Full text of CPI Detailed Report : August 1972

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the consumer price index

U.S. CITY AVERAGE
AND

for August 1972

SELECTED AREAS




U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
December 1972

the consumer price index
for August 1972

U.S. D E P A R T M E N T O F L A B O R

CONTENTS

BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
Price movements

1

Charts 1 — 4 . Consumer price indexes for all items and major
components, and rates of change over 1-, 3-, 6-, and
12-month spans

6

Table 1.

a monthly report
on consumer price movements
including statistical tables
and technical notes.




Table 2.

Table 3.

Table 4.

Table 5.

Table 6.

Table 7.

Table 8.

CPI—United States city average for wage earners and
clerical workers, by commodity and service groups, and
expenditure classes

10

CPI—United States and selected areas for urban wage
earners and clerical workers, all items most recent index
and percent changes from selected dates

11

CPI—United States and selected areas for urban wage
earners and clerical workers, major groups, percent
change from July 1972 to August 1972

12

CPI—United States city average for urban wage
earners and clerical workers for selected groups,
seasonally adjusted

12

CPI—United States and selected areas for urban wage
earners and clerical workers, commodity groups, August
1972, index and percent changes from May 1972

13

CPI—United States and selected areas for urban wage
earners and clerical workers, food and its subgroups,
August 1972, and percent changes from July 1972

15

CPI—United States city average for urban wage
earners and clerical workers, food items, and percent
changes from selected dates

16

CPI—United States city average for urban wage
earners and clerical workers, for selected items and
groups, August 1972, and percent changes from selected
dates

18

Price Movements
August 1972
The Consumer Price Index rose 0.2 percent in August
to 125.7 percent of its 1967 base. Most of the increase
was due to higher prices for meats, restaurant meals,
gasoline, household services, and used cars. The increase
after seasonal adjustment was also 0.2 percent.
In the 12 months ending in August, the first year of
the Economic Stabilization Program, the CPI rose 2.9
percent. (See table B.) This increase compared with a
rise of 4.4 percent in the preceding 12-month period and
an advance at a rate of 3.8 percent in the first 8 months
of 1971 before the Stabilization Program went into
effect. Increases in charges for services were markedly
slower than in the period before the program began.
In August, the food index, which includes both food
purchased in grocery stores and restaurant meals, rose
0.5 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis, following an
increase of 0.6 percent in July and 0.2 percent in June.
The index for nonfood commodities, which held steady
in June, rose 0.3 percent in both July and August. The
services index increased 0.2 percent in August compared
with 0.3 percent in the 2 preceding months.

Food
Before seasonal adjustment, the August index for
food purchased in grocery stores increased 0.2 percent,
instead of declining slightly as it usually does. The increase, however, was substantially smaller than in June
and July because of smaller price increases for meats,
eggs, and fresh fruits, and declines in prices of poultry,
fresh vegetables, and dairy products.
Meat prices rose 0.9 percent in August, slightly more
than the usual seasonal increase but less than the increases of 1.5 percent in June and 3.0 percent in July.
Meat prices, which turned up sharply in late 1971, advanced every month this year except in April and May.
In August of this year, they were 11.9 percent higher
than in August 1971.
The behavior of beef prices was an important factor
in the slower rise in meat prices in August compared with
June and July. Increases in beef prices at retail became
smaller as wholesale prices leveled out in July. In August,

Table A. Percent changes in CPI and components, selected periods
Change in All items
at seasonally adjusted
compound annual rates

Change from preceding month
Month

All items
Unadjusted

ServCommodities
ices
less food
Seasonally Unad- Seasonally Unadadjusted justed adjusted justed

Food

Seasonally Unadadjusted justed

From
From
From
3 months 6 months 12 months
ago
ago
ago

August 1971
September
October
November
December

0.2
.1
.2
.2
.4

0.3
.1
.2
.2
.3

0.2
-.8
-.2
.1
1.1

0.3
-.3
-.1
.8
.6

0.1
.3
.5
.1
0

.3
0
0
0
.2

.5
.3
.2
.3
.3

4.1
3.0
2.6
1.9
2.6

4.0
3.9
3.7
3.0
2.8

4.4
4.0
3.6
3.5
3.4

January 1972
February
March
April
May
June
July
August

.1
.5
.2
.2
.3
.2

.3
.6
0
.2
.3
.1
.4
.2

0
1.6
.2
0
-.1
.6
1.0
.3

-.1
1.8
0
-.1
-.1
.2
.6
.5

-.3
.1
.3
.3
.6
.2
0
.1

.2
.3
.2
.2
.5
0
.3
.3

.5
.2
.2
.3
.2
.3
.3
.2

3.2
4.8
3.6
3.1
2.1
2.2
3.3
2.9

2.9
3.4
3.1
3.2
3.5
2.9
3.2
2.5

3.4
3.7
3.5
3.4
3.2
2.9
3.0
2.9




A
.2

1

Table B. Percent changes in CPI and selected components before and during Economic Stabilization Program
(Seasonally adjusted annual rates)
On »v\ nAnont
v/Uinpu>icfii

All. items
Food
Commodities less food
Services

12 months
12 months
1971 before
3 months,
9 months,
before Phase I
Phases I and II
Phase I
Phase I,
Phase II,
(August 1970 to (December 1970 (August 1971 to (November 1971 (August 1971
August 1971) to August 1971) November 1971) to August 1972) to August 1972)
4.4
3.5
4.0
5.5

3.8
5.0
2.9
4.6

wholesale beef prices declined sharply because of increased production coupled with the rise in consumer
resistance to purchases of beef. Although a similar resistance developed earlier this year when prices rose
sharply, the demand for beef generally has been strong
during the past year because of rising income.
Retail pork prices also contributed to the slower rise
in meat prices in August. The increase of 1.1 percent in
August was slightly less than seasonal, and considerably
smaller than the 2.3 percent increase in June and the 5.3
percent advance in July. After a sharp rise in wholesale
pork prices in July there was a slight decline in August;
hog prices rose, instead of falling as is usual. Hog prices,
which have advanced almost steadily since late 1971
because of smaller supplies, were 48.9 percent higher this
August than in August 1971. Reflecting the increase in
hog prices and sharp reductions in pork production and
cold storage holdings, pork prices at wholesale were 25
percent higher and retail prices 17.3 percent higher this
August than in August 1971.
Fish prices rose 0.6 percent, about the same rise as in
the 2 preceding months, and somewhat less than earlier
this year.
Retail prices for poultry declined 1.1 percent in
August, following an increase of 2.7 percent in July. The
August decline was much sharper than usual. The demand for poultry, which was particularly strong early in
June, slowed subsequently, and cold storage holdings increased 29 percent between the end of June and the end
of July, despite a reduction of 6 percent in poultry
slaughtered under Federal inspection. Poultry prices,
which have been relatively stable during the past year
compared with meat and fish prices, were down 1.3 percent this August from their year-earlier level.
Egg prices, which climbed sharply in July, rose a lessthan-seasonal 3.0 percent in August. Prices were restrained from advancing as sharply as they usually do as
production increased 2 percent and cold storage holdings
rose 6 percent in July. Compared with the year-earlier
level, egg production this July, as in May and June, was
down slightly, but cold storage holdings remained




1.9
1.7
0
3.1

3.3
4.6
2.7
3.5

2.9
3.8
2.0
3.4

sharply higher. Egg prices this August were down 4.3 percent from their levels in August 1971.
The index for fruits and vegetables declined in August
for the first time since March. Fresh vegetable prices,
which rose contraseasonally in June and July, declined
1.3 percent in August. The decline, however, was considerably less than usual. Lighter supplies than usual due
to adverse weather conditions and smaller acreage planting pushed up potato and onion prices and kept prices
of cabbages, cucumbers, and tomatoes from declining as
much as they usually do in August. Because of large increases in recent months, both potato and onion prices
this August were sharply higher than in August of 1971
and accounted for much of the 8.2 percent rise in the
fresh vegetable index over the year. Fresh fruit prices,
which rose seasonally in June and July, increased contraseasonally in August. The increase of 0.4 percent, however, was the smallest in 5 months. Large increases in the
prices of apple and citrus fruits were almost offset by declines for bananas and grapes. Mostly because grape
prices this August were considerably lower than in
August 1971, the index for fresh fruits was just 0.7 percent higher than its year-earlier level.
Processed fruits and vegetable prices increased 0.2 percent in August, following an increase of 0.1 percent in
each of the 2 preceding months. In August, prices rose
sharply for canned vegetables—beets and tomatoes—
and dried beans, but declined for most canned or
frozen fruit juices. Prices of dried beans and canned beets
have moved up almost steadily during the past year to a
level considerably higher than their August 1971 level,
but price increases during the year for most other items
were moderate. The index for processed fruits and
vegetables this August was 2.0 percent above its August
1971 level, an increase considerably smaller than that in
the preceding 12-month period when prices rose substantially for all of these items.
Prices of dairy products declined in August for the
fourth consecutive month, following increases in the
first 4 months of this year. Prices declined in August for
all dairy products except cheese, for which the demand
2

continued to outpace production. In August, the index
for dairy products was just 0.5 percent above its yearearlier level, the smallest year-to-year increase since late
1965.

account for 33 percent of the total cost of foods utilized
by the Nation's food service operation.
Gasoline prices, which declined almost steadily from
November to June, rose sharply in July and advanced
further in August as major oil companies continued to
withdraw discounts to dealers. In addition, the sales tax in
California was applied to gasoline for the first time. The
August increase brought gasoline prices 0.5 percent
higher than their levels of a year ago.
The August increase in house prices was smaller than
in June and July, but the increase for the 3 months
ending in August was the largest since last summer. A
sharp advance in lumber prices, which is one of the
factors contributing to increases in new house prices, was
primarily responsible for the large monthly increases in
the prices of home maintenance and repair commodities
from February through August of this year. Prices of
small house furnishings, particularly imported dinnerware
and flatware, also increased significantly in the May to
August period.
In contrast, prices of textile housefurnishings and
major household durables declined from May to August
primarily because of summer clearance sales. Furniture
prices, which rose from February to May, declined each
month from May to August. Prices this August were 1.3
percent higher than their August 1971 levels—the
smallest 12-month increase since 1966. Competition
from warehouse furniture outlets held prices down,
although the demand for furniture increased sharply, as
indicated by a 29 percent rise in new orders from July
1971 to July 1972. Appliance prices this August were at
the same level as they were a year earlier, showing very
little monthly change during the year. Floor covering
prices, however, showed greater fluctuation; they declined almost steadily from November to February but
increased from February to July partly because of a
shortage of carpet yarns. Clearance sales of broadloom
carpeting brought prices down in August, to a level 0.3
percent below the August 1971 level.
Prices for apparel commodities declined slightly more
than they usually do in August. Clearance sales of
seasonal items and sales of some year-round items were
responsible for the decline. Following a seasonal increase
in the spring, clothing prices declined more than they
usually do in June and July. Apart from the influence of
the Stabilization Program in limiting price increases,
sales in women's apparel stores in the first 7 months of
1972 were just 1 percent higher than in the first 7
months of 1971. Sales in men's apparel stores, however, were 7 percent higher this year. Footwear prices
rose 0.4 percent as retailers continued to pass along
higher wholesale prices. Although shoe store sales in the
first 7 months of this year were also just 1 percent higher

Commodities less food
The index of nonfood commodities increased 0.3 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis in August, the same
as in July and substantially more than in June. Nevertheless, the rate of advance in the index in the 3 months
ending in August was less than in the preceding 3-month
period, and the same as in the 3-month period before
that. Over the entire year that the Economic Stabilization
Program has been in effect, prices of nonfood commodities in the CPI increased about 2/3 as much as their
annual rate of increase in the 8 months of 1971 preceding the program. Although price rises accelerated
from May to August for some commodities such as
gasoline, houses, home repair and maintenance goods,
and footwear, the effect of these increases on the index
was moderated by lower prices for clothing, household
durables, and other items primarily because of summer
clearance sales.
The index for cereal and bakery products, which declined every month from April through July, held steady
in August. The index this August was 0.1 percent below
its year-earlier level. Bread prices rose, and flour prices
held steady this August, but prices were lower for other
items. Bread prices were higher because of the end of
promotional sales and earlier increases granted by the
Price Commission to manufacturers. Before August, flour
prices had declined almost steadily this year.
Among other food purchased in grocery stores, prices
of salad and cooking oils continued to decline in August,
but coffee prices rose for the first time since October
1971. The increase reflected higher wholesale prices resulting from a frost in Brazil. Although the frost did not
affect the crop already on the market, estimates of the
1973-74 crop destroyed range up to 40 percent, creating
an immediate world wide demand and higher prices for
green coffee.
The index for food away from home increased 0.5
percent in August. Monthly increases in this index
ranged from 0.3 to 0.5 percent in the February to August
period—slightly faster rates of increase than in late 1971
and early this year but slower than before the start of the
Economic Stabilization Program. In the 12 months since
August 1971, the index rose 3.8 percent, compared with
3.4 percent in the 8 months preceding the freeze. Slower
rises in wages and a larger volume of business in restaurants helped to moderate somewhat the effect of
large increases in wholesale prices for meats. Meats




3

particularly from March through June—declined slightly
in July, and rose 0.2 percent in August. Charges for gas
also increased 0.2 percent in August, after holding steady
in July. In contrast to electricity, charges for gas rose
moderately from January to April, and declined in May
and June. Charges for home maintenance and repair services increased 0.4 percent in August, about the average
monthly increase for this spring and summer. Charges for
most housekeeping services increased in August, less than
in July for baby-sitters and domestic services, but about
the same as in recent months for laundry flatwork and
household moving.

than in the first 7 months of 1971, footwear prices this
August were 3.0 percent higher than their level of a
year ago. Reflecting earlier increases in wholesale footwear prices caused by sharply advancing prices for hides
and leather, retail prices increased more this spring than
they usually do. Prices did not decline as they usually do
in June and July and rose more than seasonally in August.
New car prices declined in, June, July and August,
but much less than they usually do in these months.
The less than seasonal decline in new car prices this
summer reflected extremely strong sales combined with
relatively low inventories held by new car dealers. Domestic new car sales, which established new monthly
sales record for 4 consecutive months, continued strong
in August—15.9 percent more than the number of units
sold a year earlier—but failed to surpass the August
sales record established in 1955. The shortage of domestic cars also boosted imported car sales. Sales of imported
cars accounted for 19 percent of the total U.S. market,
the best since August 1971. The used car price index declined in August for the first time since February. The
decline was not as large as usual for this time of the year,
probably because of the uncertainty in the used car
market caused partly by the Price Commission's temporary freeze on new car prices for 1973 models.
Price rises for most other nonfood commodities such
as tobacco products, alcoholic beverages, newspapers,
books, and magazines, drugs and prescriptions, toilet
goods, and housekeeping supplies have been smaller in
recent months—particularly in July and August—compared with increases earlier in the post-freeze period.

The index of medical care services increased 0.1 percent in August, compared with monthly increases of 0.3
percent between March and July, and 0.4 percent between December and March. The August slowdown was
primarily due to a smaller rise in charges for semi-private
hospital rooms. Operating room charges continued to increase sharply. The increase in physicians' and dentists'
fees remained moderate.
Among other services, apparel services rose 0.3 percent in August, the largest increase since last September.
Charges for tailoring, shoe repairs, and laundering shirts
rose sharply. Personal care services increased 0.2 percent,
the same as earlier monthly increases this year. Recreational services declined, however, for the first time this
year, because of return to regular prices for movie admissions after more expensive special attractions. August
increases of 0.1 percent in funeral charges and for legal
services for writing short-term wills were smaller than
earlier this year. The Price Commission recently imposed a 2.5 percent ceiling on increases in the fees of law
firms that have more than 60 employees.

Services
The index for consumer services continued to rise at
a moderate pace. The 0.2 percent rise in August was
slightly less than in July and similar to most monthly increases since August of last year. More than half the
August increases was due to higher charges for most
household services. The index this August was 3.4 percent higher than its August 1971 level. In the 9 months
of Phase II the services index rose at a rate of 3.5 percent
compared with 4.6 percent in the first 8 months of 1971.
In August, charges for household services rose 0.3 percent, less than the increase of 0.5 percent in July and
the same as in the 3 preceding months. Among homeownership-related services, mortgage interest charges increased less in August than in July, and property insurance held steady following a large rise in July. Property
taxes, however, rose more than in recent months as rate
increases and property revaluations occurred in several
areas. The increase was still considerably smaller than
earlier this year. Among utilities, charges for electricity,
which had been increasing sharply earlier this year—




Following a large increase in January, the transportation services index moved up by 0.1 percent almost
steadily through June. In July, it rose 0.2 percent, but
was unchanged in August. The rise in the index in 1972
was moderated partly by declines in automobile insurance charges from last August through May of this year.
Charges for auto insurance rose in June and July, but
were unchanged in August. The behavior of auto insurance prices in the past year reflects the effects of improved underwriting experience, the Economic Stabilization Program, and actions of State legislatures and
insurance departments. State legislatures in several States
have passed no-fault laws which have resulted in greatly
reducing liability premiums. Some form of an open rating law has been enacted in 22 States to promote competitive rates. In addition to auto insurance prices, railroad and airplane fares also showed a decline since August
1971, compared with large increases in the preceding 12
months.
4

The July index also includes 23,000 price comparisons to August from periods prior to July of which
18,000 cover the quarterly span from May to August.
About 14 percent of these increased, approximately the
same proportion as in last month's index. In addition, a little over 4,500 rental units were surveyed in
August and about 25 percent of these reported rent
increases from February. Five percent of the 4,500
units reported increases between July and August, about
twice the number of increases reported in the previous
month.

Diffusion of individual price changes
Approximately 120,000 individual prices were collected directly by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in
August for use in the index. Approximately 80 percent
of these quotations represent monthly comparisons. As
can be seen from the following table, 73 percent of these
monthly comparisons remained unchanged, 11 percent
decreased, and 16 percent increased between July and
August. The proportion of prices increasing dropped between July and August. A larger proportion of the prices
of food decreased in August than in the previous month.

Table C. Percent distribution of monthly price comparisons1
Item

January
to
February

February
to
March

March
to
April

April
to
May

May
to
June

June
to
July

July
to
August

2
All items
Increases
Decreases
No change

100
22
8
70

100
15
10
75

100
14
12
74

100
13
12
75

100
15
11
74

100
18
10
72

100
16
11
73

Food at home
Increases
Decreases
No change

100
24
9
67

100
16
12
72

100
15
13
72

100
14
13
73

100
17
12
71

100
20
11
69

100
18
13
69

Commodities less food
Increases
Decreases
No change

100
8
7
85

100
10
5
85

100
7
7
86

100
8
6
86

100
6
7
87

100
8
7
85

100
8
6
86

Services
Increases
Decreases
No change. . . .

100
8
3
89

100
3
1
96

100
6
4
90

100
7
5
88

100
5
3
92

100
4
3
93

100
3
3
94

Regulations of the Economic Stabilization Program permit certain types of increases, but it is not possible to determine
whether allowable increases accounted for all increases shown in the above table.
Based on approximately 98,000 individual quotations.




5

Chart 1. All items index and its rate of change, 1963-72
(1967=100)

135
130
125

-

120

-

CP I A L L

I T E 1S

(NOT SEASONALLY

IN

ADJUSTED)

115
110

105
100

95
90
85

PERCENT CHANGE OVER l-MONTH SPAN
(SEASONALLY A D J U S T E D )

AUG RRITH.
0 . 2 SCALE0 .7
0 .6
0 .5
0 .4
0 .3
0.2

V

JAr V A

0.1
0.0

-0.1

PERCENT CHANGE OVER 3-MONTH SPAN
(ANNUAL RATE» SEASONALLY A D J U S T E D )
AUG
2.9

V

aAj
PERCENT CHANGE OVER 6-MONTH SPAN
(ANNUAL R A T E . SEASONALLY A O J U S T E D )

PERCENT CHANGE OVER 12-MONTH SPAN 1/

1963

1964

1965

1966

1967

1968

1/ Computed from the u n a d j u s t e d s e r i e s .
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS




6

1969

1970

1971

1972

Chart 2. Total food index and its rate of change, 1963-72

SEMILOG
135
130
125

(1967=100)

mre—
123.9

CPI

120

115

-

110

-

TOTAL

(SEASONALLY

FOOD

INDEX

AOJUSTED)

-ftUO0.5
PERCENT CHANGE OVER 1-MONTH SPAN
(SEASONALLY A D J U S T E D )

WITH.
SCALE
1 .6
1 .4
1 .2
1 .0
0.8

0.6
0.4
0.2
0.0

-0.2

-0.4

PERCENT CHANGE OVER 3-MONTH SPAN
(ANNUAL R A T E . SEASONALLY A O J U S T E D )

-0.6

AUG
5.0

8 I—
6

4

-

2

-

-4

L

-

PERCENT CHANGE OVER 6-MONTH SPAN
(ANNUAL R A T E . SEASONALLY A D J U S T E D )

OR TH.
RUG SCALE

2.1

8
6

-

4

-

2

-

1963

1964

1965

1966

1967

1968

1/ Computed from the u n a d - u s t e d s e r i e s .
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS




7

1969

1970

1971

1972

Chart 3. Commodities less food index and its rate of change, 1963-72
(1967=100)
RUG

COMMODITIES

LESS

(SEASONALLY

FOOD

119.9

INDEX

ADJUSTED)

PERCENT CHANGE OVER 1-MONTH SPAN
(SEASONALLY ADJUSTED.)
AUG

0.3

flRITH.
SCALE
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2

0.1

0.0

-0.1
-0.2

-0.3

PERCENT CHANGE OVER 3-MONTH SPAN
(ANNUAL R A T E . SEASONALLY A D J U S T E D )
RUG

2.4

PERCENT CHANGE OVER 6-MONTH SPAN
(ANNUAL R A T E . SEASONALLY A D J U S T E D )

flRITH.
SCALE
6

PERCENT CHANGE OVER 12-MONTH SPAN 1/

1963

1964

1965

1966

1967

1968

1j
C o m p u t e d f r o m the u n a d j u s t e d s e r i e s .
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS




8

1969

1970

1971

1972

Chart 4. Services index and its rate of change, 1963-72
(1967=100)

AUG
133.8

CPI

SERVICES

(NOT SEASONALLY

INDEX
A0JUSTE0)

ARIJH.
SCALE
1.1
1 .0
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.0
-0.1

PERCENT CHANGE OVER 1-MONTH SPAN
(NOT SEASONALLY A D J U S T E D )

PERCENT CHANGE OVER 3-MONTH SPAN
(ANNUAL R A T E . NOT SEASONALLY A O J U S T E D )

RUG
3.4

v
ARITh.
SCALE

PERCENT CHANGE OVER 6-MONTH SPAN
(ANNUAL R A T E . NOT SEASONALLY A D J U S T E D )

-1

AUG
3.1

PERCENT CHANGE OVER 12-MONTH SPAN

1963

1964

1965

1966

1967

1968

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS




9

1969

1970

1971

1972

10

T a b l e 1. C o n s u m e r P r i c e I n d e x — U n i t e d S t a t e s C i t y a v e r a g e f o r u r b a n w a g e e a r n e r s and c l e r i c a l w o r k e r s , by c o m m o d i t y and s e r v i c e g r o u p s ,
expenditure c l a s s e s
Relative
importance
December

Groups

1971

Unadjusted indexes
1 9 6 7 100 u n l e s s
o t h e r w i s e noted
August
July
1972
1972

Unadjusted
p e r c e n t change to
August 1972 f r o m —
August
July
1972
1971

C o m m o d i t y and s e r v i c e
All items
A l l i t e m s ( 1 9 5 7 - 5 9 = 100)
Commodities
Food
F o o d at h o m e
C e r e a l s and b a k e r y p r o d u c t s
M e a t s , p o u l t r y , and f i s h
Dairy products
F r u i t s and v e g e t a b l e s
O t h e r f o o d s at h o m e
Food away f r o m home
C o m m o d i t i e s l e s s food

125. 5
145. 9

0. , 2

2. 9

0. 2

0. 4

0. 1

121. 2

2

2. 7

2

4

. 2

22.
17.
2.
5.
2.
3.
3.
4.

124.
122.
114.
130.
116.
128.
116.
131.

6
7
4
8
6
1
0
9

124. 2
122. 4
114. 4
129.9
116. 8
128. 4
115. 3
131. 3

, 3
2

5
3

7
2
2
6
5

3. 8
3. 9
1
10. 2
5
3. 6
6
3. 8

6
8
3
2. 1
2
5
1
2

. 2
. 2
-. 2
. 7
-.4
1.6
-.8
. 4

119. 5

119. 4

, 1

2. 0

3

3

1
3

2
1
2
2
3
1. 0
1
3
2
1

2
1
2
3
5
3
1. 1
+0
4
1
0

16.
4.
2.
1.
7.

Services
Rent
S e r v i c e s l e s s rent
Household s e r v i c e s l e s s rent
Transportation services
Medical care s e r v i c e s
Other s e r v i c e s

19
23
28
64
72
03
56
96

-

0

0
-1. 2
4
3
1. 3
1
3
2
1

1. 9
1. 5
7
1. 4
3. 0
2. 1
6
4. 8
2. 1
1
2. 1

77
83
12
98
84

119. 7
115. 4
110. 6
112. 4
1 2 7 . .6

119.
115.
111.
112.
127.

6
3
0
7
2

1
1
4
3
3

2. 4
1. 8
1. 2
1
3. 7

3
2
5
3
3

6
3
2
6
8

.
.
.
*1.
.

3
3
5
8
4

37.
5.
32.
15.
5.
5.
5.

41
05
36
36
57
55
88

133.
119.
136.
140.
136.
138.
125.

8
4
4
0
3
6
9

133.
119.
136.
139.
136.
138.
125.

5
0
2
6
3
4
8

2
3
, 1
3
1
1

3.
3.
3.
4.
1.
2.
2.

4
1
4
8
6
6
5

2
3
1
1
4
1
2

3
2
4
3
4
1
4

*.
*.
*.
.
.
.
.

3
4
3
4
1
4
1

77.
45.
7.
31.
9.
5.
4.

81
82
46
86
85
51
46

126.
122.
120.
133.
144.
125.
145.

1
0
0
1
7
9
3

125.
121.
120.
132.
144.
126.
144.

9
7
7
8
3
0
7

, 2
2
6
2
3
, 1
4

2.
2.
1.
3.
4.
3.
4.

8
9
2
6
1
5
2

2
2
2
1
1
3

2
4
2
3
6
2
4

0

Expenditure

0

-. 2
2
-. 3
-. 3
. 3
-. 2
-.8
*. 6
*-. 3
-. 5
. 2

. 2
0
*.
.
.
.

2
3
6
2
3

0.

1

classes
2. 9

2

0. 4

124. 2

3

3. 8

5

6

5
9
0
7
2
3

3
, 4
, 3
4
, 1
, 2

3.
4.
3.
5.
3.
4.

1

3
4
3
3
2
2
2

4
5
2
8

1

8
6
1
1
3
1
1. 8

1 2 0 . ,8

121. 1

, 2

1

1

-. 2

120. 5
118., 1
143., 3

120. 3
117. 8
143. 3

, 2
, 3

1. 5
1. 0

5
8
6

7
7
4

0

87
46
58
71
12

126., 5
132.,9
120. 2
123. 0
126.. 0

126.
132.
120.
123.
125.

8
2
3
8
4

2
2
1
1

2
1

1

2
2

*.
.
.
.
0

7 8 . 28
9 3 . 54
9 6 . 25

123., 2
125., 3
124., 8

123. 1
125. 1
124. 6

, 2
, 2

2. 5
3. 0
2. 9

2
2
2

3
4
4

$ 0 . 796
. 684

$ 0 . 797
.68 5

_t, 1

-2. 8

2 2 . 19

1 2 4 . .6

Housing
Shelter2
Rent
Ho m e o w n e r s h i p 3 ~
F u e l and utilities'* —
G a s and e l e c t r i c i t y

33.
21.
5.
16.
4.
2.
7.

129. 9
135. 5
119. 4
141. 3
120., 1
120. 5
121. 2

129.
134.
119.
140.
120.
120.
121.

A p p a r e l and u p k e e p

10. 45

Transportation
Private
Public

1 3 . 27
11.80
1. 47

H e a l t h and r e c r e a t i o n
Medical care
Personal care
R e a d i n g and r e c r e a t i o n
Other g o o d s and s e r v i c e s

19.
6.
2.
5.
5.

84
72
05
25
71
43
41

P u r c h a s i n g p o w e r of c o n s u m e r d o l l a r :
1967= $ 1 . 0 0
—
1957-59=$!.00

3
7
0
0
8

0.

0
, 2
, 2
, 2
0
, 2

,1

A l s o i n c l u d e s i n f a n t s ' w e a r , s e w i n g m a t e r i a l s , and j e w e l r y not s h o w n s e p a r a t e l y .
A l s o i n c l u d e s h o t e l a n d m o t e l r a t e s not s h o w n s e p a r a t e l y .
I n c l u d e s h o m e p u r c h a s e , m o r t g a g e i n t e r e s t , t a x e s , i n s u r a n c e , and m a i n t e n a n c e a n d r e p a i r s .
a n d s e w e r a g e s e r v i c e not s h o w n s e p a r a t e l y .

* Not s e a s o n a l l y a d j u s t e d .
N O T E : I n d e x a p p l i e s t o m o n t h a s a w h o l e , not t o a n y s p e c i f i c d a t e .




0

2

Food

water,

0

3
3
4
2
6
2
1
0
6
7
9

125. 5

Also includes fuel oil, coal,

2
2
2. 3
7
4

119.
121.
120.
121.
124.
118.
108.
134.
119.
117.
117.

119.
120.
120.
119.
125.
118.
109.
134.
119.
117.
118.

125, 7

4

0

4
9
4
8
1
6
5
1
9
9
0

63
03
82
02
57
60
92
09
50
67
6 . 42

1 0 0 . 00

3

groups

125. 7
146. 2

Durables commodities
Household durables
New cars
Used cars
Other durables

2

May to
June

121. 4

4 0 . 40

Special indexes:
All items l e s s shelter
All items l e s s medical care
All items l e s s mortgage interest costs

June to
July

6 2 . 59

23.
9.
2.
4.
1.
14.
2.
2.
2.

H o u s e h o l d f u r n i s h i n g s and o p e r a t i o n

Seasonally adjusted
percent change f r o m
July to
August

1 0 0 . 00

Nondurables l e s s food
Apparel commodities1
M e n ' s and b o y s '
W o m e n ' s and g i r l s '
Footwear
N o n d u r a b l e s l e s s f o o d and a p p a r e l
G a s o l i n e and m o t o r o i l
Tobacco products
Alcoholic beverages
F u e l oil and c o a l
Other nondurables

Special indexes:
All i t e m s l e s s food
Nondurable commodities —
s
A p p a r e l c o m m o d i t i e s less" f o o t w e a r
Services less medical care
I n s u r a n c e and f i n a n c e
U t i l i t i e s and public t r a n s p o r t a t i o n
H o u s e k e e p i n g and h o m e m a i n t e n a n c e s e r v i c e —

and

10

7
3! 0
2.
2.
2.
2.
3.

0.

0
3
2

0'

. 2
*.
.
*.
.
.
.
.

4
4
4
5
3
2
2

-. 1
-. 4
2
5
3
3

. 2
. 2
. 2

_

T a b l e 2. C o n s u m e r P r i c e Index—United S t a t e s and s e l e c t e d a r e a s f o r urban w a g e e a r n e r s and c l e r i c a l w o r k e r s ,
all i t e m s m o s t r e c e n t index and p e r c e n t c h a n g e s f r o m s e l e c t e d d a t e s
Indexes
Pricing
Schedule 2/

Area 1/

1967=100

Other
bases

1957-59=100
August 1972

Percent change from:

July
1972

May
1972

August
1971

U.S. City Average

M

125.7

146.2

0.2

0.8

2.9

Chicago
Detroit
Los Angeles-Long Beach
N.Y.-Northeastern N.J. - - Philadelphia
-

M
M
M
M
M

125.0
126.9
122.8
131.7
127.4

142.0
145.8
144.5
156.7
148.8

.5
.2
0
.2
.3

1.1
1.1
1.2
.9
1.0

2.9
3.3
2.8
3.8
3.1

April
1972

July
1971

0.7
.3
1.0
.6

3.4
3.2
3.0
3.0

July 1972
1
1
1
1

Houston
Minneapolis-St. Paul
Pittsburgh —

127.1
125.2
125.5
125.5

152.2
143.2
145.5
144.3

May
1972

August 1972

Buffalo
Cleveland
Dallas
Milwaukee
San Diego
Seattle
Washington

-

2
2
2
2
2
2
2

126.8
126.2
125.5
124.6
125.1
119.9
127.7

3/

139.3

3/

135.7

4/

131.5

142.5
140.7
140.9
148.8

March
1972

June 1972

Atlanta
Baltimore
Cincinnati
Honolulu
Kansas City
S t . Louis
San Francisco-Oakland

3
3
3
3
3
3
3

124.8
125.5
124.6
122.2
123.9
121.9
124.3

143.5
145.7
141.4
5/
147.1
142.4
147.9

0.6
.1
.7
1.5
1.1
.9
1.7

131.7

0.8
.5
1.3
- .2
1.2
.9
1.1

August
1971
3.3
2.4
2.3
2.6
3.6
2.0
3.4
June
1971
2.0
1.6
3.2
3.1
2.7
1.7
3.7

1/
Area coverage i n c l u d e s the urban p o r t i o n of the corresponding Standard Metropolitan S t a t i s t i c a l Area (SMSA) except
f o r New York and Chicago where the more e x t e n s i v e Standard Consolidated Areas are used. Area d e f i n i t i o n s are those e s t a b l i s h e d f o r the 1960 Census and do not include r e v i s i o n s made since 1960.
2/
Foods, f u e l s , and several other items priced every month in a l l c i t i e s ; most other goods and s e r v i c e s priced a s
indicated:
M - Every month.
1 - January, A p r i l , J u l y , and October.
2 - February, May, August, and November.
3 - March, June, September, and December.
3/ November 1963=100
4/ February 1965=100
5/ December 1963=100
Note: The Consumer Price Index cannot be used f o r measuring d i f f e r e n c e s in l i v i n g c o s t s among areas; i t i n d i c a t e s price
change within areas. Estimates of d i f f e r e n c e s in l i v i n g c o s t s among areas are found in the family budgets.




11

T a b l e 3. C o n s u m e r P r i c e I n d e x — U n i t e d S t a t e s a n d s e l e c t e d a r e a s
m a j o r g r o u p s p e r c e n t c h a n g e s f r o m J u l y 1 9 7 2 to A u g u s t 1 9 7 2

Group

All items
Food
Housing
A p p a r e l and u p k e e p
Transportation
H e a l t h and r e c r e a t i o n
Medical care
Personal care
R e a d i n g and r e c r e a t i o n O t h e r g o o d s and s e r v i c e s
1
2

Table.

1

f o r u r b a n w a g e e a r n e r s and c l e r i c a l w o r k e r s ,

U . S . city
average

Chicago

Detroit

0. 2

0. 5

0. 2

. 3
. 3
2
. 2
. 2
. 2
. 2
. 0
. 2

1.3
. 2
. 3
. 6
2
.2 2

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

5

. 0
. 1

))

( )2

New Y o r k Northeastern
New Jersey

Philadelphia

0. 0

0. 2

0. 3

1
-. 1
3
. 4
. 2
.2 2

. 2
. 6
-. 2
. 1
. 1
.21

. 2
.8
3
. 2
. 1
.28

. 1

-.4
. 2

Los A n g e l e s Long Beach

(. )3

()

()

-. 1

.0

S e e f o o t n o t e 1, t a b l e 2.
Not a v a i l a b l e .

4.

C o n s u m e r P r i c e I n d e x — U n i t e d S t a t e s c i t y a v e r a g e f o r u r b a n w a g e e a r n e r s and c l e r i c a l w o r k e r s f o r s e l e c t e d g r o u p s ,

seasonally adjusted

(1967=100)
P e r c e n t c h a n g e s t o A u g u s t 1972
from:
3 months
1 month
ago
ago

Indexes
Group

0. 5
, 3
0
, 2
- ., 2
2. , 3
, 7

1.2
1. 3
-. 4
3. 1
-.8
4. 4
-1.6

120. 3
118. 2

120. 0
118. 9

, 2
. 2

. 1
-.4

121.
121.
122.
125.

8
2
2
2

122.. 1
121. 9
123. 0
124. 2

. 1
, 2
, 2

-.2
-.6
-.9
1. 0

120. 7
118. 3
112. 9

120. 1
117. 4
112. 3

119. 3
116. 7
111. 5

, 5
,8
, 5

1.2
1.4
1. 3

121.
119.
121.
119.
122.
119.

121.
119.
121.
119.
122.
119.

120.
119.
121.
119.
122.
118.

,
,
,
,
,
,

123.
121.
114.
129.
116.
126.
115.

F u e l and u t i l i t i e s 1
F u e l o i l and c o a l

120. 1
118. 4

A p p a r e l and u p k e e p 2
M e n ' s and b o y s '
W o m e n ' s and g i r l s '
Footwear

121.
121.
121.
125.

Transportation
Private
New cars
Commodities
—
C o m m o d i t i e s l e s s food
Nondurables l e s s food
Nondurables
Apparel commodities
Durables

2

May
1972
4
2
8
1
4
8
8

Food
F o o d at h o m e
C e r e a l and b a k e r y p r o d u c t s
M e a t , p o u l t r y , and f i s h
Dairy products
F r u i t s and v e g e t a b l e s
O t h e r f o o d s at h o m e

1

July
1972

August
1972

123.
121.
114.
128.
116.
123.
116.

9
8
3
0
5
1
9

9
2
9
4

3
9
8
9
1
8

3
4
3
7
7
3
7

0
5
5
7
2
4

122.
120.
114.
125.
117.
120.
117.

3
2
0
7
5
3

A l s o i n c l u d e s t e l e p h o n e , w a t e r , a n d s e w e r a g e s e r v i c e not s h o w n s e p a r a t e l y .
A l s o i n c l u d e s i n f a n t s ' w e a r , s e w i n g m a t e r i a l s , j e w e l r y , a n d a p p a r e l u p k e e p s e r v i c e s not s h o w n s e p a r a t e l y .




12

o'

2
3
2
2
1
3

.
.
.
.

8
6
7
2
3
1.3

Table 5. C o n s u m e r P r i c e Index—United S t a t e s and s e l e c t e d a r e a s
g r o u p s , August 1972 i n d e x and p e r c e n t c h a n g e s f r o m May 1972

Group

U. S.
city

1

for urban wage e a r n e r s and c l e r i c a l w o r k e r s ,

Chicago

Detroit

Los
AngelesLong
Beach

commodity

New Y o r k Northeastern
New Jersev

Philadelphia

(Monthly i n d e x e s 1967 = 100)
All items

125. 7

125. 0

126. 9

122. 8

131. 7

127. 4

Food
Food at h o m e
C e r e a l s and b a k e r y p r o d u c t s
M e a t s , p o u l t r y and f i s h
Dairy products
F r u i t s and v e g e t a b l e s
Other food at h o m e —
F o o d away f r o m h o m e

124.
122.
114.
130.
116.
128.
116.
131.

6
7
4
8
6
1
0
9

125.
125.
116.
134.
116.
130.
117.
129.

9
0
2
3
5
3
1
2

124.
123.
116.
135.
112.
120.
115.
129.

1
0
0
0
9
9
2
2

121, 2
120. 6
111.5
130. 6
115. 0
121. 9
115. 1
123. 0

129.
126.
116.
133.
119.
136.
117.
140.

124.
121.
112.
129.
118.
123.
112.
137.

Housing
Shelter
Rent
H o m e o w n e r ship c o s t s
F u e l and u t i l i t i e s
F u e l oil and c o a l
Gas and e l e c t r i c i t y
H o u s e h o l d f u r n i s h i n g s and o p e r a t i o n

129.
135.
119.
141.
120.
117.
120.
121.

9
5
4
3
1
9
5
2

125. 4
I)
138. 2
114. 9
113. 7
114. 9
116. 5

134.
144.
120.
149.
116.
113.
117.
115.

5
8
7
7
1
9
3
0

127. 9
131. 2
2
135.
124.
120.
131.
117.

1
9
4
0
9

136. 9
143. 5
127. 2
155. 6
124. 8
111.9
123. 5
127. 0

147. 5
117. 7
111.9
122. 4
121. 7

A p p a r e l and upkeep
M e n ' s and boys'
W o m e n ' s and g i r l s '
Footwear

120.
120.
119.
125.

8
4
8
1

116.
114.
115.
118.

117.
115.
114.
126.

6
1
9
1

118.
116.
120.
124.

8
0
4
0

120.
118.
117.
125.

117.
117.
111.
126.

Transportation
Private
Public

120. 5
118. 1
143. 3

125. 6
120. 1
160. 4

116. 9
114. 4
147. 5

118. 3
118. 4
116. 7

133. 3
125. 6
162. 8

125. 6
122. 7
142. 3

Health and r e c r e a t i o n
Medical care
Personal care
Reading and r e c r e a t i o n —
Other goods and s e r v i c e s

126.
132.
120.
123.
126.

127. 5
131. 8
2

12 8. 9
141. 8
2

120. 7
129. 4
2

130. 8
143. 3
2

123. 8
130. 4

123. 7
121. 5

114. 2
119. 4

131.
140.
119.
127.
132.

5
9
2
0
0

130. 5
2

2
5
0
5

()

()

()

()

8
4
6
1
5
4
0
3

0
5
4
7

8
4
7
7
7

3
3
6
8
6
9
2
3

132. 2
142. 7
2

()

4
6
7
5

()

126. 1
127. 7

Q u a r t e r l y p e r c e n t changes, M a y 1972 to A u g u s t 1972
All items

0. 8

1. 1

1.
2.
-.
4.

9
1
3
8
6
3. 4
. 0
1. 2

2. 9
3. 6
3
6. 7
. 8
6. 8
.6
.2

1.
1.
.
1.
.
-.
.
.

1
6
9
7
0
7
0
3

-1.
-1.
-2.
.

1. 1

1. 2

0. 9

5
0
9
6
0
5
5
4

1. 8
2. 5
3
4. 6
. 5
3. 5
1. 1
. 4

2. 0
1. 9
4
3. 4
-. 9
5. 6
-. 8
2. 0

1. 2
2. 0
2

1. 1
1. 5
3

1. 5
2. 1
2

1. 4
2. 0
3

2.
-.
.
-.

4
3
3
7
3

1. 6
. 7
.0
1. 1
-. 3

2. 7
2

1.
.
.
.
.

8
2
0
4
4

4
6
9
4

-2.5
-2. 7
-5. 3
1. 4

4
-2. 0
-. 4
.7

-2.
-4.
-4.
-.

9
2
5
2

Transportation
Private
Public

. 8
. 9
. 4

1. 2
1. 6
6

1. 2
1. 5
-1. 0

1. 2
1. 3
1. 2

Health and r e c r e a t i o n
Medical care
Personal care
Reading and r e c r e a t i o n —
Other g o o d s and s e r v i c e s

.
.
.
.
.

.1
.5
2

.5
2. 9

. 8
1. 3
2

5
.2

. 6
. 8

Food at h o m e
C e r e a l s and b a k e r y p r o d u c t s
M e a t s , poultry and f i s h
Dairy products
F r u i t s and v e g e t a b l e s
Other food at h o m e
F o o d away f r o m h o m e
Housing
Shelter
Rent
H o m e o w n e r ship
F u e l and u t i l i t i e s
F u e l oil and c o a l
Gas and e l e c t r i c i t y
H o u s e h o l d f u r n i s h i n g s and o p e r a t i o n
A p p a r e l and upkeep
M e n ' s and b o y s '
W o m e n ' s and g i r l s '
Footwear

()

6
7
4
4
5

()

3
2

See footnotes at end of table.




13

2.
3.
1.
6.
-3.
2.
1.
.

()

()

()

2. 1
. 0
-1.
-1.
-2.
1.

2
4
6
1

()

()

. 5
. 6
. 2
1.
.
.
1.
1.

0
8
4
3
1

1. 0
1.
1.
-1.
4.
.
.
-1.
.

1
2
0
2
3
2
5
8

2. 4
3. 7
(2)
4. 5
. 9
. 0
. 7
. 6
-2.
-3.
-3.
.

2
9
5
7

. 2
. 2
-. 1
1. 2
1. 8
2

()

. 5
2. 1

Table 5. C o n s u m e r P r i c e Index—United States and s e l e c t e d a r e a s 1 f o r urban w a g e e a r n e r s and c l e r i c a l w o r k e r s ,
g r o u p s , A u g u s t 1972 i n d e x and p e r c e n t c h a n g e s f r o m May 1972—Continued

Group

Buffalo

Cleveland

Dallas

Milwaukee

San
Diego

commodity

Seattle

Washington

( Q u a r t e r l y i n d e x e s 1967=100)
All i t e m s

126. 8

126. 2

125. 5

124. 6

125. 1

119. 9

127. 7

Food
Food at h o m e
C e r e a l s and b a k e r y p r o d u c t s
M e a t s , p o u l t r y and f i s h
Dairy products
F r u i t s and v e g e t a b l e s
Other food at h o m e
Food a w a y f r o m h o m e

124.
123.
114.
130.
116.
131.
116.
131.

6
3
2
9
1
4
3
4

124. 7
123. 9
111.0
131. 3
121. 5
130. 1
117. 1
129. 2

123.
120.
113.
129.
109.
126.
115.
134.

7
6
1
1
1
6
4
8

122.
120.
114.
129.
113.
125.
112.
129.

2
4
1
6
7
1
7
2

124.
121.
112.
135.
114.
119.
112.
131.

2
4
9
3
5
2
4
0

121.
119.
110.
130.
116.
117.
115.
127.

7
9
0
2
3
8
7
7

127.
123.
117.
125.
112.
135.
122.
137.

5
7
5
7
9
5
7
4

133.
135.
120.
137.
142.
121.
145.
123.

6
0
8
7
7
1
6
2

124.
126.
113.
12 8.
121.

128.
134.
111.
145.
116.

6
6
7
0
8

4
3
1
2
0

113.4
121. 6

3
9
1
0
5
4
0
2

133.
145.
134.
150.
113.

123. 3
118. 8

127.
130.
118.
135.
123.
118.
129.
120.

112. 4
112. 6

122.
127.
105.
134.
114.
118.
109.
115.

7
7
6
0
5
7
1
8

130.
133.
119.
142.
121.
117.
127.
123.

1
8
3
3
5
5
0
7

A p p a r e l and u p k e e p
M e n ' s and b o y s 1
W o m e n ' s and g i r l s '
Footwear

124.
138.
119.
119.

0
1
2
9

123.
121.
124.
125.

121.
125.
119.
124.

124.
126.
120.
129.

9
1
8
5

121.
121.
126.
119.

116.
113.
117.
119.

4
4
1
8

123.
122.
126.
127.

9
0
1
4

Transportation
Private
Public

118. 2
116. 4
137. 9

126. 6
121. 8
157. 6

121. 4
119. 5
145. 5

122. 5
117. 5
182. 8

11 9. 1
118. 6
127. 6

109. 7
110. 2
106. 7

124. 1
120. 0
147. 1

125.
126.
120.
126.
127.

133.
145.
122.
124.
132.

127.
131.
127.
122.
126.

124.0
128. 3
120. 1
123. 9
122. 2

119.5
124. 0
117.3
116. 2
119. 3

120.2
126. 2
117. 6
117. 6
119. 4

128.
140.
123.
123.
126.

-

Housing
Shelter
Rent
Homeownership costs
F u e l and u t i l i t i e s F u e l oil and c o a l
Gas and e l e c t r i c i t y
Houshold f u r n i s h i n g s and o p e r a t i o n

H e a l t h and r e c r e a t i o n
Medical care
Personal care
Reading and r e c r e a t i o n
Other g o o d s and s e r v i c e s

-

-

-

8
1
9
9
4

6
5
3
8
3

6
5
7
1

0
0
7
9
9

6
2
6
6

3
6
3.
8
0

0
4
1
7

3
3
0
0
4

Q u a r t e r l y p e r c e n t c h a n g e s , May 1972 to August 1972
All items

0. 6

Food
F o o d at h o m e
C e r e a l s and b a k e r y p r o d u c t s
M e a t s , p o u l t r y and f i s h
Dairy products
F r u i t s and v e g e t a b l e s
Other f o o d at h o m e
Food a w a y f r o m h o m e

—

—

1.
1.
-2.
5.

7
7
5
3
7
1. 9
. 5
1. 0

0. 1

0. 7

2.5
2. 7
.5
5. 6
-1. 8
5. 5
. 0
1. 9

1. 7
1. 9
. 0
5. 6
-2. 8
2. 1
. 3
. 7

Housing
Shelter
Rent
Homeownership costs
F u e l and u t i l i t i e s
F u e l oil and c o a l
Gas and e l e c t r i c i t y
H o u s e h o l d f u r n i s h i n g s and o p e r a t i o n

1.
1.
1.
1.
3.
.
3.
-1.

4
7
3
8
6
0
8
2

-1.
-1.
.
-2.
.

A p p a r e l and upkeep
M e n ' s and b o y s '
W o m e n ' s and g i r l s '
Footwear

-2.
-1.
-5.
-.

7
8
5
1

-.
.
-1.
1.

3
9
4
3
5

. 8
-. 3

. 6
. 6
. 0

4. 3
2. 6
20. 0

Health and r e c r e a t i o n
Medical c a r e
Personal care
Reading and r e c r e a t i o n
—
Other goods and s e r v i c e s —

.2
.2
2. 0
5
.3

.5
1. 5
6
. 0
. 2

3

S e e f o o t n o t e 1, table 2.
Not a v a i l a b l e .
Change f r o m June 1972.




1. 2
1. 6
.6
2. 0
.1
.0
.2
. 8
-1.
-1.
-4.
2.

. 4
. 3
. 5

1

-. 2
. 3

3
4
6
5
9
3
2
3

. 2
6
. 3
5

-. 2
1
4

2

7
0
0
3
1

2.
2.
-1.
4.
-.
6.
1.
2.

2
7
8
5

Transportation
Private
Public

-

.
1.
.
1.

1. 5

14

.
.
.
.
.

4
3
6
7
1

.
.
1.
.
.

8
9
1
4

9
6
4
9
9

1. 1

0. 9

1. 7

1. 6
1.8
.1
4. 2
. 0
1. 4
. 3
1. 0

2.
2.
-.
5.
.
1.
.
1.

0
2
1
3
6
6
6
7

3. 7
4. 5
1. 3
8. 2
.1
5.6
2. 6
2. 3

1. 2
1. 4
1
1. 7
. 0
. 0
.1
1. 1

2. 4
2. 1
1. 1
2. 6
6. 5
. 0
11. 0
1. 1

.
1.
.
1.
-2.

8
4
5
8
3

. 3
. 4
-1.
-.
-3.
.

4
7
3
1

-. 3
6
-1. 7
.3

2. 2
2.2
3. 5

1. 1
1. 8
-2. 8

1. 0
1. 2
.1

.1
. 8
. 5
8
. 2

. 3
.5
1

1.
1.
1.
.
1.

0
1
0
6
4

-1.
-3.
-1.
.

2
0
8
6

. 9

Table 6
C o n s u m e r P r i c e I n d e ^ ~ U n i t e d S t a t e s and s e l e c t e d a r e a s for urban w a g e e a r n e r s and
c l e r i c a l w o r k e r s , food and i t s s u b g r o u p s , August 1972, and p e r c e n t c h a n g e s f r o m July 1972
Food at home
Area

1

Total
food

Total

Cereals
and
bakery
products

Meats,
poultry,
and f i s h

Dairy
products

Fruits
and
vegetables

Other
foods
a t home

Food
away
from
home

(Indexes 1967 = 100)
U.S. City Average

124.6

122. 7

114 4

130. 8

116, . 6

128. . 1

116,. 0

131. 9

Atlanta
Baltimore
Boston
Buffalo
Chicago
Cincinnati
Cleveland
Dallas
Detroit
Honolulu
Houston
Kansas City
Los Angeles-Long Beach Milwaukee
Minneapolis-St. Paul
N. Y. - N o r t h e a s t e r n N. J.
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
S t . Louis
San Diego
San Francisco-Oakland —
Seattle
Washington

126.0
126. 0
125. 2
124. 6
125. 9
125. 3
124.7
123.7
124. 1
122.9
125.4
124. 2
121. 2
122.2
125.9
129. 8
124. 3
123. 0
123. 8
124.2
122. 0
121. 7
127.5

124. 3
124. 2
124. 0
123. 3
125. 0
124.4
123. 9
120. 6
123. 0
119. 8
121. 7
122.4
120. 6
120.4
124. 1
126.4
121. 3
121. 2
121. 9
121.4
120. 6
119. 9
123. 7

118 3
113 7
114. . 8
114.2
116. ,2
118. ,4
111. ,0
113. , 1
116. ,0
105. 8
110. 1
116. 9
111. ,5
114. 1
122. 8
116. 6
112. 6
111. 3
119. 4
112. 9
112. 3
110. 0
117. 5

130. 5
128. 9
133. 5
130. 9
134. 3
128. 9
131. 3
129. 1
135. 0
125. 6
129.4
129.5
130. 6
129. 6
133. 6
133. 1
129. 8
127. 8
125. 8
135. 3
129.4
130. 2
125. 7

118. ,5
118.. 4
116. . 5
116. 1
116. ,5
117. , 8
121. , 5
109. , 1
112. 9
117. , 8
118. 3
126. 0
115. 0
113. 7
117. 0
119. 5
118. 6
115. 7
119. 5
114. 5
115. 2
116. 3
112. 9

135. , 8
135. , 4
130. , 3
131. , 4
130. , 3
132. , 2
130. , 1
126. ,6
120. 9
126. ,5
127. 0
118. 6
121. 9
125. 1
125. 2
136. 4
123. 9
129. 1
131. 1
119. 2
119. 5
117. 8
135. 5

116, . 3
118, . 7
115. 3
116., 3
117. . 1
118. , 6
117. . 1
115. . 4
115. , 2
116. , 4
116. 2
116. ,4
115. 1
112. 7
118. , 3
117. 0
112. 2
115. 2
112. 0
112. 4
116. 4
115. 7
122. 7

131. 7
133. 2
129.2
131.4
129. 2
128. 6
129. 2
134. 8
129.2
131. 7
138.6
130. 0
123. 0
129. 2
134. 0
140. 3
137. 2
134. 3
132.6
131. 0
126. 7
127. 7
137.4

P e r c e n t c h a n g e s July 1972 to August 1972
U.S. City Average

0. 3

0., 2

0.. 0

Atlanta
Baltimore
Boston
Buffalo
Chicago —
Cincinnati
Cleveland

1.4
. 8
1.0
. 2
1. 3
2
. 2
. 6
1
.7
.5
.1
-. 1
1. 1
.5
. 2
. 2
. 0
. 2
. 0
-. 3
.5
1. 1

1., 9
, 9
1., 1
, 1
1., 5
, 3
, 1
,5
,2
, 8
,4
, 1
, 2
, 8
,6
1
, 2
0
2
,4
6
6
8

,l
1.. 4
1.. 4
-„, 6
2., 7
,4
- 1 ., 3
, 2
, 3
,5
, 0
, 2
, 3
, 1
, 5
,5
, 1
, 1
, 0
1.. 0
,4
, 3
, 3

Detroit
Honolulu
Houston
Kansas City
Los Angeles-Long Beach Milwaukee
Minneapolis-St. Paul
N. Y. - N o r t h e a s t e r n N. J.
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
S t . Louis
San Diego
San Francisco-Oakland —
Seattle
Washington

1

- 0 ., 2

0. 2

0., 6

0.5

3.,
,
1.,
1.,
1.,

.2
.3
.0
. 7
.2
-1.. 7
.2
-1. 8
. 1
2
. 1
. 1
. 1
.3
. 1
. 2
.2
.2
, 2
.0
.3
.4

3., 4
1., 6
,6
-1. 1
2. 1
4
, 5
2. 8
- 4 ., 1
0
-1. 1
6
-1.
-1. 9
, 1
,8
3
- 2 ., 1
-1. 2
1. 0
- 2 ., 5
-2. 9
4
1

1.,
1.,
2.,
,

. 2
.6
. 2
. 4
.1
. 2
1. 3
.5
.4
. 3
. 8
. 2
. 3

0
9
2
1
8
4
,6
,4
1., 0
1., 8
9
1., 0
- . ,4
1.,5
1., 4
-. 2
1., 3
2
2
,4
0
1. 4
1. 6

See footnote 1, table 2.
Not a v a i l a b l e .




0., 7

15

'

1

2
0
0
8
9
3
,4
,5
, 7
1., 2
1., 0
, 2
,8
1., 5
,4
, 3
, 6
, 3
9
, 0
,4
, 5
1., 5

(2)

. 2
. 8
.4
.1
. 3

(2)

.2
.6
1.9

T a b l e 7. C o n s u p e r r P r i c e Index—United States city a v e r a g e f o r urban w a g e e a r n e r s and c l e r i c a l w o r k e r s ,
food i t e m s , A u g u s t 1972 i n d e x e s and p e r c e n t c h a n g e s f r o m s e l e c t e d d a t e s
(1967=100)
Ind ex
I t e m or group

Total food
Food away f r o m home
Restaurant meals
Snacks —
F o o d at h o m e
C e r e a l s and b a k e r y p r o d u c t s
—
Flour
—
Cracker meal
Corn f l a k e s
Rice
B r e a d , white
—
Bread, w h o l e w h e a t
Cookies
L a y e r cake
—
Cinnamon rolls
M e a t s , poultry, and f i s h
Meats
B e e f and v e a l
Steak, round
Steak, s i r l o i n
Steak, p o r t e r h o u s e
Rump r o a s t
Rib r o a s t
Chuck r o a s t
Hamburger
Beef liver
Veal cutlets
Pork
Chops
—
Loin r o a s t —
Pork sausage
—
—
Ham, whole
Picnics
—
—
Bacon
Other m e a t s
— — —
Lamb chops
— Frankfurters
H a m , canned
- Bologna sausage
Salami sausage
L i v e r w u r st
Poultry
Frying chicken
—
Chicken b r e a s t s
Turkey
Fish
Shrimp, f r o z e n
—
F i s h , f r e s h or f r o z e n
— —
Tuna f i s h , canned
S a r d i n e s , canned—
Dairy products
Milk, f r e s h , g r o c e r y
Milk, f r e s h , d e l i v e r e d
Milk, F r e s h , s k i m
Milk, e v a p o r a t e d
Ice c r e a m
—
Cheese, American process
Butter

Unadjusted

Seasonally
adjusted

124. 6
131. 9
132., 0
131. 6
122. 7
114., 4
99. 2
135. 9
99. 9
109. 2
113. 9
119. 9
109. 1
119. 9
119. 0
130. 8
132. 5
140. 2
137. 0
136. 6
139. 3
136. 5
141. 0
140. 2
140. 9
133. 3
165. 6
125. 4
128. 0
128. 7
132. 6
114. 5
128. 3
120. 7
125. 9
131. 5
127. 6
114. 7
131. 9
128. 3
121. 3
110. 6
109. 7
114. 3
111. 4
142. 8
136. 8
154. 2
132. 3
147. 8
116. 6
115. 6
120. 4
121. 7
117. 9
106. 1
124. 7
104. 6

123.. 9
131., 8
131., 9
131., 7
121., 8
114., 3
99., 3
135.. 6
100. 0
109., 2
113., 6
119. 9
108. 3
119. 9
119.. 0
129., 0
130. 4
138. 4
135. 4
133. 7
135. 8
135. 0
139. 2
138. 3
139. 6
132. 2
164. 0
121. 7
122. 0
123. 9
129. 9
115. 1
126. 2
117. 4
125. 0
130. 3
126. 2
115. 4
130. 9
127. 2
120. 9
108. 6
107. 4
112. 2
111. 3
142. 9
136. 7
153. 9
132. 6
149. 0
116. 5
115. 7
120. 4
121. 8
117. 2
105. 8
124. 6
104. 7

S e e f o o t n o t e s at end of table.




P e r c e n t chang e to August 1972 f r o m —

August 1972

16

July 1972
Unadjusted
0..
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
1.,
,
,
,
-1. .
.
,
,
,
,
.
,
,
1.,
1..
.
,
1.,
- 2 .,

3
5
5
4
2
0
0
0
1
4
1
2
7
2
4
7
9
6
2
2
1
7
0
3
6
2
7
i
1
1
2., 7
5
4., 6
3. 8
1, 5
1
2. 6
1. 5
2. 3
1. 2
1. 7
-1. 1
-1. 6
5
2
6
2
1. 8
8
8
2
3
1
2
2
4
2
1

Seasonally
adjusted
0,. 5
.4
.5
.5
.3
.0
.2
.2
.2
,4
. 7
. 1
, 7
.3
-1.. 4
.2
. 2
, 3
,8
, 1
. 1
, 2
,4
, 1
1., 4
, 6
, 8
, 2
-3. , 8
- 2 ., 7
1., 4
. 4
3., 4
2. 9
9
, 5
1. 5
. 7
2. 0
6
1. 7
8
6
-1. 1
6
6
7
1. 7
8
1. 0
2
4
0
1
1
8
4
1

August
1971
unadjusted
3.,
3.,
4.,
2.,
3.,
,
-2. ,
3.,
-5. ,

8
8
0
7
9
1
0
7
4
6
, 9
1. 0
8
-1. 1
__ 1
10. 2
11. 9
10. 6
9. 3
9. 3
8. 7
10. 0
8. 5
11. 3
10. 9
16. 6
13. 8
17. 3
13. 2
15. 8
19. 0
11. 3
19. 5
24. 9
8. 2
5. 9
10. 3
7. 6
10. 1
9. 1
6. 2
-1. 3
-1. 8
7
-1. 1
8! 3
14. 1
8. 3
2. 5
8. 4
5
3
1. 9
1. 2
-2. 7
4
2. 2
-1. 0

Table 7. C o n s u m e r P r i c e Index—United S t a t e s city a v e r a g e f o r urban w a g e e a r n e r s and c l e r i c a l w o r k e r s ,
food i t e m s , August 1972 i n d e x e s and p e r c e n t c h a n g e s f r o m s e l e c t e d dates—Continued
(1967=100)
P e r c e n t c h a n g e to A u g u s t 1972 f r o m —

Index
I t e m or group

August 1972
Unadjusted

F r u i t s and v e g e t a b l e s
F r e s h f r u i t s and v e g e t a b l e s
Fresh fruits
Apples
Bananas
Oranges
Orange j u i c e , f r e s h
Grapefruit
Grapes
Strawberries
Watermelon
Fresh vegetables
Potatoes
—
Onions
Asparagus
Cabbage
Carrots
Celery
Cucumbers
Lettuce
Peppers, green
Spinach
Tomatoes
—
P r o c e s s e d f r u i t s and v e g e t a b l e s
F r u i t cocktail, canned
P e a r s , canned
P i n e a p p l e - g r a p e f r u i t j u i c e drink
Orange j u i c e c o n c e n t r a t e , f r o z e n
Lemonade concentrate, frozen
B e e t s , canned
P e a s , g r e e n , canned
T o m a t o e s , canned
D r i e d beans
—
Broccoli, frozen
—
Other food at h o m e
Eggs
F a t s and o i l s :
Margarine
Salad d r e s s i n g , Italian
Salad or cooking oil
Sugar and s w e e t s
Sugar
— Grape j e l l y
Chocolate bar
Syrup, c h o c o l a t e f l a v o r e d
Nonalcoholic beverages
Coffee, can and bag
C o f f e e , instant
—
Tea — — — - Carbonated drink, c o l a
flavored
Carbonated drink, fruit
flavored
P r e p a r e d and p a r t i a l l y p r e p a r e d
foods
Bean soup, canned
Chicken soup, canned
Spaghetti, canned
M a s h e d potatoes, instant
Potatoes, french fried frozen
Baby f o o d s
Sweet pickle r e l i s h
Pretzels
1

128. 1
133.4
134. 8
144. 5
100. 2
134. 8
131. 9
180. 3
150. 1
(M
124. 2
132.4
148. 1
155. 5

126.
130.
122.
119.
98.
128.
130.
145.
147.

1
0
4
5
1
6
7
9
9

C )

Unadjusted
-0. 2
5
. 4
3. 0
-4.6
6. 2
. 8
18. 3
-17. 0
(M
2. 6
-1. 3
3. 6
5. 1
n
-2. 4
-2. 8
-10. 9
-2. 8
3. 5
-15. 9
3. 6
-7. 2
. 2
-. 2
. 3
4
-. 3
-. 3
1. 3
6
1. 3
. 7
-. 5
. 6
3. 0

Seasonally
adjusted
2. 3
3. 5
. 8
1. 7
-4.6
1. 3
. 0
7. 5
2. 4
n
11. 4
6. 1
10. 6
4. 1
(l)
9.0
-5. 0
. 0
6.2
3. 7
-1. 8
5. 6
11. 4
. 2
2
1
-. 5
7
-.9
1. 4
-.9
1. 4
. 7
7
-. 7
-6.4

August
1971
Unadjusted
3. 6
4. 7
. 7
4. 0
.7
-. 4
2.9
2. 5
-11. 5
(M
4. 4
8. 2
16. 0
35. 0
(M
9. 3
-23. 0
-. 7
28. 8
-7. 5
16. 3
10. 7
8
2. 0
1. 6
. 6
.9
1. 5
. 3
5. 5
-. 6
. 9
7. 8
-. 5
-. 6
-4. 3

6
3
7
9
7
3
8
0
2
0
1
1
6
2
0
0
3
1
1
0
0

144. 6
136. 9
135. 3
143. 7
(M
132. 3
114. 8
121. 2
150. 3
117. 0
154. 6
144. 0
142. 0
120. 3
121. 0
117. 1
115. 2
134. 7
116. 6
122. 9
106. 7
116. 9
138. 4
117. 9
115. 9
105. 0

117. 4
109. 2
120. 0
120. 5
114.4
125. 1
130. 6
110. 7
120. 6
118.4
122. 3
109. 4

118. 1
109. 3
119. 8
120.4
114. 1
125. 2
130. 2
110. 8
120. 4
118. 3
122. 3
109. 1

128. 0

127. 9

2

2

1. 0

127. 6

127. 3

2

. 1

. 1

114.
115.
104.
121.
111.
111.
110.
125.
115.

114.
115.
104.
121.
111.
110.
109.
126.
115.

4
3
1
6
4
5
0
1
2

. 3
-.4
. 2
1. 7
. 2
. 0
-. 7
. 5
. 2

(l)

119.
125.
124.
115.
114.
122.
142.
121.
120.
121.
118.
115.
135.
115.
123.
107.
117.
138.
118.
116.
105.

8
9
5
4
9
3
1
5
3

P r i c e d only in s e a s o n .




July 1972

Seasonally
adjusted

17

7
9
6
9
6
6
4
3
1

. 0
-. 3
1
-. 1
.
.
1.
-.
.

.
-.
.
1.
.
.
.
1.
.

3
2
0
9
6

.
.
-.
.

6
0
2
0
2
. 2
. 0
. 3
. 2
.9
-.9
. 6

. 9
7
3
2
1
8
8
4
1
8
3
3

-1.
.
1.
2.
-.
-2.
-1.
-2.
-2.
1.

1.
1.
-1.
3.
.
.
-1.
5.
1.

1
0
7
2
0
4
5
6
1

TABLE 8 . Consumer P r i c e I n d e x - - U n i t e d S t a t e s c i t y average f o r urban wage e a r n e r s and c l e r i c a l workers, i n d e x e s f o r s e l e c t e d
i t e m s and g r o u p s , August 1972 and percent changes from s e l e c t e d d a t e s

(1967=100)
Other
index

Item and group

bftSPS
Housing
Shelter 1/
Rent
Homeownership c o s t s 2/
Mortgage i n t e r e s t r a t e s
Property t a x e s
Property i n s u r a n c e r a t e s
Maintenance and r e p a i r s
Commodities 3 /
E x t e r i o r house p a i n t
I n t e r i o r house p a i n t
Services
R e p a i n t i n g l i v i n g and d i n i n g rooms
R e s h i n g l i n g hous« roof
R e s i d i n g house
Sink replacement
Furnace r e p a i r
Fuel and u t i l i t i e s Fuel o i l and c o a l
Fuel o i l , #2
Gas and e l e c t r i c i t y
Gas
Electricity
Other u t i l i t i e s :
Residential telephone s e r v i c e s
R e s i d e n t i a l water and sewerage s e r v i c e s
Household f u r n i s h i n g s and o p e r a t i o n 4 /
Housefurnishings
Textiles
S h e e t s , p e r c a l e or m u s l i n
Curtains, t a i l o r e d , polyester
Bedspreads, c h i e f l y c o t t o n
Drapery f a b r i c , c o t t o n or r a y o n / a c e t a t e
P i l l o w s , bed, p o l y e s t e r , a c r y l i c , or kapok
Slipcover, throws, ready made chiefly cotton
F u r n i t u r e and bedding
Bedroom f u r n i t u r e , c h e s t and d r e s s e r
Sofas upholstered
Cocktail table
Dining room c h a i r s
Recliner upholstered
S o f a s , dual purpose
B e d d i n g - m a t t r e s s and box s p r i n g s
Aluminum f o l d i n g c h a i r
Cribs
Floor coverings
Broadloom, c a r p e t i n g , manmade f i b e r s
Vinyl s h e e t goods
Vinyl a s b e s t o s t i l e
Appliances 6/
Washing machines, e l e c t r i c , automatic
Vacuum c l e a n e r s , c a n i s t e r type
R e f r i g e r a t o r s or r e f r i g e r a t o r - f r e e z e r s e l e c t r i c
Ranges, f r e e s t a n d i n g , g a s or e l e c t r i c
C l o t h e s d r y e r s , e l e c t r i c , automatic
Air c o n d i t i o n e r s , demountable
Room h e a t e r s , e l e c t r i c , p o r t a b l e ^ /
Garbage d i s p o s a l u n i t s
Other h o u s e f u r n i s h i n g s :
Dinnerware, f i n e c h i n a
Flatware, s t a i n l e s s s t e e l
Table lamps, w i t h shade
Lawn mowers, power, r o t a r y type
E l e c t r i c d r i l l s , hand-held
Housekeeping s u p p l i e s :
Laundry soaps and d e t e r g e n t s
:
Paper napkins
Toilet tissue
Housekeeping s e r v i c e s :
Domestic s e r v i c e , g e n e r a l housework
Baby s i t t e r s e r v i c e s
P o s t a l charges
Laundry, f l a t w o r k , f i n i s h e d s e r v i c e s ,
L i c e n s e d day c a r e s e r v i c e , preschool c h i l d
Washing machine r e p a i r

Mar. 70
Dec. 71
Mar. 70
Dec. 71
June 70

18

Percent change t o
from
August
J u l y 1972
3. 8
. 3
.4
4. 6
3. 1
. 3
.4
5. 1
. 1
7
.6
10. 2
. 0
1. 6
.6
4. 5
. 8
3. 8
2. 0
. 3
. 1
2. 0
.4
4. 7
. 5
6. 6
.6
5. 6
.4
3. 3
.4
2. 6
. 3
6. 2
1
3. 3
1
. 2
2
.1
. 2
4. 1
. 2
3. 9
. 2
4. 4

129. 9
135. 5
119. 4
141. 3
117. 3
145. 7
123. 4
141. 9
125. 2
117.6
117. 5
149. 1
161. 3
157. 1
136. 4
146. 7
155. 0
120. 1
117. 9
116. 6
120. 5
121. 4
119. , 6

J u l y 1972
129. 5
134. 9
119. 0
140. 7
117. 2
144.9
123. 4
141. 1
124. 2
117. 2
117. 4
148. 5
160. 5
156. 2
135. 9
146. 1
154. 6
120. 2
117. 7
116. 5
120. 3
121. 2
119. ,4

114. 1
138. 8
121. , 2
116. 3
113. 0
111. 7
112. 8
109. . 9
124. , 2
104. 2
114. ,6
121. , 1
105. , 0
120. , 4
101. , 8
103. ,2
98. , 1
116. , 7
104. . 9
123. , 5
118. ,4
106. ,5
101. , 4
118. ,7
118. , 4
105. , 7
110. , 4
103. ,5
107. 8
111. , 3
114. , 0
110. , 4
7

115. 0
138. , 8
121. , 1
116. , 4
113. ,4
113. , 4
112. ,5
110. 3
123. . 9
104. , 7
114. , 9
121. , 3
104. , 8
120. , 6
100. , 0
104. , 1
98. , 0
116. , 9
104. , 9
125. , 8
119. , 3
106. , 8
101. , 7
118.6
118. , 2
105. , 8
110. , 6
103. , 8
107. . 9
111. , 3
114. ,5
110. . 9
7

8
. 0
.1
-. 1
-.4
-1.5
. 3
-.4
. 2
-.5
3
2
. 2
2
1. 8
-.9
. 1
2
. 0
-1. 8
-. 8
3
3
.1
.2
-. 1
-.2
3
1
. 0
-.4
-.5
7

111. , 0

111. , 0

. 0

125. ,7
124. ,7
124. , 8
119. , 0
107. , 0

125. , 4
123. , 7
124. , 4
119. ,5
106. , 7

. 2
. 8
. 3
-.4
. 3

5.
2.
2.
3.

111. . 1
131. , 9
123. . 9

111. , 1
131. , 7
124. , 4

. 0
. 2
-.4

0
3. 0
1. 1

139. , 6
136. . 9
146. , 6
139. .5
123. , 0
141. , 4

139. , 4
136. , 6
146. , 6
139. , 0
122. , 4
141. , 1

. 1
. 2
. 0
.4
. 5
. 2

3. 5
4. 7
0
3!, 6
3. 4
3. 0

()

See footnotes at end of table.




Indexes
A u g u s t 1972

()

()

4
8
8
3
7
4
2
7
5
1
0
3
5
2. 5
H
3
5
( )
2
9
9. 5
3
3
-1. 3
2. 4
1. 7
0
5
8
4
1
7
5
7
3.
2.
1.
1.
1.
1.
1.
2.
4.
-2.
2.
1.

()

7
7
6
0
3
7

TABLE 84 Consumer P r i c e I n d e x - U n i t e d S t a t e s c i t y average f o r urban wage e a r n e r s and c l e r i c a l w o r k e r s , i n d e x e s f o r s e l e c t e d
i t e m s and g r o u p s , August 1972 and percent changes from selected dates—Continued

(1967=100)
Other
index
.bases

Item and group

Apparel and upkeep 8 /
Apparel commodities
Apparel commodities l e s s footwear 1
Men's and boys'
Men's:
Topcoats, wool or a l l - w e a t h e r c o a t s ,
polyester blends
S u i t s , year round weight
S u i t s , t r o p i c a l weight
Jackets, lightweight
S l a c k s , wool or wool blends
S l a c k s , c o t t o n or manmade b l e n d s
T r o u s e r s , work, c o t t o n or p o l y e s t e r / c o t t o n - S h i r t s , work, c o t t o n or p o l y e s t e r / c o t t o n
Shirts, business, polyester/cotton
T - s h i r t s , c h i e f l y cotton
S o c k s , c o t t o n or manmade fibers
H a n d k e r c h i e f s , c o t t o n or p o l y e s t e r / c o t t o n
Boy's:
C o a t s , a l l p u r p o s e , c o t t o n or c o t t o n blend
Sport c o a t s , wool or wooL blend
Dungarees, c o t t o n or c o t t o n blend
Undershorts, c o t t o n
Women's and g i r l s '
Women'8:
C o a t s , h e a v y w e i g h t , wool or wool blend
Carcoats, heavyweight, cotton
S w e a t e r s , wool or a c r y l i c
S k i r t s , w o o l , wool blend or manmade f i b e r s
Skirts, cotton polyester/cotton
Blouses, cotton or manmade fibers
D r e s s e s , s t r e e t , c h i e f l y manmade f i b e r
D r e s s e s , s t r e e t , wool or wool blend
S l i p s , nylon
P a n t i e s , a c e t a t e or nylon t r i c o t
G i r d l e s , manmade blend
B r a s s i e r s , nylon l a c e
Hose, or panty hose, nylon seamless
A n k l e t s , or k n e e - l e n g t h s o c k s , v a r i o u s f i b e r s
G l o v e s , f a b r i c , nylon or c o t t o n
Handbags, rayon f a i l l e or p l a s t i c
Girls':
R a i n c o a t s , vinyl, c o t t o n , or p o l y e s t e r blends •
S k i r t s , w o o l , wool blends or a c r y l i c
D r e s s e s , cotton, manmade fibers or blends
S l a c k s , c o t t o n or c h i e f l y c o t t o n
S l i p s , p o l y e s t e r blends
Handbags, p l a s t i c
Footwear
Men's:
Shoes, s t r e e t , oxford
S h o e s , work, h i g h
Women's:
S h o e s , s t r e e t , pump
S h o e s , e v e n i n g , pump
Shoes, casual
HousesUpper8, scuff
Children's:
Shoes, oxford
Sneakers, b o y s ' , o x f o r d type
Dress s h o e s , g i r l s ' , strap or pump
Miscellaneous apparel:
Diapers, cotton gauze or disposable
Yard goods, polyester blend
Wrist w a t c h e s , men's and women's
Apparel s e r v i c e s :
D r y c l e a n i n g , men's s u i t s and women's d r e s s e s
Automatic laundry s e r v i c e
Laundry, men's s h i r t s
T a i l o r i n g c h a r g e , hem adjustment
Shoe r e p a i r , women's h e e l l i f t

120. 8
120.9
120.0
120. 4
7

7

(7)
127.4
120.2
119. 8

(7)
127. 5
120. 8
121.2

0

(7)

Percent change t o August 1972
from:
July 1972
T A u g u s t 1971

121.1
121.3
120.7
120.4

( )
128. 1
131. 3
114. 0
113.5
133. 1
115.0
115.4
112. 1
117.4
115.9
116. 3

110.4
120. 8
126.5
(7)
110. 8
118. 3
117.9
122.5
96.0
113. 8
110.6
144.5

0

00

(7)
116. 7
123.4
127.4
7
( )
110. 8
118. 1

1.5
1.5
1. 2
. 7

(7)
.4
-.4
3
. 8
1.7
. 1
. 0
-.5
. 2
. 1
. 2
(7)
(7)
-. 1
-. 5
-1.

2

$

8

122. 1
96.4
114.4
109.9
142. 8

-5.4
-2. 1
-.7
(7)
. 0
. 2
. 9
. 3
.4
5
.6
1.2

Q7

Q7

116. 9

()

()
2.7 2

(7)
. 7
4. 8
1.4
-.9
3.4
1.2
1.2
8
-1.2

1.0
1. 1

0

(7)
3. 8
. 3
1.4

000

(7)
7. 3
1.4
-.2
(7)
-. 3

2. 2

.9
1. 1
-2.6
.9
. 8
7. 7

Q

(7)

109. 1
122. 6

120.0

110. 3
120.6
125. 1

110.5
122.6
124.6

( )
-.2
-1.6
.4

14. 2
(7)
. 5
-5.0
3. 0

124.5
122. 8

124.2
123.2

. 2
-. 3

4.4
2. 8

126.5
122. 1
123.3
125.6

125. 1
121. 8
122. 8
125.4

1. 1
. 2
.4
. 2

2.9

128. 3
124.2
130.4

127.3
124.2
130. 1

. 0
. 2

116.0
119. 3
116.6

115. 3
119. 1
115. 7

.6
. 2

3. 1
-2. 1
2.6

117. 7
114.9
122.2
133. 7
116.7

117.6
114.9
121.6
132. 9
115.6

.1
. 0
. 5
. 6
1.0

. 8
1.5
2. 5
3.6
3. 8

(7)

19

July 1972

( )
128.6
130. 8
113. 7
114.4
135. 3
115. 1
115.4
111.5
117.6
116.0
116.5

0

See footnotes at end of table.




Indexes
A u g u s t 1972

(7)

2.

1
-.2
1. 7
4. 8
4. 0
3. 2

TABLE 8 . Consumer P r i c e Index--United S t a t e s c i t y average f o r urban wage earners and c l e r i c a l workers, indexes f o r s e l e c t e d
items and groups, August 1972 and percent changes from s e l e c t e d dates—Continued
(1967=100)
Other
Percent change t o August 1972
Indexes
Item and group
index
from:
bases
August 1971
August 1972
Julv 1972
Julv 1972
Transportation
Private

120.
118.
110.
112.
108.
124.
115.
135.
141.
127,
147.
143.
150.
133.
122.
129.
138.

-

Automobiles, used
Gasoline, regular and premium
Motor o i l , premium
T i r e s , new, t u b e l e s s
Auto r e p a i r s and maintenance
Auto insurance r a t e s
Auto r e g i s t r a t i o n
Parking f e e s , p r i v a t e and municipal
Public
Local t r a n s i t f a r e s
Taxicab f a r e s
Railroad f a r e s , coach
Airplane f a r e s , c h i e f l y coach
Bus f a r e s , i n t e r c i t y
Health and r e c r e a t i o n
Medical care
Drugs and p r e s c r i p t i o n s
Over-the-counter items
Multiple vitamin concentrates
Aspirin compounds
Liquid t o n i c s
Adhesive bandages, packages
Cold t a b l e t s or c a p s u l e s
Cough syrup
Prescriptions
Anti-infectives
S e d a t i v e s and hypnotics
Ataractics
Anti-Spasmodics
Cough preparations
Cardiovasculars and a n t i hypertensives
Analgesics , i n t e r n a l
Anti-obesity
Hormones
r
Professional services:
Physicians1 f e e s
General p h y s i c i a n , o f f i c e v i s i t s
General p h y s i c i a n , house v i s i t s
Obstetrical cases
Psychiatrist, office v i s i t s
Herniorrhaphy, adult
Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy
Dentists' fees
F i l l i n g s , a d u l t , amalgam, one surface
E x t r a c t i o n s , adult
Dentures, f u l 1 upper
Other p r o f e s s i o n a l s e r v i c e s :
Examination, p r e s c r i p t i o n , and dispensing of
eyeglasses
Routine laboratory t e s t s
Hospital s e r v i c e charges
Semiprivate rooms
Operating room charges
X-ray, d i a g n o s t i c s e r i e s , upper G.I.
Laboratory t e s t s , u r i n a l y s i s , HCL
A n t i - i n f e c t i v e , T e t r a c y c l i n e , HCL
Tranquilizer, Chlordiazepoxide, HCL
Electrocardiogram
Intravenous s o l u t i o n , s a l i n e
Physical therapy, whirlpool bath
Oxygen, i n h a l a t i o n therapy

'Jan. 72

Jan.
Jan.
Jan.
Jan.
Jan.
Jan.
Jan.

T o i l e t goods
Toothpaste, standard d e n t i f r i c e
T o i l e t soap, hard m i l l e d
Hand l o t i o n s , l i q u i d
Shaving cream a e r o s o l
Face powder, pressed
Cleansing t i s s u e s
Home permanent wave k i t s
Personal care s e r v i c e s
Men's h a i r c u t s
Beauty shop s e r v i c e s
Women's h a i r c u t s
Shampoo and wave s e t s , p l a i n
Permanent waves, cold
Spp fnntnnfps at f»nr1 r»f t»V»lp.




20

72
72
72
72
72
72
72

5
1
6
4
4
2
5
7
1
5
2
3
3
6
9
2
1

120. 3
117. 8
111.0
112. 7
106. 9
123. 9
116. 0
135. 2
141. 1
127. 5
147. 1
143. 3
150. 3
133. 6
122.9
129.2
138. 1

6.2
. 3
-.4
-. 3
1. 4
. 2
-.4
. 4
.0
.0
.1
. 0
.0
. 0
. 0
. 0
.0

1.
.
1.
-.
.
2.
-1.
3.
-1.
3.
7.
3.
4.
1.
-3.
-.
3.

126. 5
132. 9
105. 8
111. 5
95.3
116. 8
101. 4
124. 1
114. 5
113. 7
100. 9
74. 3
127. 6
103. 3
108. 0
132. 2
111. 7
109. 8
118. 0
92. 9

126.
132.
105.
111.
95.
116.
101.
123.
114.
113.
100.
74.
127.
103,
108.
131.
111.
109.
118.
92.

3
7
6
2
1
6
2
4
2
5
9
7
4
3
0
9
5
6
0
5

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
-.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

2
2
2
3
2
2
2
6
3
2
0
5
2
0
0
2
2
2
0
4

2. 8
2. 2
. 2
1. 2
. 0
2. 3
.1
. 2
2. 0
2. 2
-. 8
-7. 1
3. 1
1. 0
-. 1
3. 8
-. 3
1. 5
1. 2
-2.0

134.
135.
137.
134.
136.
129.
128.
130.
132.
134.
132.
129.

134.
135.
137.
134.
135.
129.
128.
129.
132.
134.
132.
129.

0
1
2
2
9
2
2
8
7
2
8
5

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

1
1
1
1
1
1
3
5
1
1
1
0

2.
1.
4.
2.
2.
2.
3.
1.
3.
3.
4.
3.

125. 0
120.7
102.4
174. 9
168. 6
129. 3
102. 3
99. 8
101. 7
102. 8
102. 3
102. 1
102. 0
120. 0
117. 3
110. 0
122. 5
124. 9
107. 0
135. 0
105. 6
124. 5
109. 2
122. 9
125. 3
121. 2
121. 2
125. 1
112. 6

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
-.
-.
1.
.
-.
-.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

2
1
3
2
8
2
1
2
2
0
1
1
0
2
1
1
5
8
1
6
5
2
4
2
1
3
6
4
0

2. 8
3. 1
5

2
2
3
3
1
3
6
4
8
3
9
5

125. 3
120. 8
102. 7
175. 3
170. 0
129. 6
102. 4
100. 0
101.9
102. 8
102. 4
102. 2
102. 0
102. 2
117. 4
109. 9
121. 9
127. 1
107. 1
134. 2
105. 1
124. 7
109. 6
123. 2
125. 4
121. 6
121. 9
125. 6
112. 6

0
7
2
1
5
6
5
6
3
1
7
0
4
4
5
3
9

3
9
0
6
0
9
5
9
8
9
3
1

()

5. 7
8. 5
2. 5
5

(5)
(5
()
(55)
(5

(5)

2.
2.
2.
4.
6.
.
8.

.
- 1.
2.
1.
2.
2.
2.
1.

3
5
0
4
8
2
2
8
4
7
2
8
4
3
8
6

TABLE 8 . Consumer P r i c e I n d e x - - U n i t e d S t a t e s c i t y average f o r urban wage earners and c l e r i c a l w o r k e r s , i n d e x e s f o r s e l e c t e d
items and g r o u p s , August 1972 and percent changes from selected dates—_Continued

Item and group

Other
index
hflses

R e c r e a t i o n a l goods
TV s e t s , p o r t a b l e and c o n s o l e
TV replacement tubes
Radios, p o r t a b l e and t a b l e model
Tape r e c o r d e r s , p o r t a b l e
Phonograph r e c o r d s , s t e r e o p h o n i c
Movie cameras, Super 8 , zoom l e n s
F i l m , 35mm, c o l o r
Golf b a l l s , l i q u i d c e n t e r or s o l i d core
B a s k e t b a l l s , rubber or v i n y l cover
F i s h i n g r o d s , f r e s h water s p i n c a s t i n g
Bowling b a l l s
B i c y c l e s , boys'
Tricycles
Dog f o o d , canned or boxed
Recreational s e r v i c e s
Indoor movie a d m i s s i o n s
Adult
Children's
D r i v e - i n movie a d m i s s i o n s , a d u l t
Bowling f e e s , evening
Golf green fefes
TV r e p a i r , c o l o r p i c t u r e tube replacement
Film d e v e l o p i n g , c o l o r
Reading and e d u c a t i o n :
Newspapers, s t r e e t s a l e and d e l i v e r y
Magazines, s i n g l e copy and s u b s c r i p t i o n
Piano l e s s o n s , beginner
Other goods and s e r v i c e s
Tobacco products
C i g a r e t t e s , n o n f i l t e r t i p , regular s i z e
C i g a r e t t e s , f i l t e r t i p , king s i z e
Cigars, domestic, regular s i z e
A l c o h o l i c beverages
Beer
Whiskey, s p i r i t blended and s t r a i g h t bourbon
Wine, d e s s e r t and t a b l e
Away from home ( b e e r )
F i n a n c i a l and m i s c e l l a n e o u s personal e x p e n s e s :
Funeral s e r v i c e , a d u l t
Bank s e r v i c e charges^ checking accounts
Legal s e r v i c e s , short form w i l l

Indexes
A u g u s t 1972

July 1972

Percent change t o August 1972
from:
A u g u s t 1971
July 1972

123. 0
108. 1
99.4
132. 6
99.2
95. 1
107. 6
88. 3
108. 2
105. 1
126.4
107. 6
114. 1
117. 1
114. 5
110. 2
128. 6
143. 3
142. 7
145. 0
147. 1
117. 8
130. 9
98. 1
116.4

123. 0
108. 1
99. 4
131. 8
99. 1
94. 9
107. 5
88. 3
108. 0
104. 8
126. 2
107. 1
113. 9
117. 4
114. 3
111. 0
128. 9
144. 1
143. 5
145. 5
146. 7
118. 4
130. 8
98. 0
116. 5

. 0
. 2
. 3
. 2
. 5
. 2
-. 3
. 2
-.7
-.2
-.6
-.6
-. 3
. 3
-.5
.1
. 1
-. 1

2. 8
1. 1
5
8. 6
8
1. 6
1. 7
-1. 1
2
• 5
9
-2. 2
1. 7
2. 7
2. 3
1
2. 0
3. 7
3. 1
5. 2
3. 2
1. 5
1. 6
0
-1. 1

133. 1
133.4
122. 5

133. 1
133. 4
122. 3

. 0
. 0
. 2

2. , 0
5. , 6
1., 5

126. 0
134. 1
135. 9
136. 1
111. 0
119.9
113. 9
108. 9
127. 6
131. 5

125. , 8
134. 0
135. 6
136. 1
110. 9
119. , 6
113. , 4
109. , 0
127. ,5
131. , 2

. 2
.1
. 2
. 0
.1
. 3
.4
1
. 1
. 2

3., 4
4. , 8
4. , 9
5.. 0
3., 4
2.. 1
.5
1.. 8
3.. 0
3.. 7

121.4
107. 0
150. 3

121. , 3
107. . 0
150. , 2

. 1
. 0
• 1

2,. 6
- 3 ,. 5
12,. 2

123.
119.
118.
140.
136.
125.

123. . 1
119. . 4
118. . 2
139, , 6
136, , 3
125, . 8

.
.
.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.
.
.

0
0
0
6
1
2

Other s p e c i a l groups:
A l l items l e s s s h e l t e r
Commodities l e s s food
Nondurables l e s s food and apparel
Household s e r v i c e s l e s s rent
Transportation s e r v i c e s
Other s e r v i c e s

2
5
6
0
3
9

1
1
3
3
0
1

2,. 5
2. 0
2,. 1
4,. 8
1. 6
2. 5

1 / Also i n c l u d e s h o t e l and motel r a t e s not shown s e p a r a t e l y .
2/ A l s o i n c l u d e s home p u r c h a s e / c o s t s not shown s e p a r a t e l y .
3/ Also includes pine shelving, furance filters, packaged dry cement mix, and shrubbery not shown separately.
4 / Also i n c l u d e s Venetian b l i n d s , n a i l s , c a r p e t sweepers, a i r djeodorizers, s t e e l wool s c o u r i n g p a d s , e n v e l o p e s , r e u p h o l s t e r i n g ,
and moving e x p e n s e s .
5 / Not a v a i l a b l e .
6/ Also includes radios and television sets, shown separately under reading and recreation.
7/ Priced only in season.
8 / Also i n c l u d e s men's sport s h i r t s , women's and g i r l s ' l i g h t w e i g h t c o a t s , women's s l a c k s , c o c k t a i l d r e s s e s , b a t h i n g s u i t s ,
g i r l s ' s h o r t s , e a r r i n g s , and z i p p e r s not shown s e p a r a t e l y .
9 / Also I n c l u d e s recapped t i r e s and d r i v e r s ' l i c e n s e f e e s not shown s e p a r a t e l y .
10/ I n c l u d e s p r i c e s f o r water pump replacement, motor t u n e - u p , automatic t r a n s m i s s i o n r e p a i r , exhaust system r e p a i r , f r o n t
end a l i g n m e n t , and c h a s s i s l u b r i c a t i o n .
11/ Also i n c l u d e s outboard motors, nondurable t o y s , c o l l e g e t u i t i o n f e e s , paperback books, and c o l l e g e t e x t b o o k s , not shown
separately.




21

Brief Explanation of the CPI
The national index (the United States city average)
includes prices from the 23 SMSA's for which separate
indexes are published in this report, as well as from the
following additional locations:

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures average
changes in prices of goods and services usually bought by
urban wage earners and clerical workers, both families
and single persons living alone. It is based on prices of
about 400 items which were selected to represent the
movement of prices of all goods and services purchased
by wage earners and clerical workers. Prices for these
items are obtained in urban portions of 39 Standard
Metropolitan Statistical Areas (SMSA's) and 17 smaller
cities, which were chosen to represent all urban places
in the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii. They
are collected from grocery and department stores,
hospitals, filling stations, and other types of stores and
service establishments which wage earners and clerical
workers patronize.
Prices of foods, fuels, and a few other items are
obtained every month in all 56 locations. Prices of most
other commodities and services are collected every
month in the 5 largest SMSA's and every 3 months in
other SMSA's and cities. Mail questionnaires are used to
obtain local transit fares, public utility rates, newspaper
prices, fuel prices, and certain other items which change
in price infrequently. Prices of most other goods and
services are obtained by personal visits 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 all
wage earners and clerical workers. SMSA and city data
are then combined in the total index with weights based
on the 1960 populations of SMSA's and cities they
represent. Index numbers are computed on the base
1967=100, and are also available on the base of
1957-59=100.

Alabama - Florence
Alaska - A n c h o r a g e
California - Bakersfield*
C o l o r a d o - Denver*
C o n n e c t i c u t - Hartford*
Florida - O r l a n d o *
Indiana - Indianapolis*
Indiana - Logansport
Illinois - Champaign-Urbana*
I o w a - Cedar R a p i d s *
Kansas - Wichita*
Louisiana - B a t o n R o u g e *
Maine - Portland*
Massachusetts - S o u t h b r i d g e
Michigan - Niles
Minnesota - C r o o k s t o n
Mississippi - Vicksburg

N e w Jersey -• Millville
N e w York -

Kingston

N o r t h Carolina

Durham*

North Dakota

Devils Lake

Ohio -

Dayton*

Ohio

I indlay

Oklahoma
Oregon

Mangum
Klamath 1 alls

Pennsylvania -

Lancaster*

S o u t h Carolina Tennessee
Texas

Austin*

Texas

McAllen

Utah

Union

Nashville*

Orem

Virginia -

Martinsville

Wisconsin

Green B a y *

• S t a n d a r d Metropolitan Statistical Area

Comparisons of indexes for individual SMSA's show
only that prices in one location changed more or less
than in another. The SMSA indexes cannot be used to
measure differences in price levels or in living costs
between areas.
A description of the index and historical tables of
index numbers for the United States city average and
for 23 large SMSA's are available on request to the
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Washington, D. C. 20212 or
any of its regional offices.

A Note on Seasonally Adjusted and Unadjusted Data
ing 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 are also used extensively for escalation purposes. Many collective bargaining contract
agreements and pensions plans, for example, tie compensation changes to the Consumer Price Index unadjusted for seasonal variation.

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 chang-




22

Reliability of Percent Changes in the CPI

A system of "replicated" samples introduced into
the index structure in the 1964 revision permits an estimate of sampling error for the CPI. 1 The table below
shows standard errors for monthly, quarterly, and

Average standard errors of percent changes in the
CPI based on 1971 data
Component
All items
Food at home
Food away from
home
Housing
Apparel and upkeep . . .
Transportation
Medical care
Personal care
Reading and
recreation
Other goods and
services

Monthly
change
.04
.07

Standard error
Quarterly
change

Annual
change
.09
.15

.06
.10

.08

.14

j;

.06

.17
.11
.09
.14

.10

;

.27
.17
.14
.19

I
i

.33
.19
.33
.20

I

.34

.09

.12

.20

.11

.17

.23

.28

annual percent changes in the CPI for all items and
for nine commodity groupings based on 1971 averages.
The figures may be interpreted as follows: The chances

are about 95 out of 100 that the percent change in the
CPI as computed differs f r o m the corresponding "complete coverage" change by less than twice the standard error.
Because the CPI is rounded to one decimal place,
some ambiguity may arise in interpreting small index
changes. As the table indicates, for example, a monthto-month change of 0.1 percent in the all-items CPI
is significant. Because of rounding, however, a change
of this size in the published index might result f r o m a
much smaller change in the u n r o u n d e d value. Hence,
any particular change of 0.1- percent may or may not
be significant. On the other hand, a published change of
0.2 percent is almost always significant, regardless of
the time period to which it relates.
This replaces the table of average errors based on
1970 data which was included in the CPI report through
December 1971.

The m e t h o d of deriving these e s t i m a t e s is d e s c r i b e d in a
paper by Marvin Wilkerson, " M e a s u r e m e n t of S a m p l i n g Krror
in the Consumer Price I n d e x , " Journal of the American
Statistical Association,
September 1967.

A Note About Calculating Index Changes
Percent changes expressed as annual rates are computed according to the standard formula for c o m p o u n d
growth rates. These data indicate what the percent
change would be if the current rate were maintained for
a 1 2-month period.
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 following example illustrates the computation of index point and
percent changes:




CPI
less previous index
index point differences =

123.8
123.2
0.6

Index point difference divided by the index for
the previous period:
123.2
Seasonally adjusted percent changes in the U.S. All
Items Index are based on seasonal adjustment factors
and seasonally adjusted indexes carried to two decimal
places. This procedure helps to eliminate rounding error
in the percent changes.




BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
REGIONAL OFFICES

PUERTO RICO

Region I
1603 J F K Federal Building
Government Center
Boston, Mass. 02203
Phone: 223-6762 (Area Code 617)

Region V
8th Floor, 300 South Wacker Drive
Chicago, Hi. 60606
Phone: 353-1880 (Area Code 312)

Region II
1515 Broadway
New York, N.Y. 10036
Phone: 971-5405 (Area Code 212)

Region V I
1100 Commerce St., Rm. 6B7
Dallas, Tex. 75202
Phone: 749-3516 (Area Code 214)

Region IM
406 Penn Square Building
1317 Filbert St.
Philadelphia, Pa. 19107
Phone: 597-7796 (Area Code 215)

Region V I I and V I I I
Federal Office Building
911 Walnut St., 15th Floor
Kansas City, Mo. 64106
Phone: 374-2481 (Area Code 816)

Region IV
Suite 540
1371 Peachtree St. NE.
Atlanta, Ga. 30309
Phone: 526-5418 (Area Code 404)

Region IX and X
450 Golden Gate Ave.
Box 36017
San Francisco, Calif. 94102
Phone: 556-4678 (Area Code 415)




* Regions V I I and V I I I are serviced by Kansas City.
** Regions I X and X are serviced by San Francisco.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

FIRST

CLASS

MAIL

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20212
O F F I C I A L BUSINESS
P E N A L T Y F O R P R I V A T E USE, $300




POSTAGE A N D F E E S PAID

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR