Full text of CPI Detailed Report : December 1957

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Released January 21, 1958
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABCR
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Washington 25, D . C .
CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FOR DECEMBER 1957
Consumer prices in United States cities were unchanged on the
average between November and December, according to the U . S . Department of Labor's
Bureau of Labor Statistics. Lower prices for transportation (principally new and used
automobiles) and apparel offset slight advances in other major groups of goods and
services. The December Consumer Price Index at 121.6 (1947-49=100) was 3*1 percent
higher than a year earlier.
FOCD

Food prices increased slightly (0.1 percent), following a 3-months
seasonal decline, as higher prices of meats more than offset lower
prices of fresh fruits and eggs* The December food index at 116.1 was 2.8 percent above
a year ago but 1.5 percent below the August 1957 peak.

f

Average prices of meats, poultry, and fish, which ordinarily
decline in December, were up 1.3 percent, with most items showing increases* Ham prices
increased 4*5 percent, chuck roast 3*7 percent, chicken 1.5 percent, and round steak
1.3 percent.
Prices of fresh fruits fell 3.3 percent on the average, with
bananas down 9*5 percent and oranges down 6.5 percent seasonally, while apples were up
6.0 percent. Fresh vegetable prices rose 1*7 percent, showing sharply contrasting
movements, with tomatoes in a seasonal rise of 21.3 percent and lettuce down 18.6 percent* Most other vegetable prices were higher. Food prices were obtained on December 9 ,
10, and 11, one week earlier than usual. Prices shown in this report, therefore, do not
reflect any changes resulting from the freeze in Florida on December 12-13* Prices of
canned fruits and vegetables declined 0*2 percent, led by a drop of 1*3 percent for
canned peaches.
Egg prices were down 2*7 percent in a seasonal drop. Coffee prices
declined 0.2 percent, their 13th consecutive monthly decrease. Cereals and bakery
products increased 0*2 percent, mainly because of a 3*2 percent rise for corn flakes;
dairy products rose 0.1 percent. Restaurant meal prices advanced 0*1 percent.
HOUSING

The housing index rose 0.2 percent as most of its component subgroups were higher* Rent advanced 0.3 percent. Home maintenance
and repair costs declined 0.1 percent, due largely to lower prices for water heaters.
Housefurnishings prices were up 0*4 percent, with higher prices for new models and some
old models of appliances, particularly in the case of refrigerators, washing machines,
and sewing machines* Rugs, textiles, and kitchenware also rose in price* The increase
of 0.2 percent in household operation costs reflected further advances in laundry and
domestic service rates* Prices of solid fuels and fuel oil rose 0.2 percent as both
anthracite and bituminous coal prices were higher; gas and electric bills were unchanged
on the average*
OTHER CCMMCDITIES
AND SERVICES

Transportation costs declined
0*8 percent, due largely to reductions
1
of 2*3 percent in dealers selling prices of new cars (reflecting
larger discounts) and a 1*4 percent decline for used cars; prices
of gasoline and tires also declined, but rates for auto insurance and repair services
were higher* Public transportation declined 0*2 percent, the first decrease in 5 years,
as transit fares were reduced substantially in one city.




2

Apparel prices 1 were down 0.3 percent primarily because of widespread reductions in prices of women
s wear, as coats, suits, and other items went on
1
sale. Prices of men's and boys apparel and footwear advanced slightly (0.1 percent).
The rise of 0.4 percent in the medical care index was due largely
to a general increase in prices of aspirin, although some advances were reported for
prescriptions, and fees for professional services continued to advance. Higher prices
for toothpaste and some other toilet goods caused the personal care index to rise 0.2
percent.
Reading and recreation rose 0.2 percent as higher prices for
television sets and newspapers more than offset reductions for movie admissions.
TABLE 1: Consumer Price Index—United States city average, all items and special groups
Indexes and percent changes for selected dates

Q m p

All items less f o o d - — — — —
All items less shelter
All commodities
All commodities less foodDurables
Non-durablesAll services
All services less r e n t - — —

Dec.
1957

121.6
124.5

119.2

114.7
113.6
110.3
117.3
140. 0
141.1

Indexes (19A7-A9=100)
June
Nov.
Oct.
Dec.
1956
1950
J 2 Z L
1957
121.6
124.6

121.1
123.7

119.2
114.7

118.0 101.8
120.8 103.0

114.3

111.8 100.3
111.1 99.4

117.0
139.2
140.3

114.7
134.4
134.9

113.8
110.9
117.4
139.8
140.9

118.6
112.8
108.6

115.7

100.7

108.0 102.4
99.0
107.9
107.0

Year
1939
59.4
69.1
55.4
51.6
59.4
57.3
58.7
80.4
73.5

Percent change to December 1957 from
Oct.
1957

Dec.
1956

June
1950

Year
1939

0

0.4

.5
.3
.7

19.4
20.9
18.4
14.4
14.3
7.7
18.5
29.7
31.9

104.7

0
0

3.1
3.1
3.0

Nov.
1957
All itemsAll items less f o o d — —
All items less shelterAll commodities
All commodities less foodDurables
—
—
Non-durableeAll services
All services less r e n t —

0.1

.2
.5

.1

.1

.1

.6

1.6
.3

.6
.6

2.6
2.3
2.1
2.3
4.2
4.6

80.2

115.2
122.3
91.2
92.5
99.8
74.1
92.0

(1947-49=$1.00)*

Purchasing power of the consumer dollar-

Dec.
1957

Nov.
1957

Oct.
1957

Dec.
1956

June
1950

Year
1939

10.82

$0.82

$0.83

$0.85

$0.98

$1.68

* To calculate purchasing power of the consumer dollar on any other base, divide
the index far the desired base date by the index for the comparison date.




—

TABLE 2 s Consumer Price Index — United State® city average, all items and commodity groups
Indexes and percent changes for selected dates

3

Indexes (1947-49.100)
December
1957

Group

All items
Food l/
Food at home — — —
>
Cereals and bakery products
Meats, poultry, and fish
Dairy products
Fruits and vegetables
Other foods at home
Housing 2/
Rent

—

— — — —

Solid fue2,s and fuel oil
Housefurnishings

Men's and boys'
—
Women'• and girls' — — —
—Footwear
— — — — — — — —
Other apparel
—
Traneportation
Public
Private

— — — — — — — —

Medical care
Personal care
—
Reading and recreation
Other goods and services

—

November
1957

October
1957

December
1956

June
1950

Year
1939

Last
year

Pre-Korea

Pre-World
War II

118.0

101.8

59.4
47.1
47.1
57.2
41.6
49.8
46.3
48.4

This
month

Last
month

121 .6

121.6

116.1
114.3
131.3
106.0
1U.6
113.9
114.9

116.0
114.1
131.6
104.6
114.5
114.6
115.6

116.4
114.7
131.4
106.3
114.2
114.5
116.2

112.9
111.2
127.4
98.0
111.3
117.4
114.2

100.5
100.5
102.7
106.1
92.3
102.5
94.1

127.0
136.7
114.3
138.3
104.9
129.6

126.8
136.3
114.3
138.0
104.5
129.4

126.6
136.0
113.8
137.6
104.8
128.7

123.5
134.2
112.0
136.1
104.1
124.8

104.9
108.7
102.7
107.6
97.4
99.6

76.1
86.6
104.9
56.4
53.4
68.4

107.6
109.5
100.1
129.1
92.3

107.9
109.4
100.8
129.0
92.6

107.7
109.4
100.6
128.3
92.5

107.0
108.6
100.3
126.4
92.2

96.5
98.1
93.3
102.1
88.4

52.5
50.8
54.5
50.3
40.6

138.9
182.4
128.6

140.0
182.8
129.7

135.3
181.6
125.4

133.1
174.1
123.3

109.9
117.9
106.6

70.2
81.3
65.5

140.8
127.0
114.6
126.8

140.3
126.7
114.4
126.8

139.7
126.2
113.4
126.8

134.7
121.3
109.3
123.3

105.4
99.2
102.5
103.7

72.6
59.6
63.0
70.6

2 months
ago
121.1

Percent change to December 1957
November
1957
All items

October
1957

Food away from home
Housing 2/ —
Rent

—

from:
June
1950

Year

193?

0.4

3.1

19.4

104.7

0.1
.2
.2
1.3
.1
- .6
- .6
.1

.3
.3
.3
- .3
.4
- .5
- 1.1
.4

2.8
2.8
3.5
8.2
3.0
- 3.0
.6
3.7

15.5
13.7
28.3
- .1
24.2
11.1
22.1
(A/)

146.5
142.7
130.4
154.3
130.1
146.0
137.4
(V)

.2
.3
0
.2
.4
.2

.3
.5
.4
.5
.1
.7

2.8
1.9
2.1
1.6
3.8

21.1
25.8
11.3
28.5
7.7
30.1

66.9
57.9
9.0
145.2
96.4
89.5

.1
.1
.5
.6
.2

.6
.8
- .2
2.1
.1

11.5
11.6
7.3
26.4
4.4

105.0
115.6
83.7
156.7
127.3

0

Food
Food at home — — —
Cereals and bakery products — Meats, poultry, and fish —
Dairy products —
—

December
1956

—

Solid fuels and fuel oil
Housefurnishing8
Household operation —

-

-

.8

Apparel
— — — — — — — .
Men's and boys'
— — — —
Women's and girls'
Footwear — — — — —
—....
Other apparel —
—

-

.3
.1
.7
.1
.3

Transportation
Public
Private

-

.8
.2
.8

2.3
.4
2.6

4.4
4.8
4.3

26.4
54.7
20.6

97.9
124.4
96.3

.4
.2
.2
0

.8
.6
1.1
0

4.5
4.3
4.8
2.8

33.6
28.0
11.8
22.3

93.9
113.1
81.9
79.6

— — — — — — — —

Medical care — - —
Personal care

—

-

-

l/ Includes restaurant meals not shown separately.
2/ Includes home purchase and other home-owner costs not shown separately*
J/ Includes tobacco, alcoholic beverages, and "miscellaneous services" (such as
legal services, banking fees, burial services, etc.).
4/ Rot available.




4

TABLE 31

Consumer Price Index — All items indexes for selected dates
U.S. city average and 20 large cities
(1947-49=100)

December
1957

City
United States city average

1/

November
1957

December
1956

June
1950

Year
1939

121.6

121.6

118.0

101.8

59.4

125.6
123.3
122.9
118.7
122.1

125.6
123.5
122.9
118.6
122.1

121.0
120.2
119.4
115.5
118.6

102.8
102.8
101.3
100.9
101.6

58.6
59.0
60.4
60.1
59.2

June
1950

Year
1939

101.3
101.6
101.2
101.1
100.9

58.3
57.9
58.4
59.3
58.6

May
1950

Year
1939

Cities priced monthly 2/
Detroit
Los Angeles
New York

December
1957

Cities priced in March, June,
September, December %/
Atlanta
Cincinnati
St. Louis
San Francisco

122.2
121.7
120.9
122.1
123.5

122.4
122.1
120.8
122.5
124.8

—
— —

Cleveland
Houston-Scranton
—
Seattle
Washington, D . C.

—

—

Cities priced in January, April,
July, October 2/
Boston—
Kansas City
Minneapolis—-———
Pittsburgh
Portland, O r e g o n — —

December
1956
119.5
119.5
117.5
119.1
121.6

August
1957

November
1957

Cities priced in February, May,
August, November ^J

1/
2/
2/
ij
5/

September
1957

U

November
1956

123.3
122.4
117.8
123.9
119.4

122.8
122.1
117.8
123.7
119.1

120.0
119.7
114.9
120.2
115.9

100.4
103.5
100.2
102.0
101.6

59.2
59.5
58.5
59.2
60.4

October
1957

July
1957

October
1956

April
1950

Year
1939

122.0
121.8
122.2
121.1
121.9

122.1
121.7
121.6
120.7
122.2

119.3
118.9
117.4
118.2
119.5

101.2
101.4
i/ 102.1
99.9
101.5

61.0
61.7
60.7
58.1
58.3

This index on the base of 1935-39=100 is 2:03.3.
Rents priced bimonthly.
Foods, fuels, and a few other items priced monthly; rents and other commodities and services priced quarterly.
May 1950.
June 1950.

TABLE 4* Consumer Price Index — Percent changes from November 1957 "to
U.S. city average and five cities priced monthly
Alii items and commodity groups

City

All
items

United States city a v e r a g e —
ChicagoDetroitLos AngelesNew YorkPhiladelphia-




0

0.2
0

.1
0

Food

Housing

0.1

0.2

.2

.3

.6
.2
.2

0

.2

0
.5
.4

Apparel
- 0.3
-

-

.3

.2

.1
.2

- 1.4

December 1957

Transportation

Medical
care

Personal
care

- 0.8

0.4

0.2

-

1.1
.8

- 1.1
- .5
- .4

.1

0
.5
0
1.4

.2
.4
.9
.3

.2

Reading
and
recreation

0.2
- .2
- 2.9

-

.1

1.5
0

TABI£ 5: Consumer Price Index — All items and commodity groups
December 1957 indexes and percent changes, September 1957 to December 1957
U.S. city average and 10 cities priced in December 1957
U.S.
City
Average Atlanta

Group

Baltimore

Chicago

122.1

125.6

120.8

Cincinnati
Detroit

Los
Angeles

New
York

5

Philadelphia

St.
Louis

San
Francisc

Indexes (19^7-^9-100)
All items
Food at home
—
Cereals and bakery products —
Meats, poultry, and fish — - —
Dairy products — —
— —
Fruits and vegetables
Other foods at home —
—
lousing
Rent
Gas and electricity
Solid fuels and fuel oil
Housefurnishings — —
Household operation

—
—— —
——--

Men's and boys'
Women's and girls' — — — — — —
Footwear
—
Transportation
Public

—

Medical care - —
Personal care
— — — — — — —
Reading and recreation
Other goods and services
— — —

121.6

122.4

116.1
114.3
131.8
106.0
114.6
113.9
114.9

113.6
112.2
125.3
108.7
111.3
114.6
107.4

117.4
113.9
127.4
105.8
117.2
112.0
114.3

113.9
111.4
124.5
99.4
112.7
115.1
119.5

117.6
115.7
132.2
106.8
117.5
115.1
118.7

127.0
136.7
1U.3
138.3
104.9
129.6

130.0
136.7
119.6
130.7
110.3
136.1

122.2
132.7
101.4
134.6
101.0
127.0

136.4

107.6
109.5
100.1
129.1
92.3

113.8
115.0
106.6
137.4
93.3

138.9
182.4
128.6
140.8
127.0
114.6
126.8

122.9

118.7

122.1

122.5

117.4
115.2
125.0
103.0
113.1
124.5
115.9

119.5
115.8
139.9
107.8
110.1
116.9
115.1

115.8
113.6
136.7
107.1
117.4
106.1
113.0

118.8
116.3
133.5
108.5
119.9
113.4
113.7

117.5
119.5
117.3
113.4
140.8
124.6
103.0
108.9
116.6
103.3
121.0 ' 118.7
123.2
114.6

129.0
149.0
112.4
129.7
109.4
119.2

133.4

104.1
122.6

123.0
125.2
111.0
145.4
104.9
128.2

122.6

114.6
139.9
103.3
133.2

124.4
141.3
123.2
145.9
98.4
133.6

103.4
142.5
111.2
130.8

125.6
144.6
103.8
153.7
105.0
132.1

107.2
120.6

107.0
106.1
101.9
127.3
96.7

110.6
116.2
100.1
132.0
95.6

105.7
108.5
96.4
134.3
89.7

104.0
110.5
93.3
123.3
85.8

108.7
113.1
100.3
128.9
85.3

107.0
108.8
98.5
130.9
96.3

106.7
107.2
100.2
127.1
93.8

105.8
108.6
97.3
127.0
96.7

108.2
109.4
100.9
133.6
90.6

139.0
188.3
130.4

150.7
187.3
133.1

150.7
194.3
132.7

133.6
182.1
122.3

136.5
153.9
132.9

131.5
154.8
127.4

139.6
189.0
120.4

144.3
187.4
124.3

146.1
205.3
126.4

152.4
182.6
139.2

133.2
129.1
116.7
132.1

145.0
121.1
126.3'
131.7

147.0
128.2
127.0
121.5

148.8
129.5
107.1
123.7

151.1
132.0
110.7
135.7

131.9
131.4
104.4
123.7

129.7
119.2
118.2
126.1

142.8
132.3
118.9
128.6

156.2
128.2
96.5
126.8

141.0
122.2
115.9
123.7

1.1

—

123.3

—

130.6
—

—

124.8

127.4
141.5
139.3
—

I
Percent change from ,September 1957 to December 1957
All items
Food
Food at home
—
Cereals and bakery products
Meats, poultry, and fish
Dairy products
Fruits and vegetables — —
Other foods at home
Housing

—

— — —

Gas and electricity
Solid fuels and fuel oil
Housefurnishings - —
Household operation

—-

0.2

- .8
- 1.0
.5
- 3.9
1.3
- .8
- .1

- 1.6
- 2.0
.9
- 3.1
- 2.0
- 5.1
0

.6
.7
.5
1.1
.1
1.0

Other apparel —
.

Medical care — - — - —
Fersonal care - —
Reading and recreation
Other goods and services

—

-

.2
.3

- 0.1

0.4

-

.6
.9
.3
- 4.2
4.7
- 2.7
.2

.1
.4
1.1
- 3.3
.9
1.5
0

- 1.8
- 2.2
.3
- 5.3
2.5
- 4.0
- 1.2

- 1.1
- 1.5
.2
- 4.7
.8
.2
- 1.4

.2
0
.1
1.0
.2

.2
.4
.3
4.2
- .1
.3

.8
0
- 1.9
.4
- 1.3

- 1.5
.1
- 3.4
- .1
- .8

-

7.6
.4
.2
0
.4
.4
.9
0

- 1.2
- .1
- 2.7
.8
- .7

2.2
.7
2.5

5.1
0
6.0

2.0
0
2.5

4.9
0
6.2

.9
0
1.1

3.6
0
4.4

1.3
1.5
1.1
.1

.2
.7
2.5
.1

.1
1.5
1.0
.1

3.7
1.1
6.3
.2

6.0
1.3
.1
.2

3.0
1.8
- .7
0

•2

-

2/ Change from October 1957 to December 1957.




1.0

0.3

.9
.7
0
0
.3
4.4

.3
.2
.3
.8
0

Men's and boys'

Transportation
Public
Private

0.4

—

-

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

.1
.5
.1
- 5.0
.6
3.5
1.1

-

1.8

0.2

0.3

.7
.5
1.1
- 2.5
2.5
- 1.2
- 1.0

- 1.6
- 1.9
.4
- 3.5
2.1
- 7.0
- .4

- .3
- 1.0
0
- 3.2
- 2.1
.6
.8

.7

1.7
1.1
2.2

-

.1
.3
.5
- 3.3
.1
1.3
1.2

-

.3
- 5.5

.8
.6
.1
.9
- .2
1.7

0
6.3
.8
2.3

.5
1.1
0
2.5
.4
.5

.1
.4
.1
.2
.6

.3
.1
0
1.3
.2

- 1.0
.1
- 2.4
.9
- .7

.5
.3
.7
.6
.2

.7
.7
.3
1.8
.3

0
0
.1

1.8
0
2.4

3.2
0
4.3

1.2
0
1.4

1.1
0
1.3

.7
1.9
2.3
.2

.2
2.4
1.7
0

1.4
1.3
1.6
0

.8
.4
.4
.3

2.3
1.8
2.5
- .3

1/
10.7
—

1/

.3
.1
- .3
- .5
- 1.4

0.3

0.7

—

-

-

-

—

-

1.4
.6

TABLE 6 s Consumer Price Index — Food and its subgroups
December 1957 indexes £.nd percent changes, November 1957 to December 1957
U.S. city average and 20 large cities
[jL9Vr-*9-100]
Total
food at home

Total food
City
Percent
change

Index

U.S. city average

Index

Pe •cent
change

Cereals and
bakery products
Index

Percent
change

Meats, poultry,
and fish
Index

Percent
change

Dairy
products

Fruits and
vegetables

.

Index

Percent
change
0.1

Index

Percent
change

Other
foods at hone
Index

Percent
change

—

116.1

0.1

114.3

0.2

131.8

0.2

106.0

1.3

114.6

113.9

- 0.6

114.9

- 0.6

Atlanta
Baltimore
Boston - - - - - - - - - - —
—

113.6
117.4
115.3
113.9
117.6
113.5
117.4
113.5
112.5
119.5

.4
.3
.4
.2
.3
.2
.3
.8
.2
.6

112.2
113.9
112.9
111.4
115.7
111.4
115.2
111.3
110.2
115.8

.4
.2
.6
.3
.1
.2
.2
1.0
.2
.5

125.3
127.4
130.6
124.5
132.2
129.0
125.0
121.0
126.9
139.9

.5
.1
0
0
.3
.1
.2
0
.2
.1

108.7
105.8
105.1
99.4
106.3
101.7
103.0
101.2
103.4
107.8

2.3
.4
1.4
.7
1.5
1.2
1.8
2.3
1.9
.8

111.3
117.2
120.6
112.7
117.5
110.3
113.1
112.9
111.5
113.1

.2
2.1
0
0
- .1
.1
1.1
.4
.1
.2

114.6
112.0
107.1
115.1
115.1
107.7
124.5
115.4
108.2
116.9

.1
- .4
- 4.5
- .9
- .6
- 2.7
- 1.1
1.4
- 1.7
1.8

107.4
114.3
108.3
119.5
118.7
117.6
115.9
113.7
108.9
115.1

-

Minneapolis
lew Tork
Itiiladelphia
Pittsburgh
Portland, Oreg.
St. Louis
— — — —
ten Francisco
— —
Scranton
Seattle
Washington, D.C.

115.1
115.8
118.3
116.9
117.5
117.5
119.5
113.0
117.3
116.8

.1
- .2
- .2
.1
.6
1.1
.8
.7
.8
0

113.7
113.6
116.3
115.3
116.0
113.4
117.3
112.4
116.3
114.2

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

130.6
136.7
133.5
129.6
135.4
124.6
140.8
131.4
141.1
129.6

.4
.6
.5
.1
0
.4
.1
.1
.1
0

100.2
107.1
108.5
105.4
106.8
103.0
108.9
106.7
106.1
105.3

.6
1.4
1.0
1.3
.4
3.2
1.5
3.7
1.6
1.7

107.9
117.4
119.9
114.4
117.4
103.3
116.6
113.3
118.5
119.3

.1 121.3
0 106.1
0 113.4
.2 111.6
.1 114.3
- 2.2 121.0
0 118.7
- .1 104.0
0 117.3
0 108.8

.1
- 1.4
- 3.0
- .5
3.0
- .1
.1
0
.8
- .8

122.9
113.0
113.7
124.2
116.5
123.2
114.6
111.9
112.8
115.2

- .6
- 1.7
- .6
- .8
.4
.7
.6
- 1.0
1.3
- 1.5

Cincinnati
Cleveland
—
Detroit
Souston — — - —
Kansas City
Los Angeles

-

TABLE 7I

Cereals and bakery products;
Flour, wheat — — — — — — — —
5 lb.
Biscuit mix — — — — — —
20 oz.
Corn meal — — — — — — — —
ib.
Rice — — — — — — — —
ib.
Rolled oats — — —
20 oz.
Corn flakes — — — — —
12 oz.
Bread, white — — — — — —
ib.
Soda crackers — — — — — — — —
ib.
Vanilla cookies — — — — —
7 oz.
Meats, poultry, and fish:
Round steak — — — — — — —
ib.
Chuck roast — — — — — —
ib.
Rib roast - — — — - — — —
ib.
Hamburger — — — — — — — —
ib.
Veal cutlets —
—
—
—
—
ib.
Pork chops, center cut — — — — - ib.
Bacon, sliced — — — — — — — ib.
Ham, whole — — — — — — —
ib.
Lamb, leg — — — —
ib.
Frankfurters — — — — —
— ib.
Luncheon meat, canned — —
12 oz.
Frying chickens, ready-to-»cook — ib.
Ocean perch, fillet, frozen —
ib.
Haddock, fillet, frozen — — — — ib.
Salmon, pink, canned — — — — is oz.
Tuna fish, canned — — —
q to oh oz.
Dairy products;
Milk, fresh, (grocery)
qt.
Milk, fresh, (delivered)
qt.
Ice cream — — — — — — — —
pt.
Butter — — — — —
ib.
Cheese, American process —
— ib.
Milk, evaporated — — — — 14&-0Z. can
Fruits and vegetables:
Frozen:
Strawberries — — — — —
10 oz.
Orange juice concentrate —
6 oz.
Peas, green — — — — — —
10 oz.
Beans, green — — — —
10 oz.
Fresh:
Apples —
—
—
—
—
ib.
Bananas — — — — — —
ib.
Oranges^ size 200 — —
doz.
Lemons —
—
—
—
—
lb.
Grapefruit *
each




-

-

-

-

.8
1.0
1.5
1.6
.8
.6
1.1
.3
- .2
0

Consumer Price Index — Average retail prices of selected foods
U.S. city average

Food and unit

• Priced only in season.

-

Decemk>er
1957
Cent!?
54.7"
26.9

12.8

17.3
22.3
24.3
19.0
29.2
24.8
96.9
56.3
76.3
44.6
120.0
85.2
70.4
64.3
72.3
59.0

November
1957
Cents
54.7

26.8
12.8
17.8

22.2
23.6

19.0

29.2

24.8
95.6
54.3
75.0
43.8
118.3
85.4

69.8

44.4
43.6
49.4

61.5
71.7
59.0
46.5
43.6
43.6
43.4

32.2

32.1

24.3

24.3

74.9
57.8
14.8

29.5
75.0
57.8
14.7

46.8

62.8

62.8

December
1957

Food and unit
Fresh—Continued
Peaches • - - — — — — — —
Strawberries * —

Cents
ib.

— — — — -

Grapes, seedless *
—
— lb.
Watermelons * — >
—
ib.
Potatoes - — — - —
10 ib.
Sweetpotatoes
ib.
Onions — — — — —
— i b .
Carrots
—
— — — - ib.
Lettuce
—
head
Celery
— ib.
Cabbage —
—
—
ib.
Tomatoes — — —
— — — — — — ib.
Beans, green —
ib.
Canned:
Orange juice — — — — —

46-oz. can

Peaches - — —
—
#2* can
Pineapple — — — — — —
#2 can
Fruit cocktail
— —
#303 can
Corn, cream style — — —
#303 can
Pea8, green — — — — —
#303 can
Tomatoes — « * — — —
#303 can
Baby foods — — — — — —
4h to 5 oz.
Dried;
Prunes — — — — — — — —
ib.
Beans — — — — — — — — —
ib.
Other foods at home:
Tomato S O U p
to l l - z . can
Beans with pork — — —
16-oz. can
Pickles, sweet — — —
—
7h oz.
Catsup, tomato — — — — — —
14 oz.
Coffee — — — — — — —
lb. can
Coffee
bag
Tea bags — — — — — —
k . of 16
P g
Cola drink, carton — — — — —
36 oz.
Shortening, hydrogenated — — - 3 lb.
Margarine, colored —
— — — ib.
Lard
ib.
Salad dressing — — — — —
.
pt
Peanut butter — — — — —
ib.
Sugar — — — — — — —
.
5 lb
Corn syrup — — — — — —
24 oz.
Grape Jelly — — — — —
12 oz.
Chocolate bar — - — — —
1 oz.
Eggs, Grade A , large — — — —
doz.
Gelatin, flavored — — — - 3 to 4 oz.
0

25.8
29.6

25.7

18.2

19.5
24.5

13.0
15.9
57.2
19.4

11.1

25.8

25.7
18.3

19.6

24.5

12.3
17.6
61.1
19.3
11.4

pt.

57.7
13.5
8.4
16.9

15.0
13.6

8.3
32.4
23.3

33.8
34.0
34.2

26.0
17.3
21.2
15.4

10.0

32.9
16.5
12.3
14.8
27.1
22.1
95.0
76.8
23.7
27.3

96.1

29.7
22.5
37.3
53.8
55.6

25.0

27.4
4.5

66.6
8.9

Labor D.C. - BLS58-0332

TABLE A: Consumer Price Index — All items and commodity groups
1957 annual average indexes and percent changes, 1956 to 1957
U.S. city average and 10 cities priced in December 1957
U.S.
BaltiCity
Average Atlanta more

Group

Chicago

CincinLos
nati
[)etroit Angeles

New
York

Philadelphia

St.
Louis

San
Francisco

Indexes (1947-^9.100)
All items

' 120.2*

121.4

121.0

123.3

119.6

122.2

121.2

117.6

120.8

121.2

123.1

Food —
—
— —
Food at home — —
Cereals and bakery products —
Meats, poultry, and fish — —
Dairy products — —
Fruits and vegetables
—
Other foods at home

115.4
113.8
130.5
105.2
111.8
118.6
112.9

113.3
112.1
123.2
107.8
112.4
118.9
105.6

116.8
113.5
127.2
105.8
113.2
115.4
112.9

112.9
110.7
123.0
98.3
110.9
117.6
118.4

117.3
115.7
130.6
107.1
115.3
118.9
117.8

117.3
115.5
124.5
102.4
110.9
131.2
115.2

117.9
114.5
136.9
106.9
106.9
119.0
113.0

115.0
113.0
134.8
106.0
111.7
112.4
112.3

118.5
116.5
132.5
107.6
116.7
121.8
112.5

116.3
112.7
124.8
101.9
102.9
123.7
120.2

117.8
116.2
140.0
108.6
113.2
'121.2
111.4

Housing
Rent
— —
Gas and electricity
Solid fuels and fuel oil
House furnishing s — —
Household operation — —

125.6
135.2
113.0
137.4
104.6
127.5

129.6
136.2
119.4
125.6
109.3
135.2

121.1
131.5
100.6
139.2
100.7
121.5

134.7

128.4
147.6
112.6
129.2
109.2
118.2

130.5

103.4
136.4
109.9
127.9

124.5
142.5
103.8
150.0
104.3
131.4

125.4
139.5
136.8

103.6
127.3

121.8
123.4
111.0
146.4
104.7
126.0

120.7

114.2
139.5
102.3
131.6

123.6
139.8
119.5
137.5
99.0
132.5

106.9
109.0
99.2
127.9
92.1

113.0
114.0
106.1
135.2
93.1

106.4
105.2
101.3
126.9
96.3

109.9
116.4
98.6
131.5
95.9

105.8
107.1
97.7
134.3
89.1

104.2
110.6
93.4
123.6
87.0

107.7
111.5
99.7
128.4
84.5

106.1
108.5
97.5
128.7
95.6

106.4
107.0
100.4
124.8
93.7

105.0
107.8
96.3
126.0
96.1

107.5
108.9
100.6
131.1
90.3

136.0
178.8
125.8

134.5
174.2
127.2

147.7
187.2
129.8

142.9
180.9
126.4

130.9
172.0
120.5

132.7
149.0
129.3

132.0
154.8
128.0

138.0
188.9
118.6

141.2
187.3
120.8

143.0
195.8
124.5

150.7
182.4
137.4

138.0
124.4
112.2
125.5 ii

132.3
128.1
112.8
130.4

144.7
119.9
123.7
130.4

142.3
126.5
119.0
120.6

141.3
127.3
104.8
122.5

147.1
130.5
110.8
130.7

130.5
128.8
101.2
122.3

129.1
116.2
114.4
125.5

140.5
130.3
116.7
127.5

154.7
125.0
96.4
125.5

137.7
119.9
113.8
122.2

•
—

—

Apparel
— — — — — — —
Men'8 1 and boys'
Women s and girls'
—
Other apparel —
Public
Medical care - — — —
—
Personal care
—
—
—
—
—
Reading and recreation —
Other goods and services
— — —

—

Percent change from

—

120.2
—

—

—

107.3
119.7

1956 to 1957

3.4

2.8

3.5

3.2

3.1

2.9

3.2

3.2

3.2

3.4

4.0

Food
Food at home
— —
— —
Cereals and bakery products —
Meats, poultry, and fish
Dairy products — — — — — —
Fruits and vegetables
Other foods at home

3.3
3.3
3.9
8.3
2.9
- .3
.1

2.8
3.1
4.3
8.8
1.5
- 1.2
.3

3.5
3.0
3.8
7.8
3.5
- 1.6
.1

3.3
3.1
2.4
8.6
1.0
1.6
- .6

3.6
3.5
4.9
9.1
2.2
.8
- .8

2.7
2.5
4.0
7.1
1.5
- 1.1
0

3.9
3.9
5.4
9.3
2.9
.4
1.2

3.1
2.8
3.9
6.1
5.7
- 1.8
- .8

4.1
3.8
4.6
8.2
5.0
- .1
- .1

3.1
2.4
3.9
7.7
.2
- .6
- 1.0

3.2
2.9
4.7
5.6
4.9
- 1.1
.9

Housing — —
Rent —
— — — — — - . .
Gas and electricity
Solid fuels and fuel oil
— —
Kousefurnishlngs — — — — — — —

3.2
1.9
1.1
5.1
1.6
3.7

2.0
.8
0
2.8
1.1
1.9

3.4
2.6
.7
5.8
2.8
4.2

2.7

3.0
1.9
- .8
3.7
1.8
1.7

2.4

.4
6.2
2.6
7.2

2.6
2.2
0
5.3
2.6
3.8

3.8
3.1
.4

1.3
.9

3.3
2.4
.6
6.7
1.7
2.9

3.7

.4
3.6
.7
2.8

2.1
2.9
1.4
1.9
.8
1.8

1.7
6.6

Men's and boys' — — — — — —
Women's and girls'
—
—
—
Footwear
Other apparel
— — — —

1.3
1.5
.5
3.2
.8

1.5
1.4
.9
3.9
1.0

1.4
1.8
.6
2.8
.8

.9
2.4
- .9
2.9
.5

.8
2.0
- 1.0
2.6
.7

1.1
.5
.8
3.3
- .3

1.7
1.5
2.0
1.6
1.1

1.4
1.5
.3
4.6
1.2

1.2
2.5
- .7
5.0
1.3

.7
8
0
.1
1.7
o3

1.7
2.1
.5
4.6
1.5

Public
Private

5.7
3.8
5.9

6.2
10,3
5.6

6.3
1.2
7.4

6.6
8.9
6.2

6.0
5.2
6.1

5.0
3.6
5.3

4.1
1.7
4.4

3.7
.7
4.6

3.4
.4
4.3

6.4
5.2
6.7

6.4
1.4
7.2

4.1
3.7
3.8
2.9

2.3
2.2
2.8
3.1

2.8
2.7
4.7
4.1

4.2
2.4
3.0
2.2

2.8
6.3
4.7
2.1

3.5
2.0
1.7
5.1

2.7
7.7
4.5
3.6

1.5
3.7
8.0
2.9

2.1
2.4
1.7
1.8

8.0
5.1
4.9
2.4

5.0
3.2
5.8
3.3

Medical care
Personal care
Reading and recreation
Other goods and services

—

* This index on the base of 1935-39=100 is 201.0.




—

—

3.3
—

—

—

7

Brief Explanation of the CPI
The Consumer Price Index (CFI) measures the average changes in prices of goods
and services typically bought by city families of wage earners and clerical workers. It
is based on prices of about 300 items which were selected so that their price changes
would represent the movement of prices of all goods and services purchased by wage and
clerical families; they include all of the important items in family spending. Prices
for these items are obtained in 46 cities which were chosen to represent all urban places
in the United States; they are collected from grocery and department stores, hospitals,
filling stations, and other types of stores and service establishments which wage-earner
and clerical-worker families patronize.
Prices of foods, fuels, and a few other items are obtained every month in all
46 cities. Prices of most other commodities and services are collected every month in
the 5 largest cities and every 3 1 months in other cities. Almost all prices are obtained
by personal visits of the Bureau ^ trained representatives.
In calculating the index, price changes for the various items in each city are
averaged together with weights wliich represent their importance in family spending. City
data are then combined in the totel index with weights based on the 1950
populations of
=
cities they represent. Index numbers are computed on the base 1947-49
100.
The national index (the United States city average) includes prices from the
20 large cities for which separate indexes are published in this report, as well as
from the following 26 medium-sized and small cities:
Anna, Illinois
Camden, Arkansas
Canton, Ohio
Charleston, W . Virginia
Evansville, Indiana
Garrett, Indiana
Glendale, Arizona
Grand Forks, N # Dakota
Grand Island, Nebraska

Huntington, W . Virginia
Laconia, New Hampshire
Lodi, California
Lynchburg, Virginia
Madill, Oklahoma
Madison, Wisconsin
Middlesboro, Kentucky
Middletown, Connecticut
Newark, Ohio

Pulaski, Virginia
Ravenna, Ohio
Rawlins, Wyoming
San Jose, California
Sandpoint, Idaho
Shawnee, Oklahoma
Shenandoah, Iowa
Youngstown, Ohio

Comparisons of city indexes show only that prices in one city changed more or
less than in another. The city indexes cannot be used to measure differences in price
levels or in living costs between cities.
A descriptionf of the irdex is contained in BLS Bulletin 1140, "The Consumer
Price Index: A Layman s Guide,* which may be purchased for 20 cents at any Bureau of
Labor Statistics regional office (addresses below) or from the Superintendent of Documents, U . S . Government Printing Office, Washington 25, D . C . A more technical
description of the index appears in BLS Bulletin 1168, "Techniques of Freparing Major BLS
Statistical Series." Reprints of chapter 9> pertaining to the CPI, are available on
request to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in Washington or at any of its regional offices.
Historical series of index numbers for the United States city average and for
20 large cities are available upon request. These series include index numbers for All
Items, Food, Apparel, and Rent for periods from 1913 to date; and for other groups of
goods and services from 1947 to date.
BLS Regional Offices
Atlanta
50 Seventh St., NE
Zone 23




New York
341 Ninth Ave.
Zone 1

Chicago
105 West Adams St.
Zone 3

San Francisco
630 Sansome St.
Zone 11

LABOR - D . C.

Boston
18 Oliver St.
Zone 10