Table 8. Region of residence: Average annual expenditures and characteristics, Consumer Expenditure Survey, 2003 All Item consumer Northeast Midwest South West units Number of consumer units (in thousands)...... 115,356 22,182 26,438 41,325 25,412 Income before taxes a/ ...................... $51,128 $56,513 $52,445 $46,729 $52,506 Income after taxes a/ ....................... 48,596 54,219 49,591 44,461 49,667 Age of the reference person.................. 48.4 49.8 48.8 48.2 47.1 Average number in consumer unit: Persons..................................... 2.5 2.4 2.5 2.5 2.6 Children under 18........................... .6 .6 .6 .6 .7 Persons 65 and over......................... .3 .3 .3 .3 .3 Earners..................................... 1.3 1.3 1.4 1.3 1.4 Vehicles.................................... 1.9 1.7 2.1 1.9 2.0 Percent distribution: Male........................................ 50 52 51 49 51 Female...................................... 50 48 49 51 49 Homeowner................................... 67 64 70 69 63 With mortgage.............................. 41 37 42 40 43 Without mortgage........................... 26 27 28 28 20 Renter...................................... 33 36 30 31 37 Black or African American................... 12 10 10 19 4 White, Asian, and All Other Races........... 88 90 90 81 96 Elementary (1-8)............................ 6 5 4 7 6 High school (9-12).......................... 36 39 40 38 29 College..................................... 57 56 56 55 64 Never attended and other.................... b/ b/ b/ b/ b/ At least one vehicle owned or leased........ 88 80 90 89 91 Average annual expenditures.................. $40,817 $42,162 $40,280 $37,625 $45,381 Food........................................ 5,340 5,730 5,088 4,960 5,876 Food at home............................. 3,129 3,306 2,904 2,996 3,428 Cereals and bakery products............ 442 485 411 413 482 Cereals and cereal products.......... 150 158 135 142 173 Bakery products...................... 292 327 276 271 310 Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs......... 825 889 734 835 849 Beef................................. 246 239 225 262 247 Pork................................. 171 168 161 181 167 Other meats.......................... 102 132 98 94 92 Poultry.............................. 145 165 123 141 157 Fish and seafood..................... 124 146 97 121 141 Eggs................................. 37 38 31 36 45 Dairy products......................... 328 353 323 298 359 Fresh milk and cream................. 127 130 126 117 139 Other dairy products................. 201 222 197 181 220 Fruits and vegetables.................. 535 586 472 489 633 Fresh fruits......................... 171 185 152 149 213 Fresh vegetables..................... 172 190 142 154 217 Processed fruits..................... 108 123 96 98 125 Processed vegetables................. 84 88 81 88 78 Other food at home..................... 999 994 962 961 1,104 Sugar and other sweets............... 119 126 118 107 135 Fats and oils........................ 86 89 79 85 91 Miscellaneous foods.................. 490 473 476 482 531 Nonalcoholic beverages............... 268 272 254 258 297 Food prepared by consumer unit on out-of-town trips................... 36 34 35 30 50 Food away from home.................... 2,211 2,424 2,184 1,964 2,449 Alcoholic beverages......................... 391 427 403 345 421 Housing..................................... 13,432 14,811 12,634 12,006 15,371 Shelter.................................. 7,887 9,134 7,086 6,660 9,630 Owned dwellings........................ 5,263 5,932 4,908 4,528 6,244 Mortgage interest and charges........ 2,954 2,901 2,578 2,567 4,020 Property taxes....................... 1,344 2,004 1,427 1,018 1,211 Maintenance, repairs, insurance,other expenses............................ 965 1,026 903 942 1,013 Rented dwellings....................... 2,179 2,664 1,720 1,802 2,848 Other lodging.......................... 445 537 458 330 538 Utilities, fuels, and public services.... 2,811 2,889 2,855 2,891 2,569 Natural gas............................ 392 512 593 243 320 Electricity............................ 1,028 926 931 1,251 854 Fuel oil and other fuels............... 110 287 99 61 44 Telephone services..................... 956 932 917 1,002 941 Water and other public services........ 326 232 315 333 409 Household operations..................... 707 813 614 666 778 Personal services...................... 294 373 274 265 291 Other household expenses............... 414 440 340 402 487 Housekeeping supplies.................... 529 523 575 496 537 Laundry and cleaning supplies.......... 132 125 145 132 126 Other household products............... 263 257 284 258 256 Postage and stationery................. 133 141 147 106 155 Household furnishings and equipment...... 1,497 1,452 1,504 1,294 1,858 Household textiles..................... 113 126 105 91 147 Furniture.............................. 401 391 411 357 471 Floor coverings........................ 52 66 44 38 71 Major appliances....................... 196 176 195 179 240 Small appliances, miscellaneous housewares............................ 88 75 87 87 101 Miscellaneous household equipment...... 648 617 663 542 828 Apparel and services........................ 1,640 1,859 1,563 1,451 1,834 Men and boys............................. 372 426 369 303 437 Men, 16 and over....................... 282 339 280 219 335 Boys, 2 to 15.......................... 89 87 88 84 101 Women and girls.......................... 634 709 612 548 732 Women, 16 and over..................... 529 592 497 458 620 Girls, 2 to 15......................... 106 118 115 89 112 Children under 2......................... 81 76 92 74 87 Footwear................................. 294 357 249 283 305 Other apparel products and services...... 258 291 242 242 273 Transportation.............................. 7,781 7,043 7,817 7,621 8,645 Vehicle purchases (net outlay)........... 3,732 3,040 3,775 3,893 4,028 Cars and trucks, new................... 2,052 1,688 2,039 2,208 2,131 Cars and trucks, used.................. 1,611 1,294 1,654 1,627 1,820 Other vehicles......................... 68 c/ 58 82 58 78 Gasoline and motor oil................... 1,333 1,157 1,357 1,321 1,479 Other vehicle expenses................... 2,331 2,307 2,314 2,154 2,659 Vehicle finance charges................ 371 268 391 408 379 Maintenance and repairs................ 619 565 580 555 811 Vehicle insurance...................... 905 924 860 905 936 Vehicle rental, leases, licenses, other charges.............................. 436 551 484 286 532 Public transportation.................... 385 539 371 253 479 Health care................................. 2,416 2,127 2,586 2,396 2,525 Health insurance......................... 1,252 1,237 1,332 1,223 1,227 Medical services......................... 591 448 621 563 729 Drugs.................................... 467 358 513 520 426 Medical supplies......................... 107 84 119 90 143 Entertainment............................... 2,060 2,117 1,978 1,812 2,494 Fees and admissions...................... 494 614 489 365 606 Television, radios, sound equipment...... 730 776 738 696 736 Pets, toys, and playground equipment..... 378 447 378 307 434 Other entertainment supplies, equipment,and services.................. 457 279 373 444 718 Personal care products and services......... 527 532 499 494 606 Reading..................................... 127 153 141 93 146 Education................................... 783 1,040 796 581 875 Tobacco products and smoking supplies....... 290 306 363 275 224 Miscellaneous............................... 606 548 647 556 695 Cash contributions.......................... 1,370 1,161 1,469 1,344 1,491 Personal insurance and pensions............. 4,055 4,308 4,295 3,690 4,179 Life and other personal insurance........ 397 454 423 381 347 Pensions and Social Security............. 3,658 3,855 3,872 3,309 3,832 Sources of income and personal taxes: a/ Money income before taxes.................. 51,128 56,513 52,445 46,729 52,506 Wages and salaries....................... 41,200 47,081 42,634 37,540 40,822 Self-employment income................... 2,138 1,486 2,354 1,892 2,875 Social Security, private and government retirement................... 5,601 5,481 5,469 5,578 5,874 Interest, dividends, rental income, other property income................... 1,097 1,285 1,128 716 1,538 Unemployment and workers'' compensation, veterans'' benefits..................... 269 349 242 165 402 Public assistance, supplemental security, income, food stamps..................... 314 343 227 338 340 Regular contributions for support........ 343 329 264 364 400 Other income............................. 165 159 127 136 256 Personal taxes............................. 2,532 2,294 2,853 2,268 2,840 Federal income taxes..................... 1,843 1,536 1,904 1,786 2,133 State and local income taxes............. 502 543 672 348 546 Other taxes.............................. 187 215 277 133 161 Income after taxes......................... 48,596 54,219 49,591 44,461 49,667 Net change in total assets and liabilities... -14,376 -13,918 -12,042 -9,354 -25,369 Net change in total assets............... 6,451 6,962 5,663 5,596 8,215 Net change in total liabilities.......... 20,827 20,880 17,706 14,950 33,585 Other financial information: Other money receipts..................... 530 691 378 548 519 Mortgage principal paid on owned property................................ -1,565 -1,745 -1,693 -1,291 -1,719 Estimated market value of owned home..... 122,059 144,476 108,966 95,801 158,816 Estimated monthly rental value of owned home.................................... 750 844 700 660 865 Gifts of goods and services................. 1,007 1,169 1,044 862 1,059 Food..................................... 78 122 66 58 82 Alcoholic beverages...................... 16 18 16 14 17 Housing.................................. 220 216 214 200 263 Housekeeping supplies.................. 42 55 44 26 53 Household textiles..................... 13 10 18 10 14 Appliances and miscellaneous housewares........................... 25 15 24 26 31 Major appliances..................... 7 4 7 5 11 Small appliances and miscellaneous housewares......................... 18 11 18 21 20 Miscellaneous household equipment...... 57 56 59 45 74 Other housing.......................... 85 81 68 94 91 Apparel and services..................... 225 264 242 188 232 Males, 2 and over...................... 56 70 48 44 69 Females, 2 and over.................... 80 88 96 66 80 Children under 2....................... 39 45 38 36 39 Other apparel products and services.... 50 62 60 42 44 Jewelry and watches.................. 26 29 28 25 22 All other apparel products and services............................ 25 33 32 17 22 Transportation........................... 60 32 57 46 108 Health care.............................. 48 30 86 43 32 Entertainment............................ 69 70 74 60 77 Toys, games, hobbies, and tricycles.... 26 26 29 25 25 Other entertainment.................... 43 45 45 35 52 Personal care products and services...... 16 19 15 13 19 Reading.................................. 1 2 1 1 2 Education................................ 200 332 186 173 143 All other gifts.......................... 74 64 87 66 84 a Components of income and taxes are derived from "complete income reporters" only; see glossary. b Value less than 0.5. c Data are likely to have large sampling errors.