THE COST OF LIVING IN UNITED STATES IN 1926 33 
figures have been used. From 1918 through 1925 the yearly 
averages are based upon the figures available thrice a year, 
while for 1926 the average is derived from monthly figures. 
The results are shown in Table 14. A decline occurs in 1926 
for the first time since 1922. The recession, however, was 
only .8% as compared with costs of living in 1925, and the 
1926 level was still 7.59, above the post-war low point 
recorded in 1922. The average index number for 1926 is 
67.9%, above the 1914 level, and 15.09, below the peak estab- 
lished in 1920. 
TasLE 14: INDEx Numsers oF THE Cost oF Living IN 
AVERAGE AMERICAN CoMMUNITIES, 1914 To 1926, INcLU- 
SIVE, BY SEPARATE BUDGET ITEMS 
(National Industrial Conference Board) 
fuly, 7° 
[uly, 1 
July, 1 
July, 1 
Dates 
Food 
Shelter 
Clothing 
F uel and 
Light 
00 
100 
11 
46 
73 
-86 
22 
100 100 WJ 
100 103 102 
101.5 120 104 
105 143 126 
118 , 185 138 
29 - 205 144 
58 190 172 
67 166 "2 
.66 56 174 
/ 175 171 179 
3 185 171 169 
1 179 17% 167 
Sundries 
100 
100 
104 
117 
123 
‘64 
&7 
82 
172 
153 
174 
| 75 
All Items 
00.0 
100.5 
108.7 
131.3 
158.6 
71.6 
197.5 
164.9 
156.2 
162.1 
163.3 
169.3 
Yim