Full text of CPI Detailed Report : March 1963

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Released April 25, 1963
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Washington 25, D. Ce
CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FOR MARCH 1963
The Consumer Price Index edged up 0 o l percent in March to a new
record high, the United States Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics announced
todayo Prices rose in March for used cars, apparel, and certain housing items, while
food prices declined* The Consumer Price Index, at 106.2 (1957-59=100), was lol percent
higher than a year earlier. The rise over the year was primarily the result of higher
prices for food and housing, although all major types of goods and services shared in the
advance0
HOUSING

The housing index rose 0.3 percent in March, to a level lol percent
higher than a year earlier. Costs of home ownership were up, as
higher real estate taxes were reported in several of the cities surveyed in Marcho
Household operation costs rose 0.4 percent, reflecting increases in water rates. An
increase of 0.3 percent in housefurnishings prices reflected the return to regular prices
following special sales of household textiles and some furniture. Residential rents,
fuels, and electricity were unchanged on the average.

TRANSPORTATION
AND APPAREL

Transportation costs yere 0.2 percent higher in March, chiefly
because of an advance of 2.3 percent in prices of used cars reflecting continued heavy demand. New car prices dropped 0.8 percent, as
dealers offered higher concessions and sales continued at near-record levels. Auto
insurance rates advanced.
Apparel prices rose 0.3 percent, with women's and girls' apparel
showing an 0.4 percent increase.
FOOD

Food prices dropped 0 o 4 percent in March mainly because of lower
prices for meats, although prices of fresh vegetables and eggs also

declined.
Meat, poultry, and fish prices dropped 1.4 percent as decreases were
reported for almost all types of meatSo Pork prices fell 2.0 percent, with the marketing
of last fallfs pig crop continuing at a high level. > Beef prices also declined as
production continued high.
Fruit and vegetable prices rose 0.2 percent, with higher prices for
fruits more than offsetting seasonal reductions in vegetable prices. Prices of oranges
and orange juice advanced further, continuing to reflect smaller supplies resulting from
the December-January freeze® Lettuce prices dropped 22.0 percent and green beans were
down 10e2 percent as improved weather conditions brought increased supplies.
Compared with a year ago, food prices are up 1.4 percent, with
restaurant meals 2.6 percent higher, fruits and vegetables 5.0 percent, and cereals and
bakery products 1.7 percent. Dairy products prices declined 1.4 percent during the year.
COST-OF-LIVING
ADJUSTMENTS

About 40,000 workers, including 30,000 in the aerospace industry,
will receive increases of 1 cent an hour, based on the quarterly
change in the national index. In addition, about 25,000 workers will
receive increases in varying amounts based on city indexes.




2

TABLE 1: Consumer Price Index—United States city average
Major group, subgroup, and special group indexes, March 1963
and percent changes fro* selected dates
(1957-59-100 unless otherwise specified)
Indexes

Percent change to
March 1963 from--

Indexes
(1957-59-100)

I947.49-IOO

1939-100

Group
March
1963

All Itens

February

February

December

March

March

March

1963

1963

1962

1962

1963

1963

106.2

106.1

0.1

0.4

1.1

130.3

219.3

Fruit® end v e g e t a b l e s — — — — — —
Other foods at h o m e — — — — — —
Food away from h o m e — — — — • —

104.6
103.0
109.1
100.7
103.5
109.6
96.7
112.6

105.0
103.5
109.2
102.1
103.6
109.4
97.1
112.5

- .4
- .5
- .1
-1.4
- .1
.2
- .4
.1

1.1
1.1
.8
-1.8
- .4
9.4
- .5
.4

1.4
1.1
1.7
.1
-1.4
5.0
.6
2.6

123.4
119.7
144.7
111.1
117.2
135.5
106.9

262.1
254.1
252.8
267.1
235.2
292.7
220.8

a/)

a/)

Housing 2 / — — — — — — — — — — — —
Rent
—
Gas end e l e c t r i c i t y — — — — — —
Solid and petroleum f u e l s — — — — — —
Housefurnishings—————————
Household o p e r a t i o n — — — — — —

105.7
106.4
108.0
104.8
98.6
109.7

105.4
106.4
108.0
104.8
98.3
109.3

.3
0
0
0
.3
.4

.5
.2
- .1
0
0
1.5

1.1
1.0
.1
1.2
- .9
2.4

134.8
146.3
125.9
142.8
102.6
143.8

177.1
168.9
120.0
253.2
192.2
210.2

A p p a r e l — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Men's and b o y s ' - — — — — — — — — Women's and g i r l s ' — — — — — —
F o o t w e a r — — — — — — — — — — —
Other a p p a r e l — — — — — — — — —

103.6
103.9
101.1
110.0
101.1

103.3
103.7
100.7
109.9
100.9

.3
.2
.4
.1
.2

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

.9
1.1
.7
.8

111.1
112.9
100.4
144.1

211.6
222.4
184.3
286.4

.8

93.1

229.3

Transportation-——
Private
—
Public

—

107.0
105.6
116.4

106.8
105.3
116.3

.2
.3
.1

- .9
-1.1
.6

1.0
1.0
1.3

150.8
137.6
216.7

214.7
210.1
266.5

Medical c a r e — — — — — — — — — — — —

115.8

115.6

.2

.4

1.9

167.3

230.6

Cereals and bakery p r o d u c t s — —
Meats, poultry, and fish

Personal

—

c a r e - — - — — — — — — —

107.3

107.3

0

- .3

1.3

137.5

230.7

Reading and r e c r e a t i o n — — — — — — — —

110.1

110.0

.1

.1

.8

127.5

202.4

Other goods and services

105.7

105.7

0

.1

.6

134.7

190.8

All items less food

106.8

106.6

.2

.1

1.0

133.9

193.9

All items less shelter

106.1

106.1

0

.3

1.0

127.7

230.6

Commodities

103.7
104.4
104.6
104.2
103.4
102.1
104.7
100.8
100.9
113.3
98.5

103.8
104.5
105.0
104.1
103.2
101.8
104.6
100.6
101.7
110.7
98.4

- .1
- .1
- .4
.1
.2
.3
.1
.2
- .8
2.3
.1

.1
.4
1.1
- .4
- .3
- .4
- .4
- .9
-1.7
-2.9
- .1

.9
1.2
1.4
.7
.8
.8
.7
- .1
-1.5
4.3

- .5

119.8
122.6
123.4
122.0
110.8
105.1
131.6
111.7
135.6
(1/)
101.6

232.2
238.5
262.1
207.8
212.7
(1/)
199.7
194.9
237.9
a/)
177.3

Commodities less food-

102.9

102.7

.2

- .5

.5

116.9

196.7

Services
Rent
—
Services less r e n t — — — — — — — —
Household operation services, gas,
and e l e c t r i c i t y — — — — — —

110.8
106.4
111.6

110.5
106.4

.3
0

.6
.2

1.7
1.0

157.3
146.3

195.6
168.9

111.2

.4

.7

1.8

159.9

217.7

110.2
111.8
118.9
110.0

109.9

.3
.4

144.6

.4

.4

1.0
.8
.6
.6

1.8

118.7
109.6

1.9

193.2
177.4
142.0

166.2
241.1
251.6
243.5

$0,942

$0,943

- .1

- .3

-1.1

$0,768

$0,456

Special groups:

Food
Nondurables less food
Apparel less f o o t w e a r — — — — — —
Nondurables less food and apparelDurables--— — — — — — — — — — . . . . .
Used c a r s — — — — — — — — — — — —
Durables less c a r s — — — — — — —

Medical care services
Purchasing power of the consumer dollar
(Reference perlod-$ 1 . 0 0 ) — —

111.4

.2

2.7

1/ Mot available.
2/ Includes house purchase, interest, taxes, Insurance, and upkeep, not shown separately.
3/ Includes house purchase, Interest, taxes, Insurance, and upkeep services; shoe repairs, television repairs, barber
and beauty shop services, and movies.




3

TABIX 2 s Consumer Price Index—111 items indexes and peroent changes, selected dates
U.S. city average and 20 large cities
(1957-59=100 unless otherwise specified)

Indexes
(1957-59=100)

City
March
1963

December
1962

Percent change to
March 1963 from-March
1962

December
1962
0.4

Indexes
1947-49=10C 1939-100

March
1962

March
1963

March
1963

1.1

130.3

219.3

106 2

105.8

105.0

105 2
102.6
107.7
107.6
106.4

104.7
102.5
107.2
106.9
105.7

104.5
102.0
106.1
105.9
105.0

.5
.1
.5
.7
.7

.7
.6
1.5
1.6
1.3

132.7
126.5
134.3
129.7
130.7

226.4
214.4
222.3
215.7
220.7

March
1962

December
1962

March
1962

March
1963

March
1963

1.2
1.5
1.2
1.0
1.0

129.9
131.8
127.2
131.3
137.6

222.8
227.7
217.9
221.4
234.8

February
1963

February
1963

129.5
129.4
127.5
134.8
127.1

218.9
217.4
218.0
227.7
210.4

Cities priced monthly 1/
Iktrn{t.».——.r.

-

T%»41 ttri«lrh4a«.-i——-—Cities priced in March, June, September,
2/

March
1963

Atlanta
BaltimoreCincinnati
St. Louis
San Francisco-

104.9
106.2
104.5
105.8
108.4

December

—

Cities priced in February, May, August,
November

February
1963

2/

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

——
—-—--—--

Cities priced in January, April, July,
October

2/

Boston
Kansas CityMinneapolis-—
Pittsburgh
Portland, Oregon

December
1962
104.5
105.7
104.0
106.0
107.8
November
1962

103.7
104.6
103.3
104.8
107.3
February
1962

104.3
105.0
106.9
107.2
105.6

103.7
104.5
106.5
107.0
105.3

103.1
104.5
105.5
105.9
104.0

January
1963

October
1962

January
1962

108.6
105.9
106.0
106.5
105.7

108.2
107.1
105.9
106.3
105.3

106.2
105.2
104.3
105.2
103.8

-

.4
.5
.5
.2
.6

November
1962
.6
.5
.4
.2
.3
October
1962
.4
- 1.1
.1
.2
.4

February
1962
1.2
.5
1.3
1.2
1.5
January
1962
2.3
.7
1.6
1.2
1.8

January
1963

January
1963

134.6
131.0
131.1
131.2
131.0

220.6
212.3
216.2
225.9
224.6

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

TABUS 3t Consumer Price Index—Peroent changes from February 1963 to March 1963
U.S. city average and five cities priced monthly
All items and comodlty groups

City

All
items

United States city average—

0.1

Chicago—Detroit
Los A n g e l e s — — — — —
New York1 • - Philadelphia

.5
0
.1
0
.2




-

Food

Housing

- 0.4

0.3

.3
.6
.9
.2
.3

.7
.2
.9
.2
.8

-

Apparel

-

Transportation

Beading
Medical Personal
and
recreation
care
care

Other
goods 6
services

0.3

0.2

0.2

0

0.1

0

.3
.4
.1
0
.5

1.0
.9
- .7
.3
.1

.2
.1
0
.3
.1

0.2
.3
0
- .1
.2

.1
.4
0
.5
0

0.4
0
0
0
0

TABLE 4: Consumer Price I n d e x — A l l items and commodity groups
March 1963 indexes and percent changes, December 1962 to March 1963
U.S. city average and 10 cities priced in March 1963

Group

U.S
City
Atlanta
Average

Balti- Chicago Cincin- Detroit
Los
more
nati
Angeles

New
York

PhilaSt.
delphia Louis

San
Francisco

Indexes (1957-59=100)

All items

106. 2

104. 9

106.,2

105.,2

107.7

107,,6

106. 4

105. 8

108. 4

101.,1
100.,0
104.,4
96.,8
105.,1
103.,0
95.,3

106.8
104.4
118.3
97.4
108.3
115.8
91.9

106.,6
103,,9
112.,5
102,,2
101,,1
111.,7
96,,0

104. 1
102. 4
105. 7
99. 7
103. 5
109.,4
97.,4

104. 5
102* 6
106. 1
100. 5
102. 7
109. 1
97.,8

106. 9
104.,8
110. 5
102,,6
106.,6
115,,6
93.,7

98.,1

107.6
106.4
114.7

109,,3

102. 5
104,,3
108. 5
103,,9
96,,8
107,,7

109.,9
116.,4
110.,9

99.9
106.1

104,,9
105,,4
103..2
112.,0

106,,1
107.,4
102,,7
108.,0
98,.5
114,,4

104.,1
102.,5
103.,2
110.,2
100.,3

104.0
105.1
102.2
109.1
100.2

103.,6
105..0
100,.6
1 1 1 ,.0
100,.3

106.,7
105.,5
106,,5
110.,6
104,,8

104,,1
102,.6
104,,1
109,,1
100,.5

105,,0
103,.3
104,.0
111,.3
103,,4

108,.5
107,.2
116,.7

104,.5
102,.5
114,.4

111.1
107.2
138.5

105,,2
106,.9
100,.6

111,.2
107,.7
123,.7

109,,8
108,.1
116,,6

107,,4
108,.3
101..1

114,.6
101,.0
111,.1
104 .5

115..3
107,.6
106,.1
108,.9

114.5
105 o 2
102.9
106.0

116,,7
106,.2
110,,9
105,.0

120,.9
106,.0
100,.2
104,.4

115,,0
110,.0
118,.9
107,.0

117,.9
111,.3
107,.4
107 .8

0,.6

104,,5

102.,6

Food
Food at home
Cereals and bakery products-Meats, poultry, and fishDairy products
Fruits and vegetables
Other foods at home

104. 6
103. 0
109. 1
100. 7
103. 5
109. 6
96. 7

103. 8
103. 2
104. 8
99. 7
102. 8
109. 5
102. 5

103. 1
100.,8
107.,9
99. 5
98.,4
104.,6
97.,3

105.,7
104.,9
110.,4
103.,0
110.,2
108.,3
98.,0

102,,6
101,,4
107.,0
99.,2
103,,0
109.,0
94.,6

Housing
Rent
Gas and electricity
Solid and petroleum fuels
House furnishings
Household operation

105. 7
106, 4
108. 0
104. 8
98. 6
109. 7

104. 1
104. 1
109. 9
109. 6
93. 4
116. 0

106.,3
106.,6
102.,9
104.,8
96,,3
114,,4

104.,3
104.,6
106,,2
104.,7
101,,1
107,,5

102.,9
102..3
110..5
108,,4
98..3
109.,8

105.,1
100,,4
98,,5
105,,4

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

103, 6
103 9
101 1
110 0
101 1

103. 2
103, 4
101, 8
109 3
98 5

106.,7
104,,6
105,,7
116.,5
100.,8

101.,1
102,.4
96.,7
109 <,9
99.,6

102..7
104,A
99,.1
110,.9
98,.3

Transportat ion
Private
Public

107 0
105 6
116 4

107 3
107 2
108 1

106.,9
103,.1
123,,2

106.J
106,>8
107,.4

Medical care
Personal care
Reading and recreation
Other goods and services

115,.8
107,.3
110,.1
105,.7

111,,3
109,,3
108,,6
101,.8

125,.3
107,.5
103,.0
103,.6

119,.3
107,.5
100,.6
101,.3

—

--

98.,9
113..3

Percent change from i December 1962 to March 1963

All items
Food
Food at home
Cereals and bakery products-Keats, poultry, and fish
Dairy products
Fruits and vegetables
Other foods at home

Transportation
Private
Public
Medical care
Personal care
Reading and recreation
Other goods and services

1/ Change from January 1963 to March




0,.5

0,.5

0,.5

0,.1

0.5

1,.1
1,,2
0

.3
,2
,.2
-2,.7
- ,.5
7,.1
.5

1,.3
1.,5

.9
1 .0
1 .5
.8
.3
11,.6
- 1 .4

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

1.1
1.3
1.2
-3.0
1.4
7.3
.5

.4
o

.1

1.2
l/ 1

0

0

- 2,.6

0

10,.4
.9

.5
2

.2
2

- .1

0
Q

Q
0

Housefurnishings
Household operation
Apparel
Men's and boys'
Women's and girls'
Footwear
Other apparel

0,.4

1,a
1,a
.8
-1,.8
- ,.4
9,.4
- •.5

Housing
Gas and electricity

0,.4

-

1 .5

_ .3
.4
_ =4
-

.1
.2

-

.9
-1 .1
.6

.4
- .3
.1
.1

1963.

.3
1,.5

-.

.3
.2
- ,.9
o
- .6
.6

-

-

2,.1
.2
.1

- 1 .0
- 1 .1

0

_
-

.1
.4
.1
.1

.1
.7
.3
11,.9
.9

_ ?

.7
1/
~~-

.1
o

-,

- .7

.8

.6
.5
1 .7

.1
1 .2

.9
1.8

.2
.2
.4
.3
.4

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

-

.1
.1
.1
.7
.8

.3
- .1
.5
.5
.2

- .6
- .1
-1.3

.2
-1 .2
5 .3

.2
.3

.1

-1 .5
-1 .9

-1.7
-1.9

0

0

4 .4
- .1
.5

.5
.3

.6
.1
.3
.2

.4
- .1
- .3
.1

-

-

0

0

-

0
0

0

0
.1

-

.7
.7
1 .6
.1

0,.7

- 0 . .2

1,.6

1,.1

_

1,.9
3,.3
- 1,.4
.7
11 .9
.7
-

1,.2
.1
- 1,.8
- 1,.3
12,.2

0

-

1,.0

.6
1/
-

o

-

.9

0

-

0,.7

_
-

-

.7

5

0
Q

.2
.9

.4
.4

.6
.5
.5
.4

-

0
-

.1

0

.5

0
.1

- ,.1
2
- ..3

.4
2
- .9

>

2

0

- .1
1 .8

0

.4
.5
.2
.7
.5

1 .4
- 1 .0
9 .4

-1 .6
- 2 .1

.3
.4

0

0

.2
.1
.8
.1

.5
- .1
.3

.7
- .1
.8
.2

-

1 .1
-

- •

- .3
7 .7
- .5

- ,'.6
.8

1,.2
1,.5
.4

.1
.9
.8
.7
1 .0

0

- .4

.1
.1
.6
-3,.5
-1,.7
7,.5
.4

-

0

.6
- .5

0
0

5

City

TABLE 5: Consumer Price Index—Food end its subgroups
March 1963 Indexes and Percent Changes, February to March 1963
U.S. city average and 20 large cities
(1957-59-100)
Dairy
Cereals and Meats poultry,
Total
Total food
bakery
product!
1m<i fish
af 1
Percent
Percent
Percent
Percent
Percent
Index change
Index
Index
Index change
Index change
change
change

U. S. city average-

104.6

-0 4

_
_

Atlanta————
Baltimore—
B o s t o n — — — —
C h i c a g o — — —
Cincinnati—
Cleveland--—--—Detroit
Houston
---Kansas City—
—
Los A n g e l e s — — —

4
103 8
2
103 7
,2
106.,5
105.J
.3
102.6 -1..1
,7
.5
101.
.6
101.,1
102.,3
.7
.7
103.6
106.,8 - -.9

Minneapolis-——
New York
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh——
Portland, O r e g . —
St. L o u i s — — — — —
San F r a n c i s c o —
Scranton———
Seattle
Washington, D. C . —

.1
101.,8
.2
106.6
104,.1
.3
.2
104,.1
104.6
.6
104,.5
.5
106,.9
.1
103,.3 -1,.1
.4
107,.3
.4
103..6

-,
- „
-.
-,
-,
-,
-,
-,
-,
-,

TABLE 6:
Food and unit
Cereals and bakery products:
Flour, w h e a t - — — — — — — — 5 lb.
Biscuit m i x —
40 oz.
M a c a r o n i - - — — — — — — - 1 6 oz.
Corn m e a l - — — — — — — — — l b .
Rolled o a t s — — — — — — — 1 8 oz.
Corn flakes--—
— - — 12 oz.
Rice, short g r a i n — - — — — — l b .
Rice, long g r a i n - — — — — — — l b .
Bread, white—
. — — l b .
Soda c r a c k e r s — — — — — — — l b .
Sandwich cookies
16 oz.
Meats, poultry, and fish:
Round s t e a k — — — — — — - - — — l b .
Sirloin steak
lb.
Chuck r o a s t — — — — — — — — - l b .
Rib roast
lb.
Hamburger-——— — — — - - — — - l b .
Veal cutlets
lb.
Pork chops, center cut—-lb.
Pork roast
— — — — l b .
Bacon, sliced----—--— ——----lb.
Ham, w h o l e - — — — — — — — l b .
Lamb, leg

lb.

F r a n k f u r t e r s - — - — — — - — — — lb.
Luncheon meat, canned-------12 oz.
Frying chickens, ready-to-cook-lb.
Ocean perch, fillet, frozen—-lb.
Haddock, fillet, f r o z e n — — — l b .
Salmon, pink, canned—-----16 oz.
Tuna fish, canned-——6 to 6% oz.
Dairy products:
Milk, fresh, (grocery)—-———qt.
Milk, fresh, (delivered)
qt.
Ice c r e a m — — — — — — % gal.
Butter-------------——------lb.
Cheese, American p r o c e s s — l b .
Milk, evaporated——14% oz. can
Fruits and vegetables:
Frozen:
S t r a w b e r r i e s — — — — — — 1 0 oz.
Orange juice concentrate—-6 oz.
Lemonade c o n c e n t r a t e — — 6 oz.
Peas, g r e e n — — — — — — 1 0 oz.
Beans, g r e e n — — — - 9 oz.
Potatoes, french fried—--9 oz.
Fresh:
Apples———— — — — — — l b .
Bananas——— — — — - — — — - l b .
Oranges, size 2 0 0 — — — — d o z .
Lemons--———————-—lb.

*

103.0

-0..5

_ .5

- „

103.2
.4
100.8
,4
104.6
104.9
.3
101.4 -1,.2
100.5 - ,.6
100.0
.8
.9
99.3
.9
102.6
104.4 -1..3

-,
- „
-,

-,
-,
-,
-,
-,
-,

100.0
.1
103.9
.4
102.4
.4
.2
103.9
102.8
.8
102.6
.5
104.8
.3
102.0 -1,.3
.5
105.1
102.1
.5

109.,1
104.8
107.,9
108.,7
110.,4
107..0
106..2
104..4
102..2
108..1
118..3
100.,9
112.,5
105..7
110..3
106..8
106..1
110..5
108.,1
106..8
109..0

-0..1

103..5

-0.1

109.6

0..2

96.7

-0.4

- .1
- .3
-1.1
- .2
- .2
- .1
-1.6
- .2
.3
- .2

109.5
104.6
114.1
108.3
109.0
105.1
103.0
106.2
109.4
115.8

-1.,2
6
,3
2..8
-2.,2
,8
,2
-2.,1
,4
- -,7

102.5
97.3
98.9
98.0
94.6
93.5
95.3
95.5
98.4
91.9

.4
.4
2.1
.2
- .1
- .2
- .3
.2
- .4
-2.1

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

104.3
111.7
109.4
110.6
111.0
109.1
115.6
106.9
113.2
106.4

-1..9
1.,3
.2
3.,3
1.,1
0
1.,5
-1..2
2.2
,7

96.2
96.0
97.4
98.2
93.2
97.8
93.7
97.5
96.7
96.7

.3
- .5
- .2
- .3
-3.0
.4
-2.0

0
0
.8
0
.5
.5
0
-1.,8
.2
- -.3

99.7
99.5
105.3
103.0
99.2
101.2
96.8
98. 1
97.4
97.4

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

- ,.6

98.3
102.2
99.7
103.9
102.6
100.,5
102.6
99.6
104.
100.1

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

102,.7
101,.1
103 .5
99 .8
105 .4
102 .7
106 .6
101.7
107 .3
101.2

-,

5..2

0
0
.4
.3
.3
-3!.7
.1

-,

-.

.7

Other
foods at home
Percent
Index change

100.7 -1..4

102.8
98,.4
97,.2
110,.2
103..0
99 .3
105,.1
96,.6
106,.0
108,.3

- „

Fruits and
veg<etables
Percent
Index
change

-.

-.

Consuaer Price Index—Average retail prices of selected foods
U. S. city average
February
March
Food and unit
1963
-miCents
Fresh—Cont inued
56.4
56.6
Grapefruit-------------------each
48.1
48.0
Peaches *
lb.
24.9
25.0
Strawberries *
pt.
14.3
14.4
Grapes, seedless * — —
-lb.
24.1
24.1
Watermelons *
lb.
28.3
28.2
Potatoes—
——
10 lb.
19.3
19.3
Sweet potatoes—
lb.
21.5
21.5
Corn *
—
doz. ears
21.7
21.7
Onions—
-lb.
Carrots
--lb.
31.1
31.1
Lettuce-——--——
head
52.2
52.2
Celery
—
lb.
Cabbagelb.
109.0
111.0
Tomatoes------------------lb.
110.9
113.8
Beans, green-——- — -—-----lb.
63.0
64.3
Canned:
86.8
84.8
Orange juice
46 oz. can
52.0
52.7
Pineapple juice--46 oz. can
151.7
151.9
Peaches
#2% can
88.1
86.9
Pineapple—
#2 can
63.3
62.6
Fruit cocktail
#303 can
67.6
65.9
Corn, cream style-—
#303 can
61.3
62.4
Peas, green
#303 can
71.5
73.2
Tomatoes
#303 can
63.5
63.9
Tomato juice
46 oz. can
50.5
50.4
Baby foods---—-------4% to 5 oz.
40.9
40.8
Dried:
52.2
52.0
Pruneslb.
56.8
56.4
Beans---—-------------------lb.
73.2
72.2
Other foods at home:
34.4
34.2
Tomato soup
--10% to 11 oz. can
24.3
24.3
Beans, with pork-16 oz. can
25.9
25.9
Pickles, sliced
15 oz.
84.7
84.9
Catsup, tomato
—
14 oz.
74.9
74.9
Potato chips--4 oz.
36.0
36.1
Coffee--———-—
lb. can
15.4
15.4
Coffee--— —
-lb. bag
Coffee, instant-—
6 oz.
Tea b a g s —
pkg. of 48
27.4
27.4
Cola drink, carton-—--—
72 oz.
26.5
27.4
Shortening, hydrogenated--3 lb.
13.7
13.9
Margarine, colored
——lb.
21.0
21.1
Lard
—
lb.
23.0
23.2
Salad dressing—
---pt.
18.5
Peanut butter—
-—lb.
18.3
Sugar--—
— —
5 lb.
15.2
16.0
Corn s y r u p - — - — - - — —
--24 oz.
16.8
16.9
Grape jelly---—
-12 oz.
85.9
93.4
Chocolate b a r — — — — —
1 oz.
26.9
24.7
Eggs, Grade A, large
doz.
Gelatin, flavored--—-—3 to 4 oz.

-.

-.
-.
-.

March
1963

0

- .9
- .3

February
1963

15.4

62.6
13.0
*

62.1
13.0
*

10.2
14.0
17.4
14.7
13.1
37.6
26.2

10.3
14.8
22.3
15.0
14.2
39.3
29.1

49.6
32.7
32.2
39.1
25.1
19.2
22.6
15.3
31.5
10.9

47.5
32.8
32.2
39.1
25.3
19.5
22.6
15.3
31.5

39.9
17.7

39.8
17.8

12.3
15.0
27.0
22.2
27.9
68.7
56.8
93.1
63.0
50.3
85.3
27.4
20.0
37.8
57.4
59.7
28.3
29.7
4.5
56.6
9.8

12.4
15.0
26.9
22.3
27.9
69.1
57.0
92.6
64.0
50.2
86.1
27.5
20.0
38.0
57.7
59.4
28.1
29.6
4.5
57.4
9.9

11.0

Priced only in season.




LABOR - D. C.

6
Brief Explanation of the CPI
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures average changes in prices of goods and
services usually bought by city families of wage earner^ 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 k6 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 axe obtained every month in all
k6 cities. Prices of most other commodities and services are collected every month in
the 5 largest cities and every 3 months in other 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 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 1957-59 » 100.
The national index (the United States city average) includes prices from the
20 large cities for which separate indexes are published in this report, as well as
from the following 26 medium-sized and small cities:
Anna, Illinois
Camden, Arkansas
Canton, Ohio
Charleston, W. Virginia
Evansville, Indiana
Garrett, Indiana
Glendale, Arizona
Grand Forks, N. Dakota
Grand Island, Nebraska

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

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

Comparisons of city indexes show only that prices in one city changed more or
less than in another. The city indexes cannot be used to measure differences in price
levels or in living costs between cities.
A description of the index and historical tables of index numbers for the
United States city average and for 20 large cities are available on request to the
Bureau of Labor Statistics in Washington or any of its regional offices (addresses below).
The historical tables for the U.S. 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 1935 to
date.
BLS Regional Offices
Atlanta
1371 Pfcachtree
Street, N. E.
Zone 9

New York
341 Ninth Avenue
Zone 1

Chicago
105 West Adams Street
Zone 3

San Francisco
630 Sansome Street
Zone 11

Boston
18 Oliver Street
Zone 10

Cleveland
1365 Ontario Street
Zone 14




Labor - D. C.