Table 3320. South region by housing tenure: Average annual expenditures and characteristics, Consumer 

Expenditure Surveys, 2019-2020

Homeowner 

Item 

All 

consumer 

units in 

the South 

Total 

Homeowner 

with 

mortgage 

Homeowner 

without 

mortgage 

Renter 

Number of consumer units (in thousands)1................................................... 50,775 33,564 18,823 14,741 17,211 

Consumer unit characteristics: 

 Income before taxes ................................................................................... $78,716 $94,585 $115,790 $67,507 $47,769 

 Income after taxes ...................................................................................... 69,111 81,445 99,926 57,846 45,057 

 Age of reference person ............................................................................. 51.4 55.8 49.7 63.5 42.9 

 Average number in consumer unit: 

 People ..................................................................................................... 2.4 2.5 2.9 2.1 2.2 

 Children under 18 .................................................................................... .6 .5 .8 .3 .6 

 Adults 65 and older ................................................................................. .4 .5 .3 .8 .2 

 Earners .................................................................................................... 1.3 1.3 1.6 .9 1.2 

 Vehicles ................................................................................................... 1.9 2.2 2.3 2.1 1.3 

Percent distribution: 

 Reference person: 

 Men.......................................................................................................... 46 48 50 45 44 

 Women .................................................................................................... 54 52 50 55 56 

 Housing tenure: 

 Homeowner ............................................................................................. 66 100 100 100 n.a. 

 With mortgage ...................................................................................... 37 56 100 n.a. n.a. 

 Without mortgage ................................................................................. 29 44 n.a. 100 n.a. 

 Renter ...................................................................................................... 34 n.a. n.a. n.a. 100 

 Race of reference person: 

 Black or African-American ....................................................................... 19 15 17 12 28 

 White, Asian, and all other races ............................................................ 81 85 83 88 72 

 Hispanic or Latino origin of reference person: 

 Hispanic or Latino .................................................................................... 14 12 12 11 18 

 Not Hispanic or Latino ............................................................................. 86 88 88 89 82 

 Education of reference person: 

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

 High school (9-12) ................................................................................... 31 28 22 36 36 

 College .................................................................................................... 66 69 76 61 60 

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

 At least one vehicle owned or leased ......................................................... 91 96 97 94 82 

Average annual expenditures ........................................................................ $57,206 $64,823 $75,488 $50,882 $42,262 

 Food ............................................................................................................ 7,045 7,803 8,465 6,834 5,531 

 Food at home .......................................................................................... 4,313 4,793 5,024 4,450 3,352 

 Cereals and bakery products ............................................................... 545 606 630 570 422 

 Cereals and cereal products ............................................................. 168 181 197 156 141 

 Bakery products ................................................................................ 377 425 432 414 281 

 Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs .............................................................. 950 1,054 1,110 971 741 

 Beef ................................................................................................... 257 294 311 269 183 

 Pork ................................................................................................... 203 231 232 229 148 

 Other meats ...................................................................................... 120 134 137 130 91 

 Poultry ............................................................................................... 174 180 194 158 164 

 Fish and seafood .............................................................................. 143 159 178 131 109 

 Eggs .................................................................................................. 53 56 58 53 46 

 Dairy products ...................................................................................... 400 446 465 418 308 

 Fresh milk and cream ....................................................................... 125 134 137 130 105 

 Other dairy products ......................................................................... 276 312 328 289 202 

 Fruits and vegetables ........................................................................... 811 905 934 862 622 

 Fresh fruits ........................................................................................ 289 323 337 304 220 

 Fresh vegetables .............................................................................. 254 284 298 264 194 

 Processed fruits ................................................................................ 103 114 117 110 81 

 Processed vegetables ...................................................................... 165 183 183 184 127 

 Other food at home .............................................................................. 1,608 1,782 1,885 1,628 1,259 

 Sugar and other sweets .................................................................... 143 161 163 158 106 

 Fats and oils ...................................................................................... 115 129 132 124 89 

See footnotes at end of table. 
Table 3320. South region by housing tenure: Average annual expenditures and characteristics, Consumer 

Expenditure Surveys, 2019-2020 — Continued 

Homeowner 

Item 

All 

consumer 

units in 

the South 

Total 

Homeowner 

with 

mortgage 

Homeowner 

without 

mortgage 

Renter 

 Miscellaneous foods ......................................................................... 874 965 1,053 835 691 

 Nonalcoholic beverages ................................................................... 433 474 480 466 350 

 Food prepared by consumer unit on out-of-town trips ..................... 43 52 58 45 24 

 Food away from home............................................................................. 2,732 3,010 3,441 2,384 2,178 

 Alcoholic beverages ................................................................................... 447 509 594 385 322 

 Housing ....................................................................................................... 18,904 20,193 24,680 14,404 16,372 

 Shelter ..................................................................................................... 10,610 10,440 13,878 6,051 10,940 

 Owned dwellings .................................................................................. 6,259 9,422 12,823 5,078 91 

 Mortgage interest and charges ......................................................... 2,614 3,941 6,952 95 328 

 Property taxes ................................................................................... 1,610 2,422 2,690 2,079 27 

 Maintenance, repairs, insurance, other expenses ........................... 2,035 3,059 3,181 2,904 36 

 Rented dwellings .................................................................................. 3,625 96 103 87 10,507 

 Other lodging ........................................................................................ 726 923 951 886 342 

 Utilities, fuels, and public services .......................................................... 4,145 4,739 5,060 4,329 2,988 

 Natural gas ........................................................................................... 245 315 329 298 109 

 Electricity .............................................................................................. 1,733 1,952 2,026 1,857 1,307 

 Fuel oil and other fuels ......................................................................... 53 73 45 107 16 

 Telephone services .............................................................................. 1,435 1,578 1,782 1,318 1,155 

 Residential phone service, VOIP, and phone cards ......................... 177 228 177 293 78 

 Cellular phone service ...................................................................... 1,258 1,350 1,605 1,025 1,077 

 Water and other public services .......................................................... 678 820 877 748 401 

 Household operations ............................................................................. 1,421 1,727 1,978 1,404 823 

 Personal services ................................................................................. 329 382 520 205 225 

 Other household expenses .................................................................. 1,092 1,345 1,458 1,199 597 

 Housekeeping supplies ........................................................................... 751 897 942 831 457 

 Laundry and cleaning supplies ............................................................ 169 191 204 172 124 

 Other household products .................................................................... 471 576 608 528 260 

 Postage and stationery ........................................................................ 111 130 129 131 73 

 Household furnishings and equipment .................................................... 1,977 2,389 2,823 1,788 1,163 

 Household textiles ................................................................................ 113 137 169 92 65 

 Furniture ............................................................................................... 520 598 694 475 369 

 Floor coverings ..................................................................................... 23 31 39 20 9 

 Major appliances .................................................................................. 333 438 478 386 129 

 Small appliances, miscellaneous housewares .................................... 110 128 154 90 74 

 Miscellaneous household equipment ................................................... 876 1,057 1,289 724 517 

 Apparel and services .................................................................................. 1,455 1,628 1,931 1,195 1,110 

 Men and boys .......................................................................................... 359 409 480 310 259 

 Men, 16 and over ................................................................................. 276 316 355 262 195 

 Boys, 2 to 15 ........................................................................................ 83 93 126 49 64 

 Women and girls ..................................................................................... 531 604 719 436 385 

 Women, 16 and over ............................................................................ 447 506 580 395 331 

 Girls, 2 to 15 ......................................................................................... 84 99 139 42 54 

 Children under 2 ...................................................................................... 72 71 84 51 76 

 Footwear .................................................................................................. 317 356 422 258 238 

 Other apparel products and services ...................................................... 176 188 226 140 153 

 Transportation ............................................................................................ 10,178 11,458 13,363 9,021 7,683 

 Vehicle purchases (net outlay) ................................................................ 4,610 5,256 6,193 4,060 3,351 

 Cars and trucks, new ........................................................................... 2,125 2,517 2,981 1,925 1,360 

 Cars and trucks, used .......................................................................... 2,421 2,670 3,099 2,122 1,937 

 Other vehicles ...................................................................................... 64 69 114 312 54 

 Gasoline, other fuels, and motor oil ........................................................ 1,844 2,033 2,325 1,660 1,476 

 Other vehicle expenses ........................................................................... 3,335 3,723 4,390 2,869 2,579 

 Vehicle finance charges ....................................................................... 287 327 448 173 210 

 Maintenance and repairs ..................................................................... 836 958 1,112 759 597 

 Vehicle rental, leases, licenses, and other charges ............................ 535 586 728 404 437 

 Vehicle insurance ................................................................................. 1,677 1,852 2,102 1,533 1,335 

 Public and other transportation ............................................................... 388 445 455 432 277 

 Healthcare .................................................................................................. 5,040 6,156 6,182 6,123 2,861 

 Health insurance ..................................................................................... 3,593 4,395 4,457 4,315 2,030 

 Medical services ...................................................................................... 815 984 1,002 963 486 

 Drugs ....................................................................................................... 479 588 549 639 265 

 Medical supplies ...................................................................................... 152 188 175 206 80 

 Entertainment ............................................................................................. 2,639 3,247 3,755 2,540 1,439 

See footnotes at end of table. 
Table 3320. South region by housing tenure: Average annual expenditures and characteristics, Consumer 

Expenditure Surveys, 2019-2020 — Continued 

Homeowner 

Item 

All 

consumer 

units in 

the South 

Total 

Homeowner 

with 

mortgage 

Homeowner 

without 

mortgage 

Renter 

 Fees and admissions .............................................................................. 624 827 1,085 465 220 

 Audio and visual equipment and services............................................... 994 1,142 1,210 1,049 705 

 Pets, toys, hobbies, and playground equipment ..................................... 725 901 1,024 727 375 

 Pets ...................................................................................................... 597 749 828 640 295 

 Toys, hobbies, and playground equipment .......................................... 128 152 196 87 80 

 Other entertainment supplies, equipment, and services ........................ 296 376 436 298 140 

 Personal care products and services ......................................................... 660 742 832 619 497 

 Reading ...................................................................................................... 93 115 107 129 49 

 Education .................................................................................................... 1,090 1,228 1,595 755 822 

 Tobacco products and smoking supplies ................................................... 346 330 328 332 377 

 Miscellaneous ............................................................................................. 803 978 1,095 818 460 

 Cash contributions ...................................................................................... 1,929 2,480 2,176 2,868 856 

 Personal insurance and pensions .............................................................. 6,577 7,957 10,383 4,860 3,884 

 Life and other personal insurance ........................................................... 501 666 729 586 179 

 Pensions and Social Security.................................................................. 6,076 7,291 9,654 4,274 3,705 

Sources of income and personal taxes: 

 Income before taxes ................................................................................... $78,716 $94,585 $115,790 $67,507 $47,769 

 Wages and salaries ................................................................................. 61,284 72,322 98,259 39,201 39,760 

 Self-employment income ......................................................................... 5,973 7,742 7,934 7,496 2,522 

 Social Security, private and government retirement ............................... 8,848 11,574 6,815 17,652 3,532 

 Interest, dividends, rental income, other property income ...................... 1,190 1,655 1,253 2,168 285 

 Public assistance, Supplemental Security Income, Supplementary 

 Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) ................................................. 419 278 232 336 693 

 Unemployment and workers' compensation, veterans' benefits, 

 and regular contributions for support ................................................... 794 900 1,178 545 587 

 Other income ........................................................................................... 208 114 119 108 391 

 Personal taxes (contains some imputed values) ....................................... 9,606 13,140 15,865 9,661 2,712 

 Federal income taxes .............................................................................. 8,738 11,897 13,981 9,235 2,578 

 Stimulus payment (new UCC Q20202)# ................................................. -990 -1,128 -1,217 -1,014 -719 

 State and local income taxes .................................................................. 1,785 2,276 2,982 1,374 829 

 Other taxes .............................................................................................. 72 96 119 67 24 

 Income after taxes ...................................................................................... 69,111 81,445 99,926 57,846 45,057 

Addenda: 

 Net change in total assets and liabilities .................................................... $12,806 $18,594 $2,582 $39,041 $1,518 

 Net change in total assets ....................................................................... 26,492 38,124 36,537 40,150 3,808 

 Net change in total liabilities .................................................................... 13,686 19,529 33,955 1,109 2,290 

 Other financial information: 

 Other money receipts .............................................................................. 2,109 3,079 461 6,422 219 

 Mortgage principal paid on owned property ............................................ -2,049 -3,079 -5,194 -380 -39 

 Estimated market value of owned home ................................................. 171,066 258,778 279,029 232,919 39 

 Estimated monthly rental value of owned home ..................................... 1,046 1,583 1,712 1,417 ( 2 ) 

1

 Data are rounded to the nearest thousands. 

2

 Value is too small to display. 

3

 Data are likely to have large sampling errors. 

n.a. Not applicable. 

# 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