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                    CONSUMER PRICE INDEX:  AUGUST 2003
 
      The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased
 0.4 percent in August, before seasonal adjustment, the Bureau of Labor
 Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today.  The August
 level of 184.6 (1982-84=100) was 2.2 percent higher than in August 2002.
      
      The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers
 (CPI-W) also rose 0.4 percent in August, prior to seasonal adjustment.
 The August level of 180.3 was 2.1 percent higher than in August 2002.
      
 CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U)
      
      On a seasonally adjusted basis, the CPI-U rose 0.3 percent in August,
 following a 0.2 percent increase in July.  In August, energy costs
 registered their largest advance since March, increasing 2.7 percent.
 Within energy, the index for petroleum-based energy rose 5.6 percent,
 while the index for energy services decreased 0.1 percent.  The index for
 food rose 0.3 percent with the index for food at home up 0.4 percent.
 Increases in the indexes for dairy products and for meats, poultry, fish,
 and eggs accounted for nearly 90 percent of the August rise in grocery
 store food prices.  The index for all items less food and energy, which
 increased 0.2 percent in July, rose 0.1 percent in August.  Smaller
 increases in the indexes for shelter and medical care accounted for most
 of the deceleration in the all items less food and energy index.

 
 Table A.  Percent changes in CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U)
                                   Seasonally adjusted                  Un-
                                                          Compound   adjusted
     Expenditure        Changes from preceding month    annual rate   12-mos.
      Category                      2003                3-mos. ended   ended
                    Feb. Mar. Apr.  May June July Aug.   Aug. '03    Aug. '03
 All Items            .6    .3  -.3   .0   .2   .2  .3     2.6       2.2
  Food and beverages  .6    .2  -.1   .3   .4   .1  .3     3.2       2.4
  Housing             .3    .4  -.1   .4   .1   .2  .1     1.3       2.4
  Apparel            -.2   -.4  -.6  -.3   .4   .0  .1     2.0      -2.7    
  Transportation     2.0   1.0 -1.7 -1.3   .3   .2 1.1     6.3       2.9
  Medical care        .1    .2   .2   .4   .3   .5  .2     4.0       3.9
  Recreation          .3    .1  -.1   .3   .1   .0  .0      .4       1.3
  Education and                                                         
    communication     .2   -.1  -.2  -.2  -.1   .5  .5     3.3       1.1
  Other goods and                                                     
    services          .3   -.1   .3   .0   .0   .4  .1     2.0       1.3
  Special Indexes                                                       
    Energy           5.9   4.6 -4.6 -3.1   .8   .4 2.7    17.2      11.8
    Food              .7    .2  -.1   .3   .4   .1  .3     3.4       2.5
    All Items less                                                       
      food and energy .1    .0   .0   .3   .0   .2  .1     1.2       1.3
     
     
      During the first eight months of 2003, the CPI-U rose at a 2.4
 percent seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR), the same as the increase
 for all of 2002.   The index for energy, which increased 10.7 percent in
 2002, increased at a 16.7 percent SAAR in the first eight months of 2003.
 Petroleum-based energy costs increased at a 20.7 percent annual rate and
 charges for energy services rose at a 12.9 percent annual rate.  The food
 index has increased at a 2.6 percent rate thus far in 2003, following a
 1.5 percent rise for all of 2002.  Excluding food and energy, the CPI-U
 advanced at a 1.2 percent SAAR in the first eight months of 2003 after
 advancing 1.9 percent in 2002.
      
      The food and beverages index rose 0.3 percent in August.  The index
 for food at home increased 0.4 percent in August, following a 0.1 percent
 decline in July.  Advances in the indexes for meats, poultry, fish and
 eggs and for dairy products--up 0.7 and 1.7 percent, respectively--
 accounted for nearly 90 percent of the increase in grocery store food
 prices.  Within the former group, price increases for beef, for fish and
 seafood, and for poultry more than offset a 0.8 percent decline in the
 index for pork.  The index for fruits and vegetables, which rose 0.3
 percent in July, declined 0.4 percent in August.  A 1.3 percent decline in
 the index for fresh fruits more than offset a 0.4 percent increase in the
 index for processed fruits and vegetables; the index for fresh vegetables
 was virtually unchanged.  Among the other major grocery store food groups,
 the indexes for nonalcoholic beverages and for other food at home
 increased 0.5 and 0.2 percent, respectively, while the index for cereals
 and bakery products was unchanged.  The other two components of the food
 and beverages index--food away from home and alcoholic beverages--
 increased 0.2 percent and declined 0.1 percent, respectively.
      
      The index for housing increased 0.1 percent in August.  Shelter costs
 rose 0.2 percent in August, following an increase of 0.3 percent in July.
 Within shelter, the indexes for rent and owners' equivalent rent each rose
 0.2 percent, while the index for lodging away from home declined 0.3
 percent.  (Prior to seasonal adjustment, the index for lodging away from
 home rose 0.2 percent, reflecting a 2.6 percent rise for housing at
 school.)  The index for fuels and utilities, which declined 0.2 percent in
 July, increased 0.1 percent in August.  Increases in the indexes for fuel
 oil and for electricity--up 1.6 and 0.4 percent, respectively--more than
 offset a 1.3 percent decrease in the index for natural gas.  For the 12
 months ended in July, charges for natural gas have risen 25.9 percent,
 fuel oil prices, 15.9 percent, and charges for electricity, 3.3 percent.
 The index for household furnishings and operations declined for the sixth
 consecutive month, down 0.3 percent in August.
      
      The transportation index increased 1.1 percent in August.  The index
 for gasoline advanced for the third consecutive month--up 6.2 percent in
 August--its largest advance since a 9.9 percent rise in February.  The
 index for new vehicles turned up in August, advancing 0.5 percent.  During
 the last 12 months, new vehicle prices have fallen 0.9 percent.   The
 index for used cars and trucks decreased 1.6 percent in August, and this
 index has declined 6.6 percent in the last 12 months.  The index for
 public transportation declined 0.8 percent in July, reflecting a decrease
 in airline fares.  Airline fares declined 1.6 percent in August, following
 increases in each of the preceding six months.
      
      The index for apparel, which was unchanged in July, rose 0.1 percent
 in August.  (Prior to seasonal adjustment, apparel prices rose 0.9
 percent, as price increases associated with the introduction of fall-
 winter wear more than offset seasonal price discounting of spring-summer
 apparel.)
      
      Medical care costs rose 0.2 percent in August and are 3.9 percent
 higher than a year ago.  The index for medical care commodities--
 prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and medical supplies--increased
 0.3 percent.   The index for medical care services rose 0.2 percent in
 August.  The index for professional services was virtually unchanged while
 the index for hospital and related services increased 0.5 percent.
      
      In August, the index for recreation was unchanged for the second
 consecutive month.  Small price increases within the index for
 recreational services, primarily for admissions to movies, theaters, and
 concerts, were offset by declines in the indexes for toys, for music
 instruments and accessories, and for sporting goods.
      
      The index for education and communication rose 0.5 percent in August.
 Educational costs increased 1.3 percent, more than offsetting a 0.4
 percent decline in communication costs.  The index for college tuition and
 fees rose 2.5 percent.  (Prior to seasonal adjustment, this index rose 4.5
 percent.)  The index for college textbooks increased 1.2 percent. Within
 the communication group, the index for telephone services decreased 0.3
 percent, as declines in long distance charges and cellular telephone
 services more than offset an increase in local charges.  The index for
 personal computers and peripheral equipment declined 2.9 percent in August
 and 24.1 percent during the last 12 months.
      
      The index for other goods and services rose 0.1 percent after
 increasing 0.4 percent in July.  Prices for tobacco and smoking products,
 which had increased 1.2 percent in July, rose 0.6 percent in August.
      
 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 0.4 percent in August.


 Table B.  Percent changes in CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical
           Workers (CPI-W)
                                Seasonally adjusted                    Un-
                                                          Compound   adjusted
     Expenditure        Changes from preceding month    annual rate   12-mos.
      Category                      2003                3-mos. ended   ended
                    Feb. Mar. Apr.  May June July Aug.   Aug. '03    Aug. '03            
 All Items            .7    .5  -.5  -.1   .2   .1  .4     2.9       2.1
  Food and beverages  .6    .2  -.1   .3   .4   .1  .3     3.2       2.4
  Housing             .3    .6  -.1   .3   .1   .2  .2     1.6       2.7
  Apparel            -.2   -.2  -.8  -.1   .4  -.5  .3     1.0      -2.9
  Transportation     2.2   1.1 -1.9 -1.5   .3   .1 1.1     6.1       2.7
  Medical care        .1    .2   .1   .4   .3   .4  .2     3.7       3.9
  Recreation          .2    .0  -.1   .2   .0   .2  .0      .8       1.0
  Education and                                                         
    communication     .2   -.2  -.3  -.2  -.2   .5  .4     2.6        .5
  Other goods and                                                     
    services          .3   -.3   .3  -.1   .0   .5  .2     2.6        .7
  Special Indexes                                                       
    Energy           6.1   4.6 -4.8 -3.4  1.1   .4 3.0    19.8      12.0
    Food              .7    .1  -.1   .3   .4   .1  .3     3.4       2.5
    All Items less                                                       
      food and energy .1    .1   .0   .2   .1   .1  .1      .9       1.0


 Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U)
 
      The C-CPI-U rose 0.3 percent in August on a not seasonally adjusted
 basis.  The August level of 107.8 (December 1999=100) was 1.7 percent
 higher than in August 2002.  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-2001 period are subject to revision.
 
     Consumer Price Index data for September are scheduled for release on
 Thursday, October 16, 2003, at 8:30 A.M. (EDT).
       
 _______________________________________________________________________________________


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 ___________________________________________________________________________
 

 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 establishments-
 department stores, supermarkets, hospitals, filling stations, and other
 types of stores and service establishments.  All taxes directly associated
 with the purchase and use of items are included in the index.  Prices of
 fuels and a few other items are obtained every month in all 87 locations.
 Prices of most other commodities and services are collected every month in
 the three largest geographic areas and every other month in other areas.
 Prices of most goods and services are obtained by personal visits or
 telephone calls of the Bureau's trained representatives.
 
      In calculating the index, price changes for the various items in each
 location are averaged together with weights, which represent their
 importance in the spending of the appropriate population group.  Local
 data are then combined to obtain a U.S. city average.  For the CPI-U and
 CPI-W separate indexes are also published by size of city, by region of
 the country, for cross-classifications of regions and population-size
 classes, and for 27 local areas.  Area indexes do not measure differences
 in the level of prices among cities, they only measure the average change
 in prices for each area since the base period.  For the C-CPI-U data are
 issued only at the national level.  It is important to note that the CPI-U
 and CPI-W are considered final when released, but the C-CPI-U is issued in
 preliminary form and subject to two annual revisions.
 
      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	0.040 x 100
       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 1998 through 2002 were replaced at the end of 2002.  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: 44 of
 the 73 components are seasonally adjusted for 2003.
   
   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 and dry weather in California.  It was used to offset an increase
 in demand due to warmer than expected weather and increased rates to
 conserve supplies 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.
 
   For a complete list of series that used Intervention Analysis
 Seasonal Adjustment, a list of unusual events modeled for them, or for a
 description of intervention analysis please write to 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)
                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                        
                                                                                   Unadjusted                           
                                                 Relative   Unadjusted indexes percent change to   Seasonally adjusted  
                                               importance,                      Aug. 2003 from-    percent change from- 
                     CPI-U                       December                                                               
                                                   2002       July      Aug.                                            
                                                              2003      2003     Aug.     July    May to June to July to
                                                                                 2002     2003     June    July    Aug. 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                        
             Expenditure category                                                                                       
                                                                                                                        
 All items ...................................    100.000     183.9     184.6      2.2      0.4     0.2     0.2     0.3 
 All items (1967=100) ........................          -     550.9     553.0        -        -       -       -       - 
                                                                                                                        
  Food and beverages .........................     15.583     180.3     180.9      2.4      0.3     0.4     0.1     0.3 
   Food ......................................     14.554     179.7     180.4      2.5      0.4     0.4     0.1     0.3 
    Food at home .............................      8.338     178.9     179.7      2.7      0.4     0.7    -0.1     0.4 
     Cereals and bakery products .............      1.281     204.5     204.5      3.0      0.0     0.1     0.3     0.0 
     Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ..........      2.222     168.2     169.7      4.6      0.9     1.1     0.4     0.7 
     Dairy and related products (1)...........       .876     164.7     167.5      0.2      1.7    -0.9     0.5     1.7 
     Fruits and vegetables ...................      1.234     226.6     224.9      3.6     -0.8     2.3     0.3    -0.4 
     Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage                                                                                
         materials ...........................       .954     138.4     139.7      1.5      0.9     0.0    -1.5     0.5 
     Other food at home ......................      1.771     162.7     163.2      1.6      0.3     0.6    -0.6     0.2 
      Sugar and sweets .......................       .314     162.7     162.5      1.6     -0.1     0.4    -0.2    -0.1 
      Fats and oils ..........................       .252     156.3     157.7      2.3      0.9    -0.3    -0.6     0.8 
      Other foods ............................      1.205     179.0     179.4      1.4      0.2     0.8    -0.7     0.2 
       Other miscellaneous foods (1) (2)......       .287     111.3     109.9      0.5     -1.3     1.3    -0.2    -1.3 
    Food away from home (1)...................      6.216     182.3     182.6      2.1      0.2     0.2     0.2     0.2 
     Other food away from home (2)............       .388     121.3     121.4      2.8      0.1     0.8    -0.3    -0.1 
   Alcoholic beverages .......................      1.029     187.2     187.1      1.6     -0.1     0.2    -0.1    -0.1 
                                                                                                                        
  Housing ....................................     40.854     185.9     186.1      2.4      0.1     0.1     0.2     0.1 
   Shelter ...................................     31.728     213.8     214.3      2.2      0.2     0.0     0.3     0.2 
    Rent of primary residence (3).............      6.467     205.6     206.1      2.9      0.2     0.1     0.2     0.2 
    Lodging away from home (2) (3)............      2.654     124.8     125.1      1.1      0.2    -0.7     0.7    -0.3 
    Owners' equivalent rent of primary                                                                                  
        residence (3) (4).....................     22.243     219.6     220.1      2.2      0.2     0.0     0.3     0.2 
    Tenants' and household insurance (1) (2)..       .365     115.6     115.8      5.7      0.2     0.8     0.3     0.2 
   Fuels and utilities .......................      4.469     159.4     159.2      8.4     -0.1     0.4    -0.2     0.1 
    Fuels ....................................      3.604     143.6     143.0      9.4     -0.4     0.5    -0.4    -0.1 
     Fuel oil and other fuels ................       .205     130.5     130.7     16.6      0.2    -1.2     1.0     1.2 
     Gas (piped) and electricity (3)..........      3.399     151.6     151.0      9.0     -0.4     0.7    -0.5    -0.1 
    Water and sewer and trash collection                                                                                
        services (2)..........................       .864     117.0     118.0      4.0      0.9     0.3     0.3     0.8 
   Household furnishings and operations ......      4.658     126.1     125.5     -2.0     -0.5    -0.2    -0.2    -0.3 
    Household operations (1) (2)..............       .820     121.7     121.8      2.2      0.1     0.4    -0.1     0.1 
                                                                                                                        
  Apparel ....................................      4.220     116.2     117.2     -2.7      0.9     0.4     0.0     0.1 
   Men's and boys' apparel ...................      1.065     113.8     113.4     -4.1     -0.4    -0.6     0.1    -0.6 
   Women's and girls' apparel ................      1.738     106.1     107.9     -2.8      1.7     0.7    -0.1     0.2 
   Infants' and toddlers' apparel ............       .193     117.9     120.8     -2.8      2.5    -0.7    -1.3     2.2 
   Footwear ..................................       .853     117.5     117.8     -1.6      0.3     1.4    -0.2     0.0 
                                                                                                                        
  Transportation .............................     17.293     156.8     158.3      2.9      1.0     0.3     0.2     1.1 
   Private transportation ....................     16.121     152.4     154.1      2.9      1.1     0.2     0.1     1.2 
    New and used motor vehicles (2)...........      8.170      96.5      96.0     -2.7     -0.5    -0.3    -0.4    -0.2 
     New vehicles ............................      4.864     136.7     136.8     -0.9      0.1    -0.2    -0.1     0.5 
     Used cars and trucks ....................      2.025     145.7     143.3     -6.6     -1.6    -0.6    -1.4    -1.6 
    Motor fuel ...............................      3.119     130.6     139.0     14.4      6.4     1.3     1.5     6.0 
     Gasoline (all types) ....................      3.091     130.0     138.4     14.5      6.5     1.3     1.2     6.2 
    Motor vehicle parts and equipment (1).....       .416     107.6     107.9      0.2      0.3    -0.1    -0.1     0.3 
    Motor vehicle maintenance and repair .....      1.418     196.0     195.7      2.5     -0.2     0.2     0.6    -0.3 
   Public transportation .....................      1.172     216.7     213.8      2.1     -1.3     0.7     0.5    -0.8 
                                                                                                                        
  Medical care ...............................      5.961     297.6     298.4      3.9      0.3     0.3     0.5     0.2 
   Medical care commodities ..................      1.387     263.6     264.1      2.5      0.2     0.0     0.5     0.3 
   Medical care services .....................      4.574     306.4     307.2      4.2      0.3     0.4     0.4     0.2 
    Professional services (3).................      2.808     261.9     261.7      2.7     -0.1     0.0     0.2     0.0 
    Hospital and related services (3).........      1.451     394.7     398.0      7.2      0.8     1.0     0.7     0.5 
                                                                                                                        
  Recreation (2)..............................      5.943     107.7     107.7      1.3      0.0     0.1     0.0     0.0 
   Video and audio (2)........................      1.638     103.7     103.7      1.3      0.0     0.0     0.1     0.0 
                                                                                                                        
  Education and communication (2).............      5.798     108.9     110.1      1.1      1.1    -0.1     0.5     0.5 
   Education (2)..............................      2.835     132.6     136.2      7.2      2.7     0.5     0.7     1.3 
    Educational books and supplies ...........       .236     335.0     338.5      5.9      1.0     0.5     0.5     0.7 
    Tuition, other school fees, and childcare       2.599     381.2     392.1      7.2      2.9     0.6     0.7     1.4 
   Communication (2)..........................      2.963      89.4      89.0     -4.5     -0.4    -0.7     0.2    -0.4 
    Information and information processing (1)                                                                          
        (2)...................................      2.765      87.5      87.0     -4.9     -0.6    -0.8     0.3    -0.6 
     Telephone services (1) (2)...............      2.273      98.1      97.8     -2.8     -0.3    -0.6     0.6    -0.3 
     Information and information processing                                                                             
         other than telephone services (1) (5)       .492      16.0      15.7    -14.2     -1.9    -1.2    -1.2    -1.9 
      Personal computers and peripheral                                                                                 
          equipment (1) (2)...................       .210      17.2      16.7    -24.1     -2.9    -2.8    -1.7    -2.9 
                                                                                                                        
  Other goods and services ...................      4.350     299.2     299.6      1.3      0.1     0.0     0.4     0.1 
   Tobacco and smoking products (1)...........       .992     469.1     471.8     -1.3      0.6    -0.5     1.2     0.6 
   Personal care (1)..........................      3.358     178.4     178.4      2.0      0.0     0.2     0.1     0.0 
    Personal care products (1)................       .680     154.2     153.5     -0.5     -0.5     0.1     0.3    -0.5 
    Personal care services (1)................       .897     193.2     193.9      2.5      0.4    -0.1     0.2     0.4 
    Miscellaneous personal services ..........      1.573     284.1     284.3      3.2      0.1     0.5     0.1     0.1 
                                                                                                                        
          Commodity and service group                                                                                   
                                                                                                                        
 Commodities .................................     40.822     150.0     150.9      0.9      0.6     0.2     0.1     0.5 
  Food and beverages .........................     15.583     180.3     180.9      2.4      0.3     0.4     0.1     0.3 
  Commodities less food and beverages ........     25.239     132.9     133.9     -0.1      0.8     0.1     0.1     0.7 
   Nondurables less food and beverages .......     13.824     146.6     149.2      2.6      1.8    -0.1     1.1     2.2 
    Apparel ..................................      4.220     116.2     117.2     -2.7      0.9     0.4     0.0     0.1 
    Nondurables less food, beverages, and                                                                               
        apparel ..............................      9.604     169.2     173.0      5.0      2.2     0.3     0.7     2.7 
   Durables ..................................     11.416     117.4     116.7     -3.3     -0.6    -0.3    -0.5    -0.3 
 Services ....................................     59.178     217.6     218.0      3.1      0.2     0.1     0.2     0.2 
  Rent of shelter (4).........................     31.364     222.6     223.1      2.2      0.2     0.0     0.3     0.1 
  Tenants' and household insurance (1) (2)....       .365     115.6     115.8      5.7      0.2     0.8     0.3     0.2 
  Gas (piped) and electricity (3).............      3.399     151.6     151.0      9.0     -0.4     0.7    -0.5    -0.1 
  Water and sewer and trash collection                                                                                  
      services (2)............................       .864     117.0     118.0      4.0      0.9     0.3     0.3     0.8 
  Household operations (1) (2)................       .820     121.7     121.8      2.2      0.1     0.4    -0.1     0.1 
  Transportation services ....................      6.722     218.0     217.2      3.4     -0.4     0.3     0.4    -0.2 
  Medical care services ......................      4.574     306.4     307.2      4.2      0.3     0.4     0.4     0.2 
  Other services .............................     11.071     253.7     255.5      2.9      0.7     0.1     0.3     0.4 
                                                                                                                        
                Special indexes                                                                                         
                                                                                                                        
 All items less food .........................     85.446     184.6     185.3      2.1      0.4     0.1     0.2     0.3 
 All items less shelter ......................     68.272     174.2     175.0      2.2      0.5     0.2     0.2     0.3 
 All items less medical care .................     94.039     178.0     178.7      2.1      0.4     0.2     0.2     0.3 
 Commodities less food .......................     26.268     134.9     135.9      0.0      0.7     0.1     0.1     0.7 
 Nondurables less food .......................     14.853     149.0     151.5      2.6      1.7    -0.1     0.9     2.1 
 Nondurables less food and apparel ...........     10.633     170.0     173.4      4.6      2.0     0.2     0.7     2.0 
 Nondurables .................................     29.406     163.5     165.2      2.5      1.0     0.2     0.5     1.2 
 Services less rent of shelter (4)............     27.815     228.0     228.4      4.1      0.2     0.4     0.1     0.2 
 Services less medical care services .........     54.604     209.8     210.3      3.0      0.2     0.0     0.2     0.1 
 Energy ......................................      6.723     136.8     140.6     11.8      2.8     0.8     0.4     2.7 
 All items less energy .......................     93.277     190.5     190.8      1.4      0.2     0.1     0.2     0.1 
  All items less food and energy .............     78.724     193.2     193.5      1.3      0.2     0.0     0.2     0.1 
   Commodities less food and energy                                                                                     
       commodities ...........................     22.945     139.9     139.7     -2.2     -0.1    -0.1    -0.1    -0.1 
    Energy commodities .......................      3.324     131.3     139.2     14.6      6.0     1.1     1.5     5.6 
   Services less energy services .............     55.779     224.3     224.9      2.7      0.3     0.1     0.3     0.2 
 Purchasing power of the consumer dollar                                                                                
     (1982-84=$1.00) .........................          -    $ .544    $ .542        -        -       -       -       - 
 Purchasing power of the consumer dollar                                                                                
     (1967=$1.00) ............................          -    $ .182    $ .181        -        -       -       -       - 

   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)
                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                        
                                                 Seasonally adjusted indexes    Seasonally adjusted annual rate percent 
                                                                                               change for               
                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                        
                     CPI-U                                                           3 months ended--         6 months  
                                                                                                              ended--   
                                                 May     June    July    Aug.                                           
                                                 2003    2003    2003    2003                                           
                                                                                Nov.   Feb.    May   Aug.   Feb.   Aug. 
                                                                                2002   2003   2003   2003   2003   2003 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                        
             Expenditure category                                                                                       
                                                                                                                        
 All items ...................................  183.3   183.6   183.9   184.5    2.0    4.3    0.0    2.6    3.1    1.3 
                                                                                                                        
  Food and beverages .........................  179.5   180.3   180.4   180.9    2.3    2.7    1.6    3.2    2.5    2.4 
   Food ......................................  178.9   179.7   179.8   180.4    2.3    2.7    1.6    3.4    2.5    2.5 
    Food at home .............................  177.9   179.1   179.0   179.7    2.3    3.5    1.1    4.1    2.9    2.6 
     Cereals and bakery products .............  202.8   203.1   203.7   203.7    2.9    5.3    2.0    1.8    4.1    1.9 
     Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ..........  165.7   167.5   168.1   169.2    0.5    8.1    1.7    8.7    4.3    5.2 
     Dairy and related products (1)...........  165.4   163.9   164.7   167.5   -0.2    0.2   -4.2    5.2    0.0    0.4 
     Fruits and vegetables ...................  223.7   228.8   229.5   228.5    3.1    0.2    2.5    8.9    1.6    5.7 
     Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage                                                                                
         materials ...........................  141.0   141.0   138.9   139.6    5.6    0.6    4.4   -3.9    3.1    0.1 
     Other food at home ......................  162.2   163.2   162.3   162.7    3.0    2.5   -0.5    1.2    2.8    0.4 
      Sugar and sweets .......................  162.1   162.8   162.4   162.3    1.3    2.3    2.5    0.5    1.8    1.5 
      Fats and oils ..........................  157.3   156.8   155.8   157.0    1.6   13.1   -4.0   -0.8    7.2   -2.4 
      Other foods ............................  178.2   179.7   178.5   178.9    4.1    0.2   -0.2    1.6    2.2    0.7 
       Other miscellaneous foods (1) (2)......  110.1   111.5   111.3   109.9    3.7    0.7   -1.4   -0.7    2.2   -1.1 
    Food away from home (1)...................  181.5   181.9   182.3   182.6    2.3    2.0    1.8    2.4    2.1    2.1 
     Other food away from home (2)............  120.8   121.8   121.4   121.3    4.5    3.4    1.7    1.7    3.9    1.7 
   Alcoholic beverages .......................  186.7   187.1   187.0   186.9    2.2    0.9    2.6    0.4    1.5    1.5 
                                                                                                                        
  Housing ....................................  184.7   184.8   185.1   185.3    2.2    3.6    2.9    1.3    2.9    2.1 
   Shelter ...................................  212.8   212.7   213.3   213.7    2.7    2.3    2.5    1.7    2.5    2.1 
    Rent of primary residence (3).............  205.1   205.4   205.8   206.3    3.0    3.2    3.2    2.4    3.1    2.8 
    Lodging away from home (2) (3)............  120.3   119.4   120.2   119.8    1.4   -6.6   12.2   -1.7   -2.7    5.0 
    Owners' equivalent rent of primary                                                                                  
        residence (3) (4).....................  219.3   219.3   219.9   220.4    2.8    3.0    1.1    2.0    2.9    1.6 
    Tenants' and household insurance (1) (2)..  114.3   115.2   115.6   115.8    6.7   10.1    0.7    5.4    8.4    3.0 
   Fuels and utilities .......................  155.7   156.4   156.1   156.2    2.5   16.4   15.2    1.3    9.2    8.0 
    Fuels ....................................  139.7   140.4   139.9   139.8    2.2   20.1   17.8    0.3   10.8    8.7 
     Fuel oil and other fuels ................  136.4   134.7   136.0   137.6   13.9  132.5  -32.4    3.6   62.7  -16.3 
     Gas (piped) and electricity (3)..........  146.9   147.9   147.2   147.0    1.5   15.3   21.9    0.3    8.2   10.6 
    Water and sewer and trash collection                                                                                
        services (2)..........................  116.3   116.6   117.0   117.9    3.6    2.1    4.6    5.6    2.8    5.1 
   Household furnishings and operations ......  126.3   126.1   125.9   125.5   -0.9    0.0   -4.6   -2.5   -0.5   -3.6 
    Household operations (1) (2)..............  121.3   121.8   121.7   121.8    2.4    7.2   -2.3    1.7    4.8   -0.3 
                                                                                                                        
  Apparel ....................................  120.0   120.5   120.5   120.6   -2.6   -5.1   -5.2    2.0   -3.8   -1.6 
   Men's and boys' apparel ...................  117.2   116.5   116.6   115.9   -1.6   -7.4   -3.0   -4.4   -4.6   -3.7 
   Women's and girls' apparel ................  112.3   113.1   113.0   113.2   -3.7   -5.8   -4.5    3.2   -4.8   -0.7 
   Infants' and toddlers' apparel ............  123.1   122.2   120.6   123.2   -4.0   -9.5    2.3    0.3   -6.8    1.3 
   Footwear ..................................  117.8   119.4   119.2   119.2    0.0    1.3  -11.9    4.8    0.7   -3.9 
                                                                                                                        
  Transportation .............................  156.2   156.6   156.9   158.6    1.8   11.9   -7.6    6.3    6.7   -0.9 
   Private transportation ....................  152.2   152.5   152.7   154.6    2.1   12.8   -8.5    6.5    7.3   -1.3 
    New and used motor vehicles (2)...........   97.4    97.1    96.7    96.5   -2.4   -3.6   -1.2   -3.6   -3.0   -2.4 
     New vehicles ............................  137.9   137.6   137.4   138.1    2.0   -4.8   -1.4    0.6   -1.4   -0.4 
     Used cars and trucks ....................  148.4   147.5   145.5   143.1  -12.9    2.2   -1.1  -13.5   -5.7   -7.5 
    Motor fuel ...............................  127.3   128.9   130.8   138.6    9.2   78.0  -37.2   40.5   39.4   -6.1 
     Gasoline (all types) ....................  126.6   128.3   129.9   138.0    9.3   78.0  -37.4   41.2   39.5   -6.0 
    Motor vehicle parts and equipment (1).....  107.8   107.7   107.6   107.9   -1.8    3.8   -1.5    0.4    0.9   -0.6 
    Motor vehicle maintenance and repair .....  194.9   195.3   196.4   195.9    2.5    3.4    1.7    2.1    2.9    1.9 
   Public transportation .....................  210.3   211.8   212.9   211.3   -2.1   -2.5   12.1    1.9   -2.3    6.9 
                                                                                                                        
  Medical care ...............................  295.2   296.1   297.5   298.1    5.8    2.5    3.0    4.0    4.2    3.5 
   Medical care commodities ..................  261.5   261.6   263.0   263.9    3.6    1.1    1.7    3.7    2.3    2.7 
   Medical care services .....................  303.9   305.2   306.4   306.9    6.5    3.0    3.4    4.0    4.7    3.7 
    Professional services (3).................  260.9   261.0   261.6   261.7    3.8    1.7    4.1    1.2    2.8    2.6 
    Hospital and related services (3).........  388.9   392.6   395.5   397.6   11.5    6.1    2.3    9.3    8.8    5.7 
                                                                                                                        
  Recreation (2)..............................  107.5   107.6   107.6   107.6    1.1    2.7    1.1    0.4    1.9    0.7 
   Video and audio (2)........................  103.5   103.5   103.6   103.6    4.4    0.0    0.4    0.4    2.2    0.4 
                                                                                                                        
  Education and communication (2).............  109.2   109.1   109.6   110.1   -0.4    3.4   -1.8    3.3    1.5    0.7 
   Education (2)..............................  132.7   133.4   134.3   136.1    5.8    6.4    5.6   10.6    6.1    8.1 
    Educational books and supplies ...........  334.1   335.7   337.4   339.9    3.9    7.7    4.8    7.1    5.8    6.0 
    Tuition, other school fees, and childcare   381.5   383.6   386.2   391.7    6.0    6.3    5.6   11.1    6.2    8.4 
   Communication (2)..........................   89.8    89.2    89.4    89.0   -5.9    0.4   -8.8   -3.5   -2.8   -6.2 
    Information and information processing (1)                                                                          
        (2)...................................   87.9    87.2    87.5    87.0   -6.4    0.4   -9.4   -4.0   -3.0   -6.8 
     Telephone services (1) (2)...............   98.1    97.5    98.1    97.8   -3.1    2.8   -9.2   -1.2   -0.2   -5.3 
     Information and information processing                                                                             
         other than telephone services (1) (5)   16.4    16.2    16.0    15.7  -20.1   -8.9  -11.3  -16.0  -14.7  -13.7 
      Personal computers and peripheral                                                                                 
          equipment (1) (2)...................   18.0    17.5    17.2    16.7  -31.7  -16.8  -21.1  -25.9  -24.6  -23.6 
                                                                                                                        
  Other goods and services ...................  298.1   298.1   299.2   299.6   -0.4    2.6    0.8    2.0    1.1    1.4 
   Tobacco and smoking products (1)...........  465.6   463.5   469.1   471.8   -6.4    2.0   -5.9    5.4   -2.3   -0.4 
   Personal care (1)..........................  177.9   178.2   178.4   178.4    1.4    2.8    2.7    1.1    2.1    1.9 
    Personal care products (1)................  153.6   153.8   154.2   153.5   -0.3   -2.3    0.8   -0.3   -1.3    0.3 
    Personal care services (1)................  193.0   192.8   193.2   193.9    1.7    2.1    4.5    1.9    1.9    3.2 
    Miscellaneous personal services ..........  282.4   283.8   284.1   284.3    2.5    4.1    3.8    2.7    3.3    3.2 
                                                                                                                        
          Commodity and service group                                                                                   
                                                                                                                        
 Commodities .................................  150.2   150.5   150.7   151.5    0.3    5.2   -5.2    3.5    2.7   -0.9 
  Food and beverages .........................  179.5   180.3   180.4   180.9    2.3    2.7    1.6    3.2    2.5    2.4 
  Commodities less food and beverages ........  133.6   133.7   133.8   134.8   -1.2    6.7   -8.8    3.6    2.7   -2.8 
   Nondurables less food and beverages .......  145.8   145.6   147.2   150.5    3.3   15.4  -18.0   13.5    9.2   -3.5 
    Apparel ..................................  120.0   120.5   120.5   120.6   -2.6   -5.1   -5.2    2.0   -3.8   -1.6 
    Nondurables less food, beverages, and                                                                               
        apparel ..............................  167.7   168.2   169.4   173.9    1.2   20.4  -13.7   15.6   10.4   -0.1 
   Durables ..................................  118.5   118.2   117.6   117.2   -3.3   -2.0   -3.6   -4.3   -2.6   -4.0 
 Services ....................................  216.1   216.4   216.9   217.3    3.1    3.4    3.8    2.2    3.3    3.0 
  Rent of shelter (4).........................  221.5   221.5   222.2   222.5    2.6    2.0    2.6    1.8    2.3    2.2 
  Tenants' and household insurance (1) (2)....  114.3   115.2   115.6   115.8    6.7   10.1    0.7    5.4    8.4    3.0 
  Gas (piped) and electricity (3).............  146.9   147.9   147.2   147.0    1.5   15.3   21.9    0.3    8.2   10.6 
  Water and sewer and trash collection                                                                                  
      services (2)............................  116.3   116.6   117.0   117.9    3.6    2.1    4.6    5.6    2.8    5.1 
  Household operations (1) (2)................  121.3   121.8   121.7   121.8    2.4    7.2   -2.3    1.7    4.8   -0.3 
  Transportation services ....................  216.1   216.8   217.6   217.2    3.9    2.1    5.6    2.1    3.0    3.8 
  Medical care services ......................  303.9   305.2   306.4   306.9    6.5    3.0    3.4    4.0    4.7    3.7 
  Other services .............................  253.3   253.6   254.4   255.3    2.4    4.4    1.6    3.2    3.4    2.4 
                                                                                                                        
                Special indexes                                                                                         
                                                                                                                        
 All items less food .........................  184.1   184.3   184.6   185.2    2.0    4.5   -0.2    2.4    3.2    1.1 
 All items less shelter ......................  173.8   174.2   174.5   175.1    1.4    5.2   -1.1    3.0    3.3    0.9 
 All items less medical care .................  177.4   177.7   178.0   178.6    1.8    4.2   -0.2    2.7    3.0    1.2 
 Commodities less food .......................  135.6   135.7   135.8   136.7   -0.9    6.6   -8.4    3.3    2.8   -2.7 
 Nondurables less food .......................  148.3   148.1   149.4   152.6    3.5   14.0  -16.4   12.1    8.6   -3.2 
 Nondurables less food and apparel ...........  168.6   168.9   170.0   173.4    2.9   19.5  -12.9   11.9   10.9   -1.3 
 Nondurables .................................  162.8   163.1   163.9   165.9    2.7    8.1   -7.7    7.8    5.4   -0.2 
 Services less rent of shelter (4)............  225.9   226.8   227.1   227.5    3.7    4.4    5.3    2.9    4.1    4.1 
 Services less medical care services .........  208.6   208.7   209.2   209.5    2.8    3.2    4.3    1.7    3.0    3.0 
 Energy ......................................  133.3   134.4   135.0   138.7    5.6   44.9  -12.4   17.2   23.7    1.3 
 All items less energy .......................  190.2   190.4   190.7   190.9    1.5    1.7    1.1    1.5    1.6    1.3 
  All items less food and energy .............  193.0   193.0   193.4   193.6    1.5    1.5    1.0    1.2    1.5    1.1 
   Commodities less food and energy                                                                                     
       commodities ...........................  141.2   141.0   140.9   140.7   -2.5   -1.9   -2.8   -1.4   -2.2   -2.1 
    Energy commodities .......................  128.5   129.9   131.8   139.2    9.5   81.1  -36.9   37.7   40.9   -6.8 
   Services less energy services .............  223.2   223.4   224.1   224.5    3.1    2.8    2.7    2.4    3.0    2.5 

   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)
                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                           
                                                                                All items                                  
                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                           
                                               Prici-           Indexes             Percent change to    Percent change to 
                     CPI-U                       ng                                  Aug. 2003 from--      July 2003 from--  
                                               sched-                                                                      
                                                 ule    May   June   July   Aug.                                           
                                                 (1)   2003   2003   2003   2003   Aug.   June   July   July    May   June 
                                                                                   2002   2003   2003   2002   2003   2003 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                           
 U.S. city average ...........................   M    183.5  183.7  183.9  184.6    2.2    0.5    0.4    2.1    0.2    0.1 
                                                                                                                           
            Region and area size(2)                                                                                        
                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                           
 Northeast urban .............................   M    192.7  192.8  193.5  194.3    2.6    0.8    0.4    2.8    0.4    0.4 
   Size A -  More than 1,500,000 .............   M    194.6  194.9  195.5  196.6    2.8    0.9    0.6    2.8    0.5    0.3 
   Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 (3).........   M    114.2  113.9  114.5  114.4    2.1    0.4   -0.1    2.4    0.3    0.5 
                                                                                                                           
 Midwest urban ...............................   M    177.7  178.4  178.1  178.8    1.7    0.2    0.4    1.6    0.2   -0.2 
   Size A   - More than 1,500,000 ............   M    179.7  180.7  180.5  181.2    1.7    0.3    0.4    1.7    0.4   -0.1 
   Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 (3).........   M    113.0  113.2  113.1  113.6    2.0    0.4    0.4    1.6    0.1   -0.1 
   Size D -  Nonmetropolitan  (less than                                                                                   
       50,000) ...............................   M    171.7  172.6  171.4  172.1    1.4   -0.3    0.4    1.2   -0.2   -0.7 
                                                                                                                           
 South urban .................................   M    176.8  177.2  177.3  177.9    2.4    0.4    0.3    2.1    0.3    0.1 
   Size A -  More than 1,500,000 .............   M    178.6  179.0  179.1  179.8    2.5    0.4    0.4    2.5    0.3    0.1 
   Size B/C -  50,000 to 1,500,000 (3)........   M    112.8  113.1  113.1  113.4    2.3    0.3    0.3    1.9    0.3    0.0 
   Size D -  Nonmetropolitan  (less than                                                                                   
       50,000) ...............................   M    174.7  174.9  175.0  175.9    1.9    0.6    0.5    1.6    0.2    0.1 
                                                                                                                           
 West urban ..................................   M    188.5  188.1  188.4  189.2    2.1    0.6    0.4    2.0   -0.1    0.2 
   Size A   - More than 1,500,000 ............   M    191.2  190.9  190.9  191.7    2.0    0.4    0.4    1.9   -0.2    0.0 
   Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 (3).........   M    114.7  114.4  115.1  115.5    2.2    1.0    0.3    2.3    0.3    0.6 
                                                                                                                           
                 Size classes                                                                                              
                                                                                                                           
   A (4)......................................   M    167.9  168.2  168.3  169.0    2.2    0.5    0.4    2.2    0.2    0.1 
   B/C (3)....................................   M    113.4  113.4  113.6  113.9    2.2    0.4    0.3    2.0    0.2    0.2 
   D .........................................   M    176.1  176.4  176.1  177.1    1.8    0.4    0.6    1.6    0.0   -0.2 
                                                                                                                           
            Selected local areas(5)                                                                                        
                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                           
 Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI ..............   M    183.4  184.1  184.1  184.5    1.6    0.2    0.2    1.6    0.4    0.0 
 Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA .....   M    186.4  186.3  186.3  186.9    2.1    0.3    0.3    2.3   -0.1    0.0 
 New York-Northern N.J.-Long Island,                                                                                       
     NY-NJ-CT-PA .............................   M    196.8  196.9  197.7  199.1    3.1    1.1    0.7    3.0    0.5    0.4 
                                                                                                                           
 Boston-Brockton-Nashua, MA-NH-ME-CT .........   1    202.3      -  203.0      -      -      -      -    3.7    0.3      - 
 Cleveland-Akron, OH .........................   1    175.1      -  176.0      -      -      -      -    1.5    0.5      - 
 Dallas-Fort Worth, TX .......................   1    176.9      -  176.5      -      -      -      -    2.1   -0.2      - 
 Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV (6)........   1    115.7      -  116.8      -      -      -      -    3.0    1.0      - 
                                                                                                                           
 Atlanta, GA .................................   2        -  181.5      -  181.7    1.1    0.1      -      -      -      - 
 Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI .................   2        -  182.8      -  183.6    1.5    0.4      -      -      -      - 
 Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX ..............   2        -  162.5      -  164.1    2.5    1.0      -      -      -      - 
 Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ...................   2        -  179.4      -  180.9    3.3    0.8      -      -      -      - 
 Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,                                                                                    
     PA-NJ-DE-MD .............................   2        -  189.7      -  191.1    1.5    0.7      -      -      -      - 
 San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA ..........   2        -  196.3      -  196.3    1.4    0.0      -      -      -      - 
 Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA ................   2        -  191.7      -  194.4    2.2    1.4      -      -      -      - 

   1 Areas on pricing schedule 2 (see Table 10) will appear next month. 
   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.

 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)
                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                        
                                                                                   Unadjusted                           
                                                 Relative   Unadjusted indexes percent change to   Seasonally adjusted  
                                               importance,                      Aug. 2003 from-    percent change from- 
                     CPI-W                       December                                                               
                                                   2002       July      Aug.                                            
                                                              2003      2003     Aug.     July    May to June to July to
                                                                                 2002     2003     June    July    Aug. 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                        
             Expenditure category                                                                                       
                                                                                                                        
 All items ...................................    100.000     179.6     180.3      2.1      0.4     0.2     0.1     0.4 
 All items (1967=100) ........................          -     535.0     537.1        -        -       -       -       - 
                                                                                                                        
  Food and beverages .........................     17.072     179.6     180.2      2.4      0.3     0.4     0.1     0.3 
   Food ......................................     16.071     179.1     179.7      2.5      0.3     0.4     0.1     0.3 
    Food at home .............................      9.646     178.0     178.8      2.8      0.4     0.7     0.0     0.4 
     Cereals and bakery products .............      1.449     204.4     204.5      3.0      0.0     0.1     0.3     0.0 
     Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ..........      2.773     168.2     169.5      4.6      0.8     1.0     0.5     0.5 
     Dairy and related products (1)...........       .977     164.4     167.0      0.0      1.6    -1.0     0.6     1.6 
     Fruits and vegetables ...................      1.337     225.3     223.8      3.5     -0.7     2.3     0.3    -0.4 
     Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage                                                                                
         materials ...........................      1.118     137.5     138.9      1.5      1.0    -0.1    -1.5     0.4 
     Other food at home ......................      1.992     162.3     162.6      1.6      0.2     0.7    -0.6     0.2 
      Sugar and sweets .......................       .337     162.3     162.1      1.6     -0.1     0.2    -0.4     0.1 
      Fats and oils ..........................       .302     156.2     157.7      2.4      1.0    -0.3    -0.6     0.9 
      Other foods ............................      1.353     179.4     179.7      1.4      0.2     1.0    -0.6     0.1 
       Other miscellaneous foods (1) (2)......       .308     111.6     110.1      0.2     -1.3     1.4    -0.4    -1.3 
    Food away from home (1)...................      6.425     182.1     182.4      2.1      0.2     0.2     0.2     0.2 
     Other food away from home (2)............       .278     121.4     121.6      2.6      0.2     0.5    -0.2     0.0 
   Alcoholic beverages .......................      1.001     187.0     186.9      1.7     -0.1     0.1     0.0     0.1 
                                                                                                                        
  Housing ....................................     38.134     181.4     181.6      2.7      0.1     0.1     0.2     0.2 
   Shelter ...................................     29.422     207.2     207.7      2.4      0.2     0.0     0.2     0.2 
    Rent of primary residence (3).............      8.456     204.8     205.3      2.9      0.2     0.1     0.2     0.2 
    Lodging away from home (2) (3)............      1.499     125.0     125.2      1.9      0.2    -1.1     0.8    -0.1 
    Owners' equivalent rent of primary                                                                                  
        residence (3) (4).....................     19.144     199.4     199.9      2.1      0.3     0.0     0.2     0.3 
    Tenants' and household insurance (1) (2)..       .323     115.4     115.7      5.5      0.3     0.9     0.3     0.3 
   Fuels and utilities .......................      4.783     158.9     158.7      8.5     -0.1     0.6    -0.2     0.1 
    Fuels ....................................      3.902     142.4     141.9      9.5     -0.4     0.7    -0.4    -0.1 
     Fuel oil and other fuels ................       .192     129.6     129.6     16.4      0.0    -1.1     1.0     0.7 
     Gas (piped) and electricity (3)..........      3.710     150.6     150.1      9.2     -0.3     0.7    -0.4    -0.1 
    Water and sewer and trash collection                                                                                
        services (2)..........................       .880     117.1     118.1      4.1      0.9     0.3     0.5     0.6 
   Household furnishings and operations ......      3.929     121.9     121.4     -2.3     -0.4    -0.1    -0.2    -0.2 
    Household operations (1) (2)..............       .357     122.7     122.9      2.4      0.2     0.2     0.0     0.2 
                                                                                                                        
  Apparel ....................................      4.638     115.2     116.1     -2.9      0.8     0.4    -0.5     0.3 
   Men's and boys' apparel ...................      1.176     113.4     112.9     -4.5     -0.4    -0.3    -0.3    -0.5 
   Women's and girls' apparel ................      1.801     105.0     106.9     -2.5      1.8     0.9    -0.9     0.9 
   Infants' and toddlers' apparel ............       .244     120.3     122.9     -3.1      2.2    -0.6    -1.0     1.6 
   Footwear ..................................      1.136     116.9     117.2     -2.0      0.3     0.6    -0.4     0.1 
                                                                                                                        
  Transportation .............................     19.666     155.5     157.1      2.7      1.0     0.3     0.1     1.1 
   Private transportation ....................     18.751     152.5     154.2      2.7      1.1     0.3     0.1     1.2 
    New and used motor vehicles (2)...........      9.568      96.3      95.7     -3.4     -0.6    -0.3    -0.6    -0.4 
     New vehicles ............................      4.682     137.7     137.9     -0.9      0.1    -0.2    -0.1     0.6 
     Used cars and trucks ....................      3.783     146.4     144.0     -6.6     -1.6    -0.5    -1.4    -1.6 
    Motor fuel ...............................      3.836     130.9     139.4     14.4      6.5     1.6     1.3     6.1 
     Gasoline (all types) ....................      3.803     130.4     138.8     14.4      6.4     1.6     1.4     6.2 
    Motor vehicle parts and equipment (1).....       .524     107.0     107.3      0.3      0.3    -0.1    -0.1     0.3 
    Motor vehicle maintenance and repair .....      1.458     197.6     197.3      2.5     -0.2     0.3     0.5    -0.3 
   Public transportation .....................       .915     212.8     210.5      2.9     -1.1     0.7     0.4    -0.7 
                                                                                                                        
  Medical care ...............................      4.747     296.7     297.4      3.9      0.2     0.3     0.4     0.2 
   Medical care commodities ..................      1.012     258.2     258.6      2.5      0.2    -0.1     0.6     0.2 
   Medical care services .....................      3.735     306.3     307.0      4.2      0.2     0.4     0.4     0.1 
    Professional services (3).................      2.265     264.1     263.9      2.7     -0.1     0.1     0.2     0.0 
    Hospital and related services (3).........      1.177     390.9     394.2      7.4      0.8     0.9     0.7     0.4 
                                                                                                                        
  Recreation (2)..............................      5.567     105.6     105.7      1.0      0.1     0.0     0.2     0.0 
   Video and audio (2)........................      1.795     102.9     102.9      1.3      0.0     0.0     0.2    -0.1 
                                                                                                                        
  Education and communication (2).............      5.604     108.2     109.1      0.5      0.8    -0.2     0.5     0.4 
   Education (2)..............................      2.472     132.3     135.5      6.8      2.4     0.5     0.6     1.3 
    Educational books and supplies ...........       .217     336.3     339.6      6.0      1.0     0.4     0.4     0.8 
    Tuition, other school fees, and childcare       2.256     372.6     382.1      6.8      2.5     0.6     0.6     1.4 
   Communication (2)..........................      3.132      90.9      90.5     -4.3     -0.4    -0.7     0.2    -0.4 
    Information and information processing (1)                                                                          
        (2)...................................      2.972      89.6      89.1     -4.6     -0.6    -0.8     0.3    -0.6 
     Telephone services (1) (2)...............      2.536      98.3      98.0     -2.8     -0.3    -0.6     0.6    -0.3 
     Information and information processing                                                                             
         other than telephone services (1) (5)       .436      16.5      16.3    -13.8     -1.2    -1.2    -1.8    -1.2 
      Personal computers and peripheral                                                                                 
          equipment (1) (2)...................       .191      16.9      16.3    -24.9     -3.6    -3.4    -1.7    -3.6 
                                                                                                                        
  Other goods and services ...................      4.571     307.5     308.0      0.7      0.2     0.0     0.5     0.2 
   Tobacco and smoking products (1)...........      1.542     470.5     473.2     -1.6      0.6    -0.4     1.2     0.6 
   Personal care (1)..........................      3.030     177.5     177.4      1.8     -0.1     0.2     0.2    -0.1 
    Personal care products (1)................       .786     154.8     154.3     -0.5     -0.3     0.1     0.3    -0.3 
    Personal care services (1)................       .896     193.9     194.6      2.5      0.4    -0.1     0.2     0.4 
    Miscellaneous personal services ..........      1.170     284.0     284.4      3.3      0.1     0.6     0.0     0.1 
                                                                                                                        
          Commodity and service group                                                                                   
                                                                                                                        
 Commodities .................................     45.066     150.7     151.6      0.8      0.6     0.2     0.1     0.6 
  Food and beverages .........................     17.072     179.6     180.2      2.4      0.3     0.4     0.1     0.3 
  Commodities less food and beverages ........     27.994     134.2     135.4     -0.1      0.9     0.1     0.0     0.8 
   Nondurables less food and beverages .......     15.152     148.7     151.7      2.7      2.0    -0.3     1.1     2.6 
    Apparel ..................................      4.638     115.2     116.1     -2.9      0.8     0.4    -0.5     0.3 
    Nondurables less food, beverages, and                                                                               
        apparel ..............................     10.514     173.0     177.4      5.3      2.5     0.4     0.8     3.0 
   Durables ..................................     12.842     117.6     116.9     -3.6     -0.6    -0.3    -0.5    -0.5 
 Services ....................................     54.934     213.6     214.0      3.2      0.2     0.1     0.2     0.1 
  Rent of shelter (4).........................     29.099     199.5     200.0      2.3      0.3    -0.1     0.3     0.2 
  Tenants' and household insurance (1) (2)....       .323     115.4     115.7      5.5      0.3     0.9     0.3     0.3 
  Gas (piped) and electricity (3).............      3.710     150.6     150.1      9.2     -0.3     0.7    -0.4    -0.1 
  Water and sewer and trash collection                                                                                  
      services (2)............................       .880     117.1     118.1      4.1      0.9     0.3     0.5     0.6 
  Household operations (1) (2)................       .357     122.7     122.9      2.4      0.2     0.2     0.0     0.2 
  Transportation services ....................      6.706     217.4     216.8      3.9     -0.3     0.4     0.3    -0.1 
  Medical care services ......................      3.735     306.3     307.0      4.2      0.2     0.4     0.4     0.1 
  Other services .............................     10.123     247.9     249.3      2.4      0.6     0.1     0.3     0.3 
                                                                                                                        
                Special indexes                                                                                         
                                                                                                                        
 All items less food .........................     83.929     179.6     180.3      2.0      0.4     0.1     0.2     0.3 
 All items less shelter ......................     70.578     171.5     172.3      2.0      0.5     0.3     0.1     0.4 
 All items less medical care .................     95.253     174.5     175.2      2.0      0.4     0.2     0.1     0.4 
 Commodities less food .......................     28.995     136.1     137.2     -0.1      0.8     0.1     0.0     0.7 
 Nondurables less food .......................     16.153     151.0     153.9      2.7      1.9    -0.4     1.1     2.4 
 Nondurables less food and apparel ...........     11.514     173.5     177.5      4.9      2.3     0.1     0.9     2.1 
 Nondurables .................................     32.224     164.6     166.4      2.6      1.1    -0.1     0.5     1.5 
 Services less rent of shelter (4)............     25.835     202.8     203.1      4.2      0.1     0.4     0.1     0.2 
 Services less medical care services .........     51.199     206.2     206.6      3.1      0.2     0.1     0.2     0.2 
 Energy ......................................      7.738     135.9     140.0     12.0      3.0     1.1     0.4     3.0 
 All items less energy .......................     92.262     185.9     186.2      1.3      0.2     0.1     0.1     0.1 
  All items less food and energy .............     76.191     187.7     187.9      1.0      0.1     0.1     0.1     0.1 
   Commodities less food and energy                                                                                     
       commodities ...........................     24.967     140.3     140.1     -2.5     -0.1    -0.1    -0.2    -0.1 
    Energy commodities .......................      4.028     131.4     139.5     14.5      6.2     1.5     1.3     5.9 
   Services less energy services .............     51.224     220.5     221.0      2.7      0.2     0.1     0.3     0.2 
 Purchasing power of the consumer dollar                                                                                
     (1982-84=$1.00) .........................          -    $ .557    $ .555        -        -       -       -       - 
 Purchasing power of the consumer dollar                                                                                
     (1967=$1.00) ............................          -    $ .187    $ .186        -        -       -       -       - 

   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)
                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                        
                                                 Seasonally adjusted indexes    Seasonally adjusted annual rate percent 
                                                                                               change for               
                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                        
                     CPI-W                                                           3 months ended--         6 months  
                                                                                                              ended--   
                                                 May     June    July    Aug.                                           
                                                 2003    2003    2003    2003                                           
                                                                                Nov.   Feb.    May   Aug.   Feb.   Aug. 
                                                                                2002   2003   2003   2003   2003   2003 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                        
             Expenditure category                                                                                       
                                                                                                                        
 All items ...................................  179.1   179.5   179.7   180.4    1.6    4.6   -0.4    2.9    3.1    1.2 
                                                                                                                        
  Food and beverages .........................  178.8   179.6   179.7   180.2    2.3    2.7    1.6    3.2    2.5    2.4 
   Food ......................................  178.2   179.0   179.2   179.7    2.3    3.0    1.4    3.4    2.6    2.4 
    Food at home .............................  176.9   178.1   178.1   178.8    2.1    3.7    0.9    4.4    2.9    2.6 
     Cereals and bakery products .............  202.7   203.0   203.6   203.7    2.7    6.0    1.6    2.0    4.3    1.8 
     Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ..........  165.5   167.2   168.1   169.0    0.5    7.9    1.7    8.7    4.1    5.2 
     Dairy and related products (1)...........  165.1   163.5   164.4   167.0   -0.2    0.5   -4.7    4.7    0.1   -0.1 
     Fruits and vegetables ...................  222.0   227.1   227.8   227.0    2.4    0.2    2.4    9.3    1.3    5.8 
     Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage                                                                                
         materials ...........................  140.5   140.3   138.2   138.8    6.3   -0.3    5.3   -4.8    2.9    0.1 
     Other food at home ......................  161.7   162.8   161.9   162.3    3.3    2.3   -0.7    1.5    2.8    0.4 
      Sugar and sweets .......................  162.0   162.4   161.8   162.0    1.5    1.5    3.5    0.0    1.5    1.8 
      Fats and oils ..........................  157.3   156.8   155.9   157.3    1.6   12.5   -3.5    0.0    6.9   -1.8 
      Other foods ............................  178.3   180.1   179.1   179.3    4.4    0.2   -1.3    2.3    2.3    0.4 
       Other miscellaneous foods (1) (2)......  110.5   112.1   111.6   110.1    4.1   -0.4   -1.4   -1.4    1.8   -1.4 
    Food away from home (1)...................  181.4   181.7   182.1   182.4    2.3    1.8    2.0    2.2    2.0    2.1 
     Other food away from home (2)............  121.2   121.8   121.5   121.5    4.1    3.4    2.0    1.0    3.8    1.5 
   Alcoholic beverages .......................  186.6   186.8   186.8   186.9    2.0    2.0    2.4    0.6    2.0    1.5 
                                                                                                                        
  Housing ....................................  180.3   180.4   180.7   181.0    2.5    3.7    3.2    1.6    3.1    2.4 
   Shelter ...................................  206.5   206.5   207.0   207.4    3.0    2.4    2.4    1.8    2.7    2.1 
    Rent of primary residence (3).............  204.3   204.6   205.0   205.5    2.8    3.2    3.0    2.4    3.0    2.7 
    Lodging away from home (2) (3)............  121.0   119.7   120.6   120.5    3.4   -4.9   11.3   -1.6   -0.8    4.6 
    Owners' equivalent rent of primary                                                                                  
        residence (3) (4).....................  199.2   199.2   199.6   200.1    3.1    2.5    1.4    1.8    2.8    1.6 
    Tenants' and household insurance (1) (2)..  114.0   115.0   115.4   115.7    5.6   10.1    0.4    6.1    7.8    3.2 
   Fuels and utilities .......................  154.9   155.8   155.5   155.6    2.5   15.9   15.6    1.8    9.0    8.5 
    Fuels ....................................  138.3   139.2   138.7   138.6    2.6   19.2   18.0    0.9   10.6    9.1 
     Fuel oil and other fuels ................  135.4   133.9   135.3   136.3   15.5  129.4  -32.5    2.7   62.8  -16.8 
     Gas (piped) and electricity (3)..........  145.8   146.8   146.2   146.1    2.1   15.1   21.4    0.8    8.4   10.6 
    Water and sewer and trash collection                                                                                
        services (2)..........................  116.3   116.7   117.3   118.0    3.6    2.1    4.6    6.0    2.8    5.3 
   Household furnishings and operations ......  121.9   121.8   121.6   121.4   -1.6    0.0   -5.7   -1.6   -0.8   -3.7 
    Household operations (1) (2)..............  122.4   122.7   122.7   122.9    2.7    6.8   -1.3    1.6    4.7    0.2 
                                                                                                                        
  Apparel ....................................  119.2   119.7   119.1   119.5   -2.9   -5.4   -4.2    1.0   -4.2   -1.7 
   Men's and boys' apparel ...................  116.6   116.3   116.0   115.4   -2.6   -7.4   -3.7   -4.1   -5.1   -3.9 
   Women's and girls' apparel ................  111.3   112.3   111.3   112.3   -3.4   -7.1   -3.2    3.6   -5.3    0.2 
   Infants' and toddlers' apparel ............  125.2   124.4   123.2   125.2   -4.9  -10.2    3.6    0.0   -7.6    1.8 
   Footwear ..................................  118.2   118.9   118.4   118.5   -0.3    1.0   -9.2    1.0    0.3   -4.2 
                                                                                                                        
  Transportation .............................  155.1   155.6   155.7   157.4    1.3   13.1   -8.5    6.1    7.0   -1.5 
   Private transportation ....................  152.3   152.7   152.8   154.6    1.3   13.6   -9.2    6.2    7.3   -1.8 
    New and used motor vehicles (2)...........   97.4    97.1    96.5    96.1   -4.0   -2.4   -1.6   -5.2   -3.2   -3.4 
     New vehicles ............................  138.9   138.6   138.4   139.2    2.3   -5.0   -1.4    0.9   -1.4   -0.3 
     Used cars and trucks ....................  149.1   148.3   146.2   143.9  -12.6    1.9   -1.3  -13.2   -5.6   -7.5 
    Motor fuel ...............................  127.3   129.4   131.1   139.1    8.8   76.2  -37.4   42.6   38.5   -5.5 
     Gasoline (all types) ....................  126.7   128.7   130.5   138.6    8.9   75.6  -37.3   43.2   38.3   -5.3 
    Motor vehicle parts and equipment (1).....  107.2   107.1   107.0   107.3   -1.9    3.8   -1.1    0.4    0.9   -0.4 
    Motor vehicle maintenance and repair .....  196.5   197.0   198.0   197.5    2.7    4.0    1.0    2.1    3.3    1.5 
   Public transportation .....................  207.4   208.9   209.7   208.2   -1.4   -1.8   14.3    1.6   -1.6    7.7 
                                                                                                                        
  Medical care ...............................  294.4   295.3   296.6   297.1    6.0    2.8    2.9    3.7    4.4    3.3 
   Medical care commodities ..................  256.4   256.1   257.7   258.3    3.2    1.6    2.1    3.0    2.4    2.5 
   Medical care services .....................  303.8   305.1   306.3   306.7    6.7    3.1    3.2    3.9    4.9    3.5 
    Professional services (3).................  263.1   263.3   263.8   263.9    3.9    1.7    4.1    1.2    2.8    2.6 
    Hospital and related services (3).........  385.4   388.9   391.7   393.4   12.0    6.7    2.3    8.6    9.3    5.4 
                                                                                                                        
  Recreation (2)..............................  105.4   105.4   105.6   105.6    0.4    2.3    0.4    0.8    1.3    0.6 
   Video and audio (2)........................  102.7   102.7   102.9   102.8    4.4    0.0    0.4    0.4    2.2    0.4 
                                                                                                                        
  Education and communication (2).............  108.5   108.3   108.8   109.2   -0.7    3.0   -2.5    2.6    1.1    0.0 
   Education (2)..............................  132.3   133.0   133.8   135.6    5.5    5.7    5.6   10.4    5.6    8.0 
    Educational books and supplies ...........  335.3   336.8   338.3   341.0    4.3    7.7    4.9    7.0    6.0    5.9 
    Tuition, other school fees, and childcare   372.7   374.8   377.2   382.5    5.6    5.4    5.7   10.9    5.5    8.3 
   Communication (2)..........................   91.3    90.7    90.9    90.5   -5.4    0.4   -8.7   -3.5   -2.5   -6.1 
    Information and information processing (1)                                                                          
        (2)...................................   90.0    89.3    89.6    89.1   -5.9    0.9   -9.2   -3.9   -2.6   -6.6 
     Telephone services (1) (2)...............   98.3    97.7    98.3    98.0   -2.7    2.4   -9.2   -1.2   -0.2   -5.3 
     Information and information processing                                                                             
         other than telephone services (1) (5)   17.0    16.8    16.5    16.3  -19.5   -8.6  -10.9  -15.5  -14.3  -13.2 
      Personal computers and peripheral                                                                                 
          equipment (1) (2)...................   17.8    17.2    16.9    16.3  -32.1  -20.5  -16.1  -29.7  -26.5  -23.2 
                                                                                                                        
  Other goods and services ...................  306.0   306.0   307.5   308.0   -1.3    1.8   -0.5    2.6    0.3    1.0 
   Tobacco and smoking products (1)...........  466.8   464.8   470.5   473.2   -6.4    1.7   -6.6    5.6   -2.4   -0.7 
   Personal care (1)..........................  176.9   177.2   177.5   177.4    1.4    1.8    2.8    1.1    1.6    1.9 
    Personal care products (1)................  154.2   154.4   154.8   154.3   -0.3   -2.6    0.5    0.3   -1.4    0.4 
    Personal care services (1)................  193.6   193.5   193.9   194.6    1.7    2.1    4.2    2.1    1.9    3.2 
    Miscellaneous personal services ..........  282.1   283.9   284.0   284.4    2.8    3.4    4.1    3.3    3.1    3.7 
                                                                                                                        
          Commodity and service group                                                                                   
                                                                                                                        
 Commodities .................................  150.9   151.2   151.3   152.2   -0.3    5.7   -5.4    3.5    2.7   -1.0 
  Food and beverages .........................  178.8   179.6   179.7   180.2    2.3    2.7    1.6    3.2    2.5    2.4 
  Commodities less food and beverages ........  135.0   135.1   135.1   136.2   -2.0    7.9   -9.5    3.6    2.8   -3.2 
   Nondurables less food and beverages .......  147.8   147.4   149.0   152.8    3.5   16.7  -19.4   14.2    9.9   -4.1 
    Apparel ..................................  119.2   119.7   119.1   119.5   -2.9   -5.4   -4.2    1.0   -4.2   -1.7 
    Nondurables less food, beverages, and                                                                               
        apparel ..............................  171.1   171.7   173.1   178.3    0.9   23.0  -16.0   17.9   11.4   -0.4 
   Durables ..................................  118.8   118.4   117.8   117.2   -4.8   -1.3   -3.3   -5.3   -3.1   -4.3 
 Services ....................................  212.3   212.6   213.1   213.4    3.3    3.7    3.9    2.1    3.5    3.0 
  Rent of shelter (4).........................  198.8   198.7   199.3   199.6    2.9    2.3    2.2    1.6    2.6    1.9 
  Tenants' and household insurance (1) (2)....  114.0   115.0   115.4   115.7    5.6   10.1    0.4    6.1    7.8    3.2 
  Gas (piped) and electricity (3).............  145.8   146.8   146.2   146.1    2.1   15.1   21.4    0.8    8.4   10.6 
  Water and sewer and trash collection                                                                                  
      services (2)............................  116.3   116.7   117.3   118.0    3.6    2.1    4.6    6.0    2.8    5.3 
  Household operations (1) (2)................  122.4   122.7   122.7   122.9    2.7    6.8   -1.3    1.6    4.7    0.2 
  Transportation services ....................  215.9   216.8   217.4   217.1    4.9    2.9    6.0    2.2    3.9    4.1 
  Medical care services ......................  303.8   305.1   306.3   306.7    6.7    3.1    3.2    3.9    4.9    3.5 
  Other services .............................  247.5   247.7   248.5   249.3    2.2    3.8    1.0    2.9    3.0    2.0 
                                                                                                                        
                Special indexes                                                                                         
                                                                                                                        
 All items less food .........................  179.2   179.4   179.7   180.3    1.6    4.8   -0.7    2.5    3.2    0.9 
 All items less shelter ......................  171.1   171.6   171.7   172.4    1.2    5.5   -1.6    3.1    3.3    0.7 
 All items less medical care .................  174.1   174.4   174.6   175.3    1.4    4.7   -0.7    2.8    3.0    1.0 
 Commodities less food .......................  136.8   137.0   137.0   138.0   -1.7    7.5   -9.1    3.6    2.8   -3.0 
 Nondurables less food .......................  150.2   149.6   151.3   155.0    3.5   15.5  -17.9   13.4    9.4   -3.5 
 Nondurables less food and apparel ...........  171.9   172.1   173.7   177.3    2.6   22.3  -14.9   13.2   12.1   -1.9 
 Nondurables .................................  164.0   163.8   164.7   167.1    3.0    8.8   -8.1    7.8    5.9   -0.5 
 Services less rent of shelter (4)............  200.8   201.6   201.8   202.3    3.8    4.6    5.6    3.0    4.2    4.3 
 Services less medical care services .........  204.9   205.2   205.6   206.0    3.2    3.2    4.0    2.2    3.2    3.1 
 Energy ......................................  132.1   133.6   134.2   138.2    5.6   46.0  -14.6   19.8   24.2    1.2 
 All items less energy .......................  185.8   186.0   186.2   186.4    1.3    1.5    0.9    1.3    1.4    1.1 
  All items less food and energy .............  187.8   187.9   188.1   188.2    1.1    1.3    0.9    0.9    1.2    0.9 
   Commodities less food and energy                                                                                     
       commodities ...........................  141.7   141.5   141.2   141.0   -3.3   -1.7   -3.0   -2.0   -2.5   -2.5 
    Energy commodities .......................  128.2   130.1   131.8   139.6    9.2   78.4  -37.2   40.6   39.5   -6.0 
   Services less energy services .............  219.6   219.8   220.5   220.9    3.4    2.8    2.6    2.4    3.1    2.5 

   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)
                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                           
                                                                                All items                                  
                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                           
                                               Prici-           Indexes             Percent change to    Percent change to 
                     CPI-W                       ng                                  Aug. 2003 from--      July 2003 from--  
                                               sched-                                                                      
                                                 ule    May   June   July   Aug.                                           
                                                 (1)   2003   2003   2003   2003   Aug.   June   July   July    May   June 
                                                                                   2002   2003   2003   2002   2003   2003 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                           
 U.S. city average ...........................   M    179.4  179.6  179.6  180.3    2.1    0.4    0.4    2.0    0.1    0.0 
                                                                                                                           
            Region and area size(2)                                                                                        
                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                           
 Northeast urban .............................   M    189.2  189.2  190.0  190.7    2.7    0.8    0.4    2.9    0.4    0.4 
   Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..............   M    189.8  190.0  190.8  191.8    2.9    0.9    0.5    3.0    0.5    0.4 
   Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 (3).........   M    114.2  113.9  114.5  114.5    2.2    0.5    0.0    2.5    0.3    0.5 
                                                                                                                           
 Midwest urban ...............................   M    172.9  173.7  173.3  174.1    1.6    0.2    0.5    1.5    0.2   -0.2 
   Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..............   M    174.2  175.1  174.8  175.5    1.6    0.2    0.4    1.6    0.3   -0.2 
   Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 (3).........   M    112.4  112.7  112.5  113.0    1.8    0.3    0.4    1.4    0.1   -0.2 
   Size D -  Nonmetropolitan  (less than                                                                                   
       50,000) ...............................   M    169.3  170.1  169.1  169.8    1.3   -0.2    0.4    1.1   -0.1   -0.6 
                                                                                                                           
 South urban .................................   M    174.0  174.3  174.3  174.8    2.0    0.3    0.3    1.9    0.2    0.0 
   Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..............   M    175.7  176.2  176.2  177.0    2.5    0.5    0.5    2.3    0.3    0.0 
   Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 (3).........   M    111.8  112.0  111.9  112.1    1.7    0.1    0.2    1.5    0.1   -0.1 
   Size D -  Nonmetropolitan  (less than                                                                                   
       50,000) ...............................   M    174.6  174.8  174.6  175.5    1.6    0.4    0.5    1.5    0.0   -0.1 
                                                                                                                           
 West urban ..................................   M    183.8  183.3  183.4  184.2    2.2    0.5    0.4    2.0   -0.2    0.1 
   Size A - More than 1,500,000 ..............   M    185.0  184.5  184.3  185.3    2.2    0.4    0.5    1.9   -0.4   -0.1 
   Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 (3).........   M    114.4  114.1  114.6  114.8    2.0    0.6    0.2    2.1    0.2    0.4 
                                                                                                                           
                 Size classes                                                                                              
                                                                                                                           
   A (4)......................................   M    166.1  166.3  166.3  167.2    2.3    0.5    0.5    2.2    0.1    0.0 
   B/C (3)....................................   M    112.7  112.8  112.9  113.1    1.9    0.3    0.2    1.8    0.2    0.1 
   D .........................................   M    174.5  174.9  174.4  175.3    1.6    0.2    0.5    1.4   -0.1   -0.3 
                                                                                                                           
            Selected local areas(5)                                                                                        
                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                           
 Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI ..............   M    177.3  178.0  177.8  178.3    1.6    0.2    0.3    1.5    0.3   -0.1 
 Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA .....   M    179.9  179.6  179.6  180.5    2.8    0.5    0.5    2.6   -0.2    0.0 
 New York-Northern N.J.-Long Island,                                                                                       
     NY-NJ-CT-PA .............................   M    191.7  191.9  192.8  194.1    3.2    1.1    0.7    3.0    0.6    0.5 
                                                                                                                           
 Boston-Brockton-Nashua, MA-NH-ME-CT .........   1    201.8      -  202.2      -      -      -      -    4.2    0.2      - 
 Cleveland-Akron, OH .........................   1    166.3      -  167.0      -      -      -      -    1.5    0.4      - 
 Dallas-Fort Worth, TX .......................   1    176.4      -  175.9      -      -      -      -    1.9   -0.3      - 
 Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV (6)........   1    115.1      -  116.2      -      -      -      -    2.7    1.0      - 
                                                                                                                           
 Atlanta, GA .................................   2        -  178.7      -  179.4    1.5    0.4      -      -      -      - 
 Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI .................   2        -  176.7      -  177.5    1.4    0.5      -      -      -      - 
 Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX ..............   2        -  160.7      -  162.5    2.8    1.1      -      -      -      - 
 Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ...................   2        -  176.8      -  178.3    3.2    0.8      -      -      -      - 
 Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,                                                                                    
     PA-NJ-DE-MD .............................   2        -  187.8      -  189.2    1.3    0.7      -      -      -      - 
 San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA ..........   2        -  192.2      -  192.3    1.6    0.1      -      -      -      - 
 Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA ................   2        -  185.7      -  188.2    1.8    1.3      -      -      -      - 

   1 Areas on pricing schedule 2 (see Table 10) will appear next month. 
   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.

 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)
                                                                                                  
                                                                                                  
                                                                                    Unadjusted    
                                                 Relative       Unadjusted      percent change to 
                                               importance,       indexes         Aug. 2003 from-  
                    C-CPI-U                     December                                          
                                                1999-2000                                         
                                                              July      Aug.      Aug.      July  
                                                              2003      2003      2002      2003  
                                                                                                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                  
             Expenditure category                                                                 
                                                                                                  
 All items ...................................    100.000     107.5     107.8       1.7       0.3 
  Food and beverages .........................     15.451     107.9     108.3       2.4       0.4 
   Food ......................................     14.432     107.9     108.3       2.5       0.4 
    Food at home .............................      8.335     106.8     107.3       2.7       0.5 
    Food away from home ......................      6.096     109.3     109.5       2.1       0.2 
   Alcoholic beverages .......................      1.019     108.4     108.3       1.5      -0.1 
  Housing ....................................     40.040     112.1     112.1       2.2       0.0 
   Shelter ...................................     30.643     113.2     113.4       2.2       0.2 
   Fuels and utilities .......................      4.376     123.4     123.3       8.3      -0.1 
   Household furnishings and operations ......      5.020      96.6      96.0      -2.4      -0.6 
  Apparel ....................................      4.819      88.6      89.2      -3.3       0.7 
  Transportation .............................     17.770     105.1     105.9       2.3       0.8 
   Private transportation ....................     16.520     104.9     105.9       2.4       1.0 
   Public transportation .....................      1.250     107.5     105.9       1.8      -1.5 
  Medical care ...............................      5.563     116.5     116.7       3.6       0.2 
   Medical care commodities ..................      1.330     112.3     112.5       2.4       0.2 
   Medical care services .....................      4.233     117.8     118.1       4.1       0.3 
  Recreation .................................      6.124     103.1     103.1       0.7       0.0 
  Education and communication ................      6.068      96.4      97.0      -1.6       0.6 
   Education .................................      2.546     121.8     125.1       7.1       2.7 
   Communication .............................      3.522      80.8      80.1      -7.4      -0.9 
  Other goods and services ...................      4.164     112.0     112.1       1.2       0.1 
                                                                                                  
          Commodity and service group                                                             
                                                                                                  
 Services ....................................     57.098     113.6     113.8       2.9       0.2 
 Commodities .................................     42.902      99.9     100.4       0.2       0.5 
  Durables ...................................     12.953      89.0      88.4      -4.1      -0.7 
 Nondurables .................................     29.949     104.9     105.9       2.1       1.0 
  All items less food and energy .............     78.851     106.3     106.3       0.8       0.0 
 Energy ......................................      6.717     121.8     125.2      11.7       2.8 

 Indexes for 2003 are initial estimates.  Indexes for 2002 are interim adjustments.
 NOTE: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.