Full text of CPI Detailed Report : September 1969

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UoSo DEPA1TMEWT OF L
idJI^lEAy ©F LAi©^ STATlSIi
November 1969

The Consumer Price Index
A monthly report on consumer price movements,
including statistical tables and technical notes

CONSUMER PRICE INDEXES
Commodities and Services

1957,59 = 100

RELATIVE IMPORTANCE
ALL ITEMS INDEX (as of Dec, 1968)

ALL SERVICES
35.80%
FOOD
22.46%
NONDURABLES LESS FOOD - - * 24.48%
DURABLE COMMODITIES
17.26%

110

Nondurables Less Food

105
100 - *

95
1961

1962

1963

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS




1964

1965

1966

1967

1968

1969

1970

•Seasonally Adjusted
Latest Data:

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR • George P. Shuhz, Secretary
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS • Geoffrey H. Moore, Commissioner

September 1

CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FOR SEPTEMBER.1969

The Consumer Price Index continued to advance rapidly in September and rose
0.5 percent to 129.3 (1957-59=100). The increase was due largely to a sharp rise in
apparel prices and a continuation of the strong uptrend in charges for consumer services.
Food prices failed to show their usual September decline principally because of higher
prices for pork and restaurant meals. Prices of new and used cars were lower due to the
approach of the 1970 model year; a seasonal drop of 0.3 percent for consumer durable goods
resulted.
The September rise brought the increase in retail prices to 1.3 percent in the
third quarter, the smallest advance for any 3 month period this year. The slower third
quarter pace reflects smaller increases for commodities, particularly food and durable
goods, than in the previous two quarters. The rise in service prices accelerated in the
third quarter, due largely to boosts in mortgage interest costs. The 1.9-percent increase
was only slightly below the first quarter's very steep climb of 2 percent.
In September, the all items index stood 5.8 percent above its level of a year
ago and 4.5 percent higher than December 1968. In contrast, retail prices rose 3.4 percent in the first 9 months of 1968 to a point 4.4 percent above a year earlier.
A large part of the run-up in retail prices since last September resulted
from continued increases for consumer services, particularly household and medical care
services. Food prices rose nearly 6 percent over the year and constituted about 25
percent of the all items rise. Prices of other nondurable goods were also significantly
higher and contributed about 20 percent of the index's advance. Durable goods on the
average posted the smallest price increase and were responsible for 10 percent of the
average rise in retail prices.
Nondurables goods other than food
Retail prices of nondurable goods other than foods posted their largest
monthly increase in recent years in September; they advanced about twice as much as is
usual for the month. A very sharp upturn in prices of apparel commodities was responsible
for about four-fifths of the increase. Higher prices for cigaretts and alcoholic beverages
accounted for most of the remainder.
On a seasonally adjusted basis, prices of nondurable commodities other than
food rose in the third quarter at about the same annual rate, 4.8 percent,as in the first
two quarters of this year. The continued steep uptrend in these prices stems principally
from sustained strength in prices of apparel commodities. However, substantial price
increases for cigarettes and alcoholic beverages also have contributed to the fast pace
of advance.
Prices of all types of apparel were up more than is usual for September.
Prices of women's apparel advanced nearly twice as much as usual; they posted their
largest monthly rise in over 7 years and constituted about 65 percent of the increase
in clothing prices overall. Sharp price rises were recorded for women's dresses and winter coats and skirts. The seasonal upturn in September results from the introduction of
fall and winter lines at prices above the clearance levels in effect when prices of these
items were last reported for the index. Pressure on prices of clothing at the retail
level stems from a combination of increased costs of manufacturing and of retailing
apparel and continued strength in consumer demand. So far this year, wholesale prices of
apparel commodities, have advanced 3.8 percent while retail prices have risen 3.6 percent.




Cigarette prices were substantially higher in September for the fourth
consecutive month. The increases are due both to higher manufacturers1 prices and
increased local tax levies. Except for gasoline prices, down slightly because of competitive pricing in some areas, most other nondurable commodities moved higher in September,
Over the past 12 months, retail prices of nondurable commodities other than
food averaged 4.6 percent higher. The 5.4-percent increase for apparel commodities over
the span was responsible for over 40 percent of the rise. Among the more significant
increases for remaining nondurable goods were 7.2 percent for tobacco products, 4.3 percent for alcoholic beverages, and 3.4 percent for gasoline and motor oil.
Services
Charges for
percent in September as
hold services less rent
Prices of medical care,
for the remainder.

consumer services rose at their recently accelerated rate of 0.7
all major types of services continued to advance rapidly. Houserose 0.9 percent and were responsible for about half of the rise.
transportation and "other" services were about equally responsible

In the third quarter, costs of consumer services rose 1.9 percent. This
increase compares with advances of 2.0 and 1.7 percent in the first and second quarters,
respectively. The acceleration in the third quarter resulted from a larger increase for
household services less rent.
Mortgage interest costs rose again in September and continued an upward trend
evident since the beginning of the year. Prices paid by homeowners for maintenance
services averaged 1.6 percent higher, the largest monthly increase on record, and stood
nearly 9 percent higher than their levels at the first of the year. Consumers also paid
more for residential gas and electricity in September for a variety of reasons, including
higher utility taxes and increased costs of providing these services.
Charges for rental of houses and apartments, and hotel and motel rooms both
moved up in September; the latter posted an unusually large rise, 1.1 percent.

costs of
advanced
services
risen at

Higher physicians1 fees were responsible partially for the sustained climb in
medical care services. Since the beginning of the year, physicians1 fees have
6 percent; over the same 1968 period they rose 4 percent. Charges for dentists1
have shown a similar accelerated rise while hospital daily service charges have
virtually the same rate this year as last.

Transportation services posted a substantial increase in September, because
of an unusually large rise in automobile insurance rates. So far in 1969 auto insurance
rates have been advancing at an annual rate of about 12 percent, the fastest pace in
several years. Rising numbers of accidents and higher costs of auto body repairs and
claim settlements are reported as major factors behind the steep increase.
Since September 1968, charges for consumer services have averaged 7.4 percent
higher. Costs of household services less rent were responsible for about half of the
increase, reflecting advances for mortgage interest, home maintenance services, and
property taxes and insurance. Medical care and transportation services were 8.8 and 7.6
percent higher over the year. Among the major groups of services ,prices for "other"
services registered the smallest rise, up 4.9 percent.




Food
Retail food prices averaged 0,6 percent higher on a seasonally adjusted basis
in September. Prices of food purchased in grocery stores were unchanged before adjustment
for seasonal variation, but climbed 0,7 percent when seasonally adjusted. Prices of
restaurant meals and snacks, which exhibit negligible seasonality, maintained their steep
untrend; they advanced 0.6 percent.
Compared with the second quarter, the rate of increase in food prices slowed
in the third quarter, both before and after seasonal adjustment. The most significant
slow down occurred for prices of meats, poultry, and fish which fell from a seasonally
adjusted annual rate of advance of nearly 30 percent in the second quarter to a rate of
4 percent in the third. Unadjusted, the total rise in food prices in the first 9 months
of this year amounted to 5.2 percent, compared with 3.6 percent in 1968.
Most of the September increase in food prices was due to advances for pork
and restaurant meals. Prices of fruits and vegetables were down less than usual at this
season. Beef prices dropped slightly and contraseaspnally for the second consecutive
month while cereal and bakery products and dairy products continued to climb. Egg prices,
which usually move higher in September, declined slightly, apparently because of pressure
from larger supplies.
All cuts of pork were more expensive; price increases averaged somewhat larger
than usual. Declining supplies and continued strength in demand for pork as a substitute
for higher-priced beef appear to explain the September rise for pork.
The unusual strength in prices of fruits and vegetables was due largely to
declines in prices of apples, grapes, and to a smaller degree of potatoes and onions.
Delayed maturing of the fall apple crop and the consequent delay in marketings probably
accounts for the relative strength in prices of this item. Grape prices remained comparatively high in September despite a seasonal expansion in supplies.
Since September 1968, retail prices of food have averaged 5.9 percent higher
because of increases of 5.8 and 6.3 percent, respectively, in prices of grocery store food
and restaurant meals and snacks. More than half of the 12-month increase in prices of
food purchased for home consumption resulted from substantial run ups for beef, pork, and
poultry. Much of the climb in meat prices since last September is probably due to a
combination of continued rapid growth in consumer demand for beef and a comparatively
small increase in beef supplies. Higher prices for poultry in large part reflect
increased demand because of higher beef prices.
Durables
Retail prices of consumer durable goods declined 0.3 percent in September;
the decrease was seasonal and resulted from lower prices for new and used cars. Prices
of houses and household durables continued to advance and partially offset the decrease
for auto purchases.
Despite the September drop, prices of durable goods advanced on a seasonally
adjusted basis in the third quarter, although at a slower rate than in the first or
second quarters. The relatively slow rise in large part reflects weakness in automobile
prices and a significant decline in the rate of increase for household durables in the
third quarter.
The September decrease brought the increase in prices of durable goods so far
this year to 2.7 percent compared with 1.4 percent in 1968 when prices of houses and
household durables rose much less.




New car prices fell 1.5 percent in September as dealer concessions increased.
In September dealers usually try to work off inventories of outgoing models in preparation
for the new model year. The large decrease for used-car prices probably reflects a slackening in demand because of price reductions for new cars. Furniture prices maintained their
steady uptrend, probably because of pressure from rising costs. Appliance prices were
unchanged in September and prices of floor coverings reversed their recent weakness and
climbed 0.7 percent.
Since September 1968, retail prices of consumer durable goods have advanced
3.7 percent. A large part of this rise resulted from price increases for houses. Usedcar prices were appreciably lower, and new-car prices about 1 percent higher, in
September 1969 compared with September 1968. Price increases for furniture and other
durable housefurnishings made up about 65 percent of the 4.1 percent over-the-year rise
in prices of household durables.
Cost-of-Living Adjustments
Approximately 54,000 workers will receive cost-of-living wage increases,
based on the Consumer Price Index for September. About 22,000 workers, mostly in the
aerospace industry, will receive increases of 8 or 9 cents an hour, reflecting the change
in the national index since September 1968. Nearly 21,000 workers, mostly in public
transit and aerospace will get hourly increases ranging from 3 to 5 cents, based on the
change in the National CPI between June and September.
An additional 5,400 workers in various industries will receive increases
ranging from 2 to 7 cents an hour, based on yearly or semiannual reviews of the national
CPI.
Approximately 12,000 other workers whose escalation reviews are tied to the
September index will not receive an adjustment because they have already reached the maximums stipulated in their contracts.
A NOTE ABOUT CALCULATING INDEX CHANGES
Movements of the indexes from one date to another are usually expressed as
percentage 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 percentage changes
are not. The following example illustrates the computation of index point and percentage
changes:

Index Point Change
September 1969 CPI (1957=59=100)
less August 1969 index
Index point difference =




Percentage Change
129.3
128.7
0.6

Index point difference divided by
the index for the previous period:
129.3 - 128.7 x 100 = .5 percent
128.7

TABLE 1: Consumer Price Index—United States City Average
For Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, September, 1969
(Unadjusted, unless otherwise indicated)
Indexes
(1957-59=100 unless otherwise noted)
Septembe
August
June
September
1969
1968
1969
1969

Group

Percent change to Sept., 1969 from;
1 Month
lYear
3 Monthi
Ago
Ago
1.3

All items
All items (1947-49=100)

129.3
158.6

128.7
157.9

127.6
156.6

122.2
150.0

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

127.5
123.6
123.0
129.0
125.5
126.8
110.5
146.7

127.4
123.6
122.6
127.9
125.0
130.2
110.5
145.8

125.5
121.8
122.0
125.3
124.0
130.8
106.6
143.7

120.4
116.8
119.8
115.5
121.6
122.9
107.4
138.0

.1
.0
•
.3
.9
.4
-2.6
.0
.6

1.6
1.5
.8
3.0
1.2
-3.1
3.7
2.1

5.9
5.8
2.7
11.7
3.2
3.2
2.9
6.3

Housing
Shelter

128.6
136.1
119.7
142.6
113.3
118.1
112.0
119.0

127.8
135.1
119.3
141.3
113.0
117.7
111.5
118.5

126.3
133.0
118.5
138.7
112.7
117.5
111.3
117.9

120.4
125.3
115.7
129.1
110.5
115.8
109.3
113.9

.6
.7
.3
.9
.3
.3
.4
.4

1.8
2.3
1.0
2.8
;5
.5
.6
.9

6.8
8.6
3.5
10.5
2.5
2.0
2.5
4.5

Apparel and upkeep 4/
Men's and boys'
Women's and girls'
Footwear

128.7
130.0
124.6
142.3

126.6
128.7
120.8
141.5

127.0
128.5
122.7
140.1

122.2
123.2
118.5
134.0

1.7
1.0
3.1
.6

1.3
1.2
1.5
1.6

5.3
5.5
5.1
6.2

Transportation
Private
New cars
Used cars
Gasoline
Public

123.6
120.5
99.5
121.4
117.7
150.3

124.6
121.8
101.8
128.2
118.6

119.5
117.2
98.4
126.7
113.9
138'. 7

- .5
- .7
-1.5
-3.2
- .3
.4

138.4
157.6
127.3
131.6
131.3

124.2
121.3
101.0
125.4
118.0
149.7
137.7
156.8
126.8
131.2
130.1

136.3
155.2
126.2
130.4
127.9

131.1
146.4
121.5
126.7
124.4

.5
.5
.4
.3
.9

1.5
1.5
.9
.9
2.7

127.1
128.4
124.0

126.4
127.4
124.2

125.5
126.9
124.7

120.0
122.0
119.9

.6
.8
.2

1.3
1.2
- .6

130.0
127.6

129.3
127.0

128.4
126.0

123.0
120.8

.5
.5

1.2
1.3

5.7
5.6

121.7
125.8
124.4
128.1

121.4
125.2
123.3
125.9

120.5
124.1
123.0
126.4

116.1
119.6
118.9
121.5

.2
.5
1.7

1.0
1.4
1.1
1.3

4.8
5.2
4.6
5.4

111.7
105.8
143.3
148.8
139.2
128.4

107.6
102.0
136.0
140.5
132.4
118.5

- .3
.2
.7
.7
.6
.9

- .1
.4
1.9
1.9
1.9
2.9

3.7
4.1
7.4
8.0
7.1
11.5

107.8

104.2
2.7
1.8

1/

Homeownership 2J
Fuel and utilities 3/
Fuel oil and coal
Gas and electricity
Household furnishings and operation

Health and recreation
MerHrai

rara

_

_

_

_

_

_—

Personal care
Reading and recreation
Other goods and services

-1.1
-2.3
-5.3

3.4
2.8
1.1
-4.2
3.3
8.4
5.6
7.7
4.8
3.9
5.5

Seasonally Adjusted^
Food —
— —
Apparel and upkeep
Transpor tat ion

———
>

Special Groups;
All items less food
All items less medical care
Con&uod i t i c s

•

.——————————--——--———•—————.-.-•—•—--—•-•---•.

Nondurables
Nondurables less food
Apparel commodities
Durables
Household durables
Services
Services less rent
Services less medical care
Insurance and finance (Dec.1965=100)
Utilities and public transportation
(Dec.1965=100)
Housekeeping and home maintenance service:
(Dec.1965=100)
Medical care services

111.6
106.2
146.0
151.7
141.8
132.1

111.9
106.0
145.0
150.7
140.9
130.9

108.4

jL/ Also includes
II Includes home
3/ Also includes
4/ Also includes




.4.0

130.9
172.2

129.4
171.1

127.4
169.1

119.9
158.2

1.2
.6

$0,774
.375

$0,777
.376

$0,784
.380

$0,818
.396

- .4

Purchasing Power of Consumer Dollar;
1957-59-$l
1939-$1

.9

hotel and motel rates not shown separately.
purchase, mortgage interest, taxes, insurance, and maintenance and repairs.
telephone, water, and sewerage service not shown separately.
infants' wear, sewing materials, jewelry, and apparel upkeep services not shown separately.

9.2

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/

1957-59=100

1947-49=100

Percent change from:

Other
bases

September 1969

August
1969

June
1969

September
1968

U.S. City Average

129.3

158.6

0.5

1.3

5.8

Chicago
Detroit
Los Angeles-Long Beach
New York —
Philadelphia

127.2
128.6
129.6
133.5
131.0

160.4
158.6
161.6
160.8
160.8

.9
.1
.5
.8
.6

2.1
1.0
1.3
1.4
2.2

6.2
6.1
5.5
6.0
5.8

April
1969

July
1968

1.8
1.2
2.3
1.3

5.9
6.5
5.1
6.4

May
1969

August
1968

1.6
1.5
.9
1.4
1.5
1.6

4.8
6.1
6.6
5.5
5.5
5.1
6.3

June
1969

September
1968

2.0
2.0
.7
1.3
.8
1.7
1.5

6.1
6.5
4.3
4.7
5.6
5.3
5.8

July 1969
Boston
Houston
Minneapolis-St. Paul
Pittsburgh

132.1
127.0
128.0
127.7

163.7
156.4
158.4
157.4

August 1969
Buffalo (Nov.1963=100) —
Cleveland
Dallas (Nov.1963=100)
Milwaukee
San Diego (Feb.1965=100) Seattle
Washington

121.2
127.3

158.1

123.9

156.3

129.5
130.8

162.7
157.5

121.2
116.0

September 1969
Atlanta
Baltimore
Cincinnati
Honolulu (Dec.1963=100) —
Kansas City
St. Louis

San Francisco-Oakland

128.6
130.4
125.5

159.2
161.9
152.8

131.4
129.2
132.8

162.6
160.4
168.5

118.1

JL/ 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 I960 Census and do not include revisions made since I960.
2/
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.




TABLE 3: Consumer Price Index—The United States and Selected Areas 1/
For Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, Major Groups
Percent Change from August 1969 to September 1969

Group

U.S. City
Average

All items

Detroit

Chicago

Los AngelesLong Beach

New York

Philadelphia

0.5

0.9

0.1

0.5

0.8

0.6

.1
.6
1.7
- .5
.5
.5
.4
.3
.9

Food
Housing
Apparel and upkeep
Transportation
Health and recreation
Medical care
Personal care
Reading and recreation —
Other goods and services

- .2
1.0
5.1
- .2
.5
1.3
(2/)
- .2
.6

- .6
.7
2.9
-2.8
.9
.9

.1
.9
2.4
- .4
.4

.3
.9
3.3
- .8
.3
.0

.0
.5
3.5
-.8
.7

(2/)
.6

(2/)
.4
.9

.4

.0

4
(2/)

1/ See footnote 1, table 2.
2/ Not available.
* Correction: July to August—L.A., 0.5; N.Y., 0.8; Phila., 0.2.

TABLE 4: Consumer Price Index — United States City Average for
Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers for Selected Groups
Seasonally Adjusted
(1957-59=100)

Indexes

Group

Percent changes to : Sept. 1969
From:
1 Month
3 Months
Ago

September 1969

August 1969

June 1969

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

127. 1
123. 2
126. 8
125. 1
131. 0
109. 3

126.4
122.4
126.4
124.9
127.8
110.2

125.5
121.8
125.6
124.5
127.0
108.3

0.6
.7
.3
.2
2.5
- .8

1.3
1.1
1.0
.5
3.1
.9

Fuel and utilities If Fuel oil and coal -

113. 4
119. 1

113.1
119.1

112.9
119.2

.3
.0

.4
- .1

Apparel and upkeep 2J Men's and boys'
Women's and girls'
Footwear

128.,4
129.,5
124.,1
142,.3

127.4
129.2
122.3
141.8

126.9
128.5
122.6
140.1

.2
1.5
.4

1.2
.8
1.2
1.6

Transportation

Commodities less food
Nondurables
Nondurables less food
Apparel commodities

124,.0
120..9
102,.4
121 .7
118 .8
125 .5
124 .3
127 .7

124.2
121.3
102.5
121.3
118.4
125.0
123.7
126.8

124.7
121.8
102.4
120.5
118.0
124.2
123.0
126.3

- .2
- .3
- .1
.3
.3
.4
.5
.7

- .6
- .7
.0
1.0
.7
1.0
1.1
1.1

Durables

112.0

112.0

111.7

.0

.3

New c a r s
c/iuinoux Lxt?o

T7
If

——————••——*•———«———••—«•••— - « ^ — « . _ • * _

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




TABLE 5: Consumer Price Index—United States and Selected Areas 1/
For Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, Commodity Groups
September 1969 Index and Percent Changes from June 1969
Group

U\S.
. City
Average

Los AngelesLong Beach

Chicago

Philadelphia

Indexes (1957-59=100 unless otherwise specified)
All items

129.3

127.2

128.6

129.6

133.5

131.0

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

127.5
123.6
123.0
129.0
125.5
126.8
110.5
146.7

130.2
128.9
125.7
133.9
138.7
129.9
113.0
137.0

126.5
124.1
118.8'
135.9
132.7
113.4
109.3
140.6

124.0
118.3
122.8
118.2
123.0
129.2
100.5
144.9

129.1
123.4
121.8
128.9
115.9
131.8
110.9
153.3

127.2
122.3
120.8
122.9
133.5
127.3
107.4
153.3

Housing
Shelter
Rent
Homeownership
Fuel and utilities
Fuel oil and coal
Gas and electricity
Household furnishings and operation

128.6
136.1
119.7
142.6
113.3
118.1
112.0
119.0

123.3
128.4
113.8
135.5
109.0
110.2
107.9
118.0

126.3
135.2
(2/)
141.2
104.5
110.0
106.0
112.0

134.8
144.3
120.5
152.3
111.8
118.8
117.5

132.6
138.0
(2/)
142.5
113.7
124.4
112.5
129.1

128.9
136.5
121.4
140.4
112.5
122.5
107.0
121.0

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

128.7
130.0
124.6
142.3

124.4
122.0
122.0
137.4

125.7
126.7
121.5
138.9

126.4
128.8
126.9
136.2

136.6
141.6
131.5
144.6

136.5
133.3
129.0
151.6

123.6
120.5
150.3

124.9
120.4
154.0

121.5
118.7
141.5

128.0
123.4
156.7

126.4
126.5
129.4

133.1
125.1
178.6

138.4
157.6
127.3
131.6
131.3

133.7
165.7
126.6
114.5
126.7

141.9
169.1
(2/)
132.4
124.2

130.2
152.0
120.2
114.6
125.4

145.2
164.1
(2/)
144.1
140.5

139.5
170.3
(2/)
126.0
133.7

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

Percent Changes June 1969 to September 1969
All items
Fo
od
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
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
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
Public
Health and recreation
Medical care
Personal care
Reading and recreation —
Other goods and services
See footnotes at end of table.




1.3

1.4

2.2

.3
- .4
.9
2.0
-4.5
2.7
2.4

2.0
2.1
.3
3.0
.9
- .5
4.2
1.9

2.2
2.3
.7
3.2
.5
- .5
5.7
1.9

1.7
1.9

3.9
1.2

2.7
.2
.3
.2
1.7

3.3
5.5
3/ 1.9
6.4
2.6
.0
4.2
- .4

1.3

2.1

1.0

1.6
1.5
.8
3.0
1.2
-3.1
3.7
2.1

2.1
2.3
- .6
3.7
.3
.2
4.8
1.6

1.6
1.7
1.7
3.4
2.5
-6.7
5.1
1.4

1.8
2.3
1.0
2.8
.5
.5
.6
.9

3.1
4.1
3/ .9
5.5
1.7
.0
2.7

1.9
2.7
<!/)
3.0
.7
.0
1.1
- .2

2.7
3.1
1.7
3.6
2.1

(1/)

1.3
1.2
1.5
1.6

2.2
1.7
3.7
1.5

2.2
2.5
3.1
1.2

1.9
.9
2.8
1.7

2.6
1.9
3.1
3.2

3.6
2.8
5.6
3.1

-1.1

- .3
- .4
.1

-3.0
-3.2
.4

-1.1
-1.1
.2

- .6
- .7
- .2

-1.3
-1.5

1.5
1.5
.9
.9
2.7

2.2
1.8
.7
.2
6.1

1.0
.8
(2/)
1.5
1.4

2.1
4.2
(2/)
.2
2.8

1.4
1.7
(2/)
.2
1.7

.9
1.2
.8
.9
.7

TABLE 5: Consumer Price Index—United States and Selected Areas 1/
For Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, Commodity Groups —Continued
September 1969 Index and Percent Changes from June 1969
Group

Atlanta

Baltimore

Cincinnati

Honolulu
(12/63=100)

Kansas

San
Francisco

St. Louis

Indexes (1957-59=100 unless otherwise specified)
128.6

130.4

125.5

118.1

131.4

132.8

129.2

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

126.7
123.6
115.5
128.1
124.6
131.2
116.9
138.2

131.8
126.8
126.9
132.4
121.3
136.8
113.5
152.5

123.6
120.0
115.5
129.3
119.2
125.2
106.0
142.2

119.1
117.2
112.1
122.6
114.8
120.5
110.1
125.1

131.9
128.4
128.2
134.3
137.1
126.4
114.6
144.5

124.9
119.3
119.7
123.9
119.9
121.1
107.1
149.5

132.6
127.9
125.5
136.2
134.9
135.2
108.0
151.8

Housing
Shelter
Rent
Homeownership
Fuel and utilities
Fuel oil and coal
Gas and electricity
Household furnishings and operation

131.9
137.0
115.4
143.6
114.7

119.7
122.3
106.5
129.7
108.5
118.0
108.9
116.3

123.5
133.2
118.6
143.2
100.6

125.8
129.6
109.8
137.8
121.8

142.2
156.3
145.7
161.3
105.2

111.7
126.6

127.5
134.0
117.0
141.2
111.0
119.6
103.4
124.6

99.8
108.6

122.8
115.9

109.4
118.9

122.6
127.8
112.2
131.8
110.2
117.8
111.4
120.2

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

128.7
131.9
120.8
138.8

134.5
136.8
127.7
160.0

133.6
137.2
126.5
154.8

117.0
113.7
119.0
115.0

137.4
134.6
138.2
151.2

132.7
130.8
129.6
139.3

128.7
128.3
127.6
142.1

Transportation
Private
Public

118.9
114.6
160.1

125.9
122.4
142.1

123.4
118.8
163.1

107.1
110.2
92.3

125.7
122.5
151.7

124.8
125.9
119.8

125.7
122.0
156.7

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

136.5
158.2
132.0
131.3
120.6

136.1
173.1
129.2
127.7
120.0

137.6
167.4
122.6
127.9
126.5

118.2
132.1
110.4
111.0
117.5

145.2
162.9
128.1
141.0
139.0

135.6
154.7
136.6
119.8
131.0

141.2
149.7
131.5
138.6
140.2

All items

|

Percent Changes June 1969 to September 1969
All items

2.0

2.0

0.7

1.3

0.8

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

3.2
3.5
1.7
3.6
6.3
.3
4.8
2.3

3.0
3.2
.5
4.3
.8
3.8
4.0
2.2

1.4
1.4
.3
3.6
.3
-2.3
2.8
1.6

2.4
1.9
.8
3.1
.2
2.1
1.5
3.8

1.6
1.3
.8
1.6
2.4
-1.1
2.5
2.4

Hous ing
Shelter
Rent
Homeownership
Fuel and utilities
Fuel oil and coal
Gas and electricity
Household furnishings and operation

2.6
3.9
.8
4.9
.2

.2
.0
1.2
- .7
1 0
5.5
1.2
.3

1.6
2.5
2.2
2.5
.3

1.0

2.9
4.9
.9
6.5
.3
.0
.6
- .1

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

1.7
.6
3.7
1.3

2.4
2.3
3.2
1.3

2.8
3.2
4.2

- .3
-1.2
11.6

- .9
-1.1
.1

1.3
2.1
.7
.6
1.3

1.0
3.9

Transportation
Private
Public
health and recreation
Medical care
Personal care
Reading and recreation —
Other goods and services
1/
2/
3/

See footnote 1, table. 2.
Not available.
Change from July 1969.




-

.8
.2
.1

-

-

.7
.9
.0

1.2
1.3
.4
- .4
2.6

1.1
1.8
1.9
.9
.1

.5
.1
.3
1.3
1.8
-8.7
3.5
2.6

3.1
2.6
1.9
4.1
2.7
.0
3.3
4.8

2.6
3.6
1.5
4.5
.0

2.5
.3

.0
.5

1.0
1.2
.4
1.4
- .1
.0
- .2
1.2

-

2.5
1.5
5.4
1.5

2.3
2.3
3.5
1.0

-2.3
-2.5
.3

.4
- .3
14.0

1.3

1.2
1.4
.7
1.2

.9
1.4
.3
1.5

-1.0
-1.4
2.0

1.7

1.3
1.7
.6
2.0
1.4

.4
.7

1.5

-

.6
4.7

1.5
2.7
.6
1.5

.2
.2
.4
2.5
1.0
.0
1.5
7.0

10
TABLE 6: Consumer Price Index—United States and Selected Areas
For.Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers. Food and its Subgroups
September 1969 Indexes and Percent Changes from. August 1969

Food at home
Area 1/

Total
food

Cereals

and

Total

bakery
products

Meats,
poultry,
and fish

Dairy
products

Fruits

and
vegetables

Other
foods
at home

Food
away
from
home

Indexes (1957-59=100 unless otherwise specified)

U.S. City Average

127.5

123.6

123.0

129.0

125.5

126.8

110.5

146.7

Atlanta
Baltimore
Boston
Buffalo (Nov.1963=100) Chicago
Cincinnati
Cleveland
Dallas (Nov.1963=100) —
Detroit
Honolulu (Dec.1963=100)
Houston
Kansas City
Los Angeles-Long B e a c h —
Milwaukee
Minneapolis-St. Paul
New York
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
St. Louis
San Diego (Feb.1965=100)
San Francisco-Oakland —

126.7
131.8
131.4
121.8
130.2
123.6
125.1
122.0
126.5
119.1
129.2
131.9
124.0
127.9
125.9
129.1
127.2
123.2
132.6
118.3
124.9
125.9
131.6

123.6
126.8
126.1
119.7
128.9
120.0
122.1
119.1
124.1
117.2
124.1
128.4
118.3
125.6
121.9
123.4
122.3
120.4
127.9
114.7
119.3
119.5
126.2

115.5
126.9
127.2
108.9
125.7
115.5
114.2
110.4
118.8
112.1
125.9
128.2
122.8
116.3
116.3
121.8
120.8
122.0
125.5
110.3
119.7
114.2
115.9

128.1
132.4
133.1
127.4
133.9
129.3
128.9
129.1
135.9
122.6
124.6
134.3
118.2
132.5
128.7
128.9
122.9
130.0
136.2
129.6
123.9
126.8
130.2

124.6
121.3
121.5
122.1
138.7
119.2
125.1
124.0
132.7
114.8
128.0
137.1
123.0
135.2
126.8
115.9
133.5
115.9
134.9
112.4
119.9
128.0
125.5

131.2
136.8
132.8
118.1
129.9
125.2
128.0
116.
113.
120,
135,
126.4
129.2
126.7
122.2
131.8
127.3
120.3
135.2
102.5
121.1
121.4
132.4

116.9
113.5
111.3
114.4
113.0
106.0
110.3
110.5
109.3
110.1
109.6
114.6
100.5
112.4
113.3
110.9
107.4
109.3
108.0
106.9
107.1
105.4
118.9

138.2
152.5
154.8
134.0
137.0
142.2
142.7
133.3
140.6
125.1
151.2
144.5
144.9
(2/)
144.6
153.3
153.3
141.4
151.8
<2/)
149.5
152.5
152.0

0.0

0.6

Washington

Percent Changes August 1969 to September 1969
U.S. City Average
Atlanta
Baltimore
Boston
Buffalo (Nov.1963=100) Chicago
Cincinnati
Cleveland
Dallas (Nov.1963=100) —
Detroit
Honolulu (Dec.1963=100)
Houston
Kansas City
Los Angeles-Long Beach Milwaukee
Minneapolis-St. Paul
New York
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
St. Louis
San Diego (Feb.1965=100)
San Francisco-Oakland —
Seattle
Washington
1/
2/

.3
.8
- .3
- .6
- .2
.3
- .1
.1
- .6
.9
.2
.5
.1
.2
- .4
.3
.0
- .6
1.1
- .3
.0
- .2
- .7

See footnote 1, table 2.
Not available.




0.0

0.1

.2
.6
-

.6

- .9
- .4
.3
- .2
.0
- .8
.5
.2
.4
- .1
.1
- .6
.1
- .1
- .7
.9
- .3
- .3
- .7
-1.2

0.3

1.0
.2
.0
.1
- .1
- .1
-2.6
.1
- .2
1.1
.4
.0
.6
2.0
-1.9
- .4
- .3
.5
.6
.0
.1
- .3
.7

1.6
1.8
- .4
1.0
.6
1.4
-1.2
.3
- .4
- .8
.7
1.4
- .3
1.2
2.1
1.2
1.2
- .2
1.7
- .6
.5
-1.5
-1.1

0.4

0.9
-

.1
.7
.5
.4
.1
.0
3.0
- .2
.8
.2
- .2
1.5
.1
.5
-2.1
.3
.2
.3
.7
.1
- .3
- .2
.0

-2.6

-1.3
- .2
-3.8
-8.2
-3.1
- .8
- .4
- .3
-5.4
1.3
- .3
-1.3
- .5
-3.9
-2.9
-2.9
-3.4
-3.5
1.5
-1.1
-2.3
- .8
-3.1

- .5
.7
.8
- .6
- .6
.5
- .1
.5
1.8
- .4
- .3
.1
- .3
- .4
.7
.2
- .4
- .2
.3
.2
.0
-1.2

.9
1.1
.3
.5
.8
.5
.3
2.5
.3
.8

.8
.3
.1
1.7
1.0
.5

11
TABLE 7: Consumer Price Index—United States City Average
For Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, Food Items
September 1969 Indexes and Percent Changes from Selected Dates
(1957-59=100 unless otherwise specified)

Item or Group

Total food
Food away from home
Restaurant meals
Snacks 1/
Food at home
Cereals and bakery products
Flour
Cracker meal .1/
Corn flakes
Rice
Bread, white
Bread, whole wheat If
Cookies
Layer cake JL/
Cinnamon rolls 1/
Meats, poultry, and fish
Meats
Beef and veal
Steak, round
Steak, sirloin 1}
Steak, porterhouse JL/
Rump roast \J
Chuck roast
Hamburger
Beef liver 1/
Veal cutlets
Pork
Chops
Loin roast If
Pork sausage JL/
Ham, whole
Picnics JL/
Bacon
Other meats
Lamb chops 1/
Frankfurters
Ham, canned J /
L
Bologna sausage JL/
Salami sausage JL/
Liverwurst JL/
Poultry
Frying chicken
Chicken breasts If
Turkey J7
Shrimp, frozen JL/
Fish, fresh or frozen
Tuna fish, canned
Sardines, canned If
Dairy products
Milk, fresh, grocery
Milk, fresh, delivered
Milk, fresh, skim 1/
Milk, evaporated
Ice cream
Cheese, American process —
Butter
See footnotes at end of table.




Index
September 1969
Seasonally
adjusted
Unadjusted
127.5
146.7
147.2
126.2
123.6
123.0
111.2
125.8
129.4
112.9
128.8
121.6
101.0
113.2
113.2
129.0
133.1
135.0
128.1
128.3
132.9
122.1
145.9
127.2
140.9
117.8
162.8
133.7
137.6
143.0
149.6
121.8
135.5
135.6
132.6
139.7
135.4
122.6
136.2
127.0
128.0
102.0
103.8
113.8
105.9
132.2
121.0
138.6
114.9
124.2
125.5
122.8
129.4
124.8
124.1
100.1
148.9
118.3

127.1
—
—
123.2
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
126.8
131.0
133.5
127.2
—
—
—
144.6
126.2
139.6
—
162.6
129.3
132.6
—
—
120.1
—
129.0
132.1
—
133.9
—
—
—
—
101.4
—
—
132.3
—
138.9
—
—
125.1
122.1
—
—
—
—
149.5
118.2

Perchange to September 1969 from—
Auaust 1969
September
Seasonally
1968
Unadjusted
Unadjusted
adjusted
0.1
.6
.7
.5
.0
.3
- .2
.9
.0
.3
.5
1.1
.1
- .5
.4
.9
.9
- .3
-1.4
.7
.2
-1.1
- .4
-1.2

.3
.9
.4
2.7

1.4
1.2
2.5
4.1
.7
5.4
1.1
.3
1.3
1.7
1.3
.8
1.3
.6
.5

.7
1.1
.5
.2
1.0
.4
.6

.4
.4

0.6
—
—
—
.7
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
.3
.8
-1.0
-1.2
—
-1.3
-1.9
- .4

.0
.6
.3
.3

4.2
.1
2.9
4.6
11.7
12.8
13.4
12.9
13.0
11.8
11.1
15.2
15.6
15.4

—

9.7

.4
3.4
3.1
—

13". 0
13.9
11.9
11.1
16.9
8.6
17.0
17.2
10.2
8.2
14.1
6.3
13.2
10.0
9.6
7.9
8.1
7.9
6.8
5.9
10.5
9.9
2.7
1.2
3.2
2.7
3.6
4.9
2.3
1.0
6.0
1.5

2.8
—
6.3
1.1
—
1.1
—
—
—
—
.3
—
.5
—
1.2
—
—
.2
.2

.5

.4

5.9
6.3
6.4
6.0
5.8
2.7
- .7
7.2
.7
2.0
2.3

—
—
—

.7
-.3

12
TABLE 7: Consumer Price Index—United States City Average
For Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, Food Items
September 1969 Indexes and Percent Changes from Selected Dates—Continued
(1957-59-100 unless otherwise specified)
Percent change to September 1969 from—

Index

Septembei: 1969
Seasonally
Unadiusted
adiusted

Item or Group

Fruits and vegetables
Fresh fruits and vegetables

Apples
153.H3H3.S «•«•—~——*•-•-• «.__*•__.««»•*•_• * « •_.**-•.«.

Oranges
Orange juice, fresh JL/
Grapefruit
Grapes . /
3
Strawberries 37
Watermelon 3/
Potatoes
Onions
Asparagus .3/1/
Cabbage
Carrots
Celery —
Cucumbers 1/
Lettuce
Peppers, green 1/
Spinach 1/
Tomatoes
Processed fruits and vegetables
Fruit cocktail, canned
Pears, canned 1/
Grapefruit-pineapple juice, canned 1/ —
Orange juice concentrate, frozen
Lemonade concentrate, frozen 2/
Beets, canned 1/
-•
»
Peas, green, canned
Tomatoes, canned
Dried beans
Broccoli, frozen 1/
Other food at home
Eggs
Fats and oils:
Margarine
Salad dressing, Italian 1/
Salad or cooking oil If
Sugar and sweets
Grape jelly
Chocolate bar
Syrup, chocolate flavored 1/ Nonalcoholic beverages
Coffee, can and bag
Coffee, instant 4 /
_

Carbonated fruit drink 1/
Prepared and partially prepared foods 1/
Bean soup, canned \J
Chicken soup, canned 1/
Spaghetti, canned 1/
Mashed potatoes, instant \j •
Potatoes, french fried, frozen 2/
Baby foods, canned
Sweet pickle relish Xj
1

1 /
J»/

1/
2/
3/
4/

•
••^••^

December 1963-100.
April 1960-100.
Priced only in season.
July 1961=100.




.. _.
.
—

"• ~•••mm-11-

126.8
134.9
174.6
99.6
132.1
92.1
205.9
137.8
(3/)
<3/>
144.5
139.0
(3/)
135.6
128.3
120.1
111.7
130.8
147.8
118.0
103.2
116.9
106.6
108.2
101.8
99.4
93.3
113.1
122.9
124.1
125.0
107.5
110.5
113.8
102.2
102.3
123.6
126.0
116.4
124.7
126.5
106.5
103.7
86.6
103.8
102.0
156.8
123.4
106.9
105.6
98.1
117.2
108.9
92.7
112.7
112.6
107.6

131.0
142.3
171.7
96.5
121.1
—

173.5
171.6
(3/)

on

151.2
140.1
(3/)
155.0
132.3
127.8
—

136.5
—
—

139.6

August 1969
Seasonally
adiusted
Unadiusted
-2.6
-4.3
-8.3

September
1968
Unadiusted

2.3

2.6

3.2
4.9
3.5
4.5

- .5

-5.4

-20.9

.1
5.8

—
5.4

5.6
9.0

-6.5
(3/)
(3/)
-9.1
-8.7
(3/)
-2.0
-8.1
-7.8
-8.8

16.2
(3/)
(3/)

20.3
(3/)

1.3
3.8

9.}

(3/)

(3/)

2.5
4.2

11.1

3.0
.4

-1.2

5.3
1.0
.7

—
6.8
—
—

-11.3

-2.8

on
.8

2.6

17.5
20.7
14.1
6.9

20.3
15.6
8.3
.7

—
—
—
—

-2.3
-7.4

.8

—
—

- .6

- .8

10.9

.2
.3

- .6
100.0
—
—
—
—

.9
.3
.2

- .4
.0
.7
.0

—

109.3
106.5

- .5
- .2

—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—

.0
.0
.5

- .1
.6
1.1
.0

-

.1
.1
.1
.2
.1
.2
.2
.2

- .2
- .1
.4
.2
.5
.5
.0

—
—
—
—
—
—

- .8
-8.5
__
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—

4.0
6.3
1.5
.7

-3.6
- .4
5.3
2.9
4.0
.4
.2
1.4
4.4
2.5
4.2
5.9
4.7
2.1

- .9
5.0
1.4
4.7
4.7
3.3
4.7
2.0
4.1
5.9
4.7
2.0
1.8
1.2

13
TABLE 8: Consumer Price Index—U.S. City Average
For Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers
Indexes for Selected Items and Groups, September 1969
and Percent Changes from Selected Dates
(1957-59=100 unless otherwise specified)

Item or Group

Other
Index

Indexes
September 1969

Housing
Shelter 1/
Rent
Homeownership costs 2J
Mortgage interest rates
Property taxes
Property insurance rates
Maintenance and repairs
Commodities 3 /
_
Exterior house paint
Interior house paint
Services
Repainting living and dining rooms
Reshingling roofs
Residing houses
Replacing sinks
Repairing furnaces
Fuel and utilities
Fuel oil and coal
Fuel oil, #2
Gas and electricity
Electricity
Other utilities:
Residential telephone services
Residential water and sewerage services
Household furnishings and operation 4/
Housefurnishings
Textiles
Sheets, percale or muslin
Curtains, tailored, polyester marquisette
Bedspreads, chiefly cotton, tufted
Drapery fabric, cotton or rayon/acetate
Pillows, bed, polyester or acrylic filling
Slipcovers, ready made, chiefly cotton
Furniture and bedding
Bedroom suites, good or inexpensive quality
Living room suites, good and inexpensive
quality
Lounge chairs, upholstered
Dining room suites
Sofas, upholstered
Sofas, dual purpose
Sleep sets, Hollywood bed type
Box springs
Aluminum folding chairs bj
Floor coverings
Rugs, soft surface
Rugs, hard surface
Tile,vinyl
Appliances JJ
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 6/
Room heaters, electric, portable 6J
Garbage disposal units
Other housefurnishings:
Dinnerware, earthenware
Flatware, stainless steel
Table lamps, with shade
Lawn mowers, power, rotary type bj
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




Dec.63
Dec .63
Dec .63

Dec .63
Dec .63
Dec .63

Dec.63
Dec.63

August 1969

128.6
136.1
119.7
142.6
138.2
130.4
149.5
143.8
116.7
117.6
113.1
140.4
179.7
161.4
133.0
140.4
142.8
113.3
118.1
115.4
112.0
116.7
106.8

127.8
135.1
119.3
141.3
137.1
129.9
150.3
142.4
117.2
116.5
113.1
138.2
178.3
157.6
130.0
139.0
141.2
113.0
117.7
115.2
111.5
116.1
106.4

103.6
145.3
119.0
109.9
115.2
119.8
112.0
116.9
124.5
108.8
110.0
122.9
127.2

103.6
145.3
118.5
109.4
113.8
116.2
112.0
115.7
125.0
104.7
110.3
122.4
125.8

124.9
119.0
127.5
114.8
118.8

Percent change to September1969
-From:
August 1969
September
0.6

.7
.3
.9
.8

.4
- .5

Dec.63
Dec.63
June 64
Dec.63

Dec.63
Dec.63

Dec.63
June 64
Dec.63
Dec.63

9.4
6.9

.0
1.6
.8

3.6
10.6
11.1
11.9
9.9
9.5
11.0
2.5
2.0

2.4
2.3
1.0

1.1
.3
.3
.2

Dec.63
Dec.63
June 64
Dec.63

Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63

5.1

1.8

.4
.5
.4

2.5
2.0
2.9

.0
.0

1.1

.4
.5
1.2
3.1
.0

1.0
- .4

7.5
4.5
4.3
3.9
.8

4.6
3.6
5.5

3.9

3.3

- .3
.4

5.4
5.9
7.2

1.1
.1
.9
1.2

(A/)
104.3
134.3
119.8
116.0
(6/)
103.8

133.5
119.6
115.4
115.9
103.7

.6
.2
.5
(6/)
.1

107.4
128.0
119.1

.5
1.3

175.1
135.6
165.5
142.7
130.3
134.4

173.9
134.9
165.5
141.4
129.7
133.5

123.7
(6/)
117.1
107.0
104.9
111.8
109.3
86.0
91.0
81.3
85.8
98.1
99.6
(6/)

3.6

- .4
.9

124.8
117.9
126.0
115.1
118.6
(5/)
123.2
108.4
118.0
106.3
104.1
111.6
108.5
86.0
90.8
82.1
85.7
98.2
99.7
99.8
(6/)
103.9

(V)

5.4

1.0

107.4
128.6
120.7

Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63

6.8
8.6
3.5
10.5
10.0

- .3
.2
(5/)

.4
(6/)
- .8

.7
.8
.2
.7
.0
.2
-1.0
.1
- .1
- .1
(6/)
(6/)
.4

.0

.7
.5
.0
.9

.5
.7

4.7
8.2
6.0
3.8
6.3
(5/)

6.7
(6/)

4.8
1.9
1.5
2.7
2.6
.9
2.0
1.1
2.0
2.5
1.9
(6/)
(6/)
1.8

4.2
3.0

6.8
(6/)

3.9
1.1
2.7
4.4
7.6
7.2
2.2

8.7
4.7
9.1

14
TABLE 8: Consumer Price Index—U.S. City Average
For Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers — Continued
Indexes for Selected Items and Groups, September 1969
and Percent Changes from Selected Dates
(1957-59=100 unless otherwise specified)

Item and Group

Apparel and upkeep %J
Apparel commodities
;
Apparel commodities less footwear
Men's and boys'
Men's:
Topcoats, wool §J
*
Suits, year round weight
Suits, tropical weight §J
Jackets, lightweight
Slacks, wool or wool blend
Slacks, cotton or manmade blend
Trousers, work, cotton
Shirts, work, cotton
Shirts, business, cotton
T-shirts, chiefly cotton
Socks, cotton
Handkerchiefs, cotton
Boy's:
Coats, all purpose, cotton or cotton blend 6/
Sport coats, wool" or wool blend 6/
Dungarees, cotton or cotton blend
Undershirts, cotton
Women's and girls'
Women's:
Coats, heavyweight, wool or wool blend §J
Carcoats, heavyweight, cotton ~6J
•
Sweaters, wool or acrylic 6/
Skirts, wool or wool blend 6/
Skirts, cotton or cotton blend 6V
Blouses, cotton
Dresses, street, chiefly manmade fiber
Dresses, street, wool or wool blend 6/
Dresses, street, cotton J6/
Housedresses, cotton
Slips, nylon
Panties, acetate
Girdles, manmade blend
Brassieres, cotton
Hose, nylon seamless
Anklets, cotton
Gloves, fabric, nylon or cotton
Handbags, rayon faille or plastic
Girl's:
Raincoats, vinyl plastic or chiefly cotton £/
Skirts, wool or wool blend 6 /
_
Dresses, cotton
Slacks, cotton &J
Slips, cotton blend
Robes, duster style, quilted tricot or
percale 6/
Handbags
Footwear
Men's:
Shoes, street, oxford
Shoes, work, high
Women's:
Shoes, street, pump
Shoes, evening, pump
Shoes, casual, pump
Houseslippers, scuff
Children's:
Shoes, oxford
•
Sneakers, boys', oxford type
Dress shoes, girls', strap
Miscellaneous apparel:
Diapers, cotton gauze
Yard goods, cotton
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 charges, hem adjustment
Shoe repairs, women's heel lift




Other
Index
Bases

Indexes
September 1969

August 1969

Percent change to September 1969
From:
August 1969
September 1968

123.7
128.1
125.3
130.0

126.6
125.9
122.8
128.7

1.7
1.7
1.0

5.3
5.4
5.3
5.5

144.0
154.5
(6/)
125.2
128.9
115.2
116.9
123.2
121.8
130.6
121.6
112.7

(6/)
150.7
(6/)
125.0
127.1
114.5
116.8
123.3
121.6
130.6
121.6
112.4

(£/)

5.1

2.5

9.3
(6/)
4.7

113.5.
122.5
127.4
1*8.9
124.6

(6/)
(6/)
127.4
128.4
120.8

136.0
135.4
117.1
129.4
(6/)
122.7
152.5
140.8
(6/)
149.0
111.9
109.9
119.5
122.9
99.2
118.4
109.0
114.8

(6/)
(6/)
(6/)
(6/)
121.8
122.2
147.3

120.8
(6/)
136.9
(6/)
107.7

(6/)
(6/)
135.4
(6/)
108.0

119.2
108.9
142.3

(6"/)
108.3

140.1
138.4

138.7
138.1

Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63

150.8
122.3
129.6
126.4

149.9
121.8
128.9
125.4

Dec.63
Dec.63

141.4
118.9
134.1

140.7
118.1
133.1

.5
.7
.8

4.7
4.5
7.3

104.0
123.2
102.5

- .1

Dec.63

103.9
123.2
102.7

2.7
9.4
4.7

132.0
111.3
123.4
126.5
123.1

131.7
111.0
123.2
125.4
121.3

June 64
Dec.63

Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63

Dec.63
Dec.63
Sept.61
Mar.62

Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63

Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63

Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63

136.6
150.0
111.6
109.1
119.4
122.5
98.8
118.2
109.3
114.1

141.5

2.0

(6/)

1.4
.6
.1
- .1

a
.0
.0
.3

4.4
8.9
3.6
3.4
2.3
3.4
4.6
5.3

.4

1.6
6.3
5.2
5.5

3.1

5.1

(6/)
(6/)
(6/)
(6/)
(6/)

5.5
6.6

(6/)

T

.4
3.5
(6/)
(6/)

- .7
.3

.7
.1
.3
.4
.2

- .3
.6

2.8

10.1
(6/)
3.0
8.1
8.1
(6/)
15.0

2.6
3.5
5.9
4.2
.2
4.7
3.5
7.5

(6/)
(6/)

1.7

1.1

8.1

(6/)
- .3

1.7

(6/)
(6/)

(6/)
.6
.6

4.2
5.6

1.0
.2

6.1
6.0

.6

6.4

.4

6.5
6.8

.5
.8

.0
.2
.2

.3
.2
.9
"
1.5

6.2

7.3

4.6
4.3
4.7
7.6
2.8

15
TABLE 8 : Consumer Price Index—U.S. City Average
For Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers — Continued
Indexes for Selected Items and Groups, September 1969
and Percent Changes from Selected Dates
(1957-59=100 unless otherwise specified)

Item and Group

Transportat ion
Private 9/
Automobiles, new
Automobiles, used
Gasoline, regular and premium
Motor oil, premium
Tires, new, tubeless
Auto repairs and maintenance 10/
Auto insurance rates
Auto registration
Parking fees, private and municipal
Public
Local transit fares
r
Taxicab fares
Railroad fares, coach
Airplane fares, chiefly coach
Bus fares, intercity
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-spamodics
Cough preparations
•
Cardiovasculars and anti-hypertensives
Analgesics, internal
Anti-obesity
Hormones
Professional services:
Physicians' fees
Family doctor, office visits
Family doctor, house visits
Obstetrical cases
Pediatric care, office visits
Psychiatrist, office visits
Herniorrhaphy, adult
Tonsillectomy 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:
Daily service charges
Semiprivate rooms
Trivate rooms
Operating room charges
X-ray, diagnostic series, upper G.I.
Personal care
Toilet goods
Toothpaste, standard dentrifrice
Toilet soap, hard milled
Hand lotions, liquid
Shaving cream, aerosol
Face powder, pressed
Deodorants, cream or roll-on
Cleansing tissues
Home permanent refills
Personal care services
Men's haircuts
Beauty shop services
Women's haircuts
Shampoo and wave sets, plain
Permanent waves, cold




Other
Index
Bases

•Indexes
September 1969

August 1969

.Percent change to September 1969
From:
August 1969
September 1968

- .5
- .7
-1.5

3.4
2.8

-3.2
- .3

-4.2
3.3

.3
.9

4.5
4.5

123.6
120.5
99.5
121.4
117.7
139.1
117.0
135.2
163.2
134.2
120.0
150.3
161.7
127.5
115.1
111.6
127.0

124.2
121.3
101.0
125.4
118.0
138.7
116.0
134.5
160.3
134.2
119.8
149.7
160.8
127.5
114.9

138.4
157.6
99.3
106.9
92.4
105.5
100.9
117.0
109.1
115.1
88.8
62.9
107.8
89.8
101.2
111.1
97.7
103.1
103.6
93.9

137.7
156.8
99.3
107.0
92.4
106.8
100.9
116.5
109.2
114.8
88.7
62.9
107.6
89.7
101.0
110.8
97.6
103.1
103.3
93.9
156.8
158.7
163.9
152.8
142.8
130.9
124.3
149.0
145.5
146.4
144.7
128.8

.8
1.0
1.0
.3
.9
.6

Dec.63

158.0
160.3
3,65.6
153.2
144.1
131.7
124.6
149.1
146.0
147.1
145.3
128.9

.1

7.9
5.9

Dec.63

132.4
118.5

132.2
118.6

.2
- .1

4.7
3.7

261.9
258.4
252.6
168.7
124.6
127.3
111.7
113.8
126.3
111.1
102.1
126.8
95.3
108.4
99.2
146.5
154.8
137.5
123.2
154.6
107.0

259.9
256.3
250.8
167.5
123.2
126.8
111.4
113.4
123.3
111.2
102.1
126.6
95.5
109.3
99.1
145.8
154.5
136.6
121.9
153.6
106.9

.8
.8

13.0
13.5
12.2
15.2

Dec.63

Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63

Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63
Mar.60
Mar.60
Mar.60
Mar.60
Mar.60
Mar.60
Mar.67
Mar.67
Mar.67

Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63

Dec.63
Dec.63

Dec.63

Dec.63

Dec.63

112.1
122.9

1.1

.5

6.5

1.8

10.6

.0
.2

5.3
6.3
8.4
9.4
3.7
7.2

.4
.6
.0

.2
-.4
3.3

8.0
8.5

.5
.5

5.6
7.7

.0
- .1
.0
-1.2
.0

1.3
.6

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

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

.0

.2
.1
.3
.5

.4

.7
.7
1.1
.4
.3

' .
4
2.4

- .1
.0

.2
- .2
- .8
.1

.5
.2
.7
l.l
.7
.1

-1.6
.2
.0

1.7
1.0
1.4
2.1
.8

5.8
.1
.8

7.8
3.6
2.2

4.8
•0
7.8
8.2
7.3
8.1
10.7

9.2
3.9
5.4
7.4.
8.0

5.1
4.8
4.7
6.6
2.5
10.3
- .7

5.5
2.9
2.5
8.4
4.9
5.4
4.6
4.3
5.5
2.6

16
TABLE 8: Consumer Price Index—U.S. City Average
For Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers — Continued
Indexes for Selected Items and Groups, September 1969
and Percent Changes from Selected Dates
(1957-59-100 unless otherwise specified)

Other
Index
Bases

Item and Group

131.2
98.8
79.7
115.4
76.5
91.4
97.7
83.4
99.2
103.2
115.0
118.1
98.7
109.5
111.2
108.6
131.1
204.2
198.8
222.1
163.5
110.3
135.8
101.0
118.4

0.3
.2
.4
.3
.5
.1
- .1
.1
.4
.0
- .2
.1
.5
.4
.4
- .2
.5
1.1
1.4
.5
.4
.5
.1
.0
-.1

3 , .9
1,.6
- ,.5
4 .3
.0
.0
1 .1
-2 .3
.9
/
,H
6 .5
3 .1
1 .8
3 .3
3 .6
1 .6
5 .3
10 .2
9 .8
11 .4
8 .2
3 .4
6 .3
-2 .3
- .8

Dec.63
Dec.63

155.9
126.3
126.1

155.8
126.3
123.8

.1
.0
1.9

4 .5
7 .9
6 .2

130.1
148.7
155.8
148.1
108.7
118.2
115.3
110.1
110.6
122.3

.9
1.3
1.4
1.3

Dec.63
Dec.63

131.3
150.6
158.0
150.0
109.6
119.1
116.4
110.4
112.0
123.0

1.0
.3
1.3
.6

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

Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63

116.5
108.3
138.8

115.9
108.4
137.8

.5
- .1
.7

4 .6
1 .4
11 .2

127.6
118.7
122.2
149.5
144.0
147.2

127.1
118.2
121.7
148.2
143.1
146.5

Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63

Dec.63
Dec.63
Dec.63

Drive-in movie admissicns, adult
Bowling fees, evening
Golf greens fees
TV repairs, picture tube replacement
Film developing, black and white
Reading and education:
Newspapers, street sale and delivery
Magazines, single copy and subscription
Piano lessons, beginner
Other goods and services
Tobacco products
Cigarettes, nonfilter tip, regular size
Cigarettes, filter tip, king size
Cigars, domestic, regular size

Mar.59

A-LCOftOlXC DGVGiTd£68 ——•——•-—•—-•—•-—••——«"—»———————————'

Whiskey, spirit blended and straight bourbon

Wine, dessert and table
JL L W i l l

111/UlC

—•->- — — ^ ^ ^ ^ « ^ « ~ ^ ^

'Percent change to September 1969
From:
August 1969
September 1968

131.6
99.0
80.0
115.7
76.9
91.5
9 7.6
"
83.5
99.6
103.2
114.8
118.2
99.2
109.9
111.6
108.4
131.7
206.5
201.6
223.2
164.1
110.9
135.9
101.0
118.3

Dec.63

Tricycles
Dog food, canned or boxed
Recreational services
Indoor movie admissions

WOjF

August 1969

Dec.63

Reading and recreation \Xl
Recreational goods
TV sets, portable and console
TV replacement tubes
Radios, portable and table model
Tape recorders, portable
Phonograph records, stereophonic
Movie cameras, Super 8, zoom lens
Film, 35mm, color
Golf balls, liquid center
Basketballs, rubber or vinyl cover
Fishing rods, fresh water spincast
Bowling balls

Financial and miscellaneous personal expenses:
Funeral services, adult
Bank service charges, checking accounts
Legal services, short form will

Indexes
September 1969

—

Other special groups:
5 .0
4 .2
4
9 .1
7 .6
4 .9
r-l

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

1/ 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, nails, carpet sweepers, air deodorizers, steel wool scouring pads, envelopes, reupholstering,,
and moving expenses.
5/ Discontinued
6/ Priced only in season.
7/ Also includes radios and television sets, shown separately under reading and recreation.
JJ/ Also includes men's sport shirts, women's and girls' lightweight coats, women's slacks, cocktail dresses, bathing suits,
girls' shorts, earrings, and zippers not shown separately.
97 Also includes recapped tires and drivers' license fees not shown separately.
10/ Includes prices for water pump replacement, motor tune-up, automatic transmission repair, exhaust system repair, front
end alignment, and chassis lubrication.
11/ Also includes outboard motors, nondurable toys, college tuition fees, paperback books, and college textbooks, not shown
separately.




17
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. \J The table below shows
standard errors for monthly, quarterly, and annual percent changes in the CPI for all
items and for nine commodity groupings based on 1968 averages. The, figures may be interpreted as follows: the chances 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. Data also are shown in terms of the relative error of the
standard error of percent changes. The relative errors tend to decrease markedly for
successively longer time periods, as expected.
Because the CPI is rounded to one decimal place, some ambiguity may arise in
interpreting small index changes. The table below indicates, for example, that a monthto-month change of 0.1 percent in the all-items 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.
Standard and Relative Errors of Percent Changes in the
CPI Based on 1968 Data

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

Monthly
Change
.03
.08
.08
.05
.15
.06
.10
.13
.09
.08

Standard Error
Quarterly Annual
Change
Change

05
13
15
08
22
10
13
19
13
17

.08
.24
.18
.13
.31
.15
.24
.47
.22
.36

Monthly
Change

.08
.18
.17
.12
.21
.17
.20
.30
.22
.29

Relative Error
Annual
Quarterly
Change
Change
.04
.13
.11
.06
.14
.16
.09
.16
.11
.19

.02
.08
.04
.03
.06
.05
.04
.12
.05
.08

This replaces the table of average errors based on 1967 data which was included in
the CPI Yeport through December 1968.

jL/ 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.




18

Brief Explanation of the CPI
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 A00 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 (SMSAfs) 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 1957-59-100, and are
also available on the bases of 1947-49*100 and 1939*100.
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:
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
(addresses below).
BLS Regional Offices
1371 Peachtree Street, N.E.
Atlanta, Georgia 30309

341 Ninth Avenue
New York, New York 10001

219 South Dearborn Street
Chicago, Illinois 60604

450 Golden Gate Avenue
San Francisco, California 94JO?

John F. Kennedy Fed. Bldg.
Boston, Massachusetts 02203

911 Walnut Street
Kansas City, Missouri

411 N. Akard Street
Dallas, Texas 75201

1317 Filbert Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107




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