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

residence: Average annual expenditures and characteristics, Consumer Expenditure

Survey, 2005-2006

Item

Total

65 and

over

Northeast Midwest South West

Number of consumer units (in thousands) ....... 22,927 4,687 5,370 8,315 4,554 

Consumer unit characteristics: 

Income before taxes ..................................... $37,461 $36,055 $36,734 $34,064 $45,968 

Income after taxes ........................................ 36,381 35,083 35,891 33,155 44,185 

Age of reference person ................................ 75.2 75.9 75.2 74.9 74.9 

Average number in consumer unit:

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

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

Persons 65 and over .................................... 1.4 1.3 1.4 1.4 1.4 

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

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

Percent distribution:

Sex of reference person:

Male ............................................................. 43 41 42 41 48 

Female ......................................................... 57 59 58 59 52 

Housing tenure:

Homeowner .................................................. 80 74 83 83 79 

With mortgage ............................................ 20 12 18 21 27 

Without mortgage ....................................... 61 62 65 62 52 

Renter .......................................................... 20 26 17 17 21 

Race of reference person:

Black or African-American ........................... 9 7 7 14 3 

White, Asian, and all other races ................. 91 93 93 86 97 

Hispanic or Latino origin of reference person:

Hispanic or Latino ........................................ 5 4 2 6 10 

Not Hispanic or Latino .................................. 95 96 98 94 90 

Education of reference person:

Elementary (1-8) .......................................... 11 10 8 17 7 

High school (9-12) ........................................ 45 52 54 43 30 

College ......................................................... 43 38 38 40 62 

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

At least one vehicle owned or leased ............ 84 75 88 85 85 

Average annual expenditures .......................... $33,978 $33,092 $31,869 $31,244 $42,352 

Food ............................................................... 4,241 4,384 3,924 4,012 4,869 

Food at home ............................................... 2,632 2,797 2,393 2,558 2,874 

Cereals and bakery products ..................... 368 403 339 351 398 

Cereals and cereal products .................... 104 108 99 101 110 

Bakery products ....................................... 265 295 240 250 288 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs .................... 590 677 537 568 601 

Beef .......................................................... 163 172 158 156 172 

Pork .......................................................... 126 132 120 130 119 

Other meats ............................................. 80 104 79 68 75 

Poultry ...................................................... 91 107 73 97 83 

Fish and seafood ..................................... 102 129 83 89 117 

Eggs ......................................................... 29 32 23 28 34 

Dairy products ............................................ 300 310 272 300 326 

Fresh milk and cream .............................. 116 118 106 123 114 

Other dairy products ................................ 185 192 167 177 211 

Fruits and vegetables ................................. 499 549 456 468 550 

Fresh fruits ............................................... 171 198 162 147 194 

Fresh vegetables ..................................... 155 173 131 147 176 

Processed fruits ....................................... 97 101 90 93 109 

Processed vegetables .............................. 76 76 73 81 70 

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, 2005-2006 — Continued

Item

Total

65 and

over

Northeast Midwest South West

Other food at home .................................... $875 $858 $790 $872 $1,000 

Sugar and other sweets ........................... 112 116 112 107 118 

Fats and oils ............................................. 72 71 66 73 80 

Miscellaneous foods ................................ 440 426 385 449 504 

Nonalcoholic beverages ........................... 213 214 190 220 226 

Food prepared by consumer unit on

out-of-town trips ..................................... 37 31 37 23 71 

Food away from home ................................. 1,609 1,588 1,531 1,454 1,995 

Alcoholic beverages ....................................... 255 263 194 202 414 

Housing .......................................................... 11,435 11,753 10,677 10,352 13,992 

Shelter .......................................................... 6,070 6,750 5,616 5,028 7,810 

Owned dwellings ........................................ 4,068 4,197 3,912 3,572 5,026 

Mortgage interest and charges ................ 1,193 761 975 1,156 1,962 

Property taxes .......................................... 1,548 2,143 1,754 1,140 1,439 

Maintenance, repairs, insurance, other

expenses ................................................ 1,327 1,292 1,183 1,276 1,625 

Rented dwellings ........................................ 1,561 2,082 1,220 1,166 2,150 

Other lodging ............................................. 441 472 485 290 633 

Utilities, fuels, and public services ............... 2,911 3,026 2,898 2,970 2,698 

Natural gas ................................................. 498 640 746 322 381 

Electricity .................................................... 1,092 938 950 1,342 961 

Fuel oil and other fuels ............................... 186 460 129 96 135 

Telephone services .................................... 751 702 720 810 731 

Water and other public services ................. 383 285 352 400 490 

Household operations .................................. 685 569 577 667 967 

Personal services ....................................... 109 361 132 88 167 

Other household expenses ........................ 577 507 444 579 800 

Housekeeping supplies ................................ 544 502 506 565 599 

Laundry and cleaning supplies .................. 109 88 100 125 115 

Other household products .......................... 280 258 263 301 291 

Postage and stationery .............................. 155 156 143 139 193 

Household furnishings and equipment ......... 1,225 906 1,080 1,122 1,919 

Household textiles ...................................... 127 80 111 100 242 

Furniture ..................................................... 290 182 261 239 526 

Floor coverings .......................................... 37 41 33 32 49 

Major appliances ........................................ 206 198 172 184 293 

Small appliances, miscellaneous

housewares .............................................. 87 73 100 77 102 

Miscellaneous household equipment ......... 478 332 403 490 706 

Apparel and services ..................................... 943 1,024 898 880 1,025 

Men and boys .............................................. 199 203 183 195 221 

Men, 16 and over ....................................... 178 185 160 171 205 

Boys, 2 to 15 .............................................. 21 19 23 24 16 

Women and girls .......................................... 432 495 415 417 412 

Women, 16 and over .................................. 405 469 385 389 388 

Girls, 2 to 15 ............................................... 27 26 30 28 25 

Children under 2 .......................................... 21 29 23 16 19 

Footwear ...................................................... 146 143 148 140 157 

Other apparel products and services ........... 145 153 129 112 215 

Transportation ................................................ 5,415 4,989 4,701 5,187 7,113 

Vehicle purchases (net outlay) ..................... 2,155 1,973 1,675 2,180 2,860 

Cars and trucks, new ................................. 1,377 1,175 1,072 1,379 1,942 

Cars and trucks, used ................................ 774 787 603 798 918 

Other vehicles ............................................ 33 311 4 ( ) 33 4 ( )

Gasoline and motor oil ................................. 1,284 1,073 1,270 1,309 1,470 

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, 2005-2006 — Continued

Item

Total

65 and

over

Northeast Midwest South West

Other vehicle expenses ............................... $1,589 $1,516 $1,470 $1,460 $2,039 

Vehicle finance charges ............................. 117 100 88 125 151 

Maintenance and repairs ........................... 525 457 458 506 708 

Vehicle insurance ....................................... 674 656 631 649 787 

Vehicle rental, leases, licenses, and other

charges .................................................... 274 303 292 180 393 

Public transportation .................................... 388 427 286 237 743 

Healthcare ...................................................... 4,262 4,021 4,545 3,926 4,795 

Health insurance .......................................... 2,462 2,455 2,701 2,271 2,535 

Medical services .......................................... 716 667 712 536 1,101 

Drugs ........................................................... 932 784 1,006 956 955 

Medical supplies .......................................... 152 115 126 163 204 

Entertainment ................................................. 1,588 1,403 1,426 1,331 2,440 

Fees and admissions ................................... 424 357 394 320 721 

Audio and visual equipment and services .... 651 698 573 618 756 

Pets, toys, hobbies, and playground

equipment .................................................. 244 222 206 240 322 

Other entertainment supplies, equipment,

and services ............................................... 269 127 253 153 642 

Personal care products and services ............. 468 452 412 430 623 

Reading .......................................................... 140 154 152 101 180 

Education ....................................................... 215 250 167 169 320 

Tobacco products and smoking supplies ....... 168 181 165 169 157 

Miscellaneous ................................................ 800 736 709 727 1,107 

Cash contributions ......................................... 2,235 1,882 2,208 2,025 3,015 

Personal insurance and pensions .................. 1,810 1,597 1,693 1,734 2,303 

Life and other personal insurance ................ 351 294 282 457 297 

Pensions and Social Security ...................... 1,459 1,303 1,411 1,277 2,006 

Sources of income and personal taxes: 

Money income before taxes ........................... 37,461 36,055 36,734 34,064 45,968 

Wages and salaries ..................................... 11,134 10,705 10,346 10,484 13,693 

Self-employment income ............................. 2,140 1,305 2,204 1,535 4,029 

Social Security, private and government

retirement ................................................... 20,670 20,204 21,067 19,395 23,007 

Interest, dividends, rental income, other

property income ......................................... 2,872 3,024 2,822 1,997 4,374 

Unemployment and workers’ compensation,

veterans’ benefits ....................................... 118 174 334 114 167 

Public assistance, supplemental security

income, food stamps .................................. 250 275 134 230 399 

Regular contributions for support ................. 180 279 69 181 207 

Other income ............................................... 97 90 58 128 92 

Personal taxes ............................................... 1,080 972 843 909 1,783 

Federal income taxes ................................... 708 471 470 626 1,383 

State and local income taxes ....................... 127 134 118 62 249 

Other taxes .................................................. 245 367 254 220 152 

Income after taxes ......................................... 36,381 35,083 35,891 33,155 44,185 

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, 2005-2006 — Continued

Item

Total

65 and

over

Northeast Midwest South West

Addenda:

Net change in total assets and liabilities ........ - $3,748 - $2,854 - $2,110 - $3,695 - $6,696 

Net change in total assets ............................ 1,856 3,391 1,295 1,830 985 

Net change in total liabilities ........................ 5,604 6,244 3,406 5,524 7,682 

Other financial information:

Other money receipts ................................... 815 564 405 1,188 875 

Mortgage principal paid on owned property -1,097 -686 -1,339 -1,002 -1,406 

Estimated market value of owned home ...... 183,199 178,927 131,282 145,145 318,303 

Estimated monthly rental value of owned

home .......................................................... 915 914 768 823 1,258 

Gifts of goods and services ............................ 941 927 982 688 1,368 

Food ............................................................. 75 81 71 59 99 

Alcoholic beverages ..................................... 9 15 2 6 19 

Housing ........................................................ 183 201 175 123 283 

Housekeeping supplies .............................. 25 21 28 19 34 

Household textiles ...................................... 11 16 12 8 8 

Appliances and miscellaneous

housewares .............................................. 24 44 24 14 17 

Major appliances ...................................... 9 29 35 4 32 

Small appliances and miscellaneous

housewares ............................................ 14 15 19 10 15 

Miscellaneous household equipment ......... 44 31 41 34 78 

Other housing ............................................ 81 89 70 48 145 

Apparel and services ................................... 169 136 188 185 155 

Males, 2 and over ...................................... 50 44 59 52 42 

Females, 2 and over .................................. 71 45 87 84 60 

Children under 2 ........................................ 19 24 22 15 18 

Other apparel products and services ......... 29 24 20 34 35 

Jewelry and watches ................................ 9 6 7 8 16 

All other apparel products and services ... 19 318 313 25 318 

Transportation .............................................. 78 29 120 47 135 

Health care ................................................... 104 3153 138 39 188 

Entertainment ............................................... 59 29 105 38 74 

Toys, games, arts and crafts, and tricycles 22 16 27 19 30 

Other entertainment ................................... 37 13 79 18 44 

Personal care products and services ........... 12 2 8 14 26 

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

Education ..................................................... 128 192 93 98 159 

All other gifts ................................................ 122 87 80 109 230 

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.