Overview of the 

Consumer Expenditure 

Surveys Program

1 — U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS • bls.gov

Adam Safir, Program Manager

Consumer Expenditure Surveys Program

CE Microdata Users’ Workshop 

July 18, 2023
Topics

2 — U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS • bls.gov

1. CE Program Overview

2. Annual Program Activities

3. CE Data Use
Bureau of Labor Statistics

Overview

◼ Principal fact-finding agency for

the U.S. government in the field

of labor economics

◼ Established in the Department of the 

Interior in 1884, to collect 

information about employment and 

labor; now part of Department of 

Labor

Core Values

◼ “Just the Facts”

◼ Gold standard data

◼ Transparency & confidentiality

3 — U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS • bls.gov
CE Program Mission

4 — U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS • bls.gov

◼ The mission of the CE is to collect, process, and disseminate 

information that presents a statistical picture of consumer 

spending for the Consumer Price Index, government 

agencies, and private data users.

◼ This mission encompasses analyzing CE data to produce 

socio-economic studies of consumer spending, and 

providing CE data users with assistance, education, and tools 

for working with the data.
CE Survey Overview

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◼ CE data consist of estimates derived from two separate 

surveys

◼ The Quarterly Interview Survey is designed to collect data 

on large and recurring expenditures that consumers can be 

expected to recall for a period of 3 months or longer, such as 

rent and utilities (approximately 5,000 interviews/quarter)

◼ The Diary Survey is designed to collect data on small,

frequently purchased items, including most food and

clothing (approximately 3,000 diaries/quarter)

◼ Together, the data from the two surveys cover the complete

range of consumers’ expenditures
CE Survey Overview

6 — U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS • bls.gov

◼ CE data are collected for BLS by the U.S. Census Bureau, 

from consumer units (CUs), in other words people living at 

one address who share living expenses (in most cases, CUs 

are the same as households)

◼ The sample frame is a national probability sample of 

households designed to be representative of the U.S. civilian 

noninstitutionalized population

◼ Respondentsreport dollar amounts for all non-investment 

purchases; business expenses and reimbursements are 

excluded
CE Program Staffing Structure

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Division of Consumer Expenditure Surveys

▪ Branch of Information & Analysis

▪ Branch of Production & Control

▪ Branch of Research & Program Development

(incl. Office of Survey Methods Research consultants)

Division of Consumer Expenditure Information Systems

▪ Publication & Information Management Systems

▪ Expenditure & Income Processing Systems

Statistical Methods Division

▪ Consumer Expenditure Branch
CE Program Workflow

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1. Sampling (SMD, P&C, Census)

2. Questionnaire Design and Revisions (P&C, Census)

3. Field Procedures and Training (P&C, Census)

4. Data Collection (P&C, Census)

5. Data Processing and Estimation (P&C, BIA, SMD, CEIS)

6. Data Dissemination, Publications, and Outreach (All)

7. Methods Research, Development, and Evaluation (BRPD, 

P&C, BIA, SMD)
CE Program Data Products

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◼ CPI Cost Weights

◼ LABSTAT Database

◼ Publications

◼ Public Use Microdata

◼ Restricted Microdata

◼ Tables
CE History – Highlights

10 — U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS • bls.gov

◼ 1888: First BLS expenditure survey

◼ 1972: First use of weekly Diary & 3-month recall Interview 

Census Bureau begins survey collection for BLS

◼ 1979: Continuous data collection starts

◼ 2003: Computer Assisted Personal Interview (CAPI) begins

◼ 2004: Imputation for missing income data implemented

◼ 2013: Model-based estimation of income taxes introduced

◼ 2015: Elimination of the first (bounding) interview in Interview

◼ 2018: State-level weights released for 2016 and 2017 data, 

regular publication of the Data Quality Profile begins

◼ 2020: Pre-1996 PUMD & state-level research tables posted

◼ 2021: Midyear PUMD published for the first time

◼ 2022: Official implementation of the online diary
Topics

11 — U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS • bls.gov

1. CE Program Overview

2. Annual Program Activities

3. CE Data Use
Data Collection

▪ Inputs for Interview and Diary Survey data collection 

protocol changes, training, and questionnaires

Data Processing

▪ Interview and Diary Survey changes (2022 & 2023)

▪ Interview and Diary Survey processing (2022 & 2023)

Data Dissemination

▪ PUMD released in May 2023 (July 2021– June 2022 data)

▪ Calendar year tables and PUMD to be released September 8

2023 (2022 data)

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FY23 Program Activities
Publications

◼ Beyond the Numbers

◼ Data Comparisons (PCE, CPS, ACS)

◼ Data Quality Profile

◼ Monthly Labor Review

◼ Spotlight on Statistics

Outreach

◼ Conference Presentations

◼ Microdata Users’ Workshop

FY23 Program Activities

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Research & Development 

◼ CE redesign activities, including revisions related to the 

phased implementation of the streamlined 

questionnaire

◼ Ongoing assessment of Computer Assisted Recorded 

Interviewing (CARI) results

◼ Research into split-questionnaire design and alternative 

modes for the Interview Survey

◼ Development and planning for the upcoming 2025 

sample redesign based on the 2020 Decennial Census

◼ Research and development for a comprehensive 

consumption measure

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FY23 Program Activities
Topics

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1. CE Program Overview

2. Annual Program Activities

3. CE Data Use
CE Customers

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◼ Bureau of Economic Analysis

◼ Census Bureau

◼ Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services

◼ Consumer Price Index

◼ Depts of Agriculture; Defense; Health & Human Services

◼ Internal Revenue Service

◼ Media, Market Research, & Academic Research

◼ YOU!
CE Data in Recent External Publications

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Inflation & Cost of Living

• Inflation does vary between rural and urban Minnesota, Center for Rural Policy and Development

• Grocery Inflation is Finally Showing Signs of Cooling, Whitehouse.gov

• Diverging Cost of Living, Wesleyan University

Spending by Demographic 

• The economic disparity between Hispanic and non‐Hispanic White households: An analysis of 

middle‐class achievement, American Journal of Economics and Sociology

• Educational Expenditure of Asian American Families, Research in Social Stratification and Mobility

• An Updated Estimation Model of the Cost of Raising Children in Texas, Child & Family Research 

Partnership

Spending on Goods & Services 

• How to pick the ‘right’ amount to spend on holiday gifts – according to an economist, Oklahoma News

• Who spends the most time (and money) on pets? The Washington Post
Contact Information

18 — U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS • bls.gov

Adam Safir

Consumer Expenditure Surveys Program

safir.adam@bls.gov