U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Department of Labor Logo United States Department of Labor
Dot gov

The .gov means it's official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Consumer Expenditure Surveys
Bureau of Labor Statistics > Consumer Expenditure Survey > Data > Database

CE database

This page provides tools to access CE data.

Database Name Special
Notice		 Top
Picks		 Data
Finder		 One
Screen		 Multi-
Screen		 Tables Text Files
Consumer Expenditure Surveys (CE)   Data Finder for Consumer Expenditure Data Finder for Consumer Expenditure One Screen Data Search for Consumer Expenditure Multi Screen Data Search for Consumer Expenditure Tables for Consumer Expenditure Text Files for Consumer Expenditure

This Consumer Expenditure Surveys Database Getting Started Guide provides an overview of the CE database. The data are available through the following search tools:

  • Data Finder allows you to search for selected time series for variables by characteristics, create charts and tables, and export the data into Excel and CSV.
  • One-Screen Data Search allows you to produce customized time series by consumer units and their characteristics. Data can be exported into Excel through a single-screen form.
  • Multi-Screen Data Search allows you to produce customized time series by consumer units and their characteristics. Data can be exported into Excel through a multi-screen form.
  • Tables allow users to quickly retrieve tables that contain expenditure and income data for selected demographic and geographic characteristics by reference person or consumer unit. The CE database does not offer data by metropolitan statistical area or cross-tabulations. Data users can find these additional tabulations on the CE tables page. 
  • Text Files allow data users to retrieve large amounts of data with one selection. These datasets are highly suited for statistical software that manipulate large datasets. The files are arranged first on a broad industry base, followed by industry specific groups. In addition to data files, a series of mapping files are also available and provide a means for identifying all variables in the data files. This section identifies and describes the multi-series text files available for download from the CE database.

Another option is the Series Report which provides experienced users of CE data with one of the quickest forms of access to CE time series data on the website. As input, the Series Report application requires the user to be familiar with Series ID.

Not all estimates are in the CE database. The CE database contains detailed annual means estimates and does not include detailed means estimates by demographic characteristics before 2010. Data users can request pre 2010 all CU detailed means tables by contacting cexinfo@bls.gov.

 

Last Modified Date: October 29, 2026