| Consumer Price Index (CU) | |
| cu.txt | |
| Section Listing | |
| 1. Survey Definition | |
| 2. FTP files listed in the survey directory. | |
| 3. Time series, series file, data file, & mapping file definitions and relationships | |
| 4. Series file format and field definitions | |
| 5. Data file format and field definitions | |
| 6. Mapping file formats and field definitions | |
| 7. Data Element Dictionary | |
| ================================================================================ | |
| Section 1 | |
| ================================================================================ | |
| The following is a definition of: CONSUMER PRICE INDEX - All Urban Consumers (CU) | |
| Survey Description: The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a statistical measure | |
| of change, over time, of the prices of goods and services in major | |
| expenditure groups--such as food, housing, apparel, transportation, and | |
| medical care--typically purchased by urban consumers. Essentially, it | |
| compares the cost of a sample "market basket" of goods and services in a | |
| specific month relative to the cost of the same "market basket" in an | |
| earlier reference period. This reference period is designated as the base | |
| period. | |
| The CPI publishes indexes for two | |
| populations; all urban consumers (CU) and urban wage earners and clerical workers (CW). | |
| To construct the two indexes, thousands of prices for commodities and services purchased by consumers | |
| are collected in a sample of 75 urban places. Rent data is collected in a separate sample of thousands | |
| of rental units. Comparison of indexes for individual CMSA's or cities show only the relative | |
| change over time in prices between locations. These indexes cannot be used | |
| to measure interarea differences in price levels or living costs. | |
| Summary Data Available: U.S. average indexes for both populations are | |
| available for several hundred consumer items and groups of items. In addition, | |
| many of the indexes have been adjusted for seasonality. The indexes are monthly. Different indexes | |
| go back to different years, with the earliest, including all items, dating to 1913. Semi-annual | |
| indexes have been calculated for many items for comparison with | |
| semi-annual areas mentioned below. Semi-annual indexes are available from 1984 forward. | |
| Area indexes for both populations are available for 23 urban places. For | |
| each area, indexes are published for a subset of items and groups. The indexes | |
| are published monthly for three areas and bimonthly for twenty areas. Regional and division level | |
| indexes for both populations are available for a subset of items and groups published. Indexes are | |
| published for four regions and nine divisions. Regional indexes date to 1966; divisional indexes | |
| are newer, dating to 2018. Indexes are monthly, with Semi-annual indexes | |
| also calculated for selected items. | |
| City-size class indexes for both populations are available for two size classes | |
| with a similar subset of groups and items. | |
| Region/city-size indexes (for example, Midwest size class B/C)for both populations are also available monthly. | |
| Frequency of Observations: U.S. city average indexes, regional indexes, | |
| division indexes, size class indexes, and three metro area indexes are monthly. 20 metro area indexes are bimonthly. | |
| Annual Averages: Annual averages are available for all unadjusted series | |
| in the CW and CU. | |
| Base Periods: Most indexes have a base period of 1982-1984 = 100. Other | |
| indexes, mainly newer indexes, are based more recently. The base period value is generally 100.0, | |
| with rare exceptions where the base is set to 1000 to avoid loss of precision. The index | |
| for the "Purchasing Power" values (AAOR and SAOR) have a base period value of 1.000. | |
| Data Characteristics: Indexes are published to three decimal places. | |
| Updating Schedule: Updates become available with the release of new data, typically between the 10th and 14th of the month | |
| following the reference month. | |
| ================================================================================== | |
| Section 2 | |
| ================================================================================== | |
| The following Consumer Price Index (All Urban Consumers) files are on the BLS | |
| internet in the sub-directory pub/time.series/cu: | |
| cu.data.0.Current - All current year-to-date | |
| cu.data.1.AllItems - All items (item_code AA0, SA0) | |
| cu.data.2.Summaries - Summaries (item_code SA0, SAF, | |
| SAH, SAA, SAT, SAM, SAR, SAE, SAG, | |
| SAS, SAC) | |
| cu.data.3.AsizeNorthEast - A-Size areas in Northeast | |
| (area_code A1 ...) | |
| cu.data.4.AsizeNorthCentral - A-size areas in North Central | |
| (area_code A2 ...) | |
| cu.data.5.AsizeSouth - A-Size areas in South | |
| (area_code A3 ...) | |
| cu.data.6.AsizeWest - A-Size areas in West | |
| (area_code A4 ...) | |
| cu.data.7.OtherNorthEast - All other Northeast | |
| (area_code 01, X1, D1) | |
| cu.data.8.OtherNorthCentral - All other North Central | |
| (area_code 02, X2, D2) | |
| cu.data.9.OtherSouth - All other in South | |
| (area_code 03, X3, D3) | |
| cu.data.10.OtherWest - All other in West | |
| (area_code 04, X4) | |
| cu.data.11.USFoodBeverage - All US Food and Beverage | |
| (area_code 0000, item_code SAF, SEF) | |
| cu.data.12.USHousing - All US Housing (area_code 0000, | |
| item_code SAH, SEH) | |
| cu.data.13.USApparel - All US Apparel (area_code 0000, | |
| item_code SAA, SEA) | |
| cu.data.14.USTransportation - All US Transportation (area_code | |
| 0000, item_code SAT, SET) | |
| cu.data.15.USMedical - All US Medical (area_code 0000, | |
| item_code SAM, SEM, SS57) | |
| cu.data.16.USRecreation - All US Recreation (area_code 0000, | |
| item_code SAR, SER, SS31, SS61, SS62) | |
| cu.data.17.USEducationAndCommunication - All US Education and Communication | |
| (area_code 0000, item_code SAE, | |
| SEE, SS27) | |
| cu.data.18.USOtherGoodsAndServices - All US Other Goods and Services | |
| (area_code 0000, item_code SAG, SEG; | |
| SS33) | |
| cu.data.19.PopulationSize - All Population-size (area_code | |
| A000, X000, D000) | |
| cu.data.20.USCommoditiesServicesSpecial - All US Commodity and Services and | |
| Special(area_code 0000, item_code | |
| SA0, SAC, SAN, SAS) | |
| cu.area - Area codes mapping file | |
| cu.contacts - Contacts for cu survey | |
| cu.footnote - Footnote codes mapping file | |
| cu.item - Item codes mapping file | |
| cu.MapErrors (TBR) - Map error codes mapping file | |
| cu.period - Period codes mapping file | |
| cu.series - All series and their beginning and end dates | |
| cu.txt - General information | |
| Note: TBR = File that will be removed. | |
| ================================================================================= | |
| Section 3 | |
| ================================================================================= | |
| The definition of a time series, its relationship to and the interrelationship | |
| among series, data and mapping files is detailed below: | |
| A time series refers to a set of data observed over an extended period of time | |
| over consistent time intervals (i.e. monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, annually). | |
| BLS time series data are typically produced at monthly intervals and represent data | |
| ranging from a specific consumer item in a specific geographical area whose price | |
| is gathered monthly to a category of worker in a specific industry whose employment | |
| rate is being recorded monthly, etc. | |
| The download.bls.gov files are organized such that data users are provided with the following | |
| set of files to use in their efforts to interpret data files: | |
| a) a series file (only one series file per survey) | |
| b) mapping files | |
| c) data files | |
| The series file contains a set of codes which, together, compose a series | |
| identification code that serves to uniquely identify a single time series. | |
| Additionally, the series file also contains the following series-level information: | |
| a) the period and year corresponding to the first data observation | |
| b) the period and year corresponding to the most recent data observation | |
| The mapping files are definition files that contain explanatory text descriptions | |
| that correspond to each of the various codes contained within each series | |
| identification code. | |
| The data file contains one line of data for each observation period pertaining to a | |
| specific time series. Each line contains a reference to the following: | |
| a) a series identification code | |
| b) year in which data is observed | |
| c) period for which data is observed (M13, Q05, and S03 indicate annual averages) | |
| d) value | |
| e) footnote code (if available) | |
| ================================================================================= | |
| Section 4 | |
| ================================================================================= | |
| File Structure and Format: The following represents the file format used to define | |
| cu.series. Note that the Field Numbers are for reference only; they do not exist | |
| in the database. Data files are in ASCII text format. Data elements are separated | |
| by spaces; the first record of each file contains the column headers for the data | |
| elements stored in each field. Each record ends with a new line character. | |
| Field #/Data Element Length Value(Example) | |
| 1. series_id 17 CUSR0000SA0 | |
| 2. area_code 4 0400 | |
| 3. item_code 8 SA0E | |
| 4. seasonal 1 S or U | |
| 5. periodicity_code 1 R | |
| 6. base_code 1 S | |
| 7. base_period 20 1982-84=100 | |
| 8. begin_year 4 1947 | |
| 9. begin_period 3 M01 | |
| 10. end_year 4 2002 | |
| 11. end_period 3 M02 | |
| The series_id (CUSR0000SA0) can be broken out into: | |
| Code Value | |
| survey abbreviation = CU | |
| seasonal(code) = S | |
| periodicity_code = R | |
| area_code = 0000 | |
| item_code = SA0 | |
| ================================================================================== | |
| Section 5 | |
| ================================================================================== | |
| File Structure and Format: The following represents the file format used to define | |
| each data file. Note that the field numbers are for reference only; they do not | |
| exist in the database. Data files are in ASCII text format. Data elements are | |
| separated by spaces; the first record of each file contains the column headers for | |
| the data elements stored in each field. Each record ends with a new line character. | |
| The cu.data file is partitioned into a number of separate files: See Section 2 | |
| All of the above-referenced data files have the following format: | |
| Field #/Data Element Length Value(Example) | |
| 1. series_id 17 CUUR0400AA0 | |
| 2. year 4 1966 | |
| 3. period 3 M12 | |
| 4. value 12 53.3 | |
| 5. footnote_codes 10 It varies | |
| The series_id (CUUR0400AA0) can be broken out into: | |
| Code Value | |
| survey abbreviation = CU | |
| seasonal(code) = U | |
| periodicity_code = R | |
| area_code = 0400 | |
| item_code = AA0 | |
| ================================================================================ | |
| Section 6 | |
| ================================================================================ | |
| File Structure and Format: The following represents the file format used to define | |
| each mapping file. Note that the field numbers are for reference only; they do not | |
| exist in the database. Mapping files are in ASCII text format. Data elements are | |
| separated by tabs; the first record of each file contains the column headers for the | |
| data elements stored in each field. Each record ends with a new line character. | |
| File Name: cu.area | |
| Field #/Data Element Length Value(Example) | |
| 1. area_code 4 0100 | |
| 2. area_name 80 Text | |
| File Name: cu.footnote | |
| Field #/Data Element Length Value(Example) | |
| 1. footnote_code 1 R | |
| 2. footnote_text 100 Text | |
| File Name: cu.item | |
| Field #/Data Element Length Value(Example) | |
| 1. item_code 8 AA0 | |
| 2. item_name 100 Text | |
| File Name: cu.period | |
| Field #/Data Element Length Value(Example) | |
| 1. period 3 M02 | |
| 2. period_abbr 5 FEB | |
| 3. period_name 20 Text (e.g. February) | |
| ========================================================================================= | |
| Section 7 | |
| ========================================================================================= | |
| CONSUMER PRICE INDEX (CU) DATABASE ELEMENTS | |
| Data Element Length Value(Example) Description | |
| area_code 4 N or S, ,000-999 Unique code used to identify | |
| Ex: A100 a specific geographic area. | |
| area_name 80 Text Name of specific geographic | |
| Ex: MIAMI, FLA area. | |
| base_code 1 S=Standard reference Code identifying the type of | |
| base base period used in index. | |
| A=Alternate reference | |
| base | |
| base_period 20 Identifies the base The actual base period used | |
| period in calculating the index. | |
| Ex: 1982-84=100 | |
| begin_period 3 M01-M13 or S01-S03 Identifies first data observation | |
| Ex: MO6=June within the first year for which | |
| (M=Monthly, M13=Annual data is available for a given | |
| Avg, S=Semi-Annually) time series. | |
| begin_year 4 YYYY Identifies first year for which | |
| Ex: 1975 data is available for a given | |
| time series. | |
| end_period 3 M01-M13 or S01-S03 Identifies last data observation | |
| Ex: M06=June within the last year for which | |
| (M=Monthly, M13=Annual data is available for a given | |
| Avg, S=Semi-Annually) time series. | |
| end_year 4 YYYY Identifies last year for which | |
| Ex: 1980 data is available for a given | |
| time series. | |
| footnote_code 1 R Identifies footnote for the data | |
| series. | |
| footnote_text 100 Text Contains the text of the footnote. | |
| item_code 8 SA0E Identifies item for which | |
| data observations pertain. | |
| item_name 100 Text Full names of items. | |
| period_abbr 5 Text Abbreviation of period name. | |
| Ex: JUN | |
| period 3 M01-M13 or S01-S03 Identifies period for which | |
| Ex: M06=June data is observed. | |
| (M=Monthly, M13=Annual | |
| Avg, S=Semi-Annually) | |
| period_name 20 Text Full name of period to which | |
| Ex: June the data observation refers. | |
| periodicity_ 1 S=Semi-Annual Frequency of data | |
| code R=Regular observation. | |
| seasonal 1 S=Seasonally Code identifying whether the | |
| Adjusted data are seasonally adjusted. | |
| U=Unadjusted | |
| series_id 17 CUSR0000SA0 Code identifying the specific | |
| series. | |
| value 12 53.3 Price index for item. | |
| year 4 YYYY Identifies year of observation. | |
| Ex: 1990 | |