Table 3850. Consumer units with reference person age 65 and over by region of residence: Average annual 

expenditures and characteristics, Consumer Expenditure Surveys, 2019-2020

Item 

Total 

65 and 

over 

Northeast Midwest South West 

Number of consumer units (in thousands)1................................................... 34,850 6,689 7,537 13,186 7,438 

Consumer unit characteristics: 

 Income before taxes ................................................................................... $53,957 $56,750 $54,618 $49,305 $59,021 

 Income after taxes ...................................................................................... 49,792 52,303 50,486 45,836 53,845 

 Age of reference person ............................................................................. 74.4 74.7 74.8 74.0 74.5 

 Average number in consumer unit: 

 People ..................................................................................................... 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.8 1.8 

 Children under 18 .................................................................................... .1 ( 2 ) .1 .1 .1 

 Adults 65 and older ................................................................................. 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.4 

 Earners .................................................................................................... .5 .5 .5 .5 .5 

 Vehicles ................................................................................................... 1.7 1.4 1.9 1.7 1.8 

Percent distribution: 

 Reference person: 

 Men.......................................................................................................... 44 45 41 45 46 

 Women .................................................................................................... 56 55 59 55 54 

 Housing tenure: 

 Homeowner ............................................................................................. 79 72 83 82 78 

 With mortgage ...................................................................................... 25 21 25 23 30 

 Without mortgage ................................................................................. 55 50 57 59 48 

 Renter ...................................................................................................... 21 28 17 18 22 

 Race of reference person: 

 Black or African-American ....................................................................... 11 11 8 16 3 

 White, Asian, and all other races ............................................................ 89 89 92 84 97 

 Hispanic or Latino origin of reference person: 

 Hispanic or Latino .................................................................................... 7 6 2 7 10 

 Not Hispanic or Latino ............................................................................. 93 94 98 93 90 

 Education of reference person: 

 Elementary (1-8)...................................................................................... 3 3 2 4 3 

 High school (9-12) ................................................................................... 35 41 38 38 24 

 College .................................................................................................... 61 55 60 58 72 

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

 At least one vehicle owned or leased ......................................................... 87 78 92 89 88 

Average annual expenditures ........................................................................ $48,872 $51,378 $47,321 $45,463 $54,237 

 Food ............................................................................................................ 6,137 6,606 5,569 5,874 6,758 

 Food at home .......................................................................................... 4,135 4,461 3,788 3,945 4,532 

 Cereals and bakery products ............................................................... 533 605 501 502 557 

 Cereals and cereal products ............................................................. 150 171 134 134 177 

 Bakery products ................................................................................ 382 433 367 368 380 

 Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs .............................................................. 876 1,005 793 859 883 

 Beef ................................................................................................... 237 248 217 231 259 

 Pork ................................................................................................... 182 160 180 202 169 

 Other meats ...................................................................................... 116 137 118 111 105 

 Poultry ............................................................................................... 142 188 118 138 135 

 Fish and seafood .............................................................................. 146 219 114 129 148 

 Eggs .................................................................................................. 52 52 45 48 66 

 Dairy products ...................................................................................... 422 469 387 383 485 

 Fresh milk and cream ....................................................................... 124 138 111 114 143 

 Other dairy products ......................................................................... 298 332 276 268 342 

 Fruits and vegetables ........................................................................... 839 942 719 782 968 

 Fresh fruits ........................................................................................ 305 325 258 286 369 

 Fresh vegetables .............................................................................. 273 337 220 235 335 

 Processed fruits ................................................................................ 107 121 103 99 116 

 Processed vegetables ...................................................................... 153 159 138 162 149 

 Other food at home .............................................................................. 1,466 1,441 1,388 1,420 1,639 

 Sugar and other sweets .................................................................... 149 136 163 138 166 

 Fats and oils ...................................................................................... 109 111 93 113 118 

 Miscellaneous foods ......................................................................... 779 742 753 745 894 

 Nonalcoholic beverages ................................................................... 381 390 336 391 401 

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 Surveys, 2019-2020 — Continued 

Item 

Total 

65 and 

over 

Northeast Midwest South West 

 Food prepared by consumer unit on out-of-town trips ..................... 47 62 43 34 60 

 Food away from home............................................................................. 2,001 2,144 1,781 1,928 2,226 

 Alcoholic beverages ................................................................................... 430 415 470 366 515 

 Housing ....................................................................................................... 17,454 19,504 16,563 15,182 20,540 

 Shelter ..................................................................................................... 9,838 11,910 9,248 7,840 12,114 

 Owned dwellings .................................................................................. 6,447 7,186 6,267 5,539 7,574 

 Mortgage interest and charges ......................................................... 1,443 1,081 1,265 1,228 2,330 

 Property taxes ................................................................................... 2,399 3,784 2,379 1,682 2,448 

 Maintenance, repairs, insurance, other expenses ........................... 2,604 2,321 2,623 2,629 2,797 

 Rented dwellings .................................................................................. 2,601 3,763 2,094 1,646 3,762 

 Other lodging ........................................................................................ 790 961 887 655 778 

 Utilities, fuels, and public services .......................................................... 3,797 3,896 3,652 3,837 3,783 

 Natural gas ........................................................................................... 432 583 607 282 385 

 Electricity .............................................................................................. 1,434 1,274 1,272 1,680 1,307 

 Fuel oil and other fuels ......................................................................... 148 409 101 83 76 

 Telephone services .............................................................................. 1,113 1,121 1,066 1,124 1,134 

 Residential phone service, VOIP, and phone cards ......................... 334 402 334 327 285 

 Cellular phone service ...................................................................... 779 720 732 796 849 

 Water and other public services .......................................................... 670 509 607 667 881 

 Household operations ............................................................................. 1,328 1,128 1,266 1,260 1,692 

 Personal services ................................................................................. 154 347 3266 124 3189 

 Other household expenses .................................................................. 1,174 1,082 1,000 1,136 1,504 

 Housekeeping supplies ........................................................................... 803 764 801 766 899 

 Laundry and cleaning supplies ............................................................ 168 163 178 155 183 

 Other household products .................................................................... 496 464 486 501 525 

 Postage and stationery ........................................................................ 139 137 137 109 191 

 Household furnishings and equipment .................................................... 1,688 1,805 1,597 1,479 2,052 

 Household textiles ................................................................................ 92 93 88 82 110 

 Furniture ............................................................................................... 315 249 329 309 372 

 Floor coverings ..................................................................................... 29 29 33 28 26 

 Major appliances .................................................................................. 294 236 300 289 348 

 Small appliances, miscellaneous housewares .................................... 100 95 105 80 135 

 Miscellaneous household equipment ................................................... 858 1,102 742 691 1,061 

 Apparel and services .................................................................................. 1,056 1,335 1,086 939 997 

 Men and boys .......................................................................................... 202 205 194 214 185 

 Men, 16 and over ................................................................................. 180 177 172 195 165 

 Boys, 2 to 15 ........................................................................................ 22 28 22 19 19 

 Women and girls ..................................................................................... 462 616 463 406 432 

 Women, 16 and over ............................................................................ 435 584 436 385 400 

 Girls, 2 to 15 ......................................................................................... 27 31 27 21 32 

 Children under 2 ...................................................................................... 26 324 324 324 331 

 Footwear .................................................................................................. 201 325 183 159 187 

 Other apparel products and services ...................................................... 166 165 223 135 162 

 Transportation ............................................................................................ 6,819 6,413 6,543 6,816 7,470 

 Vehicle purchases (net outlay) ................................................................ 2,595 2,464 2,406 2,720 2,682 

 Cars and trucks, new ........................................................................... 1,497 1,714 1,002 1,714 1,418 

 Cars and trucks, used .......................................................................... 1,068 750 1,394 950 1,232 

 Other vehicles ...................................................................................... 

330 ( 4

 ) 310 356 332 

 Gasoline, other fuels, and motor oil ........................................................ 1,184 923 1,188 1,225 1,342 

 Other vehicle expenses ........................................................................... 2,626 2,600 2,617 2,486 2,905 

 Vehicle finance charges ....................................................................... 131 113 119 155 117 

 Maintenance and repairs ..................................................................... 722 627 683 660 957 

 Vehicle rental, leases, licenses, and other charges ............................ 593 827 699 399 616 

 Vehicle insurance ................................................................................. 1,180 1,033 1,115 1,272 1,215 

 Public and other transportation ............................................................... 415 427 332 384 541 

 Healthcare .................................................................................................. 6,749 6,438 7,091 6,631 6,889 

 Health insurance ..................................................................................... 4,802 4,529 5,059 4,750 4,877 

 Medical services ...................................................................................... 943 913 935 890 1,073 

 Drugs ....................................................................................................... 732 632 835 768 652 

 Medical supplies ...................................................................................... 272 364 262 223 287 

 Entertainment ............................................................................................. 2,366 2,261 2,694 2,082 2,624 

 Fees and admissions .............................................................................. 395 399 367 356 487 

 Audio and visual equipment and services............................................... 1,024 1,035 1,065 1,028 965 

 Pets, toys, hobbies, and playground equipment ..................................... 627 587 639 544 794 

 Pets ...................................................................................................... 512 487 499 452 649 

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 Surveys, 2019-2020 — Continued 

Item 

Total 

65 and 

over 

Northeast Midwest South West 

 Toys, hobbies, and playground equipment .......................................... 115 100 140 92 145 

 Other entertainment supplies, equipment, and services ........................ 320 239 623 154 378 

 Personal care products and services ......................................................... 608 621 577 575 685 

 Reading ...................................................................................................... 147 176 151 124 162 

 Education .................................................................................................... 400 613 239 467 251 

 Tobacco products and smoking supplies ................................................... 213 204 228 246 146 

 Miscellaneous ............................................................................................. 866 1,052 740 851 854 

 Cash contributions ...................................................................................... 2,844 2,331 2,886 2,767 3,402 

 Personal insurance and pensions .............................................................. 2,782 3,408 2,483 2,544 2,943 

 Life and other personal insurance ........................................................... 518 596 507 573 362 

 Pensions and Social Security.................................................................. 2,263 2,812 1,976 1,971 2,581 

Sources of income and personal taxes: 

 Income before taxes ................................................................................... $53,957 $56,750 $54,618 $49,305 $59,021 

 Wages and salaries ................................................................................. 18,172 22,333 17,293 15,477 20,097 

 Self-employment income ......................................................................... 4,098 3,665 2,966 5,206 3,669 

 Social Security, private and government retirement ............................... 26,721 26,349 27,115 25,358 29,073 

 Interest, dividends, rental income, other property income ...................... 3,866 3,273 6,182 2,292 4,843 

 Public assistance, Supplemental Security Income, Supplementary 

 Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) ................................................. 289 379 204 291 289 

 Unemployment and workers' compensation, veterans' benefits, 

 and regular contributions for support ................................................... 572 451 446 586 785 

 Other income ........................................................................................... 239 299 412 95 265 

 Personal taxes (contains some imputed values) ....................................... 4,164 4,447 4,132 3,469 5,176 

 Federal income taxes .............................................................................. 4,088 4,105 4,168 3,664 4,744 

 Stimulus payment (new UCC Q20202)# ................................................. -903 -837 -933 -949 -849 

 State and local income taxes .................................................................. 928 1,125 807 700 1,277 

 Other taxes .............................................................................................. 51 55 90 54 33 

 Income after taxes ...................................................................................... 49,792 52,303 50,486 45,836 53,845 

Addenda: 

 Net change in total assets and liabilities .................................................... $8,188 $6,859 $10,910 $4,690 $12,828 

 Net change in total assets ....................................................................... 12,649 13,076 14,540 7,620 19,266 

 Net change in total liabilities .................................................................... 4,461 6,217 3,630 2,930 6,438 

 Other financial information: 

 Other money receipts .............................................................................. 1,125 476 1,125 728 2,411 

 Mortgage principal paid on owned property ............................................ -1,662 -1,365 -1,642 -1,404 -2,408 

 Estimated market value of owned home ................................................. 251,793 243,411 175,210 206,898 416,518 

 Estimated monthly rental value of owned home ..................................... 1,316 1,356 1,061 1,234 1,685 

1

 Data are rounded to the nearest thousands. 

2

 Value is too small to display. 

3

 Data are likely to have large sampling errors. 

4

 No data reported. 

# Data collection for this item began in June 2020. Stimulus payments delivered to respondents interviewed in April and May of 2020 were not included in estimation. 

Source: Consumer Expenditure Surveys, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, September, 2021