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Department

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Bureau of Labor Statistics Washington, D.C. 20212

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CONSUMER PRICE INDEX: SEPTEMBER 2002

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.2 percent in September, before

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

level of 181.0 (1982-84=100) was 1.5 percent higher than its level in September 2001.

The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) also rose 0.2 percent in

September, prior to seasonal adjustment. The September level of 177.0 was 1.3 percent higher than the index in

September 2001.

CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U)

On a seasonally adjusted basis, the CPI-U rose 0.2 percent in September, following an increase of 0.3

percent in August. The index for food, which declined 0.1 percent in August, rose 0.2 percent in September. The

index for food at home increased 0.3 percent, with about four-fifths of the increase due to a 2.2 percent rise in the

index for nonalcoholic beverages. Energy costs advanced for the third consecutive month--up 0.7 percent in

September. Within energy, the index for petroleum-based energy rose 1.0 percent and the index for energy services

increased 0.4 percent. Excluding food and energy, the CPI-U rose 0.1 percent after increasing 0.3 percent in August.

Smaller increases in the indexes for shelter and for apparel, coupled with downturns in the indexes for education and

communication and for public transportation, were largely responsible for the deceleration in September.

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

Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sep. Sep. ’02 Sep.’02

All Items .3 .5 .0 .1 .1 .3 .2 2.5 1.5

 Food and beverages .2 .1 -.2 .1 .2 -.1 .2 1.4 1.3

 Housing .1 .3 .3 .1 .1 .3 .1 2.2 2.3

 Apparel 1.2 -.6 -.6 -.9 -1.0 1.1 .1 .6 -1.7

 Transportation 1.2 1.7 -.4 .1 .3 .4 .3 4.0 -1.0

 Medical care .4 .5 .5 .2 .7 .2 .3 4.9 4.6

 Recreation .2 .3 -.1 -.3 .1 .1 .0 .8 1.0

 Education and

 communication -.5 -.2 .6 .3 .7 .7 -.2 5.3 2.7

 Other goods and

 services -.6 1.5 -.5 1.0 .0 .5 .4 3.6 3.2

 Special Indexes

 Energy 3.8 4.5 -.7 .0 .4 .6 .7 7.1 -4.8

 Food .2 .1 -.2 .0 .2 -.1 .2 1.4 1.3

 All Items less

 food and energy .1 .3 .2 .1 .2 .3 .1 2.3 2.2

See page 5 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.
Consumer prices rose at a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of 2.5 percent in the third quarter. This

followed increases in the first and second quarters at annual rates of 3.0 and 2.5 percent, respectively, and brings the

year-to-date annual rate to 2.6 percent. This compares with an increase of 1.6 percent in all of 2001. The index for

energy, which had declined sharply in 2001, following large increases in the preceding two years, has reverted back to

its 1999-2000 pattern, advancing at a 13.0 percent SAAR in the first nine months of 2002. Petroleum-based energy

costs increased at a 30.2 percent annual rate, while charges for energy services declined at a 0.3 percent annual rate.

The food index rose at a 1.2 percent SAAR in the first nine months of 2002. The index for grocery store food prices

increased at a 0.4 percent annual rate thus far in 2002, as price increases for fruits and vegetables and for cereal and

bakery products--up at annual rates of 5.5 and 1.8 percent, respectively--were largely offset by declines in the

indexes for dairy products, for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs, and for other food at home.

 Excluding food and energy, the CPI-U advanced at a 2.3 percent SAAR in the third quarter, following

increases at rates of 2.1 and 1.9 percent in the first two quarters of 2002. The 2.1 percent SAAR for the first nine

months of 2002 compares with a 2.7 percent rise in all of 2001. The principal reason for this deceleration was a

smaller rate of increase in shelter costs--up at a 3.3 percent SAAR thus far in 2002 compared with a 4.2 percent rise

in all of 2001. A smaller increase in the index for recreation and a larger decline in the index for new and used vehicles

also contributed to the moderation thus far this year. The annual rates for selected groups for the last seven and 3⁄4

years are shown below.

Percentage change 12 months SAAR 9

 ended in December mos. ended

in Sep.

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002

All items 2.5 3.3 1.7 1.6 2.7 3.4 1.6 2.6

 Food and beverages 2.1 4.2 1.6 2.3 2.0 2.8 2.8 1.3

 Housing 3.0 2.9 2.4 2.3 2.2 4.3 2.9 2.4

 Apparel .1 -.2 1.0 -.7 -.5 -1.8 -3.2 -1.2

 Transportation 1.5 4.4 -1.4 -1.7 5.4 4.1 -3.8 5.0

 Medical care 3.9 3.0 2.8 3.4 3.7 4.2 4.7 4.6

 Recreation 2.8 3.0 1.5 1.2 .8 1.7 1.5 .8

 Education and

 Communication 4.0 3.4 3.0 .7 1.6 1.3 3.2 2.6

 Other goods and services 4.3 3.6 5.2 8.8 5.1 4.2 4.5 5.0

Special indexes

 Energy -1.3 8.6 -3.4 -8.8 13.4 14.2 -13.0 13.0

 Energy commodities -3.3 13.8 -6.9 -15.1 29.5 15.7 -24.5 30.2

 Energy services .8 3.8 .2 -3.3 1.2 12.7 -1.5 -.3

 All items less energy 2.9 2.9 2.1 2.4 2.0 2.6 2.8 1.9

 Food 2.1 4.3 1.5 2.3 1.9 2.8 2.8 1.2

 All items less

 food and energy 3.0 2.6 2.2 2.4 1.9 2.6 2.7 2.1
The food and beverages index increased 0.2 percent in September. The index for food at home rose 0.3

percent in September, following a 0.3 percent decline in August. Increases in the indexes for nonalcoholic beverages,

for other food at home, and for cereals and bakery products, each of which had declined in August, more than offset

declines in the indexes for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs and for dairy products. The index for fruits and vegetables

was virtually unchanged. Within the fruits and vegetables group, a 1.9 percent rise in the index for fresh fruits was

offset by declines in the indexes for fresh vegetables and for processed fruits and vegetables--down 1.5 and 0.2

percent, respectively. The index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs declined 0.2 percent in September. Declines in

prices for beef, for pork, and for eggs more than offset a 1.0 percent increase in poultry prices. The index for dairy

products declined for the fourth consecutive month, down 0.5 percent in September. The index for nonalcoholic

beverages, which declined 0.6 percent in August, rose 2.2 percent in September, reflecting price increases for

carbonated drinks and nonfrozen noncarbonated juices and drinks. The indexes for cereal and bakery products and

for other food at home increased 0.4 and 0.5 percent, respectively. The other two components of the food and

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

respectively.

The index for housing rose 0.1 percent in September, following a 0.3 percent rise in August. Shelter costs,

which rose 0.4 percent in August, increased 0.1 percent in September. Within shelter, the indexes for rent and

owners' equivalent rent increased 0.1 and 0.2 percent, respectively, while the index for lodging away from home

declined 0.6 percent. (Prior to seasonal adjustment, the indexes for rent and for owners' equivalent rent increased 0.2

and 0.4 percent, respectively, while the index for lodging away from home declined 5.0 percent.) The index for fuels

and utilities rose 0.4 percent in September. The index for fuel oil increased 1.9 percent in September and has risen

10.0 percent in the first nine months of 2002. In September, the indexes for natural gas and for electricity rose 1.0

and 0.1 percent, respectively. (Prior to seasonal adjustment, fuel oil prices rose 3.3 percent and charges for natural

gas rose 1.1 percent, while charges for electricity fell 0.2 percent.) The index for household furnishings and operations

declined 0.2 percent in September.

The transportation index rose 0.3 percent in September. The index for gasoline increased for the fourth

consecutive month--up 1.0 percent in September. Gasoline prices have risen 26.9 percent thus far this year, but

remain 17.1 percent below their peak level in May 2001. The index for new vehicles increased 0.5 percent in

September, its first monthly advance since last December. (About 15 percent of the new vehicle sample in September

was represented by 2003 models.) New vehicle prices are 1.1 percent lower than in September 2001. The index for

used cars and trucks declined 0.8 percent in September. During the last 12 months, the index for used cars and

trucks has declined 3.2 percent. Airline fares declined 2.1 percent in September and are 5.2 percent lower than a

year ago.

The index for apparel increased 0.1 percent in September, following a 1.1 percent increase in August. (Prior

to seasonal adjustment, apparel prices rose 3.4 percent, reflecting price increases associated with the introduction of

fall-winter wear.)

The medical care index rose 0.3 percent in September to a level 4.6 percent above its level a year ago. The

index for medical care commodities--prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and medical supplies--increased 0.2

percent. The index for medical care services rose 0.4 percent in September. Charges for professional services were

virtually unchanged, while those for hospital and related services increased 0.7 percent.

The index for recreation was unchanged in September, following increases of 0.1 percent in each of the

preceding two months. Increases in the indexes for recreational reading materials and for cable television--up 0.7 and

0.5 percent, respectively--were offset by declines in the indexes for sporting goods, for pets and pet products, for

photography, and for toys.

The index for education and communication, which increased 0.7 percent in August, declined 0.2 percent in

September. The education index rose 0.6 percent, reflecting a 0.6 percent increase in the index for college tuition and

fees. (Prior to seasonal adjustment, charges for college tuition and fees rose 2.4 percent, bringing the change over the

last 12 months to 7.2 percent.) The index for communication costs declined 0.8 percent, reflecting decreases in the

indexes for telephone services and for personal computers and peripheral equipment--down 0.5 and 4.1 percent,

respectively.
The index for other goods and services rose 0.4 percent in September, reflecting a 1.6 percent rise in the

index for tobacco and smoking products. Prices for cigarettes increased 1.7 percent, reflecting decreased discounting

of some major brands.

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 0.2 percent

in September.

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

Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sep. Sep. ’02 Sep. ’02

All Items .3 .6 -.1 .1 .2 .3 .2 2.5 1.3

 Food and beverages .2 .0 -.2 .1 .1 -.1 .2 1.1 1.3

 Housing .2 .2 .3 .1 .2 .2 .2 2.3 2.2

 Apparel 1.3 -.2 -.8 -.9 -1.0 1.1 .1 .7 -1.7

 Transportation 1.4 1.9 -.6 .2 .4 .5 .3 4.6 -1.3

 Medical care .4 .4 .5 .1 .8 .2 .3 5.3 4.7

 Recreation .2 .3 -.2 -.3 .1 .0 .0 .4 .6

 Education and

 communication -.5 -.4 .7 .3 .7 .7 -.2 4.9 2.4

 Other goods and

 services -1.0 2.2 -.9 1.5 .0 .8 .6 5.8 4.2

 Special Indexes

 Energy 4.1 5.0 -1.3 .2 .4 .7 .7 7.5 -5.5

 Food .2 -.1 -.2 .1 .2 -.1 .2 1.1 1.3

 All Items less

 food and energy .1 .3 .1 .1 .2 .3 .2 2.6 2.1

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

The C-CPI-U rose 0.2 percent in September on a not seasonally adjusted basis. The September level of

106.0 (December 1999=100) was 1.2 percent higher than the index in September 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 October are scheduled for release on Tuesday, November 19, 2002, at 8:30

A.M. (EST).
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 (CPIU) 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-ofliving” 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, CCPI-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 CPI-U and CPI-W are considered final when released, but the C-CPI-U is issued in preliminary form

and subject to two annual revisions.

 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

Sep. 2002 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Aug.

2002

Sep.

2002

Sep.

2001

Aug.

2002

June to

July

July to

Aug.

Aug. to

Sep.

Expenditure category

All items ..................................................................................... 100.000 180.7 181.0 1.5 0.2 0.1 0.3 0.2 

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

 541.2 542.1 - - - - -

Food and beverages ............................................................... 15.719 176.6 176.9 1.3 .2 .2 -.1 .2 

Food ...................................................................................... 14.688 176.0 176.4 1.3 .2 .2 -.1 .2 

Food at home ...................................................................... 8.468 174.9 175.2 .5 .2 .1 -.3 .3 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................ 1.298 198.6 198.4 1.7 -.1 -.2 -.1 .4 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ........................................... 2.271 162.2 161.8 -.4 -.2 .1 -.4 -.2 

Dairy and related products 1 .............................................. .916 167.2 166.3 -1.8 -.5 -.2 -.2 -.5 

Fruits and vegetables ........................................................ 1.204 217.0 218.4 3.0 .6 .6 .2 .0 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ............. .967 137.6 140.2 .7 1.9 .6 -.6 2.2 

Other food at home ........................................................... 1.811 160.6 160.8 .4 .1 -.1 -.4 .5 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................ .315 159.9 159.6 1.9 -.2 1.1 -.3 -.3 

Fats and oils .................................................................... .265 154.1 155.3 -2.0 .8 -.3 -.6 1.1 

Other foods ...................................................................... 1.232 176.9 177.0 .5 .1 -.4 -.3 .6 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... .289 109.3 109.7 .7 .4 1.0 -.7 .4 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 6.220 178.8 179.2 2.3 .2 .2 .2 .2 

Other food away from home 1 2 ......................................... .383 118.1 118.8 3.0 .6 .1 .3 .6 

Alcoholic beverages .............................................................. 1.031 184.2 183.9 1.9 -.2 .1 .3 -.2 

Housing ................................................................................... 40.873 181.7 181.5 2.3 -.1 .1 .3 .1 

Shelter ................................................................................... 31.522 209.6 209.2 3.6 -.2 .2 .4 .1 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 6.421 200.2 200.7 3.5 .2 .3 .2 .1 

Lodging away from home 2 3 ................................................ 2.702 123.8 117.6 .7 -5.0 -1.1 1.8 -.6 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 22.046 215.4 216.2 3.9 .4 .3 .3 .2 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. .353 109.6 110.0 3.1 .4 .7 .9 .4 

Fuels and utilities ................................................................... 4.511 146.8 147.2 -2.3 .3 -.2 .3 .4 

Fuels .................................................................................... 3.654 130.7 131.0 -3.5 .2 -.3 .5 .4 

Fuel oil and other fuels ...................................................... .188 112.1 115.2 -8.1 2.8 .7 1.8 1.2 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 3.466 138.5 138.7 -3.1 .1 -.4 .4 .4 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. .857 113.5 113.6 2.9 .1 .2 .3 .2 

Household furnishings and operations .................................. 4.840 128.1 128.1 -1.0 .0 .0 -.3 -.2 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... .820 119.2 119.7 2.7 .4 .2 .2 .4 

Apparel .................................................................................... 4.399 120.5 124.6 -1.7 3.4 -1.0 1.1 .1 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ....................................................... 1.122 118.3 120.1 -2.9 1.5 .0 -.4 .1 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ................................................... 1.807 111.0 118.0 -1.9 6.3 -1.0 2.0 -.4 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel 1 .............................................. .203 124.3 126.2 -2.4 1.5 -1.6 1.1 1.5 

Footwear ............................................................................... .874 119.7 121.6 -1.1 1.6 -1.5 .9 .6 

Transportation ......................................................................... 17.055 153.9 154.0 -1.0 .1 .3 .4 .3 

Private transportation ............................................................ 15.845 149.7 150.0 -.8 .2 .5 .3 .3 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 8.614 98.7 98.7 -1.5 .0 .1 .2 .1 

New vehicles ..................................................................... 5.083 138.1 138.7 -1.1 .4 .0 -.1 .5 

Used cars and trucks ......................................................... 2.195 153.4 152.2 -3.2 -.8 .5 .5 -.8 

Motor fuel ............................................................................ 2.564 121.5 121.7 -7.4 .2 1.2 .8 1.0 

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................ 2.536 120.9 121.1 -7.3 .2 1.5 .5 1.0 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... .421 107.7 107.4 2.1 -.3 .7 .3 -.3 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................ 1.400 191.0 191.4 3.4 .2 -.1 .6 .0 

Public transportation .............................................................. 1.211 209.4 206.5 -2.9 -1.4 -2.1 .8 -.9 

Medical care ............................................................................ 5.810 287.3 287.7 4.6 .1 .7 .2 .3 

Medical care commodities ..................................................... 1.377 257.7 257.9 3.3 .1 .4 .2 .2 

Medical care services ............................................................ 4.434 294.7 295.2 5.1 .2 .7 .2 .4 

Professional services 3 ......................................................... 2.784 254.9 254.8 2.8 .0 .8 .0 .0 

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 1.353 371.3 373.3 9.0 .5 .4 .7 .7 

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

Sep. 2002 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Aug.

2002

Sep.

2002

Sep.

2001

Aug.

2002

June to

July

July to

Aug.

Aug. to

Sep.

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 6.019 106.3 106.2 1.0 -0.1 0.1 0.1 0.0 

Video and audio 2 ................................................................... 1.645 102.4 102.3 1.0 -.1 -.4 -.3 .3 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 5.813 108.9 109.5 2.7 .6 .7 .7 -.2 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 2.726 127.1 129.6 6.5 2.0 .6 .6 .6 

Educational books and supplies .......................................... .220 319.6 323.2 5.8 1.1 .5 .1 -.1 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ............................. 2.506 365.6 372.8 6.5 2.0 .6 .7 .7 

Communication 1 2 ................................................................. 3.087 93.2 92.5 -.6 -.8 .9 .6 -.8 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 2.903 91.5 90.7 -1.4 -.9 .2 .8 -.9 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 2.324 100.6 100.1 .9 -.5 .3 1.1 -.5 

Information and information processing other than

telephone services 1 5 ................................................ .580 18.3 17.8 -12.3 -2.7 .0 -.5 -2.7 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... .275 22.0 21.1 -21.0 -4.1 -1.3 -1.3 -4.1 

Other goods and services ....................................................... 4.312 295.9 297.0 3.2 .4 .0 .5 .4 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... .928 478.2 485.8 9.4 1.6 .0 2.4 1.6 

Personal care 1 ...................................................................... 3.384 174.9 174.9 1.7 .0 .1 -.1 .0 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... .706 154.3 154.4 -.7 .1 -.5 -.2 .1 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... .901 189.1 189.2 2.0 .1 .2 .2 .1 

Miscellaneous personal services ......................................... 1.562 275.4 275.2 3.3 -.1 .3 .0 -.1 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ............................................................................. 41.300 149.6 150.2 -.9 .4 .0 .2 .2 

Food and beverages ............................................................... 15.719 176.6 176.9 1.3 .2 .2 -.1 .2 

Commodities less food and beverages ................................... 25.582 134.0 134.8 -2.3 .6 .0 .3 .1 

Nondurables less food and beverages .................................. 13.493 145.4 147.2 -1.6 1.2 .3 1.2 -.6 

Apparel ................................................................................ 4.399 120.5 124.6 -1.7 3.4 -1.0 1.1 .1 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel ................. 9.094 164.8 165.2 -1.4 .2 1.2 1.3 -1.0 

Durables ................................................................................ 12.089 120.7 120.6 -2.3 -.1 -.1 .0 -.2

Services ..................................................................................... 58.700 211.5 211.5 3.2 .0 .2 .4 .2 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 31.169 218.3 217.9 3.6 -.2 .1 .4 .1 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... .353 109.6 110.0 3.1 .4 .7 .9 .4 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 3.466 138.5 138.7 -3.1 .1 -.4 .4 .4 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... .857 113.5 113.6 2.9 .1 .2 .3 .2 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... .820 119.2 119.7 2.7 .4 .2 .2 .4 

Transportation services ........................................................... 6.638 210.1 210.1 3.6 .0 .1 .5 .1 

Medical care services .............................................................. 4.434 294.7 295.2 5.1 .2 .7 .2 .4 

Other services ......................................................................... 10.963 248.2 249.1 3.5 .4 .6 .4 .1 

Special indexes

All items less food ..................................................................... 85.312 181.5 181.8 1.6 .2 .2 .4 .2 

All items less shelter .................................................................. 68.478 171.3 171.9 .6 .4 .2 .2 .2 

All items less medical care ........................................................ 94.190 175.0 175.3 1.3 .2 .1 .3 .2 

Commodities less food .............................................................. 26.612 135.9 136.7 -2.1 .6 .0 .3 .1 

Nondurables less food ............................................................... 14.524 147.7 149.3 -1.5 1.1 .4 1.1 -.6 

Nondurables less food and apparel ........................................... 10.125 165.8 166.1 -1.1 .2 1.2 1.2 -.9 

Nondurables .............................................................................. 29.212 161.2 162.2 -.1 .6 .2 .6 -.2 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 27.531 219.5 220.0 2.9 .2 .3 .5 .3 

Services less medical care services .......................................... 54.266 204.2 204.1 3.0 .0 .1 .4 .2 

Energy ....................................................................................... 6.218 125.8 126.1 -4.8 .2 .4 .6 .7 

All items less energy ................................................................. 93.782 188.1 188.4 2.1 .2 .1 .3 .1 

All items less food and energy ................................................ 79.094 191.0 191.3 2.2 .2 .2 .3 .1 

Commodities less food and energy commodities .................. 23.860 142.8 143.6 -1.1 .6 -.1 .2 .0 

Energy commodities ............................................................ 2.752 121.5 122.0 -6.9 .4 1.2 .8 1.0 

Services less energy services ............................................... 55.234 219.0 218.9 3.6 .0 .3 .4 .1 

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

 $ .554 $ .553 - - - - -

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

 $ .185 $ .184 - - - - -

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

item stratum index series 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—

June

2002

July

2002

Aug.

2002

Sep.

2002

Dec.

2001

Mar.

2002

June

2002

Sep.

2002

Mar.

2002

Sep.

2002

Expenditure category

All items ..................................................................................... 179.7 179.9 180.5 180.8 -1.8 3.0 2.5 2.5 0.6 2.5 

Food and beverages ............................................................... 176.4 176.7 176.6 177.0 1.4 3.0 -.5 1.4 2.2 .5 

Food ...................................................................................... 175.8 176.1 176.0 176.4 1.4 3.0 -.7 1.4 2.2 .3 

Food at home ...................................................................... 175.1 175.3 174.8 175.4 1.2 3.2 -2.7 .7 2.2 -1.0 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................ 198.1 197.7 197.6 198.4 1.2 3.7 1.0 .6 2.5 .8 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ........................................... 162.2 162.4 161.7 161.4 .7 2.2 -2.2 -2.0 1.5 -2.1 

Dairy and related products 1 .............................................. 168.0 167.6 167.2 166.3 3.3 -3.2 -3.3 -4.0 .0 -3.6 

Fruits and vegetables ........................................................ 218.5 219.9 220.3 220.4 -3.9 30.3 -13.1 3.5 11.9 -5.1 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ............. 137.7 138.5 137.6 140.6 1.2 -2.8 -3.7 8.7 -.9 2.3 

Other food at home ........................................................... 160.7 160.5 159.9 160.7 3.8 -4.9 2.5 .0 -.6 1.3 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................ 158.5 160.2 159.7 159.3 2.3 -1.3 4.9 2.0 .5 3.5 

Fats and oils .................................................................... 155.0 154.6 153.6 155.3 -.8 -4.0 -4.0 .8 -2.4 -1.7 

Other foods ...................................................................... 177.3 176.6 176.0 177.0 5.6 -6.1 3.5 -.7 -.5 1.4 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... 109.0 110.1 109.3 109.7 -1.5 -2.6 4.5 2.6 -2.0 3.6 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 178.2 178.5 178.8 179.2 2.1 2.5 2.5 2.3 2.3 2.4 

Other food away from home 1 2 ......................................... 117.6 117.7 118.1 118.8 .7 2.8 4.5 4.1 1.7 4.3 

Alcoholic beverages .............................................................. 183.5 183.7 184.2 183.9 1.8 2.9 2.2 .9 2.3 1.5 

Housing ................................................................................... 180.1 180.3 180.9 181.1 2.0 2.3 2.7 2.2 2.2 2.5 

Shelter ................................................................................... 207.8 208.2 209.0 209.3 4.6 3.8 3.1 2.9 4.2 3.0 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 199.5 200.0 200.4 200.7 4.6 4.1 2.6 2.4 4.4 2.5 

Lodging away from home 2 3 ................................................ 118.1 116.8 118.9 118.2 1.7 -2.4 3.1 .3 -.3 1.7 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 214.5 215.1 215.7 216.2 5.1 4.0 3.2 3.2 4.6 3.2 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. 107.8 108.6 109.6 110.0 -1.5 1.9 3.8 8.4 .2 6.1 

Fuels and utilities ................................................................... 143.5 143.2 143.7 144.3 -11.9 -3.6 4.0 2.2 -7.8 3.1 

Fuels .................................................................................... 127.2 126.8 127.4 127.9 -14.8 -5.5 4.5 2.2 -10.3 3.4 

Fuel oil and other fuels ...................................................... 114.7 115.5 117.6 119.0 -47.2 -2.2 19.5 15.9 -28.1 17.7 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 134.4 133.9 134.4 134.9 -11.8 -5.8 3.7 1.5 -8.8 2.6 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. 112.8 113.0 113.3 113.5 2.9 4.0 2.2 2.5 3.5 2.3 

Household furnishings and operations .................................. 128.5 128.5 128.1 127.8 .3 -2.1 -.3 -2.2 -.9 -1.2 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... 118.8 119.0 119.2 119.7 2.4 5.9 -.3 3.1 4.2 1.4 

Apparel .................................................................................... 123.6 122.4 123.7 123.8 -3.4 3.9 -7.7 .6 .2 -3.6 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ....................................................... 121.1 121.1 120.6 120.7 -4.1 5.6 -11.1 -1.3 .6 -6.3 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ................................................... 115.1 114.0 116.3 115.8 -5.3 4.2 -7.9 2.5 -.7 -2.9 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel 1 .............................................. 124.9 122.9 124.3 126.2 -2.5 4.4 -14.5 4.2 .9 -5.6 

Footwear ............................................................................... 121.6 119.8 120.9 121.6 -5.4 7.5 -5.7 .0 .8 -2.9 

Transportation ......................................................................... 152.8 153.3 153.9 154.3 -16.8 5.2 5.7 4.0 -6.4 4.8 

Private transportation ............................................................ 148.5 149.3 149.8 150.3 -17.2 5.9 5.3 4.9 -6.4 5.1 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 98.9 99.0 99.2 99.3 1.2 -6.2 -2.4 1.6 -2.6 -.4 

New vehicles ..................................................................... 139.3 139.3 139.2 139.9 3.1 -6.8 -2.3 1.7 -2.0 -.3 

Used cars and trucks ......................................................... 152.2 152.9 153.7 152.4 -2.8 -7.7 -2.6 .5 -5.3 -1.0 

Motor fuel ............................................................................ 117.4 118.8 119.7 120.9 -67.5 53.3 31.7 12.5 -29.5 21.7 

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................ 116.7 118.4 119.0 120.2 -67.1 49.0 33.8 12.5 -30.0 22.7 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... 106.7 107.4 107.7 107.4 2.3 2.7 .8 2.7 2.5 1.7 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................ 190.2 190.0 191.2 191.2 3.5 3.9 4.1 2.1 3.7 3.1 

Public transportation .............................................................. 211.1 206.6 208.2 206.3 -7.3 -4.3 10.1 -8.8 -5.8 .2 

Medical care ............................................................................ 284.6 286.5 287.1 288.0 4.7 4.4 4.6 4.9 4.6 4.7 

Medical care commodities ..................................................... 255.9 257.0 257.5 257.9 3.9 3.4 2.9 3.2 3.6 3.0 

Medical care services ............................................................ 291.7 293.8 294.4 295.5 4.9 4.7 5.2 5.3 4.8 5.3 

Professional services 3 ......................................................... 252.7 254.8 254.9 255.0 3.3 1.4 2.6 3.7 2.4 3.1 

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 366.4 368.0 370.6 373.3 8.2 11.1 9.0 7.7 9.6 8.4 

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—

June

2002

July

2002

Aug.

2002

Sep.

2002

Dec.

2001

Mar.

2002

June

2002

Sep.

2002

Mar.

2002

Sep.

2002

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 106.0 106.1 106.2 106.2 1.5 1.9 -0.4 0.8 1.7 0.2 

Video and audio 1 2 ................................................................ 102.9 102.5 102.2 102.5 .8 3.6 1.2 -1.5 2.2 -.2 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 107.4 108.2 109.0 108.8 3.1 .0 2.7 5.3 1.5 4.0 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 125.6 126.4 127.2 128.0 4.7 7.1 6.6 7.9 5.9 7.2 

Educational books and supplies .......................................... 319.3 320.9 321.2 320.9 -9.8 26.4 8.0 2.0 6.8 5.0 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ............................. 360.8 363.1 365.6 368.0 5.8 5.5 6.6 8.2 5.6 7.4 

Communication 1 2 ................................................................. 91.8 92.6 93.2 92.5 1.3 -5.9 -.9 3.1 -2.3 1.1 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 90.6 90.8 91.5 90.7 1.3 -6.3 -.9 .4 -2.6 -.2 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 99.2 99.5 100.6 100.1 2.0 -2.4 .4 3.7 -.2 2.0 

Information and information processing other than

telephone services 1 5 ................................................ 18.4 18.4 18.3 17.8 -9.5 -18.7 -8.2 -12.4 -14.2 -10.4 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... 22.6 22.3 22.0 21.1 -19.4 -30.5 -8.4 -24.0 -25.1 -16.6 

Other goods and services ....................................................... 294.4 294.5 295.9 297.0 -1.9 3.0 8.4 3.6 .5 6.0

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... 467.4 467.2 478.2 485.8 -10.6 1.6 35.3 16.7 -4.7 25.6 

Personal care 1 ...................................................................... 174.9 175.0 174.9 174.9 1.6 3.5 1.9 .0 2.6 .9 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... 155.4 154.6 154.3 154.4 -.3 -.8 .8 -2.5 -.5 -.9 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... 188.3 188.7 189.1 189.2 2.0 1.9 2.2 1.9 2.0 2.0 

Miscellaneous personal services ......................................... 274.6 275.4 275.4 275.2 4.3 4.8 3.3 .9 4.6 2.1 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ............................................................................. 149.7 149.7 150.0 150.3 -8.7 3.0 1.1 1.6 -3.0 1.3 

Food and beverages ............................................................... 176.4 176.7 176.6 177.0 1.4 3.0 -.5 1.4 2.2 .5 

Commodities less food and beverages ................................... 134.2 134.2 134.6 134.8 -14.8 3.1 1.8 1.8 -6.3 1.8 

Nondurables less food and beverages .................................. 144.6 145.1 146.8 145.9 -20.8 13.2 .8 3.6 -5.3 2.2 

Apparel ................................................................................ 123.6 122.4 123.7 123.8 -3.4 3.9 -7.7 .6 .2 -3.6 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel ................. 161.1 163.1 165.2 163.6 -26.9 17.8 3.3 6.4 -7.2 4.8 

Durables ................................................................................ 121.4 121.3 121.3 121.1 .0 -6.6 -1.3 -1.0 -3.4 -1.1 

Services ..................................................................................... 209.5 210.0 210.8 211.2 3.0 3.1 3.5 3.3 3.1 3.4 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 216.5 216.8 217.6 217.9 4.8 4.0 2.8 2.6 4.4 2.7 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... 107.8 108.6 109.6 110.0 -1.5 1.9 3.8 8.4 .2 6.1 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 134.4 133.9 134.4 134.9 -11.8 -5.8 3.7 1.5 -8.8 2.6 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... 112.8 113.0 113.3 113.5 2.9 4.0 2.2 2.5 3.5 2.3 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... 118.8 119.0 119.2 119.7 2.4 5.9 -.3 3.1 4.2 1.4 

Transportation services ........................................................... 209.1 209.3 210.3 210.6 3.2 3.6 4.7 2.9 3.4 3.8 

Medical care services .............................................................. 291.7 293.8 294.4 295.5 4.9 4.7 5.2 5.3 4.8 5.3 

Other services ......................................................................... 245.6 247.0 248.1 248.4 3.7 2.7 3.3 4.6 3.2 4.0 

Special indexes

All items less food ..................................................................... 180.3 180.6 181.3 181.6 -2.4 3.0 2.9 2.9 .2 2.9 

All items less shelter .................................................................. 170.6 170.9 171.3 171.7 -4.6 2.6 2.1 2.6 -1.1 2.4 

All items less medical care ........................................................ 174.1 174.3 174.9 175.2 -2.1 2.8 2.3 2.6 .3 2.4 

Commodities less food .............................................................. 136.1 136.1 136.5 136.7 -14.1 2.7 2.1 1.8 -6.1 1.9 

Nondurables less food ............................................................... 146.9 147.5 149.1 148.2 -19.7 12.6 .8 3.6 -4.9 2.2 

Nondurables less food and apparel ........................................... 162.3 164.2 166.1 164.6 -24.9 16.1 3.3 5.8 -6.6 4.5 

Nondurables .............................................................................. 160.7 161.1 162.0 161.6 -9.5 7.3 .5 2.3 -1.5 1.4 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 217.1 217.7 218.7 219.3 .9 2.1 4.0 4.1 1.5 4.0 

Services less medical care services .......................................... 202.2 202.5 203.4 203.9 2.9 2.6 3.2 3.4 2.7 3.3 

Energy ....................................................................................... 122.0 122.5 123.2 124.1 -43.4 16.5 15.8 7.1 -18.8 11.4 

All items less energy ................................................................. 187.4 187.6 188.2 188.4 2.6 2.0 1.7 2.2 2.3 1.9 

All items less food and energy ................................................ 190.2 190.5 191.1 191.3 2.6 2.1 1.9 2.3 2.4 2.1 

Commodities less food and energy commodities .................. 143.6 143.4 143.7 143.7 -1.4 -1.9 -1.4 .3 -1.6 -.6 

Energy commodities ............................................................ 117.8 119.2 120.2 121.4 -66.1 49.9 30.6 12.8 -28.7 21.4 

Services less energy services ............................................... 217.1 217.7 218.6 218.9 4.0 3.8 3.4 3.4 3.9 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 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

Sep.2002 from—

Percent change to

Aug.2002 from—

June

2002

July

2002

Aug.

2002

Sep.

2002

Sep.

2001

July

2002

Aug.

2002

Aug.

2001

June

2002

July

2002

U.S. city average ........................................... M 179.9 180.1 180.7 181.0 1.5 0.5 0.2 1.8 0.4 0.3 

Region and area size2

Northeast urban ............................................. M 187.8 188.3 189.3 189.5 2.4 .6 .1 2.3 .8 .5 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ................... M 189.5 190.1 191.3 191.2 2.5 .6 -.1 2.6 .9 .6 

Size B/C 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................. M 111.6 111.8 112.0 112.6 2.0 .7 .5 1.4 .4 .2 

Midwest urban ............................................... M 175.3 175.3 175.8 176.2 .9 .5 .2 1.6 .3 .3 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 .................. M 177.7 177.5 178.2 178.8 1.5 .7 .3 1.9 .3 .4 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 111.2 111.3 111.4 111.5 -.1 .2 .1 1.0 .2 .1 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) .............................................. M 168.9 169.4 169.7 170.0 .7 .4 .2 1.7 .5 .2 

South urban ................................................... M 173.5 173.6 173.8 174.2 1.2 .3 .2 1.3 .2 .1 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ................... M 174.9 174.8 175.4 175.7 1.4 .5 .2 1.8 .3 .3 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ............... M 110.9 111.0 110.9 111.2 .9 .2 .3 1.0 .0 -.1 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) .............................................. M 171.6 172.2 172.7 172.6 1.7 .2 -.1 1.5 .6 .3 

West urban .................................................... M 184.5 184.7 185.3 185.7 1.8 .5 .2 1.9 .4 .3 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 .................. M 187.2 187.4 187.9 188.2 1.9 .4 .2 2.1 .4 .3 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 112.2 112.5 113.0 113.1 1.3 .5 .1 1.6 .7 .4 

Size classes

A 4 .............................................................. M 164.5 164.6 165.3 165.5 1.8 .5 .1 2.1 .5 .4 

B/C 3 ........................................................... M 111.3 111.4 111.5 111.8 .9 .4 .3 1.2 .2 .1 

D ................................................................ M 173.0 173.3 173.9 174.3 1.3 .6 .2 1.6 .5 .3 

Selected local areas5

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI .................. M 182.1 181.2 181.6 182.1 1.3 .5 .3 2.0 -.3 .2 

Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA .. M 181.9 182.2 183.0 183.4 2.6 .7 .2 2.6 .6 .4 

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

NY-NJ-CT-PA ........................................ M 191.5 192.0 193.1 193.3 2.8 .7 .1 2.7 .8 .6 

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

 195.7 - 199.1 3.3 1.7 - - - -

Cleveland-Akron, OH ..................................... 1 - 173.4 - 174.6 .0 .7 - - - -

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

 172.9 - 173.2 .2 .2 - - - -

Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV 6 ...... 1 - 113.4 - 114.0 2.1 .5 - - - -

Atlanta, GA .................................................... 2 179.1 -

 179.7 - - - - 1.6 .3 -

Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI ............................. 2 179.0 -

 180.9 - - - - 3.3 1.1 -

Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX ................... 2 158.3 - 160.1 - - - - .9 1.1 -

Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ............................ 2 174.4 -

 175.2 - - - - 1.0 .5 -

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,

PA-NJ-DE-MD ....................................... 2 186.3 -

 188.3 - - - - 3.0 1.1 -

San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA .......... 2 193.2 -

 193.5 - - - - 1.3 .2 -

Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA ................... 2 189.4 - 190.3 - - - - 1.9 .5 -

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

 most other goods and services priced as indicated: 

 M - Every month. 

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

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

Sep. 2002 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Aug.

2002

Sep.

2002

Sep.

2001

Aug.

2002

June to

July

July to

Aug.

Aug. to

Sep.

Expenditure category

All items ..................................................................................... 100.000 176.6 177.0 1.3 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.2 

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

 526.0 527.3 - - - - -

Food and beverages ............................................................... 17.229 175.9 176.2 1.3 .2 .1 -.1 .2 

Food ...................................................................................... 16.228 175.3 175.7 1.3 .2 .2 -.1 .2 

Food at home ...................................................................... 9.798 174.0 174.3 .5 .2 .1 -.2 .2 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................ 1.468 198.5 198.4 1.8 -.1 .1 -.3 .6 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ........................................... 2.831 162.0 161.5 -.5 -.3 .2 -.4 -.4 

Dairy and related products 1 .............................................. 1.021 167.0 166.1 -1.9 -.5 -.2 -.2 -.5 

Fruits and vegetables ........................................................ 1.307 216.2 217.5 3.1 .6 .5 .3 .0 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ............. 1.132 136.9 139.6 .9 2.0 .7 -.7 2.3 

Other food at home ........................................................... 2.038 160.1 160.3 .3 .1 -.2 -.3 .5 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................ .339 159.6 159.5 2.1 -.1 .6 -.2 -.1 

Fats and oils .................................................................... .316 154.0 155.2 -1.8 .8 -.3 -.5 1.0 

Other foods ...................................................................... 1.383 177.3 177.2 .4 -.1 -.5 -.3 .5 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... .310 109.9 110.1 .8 .2 1.1 -.8 .2 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 6.430 178.7 179.0 2.3 .2 .2 .2 .2 

Other food away from home 1 2 ......................................... .275 118.5 119.3 3.2 .7 .1 .3 .7 

Alcoholic beverages .............................................................. 1.001 183.8 183.4 1.8 -.2 .1 .2 -.2 

Housing ................................................................................... 38.141 176.9 177.0 2.2 .1 .2 .2 .2 

Shelter ................................................................................... 29.212 202.9 203.0 3.6 .0 .2 .2 .2 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 8.395 199.6 200.0 3.5 .2 .3 .2 .1 

Lodging away from home 2 3 ................................................ 1.523 122.9 117.7 .8 -4.2 -.6 1.6 -.3 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 18.980 195.7 196.4 3.8 .4 .3 .2 .4 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. .314 109.7 110.1 3.1 .4 .7 .9 .4 

Fuels and utilities ................................................................... 4.829 146.2 146.5 -2.4 .2 -.3 .4 .3 

Fuels .................................................................................... 3.955 129.6 129.9 -3.6 .2 -.4 .5 .2 

Fuel oil and other fuels ...................................................... .177 111.3 114.5 -8.6 2.9 .7 1.6 1.6 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 3.778 137.4 137.6 -3.2 .1 -.4 .4 .2 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. .873 113.5 113.7 3.0 .2 .2 .3 .3 

Household furnishings and operations .................................. 4.101 124.2 123.9 -1.7 -.2 .0 -.3 -.4 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... .357 120.0 120.2 2.4 .2 .1 .3 .2 

Apparel .................................................................................... 4.831 119.6 123.5 -1.7 3.3 -1.0 1.1 .1 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ....................................................... 1.243 118.2 119.8 -3.2 1.4 .2 -.5 -.2 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ................................................... 1.864 109.6 116.8 -1.3 6.6 -1.4 2.3 -.3 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel 1 .............................................. .256 126.8 128.4 -2.1 1.3 -1.7 1.2 1.3 

Footwear ............................................................................... 1.165 119.6 121.4 -1.3 1.5 -1.3 .9 .4 

Transportation ......................................................................... 19.393 153.0 153.1 -1.3 .1 .4 .5 .3 

Private transportation ............................................................ 18.452 150.2 150.4 -1.2 .1 .5 .4 .3 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 10.145 99.1 99.0 -1.7 -.1 .3 .2 -.1 

New vehicles ..................................................................... 4.897 139.1 139.8 -1.1 .5 .0 .0 .5 

Used cars and trucks ......................................................... 4.099 154.2 153.1 -3.2 -.7 .6 .4 -.8 

Motor fuel ............................................................................ 3.153 121.8 122.1 -7.8 .2 1.2 .8 1.2 

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................ 3.120 121.3 121.6 -7.7 .2 1.1 .8 1.3 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... .530 107.0 106.7 2.2 -.3 .8 .3 -.3 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................ 1.438 192.5 192.9 3.3 .2 -.1 .7 -.1 

Public transportation .............................................................. .941 204.5 201.9 -2.5 -1.3 -1.8 .7 -.9 

Medical care ............................................................................ 4.620 286.3 286.7 4.7 .1 .8 .2 .3 

Medical care commodities ..................................................... 1.006 252.3 252.5 3.2 .1 .5 .1 .2 

Medical care services ............................................................ 3.614 294.5 294.9 5.1 .1 .9 .2 .3 

Professional services 3 ......................................................... 2.245 256.9 256.8 2.7 .0 .8 .0 .0 

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 1.092 367.1 368.9 9.0 .5 .5 .8 .6 

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

Sep. 2002 from—

Seasonally adjusted

percent change from—

Aug.

2002

Sep.

2002

Sep.

2001

Aug.

2002

June to

July

July to

Aug.

Aug. to

Sep.

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 5.649 104.7 104.4 0.6 -0.3 0.1 0.0 0.0 

Video and audio 2 ................................................................... 1.803 101.6 101.4 .8 -.2 -.5 -.3 .1 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 5.637 108.6 109.1 2.4 .5 .7 .7 -.2 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 2.382 126.9 129.3 6.2 1.9 .5 .7 .6 

Educational books and supplies .......................................... .203 320.4 323.9 4.6 1.1 .7 .3 .0 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ............................. 2.178 357.7 364.9 6.4 2.0 .4 .8 .7 

Communication 1 2 ................................................................. 3.255 94.6 93.9 -.4 -.7 .9 .7 -.7 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 3.107 93.4 92.7 -1.0 -.7 .3 .8 -.7 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 2.591 100.8 100.3 .9 -.5 .4 1.1 -.5 

Information and information processing other than

telephone services 1 5 ................................................ .516 18.9 18.5 -12.7 -2.1 .0 -1.0 -2.1 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... .253 21.7 20.8 -21.8 -4.1 -.9 -1.8 -4.1 

Other goods and services ....................................................... 4.499 306.0 307.8 4.2 .6 .0 .8 .6 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... 1.441 480.7 488.4 9.8 1.6 .0 2.5 1.6 

Personal care 1 ...................................................................... 3.059 174.3 174.4 1.8 .1 .0 -.1 .1 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... .815 155.1 155.2 -.6 .1 -.6 -.1 .1 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... .900 189.8 190.0 2.1 .1 .2 .2 .1 

Miscellaneous personal services ......................................... 1.161 275.2 274.9 3.5 -.1 .2 .1 .0 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ............................................................................. 45.559 150.4 151.0 -1.0 .4 .1 .2 .2 

Food and beverages ............................................................... 17.229 175.9 176.2 1.3 .2 .1 -.1 .2 

Commodities less food and beverages ................................... 28.330 135.6 136.4 -2.4 .6 .1 .4 .1 

Nondurables less food and beverages .................................. 14.685 147.7 149.4 -1.7 1.2 .7 1.6 -.8 

Apparel ................................................................................ 4.831 119.6 123.5 -1.7 3.3 -1.0 1.1 .1 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel ................. 9.854 168.5 169.1 -1.3 .4 1.5 1.6 -1.1 

Durables ................................................................................ 13.645 121.3 121.1 -2.4 -.2 .0 .0 -.2 

Services ..................................................................................... 54.441 207.3 207.6 3.2 .1 .2 .3 .2 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 28.898 195.5 195.5 3.6 .0 .3 .2 .2 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... .314 109.7 110.1 3.1 .4 .7 .9 .4 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 3.778 137.4 137.6 -3.2 .1 -.4 .4 .2 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... .873 113.5 113.7 3.0 .2 .2 .3 .3 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... .357 120.0 120.2 2.4 .2 .1 .3 .2 

Transportation services ........................................................... 6.573 208.6 208.8 4.3 .1 .3 .5 .2 

Medical care services .............................................................. 3.614 294.5 294.9 5.1 .1 .9 .2 .3 

Other services ......................................................................... 10.033 243.4 244.1 3.5 .3 .5 .5 .1 

Special indexes

All items less food ..................................................................... 83.772 176.7 177.1 1.3 .2 .2 .4 .2 

All items less shelter .................................................................. 70.788 168.9 169.5 .4 .4 .2 .4 .1 

All items less medical care ........................................................ 95.380 171.8 172.2 1.1 .2 .2 .3 .2 

Commodities less food .............................................................. 29.331 137.4 138.1 -2.3 .5 .0 .4 .1 

Nondurables less food ............................................................... 15.687 149.8 151.5 -1.5 1.1 .7 1.3 -.7 

Nondurables less food and apparel ........................................... 10.855 169.2 169.6 -1.1 .2 1.4 1.6 -1.1 

Nondurables .............................................................................. 31.915 162.2 163.2 -.2 .6 .2 .7 -.2 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 25.543 194.9 195.3 2.8 .2 .4 .5 .2 

Services less medical care services .......................................... 50.827 200.3 200.6 3.1 .1 .3 .4 .4 

Energy ....................................................................................... 7.109 125.0 125.3 -5.5 .2 .4 .7 .7 

All items less energy ................................................................. 92.891 183.8 184.3 2.0 .3 .2 .3 .1 

All items less food and energy ................................................ 76.663 186.0 186.5 2.1 .3 .2 .3 .2 

Commodities less food and energy commodities .................. 26.001 143.7 144.4 -1.1 .5 -.1 .3 -.1 

Energy commodities ............................................................ 3.330 121.8 122.2 -7.5 .3 1.2 .8 1.2 

Services less energy services ............................................... 50.663 215.1 215.4 3.8 .1 .3 .3 .2 

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

 $ .566 $ .565 - - - - -

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

 $ .190 $ .190 - - - - -

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—

June

2002

July

2002

Aug.

2002

Sep.

2002

Dec.

2001

Mar.

2002

June

2002

Sep.

2002

Mar.

2002

Sep.

2002

Expenditure category

All items ..................................................................................... 175.7 176.0 176.5 176.8 -2.9 3.0 2.5 2.5 0.0 2.5 

Food and beverages ............................................................... 175.8 176.0 175.9 176.3 1.4 3.0 -.5 1.1 2.2 .3 

Food ...................................................................................... 175.2 175.5 175.3 175.7 1.4 3.3 -.9 1.1 2.3 .1 

Food at home ...................................................................... 174.2 174.4 174.0 174.4 .9 3.5 -2.7 .5 2.2 -1.1 

Cereals and bakery products ............................................ 197.8 198.0 197.5 198.6 .6 4.6 .4 1.6 2.6 1.0 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ........................................... 162.0 162.3 161.7 161.1 .5 2.5 -2.4 -2.2 1.5 -2.3 

Dairy and related products 1 .............................................. 167.8 167.4 167.0 166.1 2.9 -3.2 -3.3 -4.0 -.2 -3.6 

Fruits and vegetables ........................................................ 217.5 218.6 219.2 219.1 -3.7 31.2 -13.1 3.0 12.4 -5.4 

Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials ............. 137.0 137.9 137.0 140.1 1.2 -2.6 -4.0 9.4 -.7 2.5 

Other food at home ........................................................... 160.4 160.0 159.5 160.3 4.1 -4.9 2.8 -.2 -.5 1.3 

Sugar and sweets ............................................................ 158.8 159.7 159.4 159.3 2.3 -1.0 6.0 1.3 .6 3.6 

Fats and oils .................................................................... 154.8 154.4 153.6 155.2 -.8 -3.7 -3.8 1.0 -2.3 -1.4 

Other foods ...................................................................... 177.7 176.9 176.4 177.2 6.0 -6.3 3.7 -1.1 -.3 1.3 

Other miscellaneous foods 1 2 ....................................... 109.6 110.8 109.9 110.1 -.7 -2.5 4.9 1.8 -1.6 3.4 

Food away from home 1 ....................................................... 178.0 178.4 178.7 179.0 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.3 

Other food away from home 1 2 ......................................... 118.1 118.2 118.5 119.3 .7 3.5 4.5 4.1 2.1 4.3 

Alcoholic beverages .............................................................. 183.2 183.4 183.8 183.4 1.1 2.9 2.7 .4 2.0 1.5 

Housing ................................................................................... 175.5 175.8 176.2 176.5 1.6 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.0 2.3 

Shelter ................................................................................... 201.6 202.0 202.5 203.0 4.4 4.1 2.8 2.8 4.2 2.8 

Rent of primary residence 3 ................................................. 198.9 199.4 199.8 200.0 4.4 4.2 2.9 2.2 4.3 2.5 

Lodging away from home 2 3 ................................................ 117.2 116.5 118.4 118.1 .7 2.4 -3.0 3.1 1.5 .0 

Owners’ equivalent rent of primary residence 3 4 ................. 194.9 195.4 195.7 196.4 5.0 3.8 3.4 3.1 4.4 3.2 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ................................. 107.9 108.7 109.7 110.1 -1.9 2.3 3.8 8.4 .2 6.1 

Fuels and utilities ................................................................... 142.8 142.4 143.0 143.4 -11.4 -3.6 3.4 1.7 -7.6 2.6 

Fuels .................................................................................... 126.1 125.6 126.2 126.5 -14.4 -5.3 3.9 1.3 -9.9 2.6 

Fuel oil and other fuels ...................................................... 113.8 114.6 116.4 118.3 -46.6 -3.9 16.7 16.8 -28.4 16.7 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ............................................... 133.4 132.9 133.4 133.7 -11.3 -5.5 3.1 .9 -8.5 2.0 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ................. 112.9 113.1 113.4 113.7 2.9 4.4 2.2 2.9 3.7 2.5 

Household furnishings and operations .................................. 124.6 124.6 124.2 123.7 .0 -3.1 -.6 -2.9 -1.6 -1.8 

Household operations 1 2 ..................................................... 119.6 119.7 120.0 120.2 2.1 5.2 .3 2.0 3.6 1.2 

Apparel .................................................................................... 122.7 121.5 122.8 122.9 -3.2 3.3 -7.5 .7 .0 -3.5 

Men’s and boys’ apparel ....................................................... 121.1 121.3 120.7 120.5 -3.8 4.6 -10.8 -2.0 .3 -6.5 

Women’s and girls’ apparel ................................................... 114.0 112.4 115.0 114.7 -4.4 4.2 -7.0 2.5 -.2 -2.4 

Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel 1 .............................................. 127.5 125.3 126.8 128.4 -2.4 4.4 -12.2 2.9 .9 -4.9 

Footwear ............................................................................... 121.3 119.7 120.8 121.3 -4.2 4.7 -5.1 .0 .2 -2.6 

Transportation ......................................................................... 151.8 152.4 153.1 153.5 -18.4 5.2 6.0 4.6 -7.3 5.3 

Private transportation ............................................................ 148.9 149.7 150.3 150.7 -19.2 5.9 5.8 4.9 -7.5 5.4 

New and used motor vehicles 2 ........................................... 99.1 99.4 99.6 99.5 .8 -6.9 -2.4 1.6 -3.1 -.4 

New vehicles ..................................................................... 140.4 140.4 140.4 141.1 3.7 -7.3 -2.2 2.0 -2.0 -.1 

Used cars and trucks ......................................................... 153.0 153.9 154.5 153.2 -2.8 -8.1 -2.3 .5 -5.5 -.9 

Motor fuel ............................................................................ 117.7 119.1 120.1 121.5 -68.3 52.5 32.0 13.6 -30.5 22.4 

Gasoline (all types) ............................................................ 117.2 118.5 119.5 121.0 -68.4 53.5 32.2 13.6 -30.4 22.6 

Motor vehicle parts and equipment 1 ................................... 105.9 106.7 107.0 106.7 1.9 3.1 .8 3.1 2.5 1.9 

Motor vehicle maintenance and repair ................................ 191.7 191.6 192.9 192.7 3.3 3.7 4.3 2.1 3.5 3.2 

Public transportation .............................................................. 205.7 202.0 203.5 201.7 -7.0 -3.3 8.8 -7.6 -5.2 .3 

Medical care ............................................................................ 283.2 285.4 286.0 286.9 4.8 4.2 4.4 5.3 4.5 4.8 

Medical care commodities ..................................................... 250.5 251.8 252.1 252.5 4.3 3.1 2.4 3.2 3.7 2.8 

Medical care services ............................................................ 291.0 293.5 294.2 295.2 4.8 4.6 5.0 5.9 4.7 5.4 

Professional services 3 ......................................................... 254.8 256.9 256.9 257.0 3.1 1.9 2.1 3.5 2.5 2.8 

Hospital and related services 3 ............................................ 361.7 363.5 366.4 368.5 8.0 10.2 10.0 7.7 9.1 8.9 

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

expenditure category and commodity and service group-Continued

(1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)

CPI-W

Seasonally adjusted indexes Seasonally adjusted annual rate percent change for

3 months ended— 6 months

ended—

June

2002

July

2002

Aug.

2002

Sep.

2002

Dec.

2001

Mar.

2002

June

2002

Sep.

2002

Mar.

2002

Sep.

2002

Expenditure category

Recreation 2 ............................................................................. 104.4 104.5 104.5 104.5 0.4 2.3 -0.8 0.4 1.4 -0.2 

Video and audio 1 2 ................................................................ 102.2 101.7 101.4 101.5 1.2 3.6 1.2 -2.7 2.4 -.8 

Education and communication 2 .............................................. 107.2 107.9 108.7 108.5 2.7 .0 2.3 4.9 1.3 3.6 

Education 2 ............................................................................. 125.6 126.2 127.1 127.9 4.0 6.7 6.6 7.5 5.4 7.1 

Educational books and supplies .......................................... 319.5 321.7 322.6 322.7 -10.7 17.7 9.1 4.1 2.5 6.6 

Tuition, other school fees, and childcare ............................. 353.8 355.3 358.0 360.6 5.5 5.6 6.6 7.9 5.6 7.2 

Communication 1 2 ................................................................. 93.1 93.9 94.6 93.9 1.3 -5.4 -.9 3.5 -2.1 1.3 

Information and information processing 1 2 .......................... 92.4 92.7 93.4 92.7 1.3 -5.4 -.9 1.3 -2.1 .2 

Telephone services 1 2 ....................................................... 99.3 99.7 100.8 100.3 2.0 -2.4 .0 4.1 -.2 2.0 

Information and information processing other than

telephone services 1 5 ................................................ 19.1 19.1 18.9 18.5 -10.8 -19.7 -8.0 -12.0 -15.4 -10.0 

Personal computers and peripheral equipment 1 2 .......... 22.3 22.1 21.7 20.8 -22.0 -30.8 -8.5 -24.3 -26.5 -16.8 

Other goods and services ....................................................... 303.5 303.5 306.0 307.8 -2.9 2.6 11.7 5.8 -.2 8.7 

Tobacco and smoking products 1 ........................................... 468.7 468.8 480.7 488.4 -10.2 1.1 35.9 17.9 -4.7 26.6 

Personal care 1 ...................................................................... 174.4 174.4 174.3 174.4 2.1 3.3 1.6 .0 2.7 .8 

Personal care products 1 ...................................................... 156.2 155.3 155.1 155.2 -.3 .0 .5 -2.5 -.1 -1.0 

Personal care services 1 ...................................................... 189.0 189.4 189.8 190.0 2.2 1.9 2.1 2.1 2.1 2.1 

Miscellaneous personal services ......................................... 274.4 275.0 275.2 275.2 4.6 4.8 3.7 1.2 4.7 2.4 

Commodity and service group

Commodities ............................................................................. 150.4 150.5 150.8 151.1 -9.6 2.7 1.6 1.9 -3.6 1.7 

Food and beverages ............................................................... 175.8 176.0 175.9 176.3 1.4 3.0 -.5 1.1 2.2 .3 

Commodities less food and beverages ................................... 135.6 135.7 136.3 136.4 -16.1 2.7 2.7 2.4 -7.2 2.5 

Nondurables less food and beverages .................................. 145.9 146.9 149.2 148.0 -22.5 14.3 -.3 5.9 -5.9 2.8 

Apparel ................................................................................ 122.7 121.5 122.8 122.9 -3.2 3.3 -7.5 .7 .0 -3.5 

Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel ................. 163.9 166.3 169.0 167.2 -29.7 20.2 3.5 8.3 -8.1 5.9 

Durables ................................................................................ 121.8 121.8 121.8 121.6 -.3 -7.2 -1.3 -.7 -3.8 -1.0 

Services ..................................................................................... 205.5 206.0 206.7 207.2 2.8 3.2 3.4 3.4 3.0 3.4 

Rent of shelter 4 ....................................................................... 194.1 194.7 195.1 195.5 4.7 3.8 2.7 2.9 4.3 2.8 

Tenants’ and household insurance 1 2 ..................................... 107.9 108.7 109.7 110.1 -1.9 2.3 3.8 8.4 .2 6.1 

Gas (piped) and electricity 3 ..................................................... 133.4 132.9 133.4 133.7 -11.3 -5.5 3.1 .9 -8.5 2.0 

Water and sewer and trash collection services 2 ..................... 112.9 113.1 113.4 113.7 2.9 4.4 2.2 2.9 3.7 2.5 

Household operations 1 2 ......................................................... 119.6 119.7 120.0 120.2 2.1 5.2 .3 2.0 3.6 1.2 

Transportation services ........................................................... 207.4 208.0 209.0 209.5 4.5 4.6 4.6 4.1 4.5 4.3 

Medical care services .............................................................. 291.0 293.5 294.2 295.2 4.8 4.6 5.0 5.9 4.7 5.4 

Other services ......................................................................... 240.8 242.0 243.3 243.5 3.4 2.6 3.2 4.6 3.0 3.9 

Special indexes

All items less food ..................................................................... 175.6 175.9 176.6 176.9 -3.8 3.0 3.0 3.0 -.5 3.0 

All items less shelter .................................................................. 168.1 168.4 169.0 169.2 -5.8 2.7 2.2 2.6 -1.7 2.4 

All items less medical care ........................................................ 170.9 171.2 171.7 172.0 -3.3 2.9 2.4 2.6 -.2 2.5 

Commodities less food .............................................................. 137.4 137.4 138.0 138.2 -15.7 2.7 3.0 2.3 -6.9 2.7 

Nondurables less food ............................................................... 148.2 149.3 151.2 150.2 -21.8 14.1 .0 5.5 -5.6 2.7 

Nondurables less food and apparel ........................................... 164.7 167.0 169.7 167.9 -27.5 18.5 3.0 8.0 -7.3 5.5 

Nondurables .............................................................................. 161.5 161.9 163.0 162.6 -10.6 7.5 .7 2.8 -2.0 1.7 

Services less rent of shelter 4 .................................................... 192.6 193.4 194.4 194.7 .8 1.9 4.0 4.4 1.4 4.2 

Services less medical care services .......................................... 198.5 199.0 199.7 200.4 2.7 2.7 3.1 3.9 2.7 3.5 

Energy ....................................................................................... 121.2 121.7 122.5 123.4 -46.4 18.3 16.3 7.5 -20.4 11.8 

All items less energy ................................................................. 183.3 183.6 184.1 184.3 2.2 2.0 1.3 2.2 2.1 1.8 

All items less food and energy ................................................ 185.4 185.7 186.3 186.6 2.4 1.5 2.0 2.6 2.0 2.3 

Commodities less food and energy commodities .................. 144.3 144.1 144.6 144.5 -1.4 -2.4 -1.1 .6 -1.9 -.3 

Energy commodities ............................................................ 118.0 119.4 120.4 121.8 -67.3 49.3 31.5 13.5 -30.1 22.2 

Services less energy services ............................................... 213.5 214.2 214.9 215.4 4.3 3.9 3.2 3.6 4.1 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

Sep.2002 from—

Percent change to

Aug.2002 from—

June

2002

July

2002

Aug.

2002

Sep.

2002

Sep.

2001

July

2002

Aug.

2002

Aug.

2001

June

2002

July

2002

U.S. city average ........................................... M 175.9 176.1 176.6 177.0 1.3 0.5 0.2 1.6 0.4 0.3 

Region and area size2

Northeast urban ............................................. M 184.2 184.7 185.7 186.2 2.4 .8 .3 2.2 .8 .5 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ................... M 184.6 185.2 186.4 186.7 2.4 .8 .2 2.3 1.0 .6 

Size B/C 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................. M 111.4 111.7 112.0 112.5 2.4 .7 .4 2.0 .5 .3 

Midwest urban ............................................... M 170.7 170.8 171.3 171.7 .5 .5 .2 1.4 .4 .3 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 .................. M 172.3 172.1 172.8 173.4 1.2 .8 .3 1.8 .3 .4 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 110.7 110.9 111.0 111.1 -.6 .2 .1 .8 .3 .1 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) .............................................. M 166.7 167.3 167.6 167.8 .4 .3 .1 1.6 .5 .2 

South urban ................................................... M 171.1 171.1 171.3 171.7 .8 .4 .2 1.1 .1 .1 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 ................... M 172.3 172.2 172.7 172.9 1.2 .4 .1 1.7 .2 .3 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ............... M 110.2 110.2 110.2 110.5 .5 .3 .3 .8 .0 .0 

Size D - Nonmetropolitan (less than

50,000) .............................................. M 171.8 172.1 172.8 173.0 1.3 .5 .1 1.2 .6 .4 

West urban .................................................... M 179.7 179.8 180.3 180.7 1.7 .5 .2 1.9 .3 .3 

Size A - More than 1,500,000 .................. M 180.7 180.8 181.3 181.7 2.0 .5 .2 2.2 .3 .3 

Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 3 ................ M 112.0 112.2 112.5 112.7 1.2 .4 .2 1.5 .4 .3 

Size classes

A 4 .............................................................. M 162.6 162.7 163.4 163.8 1.8 .7 .2 2.1 .5 .4 

B/C 3 ........................................................... M 110.7 110.9 111.0 111.3 .6 .4 .3 1.1 .3 .1 

D ................................................................ M 171.7 172.0 172.5 172.9 1.1 .5 .2 1.5 .5 .3 

Selected local areas5

Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI .................. M 175.9 175.1 175.5 175.8 1.2 .4 .2 2.0 -.2 .2 

Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA .. M 174.7 175.0 175.6 176.3 2.8 .7 .4 2.6 .5 .3 

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

NY-NJ-CT-PA ........................................ M 186.5 187.1 188.1 188.6 2.7 .8 .3 2.5 .9 .5 

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

 194.1 - 197.7 3.0 1.9 - - - -

Cleveland-Akron, OH ..................................... 1 - 164.5 - 165.7 -.5 .7 - - - -

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

 172.6 - 172.9 .2 .2 - - - -

Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV 6 ...... 1 - 113.1 - 113.7 1.9 .5 - - - -

Atlanta, GA .................................................... 2 176.5 -

 176.8 - - - - 1.5 .2 -

Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI ............................. 2 173.2 -

 175.0 - - - - 3.3 1.0 -

Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX ................... 2 156.7 - 158.0 - - - - .6 .8 -

Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ............................ 2 172.0 -

 172.8 - - - - 1.1 .5 -

Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,

PA-NJ-DE-MD ....................................... 2 184.7 -

 186.7 - - - - 2.5 1.1 -

San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA .......... 2 189.1 -

 189.3 - - - - 1.4 .1 -

Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA ................... 2 184.1 - 184.8 - - - - 1.8 .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

 Sep. 2002 from—

 Aug.

 2002

 Sep.

 2002

 Sep.

 2001

 Aug.

 2002

Expenditure category

All items ..................................................................................... 100.000 105.8 106.0 1.2 0.2 

Food and beverages ............................................................... 15.451 106.0 106.2 1.3 .2 

Food ...................................................................................... 14.432 106.0 106.2 1.3 .2 

Food at home ...................................................................... 8.335 105.0 105.3 .7 .3 

Food away from home ......................................................... 6.096 107.3 107.6 2.5 .3 

Alcoholic beverages .............................................................. 1.019 106.5 106.4 1.9 -.1 

Housing ................................................................................... 40.040 109.5 109.4 2.1 -.1 

Shelter ................................................................................... 30.643 111.0 110.7 3.4 -.3 

Fuels and utilities ................................................................... 4.376 113.5 113.8 -2.2 .3 

Household furnishings and operations .................................. 5.020 98.2 98.2 -1.4 .0 

Apparel .................................................................................... 4.819 91.7 94.8 -2.3 3.4 

Transportation ......................................................................... 17.770 102.9 103.0 -.9 .1 

Private transportation ............................................................ 16.520 102.9 103.0 -.8 .1 

Public transportation .............................................................. 1.250 103.8 102.3 -2.8 -1.4 

Medical care ............................................................................ 5.563 112.6 112.7 4.4 .1 

Medical care commodities ..................................................... 1.330 109.6 109.6 3.1 .0 

Medical care services ............................................................ 4.233 113.5 113.7 4.9 .2 

Recreation ............................................................................... 6.124 102.2 102.1 .1 -.1 

Education and communication ................................................ 6.068 97.4 97.6 .3 .2 

Education .............................................................................. 2.546 116.1 118.3 6.5 1.9 

Communication ..................................................................... 3.522 85.6 84.7 -3.9 -1.1 

Other goods and services ....................................................... 4.164 110.9 111.3 3.0 .4 

Commodity and service group

Services ..................................................................................... 57.098 110.4 110.4 3.0 .0 

Commodities ............................................................................. 42.902 100.1 100.5 -1.2 .4 

Durables .................................................................................. 12.953 92.0 91.8 -3.3 -.2 

Nondurables .............................................................................. 29.949 103.8 104.5 -.3 .7 

All items less food and energy ................................................ 78.851 105.3 105.5 1.7 .2 

Energy ....................................................................................... 6.717 111.4 111.6 -5.2 .2 

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

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