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

Consumer Expenditure Surveys, 2021-2022

Item

Total

65 and

over

Northeast Midwest South West

Number of consumer units (in thousands)1.................................................... 36,500 6,577 7,858 13,939 8,126 

Consumer unit characteristics:

 Income before taxes.................................................................................... $57,880 $66,369 $54,793 $52,346 $63,489 

 Income after taxes....................................................................................... 55,046 61,951 52,473 50,624 59,531 

 Age of reference person.............................................................................. 74.2 73.9 74.5 74.1 74.1 

 Average number in consumer unit:

 People ...................................................................................................... 1.7 1.7 1.6 1.7 1.8 

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

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

 Earners..................................................................................................... .5 .5 .5 .5 .6 

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

Percent distribution:

 Reference person:

 Men .......................................................................................................... 46 44 43 47 48 

 Women..................................................................................................... 54 56 57 53 52 

 Housing tenure:

 Homeowner.............................................................................................. 77 72 78 81 75 

 With mortgage ...................................................................................... 25 19 28 24 30 

 Without mortgage ................................................................................. 52 53 51 56 45 

 Renter ...................................................................................................... 23 28 22 19 25 

 Race of reference person:

 Black or African-American ....................................................................... 11 10 10 15 ( 2 ) 

 White, Asian, and all other races, not including Black or

 African-American .................................................................................. 89 90 90 85 95 

 Hispanic or Latino origin of reference person:

 Hispanic or Latino .................................................................................... 7 6 2 9 9 

 Not Hispanic or Latino.............................................................................. 93 94 98 91 91 

 Education of reference person:

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

 High school (9-12).................................................................................... 32 34 35 33 24 

 College ..................................................................................................... 65 62 63 63 73 

 Never attended and other........................................................................ ( 2 ) ( 3 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 

 At least one vehicle owned or leased ......................................................... 88 82 89 89 90 

Average annual expenditures ........................................................................ $55,064 $58,185 $51,301 $51,022 $63,098 

 Food ............................................................................................................ 6,905 7,714 6,320 6,594 7,324 

 Food at home........................................................................................... 4,648 5,247 4,281 4,367 4,968 

 Cereals and bakery products................................................................ 600 714 564 572 583 

 Cereals and cereal products ............................................................. 163 203 147 153 162 

 Bakery products................................................................................. 437 510 417 419 421 

 Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs............................................................... 977 1,127 864 946 1,015 

 Beef ................................................................................................... 251 267 233 250 257 

 Pork ................................................................................................... 213 194 204 230 209 

 Other meats....................................................................................... 133 189 126 115 119 

 Poultry................................................................................................ 155 189 127 146 168 

 Fish and seafood............................................................................... 166 224 124 145 191 

 Eggs................................................................................................... 61 65 51 60 71 

 Dairy products....................................................................................... 466 561 409 419 519 

 Fresh milk and cream........................................................................ 139 173 122 122 156 

 Other dairy products.......................................................................... 327 388 287 297 363 

 Fruits and vegetables ........................................................................... 914 1,110 823 782 1,055 

 Fresh fruits......................................................................................... 345 432 308 280 417 

 Fresh vegetables ............................................................................... 289 384 241 231 354 

 Processed fruits................................................................................. 121 128 120 114 128 

 Processed vegetables ....................................................................... 158 166 154 157 157 

 Other food at home............................................................................... 1,691 1,736 1,622 1,648 1,795 

 Sugar and other sweets .................................................................... 179 170 186 176 184 

 Fats and oils ...................................................................................... 121 131 114 121 123 

 Miscellaneous foods.......................................................................... 880 901 850 836 966 

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, 2021-2022 — Continued

Item

Total

65 and

over

Northeast Midwest South West

 Nonalcoholic beverages .................................................................... 451 479 407 465 448 

 Food prepared by consumer unit on out of town trips ...................... 59 54 64 51 74 

 Food away from home ............................................................................. 2,257 2,467 2,039 2,227 2,356 

 Alcoholic beverages .................................................................................... 493 527 451 496 504 

 Housing ....................................................................................................... 19,628 22,151 18,333 17,330 22,776 

 Shelter...................................................................................................... 11,048 13,511 9,836 9,120 13,534 

 Owned dwellings................................................................................... 7,200 8,807 6,503 6,238 8,221 

 Mortgage interest and charges.......................................................... 1,479 1,282 1,232 1,312 2,162 

 Property taxes ................................................................................... 2,599 4,389 2,536 1,835 2,522 

 Maintenance, repairs, insurance, and other expenses ..................... 3,122 3,137 2,736 3,091 3,537 

 Rented dwellings .................................................................................. 2,892 3,538 2,458 2,054 4,225 

 Other lodging ........................................................................................ 957 1,166 875 827 1,088 

 Utilities, fuels, and public services ........................................................... 4,080 4,392 3,938 3,997 4,109 

 Natural gas............................................................................................ 498 677 726 330 422 

 Electricity............................................................................................... 1,533 1,363 1,330 1,767 1,468 

 Fuel oil and other fuels ......................................................................... 182 548 138 98 ( 2 ) 

 Telephone services............................................................................... 1,140 1,215 1,098 1,119 1,157 

 Residential phone service, VOIP, and phone cards ......................... 290 401 283 268 246 

 Cellular phone service....................................................................... 850 815 815 851 910 

 Water and other public services ........................................................... 726 589 646 682 992 

 Household operations.............................................................................. 1,511 1,664 1,213 1,380 1,901 

 Personal services ................................................................................. 109 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 

 Other household expenses................................................................... 1,402 1,478 1,159 1,321 1,716 

 Housekeeping supplies............................................................................ 803 793 758 792 878 

 Laundry and cleaning supplies ............................................................. 161 132 162 160 185 

 Other household products .................................................................... 507 538 467 494 541 

 Postage and stationery......................................................................... 136 123 129 138 152 

 Household furnishings and equipment .................................................... 2,186 1,791 2,589 2,042 2,354 

 Household textiles ................................................................................ 117 78 ( 2 ) 108 125 

 Furniture................................................................................................ 517 437 545 ( 2 ) 548 

 Floor coverings ..................................................................................... 24 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 29 

 Major appliances................................................................................... 373 408 328 360 410 

 Small appliances and miscellaneous housewares............................... 129 119 103 134 157 

 Miscellaneous household equipment ................................................... 1,026 717 ( 2 ) 898 1,084 

 Apparel and services................................................................................... 1,058 1,161 1,139 941 1,083 

 Men and boys........................................................................................... 238 289 266 206 219 

 Men, 16 and over.................................................................................. 218 243 256 192 203 

 Boys, 2 to 15......................................................................................... 20 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 

 Women and girls ...................................................................................... 454 446 464 416 513 

 Women, 16 and over ............................................................................ 436 426 449 396 496 

 Girls, 2 to 15.......................................................................................... 18 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 

 Children under 2 ...................................................................................... 10 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 

 Footwear .................................................................................................. 206 254 258 176 158 

 Other apparel products and services....................................................... 150 162 143 127 186 

 Transportation ............................................................................................. 7,678 7,277 7,429 7,368 8,779 

 Vehicle purchases (net outlay) ................................................................ 2,712 2,132 2,741 2,754 3,083 

 Cars and trucks, new............................................................................ 1,435 ( 2 ) 1,368 1,576 1,555 

 Cars and trucks, used........................................................................... 1,271 1,051 ( 2 ) 1,176 1,510 

 Other vehicles....................................................................................... ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 4 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 

 Gasoline, other fuels, and motor oil......................................................... 1,704 1,529 1,612 1,709 1,928 

 Other vehicle expenses ........................................................................... 2,825 3,073 2,691 2,600 3,140 

 Vehicle finance charges ....................................................................... 129 111 140 130 130 

 Maintenance and repairs ...................................................................... 875 815 877 774 1,096 

 Vehicle rental, leases, licenses, and other charges ............................. 621 956 657 426 649 

 Vehicle insurance ................................................................................. 1,200 1,191 1,017 1,270 1,265 

 Public and other transportation................................................................ 437 542 385 305 628 

 Healthcare................................................................................................... 7,288 7,765 7,254 6,842 7,711 

 Health insurance ...................................................................................... 5,128 5,056 5,253 4,965 5,343 

 Medical services ...................................................................................... 1,110 1,755 960 793 1,275 

 Drugs........................................................................................................ 785 704 756 854 771 

 Medical supplies ...................................................................................... 266 250 284 230 323 

 Entertainment.............................................................................................. 2,780 2,693 2,317 2,439 3,905 

 Fees and admissions ............................................................................... 449 514 392 365 596 

 Audio and visual equipment and services ............................................... 1,026 1,093 1,006 962 1,102 

 Pets, toys, hobbies, and playground equipment ..................................... 801 708 632 811 1,041 

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, 2021-2022 — Continued

Item

Total

65 and

over

Northeast Midwest South West

 Pets....................................................................................................... 677 628 501 704 858 

 Toys, hobbies, and playground equipment .......................................... 124 81 130 107 183 

 Other entertainment supplies, equipment, and services ......................... ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 287 301 ( 2 ) 

 Personal care products and services.......................................................... 667 704 641 636 719 

 Reading ....................................................................................................... 145 160 161 96 197 

 Education .................................................................................................... 327 574 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 

 Tobacco products and smoking supplies.................................................... 240 218 277 241 223 

 Miscellaneous.............................................................................................. 882 936 915 745 1,039 

 Cash contributions ...................................................................................... 3,899 2,483 3,241 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 

 Personal insurance and pensions............................................................... 3,072 3,821 2,600 2,529 3,855 

 Life and other personal insurance ........................................................... 506 612 451 514 461 

 Pensions and Social Security .................................................................. 2,566 3,209 2,148 2,015 3,394 

Sources of income and personal taxes:

 Income before taxes.................................................................................... $57,880 $66,369 $54,793 $52,346 $63,489 

 Wages and salaries ................................................................................. 20,408 25,937 17,743 18,266 22,184 

 Self-employment income ......................................................................... 3,175 4,000 2,937 1,952 4,837 

 Social Security, private and government retirement................................ 29,316 30,534 29,225 28,072 30,551 

 Interest, dividends, rental income, and other property income ............... 3,704 4,610 3,823 2,781 4,438 

 Public assistance, Supplemental Security Income, Supplementary

 Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).................................................. 375 481 337 282 485 

 Unemployment and workers' compensation, veterans' benefits,

 and regular contributions for support.................................................... 713 606 598 ( 2 ) 754 

 Other income............................................................................................ 190 201 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 239 

 Personal taxes (contains some imputed values)........................................ 2,834 4,418 2,320 1,721 3,958 

 Federal income taxes............................................................................... 2,911 4,097 2,628 2,030 3,734 

 Stimulus payment (new UCC Q20202)# ................................................. -1,004 -1,019 -960 -956 -1,117 

 State and local income taxes................................................................... 861 1,259 573 575 1,308 

 Other taxes............................................................................................... 66 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 72 ( 2 ) 

 Income after taxes....................................................................................... 55,046 61,951 52,473 50,624 59,531 

Addenda:

 Net change in total assets and liabilities..................................................... ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 

 Net change in total assets ....................................................................... ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 

 Net change in total liabilities .................................................................... 4,737 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 

 Other financial information:

 Other money receipts............................................................................... 857 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2 ) 1,702 

 Mortgage principal paid on owned property ............................................ -1,907 -1,659 -1,740 -1,894 -2,293 

 Estimated market value of owned home ................................................. 301,311 294,069 209,171 243,488 495,457 

 Estimated monthly rental value of owned home...................................... 1,501 1,566 1,222 1,396 1,899 

1

 Data are rounded to the nearest thousands.

2

 Data are suppressed due to the Relative Standard Error (RSE) being equal to or greater than 25 percent. See www.bls.gov/cex/tables-getting-started-guide.htm for more information.

3

 Value is too small to display.

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, 2023