News United States

Department

of Labor

Bureau of Labor Statistics Washington, D.C. 20212

FOR TECHNICAL INFORMATION:

Patrick C. Jackman (202) 691-7000 USDL-02-684

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INTERNET ADDRESS: http://www.bls.gov/cpi/ Tuesday, December 17, 2002

CONSUMER PRICE INDEX: NOVEMBER 2002

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) was unchanged in November, before seasonal

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

181.3 (1982-84=100) was 2.2 percent higher than its level in November 2001.

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

November, prior to seasonal adjustment. The November level of 177.4 was 2.1 percent higher than the index in

November 2001.

CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U)

On a seasonally adjusted basis, the CPI-U rose 0.1 percent in November, following an increase of 0.3

percent in October. The index for food rose 0.2 percent in November. The index for food at home, which declined

0.1 percent in October, increased 0.3 percent, reflecting upturns in the indexes for fruits and vegetables and for meats,

poultry, fish, and eggs. Energy costs, which had increased in each of the four preceding months, declined 0.2 percent

in November. Within energy, the index for petroleum-based energy declined 0.2 percent and the index for energy

services decreased 0.2 percent. Excluding food and energy, the CPI-U rose 0.2 percent in November, the same as in

October.

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

Seasonally adjusted UnCompound adjusted

Expenditure Changes from preceding month annual rate 12-mos.

Category 2002 3-mos. ended ended

May June July Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Nov. ’02 Nov.’02

All Items .0 .1 .1 .3 .2 .3 .1 2.2 2.2

 Food and beverages -.2 .1 .2 -.1 .2 .1 .3 2.3 1.3

 Housing .3 .1 .1 .3 .1 .3 .2 2.2 2.4

 Apparel -.6 -.9 -1.0 1.1 .1 .0 -.4 -1.3 -2.0

 Transportation -.4 .1 .3 .4 .3 .6 -.1 3.2 3.3

 Medical care .5 .2 .7 .2 .3 .6 .6 6.1 5.0

 Recreation -.1 -.3 .1 .1 .0 .3 .0 1.1 .9

 Education and

 communication .6 .3 .7 .7 -.2 .0 .0 -.7 2.1

 Other goods and

 services -.5 1.0 .0 .5 .4 -.5 .1 -.4 2.2

 Special Indexes

 Energy -.7 .0 .4 .6 .7 1.9 -.2 9.8 8.0

 Food -.2 .0 .2 -.1 .2 .1 .2 2.1 1.3

 All Items less

 food and energy .2 .1 .2 .3 .1 .2 .2 1.7 2.0

See page 3 and table 7 for the release of the Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers

(C-CPI-U), a new supplemental index of consumer price change.
During the first 11 months of 2002, the CPI-U rose at a 2.6 percent seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR).

This compares with an increase of 1.6 percent for all of 2001. The index for energy, which declined 13.0 percent in

2001, increased at a 12.5 percent SAAR in the first 11 months of 2002. Petroleum-based energy costs increased at

a 28.2 percent annual rate while charges for energy services showed no change. The food index has increased at a

1.3 percent SAAR thus far this year, following a 2.8 percent rise for all of 2001. Excluding food and energy, the CPIU advanced at a 2.1 percent SAAR in the first 11 months, following a 2.7 percent rise in all of 2001.

The food and beverages index increased 0.3 percent in November. The index for food at home, which

declined 0.1 percent in October, also increased 0.3 percent in November, reflecting upturns in the indexes for fruits

and vegetables and for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs. The index for fruits and vegetables increased 1.0 percent,

following a 0.9 percent decline in October. In November, the indexes for fresh vegetables and fresh fruits rose 2.1

and 1.4 percent, respectively, while the index for processed fruits and vegetables decreased 1.7 percent. The index

for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs, which declined 0.4 percent in October, increased 0.6 percent in November. Within

the index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs, the indexes for pork, poultry, fish and seafood, and eggs each turned up in

November. The index for beef, which rose 0.1 percent in October, increased 0.4 percent in November. Poultry

prices advanced in November despite a large decline in prices for turkey. The indexes for dairy products, for other

food at home, and for cereal and bakery products rose 0.4, 0.3, and 0.1 percent, respectively. The index for

nonalcoholic beverages decreased 0.7 percent, reflecting a drop in prices for carbonated drinks and noncarbonated

juices and drinks. The other two components of the food and beverages index, food away from home and alcoholic

beverages, increased 0.1 and 0.2 percent, respectively.

The index for housing rose 0.2 percent in November. Shelter costs increased 0.3 percent in November,

following a 0.2 percent rise in October. Within shelter, the index for rent rose 0.3 percent, owners' equivalent rent

increased 0.1 percent, and the index for lodging away from home advanced 0.7 percent. (Prior to seasonal

adjustment, the index for lodging away from home declined 3.2 percent.) The index for fuels and utilities was

unchanged in November. The index for fuel oil decreased 0.2 percent in November, but prices for fuel oil have risen

10.9 percent in the first 11 months of 2002. In November, the indexes for electricity and for natural gas declined 0.3

and 0.1 percent, respectively. (Prior to seasonal adjustment, fuel oil prices rose 2.1 percent and charges for natural

gas rose 4.5 percent, while charges for electricity fell 2.9 percent.) The index for household furnishings and operations

declined 0.1 percent in November.

The transportation index, which increased 0.6 percent in October, declined 0.1 percent in November. The

index for gasoline registered its first decline since May--down 0.4 percent in November after increasing 3.8 percent in

October. Gasoline prices have risen 29.8 percent thus far this year, but remain 15.2 percent below their peak level in

May 2001. The index for new vehicles turned down in November after registering increases of 0.5 and 0.4 percent in

September and October, respectively. During the last 12 months, new vehicle prices have declined 1.5 percent. (As

of November, about 55 percent of the new vehicle sample was represented by 2003 models. The 2003 models will

continue to be phased in, with appropriate adjustments for quality change, over the next several months as they

replace old models at dealerships. For a report on quality changes for the 2003 vehicles represented in the Producer

Price Index sample, see news release USDL-02-634, dated November 15, 2002.) The index for used cars and

trucks declined 1.4 percent in November to a level 5.5 percent lower than in November 2001. Airline fares declined

for the third consecutive month--down 0.8 percent in November--and are 3.2 percent lower than a year ago.

The index for apparel registered its first decline since July--down 0.4 percent in November. (Prior to seasonal

adjustment, apparel prices fell 1.0 percent, reflecting discounting of prices for women’s wear.)

The medical care index rose 0.6 percent in November to a level 5.0 percent above its level a year ago. The

index for medical care commodities--prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and medical supplies--increased 0.4

percent. The index for medical care services rose 0.6 percent in November. Charges for professional services rose

0.3 percent and those for hospital and related services increased 1.2 percent.

The index for recreation, which rose 0.3 percent in October, was unchanged in November. Continued

declines in the indexes for pets and pet products, for photography, and for toys, coupled with a smaller increase in the

index for admissions to movies, theaters, concerts, and sporting events, were responsible for the deceleration in this

major group.

In November, the index for education and communication was unchanged for the second consecutive month.

The education index rose 0.4 percent, reflecting an increase in the index for college textbooks. The index for
communication costs declined 0.4 percent, reflecting decreases in the indexes for telephone services and for personal

computers and peripheral equipment--down 0.1 and 3.4 percent, respectively.

The index for other goods and services, which declined 0.5 percent in October, increased 0.1 percent in

November. Prices for cigarettes were unchanged in November, following a 3.3 percent decline in October.

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 0.1 percent

in November.

 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 2002 3-mos. ended ended

May June July Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Nov. ’02 Nov. ’02

All Items -.1 .1 .2 .3 .2 .2 .1 2.1 2.1

 Food and beverages -.2 .1 .1 -.1 .2 .1 .2 2.1 1.2

 Housing .3 .1 .2 .2 .2 .3 .2 2.5 2.4

 Apparel -.8 -.9 -1.0 1.1 .1 -.2 -.2 -1.3 -2.0

 Transportation -.6 .2 .4 .5 .3 .5 -.2 2.1 3.4

 Medical care .5 .1 .8 .2 .3 .7 .6 6.4 5.1

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

 Education and

 communication .7 .3 .7 .7 -.2 .0 .0 -.7 1.8

 Other goods and

 services -.9 1.5 .0 .8 .6 -.9 .0 -1.3 2.6

 Special Indexes

 Energy -1.3 .2 .4 .7 .7 1.9 -.2 10.5 8.7

 Food -.2 .1 .2 -.1 .2 .1 .2 2.1 1.1

 All Items less

 food and energy .1 .1 .2 .3 .2 .1 .1 1.3 1.7

Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U)

The C-CPI-U declined 0.1 percent in November on a not seasonally adjusted basis. The November level of

106.1 (December 1999=100) was 1.9 percent higher than the index in November 2001. Table 7 contains the most

recent indexes for all items and the component series that are published. Data will be published monthly in the CPI

Detailed Report and are available on the CPI home page: http://www.bls.gov/cpi/. Please note that the indexes for the

post-2000 period are subject to revision.

--------

Consumer Price Index data for December are scheduled for release on Thursday, January 16, 2003, at 8:30

A.M. (EST). Releases for the remainder of 2003:

Feb. 21 May 16 Aug. 15 Nov. 18

Mar. 21 June 17 Sep. 16 Dec. 16 

Apr. 16 July 16 Oct. 16 Jan. 15, 2004
NOTE ON A NEW, SUPPLEMENTAL INDEX

 OF CONSUMER PRICE CHANGE

 The Bureau of Labor Statistics began publishing a consumer price index (CPI) called the Chained Consumer

Price Index for All Urban Consumers, effective with release of July data on August 16, 2002. Designated the C-CPIU, the index supplements the existing indexes already produced by the BLS: the CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U)

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

The C-CPI-U employs a Tornqvist formula and utilizes expenditure data in adjacent time periods in order to

reflect the effect of any substitution that consumers make across item categories in response to changes in relative

prices. The new measure, said to be a “superlative” index, is designed to be a closer approximation to a “cost-of-living”

index than the CPI-U and CPI-W. The use of expenditure data for both a base period and the current period in order

to average price change across item categories distinguishes the C-CPI-U from the other CPI measures, which use only

a single expenditure base period to compute the price change over time. In 1999, the BLS introduced a geometric

mean estimator for averaging prices within most of the index’s item categories in order to approximate the effect of

consumers’ responses to changes in relative prices within these item categories. The geometric mean estimator is used

in the C-CPI-U in the same item categories in which it is now used in the CPI-U and CPI-W. (See Monthly Labor

Review, October 1998, pp. 3-7.)

Expenditure data required for the calculation of the C-CPI-U are available only with a time lag. Thus, the CCPI-U is being issued first in preliminary form using the latest available expenditure data at this time and will be subject

to two subsequent revisions. Accordingly, with release of the July data, “final” values of the C-CPI-U have been issued

for the 12 months of 2000, “interim” values have been issued for the 12 months of 2001, and “initial” values have been

issued for January-July of 2002. In February 2003, with release of the January 2003 index, revised interim indexes for

the 12 months of 2002 will be published, and the index values for 2001 will be revised and will become final. Then, in

February 2004, when the monthly expenditure data from calendar year 2002 become available, C-CPI-U indexes for

the 12 months of 2002 will be issued in final form and values for the 12 months of 2003 will be revised and issued as

interim. The C-CPI-U index revisions are expected to be small, but in principle each monthly index could be revised

from its previously published level.
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 26 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 1997 through 2001 were replaced

at the end of 2001. 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: 39 of the 73 components are seasonally adjusted for 2002.

 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 a large increase in

coffee prices due to adverse weather. The procedure was used to account for unusual butter fat supply reductions and

decreases in milk supply affecting the Fats and oils series. For the Water and sewerage maintenance index, the

procedure was used to account for a data collection anomaly. It was used to offset an increase in summer demand in

the Midwest and South for Electricity. For New vehicles, New cars, and New trucks, the procedure was used to offset

the effects of a model changeover combined with financing incentives.
 A description of Intervention Analysis Seasonal Adjustment, as well as a list of unusual events modeled and seasonal

factors for these items may be obtained by writing the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Division of Consumer Prices and

Price Indexes, Washington, DC 20212 or by calling Daniel Chow on (202) 691-6968 or sending e-mail to

Chow_Dan@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

2001

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Nov. 2002 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Oct.

2002

Nov.

2002

Nov.

2001

Oct.

2002

Aug. to

Sep.

Sep. to

Oct.

Oct. to

Nov.

Expenditure category

All items ..................................................................................... 100.000 181.3 181.3 2.2 0.0 0.2 0.3 0.1 

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

 543.2 543.1 - - - - -

Food and beverages ............................................................... 15.719 177.1 177.4 1.3 .2 .2 .1 .3 

Food ...................................................................................... 14.688 176.5 176.8 1.3 .2 .2 .1 .2 

Food at home ...................................................................... 8.468 175.1 175.5 .5 .2 .3 -.1 .3 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................ 1.298 198.9 198.3 1.7 -.3 .4 .4 .1 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ........................................... 2.271 161.3 162.1 -.4 .5 -.2 -.4 .6 

Dairy and related products 1 .............................................. .916 166.5 167.1 -2.4 .4 -.5 .1 .4 

Fruits and vegetables ........................................................ 1.204 217.4 219.8 3.2 1.1 .0 -.9 1.0 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ............. .967 140.5 139.1 -.3 -1.0 2.2 .1 -.7 

Other food at home ........................................................... 1.811 160.9 161.1 .5 .1 .5 .3 .3 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................ .315 159.9 158.5 2.3 -.9 -.3 .4 .1 

Fats and oils .................................................................... .265 155.9 153.4 -1.4 -1.6 1.1 .1 -1.0 

Other foods ...................................................................... 1.232 177.0 178.3 .4 .7 .6 .3 .7 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... .289 109.8 110.3 -.3 .5 .4 .1 .5 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 6.220 179.6 179.8 2.3 .1 .2 .2 .1 

Other food away from home 1 2 ......................................... .383 119.1 119.7 3.7 .5 .6 .3 .5 

Alcoholic beverages .............................................................. 1.031 184.7 185.1 2.2 .2 -.2 .4 .2 

Housing ................................................................................... 40.873 181.4 181.2 2.4 -.1 .1 .3 .2 

Shelter ................................................................................... 31.522 209.7 209.6 3.3 .0 .1 .2 .3 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 6.421 201.3 202.0 3.3 .3 .1 .3 .3 

Lodging away from home 2 3 ................................................ 2.702 117.0 113.2 1.4 -3.2 -.6 .0 .7 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 22.046 216.8 217.3 3.4 .2 .2 .3 .1 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. .353 110.0 111.4 4.2 1.3 .4 .0 1.3 

Fuels and utilities ................................................................... 4.511 144.4 143.6 .1 -.6 .4 .4 .0 

Fuels .................................................................................... 3.654 127.9 127.0 -.6 -.7 .4 .5 -.2 

Fuel oil and other fuels ...................................................... .188 119.3 121.8 3.0 2.1 1.2 1.7 .8 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 3.466 134.9 133.7 -.7 -.9 .4 .4 -.2 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. .857 113.9 114.3 3.3 .4 .2 .4 .4 

Household furnishings and operations .................................. 4.840 128.0 127.8 -1.0 -.2 -.2 .3 -.1 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... .820 119.7 119.9 2.6 .2 .4 .0 .2 

Apparel .................................................................................... 4.399 126.8 125.5 -2.0 -1.0 .1 .0 -.4 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ....................................................... 1.122 122.8 123.2 -3.3 .3 .1 -.2 .3 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ................................................... 1.807 120.5 118.0 -1.2 -2.1 -.4 .3 -.8 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel 1 .............................................. .203 127.7 127.5 -3.7 -.2 1.5 1.2 -.2 

Footwear ............................................................................... .874 123.0 122.7 -.8 -.2 .6 -.3 -.1 

Transportation ......................................................................... 17.055 154.9 155.2 3.3 .2 .3 .6 -.1 

Private transportation ............................................................ 15.845 151.1 151.5 3.7 .3 .3 .7 -.1 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 8.614 98.9 98.8 -2.5 -.1 .1 -.2 -.5 

New vehicles ..................................................................... 5.083 139.5 140.4 -1.5 .6 .5 .4 -.1 

Used cars and trucks ......................................................... 2.195 150.7 148.8 -5.5 -1.3 -.8 -1.6 -1.4 

Motor fuel ............................................................................ 2.564 124.5 124.4 19.0 -.1 1.0 3.4 -.2 

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................ 2.536 123.9 123.8 19.3 -.1 1.0 3.8 -.4 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... .421 106.9 107.2 1.3 .3 -.3 -.5 .3 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................ 1.400 191.8 192.8 3.4 .5 .0 .1 .5 

Public transportation .............................................................. 1.211 203.4 202.3 -1.4 -.5 -.9 -1.6 .9 

Medical care ............................................................................ 5.810 289.2 290.5 5.0 .4 .3 .6 .6 

Medical care commodities ..................................................... 1.377 258.3 259.1 3.4 .3 .2 .3 .4 

Medical care services ............................................................ 4.434 297.1 298.5 5.5 .5 .4 .7 .6 

Professional services 3 ......................................................... 2.784 256.0 256.5 3.1 .2 .0 .6 .3 

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 1.353 376.7 380.7 9.7 1.1 .7 .9 1.2 

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

2001

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Nov. 2002 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Oct.

2002

Nov.

2002

Nov.

2001

Oct.

2002

Aug. to

Sep.

Sep. to

Oct.

Oct. to

Nov.

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 6.019 106.4 106.4 0.9 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.0 

Video and audio 2 ................................................................... 1.645 102.6 103.0 1.6 .4 .3 .4 .4 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 5.813 109.4 109.3 2.1 -.1 -.2 .0 .0 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 2.726 129.9 130.0 6.3 .1 .6 .3 .4 

Educational books and supplies .......................................... .220 323.2 324.0 6.3 .2 -.1 -.1 1.1 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ............................. 2.506 373.8 374.1 6.3 .1 .7 .4 .4 

Communication 1 2 ................................................................. 3.087 92.2 91.8 -1.6 -.4 -.8 -.3 -.4 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 2.903 90.4 90.0 -2.4 -.4 -.9 -.3 -.4 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 2.324 99.9 99.8 .2 -.1 -.5 -.2 -.1 

Information and information processing other than

telephone services 1 5 ................................................ .580 17.7 17.3 -13.5 -2.3 -2.7 -.6 -2.3 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... .275 20.7 20.0 -22.5 -3.4 -4.1 -1.9 -3.4 

Other goods and services ....................................................... 4.312 295.4 295.6 2.2 .1 .4 -.5 .1 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... .928 470.6 470.4 5.3 .0 1.6 -3.1 .0 

Personal care 1 ...................................................................... 3.384 175.3 175.5 1.7 .1 .0 .2 .1 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... .706 154.6 154.2 -.8 -.3 .1 .1 -.3 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... .901 189.3 189.9 1.7 .3 .1 .1 .3 

Miscellaneous personal services ......................................... 1.562 276.0 276.6 3.2 .2 -.1 .3 .3 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ............................................................................. 41.300 150.7 150.6 .7 -.1 .2 .1 -.1 

Food and beverages ............................................................... 15.719 177.1 177.4 1.3 .2 .2 .1 .3 

Commodities less food and beverages ................................... 25.582 135.5 135.2 .4 -.2 .1 .2 -.3 

Nondurables less food and beverages .................................. 13.493 148.4 148.0 3.6 -.3 -.6 .8 .5 

Apparel ................................................................................ 4.399 126.8 125.5 -2.0 -1.0 .1 .0 -.4 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel ................. 9.094 166.0 166.0 6.3 .0 -1.0 1.3 .8 

Durables ................................................................................ 12.089 120.6 120.5 -3.0 -.1 -.2 -.2 -.5 

Services ..................................................................................... 58.700 211.7 211.8 3.3 .0 .2 .3 .3 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 31.169 218.4 218.2 3.3 -.1 .1 .3 .1 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... .353 110.0 111.4 4.2 1.3 .4 .0 1.3 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 3.466 134.9 133.7 -.7 -.9 .4 .4 -.2 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... .857 113.9 114.3 3.3 .4 .2 .4 .4 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... .820 119.7 119.9 2.6 .2 .4 .0 .2 

Transportation services ........................................................... 6.638 210.9 212.0 3.8 .5 .1 .1 .6 

Medical care services .............................................................. 4.434 297.1 298.5 5.5 .5 .4 .7 .6 

Other services ......................................................................... 10.963 249.7 249.9 3.3 .1 .1 .3 .2 

Special indexes

All items less food ..................................................................... 85.312 182.2 182.1 2.4 -.1 .2 .3 .1 

All items less shelter .................................................................. 68.478 172.2 172.3 1.8 .1 .2 .2 .1 

All items less medical care ........................................................ 94.190 175.6 175.6 2.1 .0 .2 .2 .1 

Commodities less food .............................................................. 26.612 137.3 137.0 .4 -.2 .1 .2 -.3 

Nondurables less food ............................................................... 14.524 150.6 150.2 3.5 -.3 -.6 .7 .5 

Nondurables less food and apparel ........................................... 10.125 166.9 166.9 5.8 .0 -.9 1.3 .7 

Nondurables .............................................................................. 29.212 163.0 162.9 2.4 -.1 -.2 .3 .5 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 27.531 219.9 220.2 3.2 .1 .3 .4 .3 

Services less medical care services .......................................... 54.266 204.2 204.3 3.1 .0 .2 .2 .2 

Energy ....................................................................................... 6.218 125.8 125.3 8.0 -.4 .7 1.9 -.2 

All items less energy ................................................................. 93.782 188.8 188.9 1.9 .1 .1 .2 .2 

All items less food and energy ................................................ 79.094 191.8 191.8 2.0 .0 .1 .2 .2 

Commodities less food and energy commodities .................. 23.860 143.9 143.6 -1.6 -.2 .0 -.1 -.3 

Energy commodities ............................................................ 2.752 124.8 124.9 18.1 .1 1.0 3.3 -.2 

Services less energy services ............................................... 55.234 219.5 219.8 3.5 .1 .1 .3 .3 

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

 $ .552 $ .552 - - - - -

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

 $ .184 $ .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 converted to a geometric means estimator in

January, 1999.

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—

Aug.

2002

Sep.

2002

Oct.

2002

Nov.

2002

Feb.

2002

May

2002

Aug.

2002

Nov.

2002

May

2002

Nov.

2002

Expenditure category

All items ..................................................................................... 180.5 180.8 181.3 181.5 1.1 3.4 2.2 2.2 2.3 2.2 

Food and beverages ............................................................... 176.6 177.0 177.1 177.6 2.3 .0 .7 2.3 1.1 1.5

Food ...................................................................................... 176.0 176.4 176.5 176.9 2.3 .0 .5 2.1 1.1 1.3 

Food at home ...................................................................... 174.8 175.4 175.2 175.8 2.1 -1.1 -1.4 2.3 .5 .5 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................ 197.6 198.4 199.1 199.2 3.9 .4 -.8 3.3 2.2 1.2 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ........................................... 161.7 161.4 160.7 161.7 -1.0 2.5 -2.9 .0 .7 -1.5 

Dairy and related products 1 .............................................. 167.2 166.3 166.5 167.1 -2.5 -2.6 -4.2 -.2 -2.6 -2.2 

Fruits and vegetables ........................................................ 220.3 220.4 218.4 220.6 21.2 -8.8 2.4 .5 5.1 1.5 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ............. 137.6 140.6 140.7 139.7 -3.9 -.9 -2.0 6.2 -2.4 2.0 

Other food at home ........................................................... 159.9 160.7 161.2 161.7 -1.2 -1.2 .0 4.6 -1.2 2.3

Sugar and sweets ............................................................ 159.7 159.3 160.0 160.1 3.9 -.5 5.2 1.0 1.7 3.1 

Fats and oils .................................................................... 153.6 155.3 155.4 153.9 2.3 -3.0 -5.5 .8 -.4 -2.4 

Other foods ...................................................................... 176.0 177.0 177.5 178.7 -3.3 -1.1 .0 6.3 -2.2 3.1 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... 109.3 109.7 109.8 110.3 -9.1 3.4 1.5 3.7 -3.1 2.6 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 178.8 179.2 179.6 179.8 2.8 1.4 2.7 2.3 2.1 2.5 

Other food away from home 1 2 ......................................... 118.1 118.8 119.1 119.7 1.4 4.6 3.5 5.5 3.0 4.5 

Alcoholic beverages .............................................................. 184.2 183.9 184.7 185.1 2.7 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.3 2.0 

Housing ................................................................................... 180.9 181.1 181.6 181.9 2.7 2.9 2.0 2.2 2.8 2.1 

Shelter ................................................................................... 209.0 209.3 209.8 210.4 5.0 3.1 2.7 2.7 4.1 2.7 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 200.4 200.7 201.3 202.0 4.4 3.1 2.8 3.2 3.7 3.0 

Lodging away from home 2 3 ................................................ 118.9 118.2 118.2 119.0 6.6 1.0 -1.7 .3 3.8 -.7 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 215.7 216.2 216.8 217.1 4.5 3.2 3.4 2.6 3.8 3.0 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. 109.6 110.0 110.0 111.4 -.4 3.0 7.6 6.7 1.3 7.2 

Fuels and utilities ................................................................... 143.7 144.3 144.9 144.9 -7.8 5.8 .3 3.4 -1.2 1.8 

Fuels .................................................................................... 127.4 127.9 128.5 128.3 -10.4 6.5 .0 2.9 -2.3 1.4 

Fuel oil and other fuels ...................................................... 117.6 119.0 121.0 122.0 -31.3 24.6 13.2 15.8 -7.5 14.5 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 134.4 134.9 135.5 135.2 -8.5 5.5 -.9 2.4 -1.8 .7 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. 113.3 113.5 113.9 114.3 3.7 3.3 2.1 3.6 3.5 2.9 

Household furnishings and operations .................................. 128.1 127.8 128.2 128.1 -2.1 .9 -2.5 .0 -.6 -1.2 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... 119.2 119.7 119.7 119.9 3.5 1.7 2.7 2.4 2.6 2.5 

Apparel .................................................................................... 123.7 123.8 123.8 123.3 -3.5 .3 -3.2 -1.3 -1.6 -2.2 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ....................................................... 120.6 120.7 120.4 120.8 -5.9 -3.2 -4.5 .7 -4.6 -2.0 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ................................................... 116.3 115.8 116.1 115.2 1.7 -2.7 .7 -3.7 -.5 -1.5 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel 1 .............................................. 124.3 126.2 127.7 127.5 -14.8 .6 -9.4 10.7 -7.4 .2 

Footwear ............................................................................... 120.9 121.6 121.2 121.1 -3.6 7.1 -7.0 .7 1.6 -3.2 

Transportation ......................................................................... 153.9 154.3 155.2 155.1 -3.2 10.6 3.2 3.2 3.5 3.2 

Private transportation ............................................................ 149.8 150.3 151.4 151.3 -3.3 10.9 3.8 4.1 3.6 3.9 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 99.2 99.3 99.1 98.6 -4.3 -3.6 .8 -2.4 -3.9 -.8 

New vehicles ..................................................................... 139.2 139.9 140.4 140.3 -5.2 -2.8 -.9 3.2 -4.0 1.2 

Used cars and trucks ......................................................... 153.7 152.4 149.9 147.8 -4.5 -6.3 4.5 -14.5 -5.4 -5.4 

Motor fuel ............................................................................ 119.7 120.9 125.0 124.7 -13.4 80.1 9.6 17.8 24.9 13.6 

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................ 119.0 120.2 124.8 124.3 -13.5 78.7 10.0 19.0 24.4 14.4 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... 107.7 107.4 106.9 107.2 1.1 2.7 3.4 -1.8 1.9 .8 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................ 191.2 191.2 191.4 192.4 3.7 5.0 2.3 2.5 4.3 2.4 

Public transportation .............................................................. 208.2 206.3 203.1 205.0 -.2 7.5 -6.1 -6.0 3.6 -6.1 

Medical care ............................................................................ 287.1 288.0 289.8 291.4 4.2 5.2 4.4 6.1 4.7 5.3 

Medical care commodities ..................................................... 257.5 257.9 258.8 259.9 4.2 2.1 3.7 3.8 3.1 3.7 

Medical care services ............................................................ 294.4 295.5 297.7 299.4 4.3 6.3 4.5 7.0 5.3 5.7 

Professional services 3 ......................................................... 254.9 255.0 256.5 257.2 2.1 2.4 4.0 3.7 2.3 3.8 

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 370.6 373.3 376.7 381.1 9.0 12.0 6.0 11.8 10.5 8.9 

See footnotes at end of table.
Table 2. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): Seasonally adjusted U.S. city average, by expenditure category

and commodity and service group-Continued

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-U

Seasonally adjusted indexes Seasonally adjusted annual rate percent change for

3 months ended— 6 months

ended—

Aug.

2002

Sep.

2002

Oct.

2002

Nov.

2002

Feb.

2002

May

2002

Aug.

2002

Nov.

2002

May

2002

Nov.

2002

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 106.2 106.2 106.5 106.5 0.8 1.5 -0.4 1.1 1.1 0.4 

Video and audio 1 2 ................................................................ 102.2 102.5 102.9 103.3 3.2 .8 -2.3 4.4 2.0 1.0 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 109.0 108.8 108.8 108.8 2.7 -.4 7.3 -.7 1.1 3.2 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 127.2 128.0 128.4 128.9 6.4 4.6 8.6 5.5 5.5 7.0 

Educational books and supplies .......................................... 321.2 320.9 320.6 324.0 10.2 7.0 4.7 3.5 8.6 4.1 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ............................. 365.6 368.0 369.4 370.8 5.9 4.5 9.0 5.8 5.2 7.4 

Communication 1 2 ................................................................. 93.2 92.5 92.2 91.8 -.9 -5.1 5.8 -5.9 -3.0 -.2 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 91.5 90.7 90.4 90.0 -.9 -5.5 3.6 -6.4 -3.2 -1.5 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 100.6 100.1 99.9 99.8 2.8 -3.9 5.3 -3.1 -.6 1.0 

Information and information processing other than

telephone services 1 5 ................................................ 18.3 17.8 17.7 17.3 -18.5 -10.1 -4.3 -20.1 -14.4 -12.6 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... 22.0 21.1 20.7 20.0 -27.6 -12.8 -16.3 -31.7 -20.5 -24.4 

Other goods and services ....................................................... 295.9 297.0 295.4 295.6 1.4 1.8 6.2 -.4 1.6 2.8

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... 478.2 485.8 470.6 470.4 2.3 -.3 28.7 -6.4 1.0 9.8 

Personal care 1 ...................................................................... 174.9 174.9 175.3 175.5 2.6 2.3 .5 1.4 2.4 .9 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... 154.3 154.4 154.6 154.2 .3 -1.8 -1.3 -.3 -.8 -.8 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... 189.1 189.2 189.3 189.9 -.9 4.1 1.7 1.7 1.6 1.7 

Miscellaneous personal services ......................................... 275.4 275.2 276.0 276.9 4.4 4.0 2.2 2.2 4.2 2.2 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ............................................................................. 150.0 150.3 150.5 150.4 -2.1 3.6 .8 1.1 .7 .9 

Food and beverages ............................................................... 176.6 177.0 177.1 177.6 2.3 .0 .7 2.3 1.1 1.5

Commodities less food and beverages ................................... 134.6 134.8 135.1 134.7 -4.7 5.5 .9 .3 .3 .6 

Nondurables less food and beverages .................................. 146.8 145.9 147.1 147.8 -4.7 12.8 4.5 2.8 3.7 3.6 

Apparel ................................................................................ 123.7 123.8 123.8 123.3 -3.5 .3 -3.2 -1.3 -1.6 -2.2 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel ................. 165.2 163.6 165.7 167.1 -5.7 19.6 7.9 4.7 6.2 6.3 

Durables ................................................................................ 121.3 121.1 120.9 120.3 -5.1 -2.9 -.7 -3.3 -4.0 -2.0 

Services ..................................................................................... 210.8 211.2 211.8 212.4 3.5 3.5 3.1 3.1 3.5 3.1 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 217.6 217.9 218.6 218.9 4.8 3.0 2.8 2.4 3.9 2.6 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... 109.6 110.0 110.0 111.4 -.4 3.0 7.6 6.7 1.3 7.2 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 134.4 134.9 135.5 135.2 -8.5 5.5 -.9 2.4 -1.8 .7 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... 113.3 113.5 113.9 114.3 3.7 3.3 2.1 3.6 3.5 2.9 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... 119.2 119.7 119.7 119.9 3.5 1.7 2.7 2.4 2.6 2.5 

Transportation services ........................................................... 210.3 210.6 210.8 212.0 4.0 5.1 2.7 3.3 4.6 3.0 

Medical care services .............................................................. 294.4 295.5 297.7 299.4 4.3 6.3 4.5 7.0 5.3 5.7 

Other services ......................................................................... 248.1 248.4 249.1 249.7 3.0 2.5 5.3 2.6 2.8 4.0 

Special indexes

All items less food ..................................................................... 181.3 181.6 182.1 182.3 .9 4.1 2.5 2.2 2.5 2.3 

All items less shelter .................................................................. 171.3 171.7 172.1 172.2 -.5 3.8 1.7 2.1 1.7 1.9 

All items less medical care ........................................................ 174.9 175.2 175.6 175.7 1.2 3.3 2.1 1.8 2.2 2.0 

Commodities less food .............................................................. 136.5 136.7 137.0 136.6 -4.3 5.5 .9 .3 .4 .6 

Nondurables less food ............................................................... 149.1 148.2 149.3 150.0 -4.6 11.9 4.7 2.4 3.3 3.6 

Nondurables less food and apparel ........................................... 166.1 164.6 166.7 167.9 -4.9 17.4 7.6 4.4 5.6 6.0 

Nondurables .............................................................................. 162.0 161.6 162.1 162.9 -1.5 6.2 2.8 2.2 2.3 2.5 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 218.7 219.3 220.1 220.7 1.1 4.2 4.1 3.7 2.6 3.9 

Services less medical care services .......................................... 203.4 203.9 204.4 204.9 3.1 3.6 2.8 3.0 3.3 2.9 

Energy ....................................................................................... 123.2 124.1 126.4 126.1 -11.2 34.4 4.0 9.8 9.3 6.8 

All items less energy ................................................................. 188.2 188.4 188.7 189.0 2.2 1.5 2.2 1.7 1.8 1.9 

All items less food and energy ................................................ 191.1 191.3 191.6 191.9 2.1 2.1 2.1 1.7 2.1 1.9 

Commodities less food and energy commodities .................. 143.7 143.7 143.5 143.1 -3.0 -1.4 -.3 -1.7 -2.2 -1.0 

Energy commodities ............................................................ 120.2 121.4 125.4 125.1 -14.3 75.5 9.9 17.3 22.7 13.5 

Services less energy services ............................................... 218.6 218.9 219.6 220.2 4.4 3.4 3.4 3.0 3.9 3.2 

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 converted to a geometric means estimator in

January, 1999. 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

Nov.2002 from—

Percent change to

Oct.2002 from—

Aug.

2002

Sep.

2002

Oct.

2002

Nov.

2002

Nov.

2001

Sep.

2002

Oct.

2002

Oct.

2001

Aug.

2002

Sep.

2002

U.S. city average ........................................... M 180.7 181.0 181.3 181.3 2.2 0.2 0.0 2.0 0.3 0.2 

Region and area size2

Northeast urban ............................................. M 189.3 189.5 189.9 190.1 2.8 .3 .1 2.6 .3 .2 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ................... M 191.3 191.2 191.5 191.7 3.0 .3 .1 2.8 .1 .2 

Size B/C 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................. M 112.0 112.6 113.0 113.1 2.0 .4 .1 2.2 .9 .4 

Midwest urban ............................................... M 175.8 176.2 176.3 176.1 2.1 -.1 -.1 2.1 .3 .1 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 .................. M 178.2 178.8 178.7 178.3 2.4 -.3 -.2 2.4 .3 -.1 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 111.4 111.5 111.9 111.7 1.5 .2 -.2 1.7 .4 .4 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) .............................................. M 169.7 170.0 170.2 170.4 2.5 .2 .1 2.0 .3 .1 

South urban ................................................... M 173.8 174.2 174.9 174.9 2.3 .4 .0 1.9 .6 .4 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ................... M 175.4 175.7 176.5 176.1 2.3 .2 -.2 2.0 .6 .5 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ............... M 110.9 111.2 111.6 111.9 2.3 .6 .3 1.7 .6 .4 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) .............................................. M 172.7 172.6 172.9 173.0 2.4 .2 .1 1.8 .1 .2 

West urban .................................................... M 185.3 185.7 185.8 185.8 1.9 .1 .0 1.8 .3 .1 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 .................. M 187.9 188.2 188.4 188.4 2.2 .1 .0 2.1 .3 .1 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 113.0 113.1 113.3 113.1 1.0 .0 -.2 1.1 .3 .2 

Size classes

A 4 .............................................................. M 165.3 165.5 165.8 165.7 2.5 .1 -.1 2.3 .3 .2 

B/C 3 ........................................................... M 111.5 111.8 112.1 112.2 1.8 .4 .1 1.6 .5 .3 

D ................................................................ M 173.9 174.3 174.3 174.5 2.2 .1 .1 1.6 .2 .0 

Selected local areas5

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI .................. M 181.6 182.1 182.8 183.2 3.3 .6 .2 2.6 .7 .4 

Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA .. M 183.0 183.4 183.7 184.0 3.3 .3 .2 3.0 .4 .2 

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

NY-NJ-CT-PA ........................................ M 193.1 193.3 193.7 193.4 3.0 .1 -.2 3.1 .3 .2 

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

 199.1 - 200.4 4.0 .7 - - - -

Cleveland-Akron, OH ..................................... 1 - 174.6 - 173.4 .6 -.7 - - - -

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

 173.2 - 173.6 1.2 .2 - - - -

Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV 6 ...... 1 - 114.0 - 114.0 2.8 .0 - - - -

Atlanta, GA .................................................... 2 179.7 -

 179.4 - - - - 1.5 -.2 -

Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI ............................. 2 180.9 -

 180.4 - - - - 3.2 -.3 -

Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX ................... 2 160.1 - 162.6 - - - - 2.0 1.6 -

Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ............................ 2 175.2 -

 177.0 - - - - 1.6 1.0 -

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,

PA-NJ-DE-MD ....................................... 2 188.3 -

 185.8 - - - - 1.6 -1.3 -

San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA .......... 2 193.5 -

 194.3 - - - - 1.4 .4 -

Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA ................... 2 190.3 - 190.9 - - - - 1.6 .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: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.

 

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. 
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

2001

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Nov. 2002 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Oct.

2002

Nov.

2002

Nov.

2001

Oct.

2002

Aug. to

Sep.

Sep. to

Oct.

Oct. to

Nov.

Expenditure category

All items ..................................................................................... 100.000 177.3 177.4 2.1 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.1 

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

 528.2 528.4 - - - - -

Food and beverages ............................................................... 17.229 176.3 176.6 1.2 .2 .2 .1 .2 

Food ...................................................................................... 16.228 175.7 176.0 1.1 .2 .2 .1 .2 

Food at home ...................................................................... 9.798 174.2 174.5 .5 .2 .2 -.1 .3 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................ 1.468 198.9 198.2 1.8 -.4 .6 .3 .1 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ........................................... 2.831 161.2 162.1 -.3 .6 -.4 -.3 .6 

Dairy and related products 1 .............................................. 1.021 166.4 166.9 -2.5 .3 -.5 .2 .3 

Fruits and vegetables ........................................................ 1.307 216.2 218.0 3.1 .8 .0 -.9 .8 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ............. 1.132 139.9 138.6 -.1 -.9 2.3 .1 -.8 

Other food at home ........................................................... 2.038 160.3 160.7 .6 .2 .5 .2 .5 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................ .339 159.5 158.2 2.3 -.8 -.1 .2 .1 

Fats and oils .................................................................... .316 155.8 153.4 -1.1 -1.5 1.0 .1 -.9 

Other foods ...................................................................... 1.383 177.2 178.8 .6 .9 .5 .3 .9 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... .310 110.1 111.0 .2 .8 .2 .0 .8 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 6.430 179.4 179.7 2.2 .2 .2 .2 .2 

Other food away from home 1 2 ......................................... .275 119.6 120.0 3.6 .3 .7 .3 .3 

Alcoholic beverages .............................................................. 1.001 184.3 184.6 2.1 .2 -.2 .6 .1 

Housing ................................................................................... 38.141 176.9 176.9 2.4 .0 .2 .3 .2 

Shelter ................................................................................... 29.212 203.5 203.7 3.3 .1 .2 .3 .2 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 8.395 200.6 201.3 3.3 .3 .1 .3 .2 

Lodging away from home 2 3 ................................................ 1.523 117.7 114.0 2.0 -3.1 -.3 .3 .8 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 18.980 196.9 197.4 3.4 .3 .4 .3 .2 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. .314 110.1 111.2 3.8 1.0 .4 .0 1.0 

Fuels and utilities ................................................................... 4.829 143.6 143.0 .1 -.4 .3 .5 .1 

Fuels .................................................................................... 3.955 126.7 126.0 -.6 -.6 .2 .6 .0 

Fuel oil and other fuels ...................................................... .177 118.6 121.0 2.1 2.0 1.6 2.1 .9 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 3.778 133.8 132.9 -.6 -.7 .2 .5 -.1 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. .873 114.0 114.3 3.2 .3 .3 .3 .4 

Household furnishings and operations .................................. 4.101 123.9 123.7 -1.5 -.2 -.4 .3 -.2 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... .357 120.4 120.8 2.5 .3 .2 .2 .3 

Apparel .................................................................................... 4.831 125.5 124.6 -2.0 -.7 .1 -.2 -.2 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ....................................................... 1.243 122.3 122.7 -3.6 .3 -.2 -.5 .3 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ................................................... 1.864 119.3 117.2 -.7 -1.8 -.3 .3 -.8 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel 1 .............................................. .256 129.5 129.7 -3.4 .2 1.3 .9 .2 

Footwear ............................................................................... 1.165 122.3 122.5 -1.4 .2 .4 -.7 .2 

Transportation ......................................................................... 19.393 154.0 154.2 3.4 .1 .3 .5 -.2 

Private transportation ............................................................ 18.452 151.4 151.6 3.6 .1 .3 .6 -.2 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 10.145 99.0 98.7 -2.9 -.3 -.1 -.4 -.8 

New vehicles ..................................................................... 4.897 140.7 141.5 -1.6 .6 .5 .4 -.2 

Used cars and trucks ......................................................... 4.099 151.5 149.7 -5.4 -1.2 -.8 -1.6 -1.4 

Motor fuel ............................................................................ 3.153 124.9 124.8 19.5 -.1 1.2 3.5 -.5 

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................ 3.120 124.4 124.3 19.7 -.1 1.3 3.4 -.3 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... .530 106.2 106.5 1.4 .3 -.3 -.5 .3 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................ 1.438 193.3 194.3 3.5 .5 -.1 .1 .6 

Public transportation .............................................................. .941 199.2 198.5 -.9 -.4 -.9 -1.2 .8 

Medical care ............................................................................ 4.620 288.3 289.6 5.1 .5 .3 .7 .6 

Medical care commodities ..................................................... 1.006 252.8 253.5 3.2 .3 .2 .2 .5 

Medical care services ............................................................ 3.614 296.9 298.4 5.6 .5 .3 .8 .6 

Professional services 3 ......................................................... 2.245 258.2 258.7 3.1 .2 .0 .7 .4 

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 1.092 372.6 376.7 9.9 1.1 .6 1.1 1.2 

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

2001

Unadjusted

indexes

Unadjusted

percent change to

Nov. 2002 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Oct.

2002

Nov.

2002

Nov.

2001

Oct.

2002

Aug. to

Sep.

Sep. to

Oct.

Oct. to

Nov.

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 5.649 104.6 104.6 0.6 0.0 0.0 0.3 -0.1 

Video and audio 2 ................................................................... 1.803 101.8 102.2 1.5 .4 .1 .6 .4 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 5.637 109.0 108.8 1.8 -.2 -.2 .0 .0 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 2.382 129.6 129.7 6.1 .1 .6 .3 .5 

Educational books and supplies .......................................... .203 324.2 325.0 5.2 .2 .0 .2 1.2 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ............................. 2.178 365.7 366.0 6.1 .1 .7 .3 .4 

Communication 1 2 ................................................................. 3.255 93.6 93.3 -1.3 -.3 -.7 -.3 -.3 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 3.107 92.4 92.0 -1.9 -.4 -.7 -.3 -.4 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 2.591 100.2 100.1 .4 -.1 -.5 -.1 -.1 

Information and information processing other than

telephone services 1 5 ................................................ .516 18.3 17.9 -13.9 -2.2 -2.1 -1.1 -2.2 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... .253 20.4 19.7 -22.7 -3.4 -4.1 -1.9 -3.4 

Other goods and services ....................................................... 4.499 304.9 305.0 2.6 .0 .6 -.9 .0 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... 1.441 473.1 472.8 5.5 -.1 1.6 -3.1 -.1 

Personal care 1 ...................................................................... 3.059 174.8 174.9 1.5 .1 .1 .2 .1 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... .815 155.5 155.0 -.7 -.3 .1 .2 -.3 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... .900 190.1 190.6 1.7 .3 .1 .1 .3 

Miscellaneous personal services ......................................... 1.161 275.9 276.6 3.4 .3 .0 .3 .3 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ............................................................................. 45.559 151.4 151.3 .8 -.1 .2 .1 -.1 

Food and beverages ............................................................... 17.229 176.3 176.6 1.2 .2 .2 .1 .2 

Commodities less food and beverages ................................... 28.330 136.9 136.5 .4 -.3 .1 .1 -.4 

Nondurables less food and beverages .................................. 14.685 150.6 150.2 4.2 -.3 -.8 .8 .7 

Apparel ................................................................................ 4.831 125.5 124.6 -2.0 -.7 .1 -.2 -.2 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel ................. 9.854 169.7 169.6 7.2 -.1 -1.1 1.3 .9 

Durables ................................................................................ 13.645 121.0 120.6 -3.4 -.3 -.2 -.3 -.7 

Services ..................................................................................... 54.441 207.8 208.1 3.3 .1 .2 .3 .2 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 28.898 196.1 196.2 3.3 .1 .2 .3 .3 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... .314 110.1 111.2 3.8 1.0 .4 .0 1.0 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 3.778 133.8 132.9 -.6 -.7 .2 .5 -.1 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... .873 114.0 114.3 3.2 .3 .3 .3 .4 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... .357 120.4 120.8 2.5 .3 .2 .2 .3 

Transportation services ........................................................... 6.573 210.0 211.4 4.5 .7 .2 .2 .6 

Medical care services .............................................................. 3.614 296.9 298.4 5.6 .5 .3 .8 .6 

Other services ......................................................................... 10.033 244.6 244.8 3.2 .1 .1 .2 .2 

Special indexes

All items less food ..................................................................... 83.772 177.5 177.5 2.4 .0 .2 .3 .1 

All items less shelter .................................................................. 70.788 169.7 169.7 1.7 .0 .1 .2 .1 

All items less medical care ........................................................ 95.380 172.5 172.5 2.0 .0 .2 .2 .1 

Commodities less food .............................................................. 29.331 138.6 138.3 .5 -.2 .1 .1 -.4 

Nondurables less food ............................................................... 15.687 152.6 152.3 4.0 -.2 -.7 .8 .6 

Nondurables less food and apparel ........................................... 10.855 170.3 170.2 6.7 -.1 -1.1 1.3 .8 

Nondurables .............................................................................. 31.915 163.9 163.9 2.6 .0 -.2 .3 .5 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 25.543 195.2 195.6 3.3 .2 .2 .4 .3 

Services less medical care services .......................................... 50.827 200.7 200.9 3.1 .1 .4 .2 .2 

Energy ....................................................................................... 7.109 125.2 124.8 8.7 -.3 .7 1.9 -.2 

All items less energy ................................................................. 92.891 184.7 184.8 1.7 .1 .1 .1 .1 

All items less food and energy ................................................ 76.663 186.9 187.0 1.7 .1 .2 .1 .1 

Commodities less food and energy commodities .................. 26.001 144.5 144.1 -1.9 -.3 -.1 -.3 -.3 

Energy commodities ............................................................ 3.330 125.1 125.2 18.7 .1 1.2 3.4 -.4 

Services less energy services ............................................... 50.663 216.1 216.5 3.6 .2 .2 .3 .3 

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

 $ .564 $ .564 - - - - -

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

 $ .189 $ .189 - - - - -

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 converted to a geometric means estimator in

January, 1999.

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—

Aug.

2002

Sep.

2002

Oct.

2002

Nov.

2002

Feb.

2002

May

2002

Aug.

2002

Nov.

2002

May

2002

Nov.

2002

Expenditure category

All items ..................................................................................... 176.5 176.8 177.2 177.4 0.7 3.5 2.3 2.1 2.1 2.2 

Food and beverages ............................................................... 175.9 176.3 176.4 176.8 2.3 .0 .5 2.1 1.1 1.3

Food ...................................................................................... 175.3 175.7 175.8 176.2 2.1 -.2 .5 2.1 .9 1.3 

Food at home ...................................................................... 174.0 174.4 174.2 174.8 2.1 -1.4 -.9 1.9 .3 .5 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................ 197.5 198.6 199.1 199.2 3.7 1.0 -1.0 3.5 2.4 1.2 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ........................................... 161.7 161.1 160.6 161.5 -.7 2.0 -2.2 -.5 .6 -1.3 

Dairy and related products 1 .............................................. 167.0 166.1 166.4 166.9 -2.8 -3.0 -4.0 -.2 -2.9 -2.1 

Fruits and vegetables ........................................................ 219.2 219.1 217.1 218.9 21.7 -9.8 3.5 -.5 4.8 1.5

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ............. 137.0 140.1 140.2 139.1 -4.0 -1.2 -1.4 6.3 -2.6 2.3 

Other food at home ........................................................... 159.5 160.3 160.6 161.4 -1.0 -1.5 .0 4.9 -1.2 2.4

Sugar and sweets ............................................................ 159.4 159.3 159.6 159.8 4.2 -1.5 5.4 1.0 1.3 3.2 

Fats and oils .................................................................... 153.6 155.2 155.4 154.0 2.6 -3.0 -4.8 1.0 -.3 -1.9 

Other foods ...................................................................... 176.4 177.2 177.7 179.3 -2.9 -1.1 -.2 6.7 -2.0 3.2 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... 109.9 110.1 110.1 111.0 -8.0 3.7 1.5 4.1 -2.3 2.8 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 178.7 179.0 179.4 179.7 2.5 1.4 2.7 2.3 1.9 2.5 

Other food away from home 1 2 ......................................... 118.5 119.3 119.6 120.0 .7 6.0 2.7 5.2 3.3 3.9 

Alcoholic beverages .............................................................. 183.8 183.4 184.5 184.6 2.5 2.7 1.5 1.8 2.6 1.6 

Housing ................................................................................... 176.2 176.5 177.0 177.3 2.3 2.8 1.8 2.5 2.6 2.2 

Shelter ................................................................................... 202.5 203.0 203.6 204.1 4.7 3.0 2.4 3.2 3.9 2.8 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 199.8 200.0 200.6 201.1 4.2 3.1 3.1 2.6 3.6 2.8 

Lodging away from home 2 3 ................................................ 118.4 118.1 118.5 119.4 9.5 .3 -4.9 3.4 4.8 -.8 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 195.7 196.4 196.9 197.3 4.5 3.1 2.7 3.3 3.8 3.0 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. 109.7 110.1 110.1 111.2 -1.1 3.0 8.0 5.6 .9 6.8 

Fuels and utilities ................................................................... 143.0 143.4 144.1 144.2 -7.8 4.3 1.1 3.4 -1.9 2.3 

Fuels .................................................................................... 126.2 126.5 127.3 127.3 -10.2 4.9 .6 3.5 -2.9 2.1 

Fuel oil and other fuels ...................................................... 116.4 118.3 120.8 121.9 -32.8 21.1 11.0 20.3 -9.8 15.6 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 133.4 133.7 134.4 134.3 -8.6 4.0 .3 2.7 -2.5 1.5 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. 113.4 113.7 114.0 114.4 3.7 2.9 2.5 3.6 3.3 3.0 

Household furnishings and operations .................................. 124.2 123.7 124.1 123.9 -2.5 -.3 -2.2 -1.0 -1.4 -1.6 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... 120.0 120.2 120.4 120.8 3.8 .7 3.1 2.7 2.2 2.9 

Apparel .................................................................................... 122.8 122.9 122.7 122.4 -4.7 1.0 -3.2 -1.3 -1.9 -2.2 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ....................................................... 120.7 120.5 119.9 120.3 -5.3 -2.9 -4.8 -1.3 -4.1 -3.1 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ................................................... 115.0 114.7 115.1 114.2 .3 -.7 .0 -2.8 -.2 -1.4 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel 1 .............................................. 126.8 128.4 129.5 129.7 -16.4 4.8 -9.2 9.5 -6.4 -.3 

Footwear ............................................................................... 120.8 121.3 120.5 120.8 -4.8 6.8 -6.7 .0 .8 -3.4 

Transportation ......................................................................... 153.1 153.5 154.2 153.9 -3.7 11.0 4.3 2.1 3.4 3.2 

Private transportation ............................................................ 150.3 150.7 151.6 151.3 -3.8 11.2 4.7 2.7 3.5 3.7 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 99.6 99.5 99.1 98.3 -4.7 -3.9 1.6 -5.1 -4.3 -1.8 

New vehicles ..................................................................... 140.4 141.1 141.6 141.3 -5.7 -2.8 -.6 2.6 -4.3 1.0 

Used cars and trucks ......................................................... 154.5 153.2 150.7 148.6 -5.0 -6.3 4.5 -14.4 -5.6 -5.4 

Motor fuel ............................................................................ 120.1 121.5 125.7 125.1 -12.7 80.0 10.6 17.7 25.3 14.1 

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................ 119.5 121.0 125.1 124.7 -12.8 80.5 10.3 18.6 25.5 14.4 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... 107.0 106.7 106.2 106.5 1.1 2.7 3.8 -1.9 1.9 .9 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................ 192.9 192.7 192.9 194.1 3.9 4.9 2.7 2.5 4.4 2.6 

Public transportation .............................................................. 203.5 201.7 199.2 200.7 .6 6.0 -4.6 -5.4 3.3 -5.0 

Medical care ............................................................................ 286.0 286.9 288.8 290.5 4.1 5.4 4.5 6.4 4.8 5.4 

Medical care commodities ..................................................... 252.1 252.5 253.1 254.3 4.1 2.4 2.9 3.5 3.3 3.2 

Medical care services ............................................................ 294.2 295.2 297.5 299.3 4.2 6.1 5.0 7.1 5.1 6.1 

Professional services 3 ......................................................... 256.9 257.0 258.7 259.7 1.9 2.4 3.8 4.4 2.2 4.1 

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 366.4 368.5 372.6 377.1 8.4 12.1 7.2 12.2 10.2 9.7 

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

expenditure category and commodity and service group-Continued

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-W

Seasonally adjusted indexes Seasonally adjusted annual rate percent change for

3 months ended— 6 months

ended—

Aug.

2002

Sep.

2002

Oct.

2002

Nov.

2002

Feb.

2002

May

2002

Aug.

2002

Nov.

2002

May

2002

Nov.

2002

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 104.5 104.5 104.8 104.7 1.2 1.2 -0.8 0.8 1.2 0.0 

Video and audio 1 2 ................................................................ 101.4 101.5 102.1 102.5 3.6 .8 -2.7 4.4 2.2 .8 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 108.7 108.5 108.5 108.5 2.3 -.7 6.9 -.7 .8 3.0 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 127.1 127.9 128.3 128.9 5.0 5.0 8.6 5.8 5.0 7.2 

Educational books and supplies .......................................... 322.6 322.7 323.2 327.0 1.2 7.5 6.6 5.6 4.3 6.1 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ............................. 358.0 360.6 361.8 363.1 5.5 4.5 8.8 5.8 5.0 7.3 

Communication 1 2 ................................................................. 94.6 93.9 93.6 93.3 .0 -5.0 5.7 -5.4 -2.5 .0 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 93.4 92.7 92.4 92.0 -.4 -5.0 3.9 -5.9 -2.8 -1.1 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 100.8 100.3 100.2 100.1 3.2 -4.3 5.8 -2.7 -.6 1.4 

Information and information processing other than

telephone services 1 5 ................................................ 18.9 18.5 18.3 17.9 -19.5 -9.8 -6.1 -19.5 -14.8 -13.1 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... 21.7 20.8 20.4 19.7 -27.9 -12.9 -16.5 -32.1 -20.8 -24.7 

Other goods and services ....................................................... 306.0 307.8 304.9 305.0 1.4 1.1 9.6 -1.3 1.2 4.0 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... 480.7 488.4 473.1 472.8 2.2 -.5 30.1 -6.4 .8 10.3 

Personal care 1 ...................................................................... 174.3 174.4 174.8 174.9 2.1 1.9 .7 1.4 2.0 1.0 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... 155.1 155.2 155.5 155.0 .5 -2.3 -.8 -.3 -.9 -.5 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... 189.8 190.0 190.1 190.6 -.6 4.3 1.5 1.7 1.8 1.6 

Miscellaneous personal services ......................................... 275.2 275.2 275.9 276.8 4.7 3.6 2.8 2.3 4.1 2.6 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ............................................................................. 150.8 151.1 151.2 151.0 -2.6 3.8 1.3 .5 .5 .9 

Food and beverages ............................................................... 175.9 176.3 176.4 176.8 2.3 .0 .5 2.1 1.1 1.3

Commodities less food and beverages ................................... 136.3 136.4 136.6 136.0 -5.2 6.1 2.1 -.9 .3 .6 

Nondurables less food and beverages .................................. 149.2 148.0 149.2 150.2 -5.7 14.5 6.1 2.7 3.9 4.4 

Apparel ................................................................................ 122.8 122.9 122.7 122.4 -4.7 1.0 -3.2 -1.3 -1.9 -2.2 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel ................. 169.0 167.2 169.4 171.0 -5.9 22.3 9.8 4.8 7.3 7.3 

Durables ................................................................................ 121.8 121.6 121.2 120.4 -5.4 -2.6 -.7 -4.5 -4.0 -2.6 

Services ..................................................................................... 206.7 207.2 207.9 208.4 3.2 3.4 3.2 3.3 3.3 3.2 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 195.1 195.5 196.1 196.6 4.9 2.9 2.5 3.1 3.9 2.8 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... 109.7 110.1 110.1 111.2 -1.1 3.0 8.0 5.6 .9 6.8 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 133.4 133.7 134.4 134.3 -8.6 4.0 .3 2.7 -2.5 1.5 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... 113.4 113.7 114.0 114.4 3.7 2.9 2.5 3.6 3.3 3.0 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... 120.0 120.2 120.4 120.8 3.8 .7 3.1 2.7 2.2 2.9 

Transportation services ........................................................... 209.0 209.5 210.0 211.2 4.6 5.4 3.7 4.3 5.0 4.0 

Medical care services .............................................................. 294.2 295.2 297.5 299.3 4.2 6.1 5.0 7.1 5.1 6.1 

Other services ......................................................................... 243.3 243.5 244.1 244.6 3.2 2.0 5.6 2.2 2.6 3.9 

Special indexes

All items less food ..................................................................... 176.6 176.9 177.4 177.5 .5 4.2 2.8 2.1 2.3 2.4 

All items less shelter .................................................................. 169.0 169.2 169.5 169.6 -1.0 3.9 2.4 1.4 1.4 1.9 

All items less medical care ........................................................ 171.7 172.0 172.4 172.5 .5 3.3 2.4 1.9 1.9 2.1 

Commodities less food .............................................................. 138.0 138.2 138.3 137.8 -5.1 6.0 2.1 -.6 .3 .7 

Nondurables less food ............................................................... 151.2 150.2 151.4 152.3 -5.1 14.0 5.5 2.9 4.0 4.2 

Nondurables less food and apparel ........................................... 169.7 167.9 170.1 171.4 -5.6 20.0 9.7 4.1 6.4 6.9 

Nondurables .............................................................................. 163.0 162.6 163.1 163.9 -1.7 7.0 3.0 2.2 2.5 2.6 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 194.4 194.7 195.4 196.0 .8 4.1 5.1 3.3 2.4 4.2 

Services less medical care services .......................................... 199.7 200.4 200.9 201.3 2.7 3.7 2.9 3.2 3.2 3.0 

Energy ....................................................................................... 122.5 123.4 125.8 125.6 -11.0 35.3 5.4 10.5 9.8 7.9 

All items less energy ................................................................. 184.1 184.3 184.5 184.7 1.8 1.3 2.2 1.3 1.5 1.8 

All items less food and energy ................................................ 186.3 186.6 186.7 186.9 1.5 1.7 2.4 1.3 1.6 1.8 

Commodities less food and energy commodities .................. 144.6 144.5 144.0 143.5 -3.5 -1.6 .6 -3.0 -2.6 -1.2 

Energy commodities ............................................................ 120.4 121.8 126.0 125.5 -13.6 76.2 10.6 18.1 23.4 14.3 

Services less energy services ............................................... 214.9 215.4 216.1 216.7 4.3 3.3 3.4 3.4 3.8 3.4 

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

item stratum index series converted to a geometric means estimator in

January, 1999. 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

Nov.2002 from—

Percent change to

Oct.2002 from—

Aug.

2002

Sep.

2002

Oct.

2002

Nov.

2002

Nov.

2001

Sep.

2002

Oct.

2002

Oct.

2001

Aug.

2002

Sep.

2002

U.S. city average ........................................... M 176.6 177.0 177.3 177.4 2.1 0.2 0.1 1.9 0.4 0.2 

Region and area size2

Northeast urban ............................................. M 185.7 186.2 186.5 186.9 2.8 .4 .2 2.6 .4 .2 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ................... M 186.4 186.7 186.9 187.3 3.0 .3 .2 2.7 .3 .1 

Size B/C 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................. M 112.0 112.5 112.9 113.1 2.4 .5 .2 2.5 .8 .4 

Midwest urban ............................................... M 171.3 171.7 171.8 171.6 2.0 -.1 -.1 2.0 .3 .1 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 .................. M 172.8 173.4 173.3 173.0 2.3 -.2 -.2 2.3 .3 -.1 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 111.0 111.1 111.4 111.3 1.4 .2 -.1 1.5 .4 .3 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) .............................................. M 167.6 167.8 168.1 168.2 2.5 .2 .1 1.9 .3 .2 

South urban ................................................... M 171.3 171.7 172.3 172.4 2.0 .4 .1 1.5 .6 .3 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ................... M 172.7 172.9 173.7 173.3 2.2 .2 -.2 1.8 .6 .5 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ............... M 110.2 110.5 110.9 111.1 1.9 .5 .2 1.4 .6 .4 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) .............................................. M 172.8 173.0 173.2 173.4 2.1 .2 .1 1.4 .2 .1 

West urban .................................................... M 180.3 180.7 180.8 181.0 1.9 .2 .1 1.7 .3 .1 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 .................. M 181.3 181.7 181.7 181.9 2.4 .1 .1 2.1 .2 .0 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 112.5 112.7 112.9 112.9 1.0 .2 .0 1.0 .4 .2 

Size classes

A 4 .............................................................. M 163.4 163.8 164.0 164.0 2.5 .1 .0 2.3 .4 .1 

B/C 3 ........................................................... M 111.0 111.3 111.6 111.7 1.6 .4 .1 1.5 .5 .3 

D ................................................................ M 172.5 172.9 173.0 173.1 2.0 .1 .1 1.5 .3 .1 

Selected local areas5

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI .................. M 175.5 175.8 176.5 176.9 3.3 .6 .2 2.7 .6 .4 

Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA .. M 175.6 176.3 176.5 177.0 3.7 .4 .3 3.2 .5 .1 

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

NY-NJ-CT-PA ........................................ M 188.1 188.6 188.8 188.8 3.0 .1 .0 3.0 .4 .1 

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

 197.7 - 199.2 3.8 .8 - - - -

Cleveland-Akron, OH ..................................... 1 - 165.7 - 164.9 .5 -.5 - - - -

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

 172.9 - 173.0 1.1 .1 - - - -

Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV 6 ...... 1 - 113.7 - 113.5 2.5 -.2 - - - -

Atlanta, GA .................................................... 2 176.8 -

 176.3 - - - - 1.3 -.3 -

Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI ............................. 2 175.0 -

 175.0 - - - - 3.5 .0 -

Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX ................... 2 158.0 - 160.3 - - - - 1.6 1.5 -

Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ............................ 2 172.8 -

 174.5 - - - - 1.6 1.0 -

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,

PA-NJ-DE-MD ....................................... 2 186.7 -

 185.6 - - - - 1.8 -.6 -

San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA .......... 2 189.3 -

 190.0 - - - - 1.3 .4 -

Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA ................... 2 184.8 - 185.5 - - - - 1.3 .4 -

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

 most other goods and services priced as indicated: 

 M - Every month. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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. 
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,

1999-2000

 Unadjusted

 indexes

 Unadjusted

 percent change to

 Nov. 2002 from—

 Oct.

 2002

 Nov.

 2002

 Nov.

 2001

 Oct.

 2002

Expenditure category

All items ..................................................................................... 100.000 106.2 106.1 1.9 -0.1 

Food and beverages ............................................................... 15.451 106.3 106.5 1.2 .2 

Food ...................................................................................... 14.432 106.3 106.5 1.2 .2 

Food at home ...................................................................... 8.335 105.2 105.4 .4 .2 

Food away from home ......................................................... 6.096 107.8 107.9 2.3 .1 

Alcoholic beverages .............................................................. 1.019 106.8 107.0 2.1 .2 

Housing ................................................................................... 40.040 109.3 109.1 2.2 -.2 

Shelter ................................................................................... 30.643 111.0 110.9 3.2 -.1 

Fuels and utilities 1 ................................................................. 4.376 111.4 110.7 .3 -.6 

Household furnishings and operations .................................. 5.020 98.1 97.9 -1.5 -.2 

Apparel .................................................................................... 4.819 96.5 95.5 -2.3 -1.0 

Transportation ......................................................................... 17.770 103.6 103.8 3.3 .2 

Private transportation ............................................................ 16.520 103.8 104.0 3.6 .2 

Public transportation .............................................................. 1.250 100.7 100.2 -1.4 -.5 

Medical care ............................................................................ 5.563 113.3 113.8 4.9 .4 

Medical care commodities ..................................................... 1.330 109.7 110.1 3.3 .4 

Medical care services ............................................................ 4.233 114.4 114.9 5.2 .4 

Recreation ............................................................................... 6.124 102.2 102.2 .1 .0 

Education and communication ................................................ 6.068 97.4 97.0 -.1 -.4 

Education .............................................................................. 2.546 118.6 118.7 6.3 .1 

Communication ..................................................................... 3.522 84.2 83.6 -4.5 -.7 

Other goods and services ....................................................... 4.164 110.8 110.9 2.2 .1 

Commodity and service group

Services 2 ................................................................................... 57.098 110.5 110.5 3.1 .0 

Commodities ............................................................................. 42.902 100.8 100.7 .4 -.1 

Durables .................................................................................. 12.953 91.7 91.6 -3.7 -.1 

Nondurables .............................................................................. 29.949 105.0 104.9 2.1 -.1 

All items less food and energy ................................................ 78.851 105.7 105.7 1.5 .0 

Energy 3 ..................................................................................... 6.717 111.3 110.8 8.3 -.4 

1 Revised index for U.S. city average: Aug. 2002=113.6. 2 Revised index for U.S. city average: Aug. 2002=110.5. 3 Revised index for U.S. city average: July 2002=111.2.

Indexes for 2002 are initial estimates. Indexes for 2001 are interim adjustments.

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