Inflation-3 7%
Inflation-3 7%
Inflation-3 7%
The index for gasoline was the largest contributor to the monthly all items increase, accounting for over
half of the increase. Also contributing to the August monthly increase was continued advancement in the
shelter index, which rose for the 40th consecutive month. The energy index rose 5.6 percent in August
as all the major energy component indexes increased. The food index increased 0.2 percent in August, as
it did in July. The index for food at home increased 0.2 percent over the month while the index for food
away from home rose 0.3 percent in August.
The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.3 percent in August, following a 0.2-percent increase
in July. Indexes which increased in August include rent, owners’ equivalent rent, motor vehicle
insurance, medical care, and personal care. The indexes for lodging away from home, used cars and
trucks, and recreation were among those that decreased over the month.
The all items index increased 3.7 percent for the 12 months ending August, a larger increase than the
3.2-percent increase for the 12 months ending in July. The all items less food and energy index rose 4.3
percent over the last 12 months. The energy index decreased 3.6 percent for the 12 months ending
August, and the food index increased 4.3 percent over the last year.
Chart 1. One-month percent change in CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), seasonally adjusted, Aug. 2022 - Aug. 2023
Percent change
0.6
0.6
0.5 0.5
0.5
0.4 0.4 0.4
0.4
0.3
0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2
0.2
0.1 0.1 0.1
0.1
0.0
Aug'22 Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug'23
Chart 2. 12-month percent change in CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), not seasonally adjusted, Aug. 2022 - Aug. 2023
Percent change
9
Aug'22 Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug'23
Table A. Percent changes in CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average
1 N o t s e a s o n a l l y adjusted.
-2-
Food
The food index rose 0.2 percent in August, as it did in the previous month. The index for food at home
increased 0.2 percent over the month, after rising 0.3 percent in July. The six major grocery store food
group indexes were split over the month, with three increases and three decreases. The index for meats,
poultry, fish, and eggs rose 0.8 percent in August as the index for pork increased 2.2 percent. The index
for other food at home increased 0.2 percent over the month and the index for cereals and bakery
products rose 0.5 percent.
The index for dairy and related products decreased 0.4 percent in August after increasing 0.5 percent in
July. The fruit and vegetables index declined 0.2 percent over the month, as did the nonalcoholic
beverages index.
The food away from home index rose 0.3 percent in August. The index for limited service meals rose
0.3 percent over the month, and the index for full service meals increased 0.2 percent.
The food at home index rose 3.0 percent over the last 12 months. The index for cereals and bakery
products rose 6.0 percent over the 12 months ending in August. The meats, poultry, fish, and eggs index
was unchanged over the year. The remaining major grocery store food groups posted increases ranging
from 0.3 percent (dairy and related products) to 4.8 percent (nonalcoholic beverages).
The index for food away from home rose 6.5 percent over the last year. The index for limited service
meals rose 6.7 percent over the last 12 months, and the index for full service meals rose 5.2 percent over
the same period.
Energy
The energy index rose 5.6 percent in August after increasing 0.1 percent in July. The gasoline index
increased 10.6 percent in August, following a 0.2-percent increase in the previous month. (Before
seasonal adjustment, gasoline prices rose 5.9 percent in August.)
Other energy components also increased in August. The index for electricity rose 0.2 percent in August,
after decreasing 0.7 percent in July. The natural gas index increased 0.1 percent over the month,
following a 2.0-percent increase in July. The index for fuel oil also rose in August, increasing 9.1
percent.
Despite the August monthly increases, the energy index fell 3.6 percent over the past 12 months. The
gasoline index decreased 3.3 percent over the last 12 months, while the natural gas index fell 16.5
percent, and the fuel oil index fell 14.8 percent over the span. In contrast, the index for electricity rose
2.1 percent over the last year.
The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.3 percent in August, after rising 0.2 percent in July.
The shelter index increased 0.3 percent over the month, after rising 0.4 percent in each of the preceding
2 months. The index for rent rose 0.5 percent in August, and the index for owners’ equivalent rent
increased 0.4 percent over the month. The lodging away from home index decreased 3.0 percent in
August, its third consecutive decrease.
-3-
The shelter index was the largest factor in the monthly increase in the index for all items less food and
energy. Among the other indexes that rose in August was the index for motor vehicle insurance, which
increased 2.4 percent after rising 2.0 percent the preceding month. The indexes for airline fares, personal
care, new vehicles, and household furnishings and operations also increased in August.
The medical care index rose 0.2 percent in August, after falling 0.2 percent the previous month. The
index for hospital services increased 0.7 percent over the month, and the index for physicians’ services
rose 0.1 percent. The prescription drugs index rose 0.4 percent in August.
The index for used cars and trucks fell 1.2 percent in August, after decreasing 1.3 percent in July. The
recreation index declined 0.2 percent over the month, and the communication index declined 0.1
percent.
The index for all items less food and energy rose 4.3 percent over the past 12 months. The shelter index
increased 7.3 percent over the last year, accounting for over 70 percent of the total increase in all items
less food and energy. Other indexes with notable increases over the last year include motor vehicle
insurance (+19.1 percent), recreation (+3.5 percent), personal care (+5.8 percent), and new vehicles
(+2.9 percent).
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 3.7 percent over the last 12
months to an index level of 307.026 (1982-84=100). For the month, the index increased 0.4 percent prior
to seasonal adjustment.
The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) increased 3.4
percent over the last 12 months to an index level of 301.551 (1982-84=100). For the month, the index
increased 0.6 percent prior to seasonal adjustment.
The Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U) increased 3.7 percent over the
last 12 months. For the month, the index increased 0.4 percent on a not seasonally adjusted basis. Please
note that the indexes for the past 10 to 12 months are subject to revision.
_______________
The Consumer Price Index for September 2023 is scheduled to be released on Thursday, October
12, 2023, at 8:30 a.m. (ET).
-4-
Technical Note
In calculating the index, price changes for the various items in each location are aggregated using
weights, which represent their importance in the spending of the appropriate population group. Local
data are then combined to obtain a U.S. city average. For the CPI-U and CPI-W, separate indexes are
also published by size of city, by region of the country, for cross-classifications of regions and
population-size classes, and for 23 selected local areas. Area indexes do not measure differences in the
level of prices among cities; they only measure the average change in prices for each area since the base
period. For the C-CPI-U, data are issued only at the national level. The CPI-U and CPI-W are
considered final when released, but the C-CPI-U is issued in preliminary form and subject to three
subsequent quarterly revisions.
The index measures price change from a designed reference date. For most of the CPI-U and the CPI-W,
the reference base is 1982-84 equals 100. The reference base for the C-CPI-U is December 1999 equals
100. An increase of 7 percent from the reference base, for example, is shown as 107.000. Alternatively,
that relationship can also be expressed as the price of a base period market basket of goods and services
rising from $100 to $107.
-5-
Sampling Error in the CPI
The CPI is a statistical estimate that is subject to sampling error because it is based upon a sample of
retail prices and not the complete universe of all prices. BLS calculates and publishes estimates of the 1-
month, 2-month, 6-month, and 12-month percent change standard errors annually for the CPI-U. These
standard error estimates can be used to construct confidence intervals for hypothesis testing. For
example, the estimated standard error of the 1-month percent change is 0.03 percent for the U.S. all
items CPI. This means that if we repeatedly sample from the universe of all retail prices using the same
methodology, and estimate a percentage change for each sample, then 95 percent of these estimates will
be within 0.06 percent of the 1-month percentage change based on all retail prices. For example, for a 1-
month change of 0.2 percent in the all items CPI-U, we are 95 percent confident that the actual percent
change based on all retail prices would fall between 0.14 and 0.26 percent. For the latest data, including
information on how to use the estimates of standard error, see www.bls.gov/cpi/tables/variance-
estimates/home.htm.
Calculating Index Changes
Movements of the indexes from 1 month to another are usually expressed as percent 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 percent changes are not. The following table shows an example of using index
values to calculate percent changes:
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
9.000 18.000 18.000
points
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
-7-
Contact Information
For additional information about the CPI visit www.bls.gov/cpi or contact the CPI Information and
Analysis Section at 202-691-7000 or [email protected].
For additional information on seasonal adjustment in the CPI visit www.bls.gov/cpi/seasonal-
adjustment/home.htm
If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access
telecommunications relay services.
-8-
Table 1. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category,
August 2023
[1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted]
Unadjusted percent Seasonally adjusted percent
Relative Unadjusted indexes
change change
impor-
Expenditure category tance Aug. Jul. May Jun. Jul.
Jul. Aug. Jul. Aug. 2022- 2023- 2023- 2023- 2023-
2023 2022 2023 2023 Aug. Aug. Jun. Jul. Aug.
2023 2023 2023 2023 2023
All items............................................ . 100.000 296.171 305.691 307.026 3.7 0.4 0.2 0.2 0.6
Food. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13.415 310.875 323.523 324.100 4.3 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.2
Food at home. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.598 295.007 303.455 303.716 3.0 0.1 0.0 0.3 0.2
Cereals and bakery products. . . . . . . . . . . . 1.168 336.399 356.377 356.563 6.0 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.5
Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs. . . . . . . . . . . . 1.777 318.867 317.445 318.944 0.0 0.5 -0.4 0.5 0.8
Dairy and related products. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.788 267.461 269.143 268.281 0.3 -0.3 -0.3 0.5 -0.4
Fruits and vegetables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.479 343.221 351.646 350.428 2.1 -0.3 0.8 0.4 -0.2
Nonalcoholic beverages and beverage
materials................................. . 1.036 206.693 216.056 216.642 4.8 0.3 -0.1 0.0 -0.2
Other food at home....................... . 2.350 259.976 271.276 271.648 4.5 0.1 -0.2 0.2 0.2
Food away from home1..................... . 4.817 334.212 354.862 356.083 6.5 0.3 0.4 0.2 0.3
Energy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.961 305.372 284.828 294.328 -3.6 3.3 0.6 0.1 5.6
Energy commodities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.682 358.038 323.358 342.996 -4.2 6.1 0.8 0.3 10.5
Fuel oil1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.115 466.755 364.304 397.444 -14.8 9.1 -0.4 3.0 9.1
Motor fuel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.509 351.315 318.891 338.207 -3.7 6.1 0.9 0.2 10.7
Gasoline (all types). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.428 348.593 318.071 336.979 -3.3 5.9 1.0 0.2 10.6
Energy services.............................. . 3.280 267.564 259.766 260.448 -2.7 0.3 0.4 -0.1 0.2
Electricity................................... . 2.559 265.191 270.268 270.752 2.1 0.2 0.9 -0.7 0.2
Utility (piped) gas service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.721 268.866 223.290 224.539 -16.5 0.6 -1.7 2.0 0.1
All items less food and energy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79.624 297.178 309.402 310.103 4.3 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.3
Commodities less food and energy
commodities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21.208 167.637 168.014 168.029 0.2 0.0 -0.1 -0.3 -0.1
Apparel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.496 127.328 129.172 131.262 3.1 1.6 0.3 0.0 0.2
New vehicles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.264 174.598 179.696 179.691 2.9 0.0 0.0 -0.1 0.3
Used cars and trucks..................... . 2.766 212.895 201.624 198.768 -6.6 -1.4 -0.5 -1.3 -1.2
Medical care commodities1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.464 391.032 406.169 408.437 4.5 0.6 0.2 0.5 0.6
Alcoholic beverages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.834 275.627 285.580 285.859 3.7 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.0
Tobacco and smoking products1. . . . . . . . 0.498 1,364.765 1,431.302 1,440.574 5.6 0.6 0.1 0.5 0.6
Services less energy services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58.416 376.980 398.002 399.219 5.9 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.4
Shelter...................................... . 34.810 357.264 382.226 383.221 7.3 0.3 0.4 0.4 0.3
Rent of primary residence. . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.585 373.283 400.210 402.247 7.8 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.5
Owners’ equivalent rent of
residences2........................... . 25.616 365.993 391.131 392.794 7.3 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.4
Medical care services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.347 605.883 591.832 592.913 -2.1 0.2 0.0 -0.4 0.1
Physicians’ services1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.792 412.828 413.437 413.877 0.3 0.1 0.7 0.2 0.1
Hospital services1, 3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.912 380.339 389.061 391.678 3.0 0.7 0.4 -0.4 0.7
Transportation services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.920 362.511 396.199 400.016 10.3 1.0 0.1 0.3 2.0
Motor vehicle maintenance and
repair1. . . . . . . .......................... . 1.131 349.539 387.159 391.395 12.0 1.1 1.3 1.0 1.1
Motor vehicle insurance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.697 615.559 717.799 733.141 19.1 2.1 1.7 2.0 2.4
Airline fares. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.537 283.911 253.345 246.185 -13.3 -2.8 -8.1 -8.1 4.9
1
Not seasonally adjusted.
2
Indexes on a December 1982=100 base.
3
Indexes on a December 1996=100 base.
Table 2. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by detailed expenditure
category, August 2023
[1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted]
Unadjusted percent
Seasonally adjusted percent change
Relative change
importance Aug. Jul. May Jun. Jul.
Expenditure category
Jul. 2022- 2023- 2023- 2023- 2023-
2023 Aug. Aug. Jun. Jul. Aug.
2023 2023 2023 2023 2023
1
Not seasonally adjusted.
2
Indexes on a December 1997=100 base.
3
Special index based on a substantially smaller sample.
4
Indexes on a December 2007=100 base.
5
Indexes on a December 2005=100 base.
6
Indexes on a December 1986=100 base.
7
Indexes on a December 1993=100 base.
8
Indexes on a December 2009=100 base.
9
Indexes on a December 1990=100 base.
10
Indexes on a December 1983=100 base.
11
Indexes on a December 2001=100 base.
12
Indexes on a December 2019=100 base.
13
Indexes on a December 1982=100 base.
14
Indexes on a December 1996=100 base.
Table 3. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, special aggregate indexes,
August 2023
[1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted]
Unadjusted percent Seasonally adjusted percent
Relative Unadjusted indexes
change change
impor-
Special aggregate indexes tance Aug. Jul. May Jun. Jul.
Jul. Aug. Jul. Aug. 2022- 2023- 2023- 2023- 2023-
2023 2022 2023 2023 Aug. Aug. Jun. Jul. Aug.
2023 2023 2023 2023 2023
All items less food.................................. . 86.585 293.893 302.932 304.376 3.6 0.5 0.2 0.2 0.7
All items less shelter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65.190 275.409 279.181 280.663 1.9 0.5 0.1 0.0 0.8
All items less food and shelter.................... . 51.775 266.417 268.245 269.913 1.3 0.6 0.1 0.0 1.0
All items less food, shelter, and energy. . . . . . . . . . 44.813 263.732 269.102 269.642 2.2 0.2 0.0 -0.1 0.3
All items less food, shelter, energy, and used
cars and trucks................................... . 42.048 264.767 272.288 273.124 3.2 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.4
All items less medical care........................ . 92.189 283.794 294.037 295.367 4.1 0.5 0.2 0.2 0.7
All items less energy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93.039 298.346 310.611 311.293 4.3 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.3
Commodities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38.304 223.891 224.698 226.161 1.0 0.7 0.1 -0.1 1.0
Commodities less food, energy, and used
cars and trucks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18.442 161.371 164.254 164.620 2.0 0.2 0.0 -0.2 0.1
Commodities less food. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24.889 185.295 182.317 183.968 -0.7 0.9 0.1 -0.2 1.4
Commodities less food and beverages. . . . . . . . 24.055 181.945 178.686 180.354 -0.9 0.9 0.1 -0.3 1.5
Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61.696 366.622 385.231 386.400 5.4 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.4
Services less rent of shelter1................... . 27.255 387.748 398.407 399.835 3.1 0.4 0.2 0.2 0.5
Services less medical care services. . . . . . . . . . . 55.349 348.484 369.411 370.583 6.3 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.4
Durables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12.513 130.123 128.029 127.556 -2.0 -0.4 -0.3 -0.3 -0.3
Nondurables......................................... . 25.791 271.395 274.970 278.122 2.5 1.1 -0.1 0.2 1.8
Nondurables less food. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12.376 238.068 234.370 239.516 0.6 2.2 0.5 -0.2 3.4
Nondurables less food and beverages. . . . . . . . 11.542 235.747 231.206 236.633 0.4 2.3 0.5 -0.2 3.7
Nondurables less food, beverages, and
apparel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.046 308.244 299.782 307.421 -0.3 2.5 0.5 -0.3 4.6
Nondurables less food and apparel. . . . . . . . . . . . 9.880 303.708 296.954 303.906 0.1 2.3 0.4 -0.2 4.2
Housing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ....................... . 44.530 304.506 321.087 321.894 5.7 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.3
Education and communication2................... . 5.675 143.687 144.919 145.174 1.0 0.2 -0.2 0.0 0.0
Education2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.230 283.882 290.069 292.014 2.9 0.7 0.1 0.3 0.1
Communication2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.445 74.977 74.966 74.858 -0.2 -0.1 -0.5 -0.1 -0.1
Information and information processing2. . . . 3.373 70.703 70.609 70.510 -0.3 -0.1 -0.5 -0.1 -0.1
Information technology, hardware and
services3..................................... . 1.765 7.183 7.112 7.104 -1.1 -0.1 0.2 -0.3 -0.1
Recreation2.......................................... . 5.355 131.437 136.401 136.102 3.5 -0.2 0.1 0.1 -0.2
Video and audio2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.271 112.544 116.390 116.650 3.6 0.2 -0.1 0.1 0.2
Pets, pet products and services2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.229 204.246 219.611 217.646 6.6 -0.9 0.0 0.1 -0.8
Photography2..................................... . 0.060 82.424 83.885 83.933 1.8 0.1 0.3 -1.2 -0.3
Food and beverages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14.249 308.550 321.020 321.578 4.2 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.2
Domestically produced farm food.............. . 7.190 305.505 314.057 314.167 2.8 0.0 -0.1 0.5 0.0
Other services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.377 388.767 404.540 405.504 4.3 0.2 0.0 0.4 0.1
Apparel less footwear.............................. . 2.000 118.305 121.207 123.008 4.0 1.5 0.4 0.2 0.0
Fuels and utilities................................... . 4.517 309.739 304.077 305.887 -1.2 0.6 0.3 0.2 0.6
Household energy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.452 265.453 255.436 256.889 -3.2 0.6 0.3 0.1 0.6
Medical care. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.811 553.429 546.698 548.082 -1.0 0.3 0.0 -0.2 0.2
Transportation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17.185 270.334 270.602 274.220 1.4 1.3 0.2 -0.1 2.6
Private transportation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16.453 269.389 270.609 274.660 2.0 1.5 0.5 0.2 2.6
New and used motor vehicles2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.148 131.226 130.469 129.864 -1.0 -0.5 -0.1 -0.5 -0.2
Utilities and public transportation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.568 254.797 253.149 253.166 -0.6 0.0 -0.6 0.0 0.6
Household furnishings and operations. . . . . . . . . . . 5.203 145.110 148.453 148.295 2.2 -0.1 -0.1 -0.1 0.2
Other goods and services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.699 510.892 537.926 540.270 5.8 0.4 0.2 0.1 0.4
Personal care. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.201 259.954 273.964 275.026 5.8 0.4 0.2 0.0 0.4
1
Indexes on a December 1982=100 base.
2
Indexes on a December 1997=100 base.
3
Indexes on a December 1988=100 base.
Table 4. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): Selected areas, all items index, August 2023
[1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted]
Percent change to Aug. 2023 from: Percent change to Jul. 2023 from:
Pricing
Area Aug. Jun. Jul. Jul. May Jun.
Schedule1
2022 2023 2023 2022 2023 2023
1
Foods, fuels, and several other items are priced every month in all areas. Most other goods and services are priced as indicated: M - Every month.
1 - January, March, May, July, September, and November. 2 - February, April, June, August, October, and December.
2
Regions defined as the four Census regions.
3
Indexes on a December 1996=100 base.
4
Indexes on a December 2017=100 base.
5
Indexes on a December 1986=100 base.
6
1998 - 2017 indexes based on substantially smaller sample.
7
Indexes on a December 2001=100 base.
8
Indexes on a 1987=100 base.
NOTE: Local area indexes are byproducts of the national CPI program. Each local index has a smaller sample size than the national index and is,
therefore, subject to substantially more sampling and other measurement error. As a result, local area indexes show greater volatility than the national
index, although their long-term trends are similar. Therefore, the Bureau of Labor Statistics strongly urges users to consider adopting the national
average CPI for use in their escalator clauses.
Table 5. Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U) and the Consumer Price Index for
All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, all items index, August 2023
[Percent changes]
Unadjusted 1-month percent change Unadjusted 12-month percent change
Month Year
C-CPI-U1 CPI-U C-CPI-U1 CPI-U
1
The C-CPI-U is designed to be a closer approximation to a cost-of-living index in that it, in its final form, accounts for any substitution that
consumers make across item categories in response to changes in relative prices. Since the expenditure data required for the calculation of the
C-CPI-U are available only with a time lag, the C-CPI-U is issued first in preliminary form using the latest available expenditure data at that time and
is subject to four revisions.
Indexes are issued as initial estimates. Indexes are revised each quarter with the publication of January, April, July, and October data as updated
expenditure estimates become available. The C-CPI-U indexes are updated quarterly until they become final. January-March indexes are final in
January of the following year; April-June indexes are final in April of the following year; July-September indexes are final in July of the following year;
October-December indexes are final in October of the following year.
Table 6. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category,
August 2023, 1-month analysis table
[1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted]
One Month
Relative Seasonally Seasonally Largest (L) or Smallest (S)
Standard
importance adjusted adjusted seasonally adjusted
Expenditure category error,
Jul. percent effect on All change since:3
median
2023 change Items
price Percent
Jul. 2023- Jul. 2023- Date
change2 change
Aug. 2023 Aug. 20231
1
The ’effect’ of an item category is a measure of that item’s contribution to the All items price change. For example, if the Food index had an effect of
0.40, and the All items index rose 1.2 percent, then the increase in food prices contributed 0.40 / 1.2, or 33.3 percent, to that All items increase.
Said another way, had food prices been unchanged for that month the change in the All items index would have been 1.2 percent minus 0.40, or 0.8
percent. Effects can be negative as well. For example, if the effect of food was a negative 0.1, and the All items index rose 0.5 percent, the All items
index actually would have been 0.1 percent higher (or 0.6 percent) had food prices been unchanged. Since food prices fell while prices overall were
rising, the contribution of food to the All items price change was negative (in this case, -0.1 / 0.5, or minus 20 percent).
2
A statistic’s margin of error is often expressed as its point estimate plus or minus two standard errors. For example, if a CPI category rose 0.6
percent, and its standard error was 0.15 percent, the margin of error on this item’s 1-month percent change would be 0.6 percent, plus or minus 0.3
percent.
3
If the current seasonally adjusted 1-month percent change is greater than the previous published 1-month percent change, then this column
identifies the closest prior month with a 1-month percent change as (L)arge as or (L)arger than the current 1-month change. If the current 1-month
percent change is smaller than the previous published 1-month percent change, the most recent month with a change as (S)mall or (S)maller than
the current month change is identified. If the current and previous published 1-month percent changes are equal, a dash will appear. Standard
numerical comparisons are used. For example, 0.8% is greater than 0.6%, -0.4% is less than -0.2%, and -0.2% is less than 0.0%. Note that a
(L)arger change can be a smaller decline, for example, a -0.2% change is larger than a -0.4% change, but still represents a decline in the price
index. Likewise, (S)maller changes can be increases, for example, a 0.6% change is smaller than 0.8%, but still represents an increase in the price
index. In this context, a -0.2% change is considered to be smaller than a 0.0% change.
4
Not seasonally adjusted.
5
Indexes on a December 1997=100 base.
6
Special indexes based on a substantially smaller sample. These series do not contribute to the all items index aggregation and therefore do not
have a relative importance or effect.
7
Indexes on a December 2007=100 base.
8
Indexes on a December 2005=100 base.
9
Indexes on a December 1986=100 base.
10
Indexes on a December 1993=100 base.
11
Indexes on a December 2009=100 base.
12
Indexes on a December 1990=100 base.
13
Indexes on a December 1983=100 base.
14
Indexes on a December 2001=100 base.
15
Indexes on a December 2019=100 base.
16
Indexes on a December 1982=100 base.
17
Indexes on a December 1996=100 base.
18
Indexes on a December 1988=100 base.
Table 7. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, by expenditure category,
August 2023, 12-month analysis table
[1982-84=100, unless otherwise noted]
Twelve Month
Relative Unadjusted Unadjusted Standard Largest (L) or Smallest (S)
importance percent effect on All error, unadjusted change since:3
Expenditure category
Jul. change Items median
2023 Aug. 2022- Aug. 2022- price Percent
Date
Aug. 2023 Aug. 20231 change2 change
1
The ’effect’ of an item category is a measure of that item’s contribution to the All items price change. For example, if the Food index had an effect of
0.40, and the All items index rose 1.2 percent, then the increase in food prices contributed 0.40 / 1.2, or 33.3 percent, to that All items increase.
Said another way, had food prices been unchanged for that year the change in the All items index would have been 1.2 percent minus 0.40, or 0.8
percent. Effects can be negative as well. For example, if the effect of food was a negative 0.1, and the All items index rose 0.5 percent, the All items
index actually would have been 0.1 percent higher (or 0.6 percent) had food prices been unchanged. Since food prices fell while prices overall were
rising, the contribution of food to the All items price change was negative (in this case, -0.1 / 0.5, or minus 20 percent).
2
A statistic’s margin of error is often expressed as its point estimate plus or minus two standard errors. For example, if a CPI category rose 2.6
percent, and its standard error was 0.25 percent, the margin of error on this item’s 12-month percent change would be 2.6 percent, plus or minus
0.5 percent.
3
If the current 12-month percent change is greater than the previous published 12-month percent change, then this column identifies the closest prior
month with a 12-month percent change as (L)arge as or (L)arger than the current 12-month change. If the current 12-month percent change is
smaller than the previous published 12-month percent change, the most recent month with a change as (S)mall or (S)maller than the current month
change is identified. If the current and previous published 12-month percent changes are equal, a dash will appear. Standard numerical comparison
is used. For example, 2.0% is greater than 0.6%, -4.4% is less than -2.0%, and -2.0% is less than 0.0%. Note that a (L)arger change can be a
smaller decline, for example, a -0.2% change is larger than a -0.4% change, but still represents a decline in the price index. Likewise, (S)maller
changes can be increases, for example, a 0.6% change is smaller than 0.8%, but still represents an increase in the price index. In this context, a
-0.2% change is considered to be smaller than a 0.0% change.
4
Indexes on a December 1997=100 base.
5
Special indexes based on a substantially smaller sample. These series do not contribute to the all items index aggregation and therefore do not
have a relative importance or effect.
6
Indexes on a December 2007=100 base.
7
Indexes on a December 2005=100 base.
8
Indexes on a December 1986=100 base.
9
Indexes on a December 1993=100 base.
10
Indexes on a December 2009=100 base.
11
Indexes on a December 1990=100 base.
12
Indexes on a December 1983=100 base.
13
Indexes on a December 2001=100 base.
14
Indexes on a December 2019=100 base.
15
Indexes on a December 1982=100 base.
16
Indexes on a December 1996=100 base.
17
Indexes on a December 1988=100 base.