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

residence: Average annual expenditures and characteristics, Consumer Expenditure

Survey, 2004-2005

Item

Total

65 and

over

Northeast Midwest South West

Number of consumer units (in thousands) ....... 22,786 4,812 5,481 8,018 4,475 

Consumer unit characteristics: 

Income before taxes ..................................... $36,034 $35,536 $34,750 $33,553 $42,587 

Income after taxes ........................................ 35,101 34,790 34,067 32,568 41,241 

Age of reference person ................................ 75.3 75.7 75.5 74.8 75.3 

Average number in consumer unit:

Persons ........................................................ 1.7 1.7 1.6 1.7 1.8 

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

Persons 65 and over .................................... 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.4 

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

Vehicles ....................................................... 1.5 1.2 1.7 1.6 1.7 

Percent distribution:

Sex of reference person:

Male ............................................................. 45 44 44 43 49 

Female ......................................................... 55 56 56 57 51 

Housing tenure:

Homeowner .................................................. 80 75 83 83 79 

With mortgage ............................................ 19 14 16 19 27 

Without mortgage ....................................... 62 61 67 63 53 

Renter .......................................................... 20 25 17 17 21 

Race of reference person:

Black or African-American ........................... 9 9 7 14 4 

White, Asian, and all other races ................. 91 91 93 86 96 

Hispanic or Latino origin of reference person:

Hispanic or Latino ........................................ 5 4 1 5 12 

Not Hispanic or Latino .................................. 95 96 99 95 88 

Education of reference person:

Elementary (1-8) .......................................... 12 10 10 16 7 

High school (9-12) ........................................ 45 51 51 44 33 

College ......................................................... 43 39 39 39 59 

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

At least one vehicle owned or leased ............ 83 75 86 86 85 

Average annual expenditures .......................... $31,913 $32,057 $30,897 $29,127 $37,852 

Food ............................................................... 4,183 4,427 3,762 4,038 4,648 

Food at home ............................................... 2,662 2,840 2,369 2,600 2,906 

Cereals and bakery products ..................... 380 440 347 358 393 

Cereals and cereal products .................... 112 125 107 104 115 

Bakery products ....................................... 268 314 240 254 278 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs .................... 631 703 566 603 675 

Beef .......................................................... 177 179 166 166 203 

Pork .......................................................... 137 138 130 145 129 

Other meats ............................................. 85 99 92 72 85 

Poultry ...................................................... 97 114 79 100 93 

Fish and seafood ..................................... 103 136 72 87 129 

Eggs ......................................................... 33 36 27 33 37 

Dairy products ............................................ 310 329 272 312 330 

Fresh milk and cream .............................. 118 119 110 122 121 

Other dairy products ................................ 192 210 161 191 208 

Fruits and vegetables ................................. 500 550 458 469 546 

Fresh fruits ............................................... 172 192 162 154 193 

Fresh vegetables ..................................... 157 179 129 144 188 

Processed fruits ....................................... 100 106 101 95 101 

Processed vegetables .............................. 71 74 67 76 64 

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, 2004-2005 — Continued

Item

Total

65 and

over

Northeast Midwest South West

Other food at home .................................... $842 $819 $727 $857 $962 

Sugar and other sweets ........................... 108 106 98 114 112 

Fats and oils ............................................. 74 74 67 74 81 

Miscellaneous foods ................................ 422 414 349 436 486 

Nonalcoholic beverages ........................... 202 199 172 212 221 

Food prepared by consumer unit on

out-of-town trips ..................................... 35 26 42 21 63 

Food away from home ................................. 1,521 1,587 1,393 1,437 1,742 

Alcoholic beverages ....................................... 254 328 182 194 358 

Housing .......................................................... 10,673 11,682 9,919 9,417 12,722 

Shelter .......................................................... 5,600 6,546 5,192 4,518 7,024 

Owned dwellings ........................................ 3,730 4,310 3,466 3,216 4,352 

Mortgage interest and charges ................ 978 829 690 938 1,562 

Property taxes .......................................... 1,468 2,155 1,617 1,048 1,299 

Maintenance, repairs, insurance, other

expenses ................................................ 1,285 1,327 1,159 1,230 1,491 

Rented dwellings ........................................ 1,444 1,861 1,201 1,008 2,074 

Other lodging ............................................. 426 375 525 294 597 

Utilities, fuels, and public services ............... 2,703 2,859 2,699 2,693 2,559 

Natural gas ................................................. 467 642 655 280 382 

Electricity .................................................... 995 860 909 1,189 898 

Fuel oil and other fuels ............................... 181 407 132 122 102 

Telephone services .................................... 716 685 681 765 703 

Water and other public services ................. 345 265 321 338 474 

Household operations .................................. 671 724 567 598 873 

Personal services ....................................... 153 294 101 95 169 

Other household expenses ........................ 517 430 465 502 703 

Housekeeping supplies ................................ 522 514 477 516 586 

Laundry and cleaning supplies .................. 109 93 99 119 118 

Other household products .......................... 260 257 255 252 279 

Postage and stationery .............................. 153 164 123 145 188 

Household furnishings and equipment ......... 1,177 1,040 985 1,092 1,681 

Household textiles ...................................... 122 155 74 97 184 

Furniture ..................................................... 262 225 220 223 423 

Floor coverings .......................................... 35 31 26 22 76 

Major appliances ........................................ 192 180 166 167 272 

Small appliances, miscellaneous

housewares .............................................. 92 75 91 87 119 

Miscellaneous household equipment ......... 474 374 408 497 607 

Apparel and services ..................................... 930 1,027 785 900 1,048 

Men and boys .............................................. 197 172 177 204 231 

Men, 16 and over ....................................... 174 147 159 181 206 

Boys, 2 to 15 .............................................. 23 25 18 23 25 

Women and girls .......................................... 439 546 353 443 424 

Women, 16 and over .................................. 413 517 323 419 401 

Girls, 2 to 15 ............................................... 26 29 30 24 23 

Children under 2 .......................................... 21 32 22 16 20 

Footwear ...................................................... 141 145 125 131 171 

Other apparel products and services ........... 131 132 108 105 202 

Transportation ................................................ 4,977 4,743 4,737 4,554 6,277 

Vehicle purchases (net outlay) ..................... 1,946 1,941 1,843 1,749 2,428 

Cars and trucks, new ................................. 1,206 1,191 1,310 911 1,623 

Cars and trucks, used ................................ 734 729 533 835 805 

Other vehicles ............................................ 36 322 4 ( ) 33 4 ( )

Gasoline and motor oil ................................. 1,086 909 1,066 1,133 1,216 

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, 2004-2005 — Continued

Item

Total

65 and

over

Northeast Midwest South West

Other vehicle expenses ............................... $1,566 $1,467 $1,530 $1,434 $1,948 

Vehicle finance charges ............................. 112 90 106 127 119 

Maintenance and repairs ........................... 513 434 479 474 706 

Vehicle insurance ....................................... 683 676 653 658 770 

Vehicle rental, leases, licenses, and other

charges .................................................... 257 266 292 175 353 

Public transportation .................................... 380 427 298 238 685 

Healthcare ...................................................... 4,052 3,802 4,400 3,780 4,374 

Health insurance .......................................... 2,224 2,168 2,453 2,098 2,230 

Medical services .......................................... 726 725 749 541 1,032 

Drugs ........................................................... 953 789 1,059 985 935 

Medical supplies .......................................... 148 120 139 155 177 

Entertainment ................................................. 1,472 1,280 1,239 1,318 2,230 

Fees and admissions ................................... 386 311 388 313 596 

Audio and visual equipment and services .... 597 644 525 559 701 

Pets, toys, hobbies, and playground

equipment .................................................. 218 218 184 200 291 

Other entertainment supplies, equipment,

and services ............................................... 270 107 143 246 642 

Personal care products and services ............. 465 479 413 418 593 

Reading .......................................................... 145 157 153 110 184 

Education ....................................................... 243 345 233 191 239 

Tobacco products and smoking supplies ....... 155 172 141 160 146 

Miscellaneous ................................................ 739 723 752 627 934 

Cash contributions ......................................... 1,941 1,444 2,640 1,755 1,953 

Personal insurance and pensions .................. 1,684 1,448 1,541 1,665 2,145 

Life and other personal insurance ................ 388 249 293 526 406 

Pensions and Social Security ...................... 1,296 1,199 1,248 1,139 1,740 

Sources of income and personal taxes: 

Money income before taxes ........................... 36,034 35,536 34,750 33,553 42,587 

Wages and salaries ..................................... 10,405 11,552 9,083 9,957 11,593 

Self-employment income ............................. 2,247 1,142 2,022 1,778 4,552 

Social Security, private and government

retirement ................................................... 20,098 19,653 20,494 19,293 21,533 

Interest, dividends, rental income, other

property income ......................................... 2,731 2,596 2,798 2,035 4,041 

Unemployment and workers’ compensation,

veterans’ benefits ....................................... 87 138 39 62 134 

Public assistance, supplemental security

income, food stamps .................................. 216 199 87 194 430 

Regular contributions for support ................. 154 136 163 150 169 

Other income ............................................... 97 119 65 84 135 

Personal taxes ............................................... 933 745 684 985 1,345 

Federal income taxes ................................... 625 359 330 741 1,065 

State and local income taxes ....................... 94 90 99 51 167 

Other taxes .................................................. 214 296 255 193 114 

Income after taxes ......................................... 35,101 34,790 34,067 32,568 41,241 

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, 2004-2005 — Continued

Item

Total

65 and

over

Northeast Midwest South West

Addenda:

Net change in total assets and liabilities ........ - $4,026 - $2,429 - $2,084 - $5,320 - $5,806 

Net change in total assets ............................ 490 261 889 -454 1,934 

Net change in total liabilities ........................ 4,516 2,690 2,973 4,867 7,740 

Other financial information:

Other money receipts ................................... 478 280 492 523 595 

Mortgage principal paid on owned

property ...................................................... -882 -704 -738 -825 -1,355 

Estimated market value of owned home ...... 159,504 171,809 119,616 128,542 250,604 

Estimated monthly rental value of owned

home .......................................................... 850 898 723 747 1,138 

Gifts of goods and services ............................ 944 904 1,003 756 1,242 

Food ............................................................. 48 60 30 45 62 

Alcoholic beverages ..................................... 9 7 3 11 12 

Housing ........................................................ 203 210 171 134 357 

Housekeeping supplies .............................. 30 32 25 28 37 

Household textiles ...................................... 14 24 7 10 18 

Appliances and miscellaneous

housewares .............................................. 28 39 26 21 33 

Major appliances ...................................... 11 21 36 7 14 

Small appliances and miscellaneous

housewares ............................................ 17 18 20 14 19 

Miscellaneous household equipment ......... 40 37 51 31 45 

Other housing ............................................ 91 79 61 44 224 

Apparel and services ................................... 175 158 161 181 196 

Males, 2 and over ...................................... 49 44 43 50 61 

Females, 2 and over .................................. 76 65 77 82 79 

Children under 2 ........................................ 19 27 19 16 17 

Other apparel products and services ......... 30 21 22 34 40 

Jewelry and watches ................................ 10 6 10 10 12 

All other apparel products and services ... 20 316 311 24 28 

Transportation .............................................. 46 32 69 47 31 

Health care ................................................... 115 379 253 43 116 

Entertainment ............................................... 54 48 52 49 71 

Toys, games, arts and crafts, and

tricycles .................................................... 24 22 19 23 36 

Other entertainment ................................... 30 27 33 26 35 

Personal care products and services ........... 16 9 6 15 35 

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

Education ..................................................... 159 248 153 124 132 

All other gifts ................................................ 117 51 102 106 227 

1 Value less than 0.05. 2 Value less than or equal to 0.5. 3 Data are likely to have large sampling errors.4 No data reported.

n.a. Not applicable.