Consumer Expenditure Survey (CE) [cx]

The Consumer Expenditure Survey collects information from the Nations households and families on their buying habits (expenditures), income, and characteristics. The strength of the survey is that it allows data users to relate the expenditures and income of consumers to the characteristics of those consumers.

Updated on DBnomics on September 9, 2022 (2:43 AM)

Category [category]
Characteristics [characteristics]
Demographics [demographics]
Item [item]
Process [process]
Seasonal [seasonal]
Subcategory [subcategory]

Dataset has 21,455 series. Add search filters to narrow them.

Dimension codes and labels
[category] Category
  • [ADDENDA] Assets and liabilities, and other financial info
  • [CUCHARS] Consumer Characteristics
  • [EXPEND] Expenditures
  • [INCOME] Income and Taxes
[characteristics] Characteristics
  • [01] All Consumer Units
  • [02] Type of area: Urban
  • [03] Type of area: Urban: Principal City
  • [04] Type of area: Urban: Other urban
  • [05] Type of area: Rural
  • [06] Birth year of 1927 or earlier
  • [07] Birth year of 1997 or later
  • [08] Birth year from 1981 to 1996
  • [09] Birth year of 1945 or earlier
  • [10] Ninth 10 percent
  • [11] Highest 10 percent
  • [12] $70,000 to $79,999 before tax income(from 2003)
  • [13] $80,000 to $99,999 before tax income(from 2003)
  • [14] Before tax income of $100,000 and over(from 2003)
  • [15] $100,000 to $119,999 before tax income(from 2003)
  • [16] $120,000 to $149,999 before tax income(from 2003)
  • [17] Before tax income of $150,000 and over(from 2003)
  • [18] Less than $15,000
  • [19] $15,000 to $29,999
  • [20] $70,000 to $99,999
  • [21] $100,000 to $149,999
  • [22] $150,000 to $199,999
  • [23] $200,000 and more
  • [A1] Five people in consumer unit
  • [A2] Six or more people in consumer unit
[demographics] Demographics
  • [LB01] Quintiles of income before taxes
  • [LB02] Income before taxes
  • [LB04] Age of reference person
  • [LB05] Size of consumer unit
  • [LB06] Composition of consumer unit
  • [LB07] Number of earners
  • [LB09] Race of reference person
  • [LB10] Hispanic or Latino origin of reference person
  • [LB11] Region of residence
  • [LB12] Occupation of reference person
  • [LB13] Education of reference person
  • [LB14] Highest education level of any member
  • [LB15] Deciles of income before taxes
  • [LB16] Generation of reference person
  • [LB17] Housing tenure
  • [LB18] Type of area
  • [LB19] Type of area
[item] Item
  • [080110] Eggs
  • [190904] Food prep. by consumer unit, out-of-town trips
  • [220211] Property taxes
  • [270102] Cellular phone service
  • [500110] Vehicle insurance
  • [800721] Estimated market value of owned home
  • [900000] Wages and salaries
  • [910050] Est. monthly rental value of owned home
  • [980010] Number of People in CU
  • [980020] Age of reference person
  • [980030] Number of Earners
  • [980050] Number of Children under 18
  • [980060] Adults 65 and older
  • [980210] Percent Men reference persons
  • [980220] Percent Women reference persons
  • [980230] Percent Homeowner with mortgage
  • [980240] Percent Homeowner without mortgage
  • [980260] Percent Renter
  • [980270] Percent Black or African American
  • [980285] Percent Hispanic or Latino
  • [980286] Percent Not Hispanic or Latino
  • [980290] Percent Elementary (1-8)
  • [980300] Percent High school (9-12)
  • [980310] Percent College
  • [980320] Percent Never attended school and other
  • [980350] At least one vehicle owned or leased
  • [ALCBEVG] Alcoholic beverages
  • [ANIMAL] Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs
  • [APPAREL] Apparel and services
  • [BAKERY] Bakery products
  • [BEEF] Beef
  • [BOYS] Apparel, Boys, 2 to 15
  • [CAREPAIR] Vehicle maintenance and repairs
  • [CASHCONT] Cash contributions
  • [CERBAKRY] Cereals and bakery products
  • [CEREAL] Cereals and cereal products
  • [CHGASLI] Net change in total assets and liabilities
  • [CHGASSET] Net change in total assets
  • [CHGLIAB] Net change in total liabilities
  • [CONSUNIT] Number of consumer units (in thousands)
  • [DAIRY] Dairy products
  • [DRUGS] Drugs: Prescription and nonprescription
  • [EDUCATN] Education
  • [ELECTRIC] Electricity
  • [ENTEROTH] Entertainment: other supplies, equip., & services
  • [ENTRTAIN] Entertainment
  • [FATSOILS] Fats and oils
  • [FEDTAXES] Federal income taxes
  • [FEESADM] Entertainment: fees and admissions
  • [FISHSEA] Fish and seafood
  • [FLOORCOV] Floor coverings
  • [FOODAWAY] Food away from home
  • [FOODHOME] Food at home
  • [FOODTOTL] Food
  • [FOOTWEAR] Footwear
  • [FRESHVEG] Fresh vegetables
  • [FRSHFRUT] Fresh fruits
  • [FRUITVEG] Fruits and vegetables
  • [FURNITUR] Furniture
  • [GASOIL] Gasoline, other fuels, and motor oil
  • [GIRLS] Apparel, Girls, 2 to 15
  • [HEALTH] Healthcare
  • [HHFURNSH] Household furnishings and equipment
  • [HHOPER] Household operations
  • [HHOTHXPN] Other household expenses
  • [HHPERSRV] Personal services
  • [HHTXTILE] Household textiles
  • [HKPGOTHR] Other household products
  • [HKPGSUPP] Housekeeping supplies
  • [HLTHINSR] Health insurance
  • [HOMEOWN] Percent Homeowner
  • [HOUSING] Housing
  • [INCAFTAX] Income after taxes
  • [INCAFTTX] Income after taxes
  • [INCBEFTX] Income before taxes
  • [INCBFTAX] Income before taxes
  • [INDIVRNT] Interest, dividends, rent income, property income
  • [INFANT] Apparel, Children under 2
  • [INSPENSN] Personal insurance and pensions
  • [LAUNDRY] Laundry and cleaning supplies
  • [LIFEINSR] Life and other personal insurance
  • [MAJAPPL] Major appliances
  • [MEDSERVS] Medical services
  • [MEDSUPPL] Medical supplies
  • [MENBOYS] Apparel, Men and boys
  • [MENS] Apparel, Men, 16 and over
  • [MILKCRM] Fresh milk and cream
  • [MISC] Miscellaneous expenditures
  • [MISCFOOD] Miscellaneous foods
  • [MISCHHEQ] Miscellaneous household equipment
  • [MRTPRINP] Mortgage principal paid, owned property
  • [NALCBEVG] Nonalcoholic beverages
  • [NATRLGAS] Natural gas
  • [NEWCARS] Vehicle purchases: Cars and trucks, new
  • [OTHAPPRL] Other apparel products and services
  • [OTHBNFTS] Unemp. & workers' compen., veterans benefits
  • [OTHDAIRY] Other dairy products
  • [OTHLODGE] Other lodging
  • [OTHREGIN] Unemp and workrs' comp, vet bnfits, reg contrib
  • [OTHRFOOD] Other food at home
  • [OTHRFUEL] Fuel oil and other fuels
  • [OTHRINC] Other income
  • [OTHRMEAT] Other meats
  • [OTHRMONY] Other money receipts
  • [OTHRTAX] Other taxes
  • [OTHVEHCL] Other vehicle purchases
  • [OWNDWELL] Owned dwellings
  • [OWNEXPEN] Maintenance, rep., ins., oth. exp., owned dwelling
  • [OWNMORTG] Mortgage interest and charges
  • [PENSIONS] Pensions and Social Security
  • [PERSCARE] Personal care products and services
  • [PERSTAX] Personal taxes
  • [PETS] Pets
  • [PETSPLAY] Pets, toys, and playground equipment
  • [PHONE] Telephone services
  • [PORK] Pork
  • [POSTAGE] Postage and stationery
  • [POULTRY] Poultry
  • [PROCFRUT] Processed fruits
  • [PROCVEG] Processed vegetables
  • [PUBTRANS] Public and other transportation
  • [READING] Reading
  • [REGCONT] Regular contributions for support
  • [RESPHONE] Residential phone service, VOIP, and phone cards
  • [RETIRINC] Social Security, private & government retirement
  • [RNTDWELL] Rented dwellings
  • [SFEMPINC] Self-employment income
  • [SHELTER] Shelter
  • [SMAPPHWR] Small appliances, misc. housewares
  • [STATETAX] State and local income taxes
  • [SWEETS] Sugar and other sweets
  • [TOBACCO] Tobacco products and smoking supplies
  • [TOTALEXP] Total average annual expenditures
  • [TOYS] Toys, hobbies, and playground equipment
  • [TRANS] Transportation
  • [TVAUDIO] Audio and visual equipment and services
  • [USEDCARS] Vehicle purchases: Cars and trucks, used
  • [UTILS] Utilities, fuels, and public services
  • [VEHFINCH] Vehicle finance charges
  • [VEHICLES] Number of Vehicles
  • [VEHOTHXP] Other vehicle expenses
  • [VEHPURCH] Vehicle purchases (net outlay)
  • [VEHRNTLC] Vehicle. rent., leas., licen., oth. charges
  • [WATER] Water and other public services
  • [WELFARE] Public assist., suplmntl. secrty. income, SNAP
  • [WHTNDOTH] Percent White, Asian, and All Other Races
  • [WMNSGRLS] Apparel, Women and girls
  • [WOMENS] Apparel, Women, 16 and over
[process] Process
  • [M] Means
[seasonal] Seasonal
  • [U] Not Seasonally Adjusted
[subcategory] Subcategory
  • [ALCBEVG] Alcoholic beverages
  • [APPAREL] Apparel and services
  • [CASHCONT] Cash contributions
  • [CHGASLI] Net change in total assets and liabilities
  • [CONSUNIT] Number of consumer units (in thousands)
  • [EDUCATN] Education
  • [ENTRTAIN] Entertainment
  • [FOODTOTL] Food
  • [HEALTH] Healthcare
  • [HOUSING] Housing
  • [INCAFTTX] Income after taxes
  • [INCBEFTX] Income before taxes
  • [INSPENSN] Personal insurance and pensions
  • [MISC] Miscellaneous expenditures
  • [PERSCARE] Personal care products and services
  • [PERSTAX] Personal taxes
  • [READING] Reading
  • [TITLECU] Consumer unit characteristics:
  • [TITLEOFI] Other financial informations:
  • [TITLEPD] Percent distribution:
  • [TOBACCO] Tobacco products and smoking supplies
  • [TOTALEXP] Total average annual expenditures
  • [TRANS] Transportation
Technical links