Table 3024. Selected southern metropolitan statistical areas: Average annual expenditures and characteristics, Consumer Expenditure 

Survey, 2018-2019

Item 

All consumer 

units in the 

South 

Washington 

D.C. Baltimore Atlanta Miami DallasFort Worth Houston Tampa 

Number of consumer units (in thousands) ............... 50,776 2,424 893 2,047 2,341 2,942 2,260 1,243 

Consumer unit characteristics: 

 Income before taxes ............................................. $75,555 $128,871 $115,285 $90,098 $73,793 $89,438 $96,464 $62,894 

 Age of reference person ....................................... 51.0 50.6 51.5 50.1 52.3 46.5 48.1 54.1 

 Average number in consumer unit: 

 People ................................................................ 2.4 2.7 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.7 2.3 

 Children under 18 .............................................. .6 .7 .6 .6 .5 .7 .7 .5 

 Adults 65 and older ............................................ .4 .3 .4 .3 .4 .2 .3 .4 

 Earners .............................................................. 1.2 1.6 1.4 1.5 1.3 1.4 1.3 1.2 

 Vehicles ............................................................. 1.9 1.9 1.7 1.8 1.5 1.7 1.7 1.7 

 Percent homeowner .............................................. 65 68 70 66 56 57 63 62 

Average annual expenditures .................................. $57,925 $95,441 $77,598 $64,103 $57,472 $66,966 $75,288 $59,193 

 Food ...................................................................... 7,484 11,608 8,434 8,233 6,304 7,651 8,575 9,053 

 Food at home ..................................................... 4,222 5,927 4,943 4,217 3,954 4,087 4,292 4,712 

 Cereals and bakery products ......................... 528 700 640 605 426 527 575 580 

 Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ........................ 925 1,225 1,096 948 1,011 845 1,022 981 

 Dairy products ................................................ 395 603 472 355 393 366 378 494 

 Fruits and vegetables ..................................... 784 1,291 1,062 742 848 798 790 886 

 Other food at home......................................... 1,589 2,108 1,674 1,566 1,276 1,551 1,527 1,772 

 Food away from home ....................................... 3,262 5,681 3,491 4,016 2,350 3,564 4,283 4,341 

 Alcoholic beverages .............................................. 506 1,203 476 570 510 615 450 811 

 Housing ................................................................. 18,449 31,694 24,601 21,233 20,479 25,150 24,142 20,064 

 Shelter ................................................................ 10,263 19,936 15,231 11,963 13,557 15,485 14,532 11,857 

 Owned dwellings ............................................ 5,913 12,677 9,260 6,401 6,104 8,304 9,116 6,431 

 Rented dwellings ............................................ 3,562 5,533 4,432 4,203 6,657 6,220 4,505 4,540 

 Other lodging .................................................. 787 1,726 1,540 1,359 797 961 912 886 

 Utilities, fuels, and public services ..................... 4,092 4,639 3,970 4,593 3,968 4,813 4,535 3,874 

 Household operations ........................................ 1,422 3,122 2,436 1,447 1,081 1,799 2,018 1,435 

 Housekeeping supplies ..................................... 759 1,069 822 1,231 660 761 869 812 

 Household furnishings and equipment .............. 1,915 2,929 2,141 1,998 1,214 2,292 2,188 2,087 

 Apparel and services ............................................ 1,709 3,159 1,556 2,378 1,381 1,831 2,566 1,122 

 Transportation ....................................................... 10,491 13,646 13,255 9,862 10,915 10,472 12,352 10,692 

 Vehicle purchases (net outlay) .......................... 4,478 5,712 6,482 3,071 3,108 3,601 4,413 4,903 

 Gasoline, other fuels, and motor oil ................... 2,107 2,107 2,100 2,338 2,421 2,277 2,390 1,814 

 Other vehicle expenses ..................................... 3,283 3,837 3,527 3,370 4,626 3,748 4,228 3,232 

 Public and other transportation ......................... 623 1,990 1,146 1,083 759 846 1,320 743 

 Healthcare ............................................................. 4,914 6,813 5,650 5,222 4,807 5,734 4,942 4,315 

 Entertainment ........................................................ 2,811 4,211 3,753 2,741 1,752 2,729 6,200 2,819 

 Personal care products and services ................... 743 1,232 894 864 870 818 1,012 710 

 Reading ................................................................. 80 142 180 86 47 86 87 122 

 Education .............................................................. 1,143 2,371 3,736 1,274 1,442 1,606 1,352 1,215 

 Tobacco products and smoking supplies ............. 354 134 261 125 174 202 249 361 

 Miscellaneous ....................................................... 858 1,705 883 728 583 841 1,251 1,293 

 Cash contributions ................................................ 1,773 3,428 1,569 1,741 848 1,491 3,971 1,281 

 Personal insurance and pensions ........................ 6,611 14,095 12,350 9,047 7,358 7,739 8,138 5,334 

 Life and other personal insurance ..................... 484 673 657 562 333 374 593 520 

 Pensions and Social Security ............................ 6,127 13,422 11,693 8,484 7,025 7,365 7,545 4,815 

Source: Consumer Expenditure Survey, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, September, 2020