Table 3024. Selected southern metropolitan statistical areas: Average annual expenditures and characteristics, Consumer Expenditure 

Survey, 2017-2018

Item 

All consumer 

units in the 

South 

Washington 

D.C. Baltimore Atlanta Miami DallasFort Worth Houston Tampa 

Number of consumer units (in thousands) ................................ 50,215 2,536 1,033 2,012 2,294 2,829 2,431 1,263 

Consumer unit characteristics: 

 Income before taxes ................................................................ $69,315 $115,585 $98,945 $98,429 $79,436 $78,854 $90,691 $55,693 

 Age of reference person................................................................ 50.8 48.8 51.6 50.2 53.5 46.9 46.9 54.6 

 Average number in consumer unit: 

 People ................................................................ 2.4 2.6 2.5 2.6 2.5 2.5 2.8 2.3 

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

 Adults 65 and older ................................................................ .4 .3 .4 .3 .4 .2 .3 .5 

 Earners ................................................................ 1.2 1.5 1.4 1.5 1.4 1.4 1.3 1.1 

 Vehicles ................................................................ 1.9 1.8 1.8 1.9 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.6 

 Percent homeowner ................................................................ 65 63 70 64 59 54 60 56 

Average annual expenditures ................................ $55,700 $91,118 $74,174 $64,719 $57,555 $66,282 $69,153 $50,386 

 Food ................................................................................................ 7,235 11,211 8,813 7,475 6,763 7,330 8,182 7,218 

 Food at home ................................................................ 4,059 5,582 4,528 3,779 4,001 3,861 4,275 4,169 

 Cereals and bakery products ................................ 520 664 562 491 427 452 574 488 

 Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs................................ 916 1,276 1,035 900 1,086 917 996 1,032 

 Dairy products ................................................................ 388 562 451 350 420 330 377 463 

 Fruits and vegetables ................................ 753 1,104 975 666 912 758 836 749 

 Other food at home ................................................................ 1,482 1,977 1,503 1,371 1,157 1,403 1,491 1,437 

 Food away from home ................................................................ 3,177 5,629 4,285 3,696 2,761 3,469 3,906 3,049 

 Alcoholic beverages ................................................................ 477 1,111 546 512 530 766 608 555 

 Housing ................................................................ 17,947 30,872 23,957 21,208 21,450 24,339 23,550 17,871 

 Shelter ................................................................ 10,096 20,502 14,959 12,019 13,960 15,292 13,630 10,695 

 Owned dwellings ................................................................ 5,858 12,712 9,586 6,867 7,007 7,699 7,703 5,209 

 Rented dwellings ................................................................ 3,560 6,153 4,391 4,074 6,250 6,802 5,073 5,045 

 Other lodging ................................................................ 677 1,637 981 1,078 703 791 854 440 

 Utilities, fuels, and public services ................................ 3,937 4,164 3,905 4,559 3,857 4,395 4,324 3,377 

 Household operations ................................................................ 1,378 3,289 2,129 1,714 1,245 1,478 1,929 1,399 

 Housekeeping supplies ................................................................ 726 901 841 992 724 806 802 803 

 Household furnishings and equipment ................................ 1,810 2,017 2,122 1,923 1,664 2,368 2,864 1,598 

 Apparel and services ................................................................ 1,669 2,754 1,870 1,979 1,690 2,352 2,698 1,064 

 Transportation ................................................................9,570 13,095 11,741 10,557 8,820 11,140 10,984 7,694 

 Vehicle purchases (net outlay) ................................ 4,309 5,703 6,325 4,015 2,843 4,655 4,316 3,461 

 Gasoline, other fuels, and motor oil ................................ 2,034 2,040 2,081 2,585 2,284 2,211 2,371 1,545 

 Other vehicle expenses ................................ 2,648 3,253 2,217 2,983 3,061 3,588 3,197 2,229 

 Public and other transportation ................................ 579 2,099 1,118 974 631 688 1,101 459 

 Healthcare ................................................................ 4,724 6,301 5,425 5,189 4,554 4,954 4,909 3,810 

 Entertainment ................................................................2,804 4,191 3,695 2,823 2,064 3,075 3,620 2,215 

 Personal care products and services ................................711 1,271 796 763 978 857 879 523 

 Reading ................................................................ 89 151 156 100 65 85 82 132 

 Education ................................................................ 1,166 2,566 3,154 1,497 909 1,954 1,690 1,075 

 Tobacco products and smoking supplies................................ 346 147 236 195 211 174 247 307 

 Miscellaneous................................................................ 886 1,846 972 775 1,289 859 1,022 1,764 

 Cash contributions ................................................................ 1,760 2,672 1,775 2,185 773 1,561 2,906 1,186 

 Personal insurance and pensions ................................ 6,315 12,930 11,039 9,461 7,458 6,836 7,777 5,072 

 Life and other personal insurance ................................432 660 579 460 334 300 499 338 

 Pensions and Social Security ................................ 5,883 12,270 10,460 9,001 7,124 6,535 7,278 4,733 

1

 Data are likely to have large sampling errors. 

Source: Consumer Expenditure Survey, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, September, 2019