 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel .................. 169.3 174.1 176.0 180.4 -23.1 22.4 -15.0 28.9 -3.0 4.7 

Durables ................................................................................. 114.8 114.7 115.2 115.0 -4.6 -6.3 -4.4 .7 -5.5 -1.9 

Services ...................................................................................... 218.9 219.5 220.0 220.8 2.8 2.6 2.0 3.5 2.7 2.8 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 224.1 224.3 224.7 226.1 2.2 2.4 2.4 3.6 2.3 3.0 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... 114.3 114.8 115.0 115.1 4.3 2.5 -5.4 2.8 3.4 -1.4 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 145.0 147.3 148.6 146.5 3.3 -1.1 -6.1 4.2 1.1 -1.1 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... 119.9 120.5 121.8 121.9 3.5 5.6 5.5 6.8 4.5 6.2 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... 122.6 122.7 123.4 123.6 .7 1.7 1.0 3.3 1.2 2.1 

Transportation services ............................................................ 218.2 219.2 219.2 219.3 5.1 1.7 1.3 2.0 3.4 1.7 

Medical care services ............................................................... 312.6 313.5 315.7 317.8 4.4 4.4 5.3 6.8 4.4 6.1 

Other services .......................................................................... 257.6 258.0 258.8 259.4 2.2 4.0 2.0 2.8 3.1 2.4 

Special indexes

All items less food ...................................................................... 185.2 186.2 186.7 187.7 -1.7 3.5 -1.3 5.5 .9 2.1 

All items less shelter ................................................................... 175.1 176.1 176.9 177.6 -2.5 4.0 -1.6 5.8 .7 2.1 

All items less medical care ......................................................... 178.9 179.7 180.2 181.0 -1.1 3.2 -.4 4.8 1.0 2.1 

Commodities less food ............................................................... 134.3 135.7 136.5 137.8 -11.2 5.4 -8.5 10.8 -3.3 .7 

Nondurables less food ................................................................ 152.8 154.3 154.9 157.5 -20.2 14.2 -.3 12.9 -4.5 6.1 

Nondurables less food and apparel ............................................ 170.2 173.9 176.1 180.6 -21.1 19.6 -13.1 26.8 -2.9 4.9 

Nondurables ............................................................................... 167.4 168.2 168.8 170.2 -8.6 7.0 3.2 6.9 -1.1 5.0 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 229.5 230.2 231.1 230.9 3.4 3.2 2.1 2.5 3.3 2.3 

Services less medical care services ........................................... 211.1 211.4 211.7 212.5 2.7 2.7 2.1 2.7 2.7 2.4 

Energy ........................................................................................ 134.1 140.4 142.8 145.5 -27.5 30.1 -22.2 38.6 -2.9 3.8 

All items less energy .................................................................. 191.9 192.2 192.5 193.2 1.5 1.5 1.7 2.7 1.5 2.2 

All items less food and energy ................................................. 194.1 194.4 194.8 195.5 1.3 1.2 .8 2.9 1.3 1.9 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ................... 139.1 139.1 139.4 139.6 -2.2 -2.8 -2.8 1.4 -2.5 -.7 

Energy commodities ............................................................. 131.9 142.4 146.0 153.3 -48.6 70.2 -35.2 82.5 -6.5 8.8 

Services less energy services ................................................ 226.4 226.9 227.2 228.3 2.7 2.9 2.5 3.4 2.8 3.0 

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

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

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

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

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-U

All items 

Pricing

schedule 1

Indexes Percent change to

Mar.2004 from—

Percent change to

Feb.2004 from—

Dec.

2003

Jan.

2004

Feb.

2004

Mar.

2004

Mar.

2003

Jan.

2004

Feb.

2004

Feb.

2003

Dec.

2003

Jan.

2004

U.S. city average ............................................ M 184.3 185.2 186.2 187.4 1.7 1.2 0.6 1.7 1.0 0.5 

Region and area size2

Northeast urban .............................................. M 194.9 195.9 196.8 198.6 2.9 1.4 .9 2.7 1.0 .5 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 197.1 197.9 198.8 200.7 3.1 1.4 1.0 2.7 .9 .5 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 115.0 116.0 116.6 117.4 2.1 1.2 .7 2.5 1.4 .5 

Midwest urban ................................................ M 178.4 179.4 180.2 181.0 1.3 .9 .4 1.3 1.0 .4 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 180.9 181.8 182.5 183.1 1.3 .7 .3 1.4 .9 .4 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 113.3 114.1 114.7 115.2 1.4 1.0 .4 1.7 1.2 .5 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 171.5 171.8 173.0 174.1 .6 1.3 .6 .3 .9 .7 

South urban .................................................... M 177.5 178.2 179.1 180.1 1.5 1.1 .6 1.5 .9 .5 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 179.2 179.8 180.8 181.8 1.5 1.1 .6 1.4 .9 .6 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 113.3 113.8 114.3 114.9 1.4 1.0 .5 1.6 .9 .4 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 175.1 175.3 176.8 177.7 1.3 1.4 .5 1.1 1.0 .9 

West urban ..................................................... M 188.3 189.4 190.8 192.2 1.5 1.5 .7 1.4 1.3 .7 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 190.6 191.7 193.2 194.5 1.2 1.5 .7 1.2 1.4 .8 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 115.2 116.0 117.0 117.9 2.2 1.6 .8 2.2 1.6 .9 

Size classes

A 4 .............................................................. M 168.7 169.4 170.4 171.5 1.8 1.2 .6 1.7 1.0 .6 

B/C 3 ........................................................... M 113.8 114.6 115.2 115.9 1.7 1.1 .6 1.9 1.2 .5 

D ................................................................. M 176.5 176.9 177.9 178.9 1.1 1.1 .6 1.1 .8 .6 

Selected local areas5

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI ................... M 185.5 185.4 186.4 186.3 .8 .5 -.1 1.2 .5 .5 

Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA ... M 187.0 188.5 190.1 191.5 1.8 1.6 .7 1.9 1.7 .8 

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

NY-NJ-CT-PA ......................................... M 199.3 199.9 201.1 203.4 3.2 1.8 1.1 2.5 .9 .6 

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

 208.4 - 208.7 2.9 .1 - - - -

Cleveland-Akron, OH ...................................... 1 - 178.4 - 180.0 2.6 .9 - - - -

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

 175.7 - 177.7 .5 1.1 - - - -

Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV 6 ...... 1 - 117.1 - 118.1 1.9 .9 - - - -

Atlanta, GA ..................................................... 2 179.0 -

 180.8 - - - - .1 1.0 -

Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI .............................. 2 181.3 -

 183.4 - - - - .5 1.2 -

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

Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ............................. 2 181.6 -

 183.6 - - - - 1.8 1.1 -

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,

PA-NJ-DE-MD ........................................ 2 189.0 -

 191.4 - - - - 2.6 1.3 -

San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA ........... 2 195.3 -

 198.1 - - - - .2 1.4 -

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

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

 most other goods and services priced as indicated: 

 M - Every month. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

therefore, subject to substantially more sampling and other measurement

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

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

Labor Statistics strongly urges users to consider adopting the national

average CPI for use in their escalator clauses. 

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

and commodity and service group

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-W

Relative

importance,

December

2003

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Mar. 2004 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Feb.

2004

Mar.

2004

Mar.

2003

Feb.

2004

Dec. to

Jan.

Jan. to

Feb.

Feb. to

Mar.

Expenditure category

All items ...................................................................................... 100.000 181.9 182.9 1.4 0.5 0.6 0.3 0.5 

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

 541.7 544.8 - - - - -

Food and beverages ................................................................ 17.151 184.0 184.4 3.3 .2 -.1 .2 .2 

Food ....................................................................................... 16.061 183.5 183.8 3.3 .2 -.1 .2 .2 

Food at home ....................................................................... 9.637 183.2 183.5 3.8 .2 -.3 .1 .2 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................. 1.364 204.4 204.9 1.4 .2 .1 .1 .4 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ............................................ 2.908 179.7 179.6 9.0 -.1 -.1 -.6 -.2 

Dairy and related products ................................................. .955 171.7 171.3 2.8 -.2 -.3 -.3 .4 

Fruits and vegetables ......................................................... 1.344 227.5 227.8 2.5 .1 -2.0 1.3 .1 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials .............. 1.076 140.8 140.1 .4 -.5 .2 .1 -.4 

Other food at home ............................................................ 1.991 163.3 164.7 1.6 .9 -.4 .7 .7 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................. .321 163.2 162.6 .3 -.4 -.2 .6 -.2 

Fats and oils ..................................................................... .303 162.2 166.0 5.3 2.3 1.3 .9 2.4 

Other foods ....................................................................... 1.366 179.4 180.8 1.1 .8 -.8 .7 .5 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... .350 110.1 112.2 1.5 1.9 -.6 .5 1.9 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 6.424 185.3 185.6 2.5 .2 .3 .3 .2 

Other food away from home 2 ............................................ .252 123.8 123.8 2.6 .0 .6 .2 .1 

Alcoholic beverages 1 ............................................................ 1.090 190.0 191.2 2.4 .6 .3 .3 .6 

Housing .................................................................................... 39.114 182.6 183.2 1.8 .3 .5 .2 .2 

Shelter .................................................................................... 30.151 209.8 211.0 2.5 .6 .3 .0 .4 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 8.065 208.0 208.4 2.5 .2 .2 .3 .2 

Lodging away from home 2 .................................................. 1.722 121.1 128.8 7.0 6.4 .7 -1.9 3.6 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 20.026 202.3 202.7 2.0 .2 .2 .1 .3 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. .337 115.1 115.2 1.2 .1 .4 .2 .1 

Fuels and utilities .................................................................... 5.079 156.2 154.7 .7 -1.0 1.6 .9 -1.0 

Fuels ..................................................................................... 4.146 138.3 136.6 -.3 -1.2 1.8 .9 -1.3 

Fuel oil and other fuels ....................................................... .216 154.5 152.0 -9.5 -1.6 6.9 .8 -1.9 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 3.930 144.7 142.9 .2 -1.2 1.6 .8 -1.2 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. .933 121.9 122.4 5.5 .4 .6 1.1 .2 

Household furnishings and operations ................................... 3.884 121.4 121.4 -1.1 .0 .4 .2 .0 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... .318 124.9 125.4 2.4 .4 -.1 1.0 .4 

Apparel ..................................................................................... 4.357 118.3 122.9 .3 3.9 -.1 .0 .8 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ........................................................ 1.120 117.4 120.0 -.5 2.2 .2 .3 -.1 

Women’s and girls’ apparel .................................................... 1.727 109.8 117.4 1.3 6.9 -.5 -.4 1.9 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ................................................. .250 122.2 125.2 -.5 2.5 .7 .7 .4 

Footwear ................................................................................ 1.011 116.4 118.6 -.8 1.9 -.3 .2 .3 

Transportation .......................................................................... 19.145 156.8 158.5 -1.1 1.1 1.8 .6 1.3 

Private transportation ............................................................. 18.348 154.0 155.7 -1.3 1.1 1.9 .7 1.3 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 9.305 92.8 92.6 -5.5 -.2 -.1 .1 -.1 

New vehicles ...................................................................... 4.864 139.5 139.0 -1.0 -.4 -.1 .4 -.2 

Used cars and trucks 1 ....................................................... 3.487 131.7 132.0 -11.5 .2 -.1 .1 .2 

Motor fuel ............................................................................. 3.967 143.6 150.9 1.6 5.1 8.1 2.5 5.4 

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................. 3.936 143.0 150.3 1.7 5.1 8.1 2.5 5.4 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... .456 107.6 107.4 .2 -.2 .3 .0 -.2 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................. 1.365 200.1 200.3 2.2 .1 .0 .0 .2 

Public transportation ............................................................... .797 206.2 208.0 3.0 .9 .4 .1 .3 

Medical care ............................................................................. 4.969 305.4 306.9 4.6 .5 .3 .7 .6 

Medical care commodities ...................................................... 1.142 260.9 261.5 2.1 .2 .1 .3 .2 

Medical care services ............................................................. 3.827 316.8 318.6 5.3 .6 .3 .8 .6 

Professional services ........................................................... 2.256 270.6 272.3 4.2 .6 .2 .8 .7 

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 1.254 408.7 409.9 6.4 .3 .5 .4 .5 

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

and commodity and service group-Continued

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-W

Relative

importance,

December

2003

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Mar. 2004 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Feb.

2004

Mar.

2004

Mar.

2003

Feb.

2004

Dec. to

Jan.

Jan. to

Feb.

Feb. to

Mar.

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 5.697 106.2 106.5 1.0 0.3 -0.1 0.4 0.3 

Video and audio 2 ................................................................... 1.928 103.2 103.5 .6 .3 -.4 .1 .4 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 5.645 110.0 109.8 .8 -.2 .1 .2 .1 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 2.299 139.4 139.6 6.7 .1 .7 .4 .6 

Educational books and supplies ........................................... .215 349.5 349.9 4.8 .1 -.7 .7 .5 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare .............................. 2.084 393.3 393.8 7.0 .1 .7 .4 .5 

Communication 2 .................................................................... 3.345 89.6 89.3 -3.8 -.3 -.3 .1 -.3 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 3.194 88.2 87.9 -4.0 -.3 -.1 .0 -.3 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 2.622 97.3 96.9 -3.0 -.4 -.2 .1 -.4 

Information technology, hardware and services 1 5 ........... .572 15.8 15.7 -9.8 -.6 .0 .0 -.6 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... .205 15.7 15.5 -16.7 -1.3 -.6 -.6 -1.3 

Other goods and services ........................................................ 3.923 310.0 310.8 1.7 .3 .3 .2 .2 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... 1.248 473.2 474.2 1.1 .2 .5 -.1 .2 

Personal care ......................................................................... 2.675 179.1 179.7 2.0 .3 .2 .3 .2 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... .737 155.0 155.0 .8 .0 .2 .5 .0 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... .610 195.7 196.3 2.0 .3 .1 .3 .3 

Miscellaneous personal services .......................................... 1.152 290.2 291.6 3.7 .5 .3 .3 .4 

Commodity and service group

Commodities .............................................................................. 44.582 152.7 154.1 .1 .9 .7 .4 .7 

Food and beverages ................................................................ 17.151 184.0 184.4 3.3 .2 -.1 .2 .2 

Commodities less food and beverages .................................... 27.430 135.2 137.0 -1.9 1.3 1.3 .5 1.0 

Nondurables less food and beverages ................................... 14.671 154.3 158.4 .7 2.7 1.3 .4 1.9 

Apparel ................................................................................. 4.357 118.3 122.9 .3 3.9 -.1 .0 .8 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel .................. 10.315 180.2 184.1 .8 2.2 2.9 1.3 2.8 

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

Services ...................................................................................... 55.418 216.0 216.7 2.6 .3 .4 .2 .2 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 29.813 202.0 203.2 2.5 .6 .2 .1 .5 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... .337 115.1 115.2 1.2 .1 .4 .2 .1 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 3.930 144.7 142.9 .2 -1.2 1.6 .8 -1.2 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... .933 121.9 122.4 5.5 .4 .6 1.1 .2 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... .318 124.9 125.4 2.4 .4 -.1 1.0 .4 

Transportation services ............................................................ 6.241 219.7 220.0 2.9 .1 .5 .0 .1 

Medical care services ............................................................... 3.827 316.8 318.6 5.3 .6 .3 .8 .6 

Other services .......................................................................... 10.020 252.6 252.9 2.4 .1 .2 .3 .2 

Special indexes

All items less food ...................................................................... 83.939 181.4 182.6 1.1 .7 .7 .3 .5 

All items less shelter ................................................................... 69.849 173.7 174.7 1.0 .6 .6 .5 .4 

All items less medical care ......................................................... 95.031 176.6 177.6 1.3 .6 .6 .3 .5 

Commodities less food ............................................................... 28.520 137.1 138.9 -1.8 1.3 1.2 .6 .9 

Nondurables less food ................................................................ 15.761 156.4 160.4 .8 2.6 1.2 .4 1.8 

Nondurables less food and apparel ............................................ 11.405 180.2 184.0 .9 2.1 2.4 1.4 2.8 

Nondurables ............................................................................... 31.823 169.5 171.8 2.0 1.4 .5 .4 .9 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 25.605 204.9 204.9 2.7 .0 .2 .4 -.1 

Services less medical care services ........................................... 51.592 208.2 208.8 2.4 .3 .3 .1 .3 

Energy ........................................................................................ 8.114 140.2 143.0 .6 2.0 4.9 1.6 2.2 

All items less energy .................................................................. 91.886 187.9 188.7 1.5 .4 .2 .2 .3 

All items less food and energy ................................................. 75.825 189.1 190.1 1.1 .5 .2 .2 .3 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ................... 24.337 139.0 140.0 -2.2 .7 .0 .2 .1 

Energy commodities ............................................................. 4.183 144.7 151.5 1.0 4.7 8.0 2.4 5.1 

Services less energy services ................................................ 51.488 223.9 224.9 2.8 .4 .3 .1 .4 

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

 $ .550 $ .547 - - - - -

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

 $ .185 $ .184 - - - - -

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

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

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

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

expenditure category and commodity and service group

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-W

Seasonally adjusted indexes Seasonally adjusted annual rate percent change for

3 months ended— 6 months

ended—

Dec.

2003

Jan.

2004

Feb.

2004

Mar.

2004

June

2003

Sep.

2003

Dec.

2003

Mar.

2004

Sep.

2003

Mar.

2004

Expenditure category

All items ...................................................................................... 180.4 181.4 181.9 182.8 -1.8 3.4 -1.1 5.4 0.8 2.1 

Food and beverages ................................................................ 183.5 183.4 183.8 184.1 2.7 3.2 5.9 1.3 2.9 3.6 

Food ....................................................................................... 183.1 182.9 183.3 183.6 3.0 3.2 6.1 1.1 3.1 3.6 

Food at home ....................................................................... 183.2 182.6 182.8 183.1 3.7 4.1 7.8 -.2 3.9 3.7 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................. 203.8 204.0 204.2 205.1 1.2 1.6 .0 2.6 1.4 1.3 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ............................................ 180.5 180.4 179.3 178.9 7.8 9.4 24.1 -3.5 8.6 9.5 

Dairy and related products ................................................. 171.9 171.4 170.9 171.5 -5.6 15.4 3.6 -.9 4.4 1.3 

Fruits and vegetables ......................................................... 228.1 223.6 226.4 226.7 9.5 -.7 4.0 -2.4 4.3 .7 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials .............. 139.4 139.7 139.9 139.4 2.3 -2.3 1.4 .0 .0 .7 

Other food at home ............................................................ 162.8 162.2 163.4 164.5 1.7 .5 .0 4.2 1.1 2.1 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................. 161.8 161.5 162.5 162.2 1.2 .0 -.7 1.0 .6 .1 

Fats and oils ..................................................................... 158.6 160.6 162.1 166.0 -1.3 .3 3.3 20.0 -.5 11.4 

Other foods ....................................................................... 179.8 178.4 179.7 180.6 2.5 .4 -.4 1.8 1.5 .7

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... 110.3 109.6 110.1 112.2 5.9 -2.8 -3.5 7.1 1.5 1.6 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 184.2 184.8 185.3 185.6 1.6 2.2 3.3 3.1 1.9 3.2 

Other food away from home 2 ............................................ 123.0 123.7 123.9 124.0 3.0 -.3 4.7 3.3 1.3 4.0 

Alcoholic beverages 1 ............................................................ 188.9 189.5 190.0 191.2 .0 1.9 2.6 5.0 1.0 3.8 

Housing .................................................................................... 181.6 182.5 182.8 183.2 1.3 1.6 .9 3.6 1.5 2.2 

Shelter .................................................................................... 208.8 209.5 209.6 210.5 2.2 2.3 1.9 3.3 2.3 2.6 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 206.8 207.2 207.8 208.2 2.8 2.6 1.8 2.7 2.7 2.2 

Lodging away from home 2 .................................................. 122.3 123.2 120.9 125.2 8.8 3.0 5.8 9.8 5.9 7.8 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 201.4 201.9 202.1 202.7 1.2 2.2 2.0 2.6 1.7 2.3 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. 114.4 114.9 115.1 115.2 4.3 2.8 -4.7 2.8 3.5 -1.0 

Fuels and utilities .................................................................... 154.4 156.9 158.3 156.7 .0 .5 -3.8 6.1 .3 1.0 

Fuels ..................................................................................... 136.9 139.4 140.6 138.8 -.9 -.3 -5.6 5.7 -.6 -.1 

Fuel oil and other fuels ....................................................... 135.3 144.7 145.8 143.0 -48.6 7.7 -2.9 24.8 -25.6 10.1 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 144.2 146.5 147.7 145.9 3.1 -.8 -5.9 4.8 1.1 -.7 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. 119.9 120.6 121.9 122.2 3.5 5.6 5.2 7.9 4.5 6.5 

Household furnishings and operations ................................... 120.7 121.2 121.4 121.4 -3.2 -2.3 -1.3 2.3 -2.7 .5 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... 123.8 123.7 124.9 125.4 .7 2.3 1.3 5.3 1.5 3.3 

Apparel ..................................................................................... 119.6 119.5 119.5 120.5 -1.3 1.0 -1.7 3.0 -.2 .7 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ........................................................ 117.9 118.1 118.5 118.4 -7.5 1.7 2.1 1.7 -3.0 1.9 

Women’s and girls’ apparel .................................................... 112.0 111.4 111.0 113.1 1.1 1.1 -1.4 4.0 1.1 1.2 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel ................................................. 121.5 122.4 123.2 123.7 .3 3.9 -12.4 7.4 2.1 -3.0 

Footwear ................................................................................ 118.1 117.7 117.9 118.2 -.7 .0 -3.3 .3 -.3 -1.5 

Transportation .......................................................................... 153.1 155.9 156.9 158.9 -13.0 9.1 -13.2 16.0 -2.6 .4 

Private transportation ............................................................. 150.2 153.0 154.1 156.1 -14.1 9.5 -13.6 16.7 -3.0 .4 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 92.5 92.4 92.5 92.4 -2.8 -9.1 -9.4 -.4 -6.0 -5.0 

New vehicles ...................................................................... 138.2 138.1 138.7 138.4 -3.1 -.3 -1.4 .6 -1.7 -.4 

Used cars and trucks 1 ....................................................... 131.7 131.6 131.7 132.0 -2.9 -20.6 -21.2 .9 -12.2 -10.8 

Motor fuel ............................................................................. 131.3 141.9 145.5 153.3 -48.4 75.9 -36.9 85.8 -4.7 8.3 

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................. 130.8 141.4 144.9 152.7 -48.4 76.4 -36.8 85.7 -4.6 8.3 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... 107.3 107.6 107.6 107.4 -.4 .4 .4 .4 .0 .4 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................. 199.7 199.7 199.7 200.1 2.3 2.0 3.5 .8 2.2 2.1 

Public transportation ............................................................... 207.1 207.9 208.1 208.8 9.8 .0 -.8 3.3 4.8 1.3 

Medical care ............................................................................. 301.9 302.7 304.7 306.4 3.5 4.4 4.4 6.1 3.9 5.2 

Medical care commodities ...................................................... 259.8 260.0 260.9 261.5 .3 5.1 .6 2.6 2.7 1.6 

Medical care services ............................................................. 312.5 313.5 315.9 317.9 4.2 4.3 5.4 7.1 4.2 6.3 

Professional services ........................................................... 267.2 267.8 270.0 272.0 3.6 2.5 3.7 7.4 3.0 5.5

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 403.1 405.1 406.7 408.7 5.5 7.5 6.8 5.7 6.5 6.2 

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—

Dec.

2003

Jan.

2004

Feb.

2004

Mar.

2004

June

2003

Sep.

2003

Dec.

2003

Mar.

2004

Sep.

2003

Mar.

2004

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 105.8 105.7 106.1 106.4 0.8 0.4 0.8 2.3 0.6 1.5 

Video and audio 2 ................................................................... 103.1 102.7 102.8 103.2 .8 .8 .4 .4 .8 .4 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 109.4 109.5 109.7 109.8 -1.5 2.6 .7 1.5 .6 1.1 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 137.8 138.7 139.3 140.1 5.9 8.7 5.7 6.8 7.3 6.3 

Educational books and supplies ........................................... 346.7 344.4 346.7 348.5 4.5 2.2 10.7 2.1 3.3 6.3 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare .............................. 388.7 391.6 393.3 395.4 6.3 9.1 5.4 7.1 7.7 6.2 

Communication 2 .................................................................... 89.6 89.3 89.4 89.1 -7.1 -2.2 -3.5 -2.2 -4.7 -2.9 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 88.3 88.2 88.2 87.9 -9.7 -2.2 -2.2 -1.8 -6.0 -2.0 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 97.4 97.2 97.3 96.9 -8.5 -.4 -.8 -2.0 -4.6 -1.4 

Information technology, hardware and services 1 5 ........... 15.8 15.8 15.8 15.7 -13.1 -15.7 -7.2 -2.5 -14.4 -4.9 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... 15.9 15.8 15.7 15.5 -26.9 -25.1 -2.5 -9.7 -26.0 -6.2 

Other goods and services ........................................................ 308.7 309.5 310.0 310.6 .3 2.8 1.2 2.5 1.5 1.8 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... 471.5 473.8 473.2 474.2 -3.6 4.5 1.4 2.3 .3 1.8 

Personal care ......................................................................... 178.3 178.6 179.1 179.5 2.3 2.0 .9 2.7 2.2 1.8 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... 154.0 154.3 155.0 155.0 1.6 -1.0 .0 2.6 .3 1.3 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... 194.9 195.1 195.7 196.3 2.3 5.5 -2.4 2.9 3.9 .2 

Miscellaneous personal services .......................................... 287.7 288.6 289.6 290.7 4.9 2.3 3.3 4.2 3.6 3.7 

Commodity and service group

Commodities .............................................................................. 151.1 152.2 152.8 153.9 -6.8 4.6 -4.4 7.6 -1.3 1.4 

Food and beverages ................................................................ 183.5 183.4 183.8 184.1 2.7 3.2 5.9 1.3 2.9 3.6 

Commodities less food and beverages .................................... 133.0 134.7 135.4 136.8 -12.3 5.8 -10.7 11.9 -3.7 .0 

Nondurables less food and beverages ................................... 153.1 155.1 155.7 158.6 -23.3 16.4 .0 15.2 -5.5 7.3 

Apparel ................................................................................. 119.6 119.5 119.5 120.5 -1.3 1.0 -1.7 3.0 -.2 .7 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel .................. 173.3 178.3 180.7 185.8 -25.6 25.0 -15.8 32.1 -3.6 5.5 

Durables ................................................................................. 113.9 113.8 114.2 114.0 -4.9 -8.2 -6.4 .4 -6.6 -3.1 

Services ...................................................................................... 214.8 215.6 216.1 216.6 2.7 2.5 1.7 3.4 2.6 2.5 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 201.2 201.6 201.8 202.8 2.0 2.4 2.2 3.2 2.2 2.7 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... 114.4 114.9 115.1 115.2 4.3 2.8 -4.7 2.8 3.5 -1.0 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 144.2 146.5 147.7 145.9 3.1 -.8 -5.9 4.8 1.1 -.7 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... 119.9 120.6 121.9 122.2 3.5 5.6 5.2 7.9 4.5 6.5 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... 123.8 123.7 124.9 125.4 .7 2.3 1.3 5.3 1.5 3.3 

Transportation services ............................................................ 218.3 219.4 219.4 219.6 5.5 2.0 1.3 2.4 3.8 1.8 

Medical care services ............................................................... 312.5 313.5 315.9 317.9 4.2 4.3 5.4 7.1 4.2 6.3 

Other services .......................................................................... 251.0 251.5 252.2 252.7 1.6 3.6 1.4 2.7 2.6 2.1 

Special indexes

All items less food ...................................................................... 179.7 180.9 181.5 182.4 -2.6 3.6 -2.6 6.1 .4 1.7 

All items less shelter ................................................................... 172.0 173.1 173.9 174.6 -3.4 4.0 -2.5 6.2 .2 1.7 

All items less medical care ......................................................... 175.2 176.2 176.7 177.5 -1.8 3.2 -1.4 5.4 .7 1.9 

Commodities less food ............................................................... 135.0 136.6 137.4 138.7 -11.9 5.4 -10.0 11.4 -3.6 .1 

Nondurables less food ................................................................ 155.3 157.1 157.8 160.7 -22.6 16.1 .0 14.7 -5.2 7.1 

Nondurables less food and apparel ............................................ 173.8 177.9 180.4 185.4 -23.3 21.6 -14.2 29.5 -3.5 5.4 

Nondurables ............................................................................... 168.7 169.6 170.2 171.8 -10.0 8.6 3.1 7.6 -1.2 5.3 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 204.0 204.5 205.3 205.1 3.0 3.2 2.2 2.2 3.1 2.2 

Services less medical care services ........................................... 207.4 208.0 208.2 208.8 2.4 2.4 2.0 2.7 2.4 2.3 

Energy ........................................................................................ 133.4 140.0 142.3 145.4 -28.9 33.0 -23.2 41.1 -2.7 4.1 

All items less energy .................................................................. 187.1 187.4 187.7 188.2 1.3 1.1 1.3 2.4 1.2 1.8 

All items less food and energy ................................................. 188.3 188.7 189.0 189.6 .9 .6 .2 2.8 .7 1.5 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ................... 138.8 138.8 139.1 139.3 -2.5 -3.9 -3.9 1.4 -3.2 -1.3 

Energy commodities ............................................................. 132.0 142.6 146.0 153.4 -48.3 72.1 -35.7 82.4 -5.7 8.3 

Services less energy services ................................................ 222.6 223.3 223.6 224.5 2.6 2.8 2.2 3.5 2.7 2.8 

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

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

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

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

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-W

All items 

Pricing

schedule 1

Indexes Percent change to

Mar.2004 from—

Percent change to

Feb.2004 from—

Dec.

2003

Jan.

2004

Feb.

2004

Mar.

2004

Mar.

2003

Jan.

2004

Feb.

2004

Feb.

2003

Dec.

2003

Jan.

2004

U.S. city average ............................................ M 179.9 180.9 181.9 182.9 1.4 1.1 0.5 1.5 1.1 0.6 

Region and area size2

Northeast urban .............................................. M 191.7 192.6 193.6 195.1 2.8 1.3 .8 2.7 1.0 .5 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 192.7 193.3 194.3 195.9 3.1 1.3 .8 2.7 .8 .5 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 115.2 116.1 116.7 117.5 2.0 1.2 .7 2.4 1.3 .5 

Midwest urban ................................................ M 173.4 174.5 175.3 175.8 1.0 .7 .3 1.2 1.1 .5 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 175.1 176.2 176.9 177.2 1.0 .6 .2 1.3 1.0 .4 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 112.4 113.3 113.8 114.2 1.0 .8 .4 1.2 1.2 .4 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 169.1 169.4 170.6 171.4 .5 1.2 .5 .3 .9 .7 

South urban .................................................... M 174.2 175.0 175.8 176.7 1.0 1.0 .5 1.1 .9 .5 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 176.4 177.1 178.0 178.9 1.4 1.0 .5 1.3 .9 .5 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 111.8 112.3 112.7 113.4 .8 1.0 .6 .9 .8 .4 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 174.2 174.6 176.0 176.9 .7 1.3 .5 .7 1.0 .8 

West urban ..................................................... M 183.3 184.3 185.7 187.1 1.3 1.5 .8 1.4 1.3 .8 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 183.9 185.0 186.5 187.9 1.1 1.6 .8 1.1 1.4 .8 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 114.8 115.4 116.4 117.2 1.8 1.6 .7 2.1 1.4 .9 

Size classes

A 4 .............................................................. M 166.8 167.6 168.6 169.6 1.7 1.2 .6 1.7 1.1 .6 

B/C 3 ........................................................... M 112.9 113.6 114.2 114.9 1.2 1.1 .6 1.4 1.2 .5 

D ................................................................. M 174.3 174.8 175.8 176.7 .6 1.1 .5 .6 .9 .6 

Selected local areas5

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI ................... M 178.8 179.0 179.9 179.7 .4 .4 -.1 1.0 .6 .5 

Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA ... M 180.2 181.7 183.4 184.9 1.8 1.8 .8 2.1 1.8 .9 

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

NY-NJ-CT-PA ......................................... M 194.6 194.9 196.3 198.2 3.2 1.7 1.0 2.6 .9 .7 

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

 206.8 - 207.4 2.5 .3 - - - -

Cleveland-Akron, OH ...................................... 1 - 169.8 - 171.0 2.3 .7 - - - -

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

 175.7 - 177.6 .6 1.1 - - - -

Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV 6 ...... 1 - 116.5 - 117.6 1.8 .9 - - - -

Atlanta, GA ..................................................... 2 176.6 -

 178.7 - - - - .3 1.2 -

Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI .............................. 2 175.9 -

 178.1 - - - - .7 1.3 -

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

Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ............................. 2 178.9 -

 180.8 - - - - 1.6 1.1 -

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,

PA-NJ-DE-MD ........................................ 2 189.0 -

 191.2 - - - - 2.9 1.2 -

San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA ........... 2 191.1 -

 194.1 - - - - .2 1.6 -

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

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

 most other goods and services priced as indicated: 

 M - Every month. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

therefore, subject to substantially more sampling and other measurement

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

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

Labor Statistics strongly urges users to consider adopting the national

average CPI for use in their escalator clauses. 

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

category and commodity and service group

(December 1999=100, unless otherwise noted)

C-CPI-U Relative

importance,

2001-2002

 Unadjusted

 indexes

 Unadjusted

 percent change to

 Mar. 2004 from—

 Feb.

 2004

 Mar.

 2004

 Mar.

 2003

 Feb.

 2004

Expenditure category

All items ...................................................................................... 100.000 108.7 109.4 1.4 0.6 

Food and beverages ................................................................ 15.076 110.0 110.2 3.0 .2 

Food ....................................................................................... 14.086 110.0 110.2 3.0 .2 

Food at home ....................................................................... 8.062 109.1 109.2 3.3 .1 

Food away from home .......................................................... 6.023 111.2 111.4 2.6 .2 

Alcoholic beverages ............................................................... .990 110.0 110.6 2.3 .5 

Housing .................................................................................... 41.793 112.5 113.1 1.8 .5 

Shelter .................................................................................... 32.380 114.2 115.1 2.5 .8 

Fuels and utilities .................................................................... 4.643 120.5 119.3 .8 -1.0 

Household furnishings and operations ................................... 4.771 96.0 95.9 -1.4 -.1 

Apparel ..................................................................................... 4.317 89.7 93.4 .2 4.1 

Transportation .......................................................................... 17.315 105.4 106.3 -1.0 .9 

Private transportation ............................................................. 16.206 105.5 106.4 -1.2 .9 

Public transportation ............................................................... 1.109 103.3 104.3 1.9 1.0 

Medical care ............................................................................. 5.783 119.8 120.3 4.2 .4 

Medical care commodities ...................................................... 1.466 113.7 113.9 2.1 .2 

Medical care services ............................................................. 4.317 121.9 122.6 5.1 .6 

Recreation ................................................................................ 5.978 103.9 104.2 .8 .3 

Education and communication ................................................. 6.004 99.5 99.3 -.2 -.2 

Education ............................................................................... 2.560 129.3 129.5 7.3 .2 

Communication ...................................................................... 3.444 80.9 80.6 -5.4 -.4 

Other goods and services ........................................................ 3.734 113.2 113.5 1.9 .3 

Commodity and service group

Services ...................................................................................... 58.567 114.7 115.3 2.5 .5 

Commodities .............................................................................. 41.433 101.0 101.8 -.2 .8 

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

Nondurables ............................................................................... 28.912 107.3 108.7 1.8 1.3 

All items less food and energy ................................................. 78.985 107.2 107.9 1.2 .7 

Energy ........................................................................................ 6.929 123.6 125.5 .6 1.5 

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

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

category and commodity and service group 

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

Item and group

Relative

importance,

December

2003

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Mar. 2004 from—

Feb.

2004

Mar.

2004

Mar.

2003

Feb.

2004

Expenditure category

All items ............................................................................................... 100.000 186.3 187.5 1.8 0.6 

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

 558.2 561.6 - -

Food and beverages .......................................................................... 15.832 184.6 184.9 3.2 .2 

Food ................................................................................................ 14.801 184.1 184.4 3.2 .2 

Food at home ................................................................................ 8.558 184.0 184.3 3.7 .2 

Cereals and bakery products ....................................................... 1.293 204.4 204.9 1.4 .2 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ...................................................... 2.433 179.4 179.2 8.7 -.1 

Dairy and related products .......................................................... .889 172.2 171.9 2.9 -.2 

Fruits and vegetables .................................................................. 1.252 230.1 230.8 3.2 .3 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ........................ .933 141.4 140.6 .2 -.6 

Other food at home ...................................................................... 1.759 163.8 165.1 1.5 .8 

Sugar and sweets ...................................................................... .311 163.9 163.2 .4 -.4 

Fats and oils .............................................................................. .255 162.4 166.0 5.4 2.2 

Other foods ................................................................................ 1.192 178.9 180.4 1.0 .8 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 ................................................... .280 109.4 111.6 1.4 2.0 

Food away from home ................................................................... 6.243 185.5 185.8 2.7 .2 

Other food away from home 1 ..................................................... .391 124.4 124.4 3.3 .0 

Alcoholic beverages ........................................................................ 1.031 189.9 190.8 2.3 .5 

Housing ............................................................................................. 40.998 187.0 187.9 2.0 .5 

Shelter ............................................................................................. 31.834 216.1 217.7 2.6 .7 

Rent of primary residence 2 ........................................................... 6.516 208.8 209.2 2.5 .2 

Lodging away from home 1 ........................................................... 2.693 120.9 128.8 7.6 6.5 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 2 3 .......................... 22.261 222.9 223.4 2.1 .2 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 ............................................. .364 114.9 115.0 .9 .1 

Fuels and utilities ............................................................................. 4.674 156.8 155.2 .5 -1.0 

Fuels .............................................................................................. 3.787 139.4 137.6 -.6 -1.3 

Fuel oil and other fuels ................................................................ .220 155.2 152.7 -9.6 -1.6 

Gas (piped) and electricity 2 ........................................................ 3.568 145.4 143.5 .0 -1.3 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 1 .......................... .887 121.8 122.2 5.4 .3 

Household furnishings and operations ............................................ 4.489 125.7 125.7 -1.1 .0 

Household operations 1 ................................................................. .822 123.7 123.9 1.9 .2 

Apparel .............................................................................................. 4.058 119.1 123.6 .0 3.8 

Men’s and boys’ apparel .................................................................. 1.034 116.8 119.2 -1.5 2.1 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ............................................................. 1.673 110.7 118.0 .7 6.6 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel .......................................................... .180 119.5 121.5 -2.1 1.7 

Footwear .......................................................................................... .822 117.4 120.1 .3 2.3 

Transportation ................................................................................... 17.035 158.9 160.6 -.2 1.1 

Private transportation ...................................................................... 15.870 155.0 156.7 -.4 1.1 

New and used motor vehicles 1 ..................................................... 7.674 94.4 94.1 -4.0 -.3 

New vehicles ............................................................................... 4.686 138.3 137.9 -1.0 -.3 

Used cars and trucks ................................................................... 1.753 131.0 131.2 -11.6 .2 

Motor fuel ....................................................................................... 3.269 143.2 150.6 1.7 5.2 

Gasoline (all types) ...................................................................... 3.241 142.5 149.9 1.7 5.2 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment ............................................... .411 108.0 107.9 .0 -.1 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair .......................................... 1.426 198.2 198.5 2.2 .2 

Public transportation ........................................................................ 1.165 208.0 209.7 1.7 .8 

Medical care ...................................................................................... 6.067 306.1 307.6 4.6 .5 

Medical care commodities ............................................................... 1.390 266.7 267.3 2.3 .2 

Medical care services ...................................................................... 4.677 316.7 318.5 5.3 .6 

Professional services ..................................................................... 2.833 268.0 269.8 4.1 .7 

Hospital and related services 2 ...................................................... 1.515 413.0 414.0 6.5 .2 

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

category and commodity and service group -Continued

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

Item and group

Relative

importance,

December

2003

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Mar. 2004 from—

Feb.

2004

Mar.

2004

Mar.

2003

Feb.

2004

Expenditure category

Recreation 1 ...................................................................................... 5.897 108.5 108.8 1.3 0.3 

Video and audio 1 ............................................................................ 1.609 104.3 104.5 .8 .2 

Education and communication 1 ........................................................ 5.780 111.3 111.1 1.6 -.2 

Education 1 ...................................................................................... 2.985 140.5 140.6 7.2 .1 

Educational books and supplies .................................................... .246 348.9 349.3 4.8 .1 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ....................................... 2.740 404.5 404.8 7.5 .1 

Communication 1 ............................................................................. 2.794 88.0 87.7 -3.9 -.3 

Information and information processing 1 ...................................... 2.600 86.0 85.6 -4.4 -.5 

Telephone services 1 ................................................................... 2.171 97.1 96.7 -3.0 -.4 

Information technology, hardware and services 4 ....................... .429 15.2 15.1 -10.1 -.7 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 ...................... .169 16.0 15.8 -16.8 -1.3 

Other goods and services .................................................................. 4.333 302.4 303.3 2.0 .3 

Tobacco and smoking products ....................................................... .969 472.3 473.2 1.3 .2 

Personal care .................................................................................. 3.364 180.5 181.1 2.2 .3 

Personal care products .................................................................. .668 154.5 154.5 .8 .0 

Personal care services .................................................................. .901 195.2 195.8 2.1 .3 

Miscellaneous personal services ................................................... 1.601 290.8 292.1 3.8 .4 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ........................................................................................ 40.254 152.4 153.7 .4 .9 

Food and beverages .......................................................................... 15.832 184.6 184.9 3.2 .2 

Commodities less food and beverages ............................................. 24.422 134.4 136.2 -1.3 1.3 

Nondurables less food and beverages ............................................ 13.706 151.6 155.4 .6 2.5 

Apparel .......................................................................................... 4.058 119.1 123.6 .0 3.8 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel ........................... 9.648 175.6 179.1 .7 2.0 

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

Services ............................................................................................... 59.746 220.0 221.0 2.7 .5 

Rent of shelter 3 ................................................................................ 31.470 225.0 226.8 2.7 .8 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 ................................................. .364 114.9 115.0 .9 .1 

Gas (piped) and electricity 2 .............................................................. 3.568 145.4 143.5 .0 -1.3 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 1 .............................. .887 121.8 122.2 5.4 .3 

Household operations 1 ..................................................................... .822 123.7 123.9 1.9 .2 

Transportation services ..................................................................... 6.774 219.5 219.8 2.6 .1 

Medical care services ........................................................................ 4.677 316.7 318.5 5.3 .6 

Other services ................................................................................... 11.183 259.4 259.7 2.8 .1 

Special indexes

All items less food ................................................................................ 85.199 186.7 188.0 1.5 .7 

All items less shelter ............................................................................ 68.166 176.8 177.7 1.4 .5 

All items less medical care .................................................................. 93.933 180.2 181.3 1.6 .6 

Commodities less food ........................................................................ 25.453 136.4 138.2 -1.1 1.3 

Nondurables less food ......................................................................... 14.737 153.8 157.5 .6 2.4 

Nondurables less food and apparel ..................................................... 10.679 176.0 179.3 .9 1.9 

Nondurables ........................................................................................ 29.538 168.2 170.3 1.9 1.2 

Services less rent of shelter 3 .............................................................. 28.276 230.7 230.8 2.9 .0 

Services less medical care services .................................................... 55.068 211.8 212.7 2.6 .4 

Energy ................................................................................................. 7.056 140.7 143.3 .5 1.8

All items less energy ............................................................................ 92.944 192.8 193.8 1.9 .5 

All items less food and energy ........................................................... 78.143 195.0 196.2 1.7 .6 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ............................ 21.965 139.5 140.4 -1.5 .6 

Energy commodities ...................................................................... 3.488 144.6 151.5 .9 4.8 

Services less energy services ......................................................... 56.178 227.6 228.9 2.9 .6 

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

 $ .537 $ .533 - -

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

 $ .179 $ .178 - -

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

All other item stratum index series were calculated using a geometric

means estimator.

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

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

average, by expenditure category and commodity and service group 

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

Item and group

Relative

importance,

December

2003

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Mar. 2004 from—

Feb.

2004

Mar.

2004

Mar.

2003

Feb.

2004

Expenditure category

All items ............................................................................................... 100.000 181.9 182.9 1.4 0.5 

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

 541.7 544.8 - -

Food and beverages .......................................................................... 17.410 184.1 184.4 3.3 .2 

Food ................................................................................................ 16.404 183.6 183.8 3.3 .1 

Food at home ................................................................................ 9.937 183.3 183.5 3.8 .1 

Cereals and bakery products ....................................................... 1.467 204.4 204.9 1.4 .2 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ...................................................... 3.043 179.5 179.2 8.7 -.2 

Dairy and related products .......................................................... .993 171.8 171.5 2.9 -.2 

Fruits and vegetables .................................................................. 1.355 228.1 228.6 2.9 .2 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ........................ 1.096 140.8 140.1 .4 -.5 

Other food at home ...................................................................... 1.982 163.4 164.7 1.6 .8 

Sugar and sweets ...................................................................... .335 163.5 162.8 .4 -.4 

Fats and oils .............................................................................. .306 162.4 165.9 5.2 2.2 

Other foods ................................................................................ 1.341 179.3 180.7 1.0 .8 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 ................................................... .302 109.8 112.0 1.4 2.0 

Food away from home ................................................................... 6.466 185.4 185.7 2.6 .2 

Other food away from home 1 ..................................................... .280 124.4 124.4 3.1 .0 

Alcoholic beverages ........................................................................ 1.007 190.0 191.0 2.2 .5 

Housing ............................................................................................. 38.367 182.6 183.1 1.8 .3 

Shelter ............................................................................................. 29.566 209.6 210.8 2.4 .6 

Rent of primary residence 2 ........................................................... 8.532 207.9 208.4 2.5 .2 

Lodging away from home 1 ........................................................... 1.525 120.6 128.6 6.8 6.6 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 2 3 .......................... 19.185 202.3 202.7 2.0 .2 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 ............................................. .324 114.9 115.0 1.1 .1 

Fuels and utilities ............................................................................. 5.017 156.2 154.7 .7 -1.0 

Fuels .............................................................................................. 4.111 138.3 136.5 -.4 -1.3 

Fuel oil and other fuels ................................................................ .206 154.8 152.1 -9.4 -1.7 

Gas (piped) and electricity 2 ........................................................ 3.905 144.7 142.9 .2 -1.2 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 1 .......................... .906 121.9 122.4 5.5 .4 

Household furnishings and operations ............................................ 3.784 121.4 121.4 -1.1 .0 

Household operations 1 ................................................................. .360 125.3 125.6 2.5 .2 

Apparel .............................................................................................. 4.483 118.0 122.4 -.1 3.7 

Men’s and boys’ apparel .................................................................. 1.147 116.3 118.9 -1.4 2.2 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ............................................................. 1.744 109.4 116.8 .8 6.8 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel .......................................................... .230 120.9 122.9 -2.3 1.7 

Footwear .......................................................................................... 1.090 117.1 118.9 -.6 1.5 

Transportation ................................................................................... 19.281 156.9 158.7 -1.0 1.1 

Private transportation ...................................................................... 18.361 154.1 156.0 -1.1 1.2 

New and used motor vehicles 1 ..................................................... 8.868 92.8 92.6 -5.5 -.2 

New vehicles ............................................................................... 4.524 139.6 139.1 -.9 -.4 

Used cars and trucks ................................................................... 3.283 131.7 132.0 -11.5 .2 

Motor fuel ....................................................................................... 4.029 143.6 151.0 1.7 5.2 

Gasoline (all types) ...................................................................... 3.995 143.0 150.4 1.8 5.2 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment ............................................... .521 107.5 107.4 .2 -.1 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair .......................................... 1.469 200.0 200.2 2.1 .1 

Public transportation ........................................................................ .920 205.8 207.5 2.7 .8 

Medical care ...................................................................................... 4.844 305.5 307.1 4.6 .5 

Medical care commodities ............................................................... 1.017 261.0 261.6 2.1 .2 

Medical care services ...................................................................... 3.827 316.9 318.7 5.3 .6 

Professional services ..................................................................... 2.290 270.4 272.2 4.2 .7 

Hospital and related services 2 ...................................................... 1.232 409.7 410.7 6.6 .2 

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

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

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

Item and group

Relative

importance,

December

2003

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Mar. 2004 from—

Feb.

2004

Mar.

2004

Mar.

2003

Feb.

2004

Expenditure category

Recreation 1 ...................................................................................... 5.515 106.4 106.7 1.2 0.3 

Video and audio 1 ............................................................................ 1.766 103.5 103.7 .8 .2 

Education and communication 1 ........................................................ 5.559 110.0 109.8 .8 -.2 

Education 1 ...................................................................................... 2.595 139.4 139.6 6.7 .1 

Educational books and supplies .................................................... .226 349.3 349.9 4.8 .2 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ....................................... 2.369 393.3 393.7 6.9 .1 

Communication 1 ............................................................................. 2.965 89.6 89.2 -3.9 -.4 

Information and information processing 1 ...................................... 2.807 88.1 87.8 -4.1 -.3 

Telephone services 1 ................................................................... 2.427 97.3 96.9 -3.0 -.4 

Information technology, hardware and services 4 ....................... .381 15.7 15.6 -10.3 -.6 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 ...................... .154 15.7 15.5 -16.7 -1.3 

Other goods and services .................................................................. 4.540 310.0 310.8 1.7 .3 

Tobacco and smoking products ....................................................... 1.508 473.3 474.1 1.1 .2 

Personal care .................................................................................. 3.033 179.1 179.6 2.0 .3 

Personal care products .................................................................. .772 155.2 155.3 1.0 .1 

Personal care services .................................................................. .901 195.8 196.4 2.1 .3 

Miscellaneous personal services ................................................... 1.193 290.0 291.4 3.7 .5 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ........................................................................................ 44.446 152.8 154.2 .1 .9 

Food and beverages .......................................................................... 17.410 184.1 184.4 3.3 .2 

Commodities less food and beverages ............................................. 27.036 135.3 137.2 -1.7 1.4 

Nondurables less food and beverages ............................................ 15.078 154.2 158.2 .6 2.6 

Apparel .......................................................................................... 4.483 118.0 122.4 -.1 3.7 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel ........................... 10.596 180.1 184.1 .8 2.2 

Durables .......................................................................................... 11.957 114.3 114.1 -4.8 -.2 

Services ............................................................................................... 55.554 216.0 216.6 2.6 .3 

Rent of shelter 3 ................................................................................ 29.242 201.9 203.0 2.4 .5 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 ................................................. .324 114.9 115.0 1.1 .1 

Gas (piped) and electricity 2 .............................................................. 3.905 144.7 142.9 .2 -1.2 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 1 .............................. .906 121.9 122.4 5.5 .4 

Household operations 1 ..................................................................... .360 125.3 125.6 2.5 .2 

Transportation services ..................................................................... 6.796 219.9 220.1 2.9 .1 

Medical care services ........................................................................ 3.827 316.9 318.7 5.3 .6 

Other services ................................................................................... 10.194 252.6 252.8 2.3 .1 

Special indexes

All items less food ................................................................................ 83.596 181.4 182.6 1.1 .7 

All items less shelter ............................................................................ 70.434 173.7 174.7 1.0 .6 

All items less medical care .................................................................. 95.156 176.6 177.6 1.3 .6 

Commodities less food ........................................................................ 28.042 137.2 139.1 -1.6 1.4 

Nondurables less food ......................................................................... 16.085 156.3 160.2 .6 2.5 

Nondurables less food and apparel ..................................................... 11.602 180.3 184.0 .9 2.1 

Nondurables ........................................................................................ 32.489 169.5 171.8 2.0 1.4 

Services less rent of shelter 3 .............................................................. 26.312 204.9 204.9 2.7 .0 

Services less medical care services .................................................... 51.727 208.2 208.7 2.3 .2 

Energy ................................................................................................. 8.139 140.3 143.2 .7 2.1

All items less energy ............................................................................ 91.861 187.9 188.7 1.5 .4 

All items less food and energy ........................................................... 75.457 189.1 190.1 1.1 .5 

Commodities less food and energy commodities ............................ 23.808 139.0 140.0 -2.2 .7 

Energy commodities ...................................................................... 4.234 144.7 151.6 1.1 4.8 

Services less energy services ......................................................... 51.649 223.9 224.8 2.7 .4 

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

 $ .550 $ .547 - -

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

 $ .185 $ .184 - -

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

All other item stratum index series were calculated using a geometric

means estimator.

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

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

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

Area

All items 

Pricing

schedule 1

Indexes Percent change to 

Mar. 2004 from—

Percent change to 

Feb. 2004 from—

Dec.

2003

Jan.

2004

Feb.

2004

Mar.

2004

Mar.

2003

Jan.

2004

Feb.

2004

Feb.

2003

Dec.

2003

Jan.

2004

U.S. city average ............................................ M 184.3 185.3 186.3 187.5 1.8 1.2 0.6 1.7 1.1 0.5 

Region and area size2

Northeast urban .............................................. M 194.9 195.9 196.7 198.3 2.7 1.2 .8 2.6 .9 .4 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 197.1 197.9 198.7 200.4 3.0 1.3 .9 2.7 .8 .4 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 115.0 115.9 116.5 117.3 2.0 1.2 .7 2.4 1.3 .5 

Midwest urban ................................................ M 178.4 179.5 180.3 181.0 1.3 .8 .4 1.4 1.1 .4 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 180.9 182.0 182.5 183.1 1.3 .6 .3 1.4 .9 .3 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 113.3 114.1 114.7 115.2 1.4 1.0 .4 1.7 1.2 .5 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 171.5 171.7 173.1 174.3 .8 1.5 .7 .3 .9 .8 

South urban .................................................... M 177.5 178.2 179.2 180.1 1.5 1.1 .5 1.6 1.0 .6 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 179.2 179.9 181.0 181.9 1.6 1.1 .5 1.5 1.0 .6 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 113.3 113.8 114.3 115.0 1.5 1.1 .6 1.6 .9 .4 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 175.1 175.4 176.8 177.6 1.3 1.3 .5 1.1 1.0 .8 

West urban ..................................................... M 188.3 189.5 191.1 192.4 1.6 1.5 .7 1.6 1.5 .8 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 190.6 191.9 193.6 194.9 1.5 1.6 .7 1.4 1.6 .9 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 115.2 116.0 117.0 117.9 2.2 1.6 .8 2.2 1.6 .9 

Size classes

A 4 .............................................................. M 168.7 169.6 170.5 171.6 1.9 1.2 .6 1.8 1.1 .5 

B/C 3 ........................................................... M 113.8 114.6 115.2 115.9 1.7 1.1 .6 1.9 1.2 .5 

D ................................................................. M 176.5 176.9 177.9 179.0 1.2 1.2 .6 1.1 .8 .6 

Selected local areas5

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI ................... M 185.5 185.3 186.3 186.3 .8 .5 .0 1.2 .4 .5 

Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA ... M 187.0 188.6 190.5 191.9 2.0 1.7 .7 2.1 1.9 1.0 

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

NY-NJ-CT-PA ......................................... M 199.3 200.0 201.2 203.1 3.0 1.6 .9 2.5 1.0 .6 

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

 208.0 - 208.7 2.9 .3 - - - -

Cleveland-Akron, OH ...................................... 1 -

 178.3 - 180.2 2.7 1.1 - - - -

Dallas-Fort Worth, TX ..................................... 1 - 176.1 - 178.2 .8 1.2 - - - -

Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV 6 ...... 1 -

 117.2 - 118.2 2.0 .9 - - - -

Atlanta, GA ..................................................... 2 179.0 -

 181.1 - - - - .2 1.2 -

Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI .............................. 2 181.3 - 183.3 - - - - .5 1.1 -

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

 168.5 - - - - 2.7 2.7 -

Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ............................. 2 181.6 -

 183.5 - - - - 1.8 1.0 -

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,

PA-NJ-DE-MD ........................................ 2 189.0 -

 191.1 - - - - 2.4 1.1 -

San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA ........... 2 195.3 - 199.0 - - - - .7 1.9 -

Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA .................... 2 191.0 -

 193.9 - - - - 1.4 1.5 -

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

 most other goods and services priced as indicated: 

 M - Every month. 

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

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

notes. 3 Indexes on a December 1996=100 base. 4 Indexes on a December 1986=100 base. 5 In addition, the following metropolitan areas are published semiannually

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

therefore, subject to substantially more sampling and other measurement

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

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

Labor Statistics strongly urges users to consider adopting the national

average CPI for use in their escalator clauses. 

NOTE: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.
Table 4 (OW). Old Weight Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W): Selected areas, all items

index 

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

Area

All items 

Pricing

schedule 1

Indexes Percent change to 

Mar. 2004 from—

Percent change to 

Feb. 2004 from—

Dec.

2003

Jan.

2004

Feb.

2004

Mar.

2004

Mar.

2003

Jan.

2004

Feb.

2004

Feb.

2003

Dec.

2003

Jan.

2004

U.S. city average ............................................ M 179.9 180.9 181.9 182.9 1.4 1.1 0.5 1.5 1.1 0.6 

Region and area size2

Northeast urban .............................................. M 191.7 192.5 193.5 194.9 2.7 1.2 .7 2.6 .9 .5 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 192.7 193.2 194.1 195.5 2.9 1.2 .7 2.6 .7 .5 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 115.2 116.2 116.8 117.6 2.1 1.2 .7 2.5 1.4 .5 

Midwest urban ................................................ M 173.4 174.4 175.2 175.8 1.0 .8 .3 1.1 1.0 .5 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 175.1 176.1 176.7 177.1 1.0 .6 .2 1.2 .9 .3 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 112.4 113.3 113.8 114.2 1.0 .8 .4 1.2 1.2 .4 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 169.1 169.3 170.6 171.6 .6 1.4 .6 .3 .9 .8 

South urban .................................................... M 174.2 175.0 175.8 176.8 1.0 1.0 .6 1.1 .9 .5 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 176.4 177.2 178.2 179.0 1.4 1.0 .4 1.4 1.0 .6 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 111.8 112.3 112.7 113.4 .8 1.0 .6 .9 .8 .4 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) ............................................... M 174.2 174.5 175.9 176.9 .7 1.4 .6 .6 1.0 .8 

West urban ..................................................... M 183.3 184.3 185.9 187.2 1.4 1.6 .7 1.5 1.4 .9 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..................... M 183.9 185.1 186.7 188.1 1.2 1.6 .7 1.2 1.5 .9 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 114.8 115.4 116.3 117.2 1.8 1.6 .8 2.0 1.3 .8 

Size classes

A 4 .............................................................. M 166.8 167.6 168.6 169.5 1.6 1.1 .5 1.7 1.1 .6 

B/C 3 ........................................................... M 112.9 113.6 114.2 114.9 1.2 1.1 .6 1.4 1.2 .5 

D ................................................................. M 174.3 174.7 175.8 176.8 .7 1.2 .6 .6 .9 .6 

Selected local areas5

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI ................... M 178.8 178.9 180.0 179.9 .5 .6 -.1 1.1 .7 .6 

Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA ... M 180.2 181.6 183.5 185.0 1.9 1.9 .8 2.2 1.8 1.0 

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

NY-NJ-CT-PA ......................................... M 194.6 195.0 196.2 197.9 3.0 1.5 .9 2.6 .8 .6 

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

 206.3 - 207.4 2.5 .5 - - - -

Cleveland-Akron, OH ...................................... 1 - 169.4 - 170.6 2.1 .7 - - - -

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

 175.8 - 178.2 1.0 1.4 - - - -

Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV 6 ...... 1 -

 116.6 - 117.5 1.7 .8 - - - -

Atlanta, GA ..................................................... 2 176.6 -

 178.6 - - - - .3 1.1 -

Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI .............................. 2 175.9 -

 177.8 - - - - .6 1.1 -

Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX .................... 2 162.2 -

 166.1 - - - - 2.7 2.4 -

Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ............................. 2 178.9 - 181.0 - - - - 1.7 1.2 -

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,

PA-NJ-DE-MD ........................................ 2 189.0 -

 190.7 - - - - 2.6 .9 -

San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA ........... 2 191.1 -

 194.8 - - - - .6 1.9 -

Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA .................... 2 185.3 - 187.7 - - - - .8 1.3 -

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

 most other goods and services priced as indicated: 

 M - Every month. 

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

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

notes. 3 Indexes on a December 1996=100 base. 4 Indexes on a December 1986=100 base. 5 In addition, the following metropolitan areas are published semiannually

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

therefore, subject to substantially more sampling and other measurement

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

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

Labor Statistics strongly urges users to consider adopting the national

average CPI for use in their escalator clauses. 

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