Full text of CPI Detailed Report : July 1958

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Released August 22, 1958
U.S. DEFARTMLNT OF L A B ®
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Washington 25, B . C.
CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FOR JULY 1958
Consumer prices in United States cities increased 0.2 percent between
June and July 1958, according to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor
Statistics. Higher prices for transportation, food, and medical care accounted for the
advance. Prices of housing and recreation declined slightly.
The July Consumer Price Index was 123.9 percent of the 1947-49
average, 2.6 percent higher than in July 1957.
TRANSPORTATION

The advance of 1.0 percent in transportation costs, both private and
public, was the largest factor in the price rise in July. Gasoline
prices rose 2.2 percent as price wars ended in several citieso Prices of used cars
increased 2.9 percent, but new car prices were unchanged on the average. Transit fares
advanced 1.1 percent, because of increases in five cities.
FOCD

Food prices were up 0.1 percent during the month, as higher prices of
pork, eggs, and milk more than offset price reductions for fresh
fruits and vegetables. The July food price index, at 121.7, was 3.7 percent higher than
in July 1957.

Prices of meats, poultry, and fish averaged 0.8 percent higher.
Pork prices rose 2.0 percent, with increases of 3 #6 percent for bacon, 1.1 percent for
chops, and 0.9 percent for ham. Prices of beef and veal were down 0.2 percent, with
fractional declines for all items except hamburger. Poultry prices declined 0.5 percent.
Prices of fruits and vegetables dropped 1.8 percent, primarily
because of more plentiful supplies of fresh produce. Fresh fruit prices fell 4.1 percent,
with a sharp reduction for watermelons. (Peaches, priced for the first time this season,
were substantially lower than last season). Prices of bananas and lemons were slightly
lower, but orange prices rose seasonally. Fresh vegetable prices were down 1.8 percent,
as tomato prices fell 7.4 percent, celery 8.4 percent, cabbage 12.1 percent, and potatoes
1.0 percent. Prices of lettuce, carrots, and sweet potatoes were higher. Processed
fruits and vegetables were higher on the average, largely because of further increases
in prices of both frozen and canned orange juice.
Prices of eggs and fresh milk rose seasonally but coffee prices
continued to decline. Restaurant meal prices were up 0.1 percent.
MEDICAL CARE

The medical care index was up 0.5 percent, primarily because of
substantial increases in rates for group hospitalization insurance
in Minneapolis,
Hospital room rates and fees for dentists'
1 Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh.
and physicians services also advanced. Prices of prescriptions and drugs declined
slightly.
HOUSING

The decline of 0.1 percent in housing was the result of lower prices
for home repairs and maintenance and housefurnishings, which more
than offset advances in other housing subgroups© Prices of home maintenance dropped 0.6
percent, with reductions in prices of water heaters and paint; prices of painting
services, however, were higher. Housefurnishings prices declined 0.1 percent with lower
prices for sheets, as some retailers began their white sales in July. Floor coverings
prices also declined slightly, as did prices of vacuum cleaners and refrigerators.




2
Rents continued their upward movement, with an increase of 0*1
percent. Increases of 0*8 percent in prices of both anthracite and bituminous coal
raised the solid fuels and fuel oil index 0.5 percent. Slightly higher gas bills
resulted in an increase of 0.1 percent in the gas and electricity subgroup. The rise of
0.1 percent in household operation vas largely due to higher rates for telephone service
in one city, although laundry and dry cleaning services were also higher. Frices of
laundry soap and detergents declined.
OTHER COMMODITIES
AND SERVICES

The rise of 0.2 percent in personal care reflected scattered increases
for barber and beauty shop services, and some toiletries. Prices of
toilet soap and cleansing tissues were lover.

Apparel
prices averaged unchanged for the third consecutive
month,
f
1
as 8ale prices for men s summer suits, trousers, and shoes, and boys sport shirts
offset advances in prices of men's regular weight suits and girls' cotton dresses.
The reading and recreation group declined 0.1 percent as price
reductions for sporting goods and radios more than offset higher prices for television
sets and repair services, movie admissions, and newspapers.




TABIB 11 Consumer Price Index—United States city average
Major group, subgroup, and special group indexes, July 1958,
and percent changes from selected dates

3

(1947-4-9=100 unless otherwise specified)
Percent change to July 1958 from —

Indexes
Group

All itemsFoodFood at hone
Cereals and bakery productsMeats9 poultry, and fish
Dairy products• •• • Fruits and vegetables
Other food at hcsoeFood away from hcne (Jan* 1953=100)

July
1958

June
1958

123.9

123.7

121.7
120.5
132.9

121.6

111.8
112.8

120.4
132.9
118.3
111.7
134.3
110.9
112.7

Housing 2/—
Rent
Gas and electricity
Solid fuels and fuel oilHousefurnishings
Household operation

127.7
137.8
117.0
132.3
1Q4.0
131.2

127.8
137.7
116.9
131.7
104.1
131.1

Apparel1
Men's and boys
Women's and girls'Footwear
Other apparel-

106.7

108.5

98.6
92.0

108.8

129.7

129.8

Transportation^
Public
Private-

140.3
189.5
129.3

Medical care—
Personal careReading and recreation—
Other goods and servioes-

144.6
128.9

119.2
112.4
131.9

June
1958

0.2
.1
.1
0
.8
.6
1.8
.8
.1
.1
.1
.1
.5
.1
.1

April
1958

July
1957

0.3

2.6

.1
0
.2
2.8
.1

3.7
3.8

3.4
.5
.7

0

1.6

8.9
1.7
3.9

.1

3.0

1.8

.4
.9
1.4

1.9
4.2

0
.3

.1
.1
.1

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

138.9
187.7
128.0

1.0

1.0

1.4

1.8

3.3
5.2
2.9

143.9

.5

.2
.1

1.3
.3
.3

4.5
3.4
3.7
.5

.3
.3

2.1

106.7
98.5

91.9

128.6

1.0

116.6
127.2

116.7
127.2

125.4

125.2
121.4

.2
.2

116.6

.2
.2

1.3

0

0

2.6

.1
2.6
.2
.3
0
1.2
.1

Special groupsi
All iteas less foodAll items less shelter—
CoHDoditiesNondurablesFood—
Nondurables less foodApparel—
Nondurables less food and apparelDurables
New carsUsed cars (Jan. 1953=100)Durables less cars

121.6
116.8

119.4
121.7
116.9
106.7

119.2

109.8

109.6

84.1
103.1

125.8

130.8

121.6

116.7
106.7
125.4

130.8
81.7
103.4

0
.3
.2
0
2.9
.3

.2

Commodities less food-

113.1

112.9

ServicesRent
Services less rent-

142.6

137.8
144.1

142.3
137.7
143.8

.2

$0,807

$0,808

.1

Purchasing power of the consumer dollar
(1947-49=#1.00)

.5
5.0
.4

.2

.1

1/ Not available.
g/ Includes house purchase, taxes, insurance, and upkeep, not shown separately.




.2

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

.1
.2

-

2.6

2.1

2.3
3.7
.5

.2
.8

1.5
3.1
3.2
.7

.3

.8

.4
.4
.4

3.4
1.9
3.7

.4

- 2.5

4
TABLE 2s Consumer Price Index—All items indexes and percent changes, selected dates
U.S. city average and 20 large cities

Percent change to
current month from —
April
July
Year
1958
1957
1939

Indexes (1947-49=100)
City

July
1958

United States city average

123.9

127.6
124.3
125.4
121.1
123.3

July
1957

Year
1939

123.5

120.8

59.4

127.0
124.4
125.6
121.2
122.9

124.1
123.1
121.1
118.4
121.2

58.6
59.0
60.4
60.1
59.2

July
1957

Year
1939

122.1
121.7
121.6
120.7
122.2

61.0
61.7
60.7
58.1
58.3

June
1957

Year
1939

April
1958

0.3

2.6

108.6

.5
.1
.2
.1
.3

2.8
1.0
3.6
2.3
1.7

117.7
110.7
107.6
101.5
108.3

July
1957

Year
1939

2.7
2.5
2.7
3.3
2.0

105.6
102.3
105.8
114.6
113.9

March
1958

June
1957

Year
1939

0
.6
.3
0
1.0

3.1
3.0
2.5
2.6
4.2

114.2
115.5
110.1
109.9
118.4

May
1957

Year
1939

2.7
2.1
3.7
2.7
3.5

111.1
107.9
106.3
113.0
100.8

Cities priced monthly l/
Chicago—
Detroit
Los A n g e l e s —

- -- •——

...

Philadelphia
Cities priced in January, April,
July, October 7j
Boston
Kansas City--"
Minneapolis •
Pittsburgh—
Portland, Oregon

•

July
1958
—--

•

--•

•—
—

Cities priced in March, June,
September, December
Atlanta

"

Cincinnati
St. LouieSan Francisco

"

-

124.5
123.7
124.1
123.8
125.0

125.4
124.8
124.9
124.7
124.7

March
1958

June
1958
T-.-i.-rn-

..

i—in i— ..,

•••

—

Cities priced in February, May,
August, November 7j
Cleveland
Houston-—
Scranton— Seattle
Washington, D . C.

April
1958

...,.,. -.-.,..
—

—
. ., „., —
—

124.9
124.8
122.7
124.5
128.0

124.9
124.1
122.3
124.5
126.7

121.2
121.2
119.7
121.3
122.8

58.3
57.9
58.4
59.3
58.6

May
1958

February
1958

May
1957

Year
1939

125.0
123.7
120.7
126.1
121.3

124.5
122.3
119.1
125.0
120.3

121.7
121.1
116.4
122.8
117.2

59.2
59.5
58.5
59.2
60.4

-

April
1958

-

.7
.9
.6
.7
.2

February
1958
•4
1.1
1.3
.9
.8

X/ Rents priced bimonthly.
2/ Foods, fuels, and a few other items priced monthly; rents and other commodities and services priced quarterly.

TABLE 3 s Consumer Price Index — Percent changes from June 1953
to July 1958
U.S. city average and five cities priced monthly
All items and commodity groups

City
United States city averageChicagoDetroitLos AngelesNew York
Philadelphia-




All
items

Food

Housing

0.2

0.1

0.1

.1

.6

.1

•1

.2
.1
.2

.2
0
.1
.6

.2
.2
.1
•2

Apparel

0.5

.1
.5
.1

1.3

Transportation

Medical
care

1.0

0.5

.3

0

.2

1.9
.3

.8

.1

.4
0
3.3

Reading
and
Personal
recreation
care

0.2
.1
0
.5
1.3
0

- 0.1

- 1.1
3.3

- 1.6
-

.9
.3

TABUS k: Consumer Price Index — All items and commodity groups
July 1958 indexes and percent changes, April 1958 to July 1958
U.S. city average and 10 cities priced in July 1958
U.S.
City
Kansas
Average Boston Chicago Detroit City

Group

Mew
York

Los MinneAngeles apolis

Phila- Pittsdelphia burgh

Portland
fregon

Indexes (19^7-^9»100)
123.9

125.4

127.6

124.3

124.8

125.4

124.9

121.1

123.3

124.7

124.7

121.7
120.5
132.9
119.2
112.4
131.9
111.8

121.9
120.3
131.6
118.5
110.5
136.0
108.2

119.5
117.6
123.9
112.4
111.8
131.9
116.0

122.8
121.3
125.6
115.5
109.1
145.2
113.1

114.^9
112.8
127.6
115.6
92.6
122.8
105.6

123.8
120.4
141.1
118.2
109.6
130.1
111.1

119.6
118.7
134.1
112.3
104.1
135.8
118.8

121.7
120.1
137.7
118.8
114.8
126.8
11Q.3

124.7
122.7
134.5
120.2
118.3
135.4
110.1

123.8
123.1
131.0
118.8
114.1
135.3
121.9

121.4
120.6
135.6
120.8
117.0
121.0
114.9

127.7
137.8
117.0
132.3
104.0
131.2

132.7
142.4
114.7
132.3
102.7
127.6

137.7
164.2
123.3
135.1
102.1
135.0

127.5

134.7
146.1
131.5
99.6
118.5

127.6
152.9
127.6
128.8
9 8.8
132.9

124.2

117.9
125.8
106.7
121.4

125.6
141.1
120.9
120.1
102.6
136.3

116.2
135.6
104.0
130.6

120.7
126.5
103.4
126.8
108.7
134.2

126.9
130.5
130.6
131.1
106.7
137.1

127.6
135.7
102.0
139.9
106.0
128.2

Other apparel

106.7
108.5
98.6
129.7
92.0

106.0
104.6
101.0
124.1
102.0

110.2
115.3
99.0
134.3
96.3

103.1
108.8
92.4
124.4
84.9

104.0
107.9
95.7
124.2
87.6

107.9
112.8
98.3
130.9
85.1

107.8
109.0
101.9
125.8
93.6

105.6
107.4
96.4
131.4
95.8

103.1
109.1
91.7
128.8
91.6

104.3
102.9
97.1
126.2
99.5

111.4
113.4
101.8
137.0
98.3

Public
Private

140.3
189.5
129.3

149.0
168.1
142.6

148.8
195.6
130.3

131.9
155.6
127.3

148.5
251.4
133.8

136.5
162.1
132.1

•124.9
166.8
•119.5

139.4
190.2
119.9

145.4
188.1
125.4

152.3
236.1
125.7

138.1
196.8
131.2

144.6
128.9
116.6
127.2

156.6
129.8
113.4
125.1

150.6
129.7
124.4
121.4

151.4
133.9
117.6
136.4

169.7
129.1
127.4
125.4

137.4
132.6
101.6
124.0

189.6
136.6
124.7
131.2

130.8
123.1
118.7
126.4

148.6
134.5
118.8
128.7

154.1
125.1
108.3
127.6

140.4
132.8
123.4
127.2

All items
Food at home
—
— — —
Cereals and bakery products
Meats, poultry, and fish
Dairy products
— —
Fruit8 and vegetables
Other foods at home
Housing

—
—
—

—

Gas and electricity
Solid fuels and fuel oil
Housefurnishings
Household operation

—
—

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

—
— —

Medical care
Reading and recreation - - - — - — - -

—

Percent change from

April 1958

to July 1958

0.3

0.7

0.5

0.9

- 0.2

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

.1
0
.2
2.8
- .1
- 3.4
- .5

1.2
1.1
.5
3.8
- 3.0
1.9
.3

.9
.9
- .4
3.8
.6
- .1
- 1.4

.2
.2
0
2.1
- 1.0
- 2.3
- 1.0

- .5
- 1.1
0
2.9
- 6.2
- 4.8
- .8

- 1.1
- 1.6
- .1
1.5
1.0
- 8.5
- 1.5

.3
.3
.1
2.7
- .6
- 4.3
- .6

Rent
— — — — — — —
Gas and electricity — — — — — —
Solid fuels and fuel oil
Housefurnishings — — — — — —

0
.4
.9
- 1.4
0
.2

.6
.6
2.4
.2
- .3
.3

.4
I/.1
7.5
- .7
- .3
- .1

- 1.2

-

- .1
1/ -3
- .6

.3
.7
0
.8
.9
.1

Men's and boys'

-

0
.5
.4
.1
.1

7
.4
1.5
.1
- 1.4

-

-

Footwear
— —
Other apparel —
Transportation
Public
Private

— — — — — —
—

—

—

—

— — — — — — — —
*

Medical care

-

1.4
1.8
1.3
1.3
.3
- .3
0

Reading and recreation
Other goods and services

#

-

.9
3.1
.4
.9




April
122,2
116.5

-faTiTTT
124.0
118.5

-

—

.9
- 3.3
- .7
0

-

-

.1
0
.4
0
.6
.3

—

- 1.1
- 2.4

0.6

0.3

0.7

- 0.2

.3
.3
0
1.9
.7
- 3.9
- 1.3

1.1
1.1
.5
3.2
2.3
0
- 1.6

.9
1.2
.2
4.1
- .3
- .7
.1

.2
.2
.2
3.2
0
- 5.6
1.2

0
2.4
- 1.1
- .1
0

- .4
1/.7
0
- 9.6
- .4
1.7

.2
.5
.3
0
.8
.1

- 1.0
- .1
0
0
- 1.9
.2

.6
.1
.2
.1

- 1.0
.3
- .4
.1

1.9
- 2.7
.1
- .4

- 2.5
- .6
0
- .7

.7
.6
1.0
- .2

-

-

- 0.1
-

—

-

.6
.3
.2
.2

- .5
- 1.0
- .2
- .3
4.6
0
5.5

1.9
0
2.2

2.2
0
2.6

.1
0
.1

.3
0
.5

2.4
8.0
.6

.9
0
.9

10.9
.7
- 2.8
- .4

.5
- .4
- 1.9
0

8.7
.1
0
0

.5
1.3
.5
.1

3.6
0
- .7
0

4.5
.3
0
.2

0
.5
.7
.2

.3
0
.4

.4
0
.5

•8
0
1.0

1.2
.3
1.0
.1

.1
.4
- 1.3
- .5

.3
.1
3.6
.4

V Change from May 1958 to July 1958.
* Indexes for April and January revised, as followsi
Index
Transportation
Private

- 0.1

—

—

-

.5
.4
.8
.5

-

-

-

TABUS 5: Consumer Price Index — Pood and it* subgroups
July 1958 indexes and percent changes, June 1958 to July 1958
U.S. city average and 20 laram cities

[>S*7-*9.100]

Total
food at home

Total food
City

Percent
chaise

Index

U.S. city average

—

Atlanta
Baltimore
Boston — — — — —
Chicago
Cincinnati
— —
Cleveland
Detroit
•ouston
Kansas city
Los Angeles — —

—
—
—
—

—

Minneapolis — - — - — Be* Tork
Ihiladelphia
— Pittsburgh
Portland, Oreg.
—
St* Louis
San Francisco
— —
Scranton
— — —
•tattle
—
Washington, D.C.

Percent
chaise

Index

0.1

120.5

119.1 - .1
122.8
.3
1.3
121.9
.6
119.5
.2
124.3
118.9
.4
122.8 - .2
117.9
.7
114.9 - .7
123.8
0

118.7
120.6
120.3
117.6
123.1
117.2
121.3
116.3
112.8
120.4

119.6
121.7
124.7
123.8
121.4 123.2
124.1 120.8 122.2
123.4

.2
118.7
120.1
.3
.6
122.7
.2
123.1
120.6 - .3
119.7
1.1
122.9 - .4
120.9 - .1
121.8
.2
122.2
.6

121.7

.1
.1
.6
0
.6
.8
.3
.1
.2
.5

0.1
-

.1
.4
1.4
.8
- .2
.5
- .4
.7
- 1.2
0

Cereals and bakery products;
Flour, wheat — — — — — —
Biscuit mix — — — — — —
Corn seal —
—
—
—
—

Cheese, American process — —
ib.
Milk, evaporated — — — 144-oz. can
Fruit8 and vegetables!
Frozen:
Strawberries - — - — — - - - 10 oz.
Orange juice concentrate — — a oz.
Peas, green — — — — — —
10 oz.
Beans, green — — — — —
9 oz.
Fresh:
Apples — — — — — — —
ib.
Bananas — — — — — — — — ib.
Oranges, size 200 — — — — — doz.
Grapefruit *

—

—

—

—

* Priced only In season.
1/ Not available.




132.9

Percent
change

0

Index

Percent
change

119.2

0.8

Dairy
products
Index

Percent
change

0.6
.1

Fruits and
vegetables

131.9 - 1.8
- 3.8
.2
.6
1.7
- 3.0
.4
- 1.8
.6
- 1.4
- .8

1.7
122.3
117.8
.7
1.6
118.5
.7
112.4
1.2
122.3
113.6
.3
115.5 - .1
114.0
1.9
115.6
.8
118.2
.6

112.4
113.8
117.6
110.5
111.8
116.1
107.8
109.1
112.7
92.6
109.6

.1
2.2
.6
.1
.1
.3
.3
8.9
.5

129.9
131.9
136.0
131.9
135.3
124.4
145.2
125.1
122.8
130.1

- .2
- .1
.1
- .1
.1
- .2
1.0
.4
- .1
0

.8
112.3
118.8
.3
120.2
1.1
118.8
1.5
120.8 - .1
117.6
2.2
1.2
122.1
121.2
.8
.2
119.5
.8
118.7

.1
104.1
114.8
2.5
118.3
2.4
.1
114.1
117.0
0
3.8
105.1
113.9 - .1
0
110.6
0
115.4
118.6
.7

135.8
126.8
135.4
135.3
121.0
132.4
130.8
131.8
131.7
133.7

134.1
137.7
134.5
131.0
135.6
125.4
146.9
135.2
142.0
131.3

-

-

12.8

18.4
20.3
25.5

lb.

«wh

19.2

29.2
24.5

106.2
65.5

83.0

54.6
133.9

96.0

81.9
69.1
77.6

66.1

50.0

49.0
45.8
55.0

63.2
32.9

23.3
24.8

29.6
58.1

73.5
15.1

26.5
28.5
19.5

26.5
27.9
19.5
23.2

(1/)

22.2
16.8

23.2
16.6

80.1

17.9

76.1
18.3

Pre s h — C ontinued
Peaches • — — — — — —
ib.
Strawberries • — — — — —
t.
p
Grapes, seedless * — — —
ib.
Watermelons *
-—
ib.
Potatoes — — — — —
10 ib.
Sweetpotatoes — — — — — —
ib.
Onions — - —
ib.
Carrots
ib.
Lettuce — — — — — —
head
Celery
— — ib.
Cabbage — — — — — — —
ib.
Tomatoes — — — — — —
ib.
&eans, green — — — — —
ib.
Canned:
Orange Juice — — — — — — 4 6 - o z . can
Peaches — —
— — #24 can
Pineapple — — — — —
#2 con
Fruit cocktail — — — — — #303 can
Corn, cream style — — — — #303 can
Peas, green — — — — — — #303 can
Tomatoes —
—
—
—
#303 can
Baby foods — — — — —
44 to 5 oz.
Dried:
Prunes — — — — — — —
ib.
Beans
ib.
Other foods at home:
Tomato SOUp

to ll-oz. can

Beans with pork
— —
ia-oz. can
Pickles, sweet — — — — — —
74 oz.
Catsup, tomato — — — — — — — 14 oz.
Coffee —
—
—
—
—
lb. oan
Coffee
—
it. bag
Tea bags — — — — —
kg. of lfl
P
Cola drink, carton — — — — — 36 oz.
Shortening, hydrogenated —
3 ib.
Margarine, colored — — — — — ib.
Lard
ib.
Salad dressing — — — — —
t.
p
Peanut butter — — — — —
ib.
Sugar — — — — — — — —
s ib.
Corn syrup — — — — — — 24 oz.
Grape Jelly — — — — —
12 oz.
Chocolate bar — — — — —
1 0 z.
Eggs, Grade A , large — — — — — doz.
Gelatin, flavored — — — 3 to 4 oz.

Other
foods at hone

Percent
change

Index

0
126.9
128.3 - .2
131.6
.1
123.9 - .2
132.0
0
129.8
.2
125.6
0
126.2 - .1
127.6
0
0
141.1

Cents
55.4
26.8

5 lb.
20 oz.
ib.

Boiled oats — — — — —
IS 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.
Han, whole — — — . . — — — — ib.
Lamb, leg — — — — — — —
ib.
Frankfurters — — — — — —
lb.
Luncheon neat, cannc-d — — — 12 oz.
Frying chickens, ready-to^cook — ib.
Ocean perch, fillet, frozen —
ib.
Haddock, fillet, frozen —
—
ib.
Salmon, pink, canned — — — - le oz.
Tuna fish, canned — — — — e to 64 oz.
Dairy products;
Milk, fresh, (grocery) —
qt.
Milk, fresh, (delivered)
qt.
Ice cream — — — — — — —
pt.

—

Index

lfeats, poultry, '
and fish

TABUS 6 s Consumer ftrice Index -- Average retail prices of selected foods
U.S. city average
July
June
Food and unit
1958
1958

Food and unit

Lemons —

Cereals and
bakery products

-

1.0
1.7
1.1
2.3
3.7
2.4

- 6.4

- 3.0
- 1.1
1.0

Percent
change

111.8

0.8

105.4
111.9
108.2

.7
.5
2.4

.6
.6
1.3
.2
.2

116.0

115.5
114.9
113.1
108.9

105.6
111.1

.3
.3

.8
.3
.2
.5
1.1
1.4
1.8

118.8

110.3
110.1
121.9
1U.9
120.0
111.7
109.7
110.5

.9
1.7

.1

112.8

July
1958

June
1958

Cents

Cents

1^9"

30.7
4.3
67.4

18.6
10.1

14.9

16.0

17.1
7.6
26.4

20.0
39.4
33.8
34.7

26.2
17.6
21.0
18.3

10.0
33.4

18.8

12.6

15.1
27.0

22.0

90.6

26.2
6.3

68.1

17.9
10.5
14.5
15.3
18.3
8.7
28.7
19.9

38.0
33.7
34.7

26.2

17.5
20.9
18.5

10.0

33.2
18.5
12.6
15.1

27.0

21.9
91.8
75.4

75.0
24.1
27.6
94.6
29.2

27.6
94.6
29.5

37.8
55.7
56.7
25.9
27.8
5.2
57.6
9.0

37.8
55.1
56.5
25.9
27.7
5.1
55.1
9.0

22.6

24.0

22.6

Labor D.C. - BLS58-0332

7
Brief

9f the

gfi

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 f months in other cities. Almost all prices are obtained
by personal visits of the Bureau s trained representatives*
In calculating the index, price changes for the various items in each city are
averaged together with weights which represent their importance in family spending* City
data are then combined in the total 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 s
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 description of the index
is contained in BLS Bulletin 1140, "The Consumer
w
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 Preparing Major BLS
Statistical S e r i e s R e p r i n t s 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
2
^n* 3




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