Full text of CPI Detailed Report : March 1972

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the consumer price index
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

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

J. D. Hodgson, Secretary
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
Geoffrey H. Moore, Commissioner
OFFICE OF PRICES
AND LIVING CONDITIONS
Joel Popkin, Assistant Commissioner

Consumer Price Index
Commodities and Services
1967=100
140

135

RELATIVE IMPORTANCE
ALL ITEMS INDEX (as of December 1971)

^'

130

125

ALL SERVICES

37.41

FOOD

22.19

NONDURABLES LESS FOOD

23.63

DURABLE COMMODITIES - - - •

16.77

s'
y

All Serv ces

y'

l?0
y

115
Al 1 Items /

*

110

105

100

95

Food*
\.

Durables*

Nondurables
Less Food*

• •""
!

:

:

"

•

'

-

•

-

'

90

85
1965
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS




1968

1969

1971
'Seasonally adjusted
Latest Data: March 1972

The Consumer Price Index
November period when most prices were
frozen, was 2. 8 percent.

The Consumer Price Index rose 0. 2
percent in March to 124. 0 percent of its
1967 base. Most of the increase was due
to higher property taxes and higher prices
for clothing, eggs, beef, veal, and restaurant meals, the effects of which were
moderated by lower vegetable and pork
prices and mortgage interest rates. The
March index was 3. 5 percent above a
year ago.
After seasonal adjustment, the March
index was u n c h a n g e d .
During the 4
months since the freeze ended in November, the GPI has risen at a seasonally
adjusted annual rate of 3.7 percent. This
rise compares with a rate of 4. 1 percent during the period from February to
August 1971, the 6-month period immediately preceding the Economic Stabilization Program.
The seasonally-adjusted
annual rate of increase for the first 7
months of the E c o n o m i c Stabilization
P r o g r a m , which includes the August-

Food
In March, the food price index, which
includes both food purchased in grocery
stores and restaurant meals, rose 0. 2
percent after seasonal adjustment.
This
increase was considerably less than the
1. 7 percent rise from January to February.
(See tablev 1 p. 9. ) The slowdown
occurred because of a s u b s t a n t i a l l y
smaller increase in meat prices and a
sharp decline in fresh vegetable prices.
The rise in meat prices s l o w e d
markedly in March after a steep climb
during the preceding 3 months, particularly February.
As wholesale prices for
livestock and meats turned down due to
a larger than usual increase in production in late February and early March,
retail pork prices declined in March for

Table A . Percent changes in CPI and components, selected periods

Changes in all items
at seasonally adjusted
compound annual rates

Changes from preceding month
Month

All items
Unadj.

Food

Seas,

adj.

March 1971
April
May
June
July
August
September .
October . . .
November .
December .

0.3

0.2

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

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

January . . .
February . .
•March

.1
.5
.2

.3
.5
0

Unadj.

Seas,

adj.

Commodities
less food
Seas,
Unadj.
adj.

Unadj.

From
3 mos.
ago

Services

0.9
.7
.3
.8
.5
.2
-.8
-.2
.1
1.1

0.9
.9
.2
.5
.1
.1
-.3
0
.7
.7

0.3
.3
.7
.4
-.1
.1
.3
.5
.1
0

0.2
.2
.7
.3
.1
.3
0
0
0
.3

0.0
.2
.6
.5
.5
.5
.3
.2
.3
.3

2.8
2.8
4.2
5.3
4.9
4.0
2.6
2.4
1.7
2.8

0
1.6
.2

-.2
1.7
.2

-.3
.1
.3

.2
-.1
.3

.5
.2
.2

3.3
4.9
3.4

From
From
6 mos. 12 mos.
ago
ago
4.1
4.0
3.9
4.1
3.9
3.6
2.8
2.7

4.6
4.3
4.4
4.5
4.4
4.4
4.0
3.6
3.5
3.4

2.8
3.3
3.1

3.4
3.7
3.5

3.6
4.1

* The seasonally adjusted All Items change can differ from the average of the components because the All Items figure is derived separately
and because of rounding. The difference is more apparent than usual in March.




the first time since October.
Beef and
veal prices continued to rise, but the increase was much smaller than during the
preceding 3 months.
Poulty prices also
increased less than in February.
Prices of fresh vegetables dropped
sharply instead of rising seasonally, and
fresh fruit prices increased less than
they usually do in March.
Fresh fruit
and vegetable prices—particularly the
l a t t e r — a r e highly volatile b e c a u s e
changes in weather conditions affect the
size of the crop as well as the timing of
harvesting. After advancing considerably
more than they usually do in February,
fresh vegetable prices fell in March as
harvesting in winter producing a r e a s ,
especially of lettuce, reached a peak.
Supplies of tomatoes from Mexico and
Florida also increased.
Among f r e s h
fruits, grapefruit prices increased sharply
but orange and banana prices declined
contraseasonally.
The increase in apple
prices was smaller than usual for March.
Unlike fresh fruit and vegetable prices,
which are exempt from regulation under
the Economic Stabilization P r o g r a m ,
prices of processed fruits and vegetables
held steady during the wage-price-rent
freeze and have since moved up 0. 3 percent each month from December through
March, a somewhat smaller i n c r e a s e
than during the same period of 1971.
Prices also rose for most other food
purchased in grocery stores.
However,
increases in dairy products and cereal
and bakery products were slightly smaller
than in February.
Egg prices, which
declined sharply in January and February, increased substantially as demand
built up for Easter.
Prices of restaurant meals and snacks
away from home increased 0.4 percent,
instead of moving down slightly as they
usually do in March. The rise in these
prices decelerated noticeably in the final
8 months of 1971, rose slightly faster
in January and February, and accelerated
in March to about the same pace as immediately before the start of the Economic Stabilization Program.
Commodities less food
rose

The index of nonfood commodities
0. 3 percent in March after sea-




sonal adjustment, compared with a decline of 0. 1 percent in February and increases of 0. 2 percent in January and
0. 3 percent in December. About 40 percent of the March rise was due to an increase in apparel prices.
Prices were
also higher for most other nonfood commodities including f u r n i t u r e , textile
housefurnishings, g a s o l i n e , and used
cars.
The increase of 0.6 percent in the
index for apparel commodities was largely
due to higher prices for footwear and an
i n c r e a s e in prices of spring clothing
items priced for the first time this season. On a seasonally adjusted basis, the
index rose 0. 2 percent. Footwear prices
rose much more than is usual for March—
0. 5 percent after seasonal adjustment—
due to the ending of sales and widespread
price advances reflecting large increases
in wholesale costs.
P r i c e s of men's
clothing rose seasonally. Higher prices
for year-round suits, tropical w e i g h t
suits, and lightweight jackets accounted
for most of the increase.
P r i c e s of
women1 s and girls 1 apparel rose somewhat more than they usually do in March,
as women's bathing suits and lightweight
skirts were priced for the first time this
season and prices for girls 1 dresses and
l i g h t w e i g h t coats returned to regular
prices after sales in February.
The index for furniture and bedding
rose significantly in March.
Folding
chairs, which were priced the first time
for this year, accounted for more than
half the rise in this index.
In addition,
end of semiannual sales caused price increases for most items. Prices for textile housefurnishings rose for the same
reason.
Used car prices, which moved down
almost steadily from July through February, increased in March as they began
their usual spring-to-summer uptrend.
New car prices declined, but the decrease
was a little less than usual for this time
of the year. Gasoline prices, which declined in January and February, increased
in March particularly on the West Coast.
Prices of most other nonfood commodities such as toilet goods, recreational goods, and alcoholic beverages increased moderately.
Prices of tobacco

products continued to increase—although
not as much as they did in February—'
mostly because of tax increases in some
cities.

Services
Charges for consumer services rose
0.2 percent in March, the same as in
February and less than in each of the
preceding 3 months. Most of the increase was due to higher charges for
medical care and household services.
The index for medical care services
increased 0.4 percent for the fourth consecutive month. Rates for semiprivate
hospital room and for operating rooms
increased 0. 6 percent due to wage rate
increases. Dentists' fees rose 0. 3 percent, and physicians1 fees, 0. 2 percent.
These increases in hospital charges and
professional fees were c o n s i d e r a b l y
smaller than March increases in recent
years.
Charges for household services increased 0.2 percent, slightly less than
in February and much less than in January.
The rise in the index for household services was moderated by a somewhat larger decrease in mortgage interest rates than had occurred during the
preceding 4 months. Telephone rates,
which rose substantially in January and
February, showed no change in March.
The increase of 0. 2 percent for gas and
electricity in March was the same as in
February and considerably smaller than
in January.
On the other hand, property
taxes rose 1.3 percent and "water and
sewerage rates rose 1 percent because of
annual changes in many cities.
Charges
for home maintenance and repairs were
larger than in recent months, a usual
s e a s o n a l pattern f o r spring months.
Higher wages for domestic workers, launderers, and babysitters raised the cost
of housekeeping services.
Charges for transportation services
decreased 0. 1 percent in March, as the
index for local—transit fares dropped 1. 3
percent. This decline was almost entirely
the result of a reduction in cash fare
from 40 to 15 cents in Atlanta.
The reduction is to be subsidized through an
increase in sales tax. Railroad coach
fares also declined, but intercity bus
fares were up sharply.




Effect of items identified as exempt from
post-freeze regulations
The 0.2 percent i n c r e a s e in the
March CPI is not changed by removal of
the effect of items identified as exempt
from regulation.
Since declines in raw
agricultural products, especially fresh
v e g e t a b l e s , mortgage interest rates,
and houses were offset by i n c r e a s e s
in taxes and used cars, the M a r c h
i n c r e a s e remains 0.2 percent after
removal of these i t e m s .
T h i s 0.2
percent compares with a corresponding 0.4 percent increase in February
and a 0. 1 percent increase in January.

Diffusion of individual price changes
Approximately 120,000 i n d i v i d u a l
prices were collected directly by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in March for
use in the index. Approximately 80 percent of these quotations represent monthly
comparisons. As can be seen from table
B, 75 percent of these monthly comparisons remained unchanged, 10 percent decreased, and 15 percent increased between
February and March. The proportion of
prices which increased was considerably
less than in February, when there was
a sharp rise in the number of grocery
store food price increases. The proportion of nonfood commodity p r i c e s increasing^edged up to 10 percent, the
highest figure for any month since October when this analysis was initiated. On
the other hand, the proportion of prices
for services which rose was considerably
less than in February.
The March index also includes more
than 24, 000 price comparisons to March
from periods before February.
About
19, 000 of these cover the quarterly span
from December to March. About 14 percent of these prices increased, a slightly
higher proportion than in last month's
index. The number of price increases
for restaurant meals increased noticeably. In addition, more than 5,000 rental
units were surveyed in March. About
13 percent of these reported rent increases since September; 2.4 percent
rose between February and March.

Table B. Percent distribution of monthly price comparisons1
September
to
October

October
to
November

November
to
December

December
to
January

January
to
February

February
to
March

All items 2
Increases
Decreases.
No change

100
11
10
79

100
11
9
80

100
16
7
77

100
14
11
75

100
22
8
70

100
15
10
75

Food at home
Increases
Decreases
No change

100
12
11
77

100
13
10
77

100
17
8
75

100
15
11
74

100
24
9
67

100
16
12
72

Commodities less f o o d . . . . .v
Increases
Decreases
No change

100
7
7
86

100
7
6
87

100
6
5
89

100
7
10
83

100
8
7
85

100
10
5
85

Services
Increases
Decreases
No change

100
1
8
91

100
2
1
97

100
6
1
93

100
12
5
83

100
8
3
89

100
3
1
96

All items excluding raw agricultural
products
Increases
Decreases
No change

100
7
8
85

100
7
7
86

100
9
6
85'

100
12
7
81

100
20
6
74

100
13
7
80

Groups

Regulations of the Economic Stabilization Program permit certain types of increases but it is not possible to determine whether allowable increases accounted for all increases shown in the above table.
Based on approximately 98,000 individual price quotations.




FILL

ITEMS

INDEX

RND

(
SEMILOG
135
130
125
120
115
110
105
100
95

CPI

ITS

RflTE

1 9 6 7 = 100

FILL

ITEMS

OF CHflNGE

1963-72

)
MflR
124.0

INDEX

(NOT SEflSONflLLY RDJUSTED)

90

PERCENT CHflNGE OVER 1-MONTH SPAN(SEflSONflLLY ADJUSTED)

85

flRITH.

MflR SCflLE0.7
0.0 — 0.6
— O.S
— 0.4
— 0.3
— 0.2
— 0.1
— 0.0
— -0.1

PERCENT CHflNGE OVER 3-MONTH SPflN
[flNNUfll RflTE, SEflSONflLLY flOJUSTED)

flRITH.
SCflLE

MflR
3.4

PERCENT CHflNGE OVER 6-MONTH SPflN
[flNNUflL RflTE, SEflSONflLLY flOJUSTEO)

flRITH.
^LE
SCflL
PERCENT CHflNGE OVER 12-MONTH SPflN 1/

1963

1964

1965

1966

1967

1/ Computed from the u n a d j u s t e d
series.
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS




5

1968

1969

1970

1971

1972

TOTAL FOOO INDEX

flND ITS RflTE OF CHflNGE
( 1967 = 100 )

1963-72
fifiR
122.6

130

125
120

CPI TOTflL FOOD INDEX
(SEflSONflLLY flOJUSTEO)

US
110
105
100

ffflK
0.2

95
PERCENT CHflNGE OVER 1-MONTH SPflN
(SEflSONflLLY flOJUSTEO)

90

1.6
1.4
1.2
1.0
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0.0
-0.2
-0.4
-0.6

85

\

A
PERCENT CHflNGE OVER 3-MONTH SPflN
(flNNUflL RflTE. SEflSONflLLY flOJUSTED)

BHfl[;
10
8
6
4
2
0
-2
-4

PERCENT CHflNGE OVER 6-MONTH SPflN
(flNNUflL RflTE. SEflSONflLLY flOJUSTEO)

Wtt;

MPR
6.3

PERCENT CHflNGE OVER 12-MONTH

6
4
2
0

1963

1964

1965

1966

1967

1/ Computed from the u n a d i u s t e d s e r i e s .
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS




6

1968

1969

1970

1971

1972

COMMODITIES LESS FOOO INDEX flND ITS RflTE OF CHflNGE 1963-72
( 1967 = 100 )
135
130
125
120
115
110
105

CP

MflR
118.3

COMMODITIES LESS FOOD INDEX
(SEASONALLY RDJU5TED)

100
95
90
85

PERCENT CHflNGE OVER 1-MONTH SPflN
(SEflSONflLLY flOJUSTEO)
0 7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.0
-0.1
-0.2
-0.3

PERCENT CHflNGE OVER 3-MONTH SPflN
(flNNUflL RflTE» SEflSONflLLY flOJUSTEO)

tun

6

MflR
1.4

4
2
0
-2

PERCENT CHflNGE OVER 6-MONTH SPflN
(flNNUflL RflTE* SEflSONflLLY flOJUSTEO)
MflR
1 .4

PERCENT CHflNGE OVER 12-MONTH SPflN 1/
MflR

2.3

1963

1964

1965

1966

1/ Computed from the unadjusted series.
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS




1967

1968

1969

1970

1971

1972

SERVICES INDEX flND ITS RflTE OF CHflNGE
( 1967 = 100 )

1963-72
MflR
132.0

SEMILOG

135
130

CPI SE *VICES IND :X
(NOT SEASONflLLY flOJUSTEO)

125
120
115
110
105
100
95
90

PERCENT CHflNGE OVER 1-ttONTH SPflN
(NOT SEflSONflLLY flOOUSTEO)

85

1.1
1.0
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.0
-0.1

WwiAAT
PERCENT CHRN6E OVER 3-HONTH SPflN
(RNNUflL RflTE. NOT SEflSONflLLY flOJUSTEO)

z
10
8
6
4
2
0

PERCENT CHflNGE OVER 6-MONTH SPflN
(flNNUflL RflTE. NOT SEflSONflLLY flOJUSTEO)

PERCENT CHflNGE OVER 12-MONTH SPflN

1963

1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972

1/ Computed from the unadjusted s e r i e s .
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS




1

8

Table 1.

Consumer Price Index—United States City Average for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers,
by Commodity and Service Groups, and Expenditure Classes

Groups

Relative
importance
December
1971

Unadjusted indexes
1967-100 unless
otherwise noted
February
March
1972
1972

1

Unadjusted
percent change to
from—
February
March
1972
1971

Seasonally adjusted
percent change front
previous month
February- JanuaryMarch
IFebruary

Commodity and service groups
All items
All items

100.00
(1957-59-100)™—

124.0
144.3

123.8
143.9

0.2

62.59

119.7

119.4

FoodFood a

22.19
17.23
2.28
5.64
2.72
3.03
3.56
4.96

122.4
120.6
114.8
126.8
117.3
121.4
116.7
129.4

122.2
120.5
114.3
126.3
116.9
123.9
115.6
128.9

.2
.1
.4
.4
.3
2.0
1.0
.4

Commodities less food

40.40

118.2

117.8

.3

2.3

.3

-

.1

.2

23.63
9.03
2.82
4.02
1.57
14.60
2.92
2.09
2.50
.67
6.42

118.9
121.6
120.3
122.5
123.5
117.3
107.3
132.5
118.9
118.7
116.9

118.4
120.9
119.7
121.7
122.7
117.0
106.9
132.0
118.7
118.7
116.6

.4
.6
.5
.7
.7
.3
.4
.4
.2
0
.3

2.8
2.4
.8
3.6
2.5
2.9
.6
6.8
2.7
1.1
3.0

.2
.2
0
.2
.5
.3
.3
.4
.2
.2
.3

.2
.4
0
1.0
- .2
* .2
- .7
*1.4
* .2
0
* .3

.2
.1
.3
.1
.2
* 0
- .6
* .8
* .1
.2

16.77
4.83
2.12
1.98
7.84

117.3
114.1
111.7
103.9
125.0

117.1
113.6
111.9
103.0
125.1

.2
.4
.2
.9
.1

1.8
1.8
• 2.7
4.2

.2
.2
.1
* .9
-* .1

.1
.1
0
- 2.2
* .1

.3
0
2.1
'- 1.8
* .3

37.41
5.05
32.36
15.36
5.57
5.55
5.88

132.0
117.7
134.7
137.7
135.5
136.9
124.7

131.8
117.5
134.4
137.4
135.7
136.4
124.5

.2
.2
.2
.2
.1
.4
.2

4.3
3.3
4.5
5.8
2.7
4.2
2.9

* .2
* .2
.1
- .1
- .2
.1
.1

* .2
* .3
.3
.3
.1
.4
.2

* .5
* .2
.5
.9
.3
.2
.2

77.81
45.82
7.46
31.86
9.85
5.51
4.46

124.5
120.6
121.3
131.3
142.6
125.1
142.4

124.2
120.3
120.6
131.1
142.4
125.1
141.8

3.2
3.6
2.4
4.3
3.9
5.5
7.1

.1
.2
.3
* .2
.1
0
.1

.2
1.0
.3
* .2
.1
.3

.3
- .1
- .1
* .5
.6
1.1
.4

home
Is and bakery products
, poultry, and fish
products
:s and vegetables
Othe: foods at home
Food away from home

Nondurables less food
Apparel commodities 1/
Men's and boys'
Women's and girls'
Nondurables less food and apparel—
Gasoline and motor oil
Tobacco products
Alcoholic beverages—
Fuel oil and coalOther nondurables
Durables commodities—
Household durables—
New cars
Used cars
Other durables
Services
Rent
Services less rent
Household services less r e n t —
Transportation services
Medical care services
Other services
•
Special indexes:
All items less food
Nondurable commodities
Apparel commodities less footwear
Services less medical care services -Insurance and finance
Utilities and public transportation
Housekeeping and home maintenance services

4.6
4.8
1.6
9.7
2.7
4.7
1.0
4.1

• 2.3

.3

.6

.2
.2
.4
.3
.5
- 2.7
2.3
.5

1.7
2.0
.6
4.4
.6
2.5
- .2
.3

*
*
*
*

-

.1
-

.2
.3
.1
1.2
.3
- 4.2
- .6
.3

-

Expenditure classes
All ite
Food-

Homeownership 3/
Fuel and utilities 4/
Gas and electricity
Household furnishings and operation-

3.5
22.19

122.4

122.2

4.6

.2

1.7

33.84
21.72
5.05
16.25
4.71
2.43
7.41

127.9
132.7
117.7
138.2
119.6
119.7
120.1

127.6
132.5
117.5
138.0
119.3
119.4
119.6

4.5
4.7
3.3
5.3
5.1
5.6
3.2

* .2
* .2
* .2
.1
.2
.3
.3

* .2
* .2
* .3

.2

.2

.5
0
4.6

.2
- .1
- 1.5

- .1
- .3
.3

.3
.6
2.1

3.6
3.6
2.5
3.4
4.4

* .2
0
.1
.1
.3

* .3
.4
.3
.2

* .3
.2
.3
.2
.7

3.2
3.5
3.7

.2
.1
*.2

.6
.5

.1
.3

Apparel and upkeep—

10.45

121.3

120.7

Transportation—
Private-—
Public-

13.27
11.80
1.47

118.4
115.9
142.3

118.3
115.7
143.5

Health and recreation
Medical care
Personal c a r e —
Reading and recreation
Other goods and services

19.87
6.46
2.58
5.71
5.12

125.0
131.4
118.7
121.7
124.6

124.7
131.0
118.4
121.5
124.3

78.28
93.54
96.25

121.8
123.6
123.2

121.5
123.4
122.9

$0,806
.693

.695

Special indexes;
All items less shelter
All items less medical care
All items less mortgage interest costs

.2
.3
.3
.2
.2

Purchasing power of consumer dollar;
1957-59-$!.00

Iff
2J
2J

Also includes infants' wear, sewing materials, and jewelry not shown separately.
Also includes hotel and motel rates not shown separately.
V
Includes home purchase, mortgage interest, taxes, insurance, and maintenance and repairs.
y
Also includes residential telephone, fuel oil, coal, water, and sewerage service not shown separately.
*
Not seasonally adjusted.
NOTE: Index applies to month as a whole, not to any specific date.




0
.6
.3
- .1

f

.5

-

.2
* .4
* .5
* .2
.9

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/

1967=100

1957-59=100

Other
bases

Percent change from:

February
1972

March 1972

December
1971

March
1971

U.S. City Average

124.0

144.3

0.2

0.7

3.5

Chicago
Detroit Los Angeles-Long Beach
N.Y.-Northeastern N.J Philadelphia

123.2
125.0
121.2
130.0
125.8

139.9
143.7
142.6
154.7
147.0

.2
.1
.7
.4
.5

.7
1.1
.9
1.6
.6

2.8
4.1
3.7
4.6
2.9

October
1971

January 1972

Boston
Houston
Minneapolis-St. Paul
Pittsburgh

124.9
123.2
123.8
123.2

.3
.7
.3
.2

149.6
140.9
143.5
141.7

November
1971

February 1972

Buffalo
Cleveland Dallas
Milwaukee San Diego-.
Seattle --Washington

124.9
125.9
123.7
122.2
122.3
119.0
124.7

3/ 137.2
142.1
3/ 133.7
138.0
4/ 128.5
139.8
145.3

December
1971

March 1972
Atlanta
Baltimore
Cincinnati
Honolulu
Kansas City
St. Louis -

San Francisco-Oakland

123.8
124.9
123.0
122.4
122.4
120.8
122.9

142.3
145.0
139.6

.2
-.2
5/ 132.0

145.3
141.1
146.2

1.5
1.2
1.1
1.1
1.2
1.2
.4

1.1
-.1
.9

January
1971
3.5
3.3
3.1
3.4
February
1971
4.4
3.6
3.3
2.7
3.5
3.8
3.1
March
1971
2.8
2.3
2.7
4.9
2.7
2.2
3.2

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 I960.
"LJ 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.
3/ November 1963=100.
4/ February 1965=100.
5/ December 1963=100.
Note: The Consumer Price Index cannot be used for measuring differences in living costs among areas; it indicates pri^e
change within areas. Estimates of differences in living costs among areas are found in the family budgets.




10

TABLE 3. Consumer Price Index—The United States and selected areas \J for urban wage earners and clerical workers, major groups percent
change from February 1972 to March 1972

U.S. City
Average

Group

Los AngelesLong Beach

Chicago

All items
Food
Housing
Apparel and upkeep
Transportation
Health and recreation
Medical care
Personal care
Reading and recreation
Other goods and services
1/
2/

—

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

0.4
.4
.3
1.5
-.2
.3

.4
.2
3.3
.2
0
0

(2/)

(2/>
-.4
.2

(2/)

(2/)

.3
.2

.5
.1

0

-.1
.5
-.1
-1.1

.2
.3

Philadelphia

0.7
-.1
.3
1.1
3.3
.3
0
(2/)

-.1
.2
.7
-.2
.3
.2

New YorkNortheastern
New Jersey

.3

See footnote 1, table 2.
Not available.

TABLE 4.

Ccnsumer Price Index' -United States city average for urban wage earners and clerical workers for selected groups, seasonally adjusted
(1967=100)

Group

March
1972

February
1972 '

Food
Food at home
•
Cereal and bakery products
Meat, poultry,and fish
Dairy products
--—•
Fruits anci vegetables
Other food at home

122.6
120.8
114.8
127.3
117.5
121.2
116.9

122.4
120.6
114.3
126.9
116.9
124.6
114.3

120.5
118.6
113.7
120.2
115.8
126.9
115.2

Fuel and utilities 1/ •
Fuel oil and coal •

IJ9.5
118.1

119.3
117.9

Apparel and upkeep 2/ •
Men's and boys' —
Women's and girls'
Footwear

121.5
120.5
123.0
123.5

Transportation
Private •
New cars •

118.9
116.1
111.3

Commodities •
Commodities less food •
Nondurables —
Nondurables less food
Apparel commodities
Durables

119.9
118.3
120.8
119.0
121.8
117.7

1/
2/

!
|
;

;

December
1971

Percent change to March 1972
From;
1 Month
3 Months

Ago

Aao

0.2
.2
.4
.3
.5

1.7
1.9
1.0
5.9
1.5

-2.7

-4.5

2.3

1.5

117.7
117.7

.2
.2

1.5
.3

121.3
120.5
122.7
122.9

121.0
120.9
121.6
122.9

.2
0
.2
.5

.4
-.3
1.2
.5

118.7
116.2
111.2

118.5
115.8
108.9

.2
-.1
.1

.3
.3
2.2

119.6
118.0
120.5
118.8
121.6
117.5

118.8
117.9
119.4
118.4
121.2
117.1

.3
.3
.2
.2
.2
.2

.9
.3
1.2
.5
.5
.5

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




11

TABLE 5. Consumer Price Index—United States and selected areas 1/ for urban wage earners and clerical workers, commodity groups,
March 1972 index and percent changes from December 1971

U.S. City
Average

Group

Los AngelesLong Beach

Chicago

new York Jortheastern
New Jersey

Philadelphia

Indexes (1967-100)
124.0

123.2

125.0

121.2

130.0

125.8

122.A
120.6
114.8
126.8
117.3
121.4
116.7
129.4

122.7
121.5
117.0
128.2
117.0
121.7
115.9
127.3

122.0
121.0
115.7
130.1
117.2
114.0
116.9
126.8

118.8
117.6
111.3
125.9
114.5
115.9
113.8
121.8

127.4
124.6
116.6
130.5
120.6
127.7
119.0
136.2

124.3
121.9
116.0
126.1
120.5
123.8
117.8
134.9

127.9
132.7
117.7
138.2
119.6
118.7
119.7
120.1

123.5
127.3
112.0
134.2
115.6
113.4
116.4
116.9

131.8
141.6
(2/)
146.2
113.1
113.9
114.7
113.9

126.2
129.0
117.8
132.4
124.9
127.6
117.1

134.1
139.6
(2/)
151.9
123.1
120.4
119.7
126.2

128.3
136.1
122.9
139.5
116.0
111.9
119.9
121.6

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

121.3
120.3
122.5
123.5

119.6
117.0
123.6
116.2

116.9
114.9
115.5
122.3

120.0
116.8
124.1
122.0

123.9
120.9
126.6
123.1

119.9
121.8
116.0
125.3

Transportation
Private —
Public

118.4
115.9
142.3

121.8
115.5
161.3

115.6
112.9
149.0

115.9
115.9
115.3

131.9
124.0
162". 4

123.9
120.7
142.4

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

125.0
131.4
118.7
121.7
124.6

126.0
130.3
118.0
121.9
130.0

127.7
140.3
(2/)
122.9
121.3

119.6
127.2
115.6
113.2
118.3

129.3
138.8
(2/)
125.5
129.1

128.5
140.4
(2/)
125.2
124.2

All items
Food
1?AS%/4

.-—,_ •
«#• u

A i n A

_____ __ __

_ _ _ _ _ _ _

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

•
———————————————

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

Percent changes from December 1971 to March 1972
All ite

0.7

0.7

1.1

0.9

1.6

0.6

2.3
2.9
1.1
7.2
1.7
-1.9
1.1
.3

1.9
1.7
1.0
6.8
.3
-4.2
1.1
1.9

1.8
2.0
1.2
5.5
1.6
1.9
-.3
.9

1.9
2.0
.8
5.0
.8
-.2
.6
1.6

.7
.6
.1
.8
.9

1.6
1.7

.6
.7

2.2
1.2
.2
1.5
1.3

.4
.1
3/ .5
-.2
.1
0
-.3
.6

1.7
2.0
.9
6.6
1.0
-2.4
.1
.9

2.6
3.0
1.7
6.5
1.6
1.6
-.3
1.0

.9
.8
.7
.9
1.4
.5
1.3
.4

.8
7
3/ 2
.8
1.8
0
2.8
.5

.5
.8
(2/)
.8
0
0
-.3
.1

-.4
-1.1
-.6
.3

-.7
-1.2
-1.0
-.7

-.2
-2.0
1.0
.3

.8
-.3
1.8
.2

1.2
-.2
3.1
.9

-.1
-2.4
.1
1.0

Transportation
Private
Public
—

-.2
-.3
1.9

-2.8
-3.4
0

.9
1.0
0

.9
1.0
0

2.3
.2
9.2

0
-.1
.1

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

.9
1.0
.7
.5
1.3

1.6
.9
.1
.9
3.9

1.3
2.0
(2/)
1.2
.4

.7
.3
2.6
.8
.3

1.2
.7
(2/)
.2
2.6

.2
.6
(2/)
-.3
.2

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
Housing
Shelter
Rent
Homeownership
Fuel and utilities
Fuel oil and coal
Gas and electricity
Household furnishings and operation
Apparel and upkeep —
Men's and boys' —
Women'8 and girls'
Footwear




12

3/

ill)

TABLE 5. Consumer Price Index—United States and selected areas 1/ for urban wage earners and clerical workers, commodity groups,
March 1972 index and percent changes from December 1971—Continued

Group

Atlanta

Baltimore

Cincinnati

Honolulu

Kansas
City

San
Francisco

St.
Louis

(Indexes 1967-100)

123.8

124.9

123.0

122.4

122.4

122.9

120.8

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

122.6
120.4
116.1
123.2
117.7
127.8
116.7
129.8

123 .9
122 .2
117 .4
126 .3
120.0
124.2
118.7
130.1

123 .6
122.7
116 .1
126 .0
121 .0
126 .2
119 .5
127 .1

123.2
121.0
105.6
124. 2
117. 5
134. 1
118. 3
129.4

122. 8
121.0
116.5
127. 2
126.6
114. 1
116.3
128. 6

119.8
118.7
112.5
125.6
114.7
115.9
116.4
123.8

120.8
118.4
119.2
122.0
118.6
119.5
111.4
131.9

129.7
134.1
116.2
139.5
124.0

122 .9
127 .0
109 .1
135 .2
121 .1

123. 7
128.9
126.5
130. 3
109. 8

124. 6
129. 6
110.2
137. 2
115. 7

129.2
133.2
128.0
135.8
126.4

122.2
123.2

128.6
134.8
111.7
144.5
117 .0
114.9
117.0
122.1

117 .6
113.3

104.4
114. 6

116.8
117. 3

118.1
117.5

121.0
122.6
108.1
126.6
117.6
119.7
121.4
120.0

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

117.0
121.4
111.5
117.4

124.3
129
119 .5
128 .1

121 .4
123 .5
116 .3
130.4

120. 4
113.6
124.9
114. 5

126.2
125.2
129.3
128. 8

120.2
121.7
120.5
121.4

120.2
116.5
123.0
125.2

Transportation
Private
Public

112.3
114.9
77.7

115 .4
114.4
121.6

119 .2
113 .6
162 .3

(4/)l22.8
(5/)124.6
112. 8

115,,5
114.,2
137. 0

118.7
117.8
134.6

116.9
114.4
145.5

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

127.2
138.0
123.3
122.5
118.9

126 .7
140.1
119 .0
124.7
119 .9

126.1
136 .3
123 .9
118.6
124.0

120. 7
126. 5
120. 4
121. 3
113. 7

124.,0
127.,8
121.,0
117.,5
129.,1

120.1
125.8
115.1
116.4
118.6

122.9
125.1
122.5
116.4
126.9

Shelter
———————————————^*j
?
e
n
t
— — — — — — — — — — — —
Homeownership
Fuel and utilities
Fuel oil and coal
Gas and electricity
Household furnishings and operation

r-l

All items

Percent changes from December 1971 to March 1972
All itei
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

—

Hous ing
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
Transportation
Private

Health and recreation
Medical care
Personal care
Reading and recreation
Other goods and services
1/
2/
3/
4/
5/

0.2

-0.2

0.9

1.1

0.8

0.9

-0.1

2.5
3.0
2.6
8.0
1.1
-1.4
.7
1.2

.6
.7
-.4
4.0
1.7
-4.4
-.7
0

2.4
2.8
2.7
7.6
2.3
-1.5
.2
1.0

1.9
2.5
.9
2.5
2.8
3.6
1.9
.3

1.7
2.3
-.4
8.0
2.0
-2.5
-.6
.1

.8
.9
2.3
5.8
-.1
-9.0
1.5
.2

1.2
1.2
-.9
7.1
-.5
-3.9
-.4
.8

0
-.3
.8
-.6
.5

-.4
-1.5
.4
-2.1
2.2
0
.8
1.0

.7
.6
.4
.7
2.0

.7
.7
.5
.7
.9

.7
.9
.3
1.1

2.2
0

.1
1.0

-.1
.4

.3
.2

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

.3
-.3
-.3
2.4

.1
.3
-.7
.4

-.6
-1.0
-.9
.4

1.1
.9
.7
.9

1.4
1.8
1.9
.7

.5
2.8
-.6
.7

-.5
.3
-1.7
.6

-2.9
1.0
-44.7

-1.9
-2.1
.1

-2.1
-2.5
0

.9
1.1
-.1

-.3
-.3
0

1.1
1.2
0

-3.1
-3.4
0

.5
.6
0
.5

0
.4
-1.3
-.1
.3

2.1
2.9
2.4
-.5
3.4

.7
.4
1.9
.7
.2

1.1
.8
.8
.7
2.5

1.3
1.3
.4
1.8
.8

.2
1.0
.2
.1
-.7

.4

See footnote 1, table 2.
Not available.
Change from January 1972.
Corrected indexes: June 1970=112.6; September 1970=112.6; December 1970=115.2; March 1971=118.0.
Corrected indexes: June 1970=115.3; September 1970=115.3; December 1970=118.3; March 1971=120.4.




13

.4
.7
.2
4.5

TABLE 6. Consumer Price Index--United States and selected areas for urban wage earners and clerical
subgroups, March 1972 indexes and percent changes from February 1972

workers, food and its

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 (1967=100)

U.S. City Average

122.4

120.6

114.8

126.8

117.3

121.4

116.7

129.4

Atlanta
Baltimore
Boston
Buffalo
Chicago
Cincinnati
Cleveland
Dallas
Detroit
Honolulu
Houston
Kansas City
Los Angeles-Long Beach
Milwaukee
Minneapolis-St. Paul —
New York
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh

122.6
123.9
122.3
122.8
122.7
123.6
122 1
122.1
122.0
123.2
124.0
122.8
118.8
119.4
122.8
127.4
124.3
123.1
120.8
121.8
119.8
119.0
124,0

120.4
122.2
121.1
121.5
121.5
122.7
121.5
119.1
121.0
121.0
120.3
121.0
117.6
118.1
120.8
124.6
121.9
121.6
118.4
119.0
118.7
117.2
120.5

116.1
117.4
113.4
117.1
117.0
116.1
110.8
113.2
115.7
105.6
112.0
116.5
111.3
116.5
122.0
116.6
116.0
117.3
119.2
112.1
112.5
110.6
116.4

123.2
126.3
130.1
126.7
128.2
126.0
127.8
125.6
130.1
124.2
126.9
127.2
125.9
126.1
128.9
130.5
126.1
125.2
122.0
131.4
125.6
123.2
122.8

117.7
120.0
116.6
116.4
117.0
121.0
122.8
113.4
117.2
117.5
118.4
126.6
114.5
114.3
114.9
129.6
120.5
119.7
118.6
113.1
114.7
116,0
111.4

127.8
124.2
121.7
123.8
121.7
126.2
121.0
120.6
114.0
134.1
122.3
114.1
115.9
115.6
116.3
127-7
123.8
122.9
119.5
114,0
115.9
114.9
126.8

116.7
118.7
114.3
118.2
115.9
119.5
117.1
115.4
116.9
118.3
116.1
116.3
113.8
112.1
118.6
119.0
117.8
119.1
111.4
112.4
116.4
115.2
121^0

129.8
130.1
126.8
130.1
127.3
127-1
125.9
133.2
126.8
129.4
136.8
128.6
121.8
(2/)
131.4
136.2
134.9
132.1
131 9
(2/)
123.8
125.0
132.7

St • LiOUIS ———————— — — — —

San Diego
San Francisco-Oakland Seattle
Washington

Percent changes from February 1972 to March 1972
U.S. City Average
Atlanta
Baltimore
Boston
Buffalo
Chicago
Cincinnati
Cleveland
Dallas
Detroit
Honolulu
Houston
Kansas City
Los Angeles-Long Beach Milwaukee
Minneapolis-St. Paul
New York
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
St. Louis
San Diego
San Francisco-Oakland —
Seattle
Washington

.4
.6
.9
.1
.1
0
.3
.3
.1
.4
.6
0
.1
0
.7
.4
.4
.4
.1
0
.3
.5
.2

1/

See footnote 1, table 2.

2/

Not Available.




0.1

0-4

0.4

0.3

- 2.0

1.0

.5
.7
1.1
- .2
- .3
- .1
.4
- .3
- .1
- .7
.6
.1
- .4
0
.8
.2
.4
.4
- .3
0
- .5
- .7
.1

.6
3.2
.3
- .3
- 1
.4
- .6
- .4
1.3
- .7
.2
.4
.4
- .3
1.0
1.0
.3
.8
- .8
0
- .1
- .2
1.3

.1
.4
1.6
0
- .2
- .3
.6
- .2
- .8
1.0
.4
.4
.5
.6
1.3
.2
1.0
1.0
1.6
1.4
.8
.8
1.1

.3
1.6
.3
.3
.2
0
.5
1.4
.4
.1
3.1
.5
.2
0
.6
0
.2
- .1
- .3
0
- .1
.3
.4

- 1.1
- 1.7
.7
- 1 1
- 1 2
- 1.6
- 2.1
- 3.5
- 1.6
- 5.2
- .6
- 2.4
- 4.8
- 1.3
- 1.9
- .9
- 1.3
- 1.9
- 3.9
- 4.8
- 6.1
- 5.6
- 3.2

2 ,1

14

~.B
1.8
.1
- .2
1.6
2.4
.6
1.7
.7
.8
.9
.9
0
1.9
1.0
1.0
1.5
.3
1.5
1.6
0
.6

0-4
.3
0
.2
.5
.6
.4
0
.2
.2
.3
.5
.1
.7
(2/)
.2
.7
.6
.1
.5
(2/)
.1
.2
.3

TABLE 7. Consumer Price Index—United States city average for urban wage earners and clerical workers, food items March 1972
indexes and percent changes from selected dates
(1967=100)

Item or Group

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

March 1972
Seasonally
Unadjusted
adjusted
122.4
129.4
129.3
130.2
120.6
114.8
100.8
134.9
102.0
110.0
113.2
119.2
110.7
120.4
120.0
126.8
127.9
137.1
137.5
132.3
134.8
135.4
140.1
141.2
137.3
121.3
157.4
118.2
119.0
119.5
123.5
114.3
123.8
112.6
121.6
127.3
123.3
112.7
126.3
122.5
117.5
111.6
111.0
112.5
113.7
138.3
131.9
144.9
132.0

122.6
120.8
114.8
127.3
128.8
137.8
138.1
141.2
140.9
138.0
147.2
119.3
120.7
113.2
114.8
122.0
124.3
110.6
138.2
145.3
117.5
117.1
123.2
106.1

144.1
117.3
116.9
120.0
121.8
120.8
107.1
123.4
105.8

See footnotes at end of table.




15

Percent change to March 1972 from;
February 1972
March 1971
Seasonally
Unadjusted
Unadjusted
adjusted
0.2
.4
.5
.2
.1

.4
- .1
.7
- .2
- .3
.4

0.2
.2

.4
-

- .1
.9
1.0

.7
.4
.3

.7
.2
.2
.3
.6
.6
1.2
1.0
2.5
.8

- 1.0
- 4.2
- 1.6

.3

.4
.7
.4
1.0
1.1
1.0
.3

- .9
- 3.6
1.8
-

- 1.2

- 1.4

1.1
.2
1.6
1.2

1.1
1.2
-

2.3
.1
.8
.8

.4
1.3
.9
2.8

- .1
1.2
0
.3
.4

.5
.4
- .1
.9
0
0

5.4
- 7.0
1.0
1.8
2.8

3.4
-

2.7
1.5
.9

1.4

4.6

4.1
4.2
3.6
4.8
1.6
1.0

.z
1.2
-

.4
.5
.5
- .1
.3

1.1
2.1
9.7
10.6
12.0
13.5
11.3
12.7
12.6
14.9
13.1
10.1

7.4
15.7
11.5
9.8
11.7
10.3
7.2
12.2
16.6

6.2
7.2
8.0

4.6
7.7
6.4
3.1
3.5
3.3
5.4
3.0
8.3
15.2
5.2
3.2
10.2

2.7
2.8

2.7
3.0
4.2
1.6

3.4
- .1

TABLE 7. Consumer Price Index--United States city average for urban wage earners and clerical workers, food items March 1972
indexes and percent changes from selected dates--Continued
(1967=100)

Item or Group

Fruits and vegetables
Fresh fruits and vegetables
••
Apples
Bananas
Orange s
Orange juice, fresh
Grapefruit
Grapes 1/
Strawberries IV
Watermelon 1/
Potatoes
Onions
Asparagus JL/
Cabbage
Carrot s
Celery
Cucumber s
-,
Lettuce
Peppers, green
Spinach
Tomatoes
Processed fruits and vegetables
Fruit cocktail, canned
Pears, canned
Pineapple-Grapefruit juice, drink
Orange juice concentrate, frozen
Lemonade concentrate, frozen
Beets, canned
Peas, green, canned
Tomatoes, canned
Dried beans
Broccoli, frozen
Other food at home
Eggs
Fats and oils:
Margarine
Salad dressing, Italian
Salad or cooking oil
Sugar and sweets
Sugar
Grape jelly
Chocolate bar
Syrup, chocolate flavored
Nonalcoholic beverages
Coffee, can and bag
Coffee, instant
•
Tea
-Cola drink
Carbonated fruit drink
Prepared and partially prepared foods
Bean soup, canned
Chicken soup, canned
Spaghetti, canned
Mashed potatoes, instant
Potatoes, french fried, frozen
Baby foods, canned
--Sweet pickle relish
Pretzels
,---

March 1972
Seasonally
Unadjusted
adjusted
121.2
121.8
116.9
98.0
127.1

121.4
122.3
112.2
98.3
121.3
130.7
124.6
Q/)

142.2
U/)

U/)
115.4
105.1
163.5
133.4
143.8
164.3
145.5
106.4
147.8
135.8
112.9
119.9
.121.4
117.2
115.2
136.6
117.8
119.8
107.9
115.5
136.5
119.0
116.7
107.5
118.6
110.8
123.7
121.2
114.9
124.5
130.6
113.5
120.9
118.3
125.1
108.1
128.1
128.2
114.4
116.2
106.4
116.8
112.3
110.4
111.4
124.4
115.2

119.5
103.4
126.1
148.7
173.7
112.5

136.1

116.9
108.0

-

.6
1.6

-

a/)

7.4
1.0
- 4.5
- 1.8
30.0
10.1
- 5.2
19.8
.3
.4
- .1
.7
.5
.3
.7
- .6
.2
.8
.4
1.0
6.0

-

-

.4
.4
- .2
.6
.5
1.5
- .1
.1
.2
0
- .3
.9
.2
.5
.3
.4
- .5
- .8
.1
.4
.2
1.6

16

a/)
a/)
a/)

a/)
a/)
a/)

a/)
a/)

a/)

1/ Priced only in season.




Percent change to March 1972 from;
February 1972
March 1971
Seasonally
adiusted
Unari i us ted
4.7
- 2.0
- 2.7
3.9
- 3.5
- 5.0
3.5
2.1
- 1.3
2.4
- 2.1
- 4.7
4.3
- .6
- .9
12.0
.1
13.8
5.1
2.9

.i
2.9

3.7
8.3
.5

-

33.2

-

22.3

.4

2.3
16.1

a/)
U/)
a/)

3.8
10.2
2.3
11.4
32.4
54.3
7-8
- 10.3
- 7-4
7.1
- 18.2
5.6
5.4
1.1
2.5
16.2
4.9
6.6
2.6
.3
19.8
2.0
1.0
- 3.1
4.0
2.9
5.5
2.6
3.1
7.1
.2
.1
- .7
- 4.4
1.7
.6
2.6
2.8
2.2
2.7
- .3
- .3
1.7
- .2
.9
8.5
3.6

TABLE 8. Consumer Price Index--United States city average for urban wage earners and clerical workers, indexes for selected
items and groups, March 1972 and percent changes from selected dates
(1967=100 unless otherwise specified)

Item and group

Other
index
bflSP.fi

Housing
Shelter 1/
Rent -~
Homeownership costs 2/
.
Mortgage interest
Property taxes
Property insurance rates
Maintenance and repairs
Commodities 3/
Exterior house paint
Interior house paint
Services
Repainting living and dining rooms
Reshingling house roof
Residing house
---*•
Sink replacement
Furnace repair
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 T
Household furnishings and operation 4/
Housefurnishings
Textiles =
Sheets, percale or muslin
Curtains, tailored, polyester —
Bedspreads, chiefly cotton
Drapery fabric, cotton or rayon/acetate
Pillows, bed, polyester, acrylic, or kapok
Slipcover, throws, ready made chiefly cotton
Furniture and bedding
Bedroom furniture, chest and dresser
•+Living room suites, good and inexpensive quality Cocktail table
Dining room chairs
Recliner, upholstered ---Sofas, dual purpose
Bedding, mattress.and box springs
Aluminum folding chair 5/
Cribs
Floor coverings
Broadloom, carpeting, manmade-fibers
-Vinyl sheet goods
Vinyl asbestos tile
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
Room heaters, electric, portable 5_/ '•
Garbage disposal units
Other housefurnishings:
Dinnerware, earthenware
Flatware, stainless steel
Table lamps, with shade
Lawn mowers, power, rotary type
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




Mar. 70
Dec.71
Mar. 70
Dec.
71
June 70

17

Percent change to March 1972

Indexes
March 1972

February 1972^ February 1972 March 1971

127.9
132.7
117.7
138.2
117.7
143.6
122.4
138.6
122.0
118.2
116.3
145.9
155.6
153.0
133.9
145.1
152.2
119.6
118.7
116.5
119.7
122.2
117.2

127.6
132.5
117.5
138.0
118.2
141.8
122.4
138.0
121.3
117.9
115.6
145.2
155.1
152.3
133.7
144.2
151.2
119.3
118.7
116.5
119.4
121.9
117.0

.2
.2
.2
.1
- .4
1.3
0
.4
.6
.3
.6
.5
.3
.5
.1
.6
.7
.3
0
0
.3
.2
.2

113.5
137-7
120.1
115.6
113.2
114.4
110.9
109.8
121.2
108.2
114.6
120.7
104.6
119.7
99.5
104.2
98.6
116.9
104.4
121.9
119.0
106.3
101.5
116.7
117.8
105.8
110.6
103.7
108.3
110.5
113.6
110.4
108.5
111.0

113.5
136.4
119.6
115.0
112.1
114.1
111.2
106.9
119.6
107.3
113.0
119.5
104.1
119.0
99.7
103.3
98.2
115.9
104.4
(5/)
118.1
106.1
101.4
116.3
117.6
105.7
110.4
103.8
108.3
110.4
113.5
(5/>
108.4
111.0

0
1.0
.4
.5
1.0
.3
- .3
2.7
1.3
.8
1.4
1.0
.5
.6
- .2
.9
.4
.9
0
8.5
.8
.2
.1
.3
.2
.1
.2
- .1
0
.1
.1
(5/)
.1
0

122.2
121.4
121.7
117.1
105.3

121.0
122.2
122.2
(5/)
106.2

111.2
128.9
125.1
136.9
134.8
146.6
137.0
120.3
138.9

4.5
4.7
3.3
5.3
- 3.5
12.7
4.6
6.3
4.5
2.3
2.8
7.1
8.9
10.2
4.4
5.6
8.2
5.1
1.1
.4
5.6
6.4
4.6
7.1
3.8
3.2
1.9
1.7
- .3
1.9
1.5
3.1
.7
3.2
2.2
2.1
0
0
1.6
0
- .3
1.6
10.4
1.6
.1
- .8
3.1
.9
.8
1.5
.8
.5
.5
1.9
1.2
1.3
1.6

1.0
.7
.4
(5/)
- .8

5.3
1.6
2.0
.8
1.2

111.0
128.4
124.8

.2
.4
.2

2.9
3.0
1.5

136.4
133.8
146.6
136.6
120.0
138.4

.4
.7
0
.3
.3
.4

-

3.8
5.4
21.2
4.5
2.4
5.2

TABLE 8* Consumer Price Index—United States city average for urban wage earners and clerical workers, indexes for selected
items and groups, March 1972 and percent changes from selected dates--Continued
(1967»100 unless otherwise specified)

Item and group

Other
index
base 8

Apparel and upkeep 7/
Apparel commodities
Apparel commodities less footwear
•.
Men's and boys1
Men's:
Topcoats, wool or all-weather coats,
polyester blends 5/
--•
Suits, year round weight
Suits, tropical weight 5/
Jackets, lightweight - —
Slacks, wool or wool blends
Slacks, cotton or manmade blends
Trousers, work, cotton or polyester/cotton --•
Shirts, work, cotton or polyester/cotton
Shirts, business, polyester/cotton <
T-shirts, chiefly cotton
.
Socks, cotton or manmade fibers
Handkerchiefs, cotton or polyester/cotton
Boy's:
Coats, all purpose, cotton or cotton blend 5/
Sport coats, wool or wooL blend 5/
Dungarees, cotton or cotton blend
Undershorts, 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, wool blend or manmade fibers ,5/
Skirts, cotton or polyester/cotton 5/
Blouses, cotton or manmade fibers
Dresses, street, chiefly aanmade fiber
Dresses, street, wool or wool blend 5/
Slips, nylon
Panties, acetate or nylon tricot
Girdles, manmade blend
Brassiers, nylon lace
Hose, or panty hose, nylon seamless
Anklets, or knee-length socks, various fibers
Gloves, fabric, nylon or cotton
Handbags, rayon faille or plastic
Girls':
Raincoats, vinyl cotton, or polyester blends
Skirts, wool, wool blends, or acrylic 5/
Dresses, cotton, manmade fibers or blends 5/
Slacks, cotton or chiefly cotton J5/
Slips, polyester blends
~
Handbags, plastic
Footwear
Men's:
Shoes, street Shoes, work, high
•-Women's:
Shoes, street, pump
Shoes, evening, pump
Shoes, casual
HousesUppers, scuff
Children's:
Shoes, oxford
*Sneakers, boys 1 , oxford type
Dress shoes, girls', strap or pump
Miscellaneous apparel:
Diapers, cotton gauze or disposable
Yard goods, polyester blend
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 charge, hem adjustment
Shoe repair, women's heel lift




March 1972
121.3
121.6
121.3
120.3

120.7
120.9
120.6
119.7

119.3
127.6
130.9
115.0
115.7
137.4
114.4
114.5
112.4
117.8
116.2
116.2

119.5
125.6
(5/)
U2.7
116.3
137.1
114.4
114.2
112.7
118.0
114.9
116.0

112.3
(5/)
126.8
120.5
122.5

114.8
(5/)
126.1
120.6
121.7

(5/)
122.2
130.4
(5/)
110.5
116.5
117.4
121.6
97.5
116.1
110.3
141.5

(5/)
(5/)
(5/)
125.3
(5/)
122.9
131.3
(5/)
111.0
116.3
117.2
121.3
97.7
115.8
109.8
140.2

116.8
(5/)
119.2
(5/)
112.1
128.8
123.5

117.3
(5/)
107.2
(5/)
ll2.1
127.5
122.7

121.6
121.3

119.9
121.4

124.6
121.4
125.5
124.2

(5/)
(/>

18

Percent change to March 1972
from:
February 1972 February 1972
March 1971

Indexes

2.3
2.4
2.4
.8

-

.2
1.6
(5/)
2.0
- .5
.2
0
.3
- .3
- .2
1.1
.2

-

2.2

-

.3
.2
2.4
1.0
- .2
4.5
2.0
2.2
- .5
- 1.0
0
1.8
-

(5/)
.6
- .1
.7

3.1
(5/)
4.9
.6
3.6
(5/)
(5/)

(5/)
(5/)

(37)

(][/)

<5/>
(5/)
.6
.7
(5/)
.5
.2
.2
.2
.2
.3
.5
.9

(5/)
(5/)
.2
3.6
(5/)
- .1
1.1
2.4
2.2
- 2.2
- .2
.9
10.5

.4
(5/)
11.2
(5/)
0
1.0
.7

3.2
(5/)
13.8
(5/)
1.4
.7
2.5

1.4
.1

2.5
3.3

123.8
120.5
124.7
124.0

.6
.7
.6
.2

2.6
3.6

124.6
122.3
128.7

123.6
121.5
128.7

.8
.7
0

3.2
3.8
4.2

113.2
118.9
114.3

113.0
120.5
114.0

117.4
114.2
120.9
132.1
114.0

117.4
114.3
120.7
131.8
113.8

-

-

-

-

.2
1.3

-

1.3
.8

1.8
2.4
2.0

-

.3

-

0
.1
.2
.2
.2

-

1.1
.6
1.9
4.1
3.9

TABLE 8. Consumer Price Index--United States city average for urban wage earners and clerical workers, indexes for selected
items and groups, March 1972 and percent changes from selected dates--Continued

(1967=100 unless otherwise specified)

Transportation
Private 8/
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

March 1972

•
•

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-gpasmodics
Cough preparations
Cardiovasculars and anti-hypertensives
Analgesics, internal
-Anti-obesity
Hormones
Professional services:
Physicians' fees
—
General physician, office visits
General physician, house visits
Obstetrical cases
Pediatric care, office visits
-Psychiatrist, office visits
—
Herniorrhaphy, adult
Tonsilleetomy 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
Semiprivate rooms
Operating room charges
X-ray, daignostic series, upper G.I.
Laboratory test, urinalysis
Anti-infective, Tetracycline, HCL
Tranquilizer,, Chlordiazepoxide, HCL
Electrocardiogram
Intravenous solution, saline
Physical therapy, whirlpool bath
Oxygen, inhalation therapy
Personal care
Toilet goods
Toothpaste, standard dentifrice
Toilet soap, hard milled
Hand lotions, liquid
Shaving cream aerosol
Face powder, pressed
Deodorants, aerosol
Cleansing tissues
Home permanent wave kits
Personal care services
Men's haircuts
•
Beauty shop services
.
Women's haircuts
Shampoo and wave sets, plain
Permanent waves, cold




Indexes

Other
index
bases

Item and group

Jan.

Jan.
Jan.
Jan.
Jan.
Jan.
Jan.
Jan.

72

72
72
72
72
72
72
72

19

February 197S

Percent change to March 1972
from;
February 1972^
March 1971

118.4
115.9
111.7
103.9
106.1
122.7
116.6
134.0
140.9
127.1
138.3
142.3
148.4
132.9
126.9
129.6
137.6

118.3
115.7
111.9
103.0
105.7
122.5
117.4
133.6
140.8
127.1
138.0
143.5
150.3
132.8
128.2
129.6
136.1

.1
.2
- .2
.9
.4
.2
- .7
.3
.1
0
.2
- .8
1.3
.1
1.0
0
1.1

.5
0
- 2.3
- 2.7
.3
3.7
1.3
5.5
.6
4.4
2.5
4.6
3.7
11.6
.6
4.4
5.4

125.0
131.4
105.5
110.8
95.1
115.0
101.2
123.9
113.5
112.9
101.1
76.7
125.1
102.8
107.8
128.5
111.8
109.2
117.5
93.8

124.7
131.0
105.5
110.6
95.0
114.5
101.2
123.7
113.1
112.7
101.2
77.4
124.9
102.7
107.7
127.8
111.8
109.1
117.7
94.0

.2
.3
0
.2
.1
.4
0
.2
.4
.2
.1
.9
.2
.1
.1
.5
0
.1
.2
.2

3.6
3.6
.6
.8
- 3.2
1.9
- .5
2.5
3.4
- .4
.4
- 5.0
3.0
1.4
2.0
3.2
1.8
1.7
5.3
- 1.2

132.9
134.0
135.5
132.8
135.5
128.5
127.4
129.2
131.0
132.3
131.0
128.3

132.6
133.5
135.1
132.3
135.6
128.3
127.0
129.2
130.6
131.8
130.6
128.3

.2
.4
.3
.4
- .1
.2
.3
0
.3
.4
.3
0

3.8
3.2
5.3
5.2
4.2
4.1
4.8
5.6
5.0
5.4
4.6
4.4

124.0
119.4
101.2
172.2

123.8
118.9
100.6
171.1

101.4
100.0
99.9
102.5
101.4
100.7
101.5
118.7
115.8
109.5
121.1
123.8
107.2
125.1
105.6
123.4
110.5
121.7
124.2
119.9
120.5
123.5
111.8

100.9
99.7
99.7
101.0
100.5
100.5
101.2
118.4
115.4
109.6
120.3
124.0
106.4
123.1
105.0
123.1
111.3
121.5
124.1
119.7
120.2
123.2
111.6

-

-

5.0
4.1
00/)
8.2
.5.3
.2
.6
.9
.2
.3
.3
.3
- .1
.7
- .2
.8
1.6
.6
.2
- .7
.2
.1
.2
.2
.2
.2

U0/)
U0/)
(U)/)
(10/)
U0/)
U0/)
2.5
2.7
2.1
10.5
3.3
2.1
.9
.1
.7
.6
2.3
2.1
2.4
1.9
2.8
2.2

TABLE 8. Consumer Price Index—United States city average for urban wage earners and clerical workers, indexes for selected
items and groups, March 1972 and percent changes from selected dates—Continued
(1967=LOO unless otherwise Specified)

Item and group

Other
index

March 1972

Other goods and services
Tobacco products Cigarettes, nonfilter tip, regular size
Cigarettes, filter tip, king size
Cigars, domestic, regular size
-Alcoholic beverages
Beer
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 1972

February 1972

March 1971

88.8
108.3
105.0
125.7
107.3
113.2
114.9
113.4
110.4
127.3
139.2
138.2
141.8
143.7
119.1
(5/)
98.3
118.2

121. 5
107. 3
99. 7
126. 9
98.4
93. 3
107. 0
88.7
108. 3
105.0
126. 2
108. 8
112. 9
114. 2
113.0
109. 6
127. 0
138..6
137. 1
142. 8
143. 5
118.,4
(5/)i
98,.5
118..3

.2
.3
.3
1.5
.1
0
- .4
.1
0
0
- .4
1.4
.3
.6
.4
.7
.2
.4
.8
- .7
.1
.6
(5/)
- .2
- .1

3. 4
1.7
1
6. 1
2
2. 6
7. 1
1. 3
2
9
4. 3
2. 2
3. 2
4. 1
2.8
2.7
3. 2
2. 3
1. 8
3. 5
5. 7
2. 8
(5/)
8
3. 1

130.8
124.9
122.1

130.,8
124,.9
122 .0

0
0
.1

2.,0
1. -j
1.,1

124.6
132.5
133.7
134.8
110.6
118.9"
113.9
108.5
125.9
129.1

124 .3
132 .0
113 .2
134 .3
110 .3
118 .7
113 .6
108 .5
125 .6
129 .0

.2
.4
.4
.4
.3
.2
.3
0
.2
.1

4 .4
6 .8
6 .4
7 .4
4 .5
.;27
1 .6
2 .6
5 .1
3 .2

120.6
108.2
141.9

120 .2
108 .5
141 .8

.3
.3
.1

4 .1
2 .8
6,.5

121.8
118.2
117.3
137.7
135.5
124.7

121 .5
117 .8
117 .0
137 .4
135 .7
124 .5

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

3 .2
2 .3
2 .9
5 .8
2 .7
2 .9

121.7
107.6
100.0
128.8
98.5
93.3
106.6

Reading and recreation 11/
Recreational goods
TV sets, portable and console
TV replacement tubes
Radios, portable and table mode?
Tape recorders, portable Phonograph records, stereophonic
Movie cameras, Super 8, zoom lens
Film, 35mm, color
-Golf balls, liquid center or solid core
Basketballs, rubber or vinyl cover
Fishing rods, fresh water spincasting
Bowling balls
Bicycles, boys1
Tricycles
Dog food, canned or boxed
Recreational services
Indoor movie admissions
Adult
Children's
Drive-in movie admissions, adult
Bowling fees, evening
Golf green fees 5/
TV repair, color picture tube replacement
Film developing, color
Reading and education:
Newspapers, street sale and delivery
Magazines, single copy and subscription
Piano lessons, beginner ----

Percent change to March

Indexes

-

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

IV 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.
4/ Also includes Venetian blinds, window shades, nails, carpet sweepers, utility pails, air deodorizers, steel wool scouring
pads, envelopes, reupholstering, and moving expenses.
5/ Priced only in season.
(>/ Also includes radios and television sets, shown separately under reading and recreation.
7/^ Also includes men's sweaters, sport shirts, women's and girls' lightweight coats, women's slacks, cocktail dresses, bathing
suits, girls' robes, cotton and polyester blend skirts, shorts, earrings, and zippers not shown separately.
8/ Also includes storage batteries and drivers' license fees not shown separately.
9/ Includes prices for water pump replacement, motor tune-up, automatic transmission repair-, exhaust system repair, front
end alignment, and chassis lubrication.
10/ Not available.
11/ Also includes outboard motors, nondurable toys, college tuition fees, paperback books, and college textbooks, not shown
separately.




20

Brief Explanation of the CPI
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:

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
1967=100, and are also available on the base of
1957-59=100.




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.

21

A Note About Calculating Index Changes

CPI
less previous index
index point differences =

Percent changes expressed as annual rates are computed according to the standard formula for compound
growth rates. These data indicate what the percent
change would be if the current rate were maintained for
a 12-month period.
Movements of the indexes from one month to another
are usually expressed as percent changes rather than
changes in index points because index point changes are
affected by the level of the index in relation to its base
period while percent changes are not. The following example illustrates the computation of index point and
percent changes:

123.8
123.2
0.6

Index point difference divided by the index for
the previous period:

123.8 - 123.2

x 100 = 0.5

123.2

Seasonally adjusted percent changes in the U.S. All
Items Index are based on seasonally adjustment factors
and seasonally adjusted indexes carried to two decimal
places. This procedure helps to eliminate rounding error
in the percent changes.

A Note on Seasonally Adjusted and Unadjusted Data

ing climatic conditions, production cycles, model changeovers, holidays, and sales.
The unadjusted data are of primary interest to consumers concerned about the prices they actually pay.
Unadjusted data are also used extensively for escalation purposes. Many collective bargaining contract
agreements and pensions plans, for example, tie compensation changes to the Consumer Price Index unadjusted for seasonally variation.

Because price data are used for different purposes by
different groups, the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes seasonally adjusted as well as unadjusted changes
each month.
For analyzing general price trends in the economy,
seasonally adjusted changes are usually preferred since
they eliminate the effect of changes that normally occur
at the same time and in about the same magnitude every
year—such as price movements resulting from chang-




22

Reliability of Percent Changes in the CPI
A system of "replicated" samples introduced into
the index structure in the 1964 revision permits an estimate of sampling error for the CPI. l The table below
shows standard errors for monthly, quarterly, and

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.
Because the CPI is rounded to one decimal place,
some ambiguity may arise in interpreting small index changes. As the table indicates, for example,
a month-to-month change of 0.1 percent in the allitems 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.

Average standard errors of percent changes in the
CPI based on 1971 data
Standard error
Component

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

Monthly Quarterly
change
change

.04
.07
.08
.06
.17
.11
.09
.14
.09
.11

.06
.10
.14
.10
.27
.17
.14
.19
.12
.17

Annual
change

.09
.15
.33
.19
.33
.20
.28
.34
.20
.23

This replaces the table of average errors based on
1970 data which was included in the CPI report through
December 1971.

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.

annual percent changes in the CPI for all items and
for nine commodity groupings based on 1971 averages.
The figures may be interpreted as follows: The chances




23

BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
REGIONAL OFFICES

PUERTO RICO

Region I
1603 JFK Federal Building
Government Center
Boston, Mass. 02203
Phone: 223-6762 (Area Code 617)

Region V
8th Floor, 300 South Wacker Drive
Chicago, III. 60606
Phone: 353-1880 (Area Code 312)

Region II
1515 Broadway
New York, N.Y. 10036
Phone: 971-5405 (Area Code 212)

Region V I
1100 Commerce St., Rm. 6B7
Dallas, Tex. 75202
Phone: 749-3516 (Area Code 214)

Region IN
406 Penn Square Building
1317 Filbert St.
Philadelphia, Pa. 19107
Phone: 597-7796 (Area Code 215)

Region V I I and VIM
Federal Office Building
911 Walnut St., 10th Floor
Kansas City, Mo. 64106
Phone: 374-2481 (Area Code 816)

Region IV
Suite 540
1371 PeachtreeSt. NE.
Atlanta, Ga. 30309
Phone: 526-5418 (Area Code 404)

Region IX and X
450 Golden Gate Ave.
Box 36017
San Francisco, Calif. 94102
Phone: 556-4678 (Area Code 415)




*
**

Regions V I I and V I I I will be serviced by Kansas City.
Regions IX and X will be serviced by San Francisco.