CPI-E

An experimental version of the CPI in which upper-level weights are based on a subset of the CEX sample aged 62 and over.

CPI Housing Survey

A survey conducted by the BLS to track changes in the contract rents (a major component of the shelter item category) paid by a sample of renters.

CPI-U

The CPI series that is weighted by the full CEX urban sample. It is the most frequently used version of the CPI.

CPI-U-RS

The CPI research series that recalculates the CPI-U from 1978 forward with methods currently used to produce the CPI.

CPI-W

A version of the CPI in which upper-level weights are based on a subset of the CEX sample that are wage earners.

Deletion method

One of the methods used in CPI item replacement when the replacement and replaced items are judged noncomparable and when neither overlapped prices nor producer cost information is available. During the item transition period, change in the index component is proxied by the observed price change of other goods in the same CPI item stratum.

Direct comparison

In item replacement, a method that is applied when the replaced and replacement items are determined to be comparable by the commodity analyst.

Direct hedonic method

A hedonic quality adjustment technique that produces a price index for a good directly from hedonic regression coefficients.

Democratic index

An index in which each household’s index is given equal weight.

Entry-level item (ELI)

A finely specified item within an item strata (e.g., oranges is an ELI in the citrus fruit strata).

Expenditure weight

The portion of consumer expenditures assigned to a specific good or service category.

Explicit cost-based adjustment

An item replacement method used when information about production cost differences between the replaced item and the new item is available under which the per-unit change in production cost, as reported