What goes into the consumer price index?

There are 18 main categories that go into the consumer price index (CPI). These categories are weighted differently to accurately reflect how much they individually affect the CPI. Here is a list of the top ten categories and their weight toward the CPI:

• Shelter (32.39%)

• Food (13.99%)

• Transportation commodities (7.98%)

• Energy (7.54%)

• Medical care services (6.99%)

• Education and communication services (6.01%)

• Transportation services (5.05%)

• Household furnishings and supplies (3.77%)

• Recreation services (3.67%)

• Apparel (2.67%)