Information 

Dissemination

and

Data Users
 Disseminating CE Products and Services:

- Expenditure tables

- Public use microdata

- Reports and analysis

 Data Users of the CE and their needs

Outline
CE: the Face of America
Published expenditures come from combining 

Interview and Diary items:

 The two surveys have approximately 225 overlapping 

detailed expenditure categories (UCC’s) out of 900

 The CE publishes integrated data, selecting just one 

source for a published expenditure

 In general, the source with the higher mean is 

selected

 Exceptions are based on insufficient sample size and 

the need for including reimbursements

CE Tables and Source Selection
Expenditures by Age, Income, Household size,

We publish Standard Tables on the Web

using integrated data from both surveys
Expenditures by Education level, Race, Ethnicity, 

Region,

Standard Tables on the Web
By income quintile, by Urban/Rural, by family size 

and age of children, and owner/renter.

Standard Tables on the Web
In addition, the CE publishes:

 Annual Expenditure Share tables for the same 

categories

 Aggregate Expenditure Share Tables

 Annual Standard Error Tables –variance data 

available starting in 2000

 2-Year cross-tabulated tables, such as consumer 

unit size by income

 2-Year Metropolitan Statistical Area tables

Additional on-line CE Tables
Contains the most 

detailed subcategories.

30 Page Prepublication Table

Available Only Upon Request
 The Bureau of Labor Statistics sells CD-ROMs 

containing annual CE Survey public use 

microdata

 The CD-ROMs contain Interview survey data, 

Diary survey data, summary variables, and 

sample programs

Public Use Microdata CDs
 The microdata CDs contain a detailed description 

of the demographic characteristics of each 

consumer unit and a description of the reported 

expenditures and dollar amounts

 Care is taken to protect the confidentiality of the 

respondents through topcoding or adding noise to 

the data, and by suppressing some geographic 

and other details

Public Use Microdata
 The CE sells approximately 300 of these CDs 

annually

 Each summer the CE hosts a free workshop for 

microdata users to learn how to correctly use the 

data. First held in July 2006

 Hands-on training in the BLS computer labs and 

information sessions conducted by staff and 

microdata users

Public Use Microdata
 Press Releases and 

Annual Report

 Biannual Reports

 CE Research Anthologies

 MLR articles, Quarterly 

Focus articles, & more

Other CE Data Products
 CPI

 Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA)

 IRS

 U.S. Defense Department

 U.S. Bureau of the Census

 Other Federal Agencies

 State governments

 Businesses

 Researchers

 General Public

Data Users of the CE and their needs
 The CPI has been moving towards a cost of living 

index with more frequently updated relative 

shares

 The weights make a difference – the 2006 Social 

Security payments indexed to the CPI were higher 

because the CPI-W showed inflation increased 

faster for wage earners’ expenditures than for the 

overall CPI-U.

CPI
 The CE provides data on Owners’ Equivalent Rent

 used in calculating the Group Health Insurance 

component of Employer Contributions for 

Employee Pension and Insurance Funds for the 

national income estimates

 used to estimate tenants’ unreimbursed 

expenditures for major replacements and for 

maintenance and repairs

 used for estimates of motor vehicle leasing and 

taxicab expenditures.

BEA use of CE data
 The CE produces special 

data tabulations on the 

purchase of taxable items 

for use in calculating the 

sales tax deductions 

 The IRS also uses CE data 

in evaluating standard 

expenditures and income 

for targeted groups

IRS
 The Defense 

Department uses CE 

data in calculating costof-living allowances for 

military personnel not 

living on military bases 

 The CE annually 

provides 3-year 

compilations of 

expenditures by these 

personnel

Defense Department
 US Census Bureau with the BLS Division of Price 

Index Number Research (DPINR) has done extensive 

research on alternative and supplemental measures 

of poverty using CE data. 

 These measures are based on recommendations by 

the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) and 

observations of a 2010 Interagency Technical 

Working Group. 

 More information is at:

http://www.bls.gov/pir/spmhome.htm

US Census Bureau and Poverty Measures
The Census Bureau uses 

annual CE data to 

estimate improvements in 

residences for their PFEI 

Construction Put in Place 

US Census Bureau and Construction Put 

in Place 
 Federal agencies

 State governments

 Reporters

 Businesses and Attorneys

 Research Firms

 Universities and Students

 General Public

Other Customers
 Total expenditures in one time period for a household

 Detailed demographic data – number and ages of 

persons, education, race, income, taxes, work status 

and occupation (especially farmer/military, wage 

earner & clerical) urban/rural, Hispanic origin, etc.

 12-months of spending for one consumer unit

 Assets and liabilities and accurate savings information

 Housing description

 Information about vehicles 

 Supporting information for poverty calculations 

regarding near-cash income and public transfers

Examples of General Research Needs
Our most popular web pages according to the 

number of hits in 2010 were: 

Reports on annual spending 

 Research anthologies

 Standard tables by age, income, or 

household composition 

 Our online information about the surveys

General Public
CE Data are released annually and are final upon 

release

 No preliminary estimates

Publication Schedule