Unlike the Consumer Price Index , which measures only relative costs based on an index, this survey provides real prices on a comprehensive variety of goods and services. Profiles of 60 US cities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000. Data details basic demographics along with several useful statistics on the culture and recreation, air and water quality, climate, health care, job growth, and more. Includes hard to find figures on cost of living, real estate values, utility rates, and effective buying power. Convenient set of comparative statistics, providing tables for over 300 topical categories, with state rankings for each.
Subject pages contain two separate tables.
On the left side, states are arranged alphabetically, making it easy to identify the state. The right side contains the list of states in order of rank. Each page also gives US totals. An additional section in the back, arranged alphabetically state, summarizes state rankings for each category. Conducted every five years since 1957.