FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:                                                 FOR RELEASE:
Cheryl Abbot, Regional Economist                                         August 14, 2008
(214) 767-6970                                                
http://www.bls.gov/ro6/


                               JULY 2008 CONSUMER PRICE INDEX
                                  DALLAS-FORT WORTH, TEXAS

     Prices in the Dallas-Fort Worth area rose 2.0 percent during June and July, the Bureau 
of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today.  Regional Commissioner 
Stanley W. Suchman noted that this followed a 1.9-percent increase posted in May and June.  
Higher transportation and household energy costs were again the biggest factor in the latest 
two-month gain, although increased prices for food and beverages also contributed.  During 
the year ended in July, total prices in the local area advanced 6.2 percent -- the fastest 
12-month rate of gain since December 1990.  These data are based on the Consumer Price Index 
for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U).

    2-Month and 12-Month percent change ended July 2008, CPI-U by
selected major category for Dallas-Fort Worth

     The housing category increased 2.3 percent in June and July after rising 2.0 percent in 
April and May.  Higher household energy costs were the largest contributor to the gain as 
natural gas prices climbed 34.5 percent and electricity prices rose 10.2 percent.  The index 
for rent of a primary residence rose 0.9 percent and owners' equivalent rent of a primary 
residence rose 0.6 percent.  Prices for household furnishings and operations also increased 
during the two-month period, up 1.0 percent.  During the previous 12 months, renters' costs 
were up 4.0 percent and homeowners' costs rose 2.8 percent.  However, a large annual decline 
in the index for lodging away from home partially countered these advances and held the 
total shelter increase to 1.6 percent.  In sharp contrast, fuel and utility prices climbed 
15.2 percent over the year, led by a 41.0-percent price increase for natural gas service.  
Combined, these annual movements left the total cost of housing 4.0 percent above a year 
ago.

     The transportation index advanced 3.3 percent in June and July following a 5.3-percent 
rise in April and May.  Higher motor fuel costs accounted for more than 95 percent of the 
transportation increase.  Gasoline prices climbed 8.7 percent during the two-month period to 
a level 37.9 percent above a year ago.  The average price for a gallon of gasoline in the 
Dallas-Fort Worth area stood at $4.004 in July.  Also contributing to the two-month rise 
were higher charges for car and truck rentals as well as motor vehicle parts and repair.  
During the previous 12 months the transportation index rose 14.7 percent.

     Led by a 3.7-percent rise in food at home (grocery) costs, the food and beverages index 
advanced 2.1 percent in June and July.  Higher prices were noted for a variety of foods 
including cereals and cereal products, snacks, beef and veal, chicken, and dairy products.  
The cost of food away from home (restaurant meals) rose 0.5 percent during the two-month 
period and prices for alcoholic beverages increased 0.7 percent.  Over the year, total food 
and beverage costs advanced 7.0 percent, pushed upward by an 8.9-percent rise in grocery 
prices.

     The recreation index increased 1.5 percent in June and July, after falling 0.9 percent 
in April and May.  Higher costs were noted for cable and satellite television service, pet 
products, and televisions.  Over the year, recreation prices rose 1.9 percent, the slowest 
annual gain among the major categories.

     Higher prices were registered in three additional components during the latest period, 
but their impact on the overall CPI was minimal.  The index for other goods and services 
rose 0.6 percent, due in part to higher prices for cosmetics.  Over the year, the cost of 
other goods and services increased 2.7 percent.  The education and communication index 
increased 0.3 percent during the two-month period with higher prices registered for personal 
computers and long-distance telephone charges.  During the year ended in July, education and 
communication costs rose 4.2 percent.  Medical care costs edged up 0.2 percent in June and 
July and were 2.8 percent higher than a year ago.

     Apparel was the only major category to record a decline during June and July as prices 
fell 0.8 percent.  Over the year, clothing costs rose 4.1 percent.

     The CPI-U for the Dallas-Fort Worth area stood at 206.413 on the 1982-84=100 reference 
base, meaning that a market basket of goods and services which averaged $100.0 in 1982-84 
would have cost local consumers $206.41 in July 2008.

     The Dallas-Fort Worth Consolidated Metropolitan Area (CMSA) includes Collin, Dallas, 
Denton, Ellis, Henderson, Hood, Hunt, Johnson, Kaufman, Parker, Rockwall, and Tarrant 
Counties.  Local area CPI indexes are by-products of the national CPI program.  Because each 
local area index is a small subset of the national index, the sample size is smaller and 
therefore subject to substantially more sampling and other measurement error than the 
national index.  In addition, local indexes are not adjusted for seasonal influences.  As a 
result, local area indexes show greater volatility than the national index, although their 
long-term trends are quite similar.


Next Release Date:  The Dallas-Fort Worth August CPI for Energy, Food At Home, and Shelter 
will be released on September 16, 2008.

 

Last Modified Date: August 14, 2008