Average annual expenditures and characteristics of all consumer units, Consumer Expenditure Survey, 

1984-1991 

Item 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991

See footnotes at end of table. 1

Number of consumer units (in thousands) 90,223 91,564 94,044 94,150 94,862 95,818 96,968 97,918

Consumer unit characteristics:

Income before taxes 1$23,464 $25,127 $25,460 $27,326 $28,540 $31,308 $31,889 $33,901 

Income after taxes 121,237 22,887 23,172 24,871 26,149 28,496 28,937 30,729

Age of reference person 46.7 46.8 46.7 47.0 47.0 47.2 47.2 47.5

Average number in consumer unit:

Persons 2.6 2.6 2.6 2.6 2.6 2.6 2.6 2.6

Children under 18 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7

Persons 65 and over 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3

Earners 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.4

Vehicles 1.9 1.9 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0

Percent distribution:

Sex of reference person:

Male 69 68 66 67 67 66 65 65

Female 31 32 34 33 33 34 35 35

Housing tenure:

Homeowner 63 62 62 63 62 63 62 63

With mortgage 38 38 37 38 38 39 38 39

Without mortgage 25 24 25 25 24 24 24 25

Renter 38 38 38 38 38 37 38 37

Race of reference person:

Black 10 11 11 11 11 11 11 11

White and other 90 89 89 89 89 89 89 89

Education of reference person:

Elementary (1-8) 13 12 12 12 11 11 10 10

High school (9-12) 43 43 45 45 45 43 43 43

College 43 44 43 43 44 46 46 46

Never attended and other 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1

At least one vehicle owned 85 85 85 86 86 87 87 86

Average annual expenditures: $21,975 $23,490 $23,866 $24,414 $25,892 $27,810 $28,381 $29,614 

Food 3,290 3,477 3,448 3,664 3,748 4,152 4,296 4,271

Food at home 1,970 2,037 1,993 2,099 2,136 2,390 2,485 2,651

Cereals and bakery products 262 283 275 299 312 359 368 404

Cereals and cereal products 84 89 93 104 109 131 129 145

Bakery products 178 194 183 194 203 228 240 259

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs 586 579 562 572 551 611 668 709

Beef 199 194 189 191 182 202 218 228

Pork 119 122 116 116 110 116 132 144
Average annual expenditures and characteristics of all consumer units, Consumer Expenditure Survey, 

1984-1991 - Continued

Item 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991

 See footnotes at end of table. 2

Other meats 81 86 79 83 82 89 99 102

Poultry 85 83 85 87 84 100 108 122

Fish and seafood 67 65 64 66 65 71 82 81

Eggs 35 30 30 28 28 33 30 31

Dairy products 253 266 251 274 274 304 295 294

Fresh milk and cream 128 131 122 132 134 148 140 129

Other dairy products 125 135 128 142 141 157 155 165

Fruits and vegetables 313 322 320 356 373 408 408 429

Fresh fruits 93 96 102 113 121 126 127 133

Fresh vegetables 92 94 92 110 110 127 118 127

Processed fruits 72 78 72 78 85 89 93 97

Processed vegetables 56 54 54 55 57 66 70 72

Other food at home 526 557 554 567 625 708 746 815

Sugar and other sweets 74 77 74 74 78 86 94 101

Fats and oils 56 58 51 51 55 59 68 72

Miscellaneous foods 218 234 236 248 264 314 336 375

Nonalcoholic beverages 178 187 193 194 199 216 213 224

Food prep by cu, out-of-town trips 30 29 31 31 30 33 35 42

Food away from home 1,320 1,441 1,455 1,565 1,612 1,762 1,811 1,620

Alcoholic beverages 275 306 271 289 269 284 293 297

Housing 6,674 7,087 7,292 7,569 8,079 8,609 8,703 9,252

Shelter 3,489 3,833 3,979 4,154 4,493 4,835 4,836 5,191

Owned dwellings 2,062 2,261 2,305 2,375 2,569 2,850 2,953 3,280

Mortgage interest and charges 1,251 1,382 1,431 1,461 1,569 1,741 1,817 1,932

Property taxes 421 438 418 464 504 575 597 789

Maintenance, repairs, insurance, 

other expenses 390 441 456 449 496 533 540 559

Rented dwellings 1,070 1,180 1,262 1,345 1,468 1,500 1,533 1,588

Other lodging2357 392 412 434 456 485 349 323

Utilities, fuels, and public services 1,638 1,648 1,645 1,671 1,747 1,835 1,890 1,990

Natural gas 297 275 248 232 234 247 246 250

Electricity 629 647 674 692 709 738 758 803

Fuel oil and other fuels 140 128 107 94 98 101 100 102

Telephone 435 455 471 499 537 567 592 618

Water and other public services 138 143 145 153 170 182 193 217

Household operations 315 346 354 371 394 460 446 448

Personal services 128 153 168 170 171 219 219 211

Other household expenses 187 193 186 201 223 241 227 237

Housekeeping supplies 307 325 316 341 361 394 406 424

Laundry and cleaning supplies 87 93 92 97 101 107 113 116

Other household products 134 132 126 139 147 165 171 185

Postage and stationery 86 100 98 105 113 122 122 123

Household furnishings and equipment 926 936 998 1,032 1,083 1,086 1,125 1,200

Household textiles 86 96 105 91 94 105 99 100

Furniture 270 285 304 315 326 312 310 294

Floor coverings 78 70 55 69 65 70 92 115
Average annual expenditures and characteristics of all consumer units, Consumer Expenditure Survey, 

1984-1991 - Continued

Item 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991

See footnotes at end of table. 3

Major appliances 143 133 156 160 169 148 147 132

Small appliances, miscellaneous 

housewares 67 60 56 57 60 65 75 81

Miscellaneous household equipment 282 292 322 340 369 386 402 477

Apparel and services 1,319 1,420 1,346 1,446 1,489 1,582 1,618 1,735

Men and boys 350 364 343 361 388 397 393 429

Men, 16 and over 280 303 278 295 311 324 324 345

Boys, 2 to 15 70 61 66 66 77 74 70 84

Women and girls 524 580 544 591 587 657 673 706

Women, 16 and over 444 499 472 510 492 564 586 607

Girls, 2 to 15 79 81 72 81 95 93 87 99

Children under 2 50 56 56 58 62 72 70 82

Footwear 185 184 167 184 196 189 225 242

Other apparel products and services 211 235 236 251 257 266 258 277

Transportation 4,304 4,587 4,842 4,600 5,093 5,187 5,120 5,151

Vehicle purchases (net outlay) 1,813 2,043 2,338 2,022 2,361 2,291 2,129 2,111

Cars and trucks, new 1,030 1,197 1,415 1,143 1,355 1,218 1,159 1,078

Cars and trucks, used 756 806 893 860 982 1,051 948 1,013

Other vehicles 27 40 29 18 23 22 22 20

Gasoline and motor oil 1,058 1,035 915 888 932 985 1,047 995

Other vehicle expenses 1,178 1,241 1,342 1,417 1,521 1,627 1,642 1,741

Vehicle finance charges 213 252 269 280 284 303 300 282

Maintenance and repairs 481 473 492 514 553 561 589 614

Vehicle insurance 349 373 420 462 508 575 563 614

Vehicle rental, leases, licenses, other 

charges 134 143 161 160 177 188 190 231

Public transportation 255 268 248 273 279 284 302 304

Health care 1,049 1,108 1,135 1,135 1,298 1,407 1,480 1,554

Health insurance 370 375 371 392 474 537 581 656

Medical services 454 496 502 467 529 542 562 555

Drugs 167 178 192 203 223 240 252 252

Medical supplies 58 60 69 73 71 87 85 92

Entertainment 1,055 1,170 1,149 1,193 1,329 1,424 1,422 1,472

Fees and admissions 313 320 308 323 353 377 371 378

Television, radios, sound equipment 322 371 371 379 416 429 454 468

Pets, toys, and playground equipment 190 213 202 218 230 249 276 271

Other supplies, equipment, and services 230 266 268 273 330 369 321 356

Personal care products and services 289 303 303 330 334 366 364 399

Reading 132 141 140 142 150 157 153 163

Education 303 321 314 337 342 367 406 447
Average annual expenditures and characteristics of all consumer units, Consumer Expenditure Survey, 

1984-1991 

Item 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991

See footnotes at end of table. 4

Tobacco products and smoking 

supplies 228 219 230 232 242 261 274 276

Miscellaneous 451 529 522 562 578 643 842 860

Cash contributions 706 805 746 741 693 900 816 950

Personal insurance and pensions 1,897 2,016 2,127 2,175 2,249 2,472 2,592 2,787

Life and other personal insurance 300 278 292 294 314 346 345 356

Pensions and Social Security 1,598 1,738 1,834 1,881 1,935 2,125 2,248 2,431

Sources of income and taxes: 1

Money income before taxes 23,464 25,127 25,460 27,326 28,540 31,308 31,889 33,901

Wages and salaries 18,178 19,378 19,524 20,613 21,779 23,248 24,173 25,553

Self-employment income 1,123 1,331 1,618 1,821 1,790 2,535 2,315 2,552

Social Security, private and 

government retirement 2,420 2,604 2,555 2,941 3,063 3,387 3,427 3,584

Interest, dividends, rental income, other 

property income 938 1,126 973 1,115 1,016 1,253 1,059 1,164

Unemployment and workers' 

compensation, veterans’ benefit 282 180 208 209 241 207 218 245

Public assistance, supplemental 

security, income, food stamps 252 235 273 294 308 290 344 389

Regular contributions for support 191 197 223 232 258 273 260 284

Other income 81 75 86 102 85 115 93 130

Personal taxes 12,227 2,240 2,288 2,455 2,391 2,812 2,952 3,172

Federal income taxes 1,733 1,737 1,812 1,951 1,891 2,228 2,319 2,431

State and local income taxes 431 437 412 454 445 521 558 612

Other taxes 63 66 64 50 55 62 75 128

Income after taxes 1

21,237 22,887 23,172 24,871 26,149 28,496 28,937 30,729

Addenda:

Net change in total assets and 

liabilities 1,190 2,494 1,195 3,122 592 211 -441 478

Net change in total assets 2,391 3,653 3,241 4,608 4,102 3,612 2,902 3,005

Net change in total liabilities 1,201 1,159 2,046 1,486 3,510 3,401 3,343 2,526

Other financial information

Other money receipts 247 290 271 316 398 423 310 317

Mortgage principal paid, owned 

property -365 -409 -410 -434 -480 -513 -574 -578

Estimated market value of owned home 47,269 49,426 49,642 52,599 57,935 63,717 66,069 67,519

Estimated monthly rental value of 

owned home 292 313 309 333 356 383 398 413
Average annual expenditures and characteristics of all consumer units, Consumer Expenditure Survey, 

1984-1991 - Continued

Item 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991

5

Gifts of goods and services 696 774 713 749 841 887 911 1,000

Food 95 79

Housing 232 272

Housekeeping supplies 35 41

Household textiles 10 11 11 12 10 8 14 13

Appliances and miscellaneous 

housewares 27 30

Major appliances 7 6

Small appliances and miscellaneous 

houseware 20 16 15 16 17 18 20 24

Miscellaneous household equipment 50 73

Other housing 107 116

Apparel and services 236 259

Males 2 and over 54 61 55 58 70 70 61 72

Females 2 and over 67 80 67 75 80 88 95 99

Children under 2 20 23 23 25 27 33 31 36

Other apparel products and services 48 52

Jewelry and watches 22 31 27 23 26 24 25 27

All other apparel products and 

services 23 25

Transportation 53 56

Health care 45 29

Entertainment 66 70

Toys, games, hobbies, and tricycles 25 28

Other entertainment 41 43

Education 96 116

All other gifts 503 552 515 540 611 646 88 118

1/ Components of income and taxes are derived from "complete income reporters" only; see glossary at 

http://www.bls.gov/cex/csxgloss.htm

2/ "Expenses for other properties" a component of "Miscellaneous" expenditures were moved from "Other 

lodging" to "Miscellaneous" expenditures in 1990. As a result, the "Other lodging" series shows a slight 

decline between 1989 and 1990.

Note: All values have been rounded, and as a result some cell values have been rounded to zero. This is particularly evident in the 

characteristic section. When data are not reported or are not applicable (i.e., missing values), tabulated cell values have been set to 

zero. Also note, some data are likely to have large sampling errors.

Components of "Gifts of goods and services" that are shown with blanks in the years 1984 through 1989 

were not published in those years.