Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the CPI?
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a measure of the average change over time in the prices paid by urban
consumers for a market basket of consumer goods and services.
How is the CPI used?
The CPI affects nearly all Americans because of the
many ways it is used. Following are major uses:
- As an economic indicator. More.
- As a deflator of other economic series. More.
- As a means of adjusting dollar values. More.
Whose buying habits does the CPI
reflect?
The CPI reflects spending patterns for each of two population groups: all urban
consumers and urban wage earners and clerical workers. The all urban consumer group
represents about 87 percent of the total U.S. population. It is based on the expenditures
of almost all residents of urban or metropolitan areas, including professionals, the
self-employed, the poor, the unemployed, and retired people, as well as urban wage earners
and clerical workers. Not included in the CPI are the spending patterns of people living
in rural nonmetropolitan areas, farm families, people in the Armed Forces, and those in
institutions, such as prisons and mental hospitals. Consumer inflation for all urban
consumers is measured by two indexes, namely, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban
Consumers (CPI-U) and the Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U). (
See the answer to Question 4 for an explanation of the differences between the CPI-U and C-CPI-U.)
The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) is based on the
expenditures of households included in the CPI-U definition that also meet two
requirements: more than one-half of the household's income must come from clerical or
wage occupations, and at least one of the household's earners must have been employed
for at least 37 weeks during the previous 12 months. The CPI-W population represents
about 32 percent of the total U.S. population and is a subset, or part, of the CPI-U
population.
Is the CPI a cost-of-living index?
The CPI frequently is called a cost-of-living index, but it differs in important ways
from a complete cost-of-living measure. BLS has for some time used a cost-of-living
framework in making practical decisions about questions that arise in constructing the
CPI. A cost-of-living index is a conceptual measurement goal, however, and not a
straightforward alternative to the CPI. A cost-of-living index would measure changes over
time in the amount that consumers need to spend to reach a certain utility level or
standard of living. Both the CPI and a cost-of-living index would reflect changes in the
prices of goods and services, such as food and clothing, that are directly purchased in
the marketplace; but a complete cost-of-living index would go beyond this role to also
take into account changes in other governmental or environmental factors that affect
consumers' well-being. It is very difficult to determine the proper treatment of public
goods, such as safety and education, and other broad concerns, such as health, water
quality, and crime, that would constitute a complete cost-of-living framework.
More.
Does the CPI measure my experience with price
change?
Not necessarily. It is important to understand that BLS bases the market baskets
and pricing procedures for the CPI-U and CPI-W populations on the experience of the
relevant average household, not of any specific family or individual. It is unlikely
that your experience will correspond precisely with either the national indexes or the
indexes for specific cities or regions. More.
How is the CPI market basket determined?
The CPI market basket is developed from detailed expenditure information provided
by families and individuals on what they actually bought. For the current CPI, this
information was collected from the Consumer Expenditure Surveys for 2007 and 2008. In
each of those years, about 7,000 families from around the country provided information
each quarter on their spending habits in the interview survey. To collect information on
frequently purchased items, such as food and personal care products, another 7,000
families in each of these years kept diaries listing everything they bought during a
2-week period.
Over the 2 year period, then, expenditure information came from
approximately 28,000 weekly diaries and 60,000 quarterly interviews used to determine the
importance, or weight, of the more than 200 item categories in the CPI index structure.
What goods and services does the CPI
cover?
The CPI represents all goods and services purchased for consumption by
the reference population (U or W) BLS has classified all
expenditure items into more than 200 categories, arranged into eight major
groups. Major groups and examples of categories in each are as follows:
- FOOD AND BEVERAGES (breakfast cereal, milk, coffee, chicken, wine,
full service meals, snacks)
- HOUSING (rent of primary residence, owners' equivalent rent, fuel
oil, bedroom furniture)
- APPAREL (men's shirts and sweaters, women's dresses, jewelry)
- TRANSPORTATION (new vehicles, airline fares, gasoline, motor vehicle
insurance)
- MEDICAL CARE (prescription drugs and medical supplies, physicians'
services, eyeglasses and eye care, hospital services)
- RECREATION (televisions, toys, pets and pet products, sports equipment, admissions);
- EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION (college tuition, postage, telephone
services, computer software and accessories);
- OTHER GOODS AND SERVICES (tobacco and smoking products, haircuts and
other personal services, funeral expenses).
Also included within these major groups are various government-charged user fees,
such as water and sewerage charges, auto registration fees, and vehicle tolls.
In addition, the CPI includes taxes (such as sales and excise taxes) that are directly
associated with the prices of specific goods and services. However, the CPI excludes
taxes (such as income and Social Security taxes) not directly associated with the purchase
of consumer goods and services.
The CPI does not include investment items, such as stocks, bonds, real
estate, and life insurance. (These items relate to savings and not to
day-to-day consumption expenses.)
For each of the more than 200 item categories, using scientific statistical procedures,
the Bureau has chosen samples
of several hundred specific items within selected business establishments
frequented by consumers to
represent the thousands of varieties available in the marketplace. For
example, in a given supermarket, the Bureau may choose a plastic bag of
golden delicious apples, U.S. extra fancy grade, weighing 4.4 pounds to
represent the Apples category.
How are CPI prices collected and
reviewed?
Each month, BLS data collectors called economic assistants visit or call
thousands of retail stores, service establishments, rental units, and doctors' offices,
all over the United States, to obtain information on the prices of the thousands of
items used to track and measure price changes in the CPI. These economic assistants
record the prices of about 80,000 items each month, representing a scientifically selected
sample of the prices paid by consumers for goods and services purchased.
During each call or visit, the economic assistant collects price data on a specific
good or service that was precisely defined during an earlier visit. If the selected item
is available, the economic assistant records its price. If the selected item is no
longer available, or if there have been changes in the quality or quantity (for example,
eggs sold in packages of ten when they previously were sold by the dozen) of the good or
service since the last time prices were collected, the economic assistant selects a new
item or records the quality change in the current item.
The recorded information is sent to the national office of BLS, where commodity
specialists who have detailed knowledge about the particular goods or services priced
review the data. These specialists check the data for accuracy and consistency and make
any necessary corrections or adjustments, which can range from an adjustment for a change
in the size or quantity of a packaged item to more complex adjustments based upon
statistical analysis of the value of an item's features or quality. Thus, commodity
specialists strive to prevent changes in the quality of items from affecting the CPI's
measurement of price change.
How is the CPI calculated?
The CPI is a product of a series of interrelated samples. First, using
data from the 1990 Census of Population, BLS selected the urban areas from which
data on prices were collected and chose the housing units within each area that
were eligible for use in the shelter component of the CPI. The Census of Population
also provided data on the number of consumers represented by each area selected as a
CPI price collection area. Next, another sample (of about 14,500 families each year)
served as the basis for a Point-of-Purchase Survey that identified the places where
households purchased various types of goods and services. More.
How are taxes treated in the CPI?
Certain taxes are included in the CPI, namely, taxes that are directly associated with
the purchase of specific goods and services (such as sales and excise taxes). Government
user fees are also included in the CPI. For example, toll charges and parking fees are
included in the transportation category, and an entry fee to a national park would be
included as part of the admissions index. In addition, property taxes should be reflected
indirectly in the BLS method of measuring the cost of the flow of services provided by
shelter, which we called owners' equivalent rent, to the extent that these taxes
influence rental values. Taxes not directly associated with specific purchases, such as
income and Social Security taxes, are excluded, as are the government services paid for
through those taxes.
For certain purposes, one might want to define price indexes to include, rather
than exclude, income taxes. Such indexes would provide an answer to a question different
from the one to which the present CPI is relevant, and would be appropriate for different
uses.
How do I read or interpret an index?
An index is a tool that simplifies the measurement of movements in a numerical series.
Most of the specific CPI indexes have a 1982-84 reference base. That is, BLS sets the
average index level (representing the average price level)-for the 36-month period
covering the years 1982, 1983, and 1984-equal to 100. BLS then measures changes in
relation to that figure. An index of 110, for example, means there has been a 10-percent
increase in price since the reference period; similarly, an index of 90 means a 10-percent
decrease. Movements of the index from one date to another can be expressed as changes in
index points (simply, the difference between index levels), but it is more useful to
express the movements as percent changes. This is because index points are affected by
the level of the index in relation to its reference period, while percent changes are not.
In the table that follows, Item A increased by half as many index points as Item B
between Year I and Year II. Yet, because of different starting indexes, both items had
the same percent change; that is, prices advanced at the same rate. By contrast, Items B
and C show the same change in index points, but the percent change is greater for Item C
because of its lower starting index value.
|
Item A |
Item B |
Item C |
Year I |
112.500 |
225.000 |
110.000 |
Year II |
121.500 |
243.000 |
128.000 |
Change in index points |
9.000 |
18.000 |
18.000 |
Percent change |
9.0/112.500 x 100 = 8.0 |
18.0/225.000 x 100 = 8.0 |
18.0/110.000 x 100 = 16.4 |
Is the CPI the best measure of
inflation?
Inflation has been defined as a process of continuously rising prices
or equivalently, of a continuously falling value of money.
Various indexes have been devised to measure different aspects of inflation. The
CPI measures inflation as experienced by consumers in their day-to-day living expenses;
the Producer Price Index (PPI) measures inflation at earlier stages of the production
process; the Employment Cost Index (ECI) measures it in the labor market; the BLS
International Price Program measures it for imports and exports; and the Gross Domestic
Product Deflator (GDP Deflator) measures inflation experienced by both consumers
themselves as well as governments and other institutions providing goods and services to
consumers. Finally, there are specialized measures, such as measures of interest rates.
The "best" measure of inflation for a given application depends on the intended use of the data.
The CPI is generally the best measure for adjusting payments to consumers when the intent
is to allow consumers to purchase at today's prices, a market basket of goods and services
equivalent to one that they could purchase in an earlier period.
Which index is the "Official CPI" reported in
the media?
Our broadest and most comprehensive CPI is called the All Items Consumer Price Index
for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the U.S. City Average, 1982-84 = 100.
In addition to the All Items CPI, BLS publishes thousands of other consumer price
indexes. One such index is called "All items less food and energy". Some users of CPI
data use this index because food and energy prices are relatively volatile, and these
users want to focus on what they perceive to be the "core" or "underlying" rate of
inflation.
Again, while we publish many indexes, our broadest measure of inflation includes all
items consumers purchase, including food and energy. In addition, when CPI data are
reported, these data can be reported on a not seasonally adjusted basis as well as a
seasonally adjusted basis. Often, the media will report some, or all, of the following:
- Index level, not seasonally adjusted. (for example, May 2008 = 216.632).
- 12-month percent change, not seasonally adjusted. (for example, May 2007 to
May 2008 = 4.2 percent).
- 1-month percent change on a seasonally adjusted basis. (for
example, from April 2008 to May 2008 = 0.6 percent).
- Annual rate of percent change so far this year (for example,
from December 2007 to May 2008 if the rate of increase over the first
5 months of the year continued for the full year, after the removal of
seasonal influences, the rise would be 4.0 percent).
- annual rate based on the latest seasonally adjusted 1-month
change. For example, if the rate from April 2008 to May 2008 continued for
a full 12 months, then the rise, compounded, would be 8.1 percent.
What index should I use for
escalation?
The decision to employ an escalation mechanism, as well as the choice of the most
suitable index, is up to the user. When the terms of an escalation contract are drafted,
both legal and statistical questions can arise. While BLS cannot help in any matters
relating to legal questions, it does provide basic technical and statistical assistance
to users who are developing indexing procedures. More.
I am writing an escalation contract tied to annual changes in the CPI.
Should I specify a particular monthly index from one year to the next (e.g., December-to-December)?
Or should I use CPI annual average indexes?
There is no right or wrong answer to your question. That said, when an escalation contract is tied to the CPI,
the index to be used should be spelled out clearly in the contract to avoid potential conflicts, as the Bureau of Labor Statistics cannot
mediate disputes which might arise between the parties to an escalation agreement. More information on how to use the CPI in escalation contracts
can be found at www.bls.gov/cpi/cpi1998d.htm.
From a statistical perspective, each of these types of indexes has its advantages. A 12-month percent change from, say, December-to-December,
is arguably a more recent estimate of price change than an annual average percent change. Said another way, the December-to-December percent change
is the most recent 12-month percent change in a year, while the annual average percent change reflects the change in the average index for all 12
months of one year to the average index for all 12 months the next year.
The December-to-December index percent change, however, tends to be more volatile than the percent change in the annual average index. Annual average
indexes are based on 12 monthly data points which, when averaged, reduce volatility by smoothing out the highs and lows. These two types of
calculations are explored in greater detail in the report, "Math Calculations..." at www.bls.gov/cpi/cpimathfs.pdf. To illustrate the
differences that can arise between the two methods of calculation, take the situation which occurred in 2008 when the percent changes varied widely
between these two approaches, largely as a result of the fluctuating cost of gasoline. The U.S City Average All items index increased just 0.1
percent from December 2007 to December 2008; only five months earlier (from July 2007 to July 2008) this index had risen 5.8 percent. Annual average
percent changes for the last few years during this period, on the other hand, have been in a much narrower range.
When should I use seasonally adjusted
data?
By using seasonally adjusted data, some users find it easier to see the underlying trend
in short-term price changes. It is often difficult to tell from raw (unadjusted)
statistics whether developments between any 2 months reflect changing economic conditions
or only normal seasonal patterns. Therefore, many economic series, including the CPI, are
adjusted to remove the effect of seasonal influences-those which occur at the same time
and in about the same magnitude every year. Among these influences are price movements
resulting from changing weather conditions, production cycles, changeovers of models, and
holidays.
BLS annually reestimates the factors that are used to seasonally adjust CPI data.
Seasonally adjusted indexes that have been published earlier are subject to revision for
up to 5 years after their original release. Therefore, unadjusted data are more
appropriate for escalation purposes.
What area indexes are published and how often?
Besides monthly publication of the national (or U.S. City Average) CPI-U, C-CPI-U, and
CPI-W, indexes are published by area for the CPI-U and CPI-W. For the C-CPI-U, data for
all items and 27 components are available at the national level only; for the CPI-U and
CPI-W, 377 component series are published at the national level. Monthly CPI-U and CPI-W
indexes are published for the four census regions: Northeast, Midwest (formerly North
Central), South, and West. Monthly indexes also are published for urban areas classified
by population size: all metropolitan areas over 1.5 million, metropolitan areas smaller
than 1.5 million, and all nonmetropolitan urban areas. Indexes are available as well
within each region, cross-classified by area population size. For the Northeast and West,
however, indexes for nonmetropolitan areas are not available. BLS also publishes indexes
for 27 local areas. These indexes are byproducts of the national CPI program. Each local
index has a much smaller sample size than the national or regional indexes and is,
therefore, subject to substantially more sampling and other measurement error. As a result,
local-area indexes are more volatile than the national or regional indexes, and BLS
strongly urges users to consider adopting the national or regional CPIs for use in
escalator clauses. Used with caution, local-area CPI data can illustrate and explain the
impact of local economic conditions on consumers' experience with price change. Local-area
data are available on the schedule shown below.
BLS publishes three major metropolitan areas monthly:
- Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI
- Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA
- New York-Northern NJ-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT-PA
Data for the following additional 11 metropolitan areas are published every other
month [on an odd (January, March, etc.) or even (February, April, etc.)
month schedule] for the following areas:
- Atlanta, GA (even)
- Boston-Brockton-Nashua, MA-NH-ME-CT (odd)
- Cleveland-Akron, OH (odd)
- Dallas-Fort Worth, TX (odd)
- Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI (even)
- Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX (even)
- Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL (even)
- Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City, PA-NJ-DE-MD (even)
- San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA (even)
- Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA (even)
- Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV (odd)
(Note: The designation even or odd refers to the month during which the
area's price change is measured. Because of the time needed for processing,
data are released 2 to 3 weeks into the following month.)
Data are published for another group of 13 metropolitan areas on a
semiannual basis. These indexes, which refer to the arithmetic average for
the 6-month periods from January through June and July through December,
are published with the release of the CPI for July and January, respectively,
in August and February for the following areas:
- Anchorage, AK
- Cincinnati-Hamilton, OH-KY-IN
- Denver-Boulder-Greeley, CO
- Honolulu, HI
- Kansas City, MO-KS
- Milwaukee-Racine, WI
- Minneapolis-St, Paul, MN-WI
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Portland-Salem, OR-WA
- St. Louis, MO-IL
- San Diego, CA
- Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
What area CPI should I use if there is no CPI
for the area I live in?
Although the BLS can provide some guidance on this question, users must
make the final decision.
As noted in the answers to Questions 14 and 17, BLS strongly urges the
use of the national or regional CPIs for use in escalator clauses. These
indexes are more stable and subject to less sampling and other measurement
error than are area indexes and, therefore, are more statistically
reliable.
Can the CPIs for individual areas be used to
compare living costs among the areas?
No, an individual area index measures how much prices have changed over a
specific period in that particular area; it does not show whether prices or living costs
are higher or lower in that area relative to another. In general, the composition of the
market basket and the relative prices of goods and services in the market basket during
the expenditure base period vary substantially across areas.
More.
What types of data are published?
Many types of data are published as outputs from the CPI program. The most popular
are indexes and percent changes. Requested less often are relative importance (or relative
expenditure weight) data, base conversion factors (to convert from one CPI reference
period to another), seasonal factors (the monthly factors used to convert unadjusted
indexes into seasonally adjusted indexes), and average food and energy prices. Index and
price change data are available for the U.S. city average (or national average), for
various geographic areas (regions and metropolitan areas), for national population-size
classes of urban areas, and for cross-classifications of regions and size classes. Indexes
for various groupings of items are available for all geographic areas and size classes.
Individual indexes are available for more than 200 items (for example, apples, men's shirts,
and airline fares), and more than 120 different combinations of items (for example, fruits
and vegetables, food at home, food and beverages, and "All Items"), at the national (U.S.
city average) level. A few indexes are available from as far back as 1913.
Each month, indexes are published along with short-term percent changes, the
latest 12-month change, and, at the national item and group level, unadjusted and
(where appropriate) seasonally adjusted percent changes (and seasonal factors), together
with annualized rates of change. The annualized rates indicate what the rate of change
would be for a 12-month period, if a price change measured for a shorter period continued
for a full 12 months.
The answer to question 16
provides information about the areas and size classes for which indexes
are published. For areas, BLS publishes less detailed groupings of items
than it does for the national level. The following lists illustrate this
point:
Atlanta, GA All items
|
U.S. City Average All items
- Food and beverages
- Food
- Food at home
- Cereals and bakery products
- Cereals and cereal products
- Flour and prepared flour mixes
- Breakfast cereal
- Rice, pasta, and corn meal
- Bakery products
- Bread
- Fresh biscuits, rolls, muffins
- Cakes, cupcakes, and cookies
- Cookies
- Fresh cakes and cupcakes
- Other bakery products
- Fresh sweet rolls, coffeecakes, and doughnuts
- Crackers, bread, and cracker products
- Frozen and refrigerated bakery products, pies,
tarts, turnovers
|
Annual average indexes and percent changes for these groupings are
published at the national and local levels.
Semiannual average indexes and percent changes for some of these
groupings are also published.
Each month, BLS publishes average price data for some food items (for the
United States and four regions) and for some energy items (for the United States,
four regions, three size classes, 10 cross-classifications of regions and size classes,
and 14 metropolitan areas).
What are some limitations of the CPI?
The CPI is subject to both limitations in application and limitations
in measurement.
Limitations of application
The CPI may not be applicable to all population groups. For example, the CPI-U is
designed to measure inflation for the U.S. urban population and thus may not accurately
reflect the experience of people living in rural areas. Also, the CPI does not produce
official estimates for the rate of inflation experienced by subgroups of the population,
such as the elderly or the poor. (BLS does produce and release an experimental index for
the elderly population; however, because of the significant limitations of this
experimental index, it should be interpreted with caution.)
As noted in the answer to question 19,
the CPI cannot be used to measure differences in price levels or living
costs between one place and another; it measures only time-to-time changes
in each place. A higher index for one area does not necessarily mean that
prices are higher there than in another area with a lower index. It merely
means that prices have risen faster in the area with the higher index since the two areas' common reference period.
The CPI cannot be used as a measure of total change in living costs
because changes in these costs are affected by (such as social and
environmental changes and changes in income taxes) that are beyond the
definitional scope of the index and so are excluded.
Limitations in measurement
Limitations in measurement can be grouped into two basic types,
sampling errors and non-sampling errors.
Sampling errors. Because the CPI measures price changes
based on a sample of items, the published indexes differ somewhat from what the
results would be if actual records of all retail purchases by everyone in the index
population could be used to compile the index. These estimating or sampling errors are
limitations on the accuracy of the index, not mistakes in calculating the index. The CPI
program has developed measurements of sampling error, which are updated and published
annually on the CPI home page. The CPI sample design allocates the sample in a way that
maximizes the accuracy of the index, given the funds available.
Non sampling errors. These errors occur from a variety of sources. Unlike
sampling errors, they can cause persistent bias in measurements of the index. Nonsampling
errors are caused by problems of price data collection, logistical lags in conducting
surveys, difficulties in defining basic concepts and their operational implementation,
and difficulties in handling the problems of quality change. Nonsampling errors can be
far more hazardous to the accuracy of a price index than sampling errors. Hence, BLS
expends much effort to minimize these errors. Highly trained personnel ensure the
comparability of quality of items from period to period (see
answer to question 8);
collection procedures are extensively documented, and recurring audits are conducted. The
CPI program has an ongoing research and evaluation program in order to identify and implement
improvements in the index.
Will the CPI be updated or revised in the
future?
Yes. The CPI will need revisions as long as there are significant changes in
consumer buying habits or shifts in population distribution or demographics. By
developing annual Consumer Expenditure Surveys and Point-of-Purchase Surveys, the
Bureau has the flexibility to monitor changing buying habits in a timely and
cost-efficient manner. In addition, the census conducted every 10 years by the Census
Bureau provides information that enables the Bureau of Labor Statistics to reselect a
new geographic sample that accurately reflects the current population distribution and
other demographic factors
As a matter of policy, BLS is continually researching improved statistical methods.
Thus, even between major revisions, improvements to the CPI are made.
How can I get information on the CPI?
Information on the CPI is available from BLS electronically, through
subscriptions to publications, and via telephone and fax, through
automated recordings. Information specialists are also available in the
national and regional offices to provide assistance.
Electronic access to CPI data
BLS on the Internet. Through the Internet, BLS provides free, easy, and
continuous access to almost all published CPI data and press releases. The most recent
month's CPI is made available on the Internet immediately after its release. In addition,
a database called LABSTAT containing current and historical data on the CPI is accessible.
Data and press releases from other BLS surveys also are available.
World Wide Web. The BLS Web site provides easy access to
LABSTAT, as well as links to program-specific home pages. In addition to furnishing
data, the CPI home page
provides other CPI information including a brief explanation of methodology,
frequently asked questions and answers, a list of contacts for further information,
and explanations of how the CPI handles special items, such as medical care and housing.
Furthermore, CPI press releases and historical data for metropolitan areas can be accessed
by linking to the regional office homepages from the main BLS Web site.
E-mail subscription service. The latest U.S. average and local Consumer Price Indexes can be delivered
directly to a subscriber's e-mail address on the morning of their release. Just subscribe to one of the nine national and
regional CPI subscriptions offered on the BLS News Service (http://www.bls.gov/bls/list.htm).
Monthly Labor Review (MLR). The MLR provides selected CPI
data included in a monthly summary of BLS data and occasional articles on the CPI.
The MLR home page
has issues of the MLR back to 1981.
Recorded CPI data Summary CPI data are provided 24 hours a day
on recorded messages. Detailed information on the CPI is available by calling
(202) 691-5200. A touch-tone telephone is recommended, as that device
allows the user to select specific indexes from lists of available data.
Recorded summaries of CPI data may be obtained by calling any of the
following metropolitan-area CPI hot lines:
Area Hotline Numbers
Anchorage |
(907) 271-2770 |
Atlanta |
(404) 893-4222 |
Baltimore |
(410) 962-4898 |
Boston |
(617) 565-2327 |
Chicago |
(312) 353-1883 |
Cincinnati |
(513) 684-2349 |
Cleveland |
(216) 522-3852 |
Dallas |
(972) 850-4800 |
Denver |
(303) 844-1726 |
Detroit |
(313) 226-7558 |
Honolulu |
(808) 541-2808 |
Houston |
(713) 718-3753 |
Indianapolis |
(317) 226-7885 |
Kansas City |
(816) 285-7000 |
Los Angeles |
(310) 235-6884 |
Miami |
(305) 358-2305 |
Milwaukee |
(414) 276-2579 |
Minneapolis-St. Paul |
(612) 725-3580 |
New York |
(646) 264-3600 |
Philadelphia |
(215) 656-3948 |
Phoenix-Mesa |
(480) 503-9075 |
Pittsburgh |
(412) 644-2900 |
Portland |
(503) 326-5818 |
St. Louis |
(314) 539-3581 |
San Diego |
(619) 557-6538 |
San Francisco |
(415) 625-2270 |
Seattle |
(206) 553-0645 |
Washington DC |
(202) 691-6994
(202) 691-5200
(410) 962-4898 |
Summaries typically include data for the U.S. City Average, as well as the specified area.
Recordings are approximately 3 minutes in length and are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Other sources of CPI data
Technical information is available during normal working hours, Monday
through Friday (Eastern Time), by calling (202) 691-7000 or any of the
regional offices.
|
Telephone |
Washington DC Bureau of Labor Statistics Office of
Prices and Living Conditions 2 Massachusetts Avenue,
NE Washington, DC 20212-0001
|
(202) 691-7000 |
Boston Bureau of Labor Statistics Economic Analysis
and Information JFK Federal Bldg., E-310 Boston, MA
02203
|
(617) 565-2327 |
Philadelphia Bureau of Labor Statistics Economic
Analysis and Information The Curtis Center Suite 610 East 170
South Independence Mall West Philadelphia, PA 19106-3305
|
(215) 597-3282 |
New York Bureau of Labor Statistics Economic
Analysis and Information 201 Varick Street, Room 808 New York,
NY 10014-4811
|
(646) 264-3600 |
Atlanta Bureau of Labor Statistics Economic
Analysis and Information 61 Forsyth Street, SW., Room
7T50 Atlanta, GA 30303
|
(404) 331-3415 |
Chicago Bureau of Labor Statistics Economic
Analysis and Information 230 S. Dearborn Street, Room 960
Chicago, IL 60604
|
(312) 353-1880 |
Kansas City Bureau of Labor Statistics Economic
Analysis and Information 2300 Main Street, Suite 1190 Kansas
City, MO 64108
|
(816)-285-7000 |
Dallas Bureau of Labor Statistics Economic Analysis
and Information 525 S. Griffin Street, Room 221 Dallas, TX
75202
|
(972) 850-4800 |
San Francisco Bureau of Labor Statistics Economic
Analysis and Information P.O. Box 193766 San Francisco, CA
94119-3766
|
(415) 625-2270 |
Descriptive publications. These publications describe the CPI and ways to use it.
They include (1) simple fact sheets discussing specific topics about the CPI, (2) this
pamphlet with its broad, nontechnical overview of the CPI in a question-and-answer
format, and (3) a very technical and thorough description of the CPI and its methodology.
These publications are available upon request by calling (202) 691-7000, and many are
included on the CPI homepage on the Internet.
Further information may be obtained from the Office of Prices and Living
Conditions, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2 Massachusetts Avenue, N.E., Room 3615,
Washington, DC, 20212-0001, telephone (202) 691-7000, or by calling any of the regional
offices.
Last Modified Date: October 19, 2011