Average annual expenditures and characteristics of all consumer units, 

Consumer Expenditure Survey, 2000-2005 

Item 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 

See footnotes at end of table. 1 

 

Number of consumer units (in 

thousands) 109,367 110,339 112,108 115,356 116,282 117,356 

 

Consumer unit characteristics: 

 

 Income before taxes 1 $44,649 $47,507 $49,430 $51,128 $54,453 $58,712 

 Income after taxes 1 41,532 44,587 46,934 48,596 52,287 56,304 

 Age of reference person 48.2 48.1 48.1 48.4 48.5 48.6 

 

 Average number in consumer unit: 

 Persons 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 

 Children under 18 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.6 0.6 0.6 

 Persons 65 and over 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 

 Earners 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.3 1.3 1.3 

 Vehicles 1.9 1.9 2.0 1.9 1.9 2.0 

 

Percent distribution: 

 

Sex of reference person: 

 Male 53 51 51 50 48 47 

 Female 47 49 49 50 52 53 

 

 Housing tenure: 

 Homeowner 66 66 66 67 68 67 

 With mortgage 39 40 41 41 42 43 

 Without mortgage 27 26 26 26 25 25 

 Renter 34 34 34 33 32 33 

 

 Race of reference person: 

 Black 12 12 12 12 12 12 

 White, Asian, and all other races 88 88 88 88 88 88 

 

Education of reference person: 

 Elementary (1-8) 66665 5

 High school (9-12) 39 38 38 36 35 36 

 College 54 56 56 57 59 59 

 Never attended and other 00000 0

 

 At least one vehicle owned or leased 88 88 88 88 88 88 

 

Average annual expenditures: $38,045 $39,518 $40,677 $40,817 $43,395 $46,409 

 

 Food 5,158 5,321 5,375 5,340 5,781 5,931 

 Food at home 3,021 3,086 3,099 3,129 3,347 3,297 

 Cereals and bakery products 453 452 450 442 461 445 

 Cereals and cereal products 156 156 154 150 154 143 

 Bakery products 297 296 296 292 307 302 

 Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs 795 828 798 825 880 764 

 Beef 238 248 231 246 265 228 
Average annual expenditures and characteristics of all consumer units, 

Consumer Expenditure Survey, 2000-2005 - Continued

Item 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 

 2

 Pork 167 177 167 171 181 153 

 Other meats 101 102 101 102 108 103 

 Poultry 145 152 144 145 156 134 

 Fish and seafood 110 114 121 124 128 113 

 Eggs 34 35 34 37 42 33 

 

 Dairy products 325 332 328 328 371 378 

 Fresh milk and cream 131 136 127 127 144 146 

 Other dairy products 193 196 201 201 226 232 

 Fruits and vegetables 521 522 552 535 561 552 

 Fresh fruits 163 160 178 171 187 182 

 Fresh vegetables 159 162 175 172 183 175 

 Processed fruits 115 116 116 108 110 106 

 Processed vegetables 84 84 83 84 82 89 

 Other food at home 927 952 970 999 1,075 1,158 

 Sugar and other sweets 117 116 117 119 128 119 

 Fats and oils 83 87 85 86 89 85 

 Miscellaneous foods 437 455 472 490 527 609 

 Nonalcoholic beverages 250 256 254 268 290 303 

 Food prep by cu, out-of-town trips 40 38 41 36 41 41 

 Food away from home 2,137 2,235 2,276 2,211 2,434 2,634 

 

 Alcoholic beverages 372 349 376 391 459 426 

 

 Housing 12,319 13,011 13,283 13,432 13,918 15,167 

 Shelter 7,114 7,602 7,829 7,887 7,998 8,805 

 Owned dwellings 4,602 4,979 5,165 5,263 5,324 5,958 

 Mortgage interest and charges 2,639 2,862 2,962 2,954 2,936 3,317 

 Property taxes 1,139 1,233 1,242 1,344 1,391 1,541 

 Maintenance, repairs, insurance, 

other expenses 825 884 960 965 997 1,101 

 Rented dwellings 2,034 2,134 2,160 2,179 2,201 2,345 

 Other lodging 478 489 505 445 473 502 

 

 Utilities, fuels, and public services 2,489 2,767 2,684 2,811 2,927 3,183 

 Natural gas 307 411 330 392 424 473 

 Electricity 911 1,009 981 1,028 1,064 1,155 

 Fuel oil and other fuels 97 112 88 110 121 142 

 Telephone 877 914 957 956 990 1,048 

 Water and other public services 296 321 328 326 327 366 

 Household operations 684 676 706 707 753 801 

 Personal services 326 291 331 294 300 322 

 Other household expenses 358 385 375 414 453 479 

 

 Housekeeping supplies 482 509 545 529 594 611 

 Laundry and cleaning supplies 131 131 131 132 149 134 

 Other household products 226 255 283 263 290 320 

 Postage and stationery 126 122 131 133 155 157 

 Household furnishings and equipment 1,549 1,458 1,518 1,497 1,646 1,767 

 Household textiles 106 114 136 113 158 132 

 Furniture 391 372 401 401 417 467 
Average annual expenditures and characteristics of all consumer units, 

Consumer Expenditure Survey, 2000-2005 - Continued

Item 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 

 3

 Floor coverings 44 40 40 52 52 56 

 Major appliances 189 178 188 196 204 223 

 Small appliances, miscellaneous 

housewares 87 87 100 88 105 105 

 Miscellaneous household equipment 731 667 652 648 711 782 

 

 Apparel and services 1,856 1,743 1,749 1,640 1,816 1,886 

 Men and boys 440 423 409 372 406 440 

 Men, 16 and over 344 335 319 282 317 349 

 Boys, 2 to 15 96 88 90 89 89 91 

 Women and girls 725 677 704 634 739 754 

 Women, 16 and over 607 562 587 529 631 633 

 Girls, 2 to 15 118 115 117 106 108 121 

 Children under 2 82 81 83 81 79 82 

 Footwear 343 302 313 294 329 320 

 Other apparel products and services 266 259 240 258 264 290 

 

 Transportation 7,417 7,633 7,759 7,781 7,801 8,344 

 Vehicle purchases (net outlay) 3,418 3,579 3,665 3,732 3,397 3,544 

 Cars and trucks, new 1,605 1,685 1,753 2,052 1,748 1,931 

 Cars and trucks, used 1,770 1,848 1,842 1,611 1,582 1,531 

 Other vehicles 43 46 70 68 66 82 

 Gasoline and motor oil 1,291 1,279 1,235 1,333 1,598 2,013 

 Other vehicle expenses 2,281 2,375 2,471 2,331 2,365 2,339 

 Vehicle finance charges 328 359 397 371 323 297 

 Maintenance and repairs 624 662 697 619 652 671 

 Vehicle insurance 778 819 894 905 964 913 

 Vehicle rental, leases, licenses, other 

charges 551 534 483 436 426 458 

 Public transportation 427 400 389 385 441 448 

 

 Health care 2,066 2,182 2,350 2,416 2,574 2,664 

 Health insurance 983 1,061 1,168 1,252 1,332 1,361 

 Medical services 568 573 590 591 648 677 

 Drugs 416 449 487 467 480 521 

 Medical supplies 99 100 105 107 114 105 

 

 Entertainment 1,863 1,953 2,079 2,060 2,218 2,388 

 Fees and admissions 515 526 542 494 528 588 

 Television, radios, sound equipment2 622 660 692 730 788 888 

 Pets, toys, hobbies and playground 

equipment 334 337 369 378 381 420 

 Other supplies, equipment, and services 393 430 476 457 522 492 

 

 Personal care products and services 564 485 526 527 581 541 

 

 Reading 146 141 139 127 130 126 

 

 Education 632 648 752 783 905 940 

 
Average annual expenditures and characteristics of all consumer units, 

Consumer Expenditure Survey, 2000-2005 

Item 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 

See footnotes at end of table. 4

 Tobacco products and smoking 

supplies 319 308 320 290 288 319 

 

 Miscellaneous 776 750 792 606 690 808 

 

 Cash contributions 1,192 1,258 1,277 1,370 1,408 1,663 

 

 Personal insurance and pensions 3,365 3,737 3,899 4,055 4,823 5,204 

 Life and other personal insurance 399 410 406 397 390 381 

 Pensions and Social Security 2,966 3,326 3,493 3,658 4,433 4,823 

 

Sources of income and taxes: 

 

 Money income before taxes1 44,649 47,507 49,430 51,128 54,453 58,712 

 Wages and salaries 35,579 38,334 39,864 41,200 43,192 46,291 

 Self-employment income 2,344 2,231 2,237 2,138 3,008 3,772 

 Social Security, private and government 

retirement 4,856 4,963 5,234 5,601 5,848 6,147 

 Interest, dividends, rental income, other 

property income 927 951 924 1,097 1,261 1,379 

 Unemployment and workers' 

compensation, veterans’ benefit 192 171 233 269 237 203 

 Public assistance, supplemental security 

income, food stamps 310 384 352 314 308 343 

 Regular contributions for support 309 315 412 343 413 382 

 Other income 133 158 173 165 187 194 

 

 Personal taxes 1 3,117 2,920 2,496 2,532 2,166 2,408 

 Federal income taxes 2,409 2,237 1,843 1,843 1,519 1,696 

 State and local income taxes 562 555 506 502 472 534 

 Other taxes 146 129 147 187 175 177 

 

 Income after taxes 1 41,532 44,587 46,934 48,596 52,287 56,304 

 

Addenda: 

 

 Net change in total assets and 

liabilities 457 -2,059 -5,612 -14,376 -7,567 -9,495 

 Net change in total assets 6,016 5,678 5,736 6,451 9,211 10,661 

 Net change in total liabilities 5,560 7,737 11,348 20,827 16,778 20,157 

 

 Other financial information 

 

 Other money receipts 594 372 539 530 556 530 

 Mortgage principal paid, owned 

property -1,172 -1,397 -1,382 -1,565 -1,791 -2,092 

 Estimated market value of owned home 92,665 103,975 106,766 122,059 137,639 164,800 

 Estimated monthly rental value of 

owned home 629 690 720 750 781 833 
Average annual expenditures and characteristics of all consumer units, 

Consumer Expenditure Survey, 2000-2005 

Item 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 

5

 Gifts of goods and services 1,083 1,012 1,036 1,007 1,215 1,091 

 Food 70 69 82 78 74 111 

 Alcoholic beverages3 14 14 13 16 20 14 

 Housing 291 258 259 220 283 233 

 Housekeeping supplies 39 41 42 42 61 31 

 Household textiles 13 14 14 13 19 13 

 Appliances and miscellaneous 

housewares 28 25 24 25 32 24 

 Major appliances 8 6 8 7 12 7 

 Small appliances, miscellaneous 

housewares 21 19 16 18 20 17 

 Miscellaneous household equipment 70 59 65 57 72 66 

 Other housing 140 119 114 85 99 98 

 Apparel and services 244 237 237 225 286 205 

 Males, 2 and over 68 61 64 56 76 48 

 Females, 2 and over 85 89 82 80 101 77 

 Children under 2 41 42 40 39 38 37 

 Other apparel products and services 51 45 52 50 71 42 

 Jewelry and watches 20 17 24 26 24 22 

 All other apparel products and 

services 30 28 28 25 47 21 

 Transportation 70 70 44 60 51 58 

 Health care 38 35 33 48 49 44 

 Entertainment 94 74 78 69 78 74 

 Toys, games, hobbies, and tricycles 30 30 30 26 28 25 

 Other entertainment 64 44 48 43 51 49 

 Personal care products and services3 19 21 21 16 29 16 

 Reading3 21 1 1 1 1

 Education 151 160 184 200 250 247 

 All other gifts3 89 73 84 74 94 88 

1/ Components of income and taxes are derived from "complete income reporters" only through 2003; (see 

 glossary at http://www.bls.gov/cex/csxgloss.htm ). Beginning in 2004 income imputation was implemented. 

 As a result, all consumer units are considered to be complete income reporters. 

2/ As of 2005 the title of Televisions, radio, sound equipment was changed to Audio and visual equipment and services. 

3/ Prior to 2000, gifts of Alcoholic beverages, Personal care products and services, and Reading 

 materials were included in "All other gifts". 

Note: All values have been rounded, and as a result some cell values have been rounded to zero. This is particularly evident in the 

characteristic section. When data are not reported or are not applicable (i.e., missing values), tabulated cell values have been set to 

zero.