Consumption and Expenditures

NOTE:   To View and/or Print PDF's (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader) - Download Acrobat Reader for viewing PDF files.

Detailed Tables:

Table 1
(HTML PDF)

  Table 3
(HTML PDF)

  Table 4
(HTML PDF)

In 1997, there were 101.5 million residential households in the United States, including 75.1 million non-Hispanic white households, 12.6 million non-Hispanic black households, 9.4 million Hispanic households, and 4.3 million other⁽¹⁾ households (Table 1:  HTML  PDF). These figures come from the self-reported origin of the householder question on the 1997 Residential Energy Consumption Survey.

             Source: Energy Information Administration, 1997 Residential Energy Consumption Survey.

Per household total energy consumption for all U. S. households was 101.0 million Btu. By energy end use, space heating accounted for 52.0 million Btu, electric air-conditioning for 5.7 million Btu, water heating for 19.0 million Btu, refrigerators for 4.5 million Btu, and other appliances and lighting for 22.4 million Btu (Figure 1, first bar).

Per household energy consumption for non-Hispanic white households was 104.8 million Btu. By energy end use, space heating accounted for 55.1 million Btu, electric air-conditioning for 5.7 million Btu, water heating for 18.2 million Btu, refrigerators for 4.6 million Btu, and other appliances and lighting for 23.3 million Btu (Figure 1, second bar).

Per household energy consumption for non-Hispanic black households was 105.6 million Btu. By energy end use, space heating accounted for 54.3 million Btu, electric air-conditioning for 5.7 million Btu, water heating for 22.0 million Btu, refrigerators for 4.4 million Btu, and other appliances and lighting for 21.7 million Btu (Figure 1, third bar).

Per household energy consumption for Hispanic households was 75.9 million Btu. By energy end use, space heating accounted for 29.8 million Btu, electric air-conditioning for 7.2 million Btu, water heating for 21.1 million Btu, refrigerators for 3.9 million Btu, and other appliances and lighting for 18.9 million Btu (Figure 1, fourth bar).

Per household energy consumption for other (including Native American, Alaskan Native, Asian, and Pacific Islander) households was 74.6 million Btu. By energy end use, space heating accounted for 35.1 million Btu, electric air-conditioning for 4.1 million Btu, water heating for 19.9 million Btu, refrigerators for 3.8 million Btu, and other appliances and lighting for 17.1 million Btu (Figure 1, fifth bar).

Per household total energy expenditures for all U. S. households was $1,338. By energy end use, space heating accounted for $421, electric air-conditioning for $140, water heating for $196, refrigerators for $120, and other appliances and lighting for $509 (Figure 2, first bar).

Per household energy expenditures for non-Hispanic white households was $1,385. By energy end use, space heating accounted for $448, electric air-conditioning for $138, water heating for $193, refrigerators for $120, and other appliances and lighting for $527 (Figure 2, second bar).

Per household energy expenditures for non-Hispanic black households was $1,355. By energy end use, space heating accounted for $436, electric air-conditioning for $141, water heating for $219, refrigerators for $122, and other appliances and lighting for $486 (Figure 2, third bar).

Per household energy expenditures for Hispanic households was $1,089. By energy end use, space heating accounted for $246, electric air-conditioning for $183, water heating for $197, refrigerators for $113, and other appliances and lighting for $337 (Figure 2, fourth bar).

Per household energy expenditures for other (including Native American, Alaskan Native, Asian, and Pacific Islander) households was $1,019. By energy end use, space heating accounted for $281, electric air-conditioning for $112, water heating for $184, refrigerators for $116, and other appliances and lighting for $407 (Figure 2, fifth bar).

One of the most significant factors influencing energy consumption is climate -- the length and intensity of the heating and cooling seasons. The United States is divided into five climate zones (See Figure 2) based on the average number of heating degree-days (HDD) and cooling degree-days (CDD) over a 30-year period. Climate zones do not necessarily follow State boundaries, because climate is affected by elevation, proximity to coast lines, latitude, and other physical features.

Nationally, most Americans live in the moderate climate zones of the country. About 70 percent of the residential households live in the climate zones with 7,000 HDD or fewer and under 2,000 CDD (Tables 2a-2c). The remaining 30 percent of the residential households live in regions that are relatively hotter or colder. Approximately 12 percent of Non-Hispanic white Americans and 4 percent of Hispanic Americans live in the coldest climate zone², they also consume an average of 124 and 110 million Btu per household of energy, at a cost of $1,314 and $1,114 per household, respectively. About 19 percent of Non-Hispanic white Americans and 35 percent of Hispanic Americans live in the hottest climate zone³, they also consume an average of 79.8 and 65.0 million Btu per household of energy, at a cost of $1,383 and $1,148 per household, respectively (See Tables 2a-2c below).

Table 2a. U.S. Household Distribution by Climate Zone and Origin of the Householder, 1997

Table 2b. Total Energy Consumption by Climate Zone and Origin of the Householder, 1997

Table 2c. Total Energy Expenditures by Climate Zone and Origin of the Householder, 1997

Figure 3. U.S. Climate Zones Map

There were 13.3 million households with annual incomes less than $10,000 and 27.9 million households with incomes over $50,000. Families with incomes of $50,000 or more use 125.2 million Btu of energy versus 76.4 million Btu usages for those households with incomes of $10,000 or less (Table 3:  HTML  PDF).

Households in the lowest income group paid annually about one-third less for their energy compared to households in the upper income groups. The lowest income group paid $997 for home energy compared to $1,696 per household for households earning $50,000 or more (Table 4:  HTML  PDF).

There are some differences in the total individual household energy burden within income levels by origin of householder. However, the more significant differences are across income levels. Households earning less than $10,000 annually spent 18.0 percent of their earning compared to households earning $50,000 or more who spent only 2.3 percent of their annual earnings on energy (Table 5).

Table 5. Total Individual Household Energy Burden¹ by Income and Origin of Householder

End Notes:

1. Includes, but not limted to, Native American, Alaskan Native, Asian, and Pacific Islander.

3. 2,000 CDD or more and Under 4,000 HDD.

  Top of Page

Eileen M. O'Brien

RECS Survey Manager

Phone: (202) 586-1122

Fax: (202) 586-0018