Full text of CPI Detailed Report : February 1970

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price index
for February 1970

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
May 1970

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

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
George P. Shultz, Secretary
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
Geoffrey H. Moore, Commissioner

Consumer Price Indexes
Commodities and Services

1967-59 = 100
160
166

1
RELATIVE IMPORTANCE
ALL ITEMS INDEX (as of Dec. 1969)

160

36.21%
22.68%
24.11%
17.00%

ALL SERVICES
FOO 3
NON DURABLES LESS FO 3D
DUR *BLE COMMODITIES

145
140

A9

All Services
130
125
120
-

115
,

^

>

,

-

"

110

•durables Less Foed*

All Items
106

^

^

•

~—*

100
1962

1963

1964

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS




1966

1966

s^*>»

*^^l)urab

1967

1968

1969

1970

'Seasonally Adjusted
Latest Data: February 1970

THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX
FOR
FEBRUARY 1970
The Consumer Price Index rose 0.5 percent in February to 132.5 (1957-59=100).
Most of the rise was attributed to higher prices for food and apparel and for consumer
services, particularly home mortgages.
On a seasonally adjusted basis the increase was also 0.5 percent; in each of the
previous 3 months the increase was 0.6 percent. February's seasonally adjusted pace was
slower because declines in the rates of advance for durables and transportation services
offset a faster price rise for nondurable commodities.
The February rise put the all items-index 6.3 percent above its level a year
earlier. Price increases for all major categories of goods and services were larger in
the 12 months ending in February 1970 than in the similar period ending in February 1969.
The rate of increase in food prices showed the largest acceleration; it moved from 3.8
percent in the earlier period to 7.9 percent in the later period. The steeper climb was
primarily a reflection of larger price increases in the meats, poultry and fish group.
Service prices also rose noticeably faster in the later period, 7.9 percent compared with
6.4 percent primarily because of larger increases in prices of household and transportation
services. Contributions to the change in the all items index for the 12-month periods
ending in February 1969 and February 1970 are given below:
February 1969-70

All items
Services
Food
Nondurables less food ....
Durables

February 1968-69

Percent
change

Contribution
to change

Percent
change

Contribution
to change

6.3

100.0

4.7

100.0

7.9
7.9
4.4
3.6

45.0
27.9
17.0
10.1

6.4
3.8
4.2
3.1

47.7
18.6
22.0
11.7

Services
Charges for consumer services rose significantly in February, but not as
rapidly as they had in January. Services associated with homeownership, particularly
mortgage costs, property taxes, insurance and maintenance and repair services, were up
sharply. The increase in mortgaging costs was due primarily to the January increase in
rates allowable on VA-guaranteed loans. The cost of medical care services increased by
0.8 percent in February, the largest monthly advance in nearly a year. The increase in
transportation service prices was smaller than in the previous 2 months, but again it was
a significant factor in the overall advance for services.
More than two-thirds of the rise in service prices since February 1969 resulted
from increases of about 10 percent in prices of both household services, except rent, and
transportation services. Charges for medical care services rose more slowly in the
12 months ending in February 1970 than in the similar period ending in February 1969
because hospital room rates, despite their acceleration this month, rose less in the later
period.
Food
Retail food prices, which usually decline slightly in February, averaged 0.6
percent higher. Much of the increase in food prices resulted from higher prices of beef,
pork, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Prices of dairy products, particularly cheese,
evaporated milk, and fresh delivered milk, advanced contraseasonally. Retail prices of
regular and instant coffees rose sharply again in February in continued response to supply




shortages due to weather damage to Brazil's coffee crop last year. Egg prices dropped
contraseasonally, probably because of larger supplies, following several months of substantial increases on a seasonally adjusted basis.
Since February 1969, retail food prices have advanced 7.9 percent on the
strength of increases of 7.9 and 7.7 percent in prices of food purchased for home consumption and restaurant meals and snacks, respectively. Price increases for meats, eggs,
fresh vegetables and fresh milk accounted for about three-fourths of the rise in prices of
grocery store food.
Nondurables less food
Retail prices of nondurable commodities other than food advanced more than
seasonally in February. Apparel commodity prices climbed more than usual, almost entirely
because of a sharp jump in prices of women's and girls' clothing. The introduction of new
spring lines of clothing into the index at higher prices than prevailed last year played a
significant role in the advance, but prices of year-round items also rose appreciably.
Significant price increases were recorded for a wide variety of nondurable goods other
than food and apparel; the result was a seasonally adjusted rise of 0.4 percent for the
group. Cigarettes, alcoholic beverages, toilet goods, newspapers, and household supplies
and furnishings were among the items showing notable price increases.
The rise in prices of nondurable goods other than food in the 12 months ending
in February 1970 amounted to 4.4 percent. This was slightly larger than the increase
recorded for these prices in the 12 months ending in February 1969 despite the slower rate
of increase in prices of apparel commodities in the later period. Price increases for
other nondurables, in contrast, rose 4 percent in the later period and 2.9 percent in the
earlier period.
Durables
Retail prices of consumer durable goods were unchanged over the month instead
of edging down slightly as they usually do in February; they were 0.1 percent higher
after seasonal adjustment. Used car prices were down fairly sharply for the second consecutive month, probably in response to reduced demand, but the decline was more than
offset by increases in prices of houses, household durables, and a less than seasonal
drop in new car prices.
Increases in prices of houses were responsible for much of the 3.6-percent rise
in prices for consumer durables between February 1969 and February 1970. Higher prices
for household durables and new cars also contributed to the rise. Used-car prices, down
nearly 4 percent, posted the only significant decline in durable goods over the 12-month
span.
Cost-of-Living Adjustments
Approximately 67,000 workers will receive cost-of-living wage increases based
on the Consumer Price Index for February. Nearly 33,000 workers will receive hourly pay
increases ranging from 2 to 5 cents, based on the rise in the national index since
November 1969, including 14,000 employees in the farm equipment industry, 10,400 chemical
workers, and 6,800 employees in the household appliance industry. Another 23,000 workers,
including 7,000 in electronics and 5,000 in the automobile equipment industry, will receive
increases of 2 or 8 cents an hour based on the rise in the index since February 1969.
About 3,100 workers will get 6- or 7-cent hourly pay increases, based on the change in the
national CPI since August 1969. About 6,600 employees of a mail-order house in Chicago
will receive a 4-cent hourly increase, based on the change in the index for the Chicago
area since February 1969.




Approximately 31,000 other workers whose escalator reviews are tied to the
February CPI will not> receive an adjustment, since they have already received the maximum
increases permitted by their contracts.
A NOTE ABOUT CALCULATING INDEX CHANGES
Effective with the February, 1970 release, and continuing thereafter, percentage
changes expressed as annual rates will be computed according to the standard formula for
compound growth rates. These data indicate what the percentage change would be if the
current rate were maintained for a 12-month period.
Movements of the indexes from one date to another are usually expressed as
percentage changes rather than changes in the index points because index point changes are
affected by the level of the index in relation to its base period while percentage changes
are not. The following example illustrates the computation of index point and percentage'
changes:
Index

Point Change

February 1970 CPI (1957-59=100)
less January 1970 index
Index point difference -




Percentage Change
132.5
131.8
0.7

Index point difference divided by
the index for the previous period:
132.5 - 131.8 x 1 0 0 = 0 5
131.8

TABLE 1: Consumer Price Index—United States City Average
For Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, February 1970
(Unadjusted, unless otherwise indicated)
Group

All items (1947-49=100)

Indexes
(1957-59=100 unless otherwise noted)
November
February
January
February
1969
1970
1969
1970
131.8
132.5
130.5
124.6
162.5
161.7
160.1
152.9

Percent change to February 1970 from:
1 Month
1 Year
3 Months
Ago
Ago
Ago
0.5

131.5
127.4
126.3
129.7
128.8
132.4
118.1
151.5

130.7
126.6
125.5
128.8
128.4
130.9
117.7
150.6

128.1
123.8
124.1
127.2
126.3
127.0
112.9
149.0

121.9
118.1
120.8
116.2
122.8
124.7
109.4
140.7

.6
.6
.7
.3
1.1
.3
.6

2.7
2.9
1.8
2.0
2.0
4.3
4.6
1.7

7.9
7.9
4.6
11.6
4.9
6.2
8.0
7.7

132.2
140.9
121.8
148.5
114.9
120.6
114.6
120.8

131.1
139.6
121.3
146.8
114.6
119.7
114.1
120.1

129.8
137.7
120.5
144.5
114.2
118.9
113.2
119.6

123.3
128.9
117.2
133.6
111.8
116.9
110.2
115.8

.9
.4
1.2
.3
.8
.4
.6

1.8
2.3
1.1
2.8
.6
1.4
1.2
1.0

7.2
9.3
3.9
11.2
2.8
3.2
4.0
4.3

Apparel and upkeep 4/
Men's and boys'
Women's and girls'
Footwear

130.0
131.0
125.4
145.0

129.3
130.8
124.2
144.4

130.7
132.1
127.4
143.9

123.9
125.3
119.3
136.8

.5
.2
1.0
.4

.5
.8.
1.6

4.9
4.5
5.1
6.0

Transportation
Private
New cars
Used cars
Gasoline —
Public

127.3
123.3
104.6
117.8
116.7
165.4

127.3
123.3
104.7
120.7
116.6
165.1

125.6
122.7
105.1
124.9
116.3
151.1

122.0
119.3
102.3
122.6
114.5
145.5

.0
.0
.1
2.4
.1
.2

1.4
.5
.5
5.7
.3
9.5

4.3
3.4
2.2
3.9
1.9
13.7

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

140.7
160.1
129.0
133.2
134.3

140.1
159.0
128.5
133.1
133.9

139.1
157.4
127.8
132.3
133.1

133.7
151.3
124.1
128.4
125.8

.4
.7
.4
.1
.3

1.2
1.7
.9
.7
.9

5.2
5.8
3.9
3.7
6.8

131.8
130.7
127.7

130.8
130.1
127.3

128.7
129.8
125.1

.8
.5
.3

2.4
.7
2.1

133.0
130.8.

132.3
130.1

131.4
128.9

125.6
123.0

.5
.5

1.2
1.5

5.9
6.3

124.2
128.4
125.8
129.3

123.7
127.8
125.2
128.6

122.9
126.7
125.5
130.4

117.8
121.1
120.5
123.1

.4
.5
.5
.5

1.1
1.3
.2

5.4
6.0
4.4
5.0

113.7
106.9
150.7
157.1
146.8
139.9

113.7
106.6
149.6
155.8
145.7
137.5

113.5
106.5
147.2
153.1
143.3
134.3

109.7
103.7
139.7
144.6
.0
123.0

.0
.3
.7

1.7

.2
.4
2.4
2.6
2.4
4.2

3.6
3.1
7.9
8.6
.0
13.7

112.2

112.0

109.2

106.4

.2

134.7
175.2

134.0
173.8

132.4
171.8

123.2
164.3

.5

$0,755
.366

$0,759
.368

$0,767
.371

$0,803
.389

Food
Food at home
Cereals and bakery products
Meats, poultry, and fish —
Dairy products
Fruits and vegetables
Other foods at home
Food away from home
Shelter 1/
Rent — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Homeownership 2/
Fuel and utilities V
Fuel oil and coal
Gas and electricity
Household furnishings and operation

Seasonally Adjusted^.
Food — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Apparel and upkeep
Transportation
Special Groups:
All items less food
All items less medical care
Commodities
Nondurables less food
Apparel commodities
Household durables
Services — — — — — — — — — — — — . — — — — — — — — — — — — — >
Services less rent
Services less medical care
insurance and finance (Dec.1965-100)
Utilities and public transportation
(Dec.1965-100) —
Housekeeping and home maintenance services
(Dec.19fr5»100)
Medical care services
Purchasing Power of Consumer Dollar:
1957-59-$l
1939-$1
1/
2/
37
4/

Also includes
Includes home
Also includes
Also includes

NOTE:

hotel and motel rates not shown separately.
purchase, mortgage interest, taxes, insurance, and maintenance and repairs.
telephone, water, and sewerage service not shown separately.
infants' wear, sewing materials, jewelry, and apparel upkeep services not shown separately.

Index applies to month as a whole not to any specific date.




5.5

1.7
2.0

9.3
6.6

- 5 -

TABLE 2: Consumer Price Index--The United States and Selected Areas
For Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, All Items
Most recent index and percent changes from selected dates

Indexes
Area 1/

Pricing
Schedule 2/

1957-59=100

1947-49=100

Percent change from:

Other
bases
January
1970

February 1970

November
1969

February
1969

U.S. City Average

132.5

162.5

0.5

1.5

6.3

Chicago
Detroit <
Los Angeles-Long Beach — New York —
Philadelphia

129.
132.
131.6
138.1
134.4

163.1
163.0
164.1
166.3
165.0

.2
.8
.3
.8
1.1

1.3
1.8
1.2
2.6
2.1

6.1
7.1
5.1
7.6
6.7

October
1969

January 1970

Boston
Houston
Minneapolis-St. Paul
Pittsburgh

136.1
130.9
132.8
129.4

1.0
.8
1.9
.7

168.6
161.2
164.4
159.5
February 1970

Buffalo (Nov.1963=100) —
Cleveland
Dallas (Nov.1963=100)
Milwaukee
—
San Diego (Feb.1965=100) Seattle
Washington

125.3

132.3

164.3

128.5

162.0

132.2
134.6

166.2
162.0

125.6
118.6

Atlanta
Baltimore
Cincinnati
Honolulu (Dec.1963=100) —
Kansas City
St. Louis

San Francisco-Oakland

129.9
131.9
127.7

160.9
163.7
155.4

133.2
130.7
134.5

164.9
162.3
170.7

119.7

6.4
6.3
8.1
4.4

November
1969

February
1969

1.7
2.2
1.5
1.2
1.4
1.7
2.0

6.8
7.5
7.5
6.4
5.1
5.0
6.6

September
1969

December 1969

January
1969

1.0
1.2
1.8
1.4
1.4
1.2
1.3

December
1968
6.4
6.4
5.5
5.1
6.1
5.9
6.2

1/ Area coverage includes the urban portion of the corresponding Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area (SMSA) except
for New York and Chicago where the more extensive Standard Consolidated Areas are used. Area definitions are those established for the 1960 Census and do not include revisions made since 1960.
2/
Foods, fuels, and several other items priced every month in all cities; most other goods and services priced as
indicated:
M - Every month.
1 - January, April, July, and October.
2 - February, May, August, and November.
3 - March, June, September, and December.
NOTE;

The Consumer Price Index cannot be used for measuring differences in living costs among areas; it indicates price
change within areas. Estimates of differences in living costs among areas are found in the family budgets.




- 6 -

TABLE 3: Consumer Price Index—The United States and Selected Areas 1/
For Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, Major Groups
Percent change from January 1970 to February 1970

Group
All items
Food
Housing
Apparel and upkeep
Transportation
Health and recreation
Medical care
Personal care
Reading and recreation
Other goods and services —

U.S. City
Average

Chicago

Detroit

Los AngelesLong Beach

0.5

0.2

0.8

0.3

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

.3
.3
.9
.7
.2
.7

.3
.7
1.6
2.3
.4
1.3
(2/)
.1
.0

-

(1/)
-

.2
.2

.7
.7
1.3
.4
.9

ill)
.1
.2

New York

Philadelphia

0.8

1.1

.7
.7
2.2
.1
.4
.5
(2/)
.1
.5

1.0
.9
1.0
2.4
1.0
.4
(2./)
.3

(1/)

1/ See footnote 1, table 2.
Tf Not available

TABLE 4: Consumer Price Index — United States City Average for
Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers for Selected Groups
Seasonally Adjusted
(1957-59=100)

Indexes

Group
February 1970

January 1970

ercent changes to: Feb. 1970
From:
One Month
Three Months
November 1969
Ago
Ago

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

131.8
127.7
130.4
128.9
133.5
117.4

130.8
126.7
129.7
128.1
132.0
116.9

128.7
124.6
127.5
125.7
131.2
112.7

0.8
.8
.5
.6
1.1
.4

2.4
2.5
2.3
2.5
1.8
4.2

Fuel and utilities 1/ Fuel oil and coal -

114.8
119.5

114.5
118.6

114.1
118.8

.3
.8

.6
.6

Apparel and upkeep 27 Men's and boys'
Women's and girls'
Footwear

130.7
131.8
126.4
145.3

130.1
131.5
125.6
144.8

129.8
131.2
125.8
143.5

.5
.2
.6
.3

.7
.5
.5
1.3

Transportation
Private
New cars

127.7
123.7
104.2

127.3
123.5
104.0

125.1
122.1
103.0

.3
.2
.2

2.1
1.3
1.2

Commodities
Commodities less foodNondurables
Nondurables less foodApparel commodities-

124.4
120.6
128.7
126.1
130.1

123.9
120.5
128.1
125.6
129.5

122.8
119.7
126.7
125.0
129.4

.4
.1
.5
.4
.5

1.3
.8
1.6
.9
.5

113.9

113.8

113.1

.1

,7

Durables-

1/ Also includes telephone, water, and sewerage service not shown separately.
2/ Also includes infants' wear, sewing materials, jewelry, and apparel upkeep services not shown separately.




- 7 TABLE 5: Consumer Price Index—United States and Selected Areas 1/
For Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, Commodity Groups
February 1970 index and percent changes from November 1969

Group

U.S. City
Average

Chicago

Detroit

Los AngelesNew York
T.nno Hearh
Indexes (1957-59=100 unless otherwise specified)

Philadelphia

All items

132.5

129.3

132.2

131.6

138.1

134.4

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

131 .5
127.4
126 .3
129 .7
128.8
132 .4
118.1
151.5

133 .2
131 .3
132 .5
134.4
138.0
129.4
120.3
142 .2

130 .2
128,.0
124,.1
137,.5
136,.2
117,.8
115..9
143..0

127 .2
121.6
123 .8
119.5
124.1
132.0
109 .0
147.6

134.7
128.3
124.5
130.2
122 .1
140.6
119.3
161.9

132.0
126.5
126 .4
123 .4
136 .6
134,.4
115,.4
161,.1

132.2

131.,1
142..1
111.,6
149.,1
105.,7
113.,7
107. 8
113. 4

137.7
148 .4

131,.3
139,.4

120,.0
118,.1

135 .8
142 .1
132 .4
147 .5
113,.7
126,.8
112,.5
132,.0

Shelter

l'4O.9

Homeownership
Fuel and utilities
Fuel oil and coal
Gas and electricity
Household furnishings and operation

121 .8
148.5
114.9
120.6
114.6
120.8

126 .2
132,.5
(2/:)
140,.9
110,.5
114,.1
110,.6
118..2

130.0
131 .0
125 .4
145 .0

121..2
118..0
115.,6
138.,7

125. 6
127. 0
119. 8
138. 6

127..9
129.,1
129.,2
138..3

136.,7
140..9
130..5
145.,4

137.,7
132.,2
129.,3
154.,5

Transportation
Private
Public

127.3
123 .3
165 .4

128.,0
124. 0
154..6

125. 8
122. 9
145. 3

127.,1
122.,4
158.,6

140.,7
133.,5
173.,7

138. 5
131. 1
178. 8

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

140.7
160.1
129 .0
133 .2
134.3

136. 1
168.3
(2/)
116. 2
129. 5

144.3
173. 7
(2/)
135. 4
125. 1

132. 0
156.,1
(2/)i
115. 5
125.,9

147. 5
166. 5
123. 6
145. 4
143. 5

142. 7
171. 8
(2/)
127. 0
139. 8

Apparel and upkeep
Men's and boys'
Women's and girls'

Fo
A

(2/)

156 .9
111,.8

a/:>.4
143.
112.,6
126.,4
106.,5
123..7

Percent changes from November 1969 to February 1970
All items

1.5

1.3

1.8

1.2

2.6

2.1

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

2.7
2.9
1.8
2.0
2.0
4.3
4.6
1.7

2.9
3.1
3.8
2.1
2.4
2.1
6.0
2.3

2.7
3.1
3.2
2.8
2.1
4.6
3.3
.6

2.0
2.2
1.1
2.8
.6
.5
5.2
1.4

3 .1
3 .5
1.7
2.4
4.2
5.4
4.4
2.2

3.1
3.2
3.9
1.6
1.3
6.7
4.2
2.9

Housing
Shelter
Rent
Homeownership
Fuel and utilities
Fuel oil and coal
Gas and electricity
Household furnishings and operation

1.8
2.3
1.1
2.8
.6
1.4
1.2
1.0

1.8
2.2
(2/)
2.9
1.0
.4
2.5
.6

1.4
1.9
1.6
2.0
.2
.4
.1
.6

1.5
2.1
(2/)
2.3
.4

1.8
1.9
1.5
2 .2
.1
1.9

.6
.3

2 .2

1.8
2.6
(2/)
2.9
.4
3.2
.1
1.1

Apparel and upkeep Men's and boys* —
Women's and girls'
Footwear

.5
.8
1.6
.8

3.0
3.9
5.2
.3

.2
.1
.6
.9

.7
.5
.8
.4

.5
1.7
1.3
.2

.0
1.4
1.0
1.0

Transportation
Private
Public

1.4
.5
9.5

.9
1.1
.4

3.1
3.2
2.7

.4
.4
1.2

9 .6
3 .5
34.2

2.1
2.6

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

1.2
1.7
.9
.7
.9

1.3
1.4
(2/)
.8
1.1

1.8
3.4

1.1
2.5
(2./)
1.0
.2

See footnotes at end of table.




(21)
1.7
.2

.1

1.2
1.6
1,.4
1,.0

2.4
1.8
(2/)
.6
4.3

TABLE 5: Consumer Price Index—United States and Selected Areas 1/
For Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, Commodity Groups--Continued
February 1970 index and percent changes from November 1969
Buffalo
Nov ^63=100] Cleveland

Group

Dallas
San Diego
(Nov.63=100) Milwaukee (Feb.65=100)

Seattle

Washington

Indexes (1957-59=100 unless otherwise specified)
All items

—

125.3

132.3

125.6

128.5

118.6

132.2

134.6

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

127.0
125.4
110.2
128.4
124.7
138.0
121.2
136.9

128.4
125.6
118.0
130.4
127.7
131.1
117.4
144.6

125.9
123.1
115.2
129.2
126.3
120.0
119.8
136.9

130.1
127.4
119.0
131.3
138.5
125.4
118.6
145.4

121.3
118.1
111.7
131.4
113.5
105.3
116.3
129.9

129.2
122.9
114.0
127.3
130.0
125.6
114.6
155.0

136.2
130.9
122.8
133.4
127.8
135.0
127.0
156.6

tiousxn^ •.«
Shelter
Rent
•Homeownership
Fuel and utilities
Fuel oil and coal
Gas and electricity
Household furnishings and operation

124.8
128.7
112.1
131.8
116.8
116.1
121.1
119.8

128.7
132.7
108.9
137.0
115.1

127.0
135.2
110.5
147.5
110.7

124.8
136.3
123.0
142.1
99.1

116.4
119.5

106.9
118.9

126.4
129.4
113.8
134.5
122.0
131.3
116-2
121.3

100.0
108.7

136.6
152.4
128.5
159.2
115.9
115.3
98.1
116.3

129.8
135.1
126.1
138.6
107.8
121.0
106.2
127.1

Apparel and upkeep
Men's and boys'
Women's and girls'
Footwear

131.2
140.3
130.7
130.1

129.3
133.2
118.7
150.9

126.3
132.7
125.0
125.4

133.0
129.9
131.1
149.8

115.2
122.6
111.1
124.5

126.6
132.0
122.7
145.9

137.8
135.0
136.1
153.0

Transportation
Private
Public

119.6
119.2
124.1

131.4
126.2
165.9

114.
113.
128.

120.1
117.7
153.3

108.8
108.9
106.5

123.9
123.3
130.8

129.3
124.9
155.7

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

125.4
131.4
121.3
120.7
126.9

146.9
184.5
128.3
128.3
141.5

130.6
141.7
126.0
123.7
125.3

135.1
154.2
134.5
126.3
129.0

116.4
126.5
105.6
110.3
119.1

134.8
153.2
129.6
124.3
131.6

145.7
188.0
126.6
136.3
128.5

Percent changes from November 1969 to February 1970
1.7

2.2

1.5

1.2

1.4

1.7

2.0

—

3.4
3.8
2.4
1.2
1.5
13 ..3
3.4
1.4

2.1
2.4
2.3
1.7
.6
4.0
4.2
.3

2.5
2.9
4.6
.5
1.0
4.7
5.5
1.1

1.8
1.9
.5
.5
2.4
2.2
4.3
1.4

1.8
2.5
.6
3.8
1.1
1.5
5.5
.2

2.4
2.8
.4
1.6
1.9
3.2
6.1
1.1

3.8
4.2
7.1
2.6
1.8
6.0
5.4
2.8

Ho us ins
— — — — — — — — — — — —
S
h
e
l
t
e
r — — — — — — — — — —

2.6
3.1
.6
3.6
1.0
.7
1.7
2.4

3.2
4.3
.4
4.9
.3

1.7
2.3
1.2
2.7
.4

2.4
3.3
2.0
4.0
.4

.0
1.0

1.3

2.4
3.4
.7
4.3
.1
1.7
.0

.0
.4

1.9
2.1
.6
2.6
.6
.3
.0
1.6

1.6
1.9
1.0
2.4
1.8
3.6
1.9
.9

Apparel and upkeep
Men's and boys'
Women's and girls'
Footwear

2.6
.4
3.8
6.3

.1
1.3
1.4
3.6

1.5
1.2
3.5
3.0

.4
2.3
1.2
1.9

1.1
.3
1.7
2.1

.1
1.2
1.8
1.5

.0
1.2
1.2
1.6

Transportation —
Private
Public

1.4
1.4
1.1

1.0
1.0
1.2

1.2
1.3
.0

2.6
3.1
4.1

.5
.5
.4

2.8
3.4
.2

.9
.8
1.5

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

1.9
1.0
.4
1.0

1.9
3.1
.3
.5
2.7

2.0
3.9
3.4
.0
.5

1.7
2.8
1.5
.5
2.6

1.0
2.0
.0
1.1
.0

1.3
1.3
1.3
1.6

2.4
4.2
.7
1.4
3.4

All items
F
o
o
d — — — — — — — —
Food at home
Cereals and bakery products
Meats, poultry, and fish
Dairy products
Fruits and vegetables
Other foods at home
Food away from home

—

Homeownership
Fuel and utilities
Fuel oil and coal
Gas and electricity
Household furnishings and operation

1/ See footnote 1, table 2.
1/ Not available.
3_/ Change from December 1969.




TABLE 5A. Consumer Price Index—United States and Selected Areas 1/
For Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, Commodity Groups
1969 annual average indexes and percent changes, 1968-69
Buffalo I Cleveland
Nov.63=100)

Group

Dallas I Milwaukee
Nov.63=100)

San Diego
(Feb.65=100)

Washington

Indexes (1957-59=100 unless otherwise specified)
All items
All items (1947-49=100)120.6
118.7
108.6
121.8
120.6
125.1
113 .8
131,.9

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

126.3
156.9
123.2
120.2
116.0
124.9
123.3
127.0
108.7
140.5

120 .3
--

119.8
116.8
110.1
122.8
123.1
115.7
110.2
131.4

123.6
155.9
125.2
123.1
114.5
126.7
133.4
127.6
111.5
137.8

115.1

128.3
161.2
124.5
118.7
113.3
122.9
127.6
125.3
105.4
148.5

129.5
155.9
129.5
124.3
116.2
125.7
125.6
130.3
118.5
149.2

100..0
107.,6

132.0
146,.0
126,.7
151.,4
114,.7
114..4
98..1
113..5

125.0
129.3
123 .2
131,.2
105,.7
116.,7
103..9
123..5

117.0
113.4
110.0
124.4
111.0
106.6
106.7
127.3

118,.8
121..2
109..8
123.,3
113.,9
111..2
117..0
115.,4

115..4
115..8

121
127
107
137
105
—
101
115

8
5

120.5
122.8
111.2
126.5
115.9
123.9
108.1
118.1

129.,1
132.,5
130.,4
133. 1

125.,5
130.,7
117.,1
140..5

120 4
125 8
118. 1
119.2

126.0
126.5
121.7
140.7

112.,7
120.,4
108.,5
119.,5

123.,7
127.,0
121.,5
140.4

134.,7
132.,5
134.,2
148.,2

Transportation — •
Private
Public

115. 8
116. 1
111. 7

126.8
121.8
159.9

112. 9
112. 6
118.2

120.5
119.2
137.4

109. 1
109.2
106.4

121.,6
120.,7
130, 6

125.,3
121.,7
147.,4

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

122. 8
127. 1
119.2
119. 6
123. 7

139.8
174. 5
123.5
124. 5
132. 1

124. 7
134. 1
120. 1
121.3
117.3

129.2
148.0
129.0
123.8
119.4

113.9
122. 9
105. 5
108.2
116.0

131.3
148.5
126.8
121.2
128.6

139.,9
177.,7
126.0
132. 1
121.3

cxousmg

Shelter

**"

' *•~"

—^

—————————————————

Homeownership
Fuel and utilities
Fuel oil and coal
Gas and electricity
Household furnishings and operation
Apparel and upkeep
Men's and boys'
Women's and girls'
Footwear

•

121.8
124,.0
106,.9
127,.0
114..7

0
6
4
5
9

118,.5
126,.7
117,.2
130,.7
99.,4

Percent changes 1968-69
All items

5.6

6.5

5.8

5.2

4.9

5.4
2.2
8.3
2.6
1.9
7.7
5.9

5.4
4.7
1.0
8.3
1.8
1.3
5.5
8.1

5.9
5.8
5.1
9.8
4.1
.2
5.5
6.4

5.1
4.3
2.1
8.9
2.7
1.3
4,.0
6,.9

4.8
4.2
3.8
8.7
2.7
1.0
4.2
6.6

6.8
6.1
2.9
9.7
2.1
3.6
6.8
8.6

5.5
6.4
2.3
7.1
.2

8.5
11.1
3.4
14.3
3.5

7,.9
11,.2
8,.3
12..5
.1

.2
4.8

2.4
5.8

5.8
6.8
3.4
7.7
4.0
4.2
6.1
4.7

.0
2..7

6.5
9.4
3.5
11.1
1.8
4.3
.2
2.5

6.2
7.3
3.1
9.7
1.4
1.5
1.8
5.7

6.8
10.5
6.4
6.0

5.8
5.6
6.0
5.2

6.6
8.1
5.6
6.3

8.3
6.4
9.0
9.5

4..3
5.,2
4.,3
4.,6

4.0
4.3
4.6
4.1

6.7
7.2
8.0
7.0

3 .8
3 .6
5.0

4.2
3.0
10.6

3.3
3.3
3.8

5.1
4.9
5.7

2.,3
2. 3
9

.8
.7
1.6

4.9
3.7
10.9

4.4
4.9
5.6
3 .4
4,.2

7.0
12.1
6.1
4.5
4.0

6.1
8.0
5.9
5,.4
4,.1

5.1
6.9
3.9
3.8
4.9

3.5
5.2
2. 1
2. 7
3.2

4.9
6.8
7.8
3.9
2.9

5.8
7.8
5.9
4.7
4.6

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

5.2
5.0
3 .0
8.8
4.6
.6
4.5
6.2

Housing
Shelter Rent —

5.3
6.0
3 .2
6.5
4.3
2.6
6.2
4.1

Homeownership
Fuel and utilities
Fuel oil and coal
Gas and electricity
Household furnishings and operation
Apparel and upkeep
Men's and boys'
Women's and girls'
Footwear
Transportation
Public
Health and recreation
Medical care
Personal care
Reading and recreation
Other goods and services
See footnote 1, table 2.




- 10 -

TABLE 6: Consun\fer Price Index—United States and Selected Areas
For Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, Food and its Subgroups
February 1970 Indexes and Percent Changes from January 1970

Food at home
Area 1/

Total
food

Cereals
Total

and
bakery
products

Meats,
poultry,
and fish

Dairy
products

Fruits

and
vegetables

Other
foods
at home

Food
away
from
home

Indexes (1957-59-100 unless otherwise specified)

U.S. City Average

Baltimore
Boston
Buffalo (Nov.1963-100) Chicago
Cincinnati
Cleveland
Dallas (Nov.1963-100) —
Detroit
•
Honolulu (Dec.1963-100)
Houston
Kansas City
Los Angeles-Long Beach Milwaukee
Minneapolis-St. Paul
New York
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
2>t •

LtOUXS »•»»••••*•••••••••••••••"•

San Diego (Feb.1965-100)
San Francisco-Oakland —
Seattle
Washington

131.5

127.4

126.3

129.7

128.8

132.4

118.1

151.5

130.7
135.4
135.0
127.0
133.2
127.8
128.4
125.9
130.2
122.9
133.3
135.8
127.2
130.1
130.6
134.7
132.0
128.0
137.4
121.3
128.7
129.2
136.2

127.5
129.8
129.2
125.4
131.3
124.1
125.6
123.1
128.0
121.1
127.9
132.2
121.6
127.4
126.2
128.3
126.5
125.2
133.2
118.1
123.3
122.9
130.9

118.7
130.3
129.1
110.2
132.5
121.6
118.0
115.2
124.1
116.1
131.5
134.3
123.8
119.0
123.9
124.5
126.4
124.2
132.6
111.7
122.6
114.0
122.8

129.2
132.2
134.0
128.4
134.4
130.5
130.4
129.2
137.5
126.6
126.5
135.1
119.5
131.3
130.3
130.2
123.4
133.2
138.2
131.4
125.4
127.3
133.4

126.5
127.6
123.9
124.7
138.0
124.3
127.7
126.3
136.2
116.0
131.1
141.3
124.1
138.5
134.9
122.1
136.6
120.5
139.8
113.5
122.0
130.0
127.8

134.0
138.1
138.2
138.0
129.4
127.1
131.1
120.0
117.8
123.0
137.2
126.7
132.0
125.4
122.3
140.6
134.4
128.0
141.5
105.3
129.1
125.6
135.0

126.4
120.1
117.9
121.2
120.3
114.2
117.4
119.8
115.9
116.5
116.8
122.6
109.0
118.6
119.5
119.3
115.4
116.1
116.1
116.3
113.9
114.6
127.0

142.3
159.5
160.2
136.9
142.2
147.2
144.6
136.9
143.0
128.4
156.6
148.8
147.6
145.4
151.1
161.9
161.1
145.8
153.7
129.9
152.5
155.0
156.6

Percent Changes January 1970 to February 1970
U.S. City Average

0.6

0.6

0.6

0.7

0.3

1.1

0.3

0.6

Atlanta
Baltimore

1.3
.4
.5
1.3
.3
.5
.5
.7
.3
.1
.8
.5
.8
.5

1.5
.4
.5
1.4
.3
.6
.6
.7
.4
.5
.6
.6
.8
.3
.9
.6
1.1
.3
.7
.8
.5
1.4
.7

.0
.2
.2
.2
.5
.6
.4
3.7
.7
.7
.9
2.4
.9
.5
3.0
1.1
1.4

3.0
.4
.8
.2

.6
.9
4
1.1
.1
.1
1.2
.2
.8
.0
.4
.1
.0
.1
.5
.0
.7
.2
.3
.1
.6
1.4
.5

3.1
1.5
1.2
6.8

.1
.7
.3
.2
.8
1.7
.3
.2
.9
1.6
.4
.4
2.3
.2
.1
.5
.4

.8
.6
.4
.6
.2
.1
.1
.7
.0
1.0
1.4
.3
.5
(2/)
.7
.9
.5
.8
.0
(2./)
.0
.1
2.0

D O S uOTi

—•«—•••——«M»~«»«——*»»

Buffalo (Nov.1963-100) Chicago
Cincinnati
Cleveland
Dallas (Nov.1963-100) —
Honolulu (Dec.1963-100)
Kansas City
Los Angeles-Long Beach Milwaukee
Minneapolis-St. Paul
New York
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
St. Louis
San Diego (Feb.1965-100)
San Francisco-Oakland —
Washington —

1.0
.4
.6
.6
.4
1.1
1.0

1/ See footnote 1, table 2.
2/ Not available.




.8
.8
.0
.2
.0
.5

.1
1.2
.8
1.3
1.0
1.0
1.3
1.4
1.2
.4
1.4
.9
.8
.5
.1
1.5
1.1
1.3
.2

.6

1.4
.6
.3
.2
5.5
.8
.3
1.1
.2
.2
1.4
3.5
1.4
3.4
.4
1.1
1.5
2.8

.9
.0

1.5
1.1
2.0
.6

- 11 -

TABLE 7: Consumer Price Index—United States City Average
For Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, Food Items
February 1970 Indexes and Percent changes from Selected Dates
(1957-59-100 unless otherwise specified)
Index
Item or Group

Total food
Food away from home
Restaurant meals
Snacks 1/
Food at home
Cereals and bakery products Flour
Cracker meal 1/
Corn flakes
Rice
Bread, white
Bread, whole wheat 1/
Cookies
Layer cake 1/
Cinnamon rolls \j —
Meats, poultry, and fish
Meats
Beef and veal
Steak, round
Steak, sirloin 2/
Steak, porterhouse \J
Rump roast 1/
Rib roast
Chuck roast
Hamburger
Beef liver 1/
Veal cutlets —
Pork
Chops
Loin roast 1)
Pork sausage \J
Ham, whole
Picnics 1/
Bacon
Other meats
Lamb chops 1/
Frankfurters Ham, canned 1/
Bologna sausage 1/
Salami sausage 1/ Liverwurst 1/
Poultry
Frying chicken
Chicken breasts 1/
Turkey 1/
~*
Fish
Shrimp, frozen 1/
Fish, fresh or frozen
Tuna fish, canned
Sardines, canned 1/
Dairy products
Milk, fresh, grocery —
Milk, fresh, delivered
Milk, fresh, skim 1/ —
Milk, evaporated
Ice cream —
Cheese, American process
Butter
See footnotes at end of table.




February 1970
Seasonally
adlusted
Unadlusted
131.8
131.5
151.5
151.6
132.0
127.7
127.4
126.3
112.1
130.2
130.2
114.2
132.6
125.5
101.7
119.9
116.7
129.7
130.4
133.9
134.6
133.0
133.5
126.4
126.4
120.4
126.1
120.1
141.8
142.4
126.7
126.6
140.5
141.3
119.9
166.0
166.0
137.2
138.4
139.5
140.8
146.2
148.6
134.0
132.8
139.9
138.8
142.4
136.0
136.3
140.8
134.2
135.4
136.6
137.7
128.6
131.4
99.1
98.5
97.7
110.4
115.9
138.3
137.9
126.2
148.1
147.8
121.6
126.5
128.8
128.9
126.2
126.5
133.1
127.3
127.4
102.1
154.8
154.6
119.5
119.4

Percent Change to February 1970 from—
January 1970
February
Seasonally
1969
Unadjusted
adjusted
Unadjusted
0.6
.6
.6
.5
.6
.6
.2
1.9
.0
.4
.3
.9
.4
1.5
.3
.7
.8
.6
.2
.8
.4
.5
.1
3.8
1.3
1.0
1.2
1.2
1.9
1.7
1.3
2.1
1.6
1.5
.5
.1
.0
1.3
.4
.5
1.0
.4
.9
.3
1.3
.9
.6
2.0
.9
.4
.3
.1
.3
.1
.8
.0
1.1
.3

0.8

.8

.5
.7
.5
.5

1.6
2.8
.3
1.2
1.6

.0
.8

.4
.1

-

5.2
1.0
2.0
.6
.6

.1

7.9
7.7
7.7
7.8
7.9
4.6
.4
10.7
.6
2.3
4.6
5.9
2.2
7.7
4.7
11.6
12.5
9.6
8.0
5.8
6.3
7.3
8.4
11.1
12.9
10.9
13.6
17.7
14.4
14.4
18.4
19.2
18.2
22.2
12.0
6.7
13.2
18.8
13.1
10.2
11.0
7.4
5.9
6.3
15.3
8.3
9.2
15.4
7.3
2.1
4.9
4.9
5.1
5.1
4.6
2.7
8.5
1.6

- 12 -

TABLE 7: Consumer Price Index—United States City Average
For Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, Food Items
February 1970 Indexes and Percent changes from Selected Dates--Continued
(1957-59-100 unless otherwise specified)

Item or Group

Fruits and vegetables
Fresh fruits and vegetables
Apples
Bananas ———Oranges
Orange juice, fresh 1/
Grapefruit
Grapes 31/—
Strawberries 3./
—
Watermelon 3y
Potatoes —
Onions —
Asparagus 3./ 1/
Cabbage —
Carrots —
Celery —
Cucumbers 1/
Lettuce —
Peppers, green 1/ —
Spinach 1/
Tomatoes
Processed fruits and vegetables
Fruit cocktail, canned
Pears, canned If.
Grapefruit-pineapple juice, canned _1/ —
Orange juice concentrate, frozen
Lemonade concentrate, frozen 2/
Beets, canned 1/
Peas, green, canned
Tomatoes, canned
Dried beans —
Broccoli, -frozen jL/ — • Other food at home
Eggs —
Fat8 and oils:
Margarine
Salad dressing, Italian 1/
Salad or cooking oil 1/
Sugar and sweets
Sugar
Grape jelly
Chocolate bar - —
Syrup, chocolate flavored 1/
Nonalcoholic beverages - —
Coffee, can and bag ~
Coffee, instant 4/
Tea
Cola drink - —
Carbonated fruit drink 1/ —
Prepared and partially prepared foods 1/
Bean soup, canned 1/
— — — — — — —
Chicken soup, canned 1/ — —
Spaghetti, canned 1/
—
Mashed potatoes, instant 1/
Potatoes, french fried, frozen 2j
Baby foods, canned
Sweet pickle relish 1/ —
Pretzels 1/
1/ December 1963-100.
2/ April 1960-100.
3/ Priced only in season.
4/ July 1961=100.




Index
Februa rv 1970
Seasonally
Unadiusted
adlusted
132.4
144.5
135.8
, 96.5
124.5
90.7
151.7
(3/)
(3/)
(3/)
151.1
166.9
(3/)
211.3
145.3
143.6
208.5
122.7
283.9
122.0
134.8
117.3
104.9
105.4
103.7
96.5
94.8

105.6
101.9
127.2
128.6
117.2
130.6
126.6
109.3
110.7
97.4
111.0
103.6
160.3
126.0
109.0
110.9
101.1
121.1
110.3
92.8
112.0
116.0
108.3

1.1
1.8
1.3
2.1

133.5
146.7
146.5
98.9
132.4

1.1
1.8
1.5
4.3
2.6

2.5
.2
5.6
(3/)
(3/)
(3/)

169.7
(3/)
(3/)
(3/)
156.7
171.7
(3/)
195.8
142.7
144.3

4.3
(3/)
(3/)
(3/)
1.9
13.8
(3/)
12.1
3.0
5.3

4.7
18.8
(3/)
12.0

4.4
2.2
2.5

127.5

-

10.8
22.8

'29.2

-

19.8

-

3.7

-

17.9

1.4

97.3

114.1
122.2
127.2
123.4
111.8
118.1
141.0

Percent Change to February 1970 from-.T miflTv 1970
February
Seasonally
1969
Unadjusted
adlusted
Unadiusted

117.4
133.5

.2
.4
.6
.7
.1
.3
.2
.2
.4
.2
.9
.3
1.4
.0
.6
.8

.4
.4
.7

-----

.4
1.1
1.5
2.6
1.3
.5
•6
.4
.5
1.1
.3
.2
.5

.1
—-

---

.1
.3
1.1

.4

-

6.2
9.2
15.2
1.9

1.7
3.1
7.1
(3/)
(3/)
(3/)
10.8
30.2
(3/)
37.4
27.1
28.7
21.6
6.4
47.8
10.6
1.2
1.7
1.9
4.3

5.1
1.8
3.9
.8
1.7
1.8
1.5
11.0

-

.4

8.0

3.7

21.3

3.2
.4
3.0
4.5
3.3

7.4
2.8
4.4
8.3
12.0
11.3
2.1
5.2
5.8
4.3
8.3
5.1
5.2
6.9
4.3
.2
3.3

1.3

- 13 -

TABLE 8: Consumer Price Index—U.S. City Average
For Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers
Indexes for Selected Items and Groups, February 1970
and Percent Changes from Selected Dates
(1957-59=100 unless otherwise specified)

Item or Group

Housing
•
—
Shelter 1/
Rent
Homeownership costs 1}
—
Mortgage interest rates
Property taxes
Property insurance rates
Maintenance and repairs
Commodities 3/
Exterior house paint
Interior house paint
Services
Repainting living and dining rooms
Reshingling roofs
Residing houses
Replacing sinks —•
Repairing furnaces
Fuel and utilities
Fuel oil and coal
Fuel oil, #2
Gas and electricity
Gas
Electricity
•
Other utilities:
Residential telephone services
Residential water and sewerage services .
Household furnishings and operation 4/
Housefurnishings
•
Textiles •
Sheets, percale or muslin
Curtains, tailored, polyester marquisette
Bedspreads, chiefly cotton, tufted
Jrapery fabric, cotton or rayon/acetate
Pillows, bed, polyester or acrylic filling
Slipcovers, ready made, chiefly cotton
Furniture and bedding
Bedroom suites, good or inexpensive quality
Living room suites, good and inexpensive
quality
Lounge chairs, upholstered
Dining room suites
Sofas, upholstered
Sofas, dual purpose
Sleep sets, (discontinued)
Box springs
Aluminum folding chairs 5_/
Cribs
Floor coverings
Rugs, soft surface
Rugs, hard surface
Tile,vinyl
Appliances 6/
Washing machines, electric, automatic
Vacuum cleaners, canister type
Refrigerators or refrigerator-freezers electric
Ranges, free standing, gas or electric
Clothes dryers, electric, automatic
Air conditioners, demountable 5/
Room heaters, electric, portable 5/
Garbage disposal units
Other housefurnishings:
Dinnerware, earthenware
Flatware, stainless steel
Table lamps, with shade
Lawn mowers, power, rotary type 5/
Electric drills, hand held
~
Housekeeping supplies:
Laundry soaps and detergents
Paper napkins
Toilet tissue —
Housekeeping services:
Domestic service, general housework
Baby sitter service
Postal charges
Laundry, flatwork, finished service
Licensed day care service, preschool child
Washing machine repairs




Other
Index
Bases

Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec .63
Dec .63
Dec .63
Dec .63
Dec .63

Dec.63
Dec.63

Dec .63
Dec .63
Dec .63
Detf .63
Dec .63
June 64
Dec .63

Indexes
February 1970 January 1970

Percent Change to February 1970
-From:
January 1 9 7 0 F e b r u a r y 1969

132.2
140.9
121.8
148.5
143.5
133.6
152.8
146.9
116.5
119.8
114.8
144.7
185.4
165.4
135.0
145.6
151.3
114.9
120.6
117.5
114.6
121.5
107.4

131.1
139.6
121.3
146.8
139.9
133.0
152.5
146.4
116.1
119.3
U4.1
144.1
184.6
164.9
134.6
145.2
150.0
114.6
119.7
116.6
114.1
120.5
107.4

0.8
.9
.4
1.2
2.6
.5
.2
.3
.3
.4
.6
.4
.4
.3
.3
.3
.9
.3
.4
.8
.0

11.1
15.1
2.8
3.2
2.8
4.0
4.7
3.3

102.8
147.5
120.8
111.1
115.7
120.8
112.7
116.6
125.8
106.8
112.3
124.6
129.5

103.0
147.5
120.1
110.5
114.2
117.3
111.6
115.0
125.0
106.1
111.0
124.1
128.6

.2
.0
.6
.5
1.3
3.0
1.0
1.4
.6
.7
1.2
.4
.7

.3
4.2
4.3
3.7
2.7
1.0
4.4
2.7
4.7
1.0
4.0
5.3
6.8

126.1
120.0
131.1
116.5
120.0

126.0
120.0
130.3
116.3
120.5

.1
.0
.6
.2
.4

4.0
7.1
5.3
4.0
5.2

122.5
(5./)
119.9
106.9
104.0
113.6
111.3
86.6
92.3

81.5
86.8
99.3

101.3

122.4

(I/)
119.6
106.8
104.0
113.2
110.3
86.5
91.8
81.8
86.1
99.0

7.2
9.3
3.9
11.2
13.8
5.7
4.7
8.5
2.3
4.5
3.2
11.2
11.4
10.7
9.5

2.3

(5/)
.3
.1
.0
.4
.9
.1
.5
.4
.8
.3
.5
(5/)
.0
.4

(5/)

5.9
.8
.5
3.3
4.2

1.4
2.6
.5
2.5
2.9

2.9

Dec.63
June 64
Dec.63
Dec.63

100.6
105.9

100.8
(5_/)
100.6
105.5

Dec.63
Dec.63
June 64
Dec.63

137.1
120.1
118.6
(5/)
103.0

136.2
119.2
118.3
(5_/)
102.9

.7
.8
.3
(5/)
.1

4.0
2.6
6.6

108.8
131.3
123.5

108.1
129.8
121.9

.6
1.2
1.3

3.3
2.9
6.0

182.0
138.6
165.5
147.9
132.0
138.3

180.5
137.6
165.5
147.5
132.0
136.6

.7
.0
.3
.0
1.2

7.2
6.5
.0
8.3
6.7
8.6

Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63

(I/)
3.2
2.6

(5/)

1.3.

TABLE 8: Consumer Price Index—U.S. City Average
For Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers — Continued
Indexes for Selected Items and Groups, February 1970
and Percent Changes from Selected Dates
(1957-59=100 unless otherwise specified)

Item and Group

Apparel and upkeep ~jj
Apparel commodities
Apparel commodities less footwear
Men's and boys'
Men's:
Topcoats, wool 5/
Suits, year round weight
Suits, tropical weight 5/
Jackets, lightweight
Slacks, wool or wool blend
Slacks, cotton or manmade blend
Trousers, work, cotton
Shirts, work, cotton
Shirts, business, cotton
T-shirts, chiefly cotton
Socks, cotton
Handkerchiefs, cotton
Boy's:
Coats, all purpose, cotton or cotton blend bj
Sport coats, wool or wool blend 5_l
Dungarees, cotton or cotton blend
Undershirts, cotton
Women's and girls'
Women's:
Coats, heavyweight, wool or wool blend 5/
Carcoats, heavyweight, cotton 5/
Sweaters, wool or acrylic 5/
Skirts, wool or wool blend 5/
Skirts, cotton or cotton blend 5J
31ouses, cotton
Dresses, street, chiefly manmade fiber
Dresses, street, wool or wool blend 5J
Dresses, street, cotton j>/
Housedresses, cotton
Slips, nylon
Panties, acetate
Girdles, manmade blend
Brassieres, cotton
Hose, nylon seamless
Anklets, cotton
Gloves, fabric, nylon or cotton
Handbags, rayon faille or plastic
Girl's:
Raincoats, vinyl plastic or chiefly cotton 5/
Skirts, wool or wool blend _5_/
Dresses, cotton
Slacks, cotton 5/
Slips, cotton blend
Robes, duster style, quilted tricot or
percale _5/
Handbags
Footwear
Men's:
Shoes, street, oxford
Shoes, work, high
Women's:
Shoes, street, pump
Shoes, evening, pump
Shoes, casual,,pump
Houseslippers, scuff
Children's:
Shoes, oxford
Sneakers, boys', oxford type
Dress shoes, girls', strap
Miscellaneous apparel:
Diapers, cotton gauze
Yard goods, cotton
Wrist watches, men's and women's
Apparel services:
Drycleaning, men's suits and women's dresses
Automatic laundry service
Laundry, men's shirts
Tailoring charges, hem adjustment
Shoe repairs, women's heel lift




Other
Index
Bases

Id
February 1970

January 1970

130.0
129.3
126.2

129.3
128.6
v 125.5
130.8

131.0
141.1
June 64
Dec.63

Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63

Dec.63
Dec.63
Sept.61
Mar.62

Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63

Percent change to February 1970
From:
February 1969

January 1970
0.5
.5

.6
.2

153.9
(5/)
125.6
129.6
119.4
116.4
124.9
123.2
133.3
121.3
113.9

143.7
154.2
(5/)
125.5
130.0
117.6
116.0
124.4
122.5
132.4
120.9
113.8

1.8
.2
(5/)
.1
.3
1.5
.3

114.3
(5/)
129.4
129.9
125.4

114.2
127.8
128.9
130.1
124.2

.1
(5/)
.4
.2
1.0

(5/)
(5/)
(5/)
121.0
(5/)
124.9
158.7
(5/)
(5/)
153.5
114.6
112.7
120.9
125.6
98.3
122.5
111.0
118.5

124.9
128.4
116.3
135.6
(5/)
126.9
155.9
144.2
(5/)
152.3
113.4
112.0
120.5
124.4
98.5
121.0
110.7
116.4

(5/)
(5/)

118.9

.4
.6
.7
.3

.1

(5/)
-

10.8

(5/)

4.9
5.0
4.7
4.5
2.6
6.4
(5/)

2.4
5.0
7.6
1.1
3.1
2.6
3.6
3.2
2.7
5.6
(5/)
3.6

4.8
5.1
(5/)

(5/)
(5/)

15.9
(5/)

1.6
1.8
(5/)
(5/)
.8

3.1
8.5

1.1

4.8
4.3

.6
.3
1.0

.2
1.2

(5/)
(5/)
7.7

2.3
5.5
.3

6.9

.3
1.8

4.0
6.9

132.3
125.4
107.8

118.1
117.4
129.8
128.4
108.0

.7
(5/)
1.9
2.3
.2

.0
(5/)
.2
6.5
1.1

(5/)
114.9
145.0

115.4
113.7
144.4

(5/)
1.1
.4

(5/)
6.7
6.0

142.3
141.4

141.3
140.9

.7
.4

5.9
5.9

Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63

151.6
124.8
135.7
127.8

151.8
124.2
134.2
128.0

.1
.5
1.1

4.6
6.3
10.8

.2

4.2

Dec.63
Dec.63

145.9
120.0
136.6

144.3
119.6
136.6

1.1
.3
.0

6.4
3.7
7.0

Dec.63

104.3
124.6
103.8

104.0
123.3
103.3

.3
1.1
.5

2.4
7.6
2.9

134.6
112.3
128.0
127.4
125.0

133.8
112.0
126.8
127.0
124.6

.6
.3
.9

4.3
4.1
5.5
5.0
4.5

Dec.63

(5/)
Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63

Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63

.3
.3

TABLE 8: Consumer Price Index—U.S. City Average
For Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers — Continued
Indexes for Selected Items and Groups, February 1970
and Percent Changes from Selected Dates
(1957-59=100 unless otherwise specified)

Item and Group

Transportat ion
Private **/
Automobiles, new
Automobiles, used
Gasoline, regular and premium
Motor oil, premium
Tires, new, tubeless
••
Auto repairs and maintenance _9_/
Auto insurance rates
Auto registration
Parking fees, private and municipal
Public
Local transit fares
Taxicab fares
Railroad fares, coach
Airplane fares, chiefly coach
Bus fares, intercity
Health and recreation
Medical care
Drugs and prescriptions
Over-the-counter items
Multiple vitamin concentrates
Aspirin compounds
Liquid tonics
Adhesive bandages, package
Cold tablets or capsules
Cough syrup
Prescriptions
Anti-infectives
Sedatives and hypnotics
Ataractics
Anti-spamodics
Cough preparations
.
Cardiovasculars and anti-hypertensives
<
Analgesics, internal '•
Anti-obesity
:
Hormones
Professional services:
Physicians' fees
Family doctor, office visits
Family doctor, house visits
Obstetrical cases
Pediatric care, office visits
Psychiatrist, office visits
Herniorrhaphy, adult
Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy
Dentists' fees
Fillings, adult,- amalgam, one surface
Extractions, adult
Dentures, full upper
Other professional services:
Examination, prescription, and dispensing of
eyeglasses
Routine laboratory tests
Hospital service charges:
Daily service charges
Semiprivate rooms
"Private rooms
Operating room charges
X-ray, diagnostic series, upper G.I.
Personal care
Toilet goods
Toothpaste, standard dentrifrice
Toilet soap, hard milled
Hand lotions, liquid
Shaving cream, aerosol
Face powder, pressed
Deodorants, cream or roll-on
Cleansing tissues
Home permanent refills
Personal care services
Men's haircuts
Beauty shop services
Women's haircuts
Shampoo and wave sets, plain —?
Permanent waves, cold




Other
•Index
Bases

•Indexes
February 1970 L January 1970

127.3
123.
104.
120.
116.6
140.7
118.2
139.2
173.4

0 .0
.0

.0

183 .8

140 .3
123 .1
165 .1
183 .3

131.5
117.2
117.4
127 .9

131.5
117.2
117.4
127.9

140 .7
160 .1
100 .0
107 .2
90 .8
107 .4

140.1
159.0
99.7

127 .3
123 .3
104.6
117.8

116.7
141.4
118.5
140 .2
176.0
140.3
Dec.63

Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63

Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63

128.2
165.4

101 2
118 .2
111 .5
113 .0
89 7

107 .2
92 .3
106 .2
101.3
117.8
111.0

113 .4

63 0

89 .3
62 .8

112 0

110.6

90 0

90 .0
101 .5
112 .7
98 .3
104,.3
104,.8
93,.6

Mar.60
Mar.60
Mar.60
Mar.60
Mar.60
Mar.60
Mar.67
Mar.67
Mar.67

105 5
93 6

Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63

161
164
169
157
147
133
126

Dec.63

152. 6
148. 4
150. 3
145. 9
131. 3

160,.7
163,.1
167..9
155,.9
146,.5
133,.0
126..3
152.3
148..0
149..8
146..0
130..6

Dec.63

135. 7
119. 8
275. 6
271. 9
265. 9
175. 4
125. 4
129.0
112. 4
114.3
124.3
110.0
102. 1
129. 1

Dec.63
Dec.63

Dec.63

Dec.63

Dec.63

.Percent change to February 1970
From:
January 1970
February 1969

101 6
115 2
98 8
105 0

6
0
0
6

7
7
7

96.1
114. 4
98.6
149. 5
158. 7
140.0
125. 4
157. 5
108. 9

.1
2 .4

.1
.5
.3

.7
1.5

4.1
.2
.3
.0
.0
.0
.0

.4
.7
.3
.0
1.6

1.1
.1
.3
.5
.4
.4
.3
1,.3
.0

.1
2 .2

.5
.7
.7
.0

.6
.6
.7

1..1
.8

.5
.3
.2
.3
.3

4.3
3 .4
2.2
3 .9
1.9
5.1
3 .1
6.9
13 .0
7 .3
10 .0
13 .7
16 .0
5 .4
8 .1
13 .6
8 .6
5 .2
5 .8

1.4
.8

1.5
1.7
.2
1.5
3 .1
.7
1.9
1.0
6.7
.2
.5
8 .3
3 .0
2.8

3 .3
1.2
6.9
7 .9
6 .4
8 .0
6 .3
6 .8
3 .2
4 .3

6.5

.5

7 .2
5 .4
5 .8

134.,6
119.,6

.8
,2

5 .6
4.1

271.,6
268.,0
261.,8
172. 8
124.,7
128..5
112. 0
114.,1
123. 0
109. 2
102. 1
128. 1
96.0
113. 8
98. 6
148.,9
158.0
139. 2
125.3
156.8
107. 5

1,,5
1.,5
1.,6
1.,5
,6
,4
,4
,2
1.1
,7

.1

11.9
12.3
11.5
10 .9

4.2
3 .9
2 .9

.9
.6

4 .4

0

.3

,8

6.3
2.3
7.1
2.7
4 .9
5,.4
4,.6
4,.1

,1
5

0

4
4
6

1
4
1.3

5..2

3,.4

TABLE 8: Consumer Price Index—U.S. City Average
For Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers — Continued
Indexes for Selected Items and Groups, February 1970
•and Percent Changes from Selected Dates
(1957-59-100 unless otherwise specified)

Item and Group

Reading and recreation _ip/ —
Recreational goods
TV sets, portable and console
TV replacement tubes
Radios, portable and table model
Tape recorders, portable
Phonograph records, stereophonic
Movie cameras, Super 8, zoom lens
Film, 35mm, color
Golf balls, liquid center
Basketballs, rubber or vinyl cover
Fishing rods, fresh water spincast
Bicycle, boys'
Tricycles
Dog food, canned or boxed

Other
Index
Bases

Other goods and services
Tobacco products
Cigarettes, nonfilter tip, regular size
Cigarettes, filter tip, king size
Cigars, domestic, regular size
Alcoholic beverages
Whiskey, spirit blended and straight bourbon
Wine, dessert and table
•
Away from home
Financial and miscellaneous personal expenses:
Funeral services, adult
'
Bank service charges, checking accounts
Legal services, short form will

February 1970

January 1970
133.1
99.1
80.0
116.6
76.4
90.0
98.0
82.1
99.1
103.9
115.5
116.7
100.9
110.7
112.0
108.1
133.9
211.7
207.3
226.9
165.6
115.3

Dec.63

133.2
99.2
79.9
117.3
76.1
90.2
97.9
81.6
99.7
103.7
115.6
115.4
100.5
111.2
112.0
109.2
133.7
210.5
206.1
225.4
167.0
115.0
(11/)
99.5
117.7

Dec.63
Dec.63

159.8
129.3
127.7

Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63

Indoor movie admissions
Adult — — — — — — — — —
Drive-in movie admissions, adult
Bowling fees, evening
Golf greens fees
TV repairs, picture tube replacement
Film developing, black and white
Reading and education:
Newspapers, street sale and delivery
Magazines, single copy and subscription Piano lessons, beginner

Indexes

Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63

(II/)

'Percent change to February 1970
From:
January 1970
February 1969
0 1
.1
.1
.6
.4
.2
.1
.6
.6
.2 ,
.1
1.1
.4
.5
.0
1.0
.1
.6
.6
.7
.8
.3

3.7
1.5
.2
2.3
.3
1.0
2.1
3.4
1.1
.3
4.7
.8
2.7
3.6
4.5
1.7
5.5
9.3
9.5
8.7
8.7
4.5

(Ii/)

ii

.7
.3

3.0
1.9

160.2
126.3
127.6

.2
2.4
.1

4.9
8.4
5.0

Dec.63
Dec.63

134.3
154.9
162.7
154.8
108.7
121.4
116.9
111.3
116.8
127.6

133.9
154.1
161.8
154.0
109.0
121.0
116.5
111.2
116.5
127.1

.3
.5
.6
.5
.3
.3
.3
.1
.3
.4

6.8
9.3
9.5
10.2
2.6
5.0
3.5
2.2
8.3
7.4

Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63

118.1
110.0
142.7

117.7
110.2
142.3

.3
.2
.3

4.4
2.4
11.3

130.3
120.4
123.7
155.0
154.1
149.8

129.8
120.1
123.2
153.2
152.9
149.4

.4
.2
.4
1.2
.8
.3

5.5
4.1
4.0
10.2
10.2
5.0

Mar.59

100.2
117.4

Other special groups:
All items less shelter
Commodities less food
Nondurables less food and apparel
Household services less rent
Transportation services
Other services

1/ Also includes hotel and motel rates not shown separately.
2/ Also Includes home purchase costs not shown separately.
3/* Also includes pine.shelving, furnace air filters, packaged dry cement mix, and shrubbery not shown separately.
kj Also includes Venetian blinds, nails, carpet sweepers, air deodorizers, steel wool scouring pads, envelopes, reupholstering,
and moving expenses.
57 Priced only in season.
6>/ Also includes radios and television sets, shown separately under reading and recreation.
2/ Also includes men's sport shirts, women's and girls' lightweight coats, women's slacks, cocktail dresses, bathing suits,
girls' shorts, earrings, and zippers not shown separately.
8>/ Also includes recapped tires and drivers' license fees not shown separately.
£/ Includes prices for water pump replacement, motor tune-up, automatic trasmission repair,1 exhaust system repair, front
end alignment, and chassis lubrication.
10/ Also includes outboard motors, nondurable toys, college tuition fees, paperback books, and college textbooks, not shown
separately.
11/ Not available.




- 17 -

Reliability of Percent Changes in the CP1

A system of "reiplicated" 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 annual percent changes in the CPI for all
items and for nine commodity groupings based on 1969 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 from the corresponding "complete coverage" change by less than
twice the standard error. Data also are shown in terms of the relative error of the
standard error of percent changes. The relative errors tend to decrease markedly for
successively longer time periods, as expected.
Because the CPI is rounded to one decimal place, some ambiguity may arise in
interpreting small index changes. The table below indicates, for example, that 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 from a much smaller
change in the unrounded 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.
Standard and Relative Errors of Percent Changes in the
CPI Based on 1969 Data

Standard Error
Component

All items
Food at home
Food away from home
Housing
Apparel
Transportation
Medical care
Personal care
Reading and recreation —
Other goods and services-

Monthly
Change
.03
.07
.08
.06
.14
.08
.13
.12
.09
.13

Quarterly
Change
.05
.11
.14
.09
.23
.13
.19
.20
.13
.20

Relative Error

Annual
Change

Monthly
Change

.07
.13
.28
.15
.22
.14
.36
.32
.20
.34

.07
.10
.13
.10
.25
.13
.24
.36
.33
.25

Quarterly
Change
.04
.07
.08
.06
.18
.10
.12
.20
.15
.14

Annual
Change
.01
.03
.05
.02
.04
.04
.05
.07
.05
.08

This replaces the table of average errors based on 1968 data which was included
in the CPI report through December 1969.

1/ The method of deriving these estimates is described in a paper by Marvin Wilkerson,
"Measurement of Sampling Error in the Consumer Price Index," Journal of the American
Statistical Association, September 1967.




- 18 -

Brief Explanation of the CPI
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 1957-59*100, and are
also available on the bases of 1947-49-100 and 1939-100.
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:
Alabama - Florence
Alaska - Anchorage
California - Bakersfield*
Colorado - Denver*
Connecticut - Hartford*
Florida - Orlando*
Indiana - Indianapolis*
Indiana - Logansport
Illinois - Champaign-Urbana*
Iowa - Cedar Rapids*
Kansas - Wichita*

Louisiana - Baton Rouge*
Maine - Portland*
Massachusetts - Southbridge
Michigan - Niles
Minnesota - Crookston
Mississippi - Vicksburg
New Jersey - Millville
New York - Kingston
North Carolina - Durham*
North Dakota - Devils Lake
Ohio - Dayton*

Ohio - Findlay
Oklahoma - Mangum
Oregon - Klamath Falls
Pennsylvania - Lancaster*
South Carolina - Union
Tennessee - Nashville*
Texas - Austin*
Texas - McAllen
Utah - Orem
Virginia - Martinsville
Wisconsin - Green Bay*

*Standard 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
(addresses below).
BLS Regional Offices
1371 Peachtree Street, N.E.
Atlanta, Georgia 30309

341 Ninth Avenue
New York, New York 10001

219 South Dearborn Street
Chicago, Illinois 60604

450 Golden Gate Avenue
San Francisco, California 94102

John F. Kennedy Fed. lildg.
Boston, Massachusetts 02203

911 Walnut Street
Kansas City, Missouri

413 N. Akard Street
Dallas, Texas 75201

1317 Filbert Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107




64106

* U . S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1970395-12* (110)