Full text of CPI Detailed Report : September 1956

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Released October 25, 1956
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Washington 25, D. C.
CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FOR SEPTEMBER 1956
Consumer prices in United States cities rose 0.3 percent between
August and September 1956, according to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor
Statistics* Prices were higher for all major groups of goods and services except food,
which remained at the August level. The Consumer Price Index for September was 117.1
(1947-49=100), 0.1 percent above its previous peak of July 1956, and 1.9 percent higher
than a year ago.
FOOD

Prices of major classes of foods in general reflected usual seasonal
movements. Greater than average seasonal declines in prices of fresh
vegetables offset advances in prices of other classes of food. The September food index
at 113.1 (1947-49=100) was 1.3 percent above a year ago but 3«0 percent below the August
1952 peak.
Fresh vegetable prices averaged 16.3 percent lower. Potatoes fell
26 percent to an average of 58 cents for 10 pounds, compared with $1.16 in July. Prices
of most other fresh vegetables also were lower, with onions down 34 percent, tomatoes 23
percent, and sweetpotatoes 14 percent; but prices of lettuce and green beans advanced.
Fresh fruit prices increased 0.4 percent as higher prices for oranges, bananas, and
lemons offset reductions in prices of apples and grapes.

The rise of 1.4 percent in the meats, poultry, and
reflected higher prices for all cuts of meat except ham, while poultry
Round steak prices rose 5«1 percent to an average of 97 cents a pound,
up 8.0 percent, pork chops 3*1 percent, and bacon 1.7 percent. Prices
decreased 3«3 percent.

fish group
prices declined.
chuck roast was
of frying chickens

Egg prices rose 3.9 percent and coffee was up 2.6 percent. Dairy
products advanced 0.5 percent, due mostly to increases in prices of fresh milk. The
rise of 0.2 percent in cereals and bakery products resulted from slight advances in
prices of bread.
HOUSING

The advance of 0.2 percent in the housing index was the result of
a general increase in all its components. Rents averaged higher in
most of the cities surveyed in September. Prices of household textiles advanced *as
regular prices were again in effect following customary August white sales, and increases
were reported for many items of furniture and housewares. New models of some major
household appliances were introduced at higher prices, while prices of other items were
reduced in anticipation of model changes. The household operation index responded to the
continued upward trend in prices for laundry and dry cleaning services and for laundry
soaps and detergents. Prices of most home maintenance and repair items were higher than
a month ago. Bituminous coal prices rose seasonally.
APPAREL

The increase in apparel prices between August and September reflected
advances in prices of fall and winter clothing from their seasonal
lows of last winter. Womenfs and girls1 coats were substantially higher and men's
topcoats also advanced. Higher prices were reported for menfs year round suits, trousers,
and work clothing, and women's rayon dresses. The footwear index continued to advance.
Apparel prices in September were still 2.6 percent below their September 1951 peak, but
were at their highest level since February 1952.




2

OTHER COMMODITIES
AND SERVICES

Higher rates for group hospitalization insurance and increases in
hospital rates were the main factors in the advance of 0.5 percent
for medical care.

The reading and recreation group rose 0.5 percent, due mainly to
higher prices for toys and sporting goods. Prices of television sets advanced as most
new models were introduced with higher price tags.
The transportation group index was up 0.1 percent. Reductions in
prices of new 1956 model automobiles were offset by higher prices for used cars, tires,
and auto repair services.




TABLE 1: Consumer Price Index — United 8tates city are rage, all items and commodity groups
Indexes and percent changes for selected dates

3

Indexes (191*7-1*9-100)
Group

All items

July
1956

September
1956

August
1956

This
month

Last
month

2 months
ago

September
1955
Last
year

June
1950

Year
1939

Pre-Korea

Pre-World
War II

117.1

116.8

117.0

114.9

101.8

59.1*

rood 1 /
Food at home - —
Cereals and bakery products —
Meats, poultry, and fish
Dairy products
———Fruits and vegetables
—
Other foods at home —
— —

113.1
111.7
126.6
101.3
109.8
114.8
115.4

113.1
111.8
126.3
99.9
109.2
120.7
113.9

114.8
113.8
125.8
99.3
108.7
135.2
112.8

111.6
110.4
124.0
103.5
106.5
110.2
114.1

100.5
100.5
102.7
106.1
92.3
102.5
9*.l

1*7.1

Housing 2/
Rent — —
—
Gas and electricity - —
Solid fuels and fuel oil
Housefurnishlngs — —
Household operation —

122.5
133.4
112.2
130.5
103.3
123.7

122.2
133.2
112.1
129.5
102.6
123.4

121.8
133.2
111.7
128.7
102.8
123.0

120.4
130.5
111.2
125.2
103.6
119.8

10^.9
108.7
102.7
107.6
97A
99.6

76.1
66.6
ioi*. 9

Apparel
—
Men's and boys' — —
1
Women s and girls' —
—-—Footwear — — — — — — —
Other apparel

106,5
108.3
99.6
126.0
92.0

105.5
107.7
98.1
124.8
91.5

105.3
107.7
98.0
124.2
91.4

104.6
105.8
99.5
118.1
91.0

96.5
98.1
93.3
102.1
88.1*

52.5
50.8
54.5
50.3
40.6

Transportation
Public
Private

128.6
173.0
118.7

128.5
172.9
118.6

127.7
172.7
117.6

125.3
166.9
115.8

109.9
117.9
106.6

70.2
81.3
65.5

134.0
120.5
108.4
122.7

133.3
120.3
107.9
122.1

132.7
120.1
107.7
122.2

128.2
116.6
106.7
120.6

105. k

72.6
59.6
63.O
70.6

—

— — — — — —

Medical care
—
Personal care —
——
Reading and recreation
Other goods and services 3/

—

99.2
102.5
103.7

1*7.1
57.2

1*1.6
1*9.8
1*6.3

56.1*

53.*
68.1*

Percent change to September 1956 from:
August
1956
All items
Food 1/
Food at hone
—-—-—
Cereals and bakery products
Meats, poultry, and fish —
Dairy products —
—
Other foods at home —
Housing 2/

—

—

—

—

—

Solid fuels and fuel oil
Housefurnishlngs
—
Household operation

Public
Private

Reading and recreation — - —

—

—

June
1950

Year
1939

0.1

1.9

15.0

97.1

0
- .1

- 1.5
- 1.8
.6
2.0

12.5
11.1
23.3
- 4.5
19.0
12.0
22.6

140.1
137.2
121.3
143.5
120.5
147.9
138.4

1.4
.5
- 4.9
1.3

-15.1
2.3

1.3
1.2
2.1
- 2.1
3.1
4.2
1.1

.2
.2
..1
.8
.7
.2

.6
.2
.4
1.4
.5
.6

1.7
2.2
.9
4.2
- .3
3.3

16.8
22.7
9.3
21.3
6.1
24.2

61.0
54.0
7.0
131.4
93.4
80.8

.9
.6
1.5
1.0
.5

1.1
.6
1.6
1.4
.7

1,8
2.4
.1
6.7
1.1

10.4
10.4
6.8
23.4
4.1

102.9
113.2
82.8
150.5
126.6

.1
.1
.1

.7
.2
.9

2.6
3.7
2.5

17.0
46.7
11.4

83.2
112.8
81.2

.5
.2
.5
.5

1.0
.3
.6
.4

4.5
3*3
1.6
1.7

27.1
21.5
5.8
18.3

84.6
102.2
72.1
73.8

1.0

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




September
1955

0.3

.2

—

July
1956

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

September
1956

City
United States city average

1/

August
1956

September
1955

June
1950

Year
1939

117.1

116.8

114.9

101.8

59.4

120.3
119.7
117.8
115.1
118.4

120.0
119.6
117.4
114.4
117.9

118.9
116.9
116.1
112.6
115.2

102.8
102.8
101.3
100.9
101.6

58.6
59.0
60.4
60.1
59.2

September
1956

June
1956

September
1955

June
1950

Year
1939

118.9
117.5
117.1
118.1
119.0

118.0
116.6
116.3
117.0
117.9

117.2
115.5
113.7
116.5
115.6

101.3
101.6
101.2
101.1
100.9

58.3
57.9
58.4
59.3
58.6

May
1950

Year
1939

Cities priced monthlys
Chicago
Detroit
Los Angeles

Cities priced in March, June,
September, December 2/
Atlanta
Baltimore
Cincinnati
-<
St. Louis
San Francisco-—
Cities priced in February, l&y,
August, November 2j
Cleveland
Houston
Scranton
Seattle
Washington, D.C.

—

—

——

Cities priced in January, April,
July, October g/
Boston
Kansas City
- -•
? IttsburghPortlandy Oregon —

V

August
1956

May
1956

119.1
118.2
113.5
118.8
115.7

117.3
116.8
112.1
117.1
114.4

116.0
115.5
111.5
116.6
113.8

100.4
103.5
100.2
102.0
101.6

59.2
59.5
58.5
59.2
60.4

July
1956

April
1956

July
1955

April
1950

Year
1939

117.8
117.6
117.7
117.3
118.6

115.2
116.4
115.6
115.2
116.4

113.8
115.9
117.5
114.0
114.7

101.2
101.4
102.1
99.9
101.5

61.0
61.7
60.7
58.1
58.3

August
1955

U

1/ This index on the base of 1935-39=100 is 195.8.
2j Foods, fuels, rents, and a few other items priced monthly; other commodities and services priced quarterly.
2/ May 1950; formerly priced February, May, August, November.
id June 1950; formerly priced March, June, September, December.

TABLE 3 s Consumer Price Index — Percent changes from August 1956
to September 1956
U.S. city average and five cities priced monthly
All items and commodity groups

City
United States city average
Chicago
Detroit
Los Angeles—
New York
Philadelphia-




All
items

Food

0.3

.2

0.1

.3

.3
.7

.1

.6
.4

.1

0

Housing

Apparel

0.2

0.9

.5

.6
1.0

.2
.2

.3
.5

1.7

2.2

3.6

Transportation

0.1
.1
.2

.1

.4

.2

Medical
care

Reading
and
Personal
recreation
care

.1

0.2
.2

.3

0

0.5

0

0
.1

.2

.9

0

Other
goods &
services

0.5

0.5

.3
.4
.4
.3
.3

.3

0

1.2
1.8
.1

TABLE ki Consumer Price Index — All items and commodity groups
September 1956 indexes and percent changes, June 1956 to September 1956
U.S. city average and 10 cities priced in September 1956
U.S.
City
BaltiCincinLos
Average Atlanta more Chicago nati [)etroit Angeles

Group

5

New
York

Philadelphia

St.
San
Louis Francisco

Indexes (19^7 A9.100)
117.1

118.9

117.5

120.3

117.1

119.7

117.8

115.1

118.4

118.1

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

113.1
111.7
126.6
101.3
109.8
114.8
115.4

111.9
110.9
117.5
103.5
112.6
121.5
107.0

1U.5
111.9
122.2
102.7
109.4
115.5
115.4

110.8
109.0
120.6
95.4
110.2
111.8
121.4

115.5
113.9
124.8
103.4
113.9
114.5
122.4

115.7
114.4
120.2
100.2
112.2
124.6
119.1

113.7
110.2
131.0
100.7
105.4
111.8
112.0

113.4
111.9
130.5
104.3
107.1
112.0
116.7

115.9
114.3
130.0
103.2
111.9
118.7
116.4

114.7
115.3
111.5
114.1
120.6
137.4
98.1
105.1
106.1 . 110.5
118.8
117.8
124.0
112.5

Sousing —
Rent
—
Gas and electricity
—
Solid fuels and fuel oil
Housefurnishinga — —
— — —
Household operation — —

122.5
133,4
112.2
130.5
103.3
123.7

127.0
135.2
119.4
120.1
108.2
133.6

116.1
129.3
100.0
130.0
98.2
117.2

131.9
157.7
113.8
135.3
102.3
129.3

121.7
136.5
116.6
136.0
98.0
130.5

126.1

127.9

118.6

117.8

—

—

113.1
123.9
107.1
117.1

103.0
127.7

110.3
136.2
103.2
123.3

103.4
126.2
107.8
120.0

122.0
140.2
103.8
144.5
101.1
127.5

105.8
111.4

Women's and girls'

106.5
108.3
99.6
126.0
92.0

112.4
113.0
106.6
131.2
93.0

106.5
103.7
103.1
125.7
96.3

109.9
114.1
100.8
129.3
96.0

105.7
106.4
98.6
132.5
88.8

104.7
110.8
94.9
121.3
87.8

107.2
111.5
98.7
127.7
84.4

106.4
107.5
99.8
125.2
95.6

107.8
105.8
104.7
121.8
94.0

104.7
107.3
96.5
124.6
96.0

105.9
107.0
99.8
127.0
89.0

Public

128.6
173.0
118.7

128.9
163.1
122.5

140.0
186.6
121.7

133.8
166.5
118.8

124.2
163.9
114.3

126.5
144.3
122.8

126.3
152.9
121.9

133.0
187.9
113.2

136.9
186.7
116.2

134.3
187.9
116.3

141.1
180.6
127.6

134.0
120.5
108.4
122.7

129.2
125.5
109.7
126.3

143.0
116.6
120.2
126.9

136.8
124.0
115.6
117.7

137.5
119.3
100.2
121.3

143.3
128.2
108.1
124.6

127.7
119.3
97.1
119.8

127.9
112.6
106.7
123.6

138.1
127.8
114.9
125.3

143.6
119.1
92.6
124.3

135.5
116.5
107.5
118.4

All items

Medical care
Personal care

—

Other goods and services

—

—

116.2
—

119.0

121.4
135.8
136.3
—

I
Percent change from
All items

0.8

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

—

Solid fuels and fuel oil —
Housefurnishinga
— — — —
Household operation — — — — — —
Apparel
— — — — — — —
Men's and boys' — — — — —
Women's and girls'

Transportation
Public

— — — — — —

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

- .1
- .4
1.1
3.4
1.9
-12.6
3.9

0.8
.5
.8
- .7
3.5
2.8
- 6.6
2.9

0.7

0.7

0.8

0.3

1.1

1.4

0.9

0.9

.3
- .1
.3
4.4
.3
-11.1
3.6

.2
- .1
.4
4.5
- .5

.2
- .3
- .1
3.8
.3
-13.0
4.8

- .7
- .9
.5
3.2
2.8

- .4
- .7

.6
.3
.9
4.7
3.7
-13.0
4.7

1.1

1.0

.8
- .4

4.3
3.8
3.9
-12.1
5.1

2.0
4.3
-12.1
3.2

.7
.8
5.0
1.4
4.4
- 9.7
4.7

-10.1

2.6

-16.2

5.0

.8
1/2.5
0
2.3
1.0
1.6

.8
.7
- 1.2
4.4

1.0

1.5
.5
2.5
.8
.9

1.7
- .1
3.1
2.0

1.0

1.8
.4
3.0
1.8
1.3

1.4
2.3
.8
1.6
.8

4.2
2.1
.6

1.4
.2
1.7

3.7
5.4
3.6

1.9
0
2.4

1.4
0
1.3

1.6
0
1.9

1.4
0
1.7

.1

.4
.5
- .4
.2

1/

1.6
.7
2.2
2.4

1.5
.5
.7
.7

-

to September 195*

0.8

.2
.3
.1 1/ 2.0
0
.1
1.9
.3
.4
1.4
.8
.1

.9
.7
.4
1.6
.5
.9

.6

.6

.4
.3
.1

.1
2.8
2.4

1/ Change from Kiarch 1956 to September 1956,




June 1956

.4

.6

.4
0

1.0

.3

-

.1

.5
.3

.1

3.1
2.0
-11.5
2.5

.6

2.0
—

—

- .8
0
.2
.8
2.3

.6

-

0

1.2
—

1.4

_

1.0

.9
.6
0
5.6

.7

.6

1.7
2.0

.3
.5
.5
1.6

0
3.9
- .1

1.3
1.5
1.2
.6
1.7

2.5
.3
4.3
1.9
1.6

4.0
1.6
6.0
3.1
2.3

.4

.1

.2

1.9
.2

.6

.6

.2

0

1.3

.8
.5

.4

.5
.2

.2

.6

0
.7

1.1

0
1.5

2.5
0
3.3

.4
0
.5

.8
0
.9

.7

.1

.9
1.0

.1
1.4

1.8

.4
.2
.3
.2

2.1
.3
2.7
1.9

5.6
0
2.0
.2

1.0

TABUS 5: Consumer Price Index — Food and its subgroups
September 1956 indexes and percent changes, August 1956 to September 1956
U.S. city average and 20 large cities
[JL9*7-*9«100]
Total
food at home

Total food
City
Index

U.S. city average

113.1

Atlanta
Baltimore

111.9
114.5
114.1
110.8
115.5
111.8
115.7
110.1
109.7
113.7

Chicago
Cincinnati
Cleveland — — — — —
Detroit
Houston
—
Kansas City
Los Angeles — — —
Minneapolis — — — —
Hew York — — — — — —
Pittsburgh
Portland, Oreg.
St. Louis — — — —
San Francisco
— —
Scranton
Seattle
Washington, D.C. — —

Percent
change

Index

0
-

.2
.4
1.2
- .1
.7
.2
.1
- .1
- .2
.3

112.2 - .7
.7
113.4
0
115.9
115.1
.5
114.9 - .6
1.2
114.7
115.3
.5
110.6
.1
114.2 - .6
115.0
1.1

Percent
change

Cereals and
bakery products

Fruits and
vegetables

Percent
change

0.2 101.3

1.4

109.8

103.5
102.7
103.4
95.4
103.4
100.3
100.2
96.2
96.6
100.7

.5
1.7
2.9
2.4
2.1
3.2
2.1
1.8
.7
.8

112.6 - .1 121.5
.2 115.5
109.4
0 115.8
111.4
110.2
0 111.8
.2 114.5
113.9
.1 110.0
104.4
112*2
1.4 124.6
109.5
.4 115.9
111.0 - .2 111.4
1.8 111.8
105.4

-

1.7 96.3
128.4
.2 104.3
130.5
130.0
.1 103.2
124.9 - .2 101.4
130.1
0 103.1
120.6
.2 98.1
0 105.1
137.4
124.3 - .1 100.8
136.7 - .1 101.5
.2 100.4
122.7

1.0
2.5
0
2.2
.6
1.0
.3
1.1
1.1
3.4

110.3 - 1.0 115.9
107.1
.3 112.0
111.9
.4 118.7
110.9
3.1 117.7
113.9
.2 110.2
106.1
1.2 118.8
110.5
4.1 117.8
2.6 109.7
107.9
113.1
.1 115.1
115.6
.3 119.4

-

126.6

- .3
0
.9
- .1
.2
.3
.1
- .2
- .2
.3

117.5
122.2
123.4
120.6
124.8
122.0
120.2
117.6
121.0
131.0

111.6 - .8
.9
111.9
114.3 - .1
.7
113.9
113.8 - .8
111.5
.1
.6
114.1
110.1
.1
113.6 - .7
113.5
1.3

Dairy
products

Index

Index

111.7 - 0.1
110.9
111.9
111.9
109.0
113.9
110.2
114.4
108.7
108.1
110.2

Percent
change

Heats, poultry,
and fish

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

Index

Percent
change

Index

0.5 114.8

Percent
change

Other
foods at home
n ex

Percent
change

- 4.9 115.4

1.3

3.2
4.9
2.4
5.7
4.3
5.9
6.2
4.6
3.5
1.3

107.0
115.4
110.9
121.4
122.4
120.2
119.1
112.7
109.4
112.0

.9
1.6
2,6
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
.4
1.3
.2

7.4
1.5
3.9
4.8
5.8
4.5
1.5
7.0
6.3
.9

121.9
116.7
116.4
124.8
119.6
124.0
112.5
114.0
114.9
116.9

.6
2.2
2.1
1.6
.3
1.7
.5
2.7
.7
2.3

TABIE 6: Consumer Price Index — Average retail prices of selected foods
U.S. city average
Food and unit
Cereals and bakery products;
—
—
5 lb.
Flour, wheat
Biscuit mix — — — — — — —
20 oz.
Corn meal — — — — — — — — lb.
Rice — — — — — — — — —
ib.
Rolled oats — — — — — — —
— 20 oz.
Corn flakes — — — — — — — 12 oz.
Bread, white — — —
ib.
Soda crackers — — — — — — — — ib.
Vanilla cookies — — — —
7 oz.
Meats, poultry, and fish:
Round steak — — — — — — — ib.
Chuck roast — — — — — — — — ib.
Rib roast - — — —
ib.
Hamburger — — — — — — —
ib.
Veal cutlets — — — — — —
ib.
Pork chops, center cut — — — - ib.
Bacon, sliced — — — — — —
ib.
Ham, whole — — — — — — — — ib.
Lamb, leg — — — —
ib.
Frankfurters — — — — —
ib.
Luncheon meat, canned — —
— 12 oz.
Frying chickens, ready-to-cook — ib.
Ocean perch, fillet, frozen
ib.
ib.
Haddock, fillet, frozen
Salmon, pink, canned — — — — — 16 oz.
Tuna fish, canned — — — — e to 6h oz.
Dairy products:
Milk, fresh, (grocery) — —
qt.
Milk, fresh, (delivered)
qt.
Ice cream — — — — — —
pt.
Butter - — — - — — — — — — — — ib.
Cheese, American process — — — ib.
Milk, evaporated —
i4i-oz. can
Fruits and vegetables:
Frozen:
Strawberries — — — — — —
10 oz.
Orange juice concentrate — — 6 oz.
Peas, green — — — — — —
10 oz.
—
10 oz.
Beans, green —
Fresh:
Bananas —
—
—
—
—
ib.
Oranges-, size 200 — — — — — — doz.
Lemons — — — — — —
ib.

* Priced only in season.




Sept.
1956
Cents
53.2
26.7

Aug.
1956
Cents
53.4

17.2
19.3
21.9

17.2
19.3
21.9

12.6
18.2

27.7

24.2
96.9
53.4
76.2
39.4

112.8

87.9
60.5
61.4
70.9
52.0

40.4
47.0

42.0

45.0
60.9
31.8

23.0
24.5

29.0

72.3
57.3
14.3

29.2

20.1
21.2

22.9

26.6
12.6

18.1

27.7

24.2

92.1
49.4
71.2
38.3

111.1

85.2

59.5
62.4
70.3
51.7
40.4
48.5
41.8
45.1
60.7
31.9
22.7
24.3
28.9
72.0
57.4
14.2
29.5

20.1

21.4

23.0

16.1

15.1
16.9

16.6
64.2

19.8

18.7

68.2

Food and unit

Sept.
1956

Fresh— Continued
Cents
Grapefruit *
—
each
Peaches *
•
lb.
14.7
pt.
Strawberries * —
ib.
Grapes, seedless *
19.2
lb.
Watermelons * —
Potatoes
—
—
— 10 lb.
57.7
Sweet pate toes
- lb.
13.1
Onions
——
— - lb.
9.0
Carrots
- lb.
14.1
• head
Lettuce
———-—
15.9
Celery
- lb.
12.6
Cabbage
— lb.
7.2
— lb.
Tomatoes
—
16.6
- lb.
Beans, green
-18.2
Canned:
Orange juice — — — . • 46-oz. can
38.8
— §2h can 34.7
Peaches
—
#2 can
Pineapple
33.7
— #303 can
Fruit cocktail —
26.3
—
#303
can
Corn, cream style
—
13.2
Peas, green
— — — #303 can
21.3
— #303 can
Tomatoes — — — —
15.0
to 5 oz.
Baby foods
10.0
Dried:
Prunes — — — — — — «
lb.
36.2
Beans — — — — — .
lb.
16.2
Other foods at home:
11—oz. can
Tomato soup
12.2
16-oz. can
Beans with pork
14.6
-7h oz.
Pickles, sweet
27.1
Catsup, tomato
—
14 oz.
23.2
—
lb, oan
Coffee
108.0
pkg. of 16
Tea bags — — — — — — —
23.2
—
36 oz.
Cola drink, carton
32.9
Shortening, hydrogenated
3 lb.
97.3
Margarine, colored — —— — —
lb.
29.2
Lard
20.1
pt.
Salad dressing
35.5
— — — —
lb.
Peanut butter
53.6
—
—
5 lb.
Sugar — —
52.9
- - - - - - - - 24 oz.
Corn syrup
24.0
Grape jelly - —
12 oz.
26.7
Chocolate bar
> — — —
1 oz.
4.5
Eggs, Grade A, large . — — —
doz.
62.7
Gelatin, flavored — •---- 3 to 4 oz.
8.4

Aug.
1956
Cents
14.4
21.2
3.9
77.6
15.2
13.5
13.8
14.7
13.5
7.4
21.6
17.2
38.6
34.9
33.7
26.2
13.2
21.4
15.2
10.0
36.2
16.2
12.4
14.6
27.0
23.2
105.9
23.2
32.9
98.3
29.2
19.9
35.7
53.6
52.9
23.8
26.6
4.5
60.4
8.5

Labor - D.C. BLS 57-1218

7
Brief Explanation of the CPI
The Consumer Price Index (CFI) measures the average changes in prices of goods
and services typically bought by city families of wage earners and clerical workers. It
is based on prices of about 300 items which were selected so that their price changes
would represent the movement of prices of all goods and services purchased by wage and
clerical families; they include all of the important items in family spending. Prices
for these items are obtained in 46 cities which were chosen to represent all urban places
in the United State$$ they are collected from grocery and department stores, hospitals,
filling stations, and other types of stores and service establishments which wage-earner
and clerical-worker families patronize.
Prices of foods, fuels, and a few other items are obtained every month in all
46 cities. Prices of most other commodities and services are collected every month in
the 5 largest cities and every 3 months in other cities. Almost all prices are obtained
by personal visits of the Bureaufs 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
Youngstown, Ohio

Comparisons of city indexes show only that prices in one city changed more or
less than in another. The city indexes cannot be used to measure differences in price
levels or in living costs between cities.
A description of the index is contained in BLS Bulletin 1140, "The Consumer
Price Index: A layman's Guide," which may be purchased for 20 cents at any Bureau of
Labor Statistics regional office (addresses below) or from the Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office, Washington 25, D. C. A more technical
description of the index appears in BLS Bulletin 1168, "Techniques of Preparing Major BLS
Statistical 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
20X16 2 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