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                  CONSUMER PRICE INDEX:  SEPTEMBER 2002
 
      The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased
 0.2 percent in September, before seasonal adjustment, the Bureau of Labor
 Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today.  The September
 level of 181.0 (1982-84=100) was 1.5 percent higher than its level in
 September 2001.
      
      The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers
 (CPI-W) also rose 0.2 percent in September, prior to seasonal adjustment.
 The September level of 177.0 was 1.3 percent higher than the index in
 September 2001.
      
 CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U)
      
      On a seasonally adjusted basis, the CPI-U rose 0.2 percent in
 September, following an increase of 0.3 percent in August.  The index for
 food, which declined 0.1 percent in August, rose 0.2 percent in September.
 The index for food at home increased 0.3 percent, with about four-fifths
 of the increase due to a 2.2 percent rise in the index for nonalcoholic
 beverages.  Energy costs advanced for the third consecutive month--up 0.7
 percent in September.  Within energy, the index for petroleum-based energy
 rose 1.0 percent and the index for energy services increased 0.4 percent.
 Excluding food and energy, the CPI-U rose 0.1 percent after increasing 0.3
 percent in August.  Smaller increases in the indexes for shelter and for
 apparel, coupled with downturns in the indexes for education and
 communication and for public transportation, were largely responsible for
 the deceleration in September.
     

 Table A.  Percent changes in CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U)
                                         Seasonally adjusted           Un-
                                                          Compound  adjusted
     Expenditure        Changes from preceding month    annual rate  12-mos.
      Category                      2002                3-mos. ended  ended
                     Mar.  Apr. May  June July Aug. Sep.   Sep. '02  Sep.'02
 All Items            .3    .5   .0   .1   .1   .3   .2    2.5       1.5
  Food and beverages  .2    .1  -.2   .1   .2  -.1   .2    1.4       1.3
  Housing             .1    .3   .3   .1   .1   .3   .1    2.2       2.3
  Apparel            1.2   -.6  -.6  -.9 -1.0  1.1   .1     .6      -1.7
  Transportation     1.2   1.7  -.4   .1   .3   .4   .3    4.0      -1.0
  Medical care        .4    .5   .5   .2   .7   .2   .3    4.9       4.6
  Recreation          .2    .3  -.1  -.3   .1   .1   .0     .8       1.0
  Education and                                                         
    communication    -.5   -.2   .6   .3   .7   .7  -.2    5.3       2.7
  Other goods and                                                     
    services         -.6   1.5  -.5  1.0   .0   .5   .4    3.6       3.2
  Special Indexes                                                       
   Energy            3.8   4.5  -.7   .0   .4   .6   .7    7.1      -4.8
   Food               .2    .1  -.2   .0   .2  -.1   .2    1.4       1.3
   All Items less                                                       
     food and energy  .1    .3   .2   .1   .2   .3   .1    2.3       2.2


 See page 5 and table 7 for the release of the Chained Consumer Price Index
 for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U), a new supplemental index of consumer 
 price change.
      
      Consumer prices rose at a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of
 2.5 percent in the third quarter.  This followed increases in the first
 and second quarters at annual rates of 3.0 and 2.5 percent, respectively,
 and brings the year-to-date annual rate to 2.6 percent.  This compares
 with an increase of 1.6 percent in all of 2001.  The index for energy,
 which had declined sharply in 2001, following large increases in the
 preceding two years, has reverted back to its 1999-2000 pattern, advancing
 at a 13.0 percent SAAR in the first nine months of 2002.  Petroleum-based
 energy costs increased at a 30.2 percent annual rate, while charges for
 energy services declined at a 0.3 percent annual rate.  The food index
 rose at a 1.2 percent SAAR in the first nine months of 2002.  The index
 for grocery store food prices increased at a 0.4 percent annual rate thus
 far in 2002, as price increases for fruits and vegetables and for cereal
 and bakery products--up at annual rates of 5.5 and 1.8 percent,
 respectively--were largely offset by declines in the indexes for dairy
 products, for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs, and for other food at home.
      
       Excluding food and energy, the CPI-U advanced at a 2.3 percent SAAR
 in the third quarter, following increases at rates of 2.1 and 1.9 percent
 in the first two quarters of 2002.  The 2.1 percent SAAR for the first
 nine months of 2002 compares with a 2.7 percent rise in all of 2001.  The
 principal reason for this deceleration was a smaller rate of increase in
 shelter costs--up at a 3.3 percent SAAR thus far in 2002 compared with a
 4.2 percent rise in all of 2001. A smaller increase in the index for
 recreation and a larger decline in the index for new and used vehicles
 also contributed to the moderation thus far this year.  The annual rates
 for selected groups for the last seven and 3/4 years are shown below.

     
                               Percentage change 12 months           SAAR 9
                               ended in December                     mos. 
                                                                     ended
						                     in Sep. 
                       	 1995   1996   1997   1998   1999   2000  2001  2002
 All items                2.5    3.3    1.7    1.6    2.7    3.4   1.6   2.6
  Food and beverages      2.1    4.2    1.6    2.3    2.0    2.8   2.8   1.3
  Housing                 3.0    2.9    2.4    2.3    2.2    4.3   2.9   2.4
  Apparel                 0.1   -0.2    1.0   -0.7    -.5   -1.8  -3.2  -1.2
  Transportation    	  1.5    4.4   -1.4   -1.7    5.4    4.1  -3.8   5.0
  Medical care            3.9    3.0    2.8    3.4    3.7    4.2   4.7   4.6
  Recreation              2.8    3.0    1.5    1.2     .8    1.7   1.5    .8
  Education and
   communication          4.0    3.4    3.0    0.7    1.6    1.3   3.2   2.6
  Other goods and
   services               4.3    3.6    5.2    8.8    5.1    4.2   4.5   5.0                                                        

 Special indexes                                                        
  Energy                 -1.3    8.6   -3.4   -8.8   13.4   14.2 -13.0  13.0
   Energy commodities    -3.3   13.8   -6.9  -15.1   29.5   15.7 -24.5  30.2
   Energy services        0.8    3.8    0.2   -3.3    1.2   12.7  -1.5   -.3
  All items less energy   2.9    2.9    2.1    2.4    2.0    2.6   2.8   1.9
   Food                   2.1    4.3    1.5    2.3    1.9    2.8   2.8   1.2
  All items less food                        
   and energy		  3.0    2.6    2.2    2.4    1.9    2.6   2.7   2.1


      The food and beverages index increased 0.2 percent in September.  The
 index for food at home rose 0.3 percent in September, following a 0.3
 percent decline in August.  Increases in the indexes for nonalcoholic
 beverages, for other food at home, and for cereals and bakery products,
 each of which had declined in August, more than offset declines in the
 indexes for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs and for dairy products.  The
 index for fruits and vegetables was virtually unchanged.  Within the
 fruits and vegetables group, a 1.9 percent rise in the index for fresh
 fruits was offset by declines in the indexes for fresh vegetables and for
 processed fruits and vegetables--down 1.5 and 0.2 percent, respectively.
 The index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs declined 0.2 percent in
 September.  Declines in prices for beef, for pork, and for eggs more than
 offset a 1.0 percent increase in poultry prices.  The index for dairy
 products declined for the fourth consecutive month, down 0.5 percent in
 September.  The index for nonalcoholic beverages, which declined 0.6
 percent in August, rose 2.2 percent in September, reflecting price
 increases for carbonated drinks and nonfrozen noncarbonated juices and
 drinks. The indexes for cereal and bakery products and for other food at
 home increased 0.4 and 0.5 percent, respectively.  The other two
 components of the food and beverages index, food away from home and
 alcoholic beverages, increased 0.2 and declined 0.2 percent, respectively.
      
      The index for housing rose 0.1 percent in September, following a 0.3
 percent rise in August.  Shelter costs, which rose 0.4 percent in August,
 increased 0.1 percent in September.  Within shelter, the indexes for rent
 and owners' equivalent rent increased 0.1 and 0.2 percent, respectively,
 while the index for lodging away from home declined 0.6 percent.  (Prior
 to seasonal adjustment, the indexes for rent and for owners' equivalent
 rent increased 0.2 and 0.4 percent, respectively, while the index for
 lodging away from home declined 5.0 percent.)  The index for fuels and
 utilities rose 0.4 percent in September.  The index for fuel oil increased
 1.9 percent in September and has risen 10.0 percent in the first nine
 months of 2002.  In September, the indexes for natural gas and for
 electricity rose 1.0 and 0.1 percent, respectively.  (Prior to seasonal
 adjustment, fuel oil prices rose 3.3 percent and charges for natural gas
 rose 1.1 percent, while charges for electricity fell 0.2 percent.)  The
 index for household furnishings and operations declined 0.2 percent in
 September.
      
      The transportation index rose 0.3 percent in September.  The index
 for gasoline increased for the fourth consecutive month--up 1.0 percent in
 September.  Gasoline prices have risen 26.9 percent thus far this year,
 but remain 17.1 percent below their peak level in May 2001.  The index for
 new vehicles increased 0.5 percent in September, its first monthly advance
 since last December.  (About 15 percent of the new vehicle sample in
 September was represented by 2003 models.)  New vehicle prices are 1.1
 percent lower than in September 2001.  The index for used cars and trucks
 declined 0.8 percent in September.  During the last 12 months, the index
 for used cars and trucks has declined 3.2 percent.  Airline fares declined
 2.1 percent in September and are 5.2 percent lower than a year ago.
      
      The index for apparel increased 0.1 percent in September, following a
 1.1 percent increase in August.  (Prior to seasonal adjustment, apparel
 prices rose 3.4 percent, reflecting price increases associated with the
 introduction of fall-winter wear.)
      
      The medical care index rose 0.3 percent in September to a level 4.6
 percent above its level a year ago.  The index for medical care
 commodities--prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and medical
 supplies--increased 0.2 percent.  The index for medical care services rose
 0.4 percent in September.  Charges for professional services were
 virtually unchanged, while those for hospital and related services
 increased 0.7 percent.
      
      The index for recreation was unchanged in September, following
 increases of 0.1 percent in each of the preceding two months.  Increases
 in the indexes for recreational reading materials and for cable television-
 -up 0.7 and 0.5 percent, respectively--were offset by declines in the
 indexes for sporting goods, for pets and pet products, for photography,
 and for toys.
      
      The index for education and communication, which increased 0.7
 percent in August, declined 0.2 percent in September.  The education index
 rose 0.6 percent, reflecting a 0.6 percent increase in the index for
 college tuition and fees.  (Prior to seasonal adjustment, charges for
 college tuition and fees rose 2.4 percent, bringing the change over the
 last 12 months to 7.2 percent.)  The index for communication costs
 declined 0.8 percent, reflecting decreases in the indexes for telephone
 services and for personal computers and peripheral equipment--down 0.5 and
 4.1 percent, respectively.
      
      The index for other goods and services rose 0.4 percent in September,
 reflecting a 1.6 percent rise in the index for tobacco and smoking
 products.  Prices for cigarettes increased 1.7 percent, reflecting
 decreased discounting of some major brands.
      
 CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W)
 
      On a seasonally adjusted basis, the CPI for Urban Wage Earners and
 Clerical Workers increased 0.2 percent in September.

 Table B.  Percent changes in CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical
           Workers  (CPI-W)
                                          Seasonally adjusted          Un-
                                                          Compound  adjusted
     Expenditure        Changes from preceding month    annual rate  12-mos.
      Category                      2002                3-mos. ended  ended
                    Mar.  Apr. May  June July Aug. Sep.   Sep. '02  Sep.'02               
 All Items           .3    .6  -.1   .1   .2   .3   .2     2.5       1.3
  Food and beverages .2    .0  -.2   .1   .1  -.1   .2     1.1       1.3
  Housing            .2    .2   .3   .1   .2   .2   .2     2.3       2.2
  Apparel           1.3   -.2  -.8  -.9 -1.0  1.1   .1      .7      -1.7
  Transportation    1.4   1.9  -.6   .2   .4   .5   .3     4.6      -1.3
  Medical care       .4    .4   .5   .1   .8   .2   .3     5.3       4.7
  Recreation         .2    .3  -.2  -.3   .1   .0   .0      .4        .6
  Education and                                                         
    communication   -.5   -.4   .7   .3   .7   .7  -.2     4.9       2.4
  Other goods and                                                     
    services       -1.0   2.2  -.9  1.5   .0   .8   .6     5.8       4.2
  Special Indexes                                                       
   Energy           4.1   5.0 -1.3   .2   .4   .7   .7     7.5      -5.5
   Food              .2   -.1  -.2   .1   .2  -.1   .2     1.1       1.3
   All Items less                                                       
     food and energy .1    .3   .1   .1   .2   .3   .2     2.6       2.1


 Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U)
 
      The C-CPI-U rose 0.2 percent in September on a not seasonally
 adjusted basis.  The September level of 106.0 (December 1999=100) was 1.2
 percent higher than the index in September 2001.  Table 7 contains the
 most recent indexes for all items and the component series that are
 published.   Data will be published monthly in the CPI Detailed Report and
 are available on the CPI home page:  http://www.bls.gov/cpi/. Please note
 that the indexes for the post-2000 period are subject to revision.

      
     Consumer Price Index data for October are scheduled for release on
 Tuesday, November 19, 2002, at 8:30 A.M. (EST).
      
 ___________________________________________________________________________      
      
 
                     NOTE ON A NEW, SUPPLEMENTAL INDEX
                          OF CONSUMER PRICE CHANGE
                                     
       The Bureau of Labor Statistics began publishing a consumer price
 index (CPI) called the Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban
 Consumers, effective with release of July data on August 16, 2002.
 Designated the C-CPI-U, the index supplements the existing indexes already
 produced by the BLS: the CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) and the CPI
 for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W).
 
     The C-CPI-U employs a Tornqvist formula and utilizes expenditure data
 in adjacent time periods in order to reflect the effect of any
 substitution that consumers make across item categories in response to
 changes in relative prices.  The new measure, said to be a "superlative"
 index, is designed to be a closer approximation to a "cost-of-living"
 index than the CPI-U and CPI-W.  The use of expenditure data for both a
 base period and the current period in order to average price change across
 item categories distinguishes the C-CPI-U from the other CPI measures,
 which use only a single expenditure base period to compute the price
 change over time.  In 1999, the BLS introduced a geometric mean estimator
 for averaging prices within most of the index's item categories in order
 to approximate the effect of consumers' responses to changes in relative
 prices within these item categories.  The geometric mean estimator is used
 in the C-CPI-U in the same item categories in which it is now used in the
 CPI-U and CPI-W.  (See Monthly Labor Review, October 1998, pp. 3-7.)

      Expenditure data required for the calculation of the C-CPI-U are
 available only with a time lag.  Thus, the C-CPI-U is being issued first
 in preliminary form using the latest available expenditure data at this
 time and will be subject to two subsequent revisions.  Accordingly, with
 release of the July data, "final" values of the C-CPI-U have been issued
 for the 12 months of 2000, "interim" values have been issued for the 12
 months of 2001, and "initial" values have been issued for January-July 2of
 2002.  In February 2003, with release of the January 2003 index, revised
 interim indexes for the 12 months of 2002 will be published, and the index
 values for 2001 will be revised and will become final.  Then, in February
 2004, when the monthly expenditure data from calendar year 2002 become
 available, C-CPI-U indexes for the 12 months of 2002 will be issued in
 final form and values for the 12 months of 2003 will be revised and issued
 as interim. The C-CPI-U index revisions are expected to be small, but in
 principle each monthly index could be revised from its previously
 published level.
 
 ___________________________________________________________________________     
 
      
 Facilities for Sensory Impaired

      Information from this release will be made available to sensory
 impaired individuals upon request.  Voice phone:  202-691-5200, Federal
 Relay Services:  1-800-877-8339.  For a recorded message of Summary CPI
 data, call (202) 691-5200.
 
 ___________________________________________________________________________
 

 Brief Explanation of the CPI
 
     The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a measure of the average change in
 prices over time of goods and services purchased by households.  The
 Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes CPIs for two population groups:  (1)
 the CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), which covers
 households of wage earners and clerical workers that comprise
 approximately 32 percent of the total population and (2) the CPI for All
 Urban Consumers (CPI-U) and the Chained CPI for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-
 U), which cover approximately 87 percent of the total population and
 include in addition to wage earners and clerical worker households,
 groups such as professional, managerial, and technical workers, the self-
 employed, short-term workers, the unemployed, and retirees and others not
 in the labor force.
 
      The CPIs are based on prices of food, clothing, shelter, and fuels,
 transportation fares, charges for doctors' and dentists' services, drugs,
 and other goods and services that people buy for day-to-day living.
 Prices are collected in 87 urban areas across the country from about
 50,000 housing units and approximately 23,000 retail 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 1997 through 2001 were replaced at the end of 2001.  In January
 2002, dependently seasonally adjusted series were revised for January 1987-
 December 2001 as a result of a change in the aggregation weights for
 dependently adjusted series. For further information, please see
 "Aggregation of Dependently Adjusted Seasonally Adjusted Series," in the
 October 2001 issue of the CPI Detailed Report.
 
      The seasonal movement of all items and 54 other aggregations is derived by
 combining the seasonal movement of 73 selected components.  Each year the
 seasonal status of every series is reevaluated based upon certain
 statistical criteria.  If any of the 73 components change their seasonal
 adjustment status from seasonally adjusted to not seasonally adjusted, not
 seasonally adjusted data will be used for the last 5 years, but the
 seasonally adjusted indexes will be used before that period.  Note: 39 of
 the 73 components are seasonally adjusted for 2002.
 
      Seasonally adjusted data, including the All items index levels, are
 subject to revision for up to five years after their original release.
 For this reason, BLS advises against the use of these data in escalation
 agreements.
 
      Effective with the calculation of the seasonal factors for 1990, the
 Bureau of Labor Statistics has used an enhanced seasonal adjustment
 procedure called Intervention Analysis Seasonal Adjustment for some CPI
 series.  Intervention Analysis Seasonal Adjustment allows for better
 estimates of seasonally adjusted data.  Extreme values and/or sharp
 movements which might distort the seasonal pattern are estimated and
 removed from the data prior to calculation of seasonal factors.  Beginning
 with the calculation of seasonal factors for 1996, X-12-ARIMA software was
 used for Intervention Analysis Seasonal Adjustment.
 
      For the fuel oil, natural gas, motor fuels, and educational books and
 supplies indexes, this procedure was used to offset the effects that
 extreme price volatility would otherwise have had on the estimates of
 seasonally adjusted data for those series.   For the Nonalcoholic
 beverages index, the procedure was used to offset the effects of a large
 increase in coffee prices due to adverse weather.  The procedure was used
 to account for unusual butter fat supply reductions and decreases in milk
 supply affecting the Fats and oils series.  For the Water and sewerage
 maintenance index, the procedure was used to account for a data collection
 anomaly.  It was used to offset an increase in summer demand in the
 Midwest and South for Electricity.  For New vehicles, New cars, and New
 trucks, the procedure was used to offset the effects of a model changeover
 combined with financing incentives.
 
      A description of Intervention Analysis Seasonal Adjustment, as well
 as a list of unusual events modeled and seasonal factors for these items
 may be obtained by writing the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Division of
 Consumer Prices and Price Indexes, Washington, DC 20212 or by calling
 Daniel Chow on (202) 691-6968 or sending e-mail to Chow_Dan@BLS.GOV.  If
 you have general questions about the CPI, please call our information
 staff at (202) 691-7000.


 Table 1. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category and commodity
 and service group

 (1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)
                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                        
                                                                                   Unadjusted                           
                                                 Relative   Unadjusted indexes percent change to   Seasonally adjusted  
                                               importance,                      Sep. 2002 from-    percent change from- 
                     CPI-U                       December                                                               
                                                   2001       Aug.      Sep.                                            
                                                              2002      2002     Sep.     Aug.   June to July to Aug. to
                                                                                 2001     2002     July    Aug.    Sep. 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                        
             Expenditure category                                                                                       
                                                                                                                        
 All items ...................................    100.000     180.7     181.0      1.5      0.2     0.1     0.3     0.2 
 All items (1967=100) ........................          -     541.2     542.1        -        -       -       -       - 
                                                                                                                        
  Food and beverages .........................     15.719     176.6     176.9      1.3      0.2     0.2    -0.1     0.2 
   Food ......................................     14.688     176.0     176.4      1.3      0.2     0.2    -0.1     0.2 
    Food at home .............................      8.468     174.9     175.2      0.5      0.2     0.1    -0.3     0.3 
     Cereals and bakery products .............      1.298     198.6     198.4      1.7     -0.1    -0.2    -0.1     0.4 
     Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ..........      2.271     162.2     161.8     -0.4     -0.2     0.1    -0.4    -0.2 
     Dairy and related products (1)...........       .916     167.2     166.3     -1.8     -0.5    -0.2    -0.2    -0.5 
     Fruits and vegetables ...................      1.204     217.0     218.4      3.0      0.6     0.6     0.2     0.0 
     Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage                                                                                
         materials ...........................       .967     137.6     140.2      0.7      1.9     0.6    -0.6     2.2 
     Other food at home ......................      1.811     160.6     160.8      0.4      0.1    -0.1    -0.4     0.5 
      Sugar and sweets .......................       .315     159.9     159.6      1.9     -0.2     1.1    -0.3    -0.3 
      Fats and oils ..........................       .265     154.1     155.3     -2.0      0.8    -0.3    -0.6     1.1 
      Other foods ............................      1.232     176.9     177.0      0.5      0.1    -0.4    -0.3     0.6 
       Other miscellaneous foods (1) (2)......       .289     109.3     109.7      0.7      0.4     1.0    -0.7     0.4 
    Food away from home (1)...................      6.220     178.8     179.2      2.3      0.2     0.2     0.2     0.2 
     Other food away from home (1) (2)........       .383     118.1     118.8      3.0      0.6     0.1     0.3     0.6 
   Alcoholic beverages .......................      1.031     184.2     183.9      1.9     -0.2     0.1     0.3    -0.2 
                                                                                                                        
  Housing ....................................     40.873     181.7     181.5      2.3     -0.1     0.1     0.3     0.1 
   Shelter ...................................     31.522     209.6     209.2      3.6     -0.2     0.2     0.4     0.1 
    Rent of primary residence (3).............      6.421     200.2     200.7      3.5      0.2     0.3     0.2     0.1 
    Lodging away from home (2) (3)............      2.702     123.8     117.6      0.7     -5.0    -1.1     1.8    -0.6 
    Owners' equivalent rent of primary                                                                                  
        residence (3) (4).....................     22.046     215.4     216.2      3.9      0.4     0.3     0.3     0.2 
    Tenants' and household insurance (1) (2)..       .353     109.6     110.0      3.1      0.4     0.7     0.9     0.4 
   Fuels and utilities .......................      4.511     146.8     147.2     -2.3      0.3    -0.2     0.3     0.4 
    Fuels ....................................      3.654     130.7     131.0     -3.5      0.2    -0.3     0.5     0.4 
     Fuel oil and other fuels ................       .188     112.1     115.2     -8.1      2.8     0.7     1.8     1.2 
     Gas (piped) and electricity (3)..........      3.466     138.5     138.7     -3.1      0.1    -0.4     0.4     0.4 
    Water and sewer and trash collection                                                                                
        services (2)..........................       .857     113.5     113.6      2.9      0.1     0.2     0.3     0.2 
   Household furnishings and operations ......      4.840     128.1     128.1     -1.0      0.0     0.0    -0.3    -0.2 
    Household operations (1) (2)..............       .820     119.2     119.7      2.7      0.4     0.2     0.2     0.4 
                                                                                                                        
  Apparel ....................................      4.399     120.5     124.6     -1.7      3.4    -1.0     1.1     0.1 
   Men's and boys' apparel ...................      1.122     118.3     120.1     -2.9      1.5     0.0    -0.4     0.1 
   Women's and girls' apparel ................      1.807     111.0     118.0     -1.9      6.3    -1.0     2.0    -0.4 
   Infants' and toddlers' apparel (1).........       .203     124.3     126.2     -2.4      1.5    -1.6     1.1     1.5 
   Footwear ..................................       .874     119.7     121.6     -1.1      1.6    -1.5     0.9     0.6 
                                                                                                                        
  Transportation .............................     17.055     153.9     154.0     -1.0      0.1     0.3     0.4     0.3 
   Private transportation ....................     15.845     149.7     150.0     -0.8      0.2     0.5     0.3     0.3 
    New and used motor vehicles (2)...........      8.614      98.7      98.7     -1.5      0.0     0.1     0.2     0.1 
     New vehicles ............................      5.083     138.1     138.7     -1.1      0.4     0.0    -0.1     0.5 
     Used cars and trucks ....................      2.195     153.4     152.2     -3.2     -0.8     0.5     0.5    -0.8 
    Motor fuel ...............................      2.564     121.5     121.7     -7.4      0.2     1.2     0.8     1.0 
     Gasoline (all types) ....................      2.536     120.9     121.1     -7.3      0.2     1.5     0.5     1.0 
    Motor vehicle parts and equipment (1).....       .421     107.7     107.4      2.1     -0.3     0.7     0.3    -0.3 
    Motor vehicle maintenance and repair .....      1.400     191.0     191.4      3.4      0.2    -0.1     0.6     0.0 
   Public transportation .....................      1.211     209.4     206.5     -2.9     -1.4    -2.1     0.8    -0.9 
                                                                                                                        
  Medical care ...............................      5.810     287.3     287.7      4.6      0.1     0.7     0.2     0.3 
   Medical care commodities ..................      1.377     257.7     257.9      3.3      0.1     0.4     0.2     0.2 
   Medical care services .....................      4.434     294.7     295.2      5.1      0.2     0.7     0.2     0.4 
    Professional services (3).................      2.784     254.9     254.8      2.8      0.0     0.8     0.0     0.0 
    Hospital and related services (3).........      1.353     371.3     373.3      9.0      0.5     0.4     0.7     0.7 
                                                                                                                        
  Recreation (2)..............................      6.019     106.3     106.2      1.0     -0.1     0.1     0.1     0.0 
   Video and audio (2)........................      1.645     102.4     102.3      1.0     -0.1    -0.4    -0.3     0.3 
                                                                                                                        
  Education and communication (2).............      5.813     108.9     109.5      2.7      0.6     0.7     0.7    -0.2 
   Education (2)..............................      2.726     127.1     129.6      6.5      2.0     0.6     0.6     0.6 
    Educational books and supplies ...........       .220     319.6     323.2      5.8      1.1     0.5     0.1    -0.1 
    Tuition, other school fees, and childcare       2.506     365.6     372.8      6.5      2.0     0.6     0.7     0.7 
   Communication (1) (2)......................      3.087      93.2      92.5     -0.6     -0.8     0.9     0.6    -0.8 
    Information and information processing (1)                                                                          
        (2)...................................      2.903      91.5      90.7     -1.4     -0.9     0.2     0.8    -0.9 
     Telephone services (1) (2)...............      2.324     100.6     100.1      0.9     -0.5     0.3     1.1    -0.5 
     Information and information processing                                                                             
         other than telephone services (1) (5)       .580      18.3      17.8    -12.3     -2.7     0.0    -0.5    -2.7 
      Personal computers and peripheral                                                                                 
          equipment (1) (2)...................       .275      22.0      21.1    -21.0     -4.1    -1.3    -1.3    -4.1 
                                                                                                                        
  Other goods and services ...................      4.312     295.9     297.0      3.2      0.4     0.0     0.5     0.4 
   Tobacco and smoking products (1)...........       .928     478.2     485.8      9.4      1.6     0.0     2.4     1.6 
   Personal care (1)..........................      3.384     174.9     174.9      1.7      0.0     0.1    -0.1     0.0 
    Personal care products (1)................       .706     154.3     154.4     -0.7      0.1    -0.5    -0.2     0.1 
    Personal care services (1)................       .901     189.1     189.2      2.0      0.1     0.2     0.2     0.1 
    Miscellaneous personal services ..........      1.562     275.4     275.2      3.3     -0.1     0.3     0.0    -0.1 
                                                                                                                        
          Commodity and service group                                                                                   
                                                                                                                        
 Commodities .................................     41.300     149.6     150.2     -0.9      0.4     0.0     0.2     0.2 
  Food and beverages .........................     15.719     176.6     176.9      1.3      0.2     0.2    -0.1     0.2 
  Commodities less food and beverages ........     25.582     134.0     134.8     -2.3      0.6     0.0     0.3     0.1 
   Nondurables less food and beverages .......     13.493     145.4     147.2     -1.6      1.2     0.3     1.2    -0.6 
    Apparel ..................................      4.399     120.5     124.6     -1.7      3.4    -1.0     1.1     0.1 
    Nondurables less food, beverages, and                                                                               
        apparel ..............................      9.094     164.8     165.2     -1.4      0.2     1.2     1.3    -1.0 
   Durables ..................................     12.089     120.7     120.6     -2.3     -0.1    -0.1     0.0    -0.2 
 Services ....................................     58.700     211.5     211.5      3.2      0.0     0.2     0.4     0.2 
  Rent of shelter (4).........................     31.169     218.3     217.9      3.6     -0.2     0.1     0.4     0.1 
  Tenants' and household insurance (1) (2)....       .353     109.6     110.0      3.1      0.4     0.7     0.9     0.4 
  Gas (piped) and electricity (3).............      3.466     138.5     138.7     -3.1      0.1    -0.4     0.4     0.4 
  Water and sewer and trash collection                                                                                  
      services (2)............................       .857     113.5     113.6      2.9      0.1     0.2     0.3     0.2 
  Household operations (1) (2)................       .820     119.2     119.7      2.7      0.4     0.2     0.2     0.4 
  Transportation services ....................      6.638     210.1     210.1      3.6      0.0     0.1     0.5     0.1 
  Medical care services ......................      4.434     294.7     295.2      5.1      0.2     0.7     0.2     0.4 
  Other services .............................     10.963     248.2     249.1      3.5      0.4     0.6     0.4     0.1 
                                                                                                                        
                Special indexes                                                                                         
                                                                                                                        
 All items less food .........................     85.312     181.5     181.8      1.6      0.2     0.2     0.4     0.2 
 All items less shelter ......................     68.478     171.3     171.9      0.6      0.4     0.2     0.2     0.2 
 All items less medical care .................     94.190     175.0     175.3      1.3      0.2     0.1     0.3     0.2 
 Commodities less food .......................     26.612     135.9     136.7     -2.1      0.6     0.0     0.3     0.1 
 Nondurables less food .......................     14.524     147.7     149.3     -1.5      1.1     0.4     1.1    -0.6 
 Nondurables less food and apparel ...........     10.125     165.8     166.1     -1.1      0.2     1.2     1.2    -0.9 
 Nondurables .................................     29.212     161.2     162.2     -0.1      0.6     0.2     0.6    -0.2 
 Services less rent of shelter (4)............     27.531     219.5     220.0      2.9      0.2     0.3     0.5     0.3 
 Services less medical care services .........     54.266     204.2     204.1      3.0      0.0     0.1     0.4     0.2 
 Energy ......................................      6.218     125.8     126.1     -4.8      0.2     0.4     0.6     0.7 
 All items less energy .......................     93.782     188.1     188.4      2.1      0.2     0.1     0.3     0.1 
  All items less food and energy .............     79.094     191.0     191.3      2.2      0.2     0.2     0.3     0.1 
   Commodities less food and energy                                                                                     
       commodities ...........................     23.860     142.8     143.6     -1.1      0.6    -0.1     0.2     0.0 
    Energy commodities .......................      2.752     121.5     122.0     -6.9      0.4     1.2     0.8     1.0 
   Services less energy services .............     55.234     219.0     218.9      3.6      0.0     0.3     0.4     0.1 
 Purchasing power of the consumer dollar                                                                                
     (1982-84=$1.00) .........................          -    $ .554    $ .553        -        -       -       -       - 
 Purchasing power of the consumer dollar                                                                                
     (1967=$1.00) ............................          -    $ .185    $ .184        -        -       -       -       - 

   1 Not seasonally adjusted.
   2 Indexes on a December 1997=100 base.
   3 This index series was calculated using a Laspeyres estimator.  All other item stratum index series converted to a
 geometric means estimator in January, 1999.
   4 Indexes on a December 1982=100 base.
   5 Indexes on a December 1988=100 base.
   - Data not available.
 NOTE:  Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.

 Table 2. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): Seasonally adjusted U.S. city average, by expenditure
 category and commodity and service group

 (1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)
                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                        
                                                 Seasonally adjusted indexes    Seasonally adjusted annual rate percent 
                                                                                               change for               
                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                        
                     CPI-U                                                           3 months ended--         6 months  
                                                                                                              ended--   
                                                 June    July    Aug.    Sep.                                           
                                                 2002    2002    2002    2002                                           
                                                                                Dec.   Mar.   June   Sep.   Mar.   Sep. 
                                                                                2001   2002   2002   2002   2002   2002 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                        
             Expenditure category                                                                                       
                                                                                                                        
 All items ...................................  179.7   179.9   180.5   180.8   -1.8    3.0    2.5    2.5    0.6    2.5 
                                                                                                                        
  Food and beverages .........................  176.4   176.7   176.6   177.0    1.4    3.0   -0.5    1.4    2.2    0.5 
   Food ......................................  175.8   176.1   176.0   176.4    1.4    3.0   -0.7    1.4    2.2    0.3 
    Food at home .............................  175.1   175.3   174.8   175.4    1.2    3.2   -2.7    0.7    2.2   -1.0 
     Cereals and bakery products .............  198.1   197.7   197.6   198.4    1.2    3.7    1.0    0.6    2.5    0.8 
     Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ..........  162.2   162.4   161.7   161.4    0.7    2.2   -2.2   -2.0    1.5   -2.1 
     Dairy and related products (1)...........  168.0   167.6   167.2   166.3    3.3   -3.2   -3.3   -4.0    0.0   -3.6 
     Fruits and vegetables ...................  218.5   219.9   220.3   220.4   -3.9   30.3  -13.1    3.5   11.9   -5.1 
     Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage                                                                                
         materials ...........................  137.7   138.5   137.6   140.6    1.2   -2.8   -3.7    8.7   -0.9    2.3 
     Other food at home ......................  160.7   160.5   159.9   160.7    3.8   -4.9    2.5    0.0   -0.6    1.3 
      Sugar and sweets .......................  158.5   160.2   159.7   159.3    2.3   -1.3    4.9    2.0    0.5    3.5 
      Fats and oils ..........................  155.0   154.6   153.6   155.3   -0.8   -4.0   -4.0    0.8   -2.4   -1.7 
      Other foods ............................  177.3   176.6   176.0   177.0    5.6   -6.1    3.5   -0.7   -0.5    1.4 
       Other miscellaneous foods (1) (2)......  109.0   110.1   109.3   109.7   -1.5   -2.6    4.5    2.6   -2.0    3.6 
    Food away from home (1)...................  178.2   178.5   178.8   179.2    2.1    2.5    2.5    2.3    2.3    2.4 
     Other food away from home (1) (2)........  117.6   117.7   118.1   118.8    0.7    2.8    4.5    4.1    1.7    4.3 
   Alcoholic beverages .......................  183.5   183.7   184.2   183.9    1.8    2.9    2.2    0.9    2.3    1.5 
                                                                                                                        
  Housing ....................................  180.1   180.3   180.9   181.1    2.0    2.3    2.7    2.2    2.2    2.5 
   Shelter ...................................  207.8   208.2   209.0   209.3    4.6    3.8    3.1    2.9    4.2    3.0 
    Rent of primary residence (3).............  199.5   200.0   200.4   200.7    4.6    4.1    2.6    2.4    4.4    2.5 
    Lodging away from home (2) (3)............  118.1   116.8   118.9   118.2    1.7   -2.4    3.1    0.3   -0.3    1.7 
    Owners' equivalent rent of primary                                                                                  
        residence (3) (4).....................  214.5   215.1   215.7   216.2    5.1    4.0    3.2    3.2    4.6    3.2 
    Tenants' and household insurance (1) (2)..  107.8   108.6   109.6   110.0   -1.5    1.9    3.8    8.4    0.2    6.1 
   Fuels and utilities .......................  143.5   143.2   143.7   144.3  -11.9   -3.6    4.0    2.2   -7.8    3.1 
    Fuels ....................................  127.2   126.8   127.4   127.9  -14.8   -5.5    4.5    2.2  -10.3    3.4 
     Fuel oil and other fuels ................  114.7   115.5   117.6   119.0  -47.2   -2.2   19.5   15.9  -28.1   17.7 
     Gas (piped) and electricity (3)..........  134.4   133.9   134.4   134.9  -11.8   -5.8    3.7    1.5   -8.8    2.6 
    Water and sewer and trash collection                                                                                
        services (2)..........................  112.8   113.0   113.3   113.5    2.9    4.0    2.2    2.5    3.5    2.3 
   Household furnishings and operations ......  128.5   128.5   128.1   127.8    0.3   -2.1   -0.3   -2.2   -0.9   -1.2 
    Household operations (1) (2)..............  118.8   119.0   119.2   119.7    2.4    5.9   -0.3    3.1    4.2    1.4 
                                                                                                                        
  Apparel ....................................  123.6   122.4   123.7   123.8   -3.4    3.9   -7.7    0.6    0.2   -3.6 
   Men's and boys' apparel ...................  121.1   121.1   120.6   120.7   -4.1    5.6  -11.1   -1.3    0.6   -6.3 
   Women's and girls' apparel ................  115.1   114.0   116.3   115.8   -5.3    4.2   -7.9    2.5   -0.7   -2.9 
   Infants' and toddlers' apparel (1).........  124.9   122.9   124.3   126.2   -2.5    4.4  -14.5    4.2    0.9   -5.6 
   Footwear ..................................  121.6   119.8   120.9   121.6   -5.4    7.5   -5.7    0.0    0.8   -2.9 
                                                                                                                        
  Transportation .............................  152.8   153.3   153.9   154.3  -16.8    5.2    5.7    4.0   -6.4    4.8 
   Private transportation ....................  148.5   149.3   149.8   150.3  -17.2    5.9    5.3    4.9   -6.4    5.1 
    New and used motor vehicles (2)...........   98.9    99.0    99.2    99.3    1.2   -6.2   -2.4    1.6   -2.6   -0.4 
     New vehicles ............................  139.3   139.3   139.2   139.9    3.1   -6.8   -2.3    1.7   -2.0   -0.3 
     Used cars and trucks ....................  152.2   152.9   153.7   152.4   -2.8   -7.7   -2.6    0.5   -5.3   -1.0 
    Motor fuel ...............................  117.4   118.8   119.7   120.9  -67.5   53.3   31.7   12.5  -29.5   21.7 
     Gasoline (all types) ....................  116.7   118.4   119.0   120.2  -67.1   49.0   33.8   12.5  -30.0   22.7 
    Motor vehicle parts and equipment (1).....  106.7   107.4   107.7   107.4    2.3    2.7    0.8    2.7    2.5    1.7 
    Motor vehicle maintenance and repair .....  190.2   190.0   191.2   191.2    3.5    3.9    4.1    2.1    3.7    3.1 
   Public transportation .....................  211.1   206.6   208.2   206.3   -7.3   -4.3   10.1   -8.8   -5.8    0.2 
                                                                                                                        
  Medical care ...............................  284.6   286.5   287.1   288.0    4.7    4.4    4.6    4.9    4.6    4.7 
   Medical care commodities ..................  255.9   257.0   257.5   257.9    3.9    3.4    2.9    3.2    3.6    3.0 
   Medical care services .....................  291.7   293.8   294.4   295.5    4.9    4.7    5.2    5.3    4.8    5.3 
    Professional services (3).................  252.7   254.8   254.9   255.0    3.3    1.4    2.6    3.7    2.4    3.1 
    Hospital and related services (3).........  366.4   368.0   370.6   373.3    8.2   11.1    9.0    7.7    9.6    8.4 
                                                                                                                        
  Recreation (2)..............................  106.0   106.1   106.2   106.2    1.5    1.9   -0.4    0.8    1.7    0.2 
   Video and audio (1) (2)....................  102.9   102.5   102.2   102.5    0.8    3.6    1.2   -1.5    2.2   -0.2 
                                                                                                                        
  Education and communication (2).............  107.4   108.2   109.0   108.8    3.1    0.0    2.7    5.3    1.5    4.0 
   Education (2)..............................  125.6   126.4   127.2   128.0    4.7    7.1    6.6    7.9    5.9    7.2 
    Educational books and supplies ...........  319.3   320.9   321.2   320.9   -9.8   26.4    8.0    2.0    6.8    5.0 
    Tuition, other school fees, and childcare   360.8   363.1   365.6   368.0    5.8    5.5    6.6    8.2    5.6    7.4 
   Communication (1) (2)......................   91.8    92.6    93.2    92.5    1.3   -5.9   -0.9    3.1   -2.3    1.1 
    Information and information processing (1)                                                                          
        (2)...................................   90.6    90.8    91.5    90.7    1.3   -6.3   -0.9    0.4   -2.6   -0.2 
     Telephone services (1) (2)...............   99.2    99.5   100.6   100.1    2.0   -2.4    0.4    3.7   -0.2    2.0 
     Information and information processing                                                                             
         other than telephone services (1) (5)   18.4    18.4    18.3    17.8   -9.5  -18.7   -8.2  -12.4  -14.2  -10.4 
      Personal computers and peripheral                                                                                 
          equipment (1) (2)...................   22.6    22.3    22.0    21.1  -19.4  -30.5   -8.4  -24.0  -25.1  -16.6 
                                                                                                                        
  Other goods and services ...................  294.4   294.5   295.9   297.0   -1.9    3.0    8.4    3.6    0.5    6.0 
   Tobacco and smoking products (1)...........  467.4   467.2   478.2   485.8  -10.6    1.6   35.3   16.7   -4.7   25.6 
   Personal care (1)..........................  174.9   175.0   174.9   174.9    1.6    3.5    1.9    0.0    2.6    0.9 
    Personal care products (1)................  155.4   154.6   154.3   154.4   -0.3   -0.8    0.8   -2.5   -0.5   -0.9 
    Personal care services (1)................  188.3   188.7   189.1   189.2    2.0    1.9    2.2    1.9    2.0    2.0 
    Miscellaneous personal services ..........  274.6   275.4   275.4   275.2    4.3    4.8    3.3    0.9    4.6    2.1 
                                                                                                                        
          Commodity and service group                                                                                   
                                                                                                                        
 Commodities .................................  149.7   149.7   150.0   150.3   -8.7    3.0    1.1    1.6   -3.0    1.3 
  Food and beverages .........................  176.4   176.7   176.6   177.0    1.4    3.0   -0.5    1.4    2.2    0.5 
  Commodities less food and beverages ........  134.2   134.2   134.6   134.8  -14.8    3.1    1.8    1.8   -6.3    1.8 
   Nondurables less food and beverages .......  144.6   145.1   146.8   145.9  -20.8   13.2    0.8    3.6   -5.3    2.2 
    Apparel ..................................  123.6   122.4   123.7   123.8   -3.4    3.9   -7.7    0.6    0.2   -3.6 
    Nondurables less food, beverages, and                                                                               
        apparel ..............................  161.1   163.1   165.2   163.6  -26.9   17.8    3.3    6.4   -7.2    4.8 
   Durables ..................................  121.4   121.3   121.3   121.1    0.0   -6.6   -1.3   -1.0   -3.4   -1.1 
 Services ....................................  209.5   210.0   210.8   211.2    3.0    3.1    3.5    3.3    3.1    3.4 
  Rent of shelter (4).........................  216.5   216.8   217.6   217.9    4.8    4.0    2.8    2.6    4.4    2.7 
  Tenants' and household insurance (1) (2)....  107.8   108.6   109.6   110.0   -1.5    1.9    3.8    8.4    0.2    6.1 
  Gas (piped) and electricity (3).............  134.4   133.9   134.4   134.9  -11.8   -5.8    3.7    1.5   -8.8    2.6 
  Water and sewer and trash collection                                                                                  
      services (2)............................  112.8   113.0   113.3   113.5    2.9    4.0    2.2    2.5    3.5    2.3 
  Household operations (1) (2)................  118.8   119.0   119.2   119.7    2.4    5.9   -0.3    3.1    4.2    1.4 
  Transportation services ....................  209.1   209.3   210.3   210.6    3.2    3.6    4.7    2.9    3.4    3.8 
  Medical care services ......................  291.7   293.8   294.4   295.5    4.9    4.7    5.2    5.3    4.8    5.3 
  Other services .............................  245.6   247.0   248.1   248.4    3.7    2.7    3.3    4.6    3.2    4.0 
                                                                                                                        
                Special indexes                                                                                         
                                                                                                                        
 All items less food .........................  180.3   180.6   181.3   181.6   -2.4    3.0    2.9    2.9    0.2    2.9 
 All items less shelter ......................  170.6   170.9   171.3   171.7   -4.6    2.6    2.1    2.6   -1.1    2.4 
 All items less medical care .................  174.1   174.3   174.9   175.2   -2.1    2.8    2.3    2.6    0.3    2.4 
 Commodities less food .......................  136.1   136.1   136.5   136.7  -14.1    2.7    2.1    1.8   -6.1    1.9 
 Nondurables less food .......................  146.9   147.5   149.1   148.2  -19.7   12.6    0.8    3.6   -4.9    2.2 
 Nondurables less food and apparel ...........  162.3   164.2   166.1   164.6  -24.9   16.1    3.3    5.8   -6.6    4.5 
 Nondurables .................................  160.7   161.1   162.0   161.6   -9.5    7.3    0.5    2.3   -1.5    1.4 
 Services less rent of shelter (4)............  217.1   217.7   218.7   219.3    0.9    2.1    4.0    4.1    1.5    4.0 
 Services less medical care services .........  202.2   202.5   203.4   203.9    2.9    2.6    3.2    3.4    2.7    3.3 
 Energy ......................................  122.0   122.5   123.2   124.1  -43.4   16.5   15.8    7.1  -18.8   11.4 
 All items less energy .......................  187.4   187.6   188.2   188.4    2.6    2.0    1.7    2.2    2.3    1.9 
  All items less food and energy .............  190.2   190.5   191.1   191.3    2.6    2.1    1.9    2.3    2.4    2.1 
   Commodities less food and energy                                                                                     
       commodities ...........................  143.6   143.4   143.7   143.7   -1.4   -1.9   -1.4    0.3   -1.6   -0.6 
    Energy commodities .......................  117.8   119.2   120.2   121.4  -66.1   49.9   30.6   12.8  -28.7   21.4 
   Services less energy services .............  217.1   217.7   218.6   218.9    4.0    3.8    3.4    3.4    3.9    3.4 

   1 Not seasonally adjusted.
   2 Indexes on a December 1997=100 base.
   3 This index series was calculated using a Laspeyres estimator.  All other item stratum index series converted to a
 geometric means estimator in January, 1999.
   4 Indexes on a December 1982=100 base.
   5 Indexes on a December 1988=100 base.
 NOTE:  Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.

 Table 3. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): Selected areas, all items index 

 (1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)
                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                           
                                                                                All items                                  
                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                           
                                               Prici-           Indexes             Percent change to    Percent change to 
                     CPI-U                       ng                                  Sep.2002 from--      Aug.2002 from--  
                                               sched-                                                                      
                                                 ule   June   July   Aug.   Sep.                                           
                                                 (1)   2002   2002   2002   2002   Sep.   July   Aug.   Aug.   June   July 
                                                                                   2001   2002   2002   2001   2002   2002 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                           
 U.S. city average ...........................   M    179.9  180.1  180.7  181.0    1.5    0.5    0.2    1.8    0.4    0.3 
                                                                                                                           
            Region and area size(2)                                                                                        
                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                           
 Northeast urban .............................   M    187.8  188.3  189.3  189.5    2.4    0.6    0.1    2.3    0.8    0.5 
   Size A -  More than 1,500,000 .............   M    189.5  190.1  191.3  191.2    2.5    0.6   -0.1    2.6    0.9    0.6 
   Size B/C  50,000 to 1,500,000 (3)..........   M    111.6  111.8  112.0  112.6    2.0    0.7    0.5    1.4    0.4    0.2 
                                                                                                                           
 Midwest urban ...............................   M    175.3  175.3  175.8  176.2    0.9    0.5    0.2    1.6    0.3    0.3 
   Size A   - More than 1,500,000 ............   M    177.7  177.5  178.2  178.8    1.5    0.7    0.3    1.9    0.3    0.4 
   Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 (3).........   M    111.2  111.3  111.4  111.5   -0.1    0.2    0.1    1.0    0.2    0.1 
   Size D -  Nonmetropolitan  (less than                                                                                   
       50,000) ...............................   M    168.9  169.4  169.7  170.0    0.7    0.4    0.2    1.7    0.5    0.2 
                                                                                                                           
 South urban .................................   M    173.5  173.6  173.8  174.2    1.2    0.3    0.2    1.3    0.2    0.1 
   Size A -  More than 1,500,000 .............   M    174.9  174.8  175.4  175.7    1.4    0.5    0.2    1.8    0.3    0.3 
   Size B/C -  50,000 to 1,500,000 (3)........   M    110.9  111.0  110.9  111.2    0.9    0.2    0.3    1.0    0.0   -0.1 
   Size D -  Nonmetropolitan  (less than                                                                                   
       50,000) ...............................   M    171.6  172.2  172.7  172.6    1.7    0.2   -0.1    1.5    0.6    0.3 
                                                                                                                           
 West urban ..................................   M    184.5  184.7  185.3  185.7    1.8    0.5    0.2    1.9    0.4    0.3 
   Size A   - More than 1,500,000 ............   M    187.2  187.4  187.9  188.2    1.9    0.4    0.2    2.1    0.4    0.3 
   Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 (3).........   M    112.2  112.5  113.0  113.1    1.3    0.5    0.1    1.6    0.7    0.4 
                                                                                                                           
                 Size classes                                                                                              
                                                                                                                           
   A (4)......................................   M    164.5  164.6  165.3  165.5    1.8    0.5    0.1    2.1    0.5    0.4 
   B/C (3)....................................   M    111.3  111.4  111.5  111.8    0.9    0.4    0.3    1.2    0.2    0.1 
   D .........................................   M    173.0  173.3  173.9  174.3    1.3    0.6    0.2    1.6    0.5    0.3 
                                                                                                                           
            Selected local areas(5)                                                                                        
                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                           
 Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI ..............   M    182.1  181.2  181.6  182.1    1.3    0.5    0.3    2.0   -0.3    0.2 
 Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA .....   M    181.9  182.2  183.0  183.4    2.6    0.7    0.2    2.6    0.6    0.4 
 New York-Northern N.J.-Long Island,                                                                                       
     NY-NJ-CT-PA .............................   M    191.5  192.0  193.1  193.3    2.8    0.7    0.1    2.7    0.8    0.6 
                                                                                                                           
 Boston-Brockton-Nashua, MA-NH-ME-CT .........   1        -  195.7      -  199.1    3.3    1.7      -      -      -      - 
 Cleveland-Akron, OH .........................   1        -  173.4      -  174.6    0.0    0.7      -      -      -      - 
 Dallas-Fort Worth, TX .......................   1        -  172.9      -  173.2    0.2    0.2      -      -      -      - 
 Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV (6)........   1        -  113.4      -  114.0    2.1    0.5      -      -      -      - 
                                                                                                                           
 Atlanta, GA .................................   2    179.1      -  179.7      -      -      -      -    1.6    0.3      - 
 Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI .................   2    179.0      -  180.9      -      -      -      -    3.3    1.1      - 
 Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX ..............   2    158.3      -  160.1      -      -      -      -    0.9    1.1      - 
 Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ...................   2    174.4      -  175.2      -      -      -      -    1.0    0.5      - 
 Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,                                                                                    
     PA-NJ-DE-MD .............................   2    186.3      -  188.3      -      -      -      -    3.0    1.1      - 
 San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA ..........   2    193.2      -  193.5      -      -      -      -    1.3    0.2      - 
 Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA ................   2    189.4      -  190.3      -      -      -      -    1.9    0.5      - 

   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,                      Sep. 2002 from-    percent change from- 
                     CPI-W                       December                                                               
                                                   2001       Aug.      Sep.                                            
                                                              2002      2002     Sep.     Aug.   June to July to Aug. to
                                                                                 2001     2002     July    Aug.    Sep. 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                        
             Expenditure category                                                                                       
                                                                                                                        
 All items ...................................    100.000     176.6     177.0      1.3      0.2     0.2     0.3     0.2 
 All items (1967=100) ........................          -     526.0     527.3        -        -       -       -       - 
                                                                                                                        
  Food and beverages .........................     17.229     175.9     176.2      1.3      0.2     0.1    -0.1     0.2 
   Food ......................................     16.228     175.3     175.7      1.3      0.2     0.2    -0.1     0.2 
    Food at home .............................      9.798     174.0     174.3      0.5      0.2     0.1    -0.2     0.2 
     Cereals and bakery products .............      1.468     198.5     198.4      1.8     -0.1     0.1    -0.3     0.6 
     Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ..........      2.831     162.0     161.5     -0.5     -0.3     0.2    -0.4    -0.4 
     Dairy and related products (1)...........      1.021     167.0     166.1     -1.9     -0.5    -0.2    -0.2    -0.5 
     Fruits and vegetables ...................      1.307     216.2     217.5      3.1      0.6     0.5     0.3     0.0 
     Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage                                                                                
         materials ...........................      1.132     136.9     139.6      0.9      2.0     0.7    -0.7     2.3 
     Other food at home ......................      2.038     160.1     160.3      0.3      0.1    -0.2    -0.3     0.5 
      Sugar and sweets .......................       .339     159.6     159.5      2.1     -0.1     0.6    -0.2    -0.1 
      Fats and oils ..........................       .316     154.0     155.2     -1.8      0.8    -0.3    -0.5     1.0 
      Other foods ............................      1.383     177.3     177.2      0.4     -0.1    -0.5    -0.3     0.5 
       Other miscellaneous foods (1) (2)......       .310     109.9     110.1      0.8      0.2     1.1    -0.8     0.2 
    Food away from home (1)...................      6.430     178.7     179.0      2.3      0.2     0.2     0.2     0.2 
     Other food away from home (1) (2)........       .275     118.5     119.3      3.2      0.7     0.1     0.3     0.7 
   Alcoholic beverages .......................      1.001     183.8     183.4      1.8     -0.2     0.1     0.2    -0.2 
                                                                                                                        
  Housing ....................................     38.141     176.9     177.0      2.2      0.1     0.2     0.2     0.2 
   Shelter ...................................     29.212     202.9     203.0      3.6      0.0     0.2     0.2     0.2 
    Rent of primary residence (3).............      8.395     199.6     200.0      3.5      0.2     0.3     0.2     0.1 
    Lodging away from home (2) (3)............      1.523     122.9     117.7      0.8     -4.2    -0.6     1.6    -0.3 
    Owners' equivalent rent of primary                                                                                  
        residence (3) (4).....................     18.980     195.7     196.4      3.8      0.4     0.3     0.2     0.4 
    Tenants' and household insurance (1) (2)..       .314     109.7     110.1      3.1      0.4     0.7     0.9     0.4 
   Fuels and utilities .......................      4.829     146.2     146.5     -2.4      0.2    -0.3     0.4     0.3 
    Fuels ....................................      3.955     129.6     129.9     -3.6      0.2    -0.4     0.5     0.2 
     Fuel oil and other fuels ................       .177     111.3     114.5     -8.6      2.9     0.7     1.6     1.6 
     Gas (piped) and electricity (3)..........      3.778     137.4     137.6     -3.2      0.1    -0.4     0.4     0.2 
    Water and sewer and trash collection                                                                                
        services (2)..........................       .873     113.5     113.7      3.0      0.2     0.2     0.3     0.3 
   Household furnishings and operations ......      4.101     124.2     123.9     -1.7     -0.2     0.0    -0.3    -0.4 
    Household operations (1) (2)..............       .357     120.0     120.2      2.4      0.2     0.1     0.3     0.2 
                                                                                                                        
  Apparel ....................................      4.831     119.6     123.5     -1.7      3.3    -1.0     1.1     0.1 
   Men's and boys' apparel ...................      1.243     118.2     119.8     -3.2      1.4     0.2    -0.5    -0.2 
   Women's and girls' apparel ................      1.864     109.6     116.8     -1.3      6.6    -1.4     2.3    -0.3 
   Infants' and toddlers' apparel (1).........       .256     126.8     128.4     -2.1      1.3    -1.7     1.2     1.3 
   Footwear ..................................      1.165     119.6     121.4     -1.3      1.5    -1.3     0.9     0.4 
                                                                                                                        
  Transportation .............................     19.393     153.0     153.1     -1.3      0.1     0.4     0.5     0.3 
   Private transportation ....................     18.452     150.2     150.4     -1.2      0.1     0.5     0.4     0.3 
    New and used motor vehicles (2)...........     10.145      99.1      99.0     -1.7     -0.1     0.3     0.2    -0.1 
     New vehicles ............................      4.897     139.1     139.8     -1.1      0.5     0.0     0.0     0.5 
     Used cars and trucks ....................      4.099     154.2     153.1     -3.2     -0.7     0.6     0.4    -0.8 
    Motor fuel ...............................      3.153     121.8     122.1     -7.8      0.2     1.2     0.8     1.2 
     Gasoline (all types) ....................      3.120     121.3     121.6     -7.7      0.2     1.1     0.8     1.3 
    Motor vehicle parts and equipment (1).....       .530     107.0     106.7      2.2     -0.3     0.8     0.3    -0.3 
    Motor vehicle maintenance and repair .....      1.438     192.5     192.9      3.3      0.2    -0.1     0.7    -0.1 
   Public transportation .....................       .941     204.5     201.9     -2.5     -1.3    -1.8     0.7    -0.9 
                                                                                                                        
  Medical care ...............................      4.620     286.3     286.7      4.7      0.1     0.8     0.2     0.3 
   Medical care commodities ..................      1.006     252.3     252.5      3.2      0.1     0.5     0.1     0.2 
   Medical care services .....................      3.614     294.5     294.9      5.1      0.1     0.9     0.2     0.3 
    Professional services (3).................      2.245     256.9     256.8      2.7      0.0     0.8     0.0     0.0 
    Hospital and related services (3).........      1.092     367.1     368.9      9.0      0.5     0.5     0.8     0.6 
                                                                                                                        
  Recreation (2)..............................      5.649     104.7     104.4      0.6     -0.3     0.1     0.0     0.0 
   Video and audio (2)........................      1.803     101.6     101.4      0.8     -0.2    -0.5    -0.3     0.1 
                                                                                                                        
  Education and communication (2).............      5.637     108.6     109.1      2.4      0.5     0.7     0.7    -0.2 
   Education (2)..............................      2.382     126.9     129.3      6.2      1.9     0.5     0.7     0.6 
    Educational books and supplies ...........       .203     320.4     323.9      4.6      1.1     0.7     0.3     0.0 
    Tuition, other school fees, and childcare       2.178     357.7     364.9      6.4      2.0     0.4     0.8     0.7 
   Communication (1) (2)......................      3.255      94.6      93.9     -0.4     -0.7     0.9     0.7    -0.7 
    Information and information processing (1)                                                                          
        (2)...................................      3.107      93.4      92.7     -1.0     -0.7     0.3     0.8    -0.7 
     Telephone services (1) (2)...............      2.591     100.8     100.3      0.9     -0.5     0.4     1.1    -0.5 
     Information and information processing                                                                             
         other than telephone services (1) (5)       .516      18.9      18.5    -12.7     -2.1     0.0    -1.0    -2.1 
      Personal computers and peripheral                                                                                 
          equipment (1) (2)...................       .253      21.7      20.8    -21.8     -4.1    -0.9    -1.8    -4.1 
                                                                                                                        
  Other goods and services ...................      4.499     306.0     307.8      4.2      0.6     0.0     0.8     0.6 
   Tobacco and smoking products (1)...........      1.441     480.7     488.4      9.8      1.6     0.0     2.5     1.6 
   Personal care (1)..........................      3.059     174.3     174.4      1.8      0.1     0.0    -0.1     0.1 
    Personal care products (1)................       .815     155.1     155.2     -0.6      0.1    -0.6    -0.1     0.1 
    Personal care services (1)................       .900     189.8     190.0      2.1      0.1     0.2     0.2     0.1 
    Miscellaneous personal services ..........      1.161     275.2     274.9      3.5     -0.1     0.2     0.1     0.0 
                                                                                                                        
          Commodity and service group                                                                                   
                                                                                                                        
 Commodities .................................     45.559     150.4     151.0     -1.0      0.4     0.1     0.2     0.2 
  Food and beverages .........................     17.229     175.9     176.2      1.3      0.2     0.1    -0.1     0.2 
  Commodities less food and beverages ........     28.330     135.6     136.4     -2.4      0.6     0.1     0.4     0.1 
   Nondurables less food and beverages .......     14.685     147.7     149.4     -1.7      1.2     0.7     1.6    -0.8 
    Apparel ..................................      4.831     119.6     123.5     -1.7      3.3    -1.0     1.1     0.1 
    Nondurables less food, beverages, and                                                                               
        apparel ..............................      9.854     168.5     169.1     -1.3      0.4     1.5     1.6    -1.1 
   Durables ..................................     13.645     121.3     121.1     -2.4     -0.2     0.0     0.0    -0.2 
 Services ....................................     54.441     207.3     207.6      3.2      0.1     0.2     0.3     0.2 
  Rent of shelter (4).........................     28.898     195.5     195.5      3.6      0.0     0.3     0.2     0.2 
  Tenants' and household insurance (1) (2)....       .314     109.7     110.1      3.1      0.4     0.7     0.9     0.4 
  Gas (piped) and electricity (3).............      3.778     137.4     137.6     -3.2      0.1    -0.4     0.4     0.2 
  Water and sewer and trash collection                                                                                  
      services (2)............................       .873     113.5     113.7      3.0      0.2     0.2     0.3     0.3 
  Household operations (1) (2)................       .357     120.0     120.2      2.4      0.2     0.1     0.3     0.2 
  Transportation services ....................      6.573     208.6     208.8      4.3      0.1     0.3     0.5     0.2 
  Medical care services ......................      3.614     294.5     294.9      5.1      0.1     0.9     0.2     0.3 
  Other services .............................     10.033     243.4     244.1      3.5      0.3     0.5     0.5     0.1 
                                                                                                                        
                Special indexes                                                                                         
                                                                                                                        
 All items less food .........................     83.772     176.7     177.1      1.3      0.2     0.2     0.4     0.2 
 All items less shelter ......................     70.788     168.9     169.5      0.4      0.4     0.2     0.4     0.1 
 All items less medical care .................     95.380     171.8     172.2      1.1      0.2     0.2     0.3     0.2 
 Commodities less food .......................     29.331     137.4     138.1     -2.3      0.5     0.0     0.4     0.1 
 Nondurables less food .......................     15.687     149.8     151.5     -1.5      1.1     0.7     1.3    -0.7 
 Nondurables less food and apparel ...........     10.855     169.2     169.6     -1.1      0.2     1.4     1.6    -1.1 
 Nondurables .................................     31.915     162.2     163.2     -0.2      0.6     0.2     0.7    -0.2 
 Services less rent of shelter (4)............     25.543     194.9     195.3      2.8      0.2     0.4     0.5     0.2 
 Services less medical care services .........     50.827     200.3     200.6      3.1      0.1     0.3     0.4     0.4 
 Energy ......................................      7.109     125.0     125.3     -5.5      0.2     0.4     0.7     0.7 
 All items less energy .......................     92.891     183.8     184.3      2.0      0.3     0.2     0.3     0.1 
  All items less food and energy .............     76.663     186.0     186.5      2.1      0.3     0.2     0.3     0.2 
   Commodities less food and energy                                                                                     
       commodities ...........................     26.001     143.7     144.4     -1.1      0.5    -0.1     0.3    -0.1 
    Energy commodities .......................      3.330     121.8     122.2     -7.5      0.3     1.2     0.8     1.2 
   Services less energy services .............     50.663     215.1     215.4      3.8      0.1     0.3     0.3     0.2 
 Purchasing power of the consumer dollar                                                                                
     (1982-84=$1.00) .........................          -    $ .566    $ .565        -        -       -       -       - 
 Purchasing power of the consumer dollar                                                                                
     (1967=$1.00) ............................          -    $ .190    $ .190        -        -       -       -       - 

   1 Not seasonally adjusted.
   2 Indexes on a December 1997=100 base.
   3 This index series was calculated using a Laspeyres estimator.  All other item stratum index series converted to a
 geometric means estimator in January, 1999.
   4 Indexes on a December 1984=100 base
   5 Indexes on a December 1988=100 base.
   - Data not available.
 NOTE:  Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.

 Table 5. Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W): Seasonally adjusted U.S. city
 average, by expenditure category and commodity and service group

 (1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)
                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                        
                                                 Seasonally adjusted indexes    Seasonally adjusted annual rate percent 
                                                                                               change for               
                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                        
                     CPI-W                                                           3 months ended--         6 months  
                                                                                                              ended--   
                                                 June    July    Aug.    Sep.                                           
                                                 2002    2002    2002    2002                                           
                                                                                Dec.   Mar.   June   Sep.   Mar.   Sep. 
                                                                                2001   2002   2002   2002   2002   2002 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                        
             Expenditure category                                                                                       
                                                                                                                        
 All items ...................................  175.7   176.0   176.5   176.8   -2.9    3.0    2.5    2.5    0.0    2.5 
                                                                                                                        
  Food and beverages .........................  175.8   176.0   175.9   176.3    1.4    3.0   -0.5    1.1    2.2    0.3 
   Food ......................................  175.2   175.5   175.3   175.7    1.4    3.3   -0.9    1.1    2.3    0.1 
    Food at home .............................  174.2   174.4   174.0   174.4    0.9    3.5   -2.7    0.5    2.2   -1.1 
     Cereals and bakery products .............  197.8   198.0   197.5   198.6    0.6    4.6    0.4    1.6    2.6    1.0 
     Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ..........  162.0   162.3   161.7   161.1    0.5    2.5   -2.4   -2.2    1.5   -2.3 
     Dairy and related products (1)...........  167.8   167.4   167.0   166.1    2.9   -3.2   -3.3   -4.0   -0.2   -3.6 
     Fruits and vegetables ...................  217.5   218.6   219.2   219.1   -3.7   31.2  -13.1    3.0   12.4   -5.4 
     Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage                                                                                
         materials ...........................  137.0   137.9   137.0   140.1    1.2   -2.6   -4.0    9.4   -0.7    2.5 
     Other food at home ......................  160.4   160.0   159.5   160.3    4.1   -4.9    2.8   -0.2   -0.5    1.3 
      Sugar and sweets .......................  158.8   159.7   159.4   159.3    2.3   -1.0    6.0    1.3    0.6    3.6 
      Fats and oils ..........................  154.8   154.4   153.6   155.2   -0.8   -3.7   -3.8    1.0   -2.3   -1.4 
      Other foods ............................  177.7   176.9   176.4   177.2    6.0   -6.3    3.7   -1.1   -0.3    1.3 
       Other miscellaneous foods (1) (2)......  109.6   110.8   109.9   110.1   -0.7   -2.5    4.9    1.8   -1.6    3.4 
    Food away from home (1)...................  178.0   178.4   178.7   179.0    2.3    2.3    2.3    2.3    2.3    2.3 
     Other food away from home (1) (2)........  118.1   118.2   118.5   119.3    0.7    3.5    4.5    4.1    2.1    4.3 
   Alcoholic beverages .......................  183.2   183.4   183.8   183.4    1.1    2.9    2.7    0.4    2.0    1.5 
                                                                                                                        
  Housing ....................................  175.5   175.8   176.2   176.5    1.6    2.3    2.3    2.3    2.0    2.3 
   Shelter ...................................  201.6   202.0   202.5   203.0    4.4    4.1    2.8    2.8    4.2    2.8 
    Rent of primary residence (3).............  198.9   199.4   199.8   200.0    4.4    4.2    2.9    2.2    4.3    2.5 
    Lodging away from home (2) (3)............  117.2   116.5   118.4   118.1    0.7    2.4   -3.0    3.1    1.5    0.0 
    Owners' equivalent rent of primary                                                                                  
        residence (3) (4).....................  194.9   195.4   195.7   196.4    5.0    3.8    3.4    3.1    4.4    3.2 
    Tenants' and household insurance (1) (2)..  107.9   108.7   109.7   110.1   -1.9    2.3    3.8    8.4    0.2    6.1 
   Fuels and utilities .......................  142.8   142.4   143.0   143.4  -11.4   -3.6    3.4    1.7   -7.6    2.6 
    Fuels ....................................  126.1   125.6   126.2   126.5  -14.4   -5.3    3.9    1.3   -9.9    2.6 
     Fuel oil and other fuels ................  113.8   114.6   116.4   118.3  -46.6   -3.9   16.7   16.8  -28.4   16.7 
     Gas (piped) and electricity (3)..........  133.4   132.9   133.4   133.7  -11.3   -5.5    3.1    0.9   -8.5    2.0 
    Water and sewer and trash collection                                                                                
        services (2)..........................  112.9   113.1   113.4   113.7    2.9    4.4    2.2    2.9    3.7    2.5 
   Household furnishings and operations ......  124.6   124.6   124.2   123.7    0.0   -3.1   -0.6   -2.9   -1.6   -1.8 
    Household operations (1) (2)..............  119.6   119.7   120.0   120.2    2.1    5.2    0.3    2.0    3.6    1.2 
                                                                                                                        
  Apparel ....................................  122.7   121.5   122.8   122.9   -3.2    3.3   -7.5    0.7    0.0   -3.5 
   Men's and boys' apparel ...................  121.1   121.3   120.7   120.5   -3.8    4.6  -10.8   -2.0    0.3   -6.5 
   Women's and girls' apparel ................  114.0   112.4   115.0   114.7   -4.4    4.2   -7.0    2.5   -0.2   -2.4 
   Infants' and toddlers' apparel (1).........  127.5   125.3   126.8   128.4   -2.4    4.4  -12.2    2.9    0.9   -4.9 
   Footwear ..................................  121.3   119.7   120.8   121.3   -4.2    4.7   -5.1    0.0    0.2   -2.6 
                                                                                                                        
  Transportation .............................  151.8   152.4   153.1   153.5  -18.4    5.2    6.0    4.6   -7.3    5.3 
   Private transportation ....................  148.9   149.7   150.3   150.7  -19.2    5.9    5.8    4.9   -7.5    5.4 
    New and used motor vehicles (2)...........   99.1    99.4    99.6    99.5    0.8   -6.9   -2.4    1.6   -3.1   -0.4 
     New vehicles ............................  140.4   140.4   140.4   141.1    3.7   -7.3   -2.2    2.0   -2.0   -0.1 
     Used cars and trucks ....................  153.0   153.9   154.5   153.2   -2.8   -8.1   -2.3    0.5   -5.5   -0.9 
    Motor fuel ...............................  117.7   119.1   120.1   121.5  -68.3   52.5   32.0   13.6  -30.5   22.4 
     Gasoline (all types) ....................  117.2   118.5   119.5   121.0  -68.4   53.5   32.2   13.6  -30.4   22.6 
    Motor vehicle parts and equipment (1).....  105.9   106.7   107.0   106.7    1.9    3.1    0.8    3.1    2.5    1.9 
    Motor vehicle maintenance and repair .....  191.7   191.6   192.9   192.7    3.3    3.7    4.3    2.1    3.5    3.2 
   Public transportation .....................  205.7   202.0   203.5   201.7   -7.0   -3.3    8.8   -7.6   -5.2    0.3 
                                                                                                                        
  Medical care ...............................  283.2   285.4   286.0   286.9    4.8    4.2    4.4    5.3    4.5    4.8 
   Medical care commodities ..................  250.5   251.8   252.1   252.5    4.3    3.1    2.4    3.2    3.7    2.8 
   Medical care services .....................  291.0   293.5   294.2   295.2    4.8    4.6    5.0    5.9    4.7    5.4 
    Professional services (3).................  254.8   256.9   256.9   257.0    3.1    1.9    2.1    3.5    2.5    2.8 
    Hospital and related services (3).........  361.7   363.5   366.4   368.5    8.0   10.2   10.0    7.7    9.1    8.9 
                                                                                                                        
  Recreation (2)..............................  104.4   104.5   104.5   104.5    0.4    2.3   -0.8    0.4    1.4   -0.2 
   Video and audio (1) (2)....................  102.2   101.7   101.4   101.5    1.2    3.6    1.2   -2.7    2.4   -0.8 
                                                                                                                        
  Education and communication (2).............  107.2   107.9   108.7   108.5    2.7    0.0    2.3    4.9    1.3    3.6 
   Education (2)..............................  125.6   126.2   127.1   127.9    4.0    6.7    6.6    7.5    5.4    7.1 
    Educational books and supplies ...........  319.5   321.7   322.6   322.7  -10.7   17.7    9.1    4.1    2.5    6.6 
    Tuition, other school fees, and childcare   353.8   355.3   358.0   360.6    5.5    5.6    6.6    7.9    5.6    7.2 
   Communication (1) (2)......................   93.1    93.9    94.6    93.9    1.3   -5.4   -0.9    3.5   -2.1    1.3 
    Information and information processing (1)                                                                          
        (2)...................................   92.4    92.7    93.4    92.7    1.3   -5.4   -0.9    1.3   -2.1    0.2 
     Telephone services (1) (2)...............   99.3    99.7   100.8   100.3    2.0   -2.4    0.0    4.1   -0.2    2.0 
     Information and information processing                                                                             
         other than telephone services (1) (5)   19.1    19.1    18.9    18.5  -10.8  -19.7   -8.0  -12.0  -15.4  -10.0 
      Personal computers and peripheral                                                                                 
          equipment (1) (2)...................   22.3    22.1    21.7    20.8  -22.0  -30.8   -8.5  -24.3  -26.5  -16.8 
                                                                                                                        
  Other goods and services ...................  303.5   303.5   306.0   307.8   -2.9    2.6   11.7    5.8   -0.2    8.7 
   Tobacco and smoking products (1)...........  468.7   468.8   480.7   488.4  -10.2    1.1   35.9   17.9   -4.7   26.6 
   Personal care (1)..........................  174.4   174.4   174.3   174.4    2.1    3.3    1.6    0.0    2.7    0.8 
    Personal care products (1)................  156.2   155.3   155.1   155.2   -0.3    0.0    0.5   -2.5   -0.1   -1.0 
    Personal care services (1)................  189.0   189.4   189.8   190.0    2.2    1.9    2.1    2.1    2.1    2.1 
    Miscellaneous personal services ..........  274.4   275.0   275.2   275.2    4.6    4.8    3.7    1.2    4.7    2.4 
                                                                                                                        
          Commodity and service group                                                                                   
                                                                                                                        
 Commodities .................................  150.4   150.5   150.8   151.1   -9.6    2.7    1.6    1.9   -3.6    1.7 
  Food and beverages .........................  175.8   176.0   175.9   176.3    1.4    3.0   -0.5    1.1    2.2    0.3 
  Commodities less food and beverages ........  135.6   135.7   136.3   136.4  -16.1    2.7    2.7    2.4   -7.2    2.5 
   Nondurables less food and beverages .......  145.9   146.9   149.2   148.0  -22.5   14.3   -0.3    5.9   -5.9    2.8 
    Apparel ..................................  122.7   121.5   122.8   122.9   -3.2    3.3   -7.5    0.7    0.0   -3.5 
    Nondurables less food, beverages, and                                                                               
        apparel ..............................  163.9   166.3   169.0   167.2  -29.7   20.2    3.5    8.3   -8.1    5.9 
   Durables ..................................  121.8   121.8   121.8   121.6   -0.3   -7.2   -1.3   -0.7   -3.8   -1.0 
 Services ....................................  205.5   206.0   206.7   207.2    2.8    3.2    3.4    3.4    3.0    3.4 
  Rent of shelter (4).........................  194.1   194.7   195.1   195.5    4.7    3.8    2.7    2.9    4.3    2.8 
  Tenants' and household insurance (1) (2)....  107.9   108.7   109.7   110.1   -1.9    2.3    3.8    8.4    0.2    6.1 
  Gas (piped) and electricity (3).............  133.4   132.9   133.4   133.7  -11.3   -5.5    3.1    0.9   -8.5    2.0 
  Water and sewer and trash collection                                                                                  
      services (2)............................  112.9   113.1   113.4   113.7    2.9    4.4    2.2    2.9    3.7    2.5 
  Household operations (1) (2)................  119.6   119.7   120.0   120.2    2.1    5.2    0.3    2.0    3.6    1.2 
  Transportation services ....................  207.4   208.0   209.0   209.5    4.5    4.6    4.6    4.1    4.5    4.3 
  Medical care services ......................  291.0   293.5   294.2   295.2    4.8    4.6    5.0    5.9    4.7    5.4 
  Other services .............................  240.8   242.0   243.3   243.5    3.4    2.6    3.2    4.6    3.0    3.9 
                                                                                                                        
                Special indexes                                                                                         
                                                                                                                        
 All items less food .........................  175.6   175.9   176.6   176.9   -3.8    3.0    3.0    3.0   -0.5    3.0 
 All items less shelter ......................  168.1   168.4   169.0   169.2   -5.8    2.7    2.2    2.6   -1.7    2.4 
 All items less medical care .................  170.9   171.2   171.7   172.0   -3.3    2.9    2.4    2.6   -0.2    2.5 
 Commodities less food .......................  137.4   137.4   138.0   138.2  -15.7    2.7    3.0    2.3   -6.9    2.7 
 Nondurables less food .......................  148.2   149.3   151.2   150.2  -21.8   14.1    0.0    5.5   -5.6    2.7 
 Nondurables less food and apparel ...........  164.7   167.0   169.7   167.9  -27.5   18.5    3.0    8.0   -7.3    5.5 
 Nondurables .................................  161.5   161.9   163.0   162.6  -10.6    7.5    0.7    2.8   -2.0    1.7 
 Services less rent of shelter (4)............  192.6   193.4   194.4   194.7    0.8    1.9    4.0    4.4    1.4    4.2 
 Services less medical care services .........  198.5   199.0   199.7   200.4    2.7    2.7    3.1    3.9    2.7    3.5 
 Energy ......................................  121.2   121.7   122.5   123.4  -46.4   18.3   16.3    7.5  -20.4   11.8 
 All items less energy .......................  183.3   183.6   184.1   184.3    2.2    2.0    1.3    2.2    2.1    1.8 
  All items less food and energy .............  185.4   185.7   186.3   186.6    2.4    1.5    2.0    2.6    2.0    2.3 
   Commodities less food and energy                                                                                     
       commodities ...........................  144.3   144.1   144.6   144.5   -1.4   -2.4   -1.1    0.6   -1.9   -0.3 
    Energy commodities .......................  118.0   119.4   120.4   121.8  -67.3   49.3   31.5   13.5  -30.1   22.2 
   Services less energy services .............  213.5   214.2   214.9   215.4    4.3    3.9    3.2    3.6    4.1    3.4 

   1 Not seasonally adjusted.
   2 Indexes on a December 1997=100 base.
   3 This index series was calculated using a Laspeyres estimator.  All other item stratum index series converted to a
 geometric means estimator in January, 1999.
   4 Indexes on a December 1984=100 base
   5 Indexes on a December 1988=100 base.
 NOTE:  Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.

 Table 6. Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W): Selected areas, all items index 

 (1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted)
                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                           
                                                                                All items                                  
                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                           
                                               Prici-           Indexes             Percent change to    Percent change to 
                     CPI-W                       ng                                  Sep.2002 from--      Aug.2002 from--  
                                               sched-                                                                      
                                                 ule   June   July   Aug.   Sep.                                           
                                                 (1)   2002   2002   2002   2002   Sep.   July   Aug.   Aug.   June   July 
                                                                                   2001   2002   2002   2001   2002   2002 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                           
 U.S. city average ...........................   M    175.9  176.1  176.6  177.0    1.3    0.5    0.2    1.6    0.4    0.3 
                                                                                                                           
            Region and area size(2)                                                                                        
                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                           
 Northeast urban .............................   M    184.2  184.7  185.7  186.2    2.4    0.8    0.3    2.2    0.8    0.5 
   Size A -  More than 1,500,000 .............   M    184.6  185.2  186.4  186.7    2.4    0.8    0.2    2.3    1.0    0.6 
   Size B/C  50,000 to 1,500,000 (3)..........   M    111.4  111.7  112.0  112.5    2.4    0.7    0.4    2.0    0.5    0.3 
                                                                                                                           
 Midwest urban ...............................   M    170.7  170.8  171.3  171.7    0.5    0.5    0.2    1.4    0.4    0.3 
   Size A   - More than 1,500,000 ............   M    172.3  172.1  172.8  173.4    1.2    0.8    0.3    1.8    0.3    0.4 
   Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 (3).........   M    110.7  110.9  111.0  111.1   -0.6    0.2    0.1    0.8    0.3    0.1 
   Size D -  Nonmetropolitan  (less than                                                                                   
       50,000) ...............................   M    166.7  167.3  167.6  167.8    0.4    0.3    0.1    1.6    0.5    0.2 
                                                                                                                           
 South urban .................................   M    171.1  171.1  171.3  171.7    0.8    0.4    0.2    1.1    0.1    0.1 
   Size A -  More than 1,500,000 .............   M    172.3  172.2  172.7  172.9    1.2    0.4    0.1    1.7    0.2    0.3 
   Size B/C -  50,000 to 1,500,000 (3)........   M    110.2  110.2  110.2  110.5    0.5    0.3    0.3    0.8    0.0    0.0 
   Size D -  Nonmetropolitan  (less than                                                                                   
       50,000) ...............................   M    171.8  172.1  172.8  173.0    1.3    0.5    0.1    1.2    0.6    0.4 
                                                                                                                           
 West urban ..................................   M    179.7  179.8  180.3  180.7    1.7    0.5    0.2    1.9    0.3    0.3 
   Size A   - More than 1,500,000 ............   M    180.7  180.8  181.3  181.7    2.0    0.5    0.2    2.2    0.3    0.3 
   Size B/C - 50,000 to 1,500,000 (3).........   M    112.0  112.2  112.5  112.7    1.2    0.4    0.2    1.5    0.4    0.3 
                                                                                                                           
                 Size classes                                                                                              
                                                                                                                           
   A (4)......................................   M    162.6  162.7  163.4  163.8    1.8    0.7    0.2    2.1    0.5    0.4 
   B/C (3)....................................   M    110.7  110.9  111.0  111.3    0.6    0.4    0.3    1.1    0.3    0.1 
   D .........................................   M    171.7  172.0  172.5  172.9    1.1    0.5    0.2    1.5    0.5    0.3 
                                                                                                                           
            Selected local areas(5)                                                                                        
                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                           
 Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI ..............   M    175.9  175.1  175.5  175.8    1.2    0.4    0.2    2.0   -0.2    0.2 
 Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA .....   M    174.7  175.0  175.6  176.3    2.8    0.7    0.4    2.6    0.5    0.3 
 New York-Northern N.J.-Long Island,                                                                                       
     NY-NJ-CT-PA .............................   M    186.5  187.1  188.1  188.6    2.7    0.8    0.3    2.5    0.9    0.5 
                                                                                                                           
 Boston-Brockton-Nashua, MA-NH-ME-CT .........   1        -  194.1      -  197.7    3.0    1.9      -      -      -      - 
 Cleveland-Akron, OH .........................   1        -  164.5      -  165.7   -0.5    0.7      -      -      -      - 
 Dallas-Fort Worth, TX .......................   1        -  172.6      -  172.9    0.2    0.2      -      -      -      - 
 Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV (6)........   1        -  113.1      -  113.7    1.9    0.5      -      -      -      - 
                                                                                                                           
 Atlanta, GA .................................   2    176.5      -  176.8      -      -      -      -    1.5    0.2      - 
 Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI .................   2    173.2      -  175.0      -      -      -      -    3.3    1.0      - 
 Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX ..............   2    156.7      -  158.0      -      -      -      -    0.6    0.8      - 
 Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ...................   2    172.0      -  172.8      -      -      -      -    1.1    0.5      - 
 Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City,                                                                                    
     PA-NJ-DE-MD .............................   2    184.7      -  186.7      -      -      -      -    2.5    1.1      - 
 San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA ..........   2    189.1      -  189.3      -      -      -      -    1.4    0.1      - 
 Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA ................   2    184.1      -  184.8      -      -      -      -    1.8    0.4      - 

   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 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         Sep. 2002 from-  
                    C-CPI-U                     December                                          
                                                1999-2000                                         
                                                              Aug.      Sep.      Sep.      Aug.  
                                                              2002      2002      2001      2002  
                                                                                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                  
             Expenditure category                                                                 
                                                                                                  
 All items ...................................    100.000     105.8     106.0       1.2       0.2 
  Food and beverages .........................     15.451     106.0     106.2       1.3       0.2 
   Food ......................................     14.432     106.0     106.2       1.3       0.2 
    Food at home .............................      8.335     105.0     105.3       0.7       0.3 
    Food away from home ......................      6.096     107.3     107.6       2.5       0.3 
   Alcoholic beverages .......................      1.019     106.5     106.4       1.9      -0.1 
  Housing ....................................     40.040     109.5     109.4       2.1      -0.1 
   Shelter ...................................     30.643     111.0     110.7       3.4      -0.3 
   Fuels and utilities .......................      4.376     113.5     113.8      -2.2       0.3 
   Household furnishings and operations ......      5.020      98.2      98.2      -1.4       0.0 
  Apparel ....................................      4.819      91.7      94.8      -2.3       3.4 
  Transportation .............................     17.770     102.9     103.0      -0.9       0.1 
   Private transportation ....................     16.520     102.9     103.0      -0.8       0.1 
   Public transportation .....................      1.250     103.8     102.3      -2.8      -1.4 
  Medical care ...............................      5.563     112.6     112.7       4.4       0.1 
   Medical care commodities ..................      1.330     109.6     109.6       3.1       0.0 
   Medical care services .....................      4.233     113.5     113.7       4.9       0.2 
  Recreation .................................      6.124     102.2     102.1       0.1      -0.1 
  Education and communication ................      6.068      97.4      97.6       0.3       0.2 
   Education .................................      2.546     116.1     118.3       6.5       1.9 
   Communication .............................      3.522      85.6      84.7      -3.9      -1.1 
  Other goods and services ...................      4.164     110.9     111.3       3.0       0.4 
                                                                                                  
          Commodity and service group                                                             
                                                                                                  
 Services ....................................     57.098     110.4     110.4       3.0       0.0 
 Commodities .................................     42.902     100.1     100.5      -1.2       0.4 
  Durables ...................................     12.953      92.0      91.8      -3.3      -0.2 
 Nondurables .................................     29.949     103.8     104.5      -0.3       0.7 
  All items less food and energy .............     78.851     105.3     105.5       1.7       0.2 
 Energy ......................................      6.717     111.4     111.6      -5.2       0.2 

 NOTE: Index applies to a month as a whole, not to any specific date.
 Indexes for 2002 are initial estimates.  Indexes for 2001 are interim adjustments.