Table 8. Region of residence: Average annual expenditures and characteristics, Consumer

Expenditure Survey, 2007-2008

Item

All

consumer

units

Northeast Midwest South West

Number of consumer units (in thousands) ................. 120,471 22,365 27,624 43,424 27,059 

Consumer unit characteristics: 

Income before taxes ............................................... $63,328 $70,186 $60,231 $58,555 $68,479 

Income after taxes .................................................. 61,317 67,809 58,660 56,838 65,850 

Age of reference person .......................................... 49.0 50.7 48.5 49.0 47.8 

Average number in consumer unit:

Persons ................................................................. 2.5 2.4 2.4 2.5 2.6 

Children under 18 .................................................. .6 .6 .6 .6 .7 

Persons 65 and older ............................................ .3 .3 .3 .3 .3 

Earners .................................................................. 1.3 1.3 1.4 1.3 1.4 

Vehicles ................................................................. 1.9 1.7 2.1 1.9 2.0 

Percent distribution:

Sex of reference person:

Male ....................................................................... 47 45 49 45 49 

Female ................................................................... 53 55 51 55 51 

Housing tenure:

Homeowner ........................................................... 67 65 68 69 63 

With mortgage ..................................................... 43 41 44 43 44 

Without mortgage ................................................ 24 24 25 26 19 

Renter .................................................................... 33 35 32 31 37 

Race of reference person:

Black or African-American ..................................... 12 11 9 20 4 

White, Asian, and all other races ........................... 88 89 91 80 96 

Hispanic or Latino origin of reference person:

Hispanic or Latino .................................................. 12 9 4 13 19 

Not Hispanic or Latino ........................................... 88 91 96 87 81 

Education of reference person:

Elementary (1-8) .................................................... 5 4 4 6 5 

High school (9-12) ................................................. 35 37 34 38 30 

College .................................................................. 60 59 61 56 65 

Never attended and other ...................................... 1 ( ) 1 ( ) 1 ( ) 1 ( ) 1 ( )

At least one vehicle owned or leased ...................... 88 80 90 90 91 

Average annual expenditures .................................... $50,063 $53,268 $47,929 $46,149 $55,873 

Food ........................................................................ 6,288 6,688 5,878 5,946 6,925 

Food at home ........................................................ 3,605 3,806 3,389 3,404 3,982 

Cereals and bakery products ............................... 483 537 463 455 504 

Cereals and cereal products .............................. 156 176 147 143 170 

Bakery products ................................................. 327 361 316 312 335 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs .............................. 812 875 720 807 860 

Beef ................................................................... 228 221 212 231 243 

Pork ................................................................... 156 152 145 167 154 

Other meats ....................................................... 105 125 105 99 100 

Poultry ............................................................... 150 168 123 153 160 

Fish and seafood ............................................... 125 163 96 111 145 

Eggs .................................................................. 47 48 39 46 56 

Dairy products ..................................................... 409 430 398 380 448 

Fresh milk and cream ........................................ 161 163 153 159 172 

Other dairy products .......................................... 248 267 245 221 276 

Fruits and vegetables .......................................... 628 686 568 566 743 

Fresh fruits ......................................................... 212 229 195 183 262 

Fresh vegetables ............................................... 201 222 168 178 254 

Processed fruits ................................................. 114 135 108 103 123 

Processed vegetables ....................................... 101 100 97 102 104 

See footnotes at end of table.
Table 8. Region of residence: Average annual expenditures and characteristics, Consumer

Expenditure Survey, 2007-2008 — Continued

Item

All

consumer

units

Northeast Midwest South West

Other food at home .............................................. $1,273 $1,278 $1,240 $1,196 $1,428 

Sugar and other sweets ..................................... 127 129 132 115 139 

Fats and oils ...................................................... 98 103 92 94 105 

Miscellaneous foods .......................................... 665 654 658 623 748 

Nonalcoholic beverages .................................... 338 343 314 329 373 

Food prepared by consumer unit on out-of-town

trips .................................................................. 46 49 44 35 64 

Food away from home ........................................... 2,683 2,881 2,489 2,543 2,942 

Alcoholic beverages ................................................ 450 481 476 386 503 

Housing ................................................................... 17,015 19,305 15,466 15,095 19,784 

Shelter ................................................................... 10,103 11,831 8,881 8,357 12,725 

Owned dwellings ................................................. 6,745 7,752 6,260 5,683 8,114 

Mortgage interest and charges .......................... 3,858 3,775 3,264 3,355 5,342 

Property taxes ................................................... 1,734 2,722 1,863 1,262 1,540 

Maintenance, repairs, insurance, other

expenses ......................................................... 1,154 1,255 1,133 1,066 1,232 

Rented dwellings ................................................. 2,663 3,052 1,942 2,185 3,845 

Other lodging ....................................................... 694 1,027 679 488 766 

Utilities, fuels, and public services ......................... 3,563 3,975 3,426 3,604 3,299 

Natural gas .......................................................... 506 690 748 291 450 

Electricity ............................................................. 1,328 1,289 1,120 1,608 1,124 

Fuel oil and other fuels ........................................ 171 527 132 77 69 

Telephone services ............................................. 1,118 1,127 1,046 1,167 1,108 

Water and other public services .......................... 440 342 380 461 547 

Household operations ............................................ 991 1,094 859 922 1,151 

Personal services ................................................ 399 470 375 368 416 

Other household expenses .................................. 592 623 484 554 736 

Housekeeping supplies ......................................... 647 620 649 620 709 

Laundry and cleaning supplies ............................ 144 131 140 154 142 

Other household products ................................... 348 333 347 332 390 

Postage and stationery ........................................ 154 156 162 135 177 

Household furnishings and equipment .................. 1,711 1,786 1,651 1,592 1,900 

Household textiles ............................................... 130 125 105 130 158 

Furniture .............................................................. 417 504 377 395 420 

Floor coverings .................................................... 46 59 51 35 45 

Major appliances ................................................. 218 224 218 203 236 

Small appliances, miscellaneous housewares .... 107 105 104 96 129 

Miscellaneous household equipment .................. 794 769 796 733 912 

Apparel and services ............................................... 1,841 2,021 1,743 1,733 1,965 

Men and boys ........................................................ 431 437 364 426 504 

Men, 16 and over ................................................. 348 344 280 342 428 

Boys, 2 to 15 ........................................................ 84 93 83 84 75 

Women and girls .................................................... 734 806 750 676 749 

Women, 16 and over ........................................... 612 675 630 555 632 

Girls, 2 to 15 ........................................................ 121 130 119 121 117 

Children under 2 .................................................... 93 88 99 84 106 

Footwear ................................................................ 321 347 299 316 328 

Other apparel products and services ..................... 262 344 231 230 278 

Transportation ......................................................... 8,680 8,455 8,550 8,484 9,314 

Vehicle purchases (net outlay) .............................. 2,999 2,597 3,138 2,969 3,236 

Cars and trucks, new ........................................... 1,438 1,376 1,402 1,439 1,525 

Cars and trucks, used .......................................... 1,441 1,149 1,571 1,429 1,569 

Other vehicles ...................................................... 120 73 165 102 142 

Gasoline and motor oil ........................................... 2,550 2,233 2,537 2,731 2,533 

See footnotes at end of table.
Table 8. Region of residence: Average annual expenditures and characteristics, Consumer

Expenditure Survey, 2007-2008 — Continued

Item

All

consumer

units

Northeast Midwest South West

Other vehicle expenses ......................................... $2,607 $2,867 $2,445 $2,434 $2,832 

Vehicle finance charges ...................................... 309 241 285 353 318 

Maintenance and repairs ..................................... 734 755 693 669 863 

Vehicle insurance ................................................ 1,092 1,215 944 1,112 1,110 

Vehicle rental, leases, licenses, and other

charges .............................................................. 471 656 523 300 541 

Public transportation .............................................. 525 757 430 349 713 

Healthcare ............................................................... 2,914 2,840 3,073 2,825 2,958 

Health insurance .................................................... 1,599 1,646 1,681 1,566 1,531 

Medical services .................................................... 718 634 764 647 855 

Drugs ..................................................................... 481 439 494 511 456 

Medical supplies .................................................... 116 121 134 101 116 

Entertainment .......................................................... 2,767 2,885 2,672 2,417 3,327 

Fees and admissions ............................................. 637 764 611 492 791 

Audio and visual equipment and services ............. 1,012 1,050 950 999 1,062 

Pets, toys, hobbies, and playground equipment .... 632 645 561 574 787 

Other entertainment supplies, equipment, and

services ............................................................... 486 427 550 352 687 

Personal care products and services ...................... 602 624 547 573 686 

Reading ................................................................... 117 138 122 88 140 

Education ................................................................. 996 1,374 1,107 770 930 

Tobacco products and smoking supplies ................ 320 342 361 328 246 

Miscellaneous .......................................................... 824 889 751 698 1,045 

Cash contributions ................................................... 1,779 1,453 1,748 1,753 2,121 

Personal insurance and pensions ........................... 5,471 5,772 5,434 5,054 5,928 

Life and other personal insurance ......................... 313 363 326 310 263 

Pensions and Social Security ................................ 5,158 5,409 5,108 4,744 5,665 

Sources of income and personal taxes: 

Money income before taxes .................................... 63,328 70,186 60,231 58,555 68,479 

Wages and salaries ............................................... 50,666 57,619 47,811 46,841 53,971 

Self-employment income ....................................... 3,332 3,034 3,388 2,587 4,715 

Social Security, private and government

retirement ............................................................ 6,478 6,571 6,329 6,599 6,361 

Interest, dividends, rental income, other property

income ................................................................. 1,627 1,604 1,528 1,446 2,037 

Unemployment and workers’ compensation,

veterans’ benefits ................................................ 221 264 271 177 203 

Public assistance, supplemental security income,

food stamps ......................................................... 352 401 304 328 398 

Regular contributions for support .......................... 454 474 413 394 578 

Other income ......................................................... 198 221 188 183 215 

Personal taxes ......................................................... 2,011 2,377 1,571 1,716 2,629 

Federal income taxes ............................................ 1,693 1,777 1,251 1,611 2,209 

2008 Tax stimulus (new UCC Q20082) ................. -393 -378 -422 -393 -374 

State and local income taxes ................................. 505 661 495 346 642 

Other taxes ............................................................ 205 318 247 153 153 

See footnotes at end of table.
Table 8. Region of residence: Average annual expenditures and characteristics, Consumer

Expenditure Survey, 2007-2008 — Continued

Item

All

consumer

units

Northeast Midwest South West

Income after taxes ................................................... 61,317 67,809 58,660 56,838 65,850 

Addenda:

Net change in total assets and liabilities .................. - $3,298 - $1,617 - $4,105 - $1,801 - $6,265 

Net change in total assets ..................................... 8,994 8,621 6,537 6,426 15,931 

Net change in total liabilities .................................. 12,292 10,238 10,641 8,228 22,196 

Other financial information:

Other money receipts ............................................ 573 480 564 527 731 

Mortgage principal paid on owned property .......... -2,287 -2,392 -2,211 -1,978 -2,771 

Estimated market value of owned home ............... 176,050 206,347 136,128 137,697 253,313 

Estimated monthly rental value of owned home .... 888 1,010 773 816 1,020 

Gifts of goods and services ..................................... 1,204 1,382 1,223 1,065 1,261 

Food ...................................................................... 95 109 103 86 91 

Alcoholic beverages .............................................. 13 12 12 13 15 

Housing ................................................................. 227 243 241 201 241 

Housekeeping supplies ....................................... 31 25 40 24 37 

Household textiles ............................................... 13 14 11 12 15 

Appliances and miscellaneous housewares ........ 21 20 17 22 23 

Major appliances ............................................... 7 7 5 7 10 

Small appliances and miscellaneous

housewares ..................................................... 14 14 12 15 14 

Miscellaneous household equipment .................. 56 54 69 41 70 

Other housing ...................................................... 106 129 104 102 95 

Apparel and services ............................................. 232 252 238 221 226 

Males, 2 and over ................................................ 52 51 49 56 51 

Females, 2 and over ............................................ 83 102 90 73 75 

Children under 2 .................................................. 47 47 47 43 56 

Other apparel products and services ................... 49 52 52 50 43 

Jewelry and watches ......................................... 20 19 24 17 19 

All other apparel products and services ............ 30 34 28 33 24 

Transportation ....................................................... 104 72 77 114 142 

Healthcare ............................................................. 23 17 21 16 39 

Entertainment ........................................................ 96 87 94 90 114 

Toys, games, arts and crafts, and tricycles ......... 32 34 30 33 31 

Other entertainment ............................................. 64 53 64 57 83 

Personal care products and services .................... 15 13 11 17 16 

Reading ................................................................. 1 2 1 1 1 

Education ............................................................... 303 478 332 236 238 

All other gifts .......................................................... 96 97 93 71 139 

1 Value is less than or equal to 0.5.