Table 23. Selected southern metropolitan statistical areas: Average annual expenditures and characteristics, Consumer

Expenditure Survey, 2004-2005

Item

All consumer

units in the

South

Washington,

D.C. Baltimore Atlanta Miami DallasFort Worth Houston

Number of consumer units (in thousands) ....... 41,986 2,344 1,169 1,989 1,779 2,054 1,751 

Consumer unit characteristics:

Income before taxes ...................................... $52,066 $86,526 $63,372 $59,942 $51,799 $61,753 $69,557 

Age of reference person ................................. 48.4 47.0 51.3 45.8 50.4 44.9 45.1 

Average number in consumer unit:

Persons ........................................................ 2.5 2.5 2.3 2.5 2.6 2.8 2.9 

Children under 18 ......................................... .6 .6 .5 .7 .7 .8 1.0 

Persons 65 and over .................................... .3 .2 .4 .2 .4 .2 .2 

Earners ......................................................... 1.3 1.5 1.2 1.3 1.3 1.5 1.5 

Vehicles ........................................................ 1.9 1.8 1.6 1.5 1.5 2.0 1.9 

Percent homeowner ....................................... 69 69 69 72 67 68 68 

Average annual expenditures ........................... $40,903 $55,977 $39,217 $39,992 $37,673 $50,637 $52,998 

Food ............................................................... 5,404 5,831 4,324 5,496 5,522 6,426 5,862 

Food at home ............................................... 3,065 3,055 2,655 2,676 3,793 3,560 3,118 

Cereals and bakery products ..................... 413 407 374 364 507 489 422 

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs .................... 790 766 737 750 1,029 805 776 

Dairy products ............................................ 331 337 275 255 470 414 338 

Fruits and vegetables ................................. 488 597 448 502 736 579 556 

Other food at home .................................... 1,043 949 820 804 1,052 1,273 1,025 

Food away from home .................................. 2,340 2,776 1,670 2,820 1,729 2,867 2,744 

Alcoholic beverages ....................................... 349 551 354 337 272 540 430 

Housing .......................................................... 12,862 21,523 14,714 14,346 14,807 16,706 16,609 

Shelter .......................................................... 6,936 13,997 9,487 8,497 9,465 9,453 9,245 

Owned dwellings ........................................ 4,719 10,250 6,644 6,019 6,150 6,818 6,373 

Rented dwellings ........................................ 1,867 3,178 2,366 2,202 3,027 2,147 2,255 

Other lodging .............................................. 350 570 476 276 289 488 617 

Utilities, fuels, and public services ................ 3,108 3,618 2,944 3,430 3,140 3,833 3,877 

Household operations .................................. 725 1,326 614 717 741 929 1,067 

Housekeeping supplies ................................ 561 567 417 518 525 645 653 

Household furnishings and equipment ......... 1,532 2,015 1,253 1,184 936 1,845 1,767 

Apparel and services ...................................... 1,740 2,224 1,641 1,744 954 2,228 2,265 

Transportation ................................................ 7,620 7,876 5,799 6,044 6,282 8,838 10,326 

Vehicle purchases (net outlay) ..................... 3,366 2,758 2,052 2,359 2,013 3,587 4,584 

Gasoline and motor oil ................................. 1,835 1,726 1,541 1,695 1,633 1,982 2,249 

Other vehicle expenses ................................ 2,132 2,601 1,844 1,748 2,284 2,799 3,107 

Public transportation ..................................... 288 790 363 242 353 469 386 

Healthcare ...................................................... 2,569 2,510 2,215 1,837 2,003 3,027 2,942 

Entertainment ................................................. 2,124 2,632 1,696 2,079 1,412 2,111 2,338 

Personal care products and services ............. 525 637 507 397 516 767 746 

Reading .......................................................... 96 166 80 65 33 118 129 

Education ....................................................... 662 1,610 998 773 576 921 1,061 

Tobacco products and smoking supplies ....... 304 188 219 142 141 228 246 

Miscellaneous ................................................. 587 847 395 421 455 783 879 

Cash contributions .......................................... 1,479 1,667 1,228 1,047 852 1,855 2,677 

Personal insurance and pensions .................. 4,583 7,713 5,046 5,265 3,846 6,090 6,488 

Life and other personal insurance ................ 406 609 235 364 218 437 425 

Pensions and Social Security ....................... 4,177 7,104 4,811 4,901 3,628 5,652 6,063