TEXT

  Technical information:(202) 606-6900    USDL-94-546
  Media contact:              606-5902    FOR RELEASE:  10:00 A.M. EST
                                          Monday, Nov. 7, 1994
 
 
                     CONSUMER EXPENDITURES IN 1993
 
       Average annual expenditures per consumer unit continued to
  rise at a moderate rate, increasing about 3 percent from 1992 to
  1993, according to results from the Consumer Expenditure Survey
  released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of
  Labor.  Expenditures had risen about 1 percent in 1992 and 4
  percent in 1991.  The increase in expenditures from 1992 to 1993
  matched the increase in general price levels, as measured by the
  Consumer Price Index (CPI).
 
       The percent changes in expenditures from 1992 to 1993 varied
  among the major components of spending.  The largest increases were
  for health care and entertainment which rose by 9 percent and 8
  percent, respectively.  Food expenditures rose 3 percent, and
  housing rose 2 percent.  Expenditures on apparel and services
  declined by 2 percent over the period.  Consumer Expenditure Survey
  data for 1991, 1992, and 1993 are shown below.
 
  Annual expenditures of all consumer units and percent changes,
  Consumer Expenditure Survey, 1991-93
                                                               Percent change
            Item                 1991       1992       1993  1991-92  1992-93
 
  Number of consumer units     97,918    100,019    100,049
  Income before taxes(1)      $33,901    $33,854    $34,868
  Average age of reference       47.5       47.6       47.8
    person
  Average number in
    consumer unit:
    Persons                       2.6        2.5        2.5
    Earners                       1.4        1.3        1.3
    Vehicles                      2.0        1.9        1.9
  Percent homeowner                63         61         63
 
  Average annual              $29,614    $29,846    $30,692      0.8      2.8
    expenditures
    Food                        4,271      4,273      4,399        0      2.9
      Food at home              2,651      2,643      2,735      -.3      3.5
      Food away from home       1,620      1,631      1,664       .7      2.0
    Housing                     9,252      9,477      9,636      2.4      1.7
    Apparel and services        1,735      1,710      1,676     -1.4     -2.0
    Transportation              5,151      5,228      5,453      1.5      4.3
    Health care                 1,554      1,634      1,776      5.1      8.7
    Entertainment               1,472      1,500      1,626      1.9      8.4
    Personal insurance and      2,787      2,750      2,908     -1.3      5.7
      pensions
    Other expenditures          3,392      3,274      3,218     -3.5     -1.7
 
  (1) Income values are derived from "complete income reporters" only.
 
       The strength of the Consumer Expenditure Survey data is the
  ability to associate expenditures by consumers with the demographic
  characteristics of those consumers.  A soon-to-be-published report
  will include tables showing the data classified by income quintile,
  income class, size of consumer unit, number of earners, type of
  consumer unit, age of the reference person, region of residence,
  housing tenure, race, type of area (urban-rural), and occupation.
  These are standard classifications that have been published in
  prior reports and bulletins.  The report will be sent to all
  persons on the Consumer Expenditure Survey mailing list.
 
       Bulletins that include integrated Consumer Expenditure Survey
  data are published at 2-year intervals.  The next bulletin will
  include CE Survey data for 1992 and 1993 and is scheduled for
  publication in spring 1995.  It will include tables of average
  annual expenditures, income, and characteristics for the same
  classifications that are shown in the annual report but with
  additional detail.  Also included are tables showing average annual
  data over a 2-year period for the following characteristics: Income
  before taxes cross-tabulated by either age, consumer unit size, or
  region; single consumers by gender cross-tabulated by either income
  or age; and selected Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs).  The
  bulletins also include analyses of expenditure data as they apply
  to various topics of interest.  The same tables that will be
  included in the bulletin will be available on diskette prior to the
  publication of the bulletin.  The data on diskette will be
  available in late November.
 
       The 1993 Diary and Interview microdata are now available on
  public use tapes.  These tapes are available for annual data back
  to 1980.  The 1993 EXPN public use tapes which include non-
  expenditure information and more detailed expenditure records than
  are found on the Interview survey tapes will be available in the
  near future.  Tabulations of integrated data for 1993 with more
  detail than is shown in this news release or in the annual report
  are available.
 
       For further information, contact the Division of Consumer
  Expenditure Surveys, Office of Prices and Living Conditions, Bureau
  of Labor Statistics, 2 Massachusetts Ave., NE., Washington, DC
  20212-0001 or call 202-606-6900.
 
       Information in this release will be made available to sensory
  impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone:  202-606-7828, TDD
  phone:  202-606-5897, TDD message referral phone number:  1-800-
  326-2577.