Full text of CPI Detailed Report : October 1958

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Released November 25, 1958
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABCR
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Washington 25, D . C.
CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FCR OCTOBER 1958
Consumer prices in United States cities were unchanged on the
average between September arxl October as lower food prices 1 offset advances in most other
groups of goods and services, the U.S. Department of Labor s Bureau of Labor Statistics
reported today.
The October Consumer Price Index remained at 123«7 percent of the
1947-49 average, 2.1 percent higher than a year ago. This was the second consecutive
month since the August decrease that the Index has remained stable.
FOOD

Food prices dropped 0.5 percent during the month largely because of
lower prices of eggs, pork, poultry, and apples. This third
successive monthly decline brought the October food price index to 119*7, 1 # 6 percent
below the July 1958 peak, but 2.8 percent higher than in October 1957.

Egg prices, beginning their seasonal decline a month earlier* than
usual, fell 7.2 percent, and coffee prices continued downward with a decrease of 0.5
percent.
Prices of meats, poultry, and fish averaged 1.0 percent lower. All
cuts of pork declined, with bacon prices down 5.1 percent, pork chops 1.3 percent, and
ham 0.8 percent. Prices of frying chickens dropped
percent, to bring the poultry
index to its lowest level since December 1942* Beef, veal, and lamb prices were generally higher as most cuts rose moderately.
Prices of dairy products advanced 0.4 percent, mainly because of
higher prices of fresh milk. An increase of 0.3 percent in cereals and bakery products
reflected higher bread prices in several cities. A rise of 0.2 percent in prices of
fruits and vegetables concealed widely divergent movements among individual items.
Fresh fruit prices fell 1.5 percent (with apples down 14.9 percent), offsetting an
advance of 2.2 percent in fresh vegetable prices, due principally to increases of 14.3
percent for lettuce, 17.2 percent for tomatoes, and 14*6 percent for green beans.
However, prices of potatoes were down 5.5 percent. Canned fruits and vegetables were
up 0.8 percent as an increase for orange juice more than offset a decrease for tomatoes.
since June 1956.

Prices of restaurant meals were 0.1 percent lower, the first decline

TRANSPORTATION

The index for the transportation group advanced 1.0 percent. New
car prices rose 4*2
percent as higher prices of incoming 1959 models
1
outweighed slight declines in dealers selling prices of 1958 models. Prices of used
cars and tires also advanced, but gasoline prices declined in a number of cities•

MEDICAL CARE

Medical care costs were 0.4 percent higher * Group hospitalization
insurance premiums advanced in some cities and fees for professional
services were higher. Prices of prescriptions also increased slightly.

OTHER COMMODITIES
AND SERVICES




Apparel prices
increased 0.2 percent, as higher prices for women's
1
and girls
wear more than offset reductions in prices of men's and
1
boys clothing. Prices of footwear were unchanged on the average.

2

The increase of 0.1 percent in personal care was largely due to
scattered advances in prices of barber and beauty shop services*
Housing costs were unchanged on the average as lower prices for
housefurnishings and decreases in homeowner costs offset advances in other components.
Rents rose 0.1 percent and g£us bills were 0®2 percent higher. Bituminous coal prices
rose 0.5 percent and anthracite 0.6 percent, but prices of fuel oil declined slightly.
The increase of 0.2 percent in household operation reflected higher prices for laundry
and dry cleaning services and for laundry soaps and detergents. Housefurnishings prices
declined 0.2 percent, as reductions in prices of major appliances and bedroom and dining
room furniture more than offset higher prices for such items as sheets, toasters, and
kitchenware.




TABI£ 1 s Consumer Price Index—United States city average
Major group, subgroup, and special group indexes, October 1958,
and percent changes from selected dates
(1947-49=100 unless otherwise specified)

Percent change to October 1958 from

Indexes

—

July
1958

October
1957

Year
1939

0

- 0.2

2.1

108.2

120.3
118.7
133.5
115.8
114.1
120.7
115.2
113.4

- 0.5
- .6
.3
- 1.0
.4
.2
- 1.7
- .1

- 1.6
- 2.1
.8
- 3.9
1.9
- 8.3
1.3
.4

2.8
2.9
1.9
7.8
.3
5.7
- 2.6
2.4

154.1
150.5
134.1
175.5
129.9
161.3
133.9
0/)

127.9
138.3
118.1
135.6
103.4
132.4

127.9
138.2
118.0
135.2
103.6
132.2

0
.1
.1
.3
.2
.2

.2
.4
.9
2.5
- .6
.9

1.0
1.7
3.8
- 1.5
- 1.3
2.9

68.1
59.7
12.6
140.4
93.6
93.6

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

107.3
107.9
100.2
130.1
91.8

107.1
108.3
99.6
130.1
92.0

.2
.4
.6
0
.2

.6
.6
1.6
.3
- .2

- .4
- 1.4
- .4
1.4
- .8

104.4
112.4
83.9
158.6
126.1

Transportation—
Public
Private-

142.7
190.4
131.8

141.3
189.8
130.4

1.0
.3
1.1

1.7
.5
1.9

5.1
4.8
5.1

103.3
134.2
101.2

Medical care-

146.7

146.1

.4

1.5

5.0

102.1

Personal care-

128.8

128.7

.1

.1

2.1

116.1

October
1958

September
1958

123.7

123.7

FoodFood at homeCereals and bakery productsMeats, poultry, and fish
Dairy productsFruits and vegetablesOther foods at homeFood away from heme (Jan. 1953=100)

119.7
118.0
33.9
114.6
114.5
121.0
113.2
113.3

Housing 2/RentG&s and electricity
Solid fuels and fuel oilHousefurnishingBHousehold operation

Group
All items-

September
1958

-

-

-

-

Reading and recreation-

116.6

116.6

0

0

2.8

85.1

Other goods and services-

127.2

127.1

.1

0

.3

80.2

.5

Special groups:
All items less food

126.0

125.8

.2

All items less shelter-

121.5

121.5

0

CoramoditiesNondurables
Food
Nondurables less foodApparelNondurable s less food and apparelDurables
New carsUsed cars (Jan. 1953=100)Durables less c a r s — •

116.4
118.4
119.7
117.2
107.2
125.9
111.2
135.5
88.7
103.0

116.4
118.7
120.3
117.2
107.1
126.0
110.3
130.1
88.4
103.1

Commodities less food-

113.9

ServicesRent
Services less rentHousehold operation services, gas,
and electricityTransportation services
Medical care servicesOther services 2 / —
Purchasing power of the consumer dollar
(1947-49=11.00)

1.9

82.3

.1

2.4

119.3

0
.3
.5
0
.1
.1
.8
4.2
.3
.1

- .3
- .8
- 1.6
.3
.5
.1
1.3
3.6
5.5
- .1

1.8
1.6
2.8
.2
- .6
.6
2.4
9.2
5.7
- .1

125.6
130.4
154.1
99.7
105.8
91.0
94.1
137.7
(1/)
79.8

113.5

.4

.7

1.0

91.8

143.1
138.3
144.5

143.0
138.2
144.4

.1
.1
.1

.4
.4
.3

2.8
1.7
3.0

78.0
59.7
96.6

132.6
175.6
151.8
129.4

132.4
175.4
151.2
129.4

.2
.1
.4
0

1.0
.4
1.6
- .5

3.3
5.5
5.3
1.4

52.4
119.2
115.3
122.0

10.808

$0,808

0

.1

- 2.2

-52.0

-

-

-

1 / Not available.
7j Includes house purchase, interest, taxes, insurance, and upkeep, not shown separately.
1/ Includes house purchase, interest, taxes, insurance, and upkeep services; shoe repairs, television repairs, barber
and beauty shop services, and movies.




4

TABUS 2s

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

Indexes (1947-49=100)
October
October
July
1958
1958
1957

City
United States city average

lear
1939

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

• 123.7

123.9

121.1

59.4

- 0.2

2.1

108.2

127.3
123.3
125.6
121.5
123.3

127.6
124.3
125.4
121.1
123.3

124.7
122.7
122.2

58.6
59.0
60.4
60.1
59.2

-

2.1
.5
2.8
2.6
1.1

117.2
109.0
107.9
102.2
108.3

Cities priced monthly j /
Chicago
Detroit
Los Angeles
New York
Philadelphia

—•-

Cities priced in January, April,
July, October 2/
Boston—
Kansas CityMinneapolis
Pittsburgh
Portland, Oregon

—

Cities priced in March, June,
September, December 2/
Atlanta-—Baltimore-—-—-—
Cincinnati—
St. Louis
San Francisco
...!,,- —

—

—
— —

Cities priced in February, May,
August, November 2/
Cle ve land
— —
Houston
Scranton
SeattleWashington, D . C .

—..

- •—

122.0

October
1958

July
1958

October
1957

125.4
124.9
124.5
124.5
124.5

125.4
124.8
124.9
124.7
124.7

122.0
121.8
122.2
121.1
121.9

September
1958

June
1958

September
1957

124.6
124.8
122.5
125.3
128.4

124.9
124.8
122.7
124.5
128.0

122.2
121.7
120.9
122.1
123.5

May
1958

August
1957

125.0
123.7
120 o 7
126.1
121.3

122.8
122.1
117.8
123.7
119.1

August
1958
—

118O4

125.1
124.0
120.4
126.3
121.2

Year
1939
61.0
61.7
60.7
58o1
58.3
Year
1939
58o3
57.9
58.4
59.3
58.6
Year
1939
59.2
59 «5
58.5
59.2
60.4

.2
.8
.2
.3
0

July
1958

October
1957

0
-

.1
.3
.2
.2

June
1958
-

.2
0
.2
.6
.3

May
1958

-

.1
.2
.2
.2
.1

2.8
2.5
1.9
2.8
2.1
September
1957

City
United States city average—
Chicago
Detroit
Los AngelesNew YorkFhiladelphia-




0

0.1

Food
- 0.5
-

.8

0

•2

•1

.3

.1

Housing

.2

0.1

.5
•1

.2
.2

Apparel

Transportation

Medical
care

0.2

1.0

0.4

.3
.5
.1
.4
•4

-

-

-

1.8
.3

.1

.6
.3

.5
0
.9
0
0

August
1957

Year
1939

1.9
1.6
2.2
2.1
1.8

111.3
108.4
105.8
113.3
100.7

Reading
and
Personal
recreation
care
0.1

.2
.1
•4

.1
.1

Year
1939
113.7
115.5
109.8
111.3
119.1

Consumer Price Index—Percent changes from September 1958 to October 1958
U.S. city average and five cities priced monthly
All items and commodity groups

All
items

105.6
102.4
105.1
114.3
113.6

2.0
2.5
1.3
2.6
4.0

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

TABI£ 3:

Year
1939

0.3
.7

.1
.1
.1

TABLE 4: Consumer Price Index — All items and commodity groups
October 1958 indexes and percent changes, July 1958 to October 1958
U.S. city average and 10 cities priced in October 1958
U.S.
City
Average Boston Chicago Detroit

Group

Los
Kansas
City Angeles

Minneapolis

5

New
York

Philadelphia

Pittsburgh

Portland,
Oregon

Indexes (1947^9-100)
All items

—

123.7

125.4

127.3

123.3

124.9

125.6

124.5

121.5

123.3

124.5

124.5

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

119.7
118.0
133.9
114.6
114.5
121.0
113.2

119.9
117.9
132.4
115.5
115.3
122.1
107.9

116.7
114.3
123.6
106.9
112.7
119.9
118.5

119.3
117.3
125.3
110.9
112.1
125.8
113.9

113.6
111.5
127.6
109.7
108.0
110.7
106.2

123.0
119.3
145.8
112.5
110.8
126.4
113.3

117.3
116.1
134.4
109.0
105.0
123.1
120.2

121.1
119.4
142.5
115.9
117.8
118.3
113.3

122.9
120.7
138.5
113.6
121.7
126.1
112.4

121.6
120.4
132o7
114.1
117.2
122.6
122.7

120.5
119.2
140.2
118.3
, 117.6
114.1
114.1

127.9
138.3
118.1
135.6
103.4
132.4

133.7
144.4
114.4
136.1
103.1
132.1

138.5

125.6
141.3
121.5
123.0
102.6
137.2

135.5
131.2
101.1
120.0

127.0
153.2
127.6
128.8
98.5
134.9

124.6
127.9
115.9
138.3
102.6
132.3

120.8

128.7
141.6
101.2
136.2

127.0
146.3
117.2
125.9
109.6
120.1

103.4
130o8
108.7
133.6

126.9
130.5
136.3
131.9
106.7
139.2

126.9
136.2
102.0
138.0
105.5
129.9

107.3
107.9
100.2
130.1
91.8

107.7
105.6
103.7
123.9
102.7

110.5
114.4
100.2
134.4
96.4

104.5
108.7
94.3
125.8
86.4

106.0
108.6
99.3
124.0
88.6

108.4
111.8
100.0
132.2
84.3

108.0
108.7
102.4
126.3
93.7

106.3
106.3
98.5
131.2
95.4

107.2
108.3
100.0
129.2
93.7

105.1
104.1
98.1
126.2
99.9

111.2
112.1
102.7
136.4
98.3

142.7
190.4
131.8

148.4
168.1
141.8

152.8
195.6
134.7

134.3
155.6
130.0

150.7
251.4
136.2

137.1
162.1
132.8

126.1
166.8
120.3

140.9
190.2
121.6

146.2
188.1
126.3

155.5
236.1
129.3

139.5
196.8
132.8

151.5
129.7
123.4
121.3

152.3
134.2
113.6
135.6

169.8
128.3
127.0
124.8

138.9
133.0
101.8
123.9

190.4
136.4
124.9
131.1

135.0
122.3
119.3
126.8

148.6
134.3
118.5
128.5

155.0
125.7
109.8
127.6

141.2
132.4
124.9
127.1

Housing
Rent

—

—

Housefurnishings — —
Household operation — —
1

Men s 1 and boys'
Women s and girls'
Footwear
Other apparel

— — —

—

Transportation
Public
Medical care
Personal care
Reading and recreation

—

157.1
146.7
128.3
129.3
116.6
113.9
127.2 . 127.0

i

—

Percent change from
All items
Food
Food at home
— — — — —
Cereals and bakery products —
Meats, poultry, and fish
Dairy products — — — — — —
Fruits and vegetables
Other foods at hone
Rent — — — — — —
Gas and electricity
Solid fuels and fuel
Housefurnishings
—
Household operation

— — — — —
—
oil
— — — —
— — — — — —

Men's and boys' — — — — — —
Women's and girls'
—
—
—
Tootmx
————————
Other apparel ---------------Transportation
Public
Private
Medical care
Personal care —
Reading and recreation

—

July 1958

0

- 0.2

- 0.8

0.1

0.2

- 0.3

- 1.6
- 2.1
.8
- 3.9
1.9
- 8.3
1.3

- 1.6
- 2.0
.6
- 2.5
4.3
-10.2
- .3

- 2.3
- 2.8
- .2
- 4.9
.8
- 9.1
2.2

- 2.9
- 3.3
- .2
- 4.0
2.7
-13.4
.7

- 1.1
- 1.2
0
- 5.1
16.6
- 9.9
.6

.6
.9
3.3
- 4.8
1.1
- 2.8
2.0

- 1.5
- 2.2
.2
- 2.9
.9
- 9.4
1.2

-

.2
.4
.9
2.5
- .6
.9

.8
1.4
.3
2.9
.4
3.5

-

-

4.4
4.8
- .9
.9

.6
.6
1.6
.3
- .2

1.6
1.0
2.7
- .2
.7

-

------

1.7
.5
1.9
-

-

1.5
.1
0
0

.6
—

-

.3
.8
1.2
.1
.1

-

.6
—

-

.2
—

1.5
1.3

1.4
.1
2.6
1.1
1.8

1.9
.6
3.8
- .2
1.1

.5
.9
1.7
1.0
- .9

1.5
0
1.8

.4
0
.5

.1
.2
.3

1.1
.3
.2

.4
0
.6

2.7
0
3.4

1.8
0
2.1

.3
0
.4

.6
0
.3

.6
.2
- 3.4

-

0
.1
.5
2.4
0
.7

.4
.6*
.6
.1
.8
- 1.1
-

-

-

-

.5
.2
0
0
- .3
1.5
-

-

—

to October 1958

- 0.2

* Change from August 1958 to October 1958.




—

0.3

0

- 0.2

- 0.2

.5
.6
3.5
- 2.4
2.6
- 6.7
2.7

- 1.4
- 1.6
3.0
- 5.5
2.9
- 6.9
2.1

- 1.8
- 2.2
1.3
- 4.0
2.7
- 9.4
.7

- o7
- 1.2
3.4
- 2.1
.5
- 5.7
- .7

.1
.3
—
.2*
0
- .3
2.0
3.2
0
- 1.3
1«3
- .4

0
0
4.4
.6
0
1.5

.5
.4
0
- 1.4
- .5
1.3

4.0
.7
9.1
.3
2.3

.8
1.2
1.0
0
.4

- .2
- 1.1
.9
- .4
0

.6
0
.7

2.1
0
2.9

1.0
0
1.2

0
.1
.3
.2

.6
.5
1.4
0

.2
.3
.5
.4
.1

.7
- 1.0
2.2
- .2
- .4

1.0
0
1.1

1.1
0
1.4

.4
.1
.2

-

3.2
.6
.5
•a

-

-

-

-

.6.
.3
1.2
.1

TABIC 5i Consumer Price Index — Food and its subgroups
October 1958 indexes and percent changes, September 1958 to October 1958
U.S. city average and 20 large cities

City
Index

U.S. city average

food

Total
food at home

Percent
change

Index

Percent
change

Cereals and
bakery products
Index

—

119.7

-

0.5

118.0

- 0.6

133.9

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

117.6
120.2
119.9
116.7
121.9
116.1
119.3
116.8
113.6
123.0

-

o7
.1
.1
.8
.7
.8
.8
.4
0
.2

116.9
117.4
117.9
114.3
119.8
113.8
117.3
115.1
111.5
119.3

- .9
- .1
- .2
- 1.1
- 1.1
- 1.1
- .6
0
- .3

125.9
128.4
132.4
123.6
131.9
129.5
125.3
125.8
127.6
145.8

Minneapolis — — —
lev York
fhiladelphia
Pittsburgh
Portland, Oreg.
8 $ . Louis
San Francisco
—
Scr&nton — — — — —
Seattle
Washington, D.C.

117.8
121.1
122.9
121.6
120.5
120.5
122.9
117.5
120.8
121.1

.3
.2
.3
.2
.9
1.6
.8
.6
1.4
.5

116.1
119.4
120.7
120.4
119.2
116.2
121.3
117.2
119.6
119.4

- .4
- .1
- .2
- .3
- .9
- 1.9
- 1.0
- .7
- 1.7
- .5

134.4
142.5
138.5
132.7
140.2
124.7
147.1
135.5
146.9
132.3

—
—
—
—
—

-

-

TABIE 6l

Cereals and bakery products;
Flour., wheat — — — — — — — — —
5 lb.
Biscuit mix — — — — — —
20 oz.
Corn meal — — — — — — — —
it>.
Rice — — — — — — — — — — —
ib.
Boiled oats —
—
—
—
—
18 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 neat, canned — — —
12 oz.
Frying chickens, ready-to^cook — ib.
Ocean perch, fillet, frozen — —
ib.
Haddock, fillet, frozen — — —
ib.
Salmon, pink, canned — — — — ie oz.
Tuna fish, canned — — — — 6 to 64 oz.
Dairy products;
Milk, fresh, (grocery) — —
qt.
Milk, fresh, (delivered)
qt.
Ice cream — — — — — — —
pt.
Butter — — — — — — — —
ib.
Cheese, American process
— — - ib.
Milk, evaporated — — —
144-oz. can
Fruits and vegetables:
Frozen:
Strawberries — — — — — — — - 10 oz.
6 oz.
Orange juice concentrate
Peas, green
— — — — — — 10 oz.
9 oz.
Beans, green — —
Fresh:
Apples

* Priced only in season.




Dairy
products

Index

Percent
change

0.3

114.6

- 1.0

114.5

.5
.2
.1
.1
.1
.3
.2
.2
0
3.3

117.2
114.6
115.5
106.9
116.4
109.0
110.9
110.9
109.7
112.5

-

.8
.1
.9

-

1.5
.7
1.4
1.2
1.3
2.0

116.2
117.5
115.3
112.7
116.2
110.5
112.1
112.7
108.0
110.8

.1
.5
2.9
0
0
0
- .1
.4
- .3
.5

109.0
115.9
113.6
114.1
118.3
110.6
116.6
115.6
115.9
113.5

-

1.0
.7
1.8
.8
1.0
2.3
1.9
1.1
2.4
.1

105.0
117.3
121.7
117.2
117.6
105.9
116.4
113<>3
115.5
119.0

Percent
change

-

-

- 1.9

Index

Fruits and
vegetables

Percent
change

Percent
change

Index

Other
foods at home
Inde

Percent
change

0.4

121,0

0.2

113.2

- 1.7

.3
.2
1.8

0
.1
0
- .1
6.8
0

124.3
118.0
122.1
119.9
124.2
111.1
125.8
121.7
110.7
126.4

- 1.0
.9
1.3
c3
- 1.4
- 1.8
.1
- .7
- .4
.6

106.2
112.8
107.9
118.5
117.1
115.1
113.9
110.3
106.2
113*3

-

1.2
0
2.4
.3
.3
- 1.3
0
0
- .1
.8

123.1
118.3
126.1
122.6
114.1
124.9
127.3
115.7
121.3
122.8

1.7
2.1
.3
.2
.2
2.2
1.0
1.9
.1
1.1

120.2
113.3
112.4
122.7
114.1
120.0
112.8
110.5
111.0
115.1

- 2.6
- 1.5
- 1.9

-

.1

-

-

-

-

1.8
1.1
1.7
2.3
1.8
2.0
2.5
.2
2.0
1.5

08

2.7
2.8
2.6
2.9
4.0
2.0

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

Food and unit

Oranges p size 200
Lemons
Grapefruit *

- 1.0

Meats, poultry,
and fish

- eaoh

Oct.
1958

Sept.
1958

Cents
54.7
26o8
13.0
18.5

Cents
54.8

20.4
25.6

19 06
29.3
24.5
104.5
62.5
80.9
54.3
135.1
92.3
78.8

65.8
77.4

66.1
52.6
42.9

46.2
56.7

62.1
33.5

24.1
25.5
29.7
74.8
57.9
15.1
26.2
28.9
19.9
23.1
12.3
18.3
87.3
18.3

26.8
12.9

18.6

20.3
25.5
19.5
29.3
24.5
103.7
62.4

81.6

53.8
135.0
93.5

83.0

66.3
77.1
66.3
51.6
44.3
45.7

56.2

62.5
33.2

24.0
25.3
29.7
74.6
57.8
15.1

26.2
28.9

19.8

23.3

14.4
17.1
87.2

18.0

Food and unit
F r e s h — Continued
Peaches *
— — «
—
lb.
Strawberries • 1—1
—
pt.
Grapes, seedless
-- lb.
Watermelons *
— lb.
Potatoes — — . .
10 Ib.
— lb.
Sweetpotatoes
Onions —
— lb,
Carrots
— — .
—
lb.
- head
Lettuce — —
—
lb.
Celery
— — .
—
lb.
Cabbage
—
lb.
Tomatoes
— — —
—
lb.
Beans, green
Canned:
— 46-OZ. can
Orange juice
—
#2i can
Peaches
#2 can
Pineapple
— #303 can
Fruit cocktail —
—
#303 can
Corn, cream style
—
#303 can
Peas, green
— —
—
#303 can
Tdnatoes — • * — —
44 to 5 oz.
Baby foods
— —
Dried:
lb.
Prunes
— — —
lb.
Beans
Other foods at home:
Tomato soup -1C* to ll-oz. can
Beans with pork — — — —
16-oz. can
Pickles, sweet — — — — —
74 oz.
Catsup, tomato — — — — —
14 oz.
Coffee — — — — — — —
lb. oan
Coffee — — — —
lb. b»g
Tea bags — — — — — — —
kg. of id
P
Cola drink, carton — — —
36 oz.
Shortening, hydrogenated —
3 ib.
Margarine, colored — — — ib.
Lard — — — — — — — — —
ib.
Salad dressing — — — — — —
.
pt
Peanut butter — — — — —
ib.
Sugar
— — — — — — — — 5 lh.
Corn syrup —
—
—
—
—
24 oz.
Grape Jelly — — — — —
12 oz.
Chocolate bar —
—
—
—
1 oz.
Eggs, Grade A , large — — — —
doz.
Gelatin, flavored — — 3 to 4 oz.

Oct.
1958
Cents
26.3
49.4

12.6

8.9
13.9

18.1

13.2
7.0
21.4
22.1
45.3
34.5
35.0

26.8
18.0

21.1

16.5

10.1
35.0
18.5
12.4
15.2

27.0
22.4

87.2
69.1
24.1

28.0

92.8

29.0
23.0
37.3
56.7
56.9

26.1
27.9
5.2

63.8
8.9

Labor D.C. - BLS58-0332

7

Brief Explanation of the CPI

The Consumer Price Index (CFl) measures the average changes in prices of goods
and services typically bought by city families of wage earners and clerical workers. It
is based on prices of about 300 items which were selected so that their price changes
would represent the movement of prices of all goods and services purchased by wage and
clerical families; they include all of the important items in family spending. Prices
for these items are obtained in 46 cities which were chosen to represent all urban places
in the United States; they are collected from grocery and department stores, hospitals,
filling stations, and other types of stores and service establishments which wage-earner
and clerical-worker families patronize•
Prices of foods, fuels, and a few other items are obtained every month in all
46 cities. Prices of most other commodities and services are collected every month in
the 5 largest cities and every 3 fmonths in other cities. Almost all prices are obtained
by personal visits of the Bureau s trained representatives.
In calculating the index, price changes for the various items in each city are
averaged together with weights which represent their importance in family spending. City
data are then combined in the total index with weights based on the 1950 populations of
cities they represent. Index numbers are computed on the base 1947-49 = 100.
The national index (the United States city average) includes prices from the
20 large cities for which separate indexes are published in this report, as well as
from the following 26 medium-sized and small cities:
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
loungstown, 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 description1 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 Series." Reprints of chapter 9* pertaining to the CPI, are available on
request to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in Washington or at any of its regional offices.
Historical series of index numbers for the United States city average and for
20 large cities are available upon request. These series include index numbers for All
Items, Food, Apparel, and Rent for periods from 1913 to date; and for other groups of
goods and services from 1947 to date.
BLS Regional Offices
Atlanta
50 Seventh
St., NE
2
^a® 3




New York
341 Ninth Ave.
Zone 1

Chicago
105 West Adams St.
Zone 3

San Francisco
630 Sansome St.
Zone 11

LABOR - D. C.

Boston
18 Oliver St.
Zone 10