Thank you one and all who sent suggestions of how to obtain cost of living
statistics. Below is what the reference librarian (using all the
suggestions) who researched the project found out.
The most referred to place was the Bureau of Statistics. However, the
bureau does not compile c-o-l stats anymore. The looseleaf services
referred to (e.g. CCH Labor Reports) have tables headed "Cost of Living
Index", when actually the statistics were Consumer Price Index data. (It
was amazing how people in the departments kept referring him to different
telephone numbers and he -always- ended up at the same desk at the Bureau
of Labor Statistics!)
The ACCRA (sorry, I confused the C and R last time) (American Chamber of
Commerce Research Association) of Lexington, KY does compile c-o-l
information (it's their chart that is reported in "Statistical
Abstracts"). It's compiled quarterly, there is no cumulative data, areas
that do not have an apparent change do not report for that quarter, so not
every area is representedin a chart each quarter, and they claim that the data
cannot be used for longitudinal studies since the basis changes every quarter.
Summary, there is no longer any cost of living data that is easliy
accessible and the consumer price index is -not- cost of living data.
Again, thank you all for your help!
Rochelle Cheifetz
Rosenman & Colin
rcheifet@panix.com
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