| Item | All consumer units in the South | Washington, D.C. | Baltimore | Atlanta | Miami | Dallas-Fort Worth | Houston |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Number of consumer units (in thousands) |
44,675 | 2,105 | 944 | 2,331 | 1,638 | 2,504 | 1,992 |
| Consumer unit characteristics | |||||||
Income before taxes |
$58,802 | $108,724 | $92,055 | $69,914 | $52,934 | $70,942 | $67,442 |
Age of reference person |
50 | 48.2 | 52.1 | 46.7 | 51.3 | 45.6 | 45.8 |
| Average number in consumer unit | |||||||
Persons |
2.5 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 2.8 | 3.0 |
Children under 18 |
0.6 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 0.9 |
Persons 65 and over |
0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
Earners |
1.2 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 1.6 |
Vehicles |
1.9 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 2.0 |
| Home ownership | |||||||
Percent homeowner |
68 | 67 | 73 | 69 | 57 | 61 | 66 |
| Average annual expenditures | |||||||
Average annual expenditures |
$44,978 | $72,448 | $55,363 | $49,692 | $38,354 | $54,628 | $54,659 |
Food |
5,813 | 8,342 | 6,920 | 5,798 | 4,933 | 6,994 | 6,857 |
Food at home |
3,421 | 4,482 | 4,061 | 3,291 | 3,358 | 3,949 | 3,702 |
Cereals and bakery products |
466 | 592 | 614 | 440 | 470 | 550 | 478 |
Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs |
787 | 1,011 | 927 | 791 | 848 | 885 | 802 |
Dairy products |
348 | 466 | 375 | 327 | 383 | 388 | 358 |
Fruits and vegetables |
601 | 875 | 727 | 591 | 740 | 748 | 717 |
Other food at home |
1,218 | 1,538 | 1,419 | 1,143 | 917 | 1,378 | 1,347 |
Food away from home |
2,393 | 3,860 | 2,859 | 2,507 | 1,575 | 3,045 | 3,155 |
Alcoholic beverages |
356 | 740 | 372 | 431 | 228 | 383 | 430 |
Housing |
14,940 | 25,590 | 20,695 | 18,448 | 15,911 | 18,241 | 18,287 |
Shelter |
8,116 | 16,628 | 12,946 | 10,681 | 10,391 | 10,248 | 9,925 |
Owned dwellings |
5,169 | 10,724 | 8,829 | 7,301 | 5,245 | 6,407 | 6,487 |
Rented dwellings |
2,429 | 4,309 | 2,921 | 2,879 | 4,813 | 3,371 | 2,853 |
Other lodging |
518 | 1,596 | 1,196 | 502 | 334 | 470 | 585 |
Utilities, fuels, and public services |
3,872 | 4,254 | 4,424 | 4,348 | 3,496 | 4,461 | 4,472 |
Household operations |
962 | 1,740 | 1,024 | 1,166 | 701 | 1,237 | 1,483 |
Housekeeping supplies |
577 | 720 | 687 | 724 | 458 | 739 | 620 |
Household furnishings and equipment |
1,412 | 2,247 | 1,615 | 1,528 | 865 | 1,557 | 1,788 |
Apparel and services |
1,561 | 2,775 | 1,719 | 1,644 | 897 | 2,260 | 2,218 |
Transportation |
7,929 | 10,889 | 6,606 | 7,998 | 6,039 | 9,314 | 9,146 |
Vehicle purchases (net outlay) |
2,728 | 3,176 | (1) 1,962 | 2,761 | (1) 1,149 | 3,175 | 2,542 |
Gasoline and motor oil |
2,513 | 2,479 | 2,401 | 2,645 | 2,268 | 2,918 | 3,050 |
Other vehicle expenses |
2,358 | 4,009 | 1,877 | 2,060 | 2,205 | 2,833 | 2,975 |
Public transportation |
331 | 1,224 | 366 | 533 | 418 | 388 | 578 |
Healthcare |
3,101 | 4,306 | 3,283 | 2,724 | 1,872 | 3,464 | 3,224 |
Entertainment |
2,353 | 3,710 | 2,876 | 2,281 | 1,404 | 2,675 | 2,642 |
Personal care products and services |
586 | 1,049 | 646 | 647 | 542 | 827 | 784 |
Reading |
84 | 196 | 110 | 76 | 23 | 103 | 132 |
Education |
689 | 1,300 | 2,173 | 1,064 | 526 | 632 | 1,130 |
Tobacco products and smoking supplies |
396 | 232 | 260 | 167 | 197 | 420 | 365 |
Miscellaneous |
688 | 1,184 | 456 | 724 | 430 | 582 | 1,125 |
Cash contributions |
1,623 | 2,130 | 1,679 | 1,624 | 765 | 1,949 | 2,320 |
Personal insurance and pensions |
4,858 | 10,004 | 7,567 | 6,067 | 4,585 | 6,783 | 6,000 |
Life and other personal insurance |
296 | 436 | 380 | 235 | 138 | 384 | 319 |
Pensions and Social Security |
4,562 | 9,568 | 7,187 | 5,833 | 4,447 | 6,399 | 5,680 |
Footnotes: |
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A more detailed listing of CE results can be obtained from the BLS Internet site www.bls.gov/cex/ in text, PDF, and Excel formats. For personal assistance or further information on the Consumer Expenditure Survey, as well as other Bureau programs, contact the Mid-Atlantic Information Office at 215-597-3282.
Last Modified Date: October 9, 2012