Average annual expenditures and characteristics of all consumer units, Consumer Expenditure Survey, 

1992-1999

Item 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999

See footnotes at end of table. 1

Number of consumer units (in thousands) 100,019 100,049 102,210 103,123 104,212 105,576 107,182 108,465

Consumer unit characteristics:

Income before taxes 1$33,854 $34,868 $36,181 $36,918 $38,014 $39,926 $41,622 $43,951

Income after taxes 130,786 31,890 33,098 33,864 34,864 36,684 38,358 40,652

Age of reference person 47.6 47.8 47.6 48.0 47.7 47.7 47.6 47.9

Average number in consumer unit:

Persons 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5

Children under 18 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7

Persons 65 and over 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3

Earners 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.3

Vehicles 1.9 1.9 1.9 1.9 1.9 2.0 2.0 1.9

Percent distribution:

Sex of reference person:

Male 64 63 62 62 60 59 58 55

Female 36 37 38 38 40 41 42 45

Housing tenure:

Homeowner 61 63 63 64 64 64 64 65

With mortgage 36 37 37 38 38 38 39 38

Without mortgage 25 26 26 26 26 26 26 27

Renter 39 37 37 36 36 36 36 35

Race of reference person:

Black 11 12 11 11 12 12 12 12

White and other 89 88 89 89 88 88 88 88

Education of reference person:

Elementary (1-8) 10 10 8 9 8 7 7 6

High school (9-12) 43 43 43 44 41 39 39 39

College 46 47 48 47 50 53 54 55

Never attended and other 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

At least one vehicle owned 2

86 86 86 86 85 87 87 87

Average annual expenditures: $29,846 $30,692 $31,731 $32,264 $33,797 $34,819 $35,535 $36,995

Food 4,273 4,399 4,411 4,505 4,698 4,801 4,810 5,031

Food at home 2,643 2,735 2,712 2,803 2,876 2,880 2,780 2,915

Cereals and bakery products 411 434 429 441 447 453 425 448

Cereals and cereal products 141 160 162 165 166 161 146 160

Bakery products 270 274 267 276 281 292 278 288

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs 687 734 732 752 737 743 723 749

Beef 210 234 227 228 215 224 218 220

Pork 156 154 156 156 157 157 146 157
Average annual expenditures and characteristics of all consumer units, Consumer Expenditure Survey, 

1992-1999 - Continued

Item 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999

See footnotes at end of table. 2

Other meats 94 98 94 104 99 96 92 97

Poultry 123 131 137 138 144 145 137 136

Fish and seafood 77 87 89 97 88 89 98 106

Eggs 28 30 30 30 34 33 32 32

Dairy products 302 295 289 297 312 314 301 322

Fresh milk and cream 134 128 127 123 132 128 120 122

Other dairy products 168 167 162 174 180 186 181 200

Fruits and vegetables 428 444 437 457 490 476 472 500

Fresh fruits 127 137 133 144 153 150 149 152

Fresh vegetables 127 132 135 137 147 143 145 149

Processed fruits 100 96 93 96 110 102 101 113

Processed vegetables 74 79 76 80 80 80 76 86

Other food at home 814 827 825 856 889 895 858 896

Sugar and other sweets 102 113 105 112 114 114 109 112

Fats and oils 72 78 79 82 83 81 77 84

Miscellaneous foods 384 365 362 377 391 403 388 420

Nonalcoholic beverages 213 225 233 240 252 245 231 242

Food prep by cu, out-of-town trips 43 46 46 45 49 52 53 39

Food away from home 1,631 1,664 1,698 1,702 1,823 1,921 2,030 2,116

Alcoholic beverages 301 268 278 277 309 309 309 318

Housing 9,477 9,636 10,106 10,458 10,747 11,272 11,713 12,057

Shelter 5,411 5,415 5,686 5,928 6,064 6,344 6,680 7,016

Owned dwellings 3,310 3,331 3,492 3,749 3,783 3,935 4,245 4,525

Mortgage interest and charges 1,968 1,878 1,919 2,104 2,114 2,225 2,455 2,547

Property taxes 782 825 922 930 939 971 1,015 1,123

Maintenance, repairs, insurance, 

other expenses 560 628 651 715 729 738 775 854

Rented dwellings 1,761 1,714 1,799 1,788 1,864 1,983 1,978 2,027

Other lodging 340 370 395 391 417 426 458 465

Utilities, fuels, and public services 1,984 2,112 2,189 2,191 2,347 2,412 2,405 2,377

Natural gas 252 279 283 268 291 301 284 270

Electricity 787 836 861 869 907 909 921 899

Fuel oil and other fuels 92 99 98 86 108 108 85 74

Telephone 623 658 690 708 772 809 830 849

Water and other public services 230 241 257 259 268 286 285 285

Household operations 487 469 490 509 522 548 546 666

Personal services 242 228 230 258 259 263 260 323

Other household expenses 245 241 260 250 263 285 286 343

Housekeeping supplies 433 410 393 430 464 455 482 498

Laundry and cleaning supplies 118 103 109 110 119 116 118 121

Other household products 195 194 174 194 205 210 232 250

Postage and stationery 119 113 110 125 140 129 132 127

Household furnishings and equipment 1,162 1,230 1,348 1,401 1,350 1,512 1,601 1,499

Household textiles 92 102 100 100 76 79 105 114

Furniture 316 317 318 327 321 387 377 365

Floor coverings 71 87 120 177 101 78 144 44
Average annual expenditures and characteristics of all consumer units, Consumer Expenditure Survey, 

1992-1999 - Continued

Item 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999

See footnotes at end of table. 3

Major appliances 141 143 149 155 162 169 164 183

Small appliances, miscellaneous 

housewares 84 87 81 85 84 92 80 102

Miscellaneous household equipment 458 493 581 557 607 707 729 692

Apparel and services 1,710 1,676 1,644 1,704 1,752 1,729 1,674 1,743

Men and boys 450 426 395 425 423 407 399 421

Men, 16 and over 369 335 305 329 330 323 314 328

Boys, 2 to 15 80 90 90 96 93 84 85 93

Women and girls 680 658 652 660 718 680 651 655

Women, 16 and over 586 566 552 559 607 574 548 548

Girls, 2 to 15 94 93 100 101 111 106 103 107

Children under 2 78 79 80 81 82 77 73 67

Footwear 231 249 254 278 298 315 281 303

Other apparel products and services 272 264 264 259 230 250 270 297

Transportation 5,228 5,453 6,044 6,014 6,382 6,457 6,616 7,011

Vehicle purchases (net outlay) 2,189 2,319 2,725 2,638 2,815 2,736 2,964 3,305

Cars and trucks, new 1,131 1,216 1,391 1,198 1,209 1,229 1,383 1,628

Cars and trucks, used 1,022 1,079 1,290 1,406 1,568 1,464 1,532 1,641

Other vehicles 36 24 44 34 38 43 49 36

Gasoline and motor oil 973 977 986 1,006 1,082 1,098 1,017 1,055

Other vehicle expenses 1,776 1,843 1,953 2,015 2,058 2,230 2,206 2,254

Vehicle finance charges 256 244 235 260 276 293 319 320

Maintenance and repairs 612 620 680 653 645 682 641 664

Vehicle insurance 629 678 690 712 698 755 739 756

Vehicle rental, leases, licenses, other 

charges 279 301 347 389 440 501 507 513

Public transportation 290 314 381 355 427 393 429 397

Health care 1,634 1,776 1,755 1,732 1,770 1,841 1,903 1,959

Health insurance 725 800 815 860 827 881 913 923

Medical services 533 574 571 512 543 531 542 558

Drugs 278 301 286 280 303 320 346 370

Medical supplies 97 101 83 80 97 108 102 109

Entertainment 1,500 1,626 1,567 1,612 1,834 1,813 1,746 1,891

Fees and admissions 379 414 439 433 459 471 449 459

Television, radios, sound equipment 492 590 533 542 561 577 535 608

Pets, toys, and playground equipment 274 293 289 322 335 327 329 346

Other supplies, equipment, and services 355 328 306 315 479 439 433 478

Personal care products and services 387 385 397 403 513 528 401 408

Reading 162 166 165 162 159 164 161 159

Education 426 455 460 471 524 571 580 635
Average annual expenditures and characteristics of all consumer units, Consumer Expenditure Survey, 

1992-1999

Item 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999

See footnotes at end of table. 4

Tobacco products and smoking 

supplies 275 268 259 269 255 264 273 300

Miscellaneous 765 715 749 766 855 847 860 867

Cash contributions 958 961 960 925 940 1,001 1,109 1,181

Personal insurance and pensions 2,750 2,908 2,938 2,964 3,060 3,223 3,381 3,436

Life and other personal insurance 353 399 398 373 353 379 398 394

Pensions and Social Security 2,397 2,509 2,540 2,591 2,707 2,844 2,982 3,042

Sources of income and taxes: 1

Money income before taxes 33,854 34,868 36,181 36,918 38,014 39,926 41,622 43,951

Wages and salaries 25,064 26,494 27,795 28,474 29,560 31,506 32,889 34,456

Self-employment income 2,490 2,119 1,870 2,034 2,318 1,969 2,239 2,603

Social Security, private and 

government retirement 3,887 4,034 4,200 4,355 4,334 4,531 4,618 4,798

Interest, dividends, rental income, other 

property income 1,130 1,029 1,087 861 761 822 871 1,104

Unemployment and workers' 

compensation, veterans’ benefit 341 309 316 279 213 206 193 177

Public assistance, supplemental 

security, income, food stamps 471 468 483 462 437 382 330 320

Regular contributions for support 336 282 287 273 243 293 260 262

Other income 136 133 142 180 148 217 221 230

Personal taxes 13,068 2,978 3,083 3,054 3,150 3,241 3,264 3,299

Federal income taxes 2,286 2,217 2,288 2,235 2,372 2,468 2,472 2,513

State and local income taxes 624 601 629 640 665 645 630 616

Other taxes 157 160 166 179 113 129 162 170

Income after taxes 1

30,786 31,890 33,098 33,864 34,864 36,684 38,358 40,652

Addenda:

Net change in total assets and 

liabilities -1,529 -2,185 -562 -969 -1,689 1,105 -1,919 142

Net change in total assets 3,045 4,381 3,960 3,102 4,049 5,886 6,116 6,478

Net change in total liabilities 4,574 6,567 4,522 4,071 5,738 4,781 8,035 6,336

Other financial information

Other money receipts 400 435 567 462 309 458 463 651

Mortgage principal paid, owned 

property -844 -898 -1,107 -1,063 -960 -1,051 -1,160 -1,366

Estimated market value of owned home 66,530 66,719 68,759 71,655 73,168 76,480 80,523 87,582

Estimated monthly rental value of 

owned home 416 435 473 496 503 538 570 592
Average annual expenditures and characteristics of all consumer units, Consumer Expenditure Survey, 

1992-1999 - Continued

Item 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999

5

Gifts of goods and services 968 993 1,008 986 1,119 1,059 1,068 1,083

Food 76 77 84 88 62 68 84 83

Housing 276 267 262 250 280 273 314 292

Housekeeping supplies 39 36 38 38 40 37 41 41

Household textiles 13 12 16 10 8 8 16 17

Appliances and miscellaneous 

housewares 31 28 26 27 30 27 30 32

Major appliances 7 7 5 5 8 6 7 9

Small appliances and miscellaneous 

houseware 24 21 21 23 22 21 22 24

Miscellaneous household equipment 70 77 65 66 81 66 71 66

Other housing 123 113 117 108 120 135 156 136

Apparel and services 254 251 246 258 296 252 225 210

Males 2 and over 78 80 64 70 78 61 60 54

Females 2 and over 87 90 94 94 99 81 80 71

Children under 2 37 36 35 40 41 33 32 33

Other apparel products and services 53 46 53 55 78 77 52 52

Jewelry and watches 29 24 26 27 44 49 25 27

All other apparel products and 

services 24 21 27 29 34 29 27 25

Transportation 51 53 56 48 60 57 49 63

Health care 24 42 35 22 43 30 38 40

Entertainment 73 80 84 86 110 99 85 98

Toys, games, hobbies, and tricycles 28 31 32 29 40 41 30 32

Other entertainment 45 50 51 57 70 58 55 66

Education 107 116 114 120 128 155 154 166

All other gifts 106 107 127 114 140 125 119 131

1/ Components of income and taxes are derived from "complete income reporters" only; see glossary at 

http://www.bls.gov/cex/csxgloss.htm

2/ As of 1997 "At least one vehicle owned" was changed to include leased vehicles.

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. Also note, some data are likely to have large sampling errors.