Full text of CPI Detailed Report : March 1957

The full text on this page is automatically extracted from the file linked above and may contain errors and inconsistencies.

Released April 23, 1957
U*S. DEPARTMENT CF LABOR
Bureau of labor Statistics
Washington 25, D« C*
CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FCR MARCH 1957
Consumer prices in United States cities, as measured by the
Consumer Price Index, advanced
0*2 percent between February and March, according to the
f
U*S* Department of labor s Bureau of Labor Statistics* Although food prices declined
0*4 percent, this was not enough to offset increases for all other major groups of
goods and services* The March Consumer Price Index was 118*9 percent of the 1947-49
average, 3*7 percent higher than a year earlier*
FOCp

The decline of 0*4 percent in food prices between February and
March was due mainly to lower prices of eggs and pork* The
March food index was 113*2, 3#9 percent higher than a year ago, but 2*9 percent below
the August 1952 peak*
Egg prices dropped seasonally (5*9 percent) to a national average
of 50 cents a dozen, as reductions were reported in all cities surveyed*
Prices of all cuts of pork were lower, with decreases of 2*3
percent for bacon, 1*7 percent for pork chops, and 1.3 percent for ham* A general drop
in beef prices included decreases of 1*2 percent for round steak and 1*8 percent for
chuck roast* Prices of fresh and frozen fish were 1*2 percent lower* Poultry prices
rose 0*6 percent and canned luncheon meat was up 1*5 percent*
Fruits and vegetables declined 0*3 percent, reflecting lower
prices for bananas, lemons, lettuce, potatoes, celery, and onions} prices were higher
for apples, tomatoes, green beans, and cabbage*
Coffee prices declined 1*0 percent*
percent lower as production was up seasonally*

Dairy products were 0*4

Prices of cereals and bakery products continued their upward
trend as bread prices advanced 0*6 percent and smaller increases were reported for most
other items in the group*
HOUSING

The housing index rose 0*3 percent as residential rents and household operation advanced 0*1 and 0*5 percent, respectively; there
were continued increases in dry cleaning and laundry services as well as higher water
rates in several cities. Mortgage interest rates were higher in most cities surveyed
and home maintenance costs also advanced* Prices of housefurnishings declined 0*1
percent*
OTHER COMMODITIES
AND SERVICES

Apparel prices increased 0*7 percent, as spring and summer
apparel items reappeared 1 at prices higher than at the end of last
summer* Prices of women s nylon hose also advanced following
February sales, and some increases were reported for work clothing and sport shirts*
In the private transportation group, prices of used cars rose
3*5 percent, and gasoline and motor oil prices also advanced* Prices of new cars and
tires declined slightly*
The medical care index rose 0*7 percent as fees for professional
services continued to advance* The increase of 0*2 percent for personal care resulted
primarily from scattered increases in barber shop services and toiletries*




2

The increase of 0 # 5 percent in the reading and recreation group
resulted from higher charges for movie admissions, newspapers, and television sets*

:NOTICES September and December 1956 Rent and
:Housing group indexes for Cincinnati have been
:revised as followss
:

:

tevigEd

QxsSB

Tafley

Sfirti 1956

: Rent
*
ffgttgittg

(19A7-49M0Q)

P?C« 1956

136*8
121*8

138.2
122*6

Consumer Price I n d e x U n i t e d States city average, all items and special groups
Indexes and percent changes for selected dates

Group

All items
All items less food
All items less shelter---*'—All commodities
—
— —
All commodities less foodAll services and s h e l t e r — —
All services less shelter—

Mar*
1Q57
This
month

Feb.
1957
last
month

118.9
122.0
116.5
112.1
111.3
135.8
138.7

118.7
121.5
116.4
112.0
110.9
135.2
138.2

indexes (19/l7-A9 = 100)
Jan.
June
Mar.
1950
1956
1957
Prelast
2 months
a. BO
Korea
vear
118.2
121.0
115.9
111.6
110.7
134.5
137.6

114.7
117.7
112.5
108.2
107.6
130.9
134.0

101.8
103.0
100.7
100.3
99.4
107.9
107.0

Year
19*39
PreWV-II
59.4
69.1
55.4
51.6
59.4
80.4
73.5

Percent change to March 1957 from —
Feb.
1957
All i t e m s - — —
A H items less f o o d — — — —
All items less s h e l t e r —
All comnodities
—
All commodities less f o o d All services and shelter
All services less shelter—




0.2
.4
.1
.1
.4
.4
.4-

Jan.
1957
0.6
.8
.5
.4
.5
1.0
.8

Mar.
1956
3.7
3.7
3.6
3.6
3.4
3.7
3.5

June
1950
16.8
18.4
15.7
11.8
12.0
25.9
29.6

Year
1939
100.2
76.6
110.3
117.2
87.4
68.9
88.7

TABUS 1:

Consumer Price Index — United States city average, all items and commodity groups
Indexes and percent changes for selected dates

3

Indexes (19*7-*9«100)
March
1957

February
1957

This
month

Last
month

118.9

Food 1/ Food at home
Cereals and bakery products -Meats, poultry, and fish
Dairy products
Fruits and vegetables
Other foods at home
Housing 2/
Rent
Oas and electricity —
Solid fue^s and fuel oil — — Housefurnishings
Household operation — — — — —

March
1956

June
1950

Year
1939

2 months
ago

Last
year

Pre-Korea

Pre-World
War II

118.7

118.2

114.7

101.8

59.*

113.2
111.4
129.8
100.6
110.7
116.1
111.6

113.6
112.0
129.1
101.4
111.1
116.5
113.0

112.8
111.1
128.0
99.0
111.2
116.9
112.7

109.0
107.3
124.4
92.8
106.9
114.8
110.7

100.5
100.5
102.7
106.1
92.3
102.5
9*.l

*7.1
*7.1
57.2
*1.6
*9.8
U6.3
*8.*

—
—
—

124.9
134.4
112.4
139.2
104.9
126.2

124.5
134.2
112.4
139.3
105.0
125.6

123.8
134.2
112.3
138.9
104.0
125.4

120.7
131.6
111.7
130.6
103.1
121.6

10*. 9
108.7
102.7
107.6
97.*
99.6

76.1
86.6
10U. 9
56.*
53.*
68.*

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

106.8
108.8
99.3
127.6
92.2

106.1
108.6
98.2
127.2
91.7

106.4
108.4
98.9
126.7
91.9

104.8
106.6
98.3
121.9
91.1

96.5
98.1
93.3
102.1
88.*

52.5
50.8
54.5
50.3
40.6

— — — — — — —

135.1
175.8
125.2

134.4
175.8
124.5

133.6
174.9
123.8

126.7
170.8
116.8

109.9
117.9
106.6

70.2
81.3
65.5

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

136.4
122.9
110.5
124.2

135.5
122.6
110.0
124.0

135.3
122.1
109.9
123.8

131.4
119.2
107.7
121.2

105.*
99.2
102.5
103.7

72.6
59.6
f.*
63.0
70.6

March 1957

from:

March
1956
3.7

June
1950
16.8

Y^ar
193°
100.2

Group

All items

Transportation
Public
Private

—

January
1957

Percent change to

0.2

January
1957
0.6

.4
.5
.5
.8
.4
.3
1.2

.4
.3
1.4
1.6
- .4
- .7
- 1.0

3.9
3.8
4.3
8.4
3.6
1.1
.8

12.6
10.8
26.4
- 5.2
19.9
13.3
18.6

140.3
136.5
126.9
141.8
122.3
150.8
130.6

.3
.1
0
.1
.1
.5

.9
.1
.1
.2
.9
.6

3.5
2.1
.6
6.6
1.7
3.8

19.1
23.6
9.4
29.4
7.7
26.7

64.1
55.2
7.1
146.8
96.4
84.5

.7
.2
1.1
.3
.5

.4
•4
.4
.7
.3

1.9
2.1
1.0
4.7
1.2

10.7
10.9
6*4
25*0
4.3

103.4
114.2
82.2
153.7
127.1

.5
0
.6

1.1
.5
1.1

6.6
2.9
7.2

22.9
49.1
17.4

92.5
116.2
91.1

.7
.2
.5
.2

.8
.7
.5
.3

3.8
3.1
2.6
2.5

29.4
23.9
7.8
19.8

87.9
106.2
75.4
75.9

February
1957

Cereals and bakery products
—
Meats, poultry* »nd fish — — — — — — —
Fruits and vegetables
Other foods at home —

Gas and electricity

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

-

—
-

Public
Private

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




4

TABLE 2 s Consumer Price Index — All items indexes for selected dates
U.S. city average and 20 large cities
(1947-49=100)

March
1957

City
United States city average

1/

February
1957

March
1956

June
1950

Year
1939

118.9

118.7

114.7

101.8

59.4

121.6
121.0
120.4
116.0
120.0

121.5
121.0
120.3
115.9
119.7

117.7
116.9
116.1
112.2
115.8

102.8
102.8
101.3
100.9
101.6

58.6
59.0
60.4
60.1
59.2

March
1956

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 monthlys
Chicago
Detroit
Los Angeles
New York
Philadelphia

March
1957

Cities priced in March, June,
September, December 2J
Atlanta
Baltimore
Cincinnati

120.6
119.9
118.1
120.2
122.3

San Francisco

Cleveland
Seattle
Washington, D.C.
January, April,

Kansas City
Minneapolis
Pittsburgh
Portland, Oregon

116.8
115.2
114.3
115.7
116.8

119.5
119.5
117.5
119.1
121.6

February
1957

Cities priced in February, May,
August, November 2l/

Cities priced in
July, October 2/

December
1956

November
1956

U

February
1956

120.4
120.5
115.5
122.2
117.5

120.0
119.7
114.9
120.2
115.9

115.7
116.6
111.1
116.2
113.4

100.4
103.5
100.2
102.0
101.6

59.2
59.5
58.5
59.2
60.4

January
1957

October
1956

January
1956

April
1950

Year
1939

119.0
119.8
119.4
118.3
120.1

119.3
118.9
117.4
118.2
119.5

114.6
115.5
116.1
113.6
116.3

101.2
101.4
5/ 102.1
99.9
101.5

61.0
61.7
60.7
58.1
58.3

1/ This index on the base of 1935-39=100 is 198.8.
Rents priced bimonthly.
2/ Foods, fuels, and a few other items priced monthly; rents and other commodities and services priced quarterly.
U May 1950.
3/ June 1950.

TABLE 3 s Consumer Price Index — Percent changes from February 1957 to March 1957
U.S. city average and five cities priced monthly
All items and commodity groups

City
United States city a v e r a g e —
Chicago
Detroit
Los AngelesNew YorkPhiladelphia-




All
items
0.2

.1
0
.1
.1
.3

Food
- 0.4

-

-

.6

.9
.2
.5
.3

Housing
0.3
.4
.3
.5
.2

.6

Apparel

Transportation

0.7

0.5

.2
.1

.5
.4

.5
1.4

.2

.1

.1

.1

Medical
care
0.7

.1

0
0
0
1.3

Personal
care

Reading
and
recreation
0.5

0.2

.6

.5

.1

1.0

.7

.1
.8

-

0
.8
.1

TABUS k: Consumer Price Index — All items and commodity groups
March 1957 indexes and percent changes, December 1956 to March 1957
U.S. city average and 10 cities priced in *ferch 1957
U.S.
City
Average Atlanta

Group

Baltimore
Chicago

CincinLos
nati
)etroit Angeles
Indexes

All items
Food at hone — — —
Cereals and bakery products —
Meats, poultry, and fish — —
Dairy products — — - — — — —
Fruits and vegetables
—Other foods at home — —
Rent
—
—
G&b and electricity
Solid fuels and fuel oil

Fhilalelphia

St.
Louis

San
Francisco

(19*7-49-100)

118.9

119.9

121.6

118.1

121.0

120.4

116.0

120.0

120.2

122.3

113.2

111.8

114.9

110.2

114.7

114.9

116.7

112.3

116.2

110.5

107.9

112.9

113.1

113.0

119.9

111.5
127.2

131.1
102.6

124.3
97.7

133.6

114.2
132.1

104.9
113.1
117.8

122.3
92.5

110.3
134.6
101.8

114.9
110.9
125.3

116.2

111.4
129.8
100.6

112.5
112.7

109.4
114.3
118.5

114.1
112.9
116.9

110.5
128.0

105.4
120.7

103.4
116.0

97.5
103.2

114.1

112.5

110.5

119.1
111.2

121.4
119.6

129.5
143.0
118.0

121.1

120.8

124.0

125.1

—

121.9

111.2

138.9
136.3

—

150.5
104.6

103.4
141.6

141.8
103.8
152.2
104.6

108.6

131.7

119.4
107.6
108.8
100.9
130.7

110.7
116.1

102.0

111.6

104.7

112.1

124.9

129.3
136.1

120.2

123.1*
138.4**

100.1

114.0

117.1

112.6

141.0

141.0
99.7
131.6

128.9
110.1

105.3
106.2
97.3

104.4
110.7
93.7
123.6
87.8

107.4
110.7
99.8
128.0

131.7
145.8
128.6

132.4
154.8

137.8

141.6

189.0

128.5

118.4

187.4
121.3

Household operation —

—

134.9

106.8

112.8

—

105.3

109.6

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

108.8

104.2
99.8
127.0

—

99.3
127.6
92.2

113.7
106.1
134.0
93.0

95.8

116.5
97.9
131.5
95.8

135.1
175.8
125.2
136.4
122.9
110.5
124.2

102.9
130.8

134.4
88.5

135.6

147.3

140.0

129.2

164.3
129.7

187.3

167.7
125.5

165.0

132.1
127.7
110.8

144.5

129.1

109.9

133.4
158.6

145.4
100.4
119.0

108.3

109.1

131.0

104.9
126.2

119.4
127.0

103.1

127.7
—

—

Other goods and services

Mew
York

120.6

134.4
112.4
139.2

Public
Private

5

129.4

120.5
121.3
129.6

119.5

117.4

104.5
128.8

84.5

125.1

110.5
127.5

106.2

106.6

104.8

108.3
98.0

106.9
101.5
123.0

107.4
96.3

128.1
95.6

93.7

113.3
118.8
110.1

—

90.3
151.0

154.4
119.8

136.3
119.2

96.7
124.6

113.1
121.2

1.2

0.9

0.6

.9
.7

3
.5

1.1
2.8

2.1

1.0

3.1
.8

1.7

129.5

128.2

116.9

146.5
130.1
110.8

128.4
99.8

114.9
109.2

140.4
129.6
116.2

119.9

121.9

126.3

121.1

124.9

126.7

139.7

105.3
.

140.9
189.1
123.1

126.5
101.0

142.3
126.0

125.4
96.2

114.5
139.6

182.6
137.7

I
Percent change from December 1956
All items
Food
—
Food at hone
—
— —
Cereals and bakery products -Meats, poultry, and fish
Dairy products
— — — —
Fruits and vegetables
— —
Other foods at hone
Housing

— — — — — — — — —

Transportation
Public — —
Private

—
—

-

—

—

—

—

—

Medical care — - — —
—
Personal care
— — — — — — —

0.3

0.5

0.5

0.7

0.8

.3
.2

.6
.6
.6

.1

.4
.3
.8

.7
.7
5.0
2.8

.2

.6

.4

.4
1.7
2.6

.5
1.1
2.3

5.2
-

.5
1.7
2.5

-

.5
.5
2.7
0

-

.5
1.8

1.9
1.6
.2

-

.6

.6

0

.1

.4

.4
2.3
.8

.9
.1

0

5.4
.2

1.1
-

—

0.9

1.1

Qas and electricity —
Solid fuels and fuel oil
— —
Housefurnishlngs
Household operation — — — — — —
Men's and boys'
Women's and girls'

0.8

1.9
2.7
-

.2
.2

0

-

.5
.9
.8

-

1.0

-

.9
0

1.4
*

-

1.5
1.0

3/7
.7

1.5

4.3

1.3

1.9
.6

.9
1.1
.7

.9
.2

.6

-

-

.1

-

2.0

.4
.1

.4
.2

.3
0
.6
0

.5
—
.9

.8
.2

-

1.2

.7
2

.7

1.0

_

.0

1.1
1.3

1/

-

—

-

1/

.3
.1
•4
1.0

-

.1
.8

.4
3.2
.6

.7
1.1
0

1.4

-

1.3
.6

.1
.3

.1
-

2.1
2.3
.8

2. A
1.5
0
2.1
2.7

0
3.2
2.1

__

4.1

2.7

.4

- 1.1
-

1.1
2.7

-

1.3
3.1
.8

-

1.2
0
.1

.2

-7

.5
.7
0

.8
.2

1

2.2

.7
.6
.8

1.2
.6

1.5

.4
.6

1.2

1.6

.2

1.7

1.3

1.4

.5
2.5

.9

.1

.5
.7

1.3

1.0

1.3
1.2

.5

.4

1.3

1.3

.3

2.7

1.5

1.7

1.4
.7

.9
.5
1.3

1.3
6.6

.7

.5
3.3
2.7

.2

.5

.2

.3
.6
2.7
1.2

1.3

.5
.5

.7

.8

-

—

1.4

1.1
- .1

-

.3
0

.4
1.6

.3
2.0

0.4

.6

.1

.2

-

-

1.3
.8

.5
1.1

.4
1.5
2.2

0

2.0

-

-

.3
1.5
.2

.1
1.2
2.3

2.5
1.1
0

.9

.5
.8

-

.5
1/

3.4
2.7

* Revised housing indexes: September 1956, 121.8} December 1956, 122.6.
** Revised rent indexes: September 1956, 136.8; December 1956, 138.2.
1/ Change from January 1957 to March 1957.




to March 1957

2.3
.4

1
. I

4
1.6

1»1

•

-

f\
.o

.6

1.0

u

1.3

11 n
.V

1.1
.3

1.1

.7

1.1

TABIZ 5: Consumer Price Index — Food and its subgroups
March 1957 indexes and percent changes, February 1957 to March 1957
U.S. city average and 20 large cities

-10Q]
Total
food at home

Total food
City

Percent
change

Index

—

113.2

Atlanta
Baltimore
—
Boston - - - - - - - - - - Chicago - — — — — —
Cincinnati
Cleveland
Detroit
—
—
Houston
— — — —
Kansas City
Los Angeles

U.S. city average

111.8
114.9
112.3
110.2
114.7
111.2
114.9
111.9
109.4
116.7

Minneapolis
New York
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
Portland, Oreg.

112.3
112.3
116.2
114.6
115.4
114.9
116.2
110.6
115.5
114.8

San Francisco
Scr&nton

—

-

Washington, D.C. — —

Index

-

_
-

-

-

130.0
134.6
132.1
128.2
131.5
125.3
139.6
126.0
137.6
129.4

96.4
101.8
103.4
98.0
100.3
97.5
105.3
100.3
101.0
100.2

-

-

-

.1
1.3
.6
.7
.2
.3
.4
.4
0
.1

-

-

-

-

-

-

Dairy
products

Fruits and
vegetables

Percent
change

Index

0.8

110.7

.2
.8
.5
1.6
.3
.2
.8
.2
.5
.4

113.1
112.5
113.4
109.4
114.1
105.9
110.5
109.2
107.8
105.4

.3
1.5
1.0
.5
.8
1.4
.6
.1
.5
2.1

104.9
109.1
116.0
114.1
116.5
103.2
113.3
109.3
116.5
115.7

-

-

-

-

-

Index

116.1

Percent
change

Cereals and bakery products;
Flour, wheat — — — — — — — —
5 ib.
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 — — — 16 oz.
Tuna fish, canned — — — — 6 to 6i oz.
Dairy products:
Milk, fresh, (grocery) —
qt.
Milk, fresh, (delivered)
qt.
Ice cream — — — — — — —
pt.
Butter
—
—
—
ib.
Cheese, American process — — — - lb.
Milk, evaporated — — — — — i4£-oz. 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 — — — —
ib.

March
1957
Cents
54.3
26.8

12.7
17.0
21.7

23.0
18.7
28.9

24.6

87.1
48.7

69.6

39.3
116.4
81.4
67.7
61.7
67.2
53.4
43.9

48.0
42.5
45.1
62.4
32.0

February
1957
Cents
54.1
26.9
12.7
17.0
21.4
22.9
18.5
28.7
24.5

88.1
49.7
69.7
39.1

116.8
82.8
69.4
62.7

68.2

53.2
43.2
47.6
42.7
46.1
62.5
32.0

23.1

23.3
24.7

74.1
57.5
14.3

74.1
57.4
14.3

28.0
18.8
19.9
23.6

28.3
18.9

15.7
16.3
54.6
19.7

15.4
17.0
54.7

24.6
29.2

29.0

20.1
23.1

21.0

111.6

- 1.2

104.7
112.1
105.0
118.5
116.9
115.2
114.1
111.7
105.3
112.5

-

1.3
.9
1.0
1.3
.9
1.2
1.5
.5
.8
.4

.9
.3
.1
0
2.5
.1
0
.6
0
.1

120.8 - 1.5
109.9 - .8
119.1 - .3
115.8
0
113.9 - .9
121.4 - .7
118.8 - 1.2
114.3
1.4
121.3 - .6
113.3 - 1.8

118.4
110.5
111.2
121.1
115.8
119.6
110.1
108.9
111.3
112.7

-

1.3
1.5
1.2
.6
1.0
1.0
.8
1.6
.7
1.3

March
1957
- each
— lb.
—
pt.
— lb.
— lb.
10 lb.
— lb.
— lb.
— lb.
- head
— lb.
— lb.
— lb.
— lb.

---

Lettuce
— —
Celery
Cabbage
Tomatoes --------Beans, green
Canned:
— 46-oz. can
Orange juice ----—
#2h can
Peaches
— — —
#2 can
Pineapple
— #303 can
Fruit cocktail
—
#303 can
Corn, cream style
#303 can
Peas, green
—
#303 can
Tomatoes
—
—
to 5 oz.
Baby foods
Dried;
Prunes
lb.
Beans
lb.
Other foods at home:
to 11—oz. can
Toaato soup
Beans with pork
18-oz. can
Pickles, sweet
-- 7h oz.
Catsup, tomato
—
14 oz.
Coffee
- l b . o&n
Tea bags
pkg. of Id
Cola drink, carton — — — — —
36 oz.
Shortening, hydrogenated —
3 lb.
Margarine, colored — — — — —
ib.
Lard
— — — — — — — — —
ib.
Salad dressing — — — — —
.
pt
Peanut butter — — — — —
ib.
Sugar —
— — — — — —
5 ib.
Corn syrup — — — — —
24 oz.
Grape jelly — — — — —
12 oz.
—

—

—

Percent
change

- 0.3

F r e s h — Continued
Grapefruit *
Peache8 *
----Strawberries * — Grapes, seedless *
Watermelons *
Potatoes
—
—
Sweet potatoes ----Onions

Chocolate bar —

Index

117.8
.1
112.7
2.0
112.2
.4
1.0
114.3
.6
112.9
.2
112.4
128.0 - .5
.2
119.9
111.6
.5
120.7 - 1.7

Food and unit

Carrots

Other
foods at home

0.4
0
.1
.4
1.4
.1
2.3
2.0
3.1
.1
.1

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

Food and unit




100.6
104.9
102.0
99.4
92.5
102.6
97.7
97.7
96.5
96.9
103.1

110.8 - .4
110.3 - .8
114.2 - .5
112.7 - .2
113.3 - .2
110.9 - .7
114.5 - .2
110.0
0
114.3 - .3
112.2 - 1.2

-

-

0.5

.3
.5
.3
.2
.2
.6
.1
0
.3
.9

-

Percent
change

119.9 - .1
127.2
.1
.5
128.3
.2
122.3
3.1
131.1
123.7
1.1
.8
124.3
121.1 - .1
125.2
.4
133.6
.1

110.5
111.5
109.7
107.9
112.9
109.0
113.1
109.6
107.2
113.0

-

Index

129.8

111.4

.3
.3
.2
.6
.3
.4
.9
.2
.2
.2

-

Percent
c hange

.3
.1
.3
.8
.2
.5
1.0
.6
.2
.3

0.4

-

_

Index

Meats, poultry,
and fish

0.5

-

TABIE 6:

* Priced only in season.

Percent
change

Cereals and
bakery products

—

1 oz.

Eggs, Grade A , large — — — — — doz.
Gelatin, flavored — — —
3 to 4 oz.

Cents
10.9

55.0
13.7
8.4
12.9

13.6

15.6
9.6
32.7
32.5

37.1
34.6
34.0

26.0

17.2
21.4
14.9
10.0
34.4

16.0
12.4
14.6
27.2
23.3
106.3
23.6
33.7
100.4
30.6
22.9
37.1
53.4
54.8
24.7
27.2
4.5
50.5
8.7

Labor D.C. BLS- 57-2963

Prtof EmAMftttgn of tfag Qf?
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) 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 Statef; 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 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
s e a and
a n u small
d i b o j u l cities s
from the following 26 medium-sized
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
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 SeriesReprints 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