Table 3850. Consumer units with reference person age 65 and over by region of

residence: Average annual expenditures and characteristics, Consumer Expenditure

Survey, 2007-2008

Item

Total

65 and

over

Northeast Midwest South West

Number of consumer units (in thousands) ....... 23,731 4,926 5,432 8,495 4,879 

Consumer unit characteristics: 

Income before taxes ..................................... $39,816 $40,742 $38,431 $38,443 $42,816 

Income after taxes ........................................ 39,008 39,831 37,979 37,684 41,627 

Age of reference person ................................ 75.1 75.7 75.1 74.9 74.8 

Average number in consumer unit:

Persons ........................................................ 1.7 1.6 1.6 1.7 1.7 

Children under 18 ........................................ 1 ( ) 1 ( ) 1 ( ) .1 1 ( )

Persons 65 and older ................................... 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.3 

Earners ........................................................ .4 .4 .4 .5 .4 

Vehicles ....................................................... 1.6 1.2 1.7 1.6 1.7 

Percent distribution:

Sex of reference person:

Male ............................................................. 43 41 44 43 44 

Female ......................................................... 57 59 56 57 56 

Housing tenure:

Homeowner .................................................. 79 73 79 83 80 

With mortgage ............................................ 21 16 20 22 26 

Without mortgage ....................................... 58 57 59 61 53 

Renter .......................................................... 21 27 21 17 20 

Race of reference person:

Black or African-American ........................... 9 8 8 14 3 

White, Asian, and all other races ................. 91 92 92 86 97 

Hispanic or Latino origin of reference person:

Hispanic or Latino ........................................ 6 5 1 6 10 

Not Hispanic or Latino .................................. 94 95 99 94 90 

Education of reference person:

Elementary (1-8) .......................................... 10 9 10 14 6 

High school (9-12) ........................................ 46 50 50 45 39 

College ......................................................... 43 41 40 41 54 

Never attended and other ............................ 1 2 ( ) 2 ( ) 1 1 

At least one vehicle owned or leased ............ 84 75 87 87 86 

Average annual expenditures .......................... $36,687 $38,562 $35,506 $34,279 $40,322 

Food ............................................................... 4,604 4,750 4,240 4,475 5,089 

Food at home ............................................... 2,990 3,015 2,718 2,949 3,346 

Cereals and bakery products ..................... 420 426 384 424 446 

Cereals and cereal products .................... 124 124 108 128 133 

Bakery products ....................................... 296 302 277 296 314 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs .................... 661 663 611 668 700 

Beef .......................................................... 178 153 205 179 171 

Pork .......................................................... 140 127 120 163 135 

Other meats ............................................. 86 99 84 80 85 

Poultry ...................................................... 106 101 95 110 118 

Fish and seafood ..................................... 108 142 71 92 144 

Eggs ......................................................... 42 41 35 45 47 

Dairy products ............................................ 347 342 324 338 395 

Fresh milk and cream .............................. 131 130 128 134 130 

Other dairy products ................................ 216 212 196 204 265 

Fruits and vegetables ................................. 567 606 502 546 637 

Fresh fruits ............................................... 195 205 172 187 225 

Fresh vegetables ..................................... 179 199 153 168 210 

Processed fruits ....................................... 106 123 99 100 108 

Processed vegetables .............................. 87 79 79 92 95 

See footnotes at end of table.
Table 3850. Consumer units with reference person age 65 and over by region of

residence: Average annual expenditures and characteristics, Consumer Expenditure

Survey, 2007-2008 — Continued

Item

Total

65 and

over

Northeast Midwest South West

Other food at home .................................... $996 $978 $896 $973 $1,168 

Sugar and other sweets ........................... 119 116 119 109 142 

Fats and oils ............................................. 92 85 81 101 97 

Miscellaneous foods ................................ 499 491 440 484 599 

Nonalcoholic beverages ........................... 248 240 222 249 285 

Food prepared by consumer unit on

out-of-town trips ..................................... 37 45 34 30 45 

Food away from home ................................. 1,613 1,735 1,522 1,526 1,743 

Alcoholic beverages ....................................... 268 264 243 256 322 

Housing .......................................................... 12,698 14,826 12,170 11,084 13,956 

Shelter .......................................................... 6,797 8,626 6,404 5,319 7,961 

Owned dwellings ........................................ 4,552 5,493 4,347 3,792 5,152 

Mortgage interest and charges ................ 1,304 951 1,115 1,231 1,997 

Property taxes .......................................... 1,709 2,710 1,861 1,190 1,433 

Maintenance, repairs, insurance, other

expenses ................................................ 1,539 1,831 1,371 1,371 1,722 

Rented dwellings ........................................ 1,649 2,135 1,491 1,164 2,176 

Other lodging ............................................. 597 998 566 363 633 

Utilities, fuels, and public services ............... 3,217 3,571 3,133 3,191 2,997 

Natural gas ................................................. 518 680 738 321 454 

Electricity .................................................... 1,204 1,130 1,066 1,413 1,067 

Fuel oil and other fuels ............................... 244 609 175 141 131 

Telephone services .................................... 815 790 775 864 799 

Water and other public services ................. 436 361 379 452 546 

Household operations .................................. 855 929 741 834 944 

Personal services ....................................... 211 273 209 201 170 

Other household expenses ........................ 644 656 532 633 774 

Housekeeping supplies ................................ 595 560 629 576 628 

Laundry and cleaning supplies .................. 115 98 119 127 107 

Other household products .......................... 309 289 299 314 333 

Postage and stationery .............................. 170 173 210 135 188 

Household furnishings and equipment ......... 1,235 1,141 1,263 1,164 1,427 

Household textiles ...................................... 109 120 91 98 138 

Furniture ..................................................... 232 237 245 212 245 

Floor coverings .......................................... 49 58 50 47 44 

Major appliances ........................................ 169 181 170 171 154 

Small appliances, miscellaneous

housewares .............................................. 107 85 109 93 154 

Miscellaneous household equipment ......... 569 459 599 543 691 

Apparel and services ..................................... 1,066 1,034 1,059 1,043 1,149 

Men and boys .............................................. 224 189 159 231 323 

Men, 16 and over ....................................... 203 168 139 208 303 

Boys, 2 to 15 .............................................. 21 20 20 22 20 

Women and girls .......................................... 487 510 562 450 446 

Women, 16 and over .................................. 454 465 527 417 426 

Girls, 2 to 15 ............................................... 33 45 36 33 20 

Children under 2 .......................................... 26 21 27 24 32 

Footwear ...................................................... 169 127 153 197 182 

Other apparel products and services ........... 160 188 157 142 166 

Transportation ................................................ 5,701 5,077 5,689 5,535 6,640 

Vehicle purchases (net outlay) ..................... 1,736 1,303 1,833 1,714 2,105 

Cars and trucks, new ................................. 1,045 848 1,118 941 1,342 

Cars and trucks, used ................................ 651 422 690 712 733 

Other vehicles ............................................ 340 333 326 361 330 

Gasoline and motor oil ................................. 1,546 1,320 1,517 1,719 1,508 

See footnotes at end of table.
Table 3850. Consumer units with reference person age 65 and over by region of

residence: Average annual expenditures and characteristics, Consumer Expenditure

Survey, 2007-2008 — Continued

Item

Total

65 and

over

Northeast Midwest South West

Other vehicle expenses ............................... $1,984 $1,863 $1,984 $1,826 $2,386 

Vehicle finance charges ............................. 119 107 100 136 123 

Maintenance and repairs ........................... 549 515 495 512 709 

Vehicle insurance ....................................... 1,024 898 1,094 970 1,178 

Vehicle rental, leases, licenses, and other

charges .................................................... 291 342 295 208 376 

Public transportation .................................... 435 592 354 277 640 

Healthcare ...................................................... 4,618 4,354 5,008 4,423 4,790 

Health insurance .......................................... 2,808 2,720 3,169 2,655 2,758 

Medical services .......................................... 818 764 770 731 1,079 

Drugs ........................................................... 840 708 898 900 805 

Medical supplies .......................................... 152 162 171 137 148 

Entertainment ................................................. 1,939 1,749 1,708 1,749 2,721 

Fees and admissions ................................... 419 438 417 316 585 

Audio and visual equipment and services .... 729 757 650 758 738 

Pets, toys, hobbies, and playground

equipment .................................................. 385 348 325 435 398 

Other entertainment supplies, equipment,

and services ............................................... 407 206 316 240 1,000 

Personal care products and services ............. 520 514 469 519 585 

Reading .......................................................... 143 150 152 119 167 

Education ....................................................... 282 685 137 202 176 

Tobacco products and smoking supplies ....... 168 162 162 184 155 

Miscellaneous ................................................ 629 858 593 561 557 

Cash contributions ......................................... 2,218 2,196 2,218 2,153 2,353 

Personal insurance and pensions .................. 1,833 1,944 1,660 1,977 1,663 

Life and other personal insurance ................ 330 511 286 305 238 

Pensions and Social Security ...................... 1,503 1,433 1,374 1,672 1,426 

Sources of income and personal taxes: 

Money income before taxes ........................... 39,816 40,742 38,431 38,443 42,816 

Wages and salaries ..................................... 11,767 13,671 10,478 11,559 11,643 

Self-employment income ............................. 1,891 1,787 1,980 1,414 2,726 

Social Security, private and government

retirement ................................................... 21,957 21,253 22,450 21,230 23,387 

Interest, dividends, rental income, other

property income ......................................... 3,522 3,329 3,064 3,521 4,227 

Unemployment and workers’ compensation,

veterans’ benefits ....................................... 131 172 337 187 398 

Public assistance, supplemental security

income, food stamps .................................. 246 227 215 212 359 

Regular contributions for support ................. 160 129 140 162 210 

Other income ............................................... 142 173 68 156 166 

Personal taxes ............................................... 809 911 452 759 1,189 

Federal income taxes ................................... 727 700 371 781 1,058 

2008 Tax stimulus (new UCC Q20082) ....... -292 -305 -311 -297 -249 

State and local income taxes ....................... 131 134 83 105 225 

Other taxes .................................................. 243 382 309 170 155 

See footnotes at end of table.
Table 3850. Consumer units with reference person age 65 and over by region of

residence: Average annual expenditures and characteristics, Consumer Expenditure

Survey, 2007-2008 — Continued

Item

Total

65 and

over

Northeast Midwest South West

Income after taxes ......................................... 39,008 39,831 37,979 37,684 41,627 

Addenda:

Net change in total assets and liabilities ........ $986 $201 - $3,643 $441 $7,880 

Net change in total assets ............................ 3,767 1,393 246 3,417 10,692 

Net change in total liabilities ........................ 2,781 1,192 3,889 2,975 2,813 

Other financial information:

Other money receipts ................................... 466 303 548 163 1,065 

Mortgage principal paid on owned property -1,046 -947 -1,090 -895 -1,359 

Estimated market value of owned home ...... 198,849 222,680 140,765 156,399 313,372 

Estimated monthly rental value of owned

home .......................................................... 943 1,002 757 885 1,190 

Gifts of goods and services ............................ 1,050 1,312 827 961 1,191 

Food ............................................................. 65 78 65 64 56 

Alcoholic beverages ..................................... 14 15 4 15 21 

Housing ........................................................ 171 156 196 150 198 

Housekeeping supplies .............................. 29 30 46 16 32 

Household textiles ...................................... 8 32 10 11 9 

Appliances and miscellaneous

housewares .............................................. 17 12 14 19 23 

Major appliances ...................................... 5 5 35 4 34 

Small appliances and miscellaneous

housewares ............................................ 12 37 9 14 19 

Miscellaneous household equipment ......... 39 37 39 29 58 

Other housing ............................................ 78 75 87 75 77 

Apparel and services ................................... 190 177 215 176 203 

Males, 2 and over ...................................... 46 33 43 50 54 

Females, 2 and over .................................. 77 94 108 45 81 

Children under 2 ........................................ 25 21 27 23 30 

Other apparel products and services ......... 43 29 37 58 39 

Jewelry and watches ................................ 17 12 6 32 9 

All other apparel products and services ... 26 317 31 26 330 

Transportation .............................................. 143 40 59 213 219 

Healthcare .................................................... 37 323 314 21 3106 

Entertainment ............................................... 81 87 67 91 74 

Toys, games, arts and crafts, and tricycles 27 331 322 330 321 

Other entertainment ................................... 55 56 45 61 53 

Personal care products and services ........... 13 9 15 14 15 

Reading ........................................................ 2 3 1 1 3 

Education ..................................................... 210 548 107 131 118 

All other gifts ................................................ 123 176 85 84 178 

1 Value is less than or equal to 0.05. 2 Value is less than or equal to 0.5.3 Data are likely to have large sampling errors.