For Release: Tuesday, November 23, 2010 NYLS - 7461 Technical information: Martin Kohli (646) 264-3620 • BLSInfoNewYork@bls.gov • www.bls.gov/ro2 Media contact: Michael L. Dolfman (212) 337-2500
Consumer Expenditures for the New York-Northern New Jersey Area: 2008-09 Consumer units1 in the New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, N.Y.-N.J.-Conn.-Pa. metropolitan area spent an average of $60,273 per year in 2008-09, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Michael L. Dolfman noted that this figure was over 20 percent higher than the $49,778 average expenditure level for a typical household in the United States.New York area households not only spent more than the U.S. average, but they tended to allocate their dollars differently among most expenditure categories. Households in the New York area spent a significantly larger portion of their dollars on housing (39.2 percent compared to 34.2 percent nationwide), whereas the shares spent on many other categories were significantly smaller than the nationwide average. (See chart 1 and table 1.) Housing in the New York-Northern New Jersey metropolitan area averaged $23,624 annually and was the largest expenditure category, accounting for 39.2 percent of a New York area household's total budget. (See tables 1 and 2.) This share was significantly larger than the 34.2- percent national average. Overall, 10 of the 18 published metropolitan areas had expenditure shares for housing measurably above the U.S. average; only Houston had a lower-than-average share. Housing expenditures ranged from 41.7 percent in San Diego to 31.9 percent in Houston among the 18 areas. (See table 3.)
Category | United States | New York-Northern New Jersey |
---|---|---|
Total housing |
100.0 | 100.0 |
Shelter |
59.6 | 65.5 |
Utilities, fuels, and public services |
21.5 | 18.2 |
Household operations |
5.9 | 6.6 |
Housekeeping supplies |
3.9 | 2.7 |
Household furnishings and equipment |
9.2 | 7.0 |
Note: Columns may not add to 100 due to rounding. |
The majority of housing expenditures in New York-Northern New Jersey went toward shelter, 65.5 percent, which includes mortgage interest, property taxes, repairs, and rent, among other items; nationwide, 59.6 percent of the housing budget was allocated for shelter. (See table A.) Utilities, fuels, and public services expenses accounted for 18.2 percent of the housing budget locally; nationally, they made up 21.5 percent. The rate of homeownership in the New York area, at 58 percent, was below the U.S. average of 66 percent. At 14.1 percent of the total budget, transportation was the second- largest expenditure category in the New York area; this was significantly lower than the national average of 16.3 percent. Among the 18 metropolitan areas nationwide, eight others had significantly below-average transportation-shares. Detroit was the only metropolitan area to record above-average transportation shares, at 19.2 percent. (See chart 3.)
Category | United States | New York |
---|---|---|
Transportation |
100 | 100 |
Vehicle Purchases (net outlays) |
33.3 | 27.3 |
Gasoline and motor oil |
28.9 | 22.9 |
Other vehicle expenses |
31.7 | 36.9 |
Public transportation |
6.1 | 12.9 |
Note: Columns may not add to 100 due to rounding. |
Category | United States | New York-Northern New Jersey |
---|---|---|
Average annual expenditures |
$49,778 | $60,273 |
Percent distribution: |
100.0 | 100.0 |
Food |
12.9 | *12.3 |
Alcoholic beverages |
.9 | .8 |
Housing |
34.2 | *39.2 |
Apparel and services |
3.5 | 3.8 |
Transportation |
16.3 | *14.1 |
Health care |
6.1 | *5.0 |
Entertainment |
5.5 | *4.7 |
Personal care products and services |
1.2 | *1.1 |
Reading |
.2 | *.2 |
Education |
2.1 | *3.4 |
Tobacco products and smoking supplies |
.7 | *.4 |
Miscellaneous |
1.7 | 1.5 |
Cash contributions |
3.5 | *2.5 |
Personal insurance and pensions |
11.1 | 10.9 |
Note: An asterisk (*) represents a statistically significant difference from the U.S. average at the 95-percent confidence level. Columns may not add to 100 due to rounding. |
Category | United States | New York-Northern New Jersey |
---|---|---|
Consumer unit characteristics: | ||
Income before taxes |
$62,857 | $81,509 |
Age of reference person |
49.4 | 50.8 |
Average number in consumer unit: | ||
Persons |
2.5 | 2.5 |
Children under 18 |
.6 | .6 |
Persons 65 and over |
.3 | .3 |
Earners |
1.3 | 1.3 |
Vehicles |
2.0 | 1.4 |
Percent homeowners |
66 | 58 |
Average annual expenditures: | ||
Average annual expenditures |
$49,778 | $60,273 |
Food |
6,407 | 7,420 |
Food at home |
3,749 | 4,066 |
Cereals and bakery products |
507 | 558 |
Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs |
844 | 987 |
Dairy products |
418 | 449 |
Fruits and vegetables |
657 | 799 |
Other food at home |
1,324 | 1,273 |
Food away from home |
2,658 | 3,354 |
Alcoholic beverages |
439 | 498 |
Housing |
17,002 | 23,624 |
Shelter |
10,129 | 15,482 |
Owned dwellings |
6,651 | 9,449 |
Rented dwellings |
2,792 | 4,859 |
Other lodging |
685 | 1,173 |
Utilities, fuels, and public services |
3,647 | 4,309 |
Household operations |
1,004 | 1,548 |
Housekeeping supplies |
657 | 643 |
Household furnishings and equipment |
1,565 | 1,642 |
Apparel and services |
1,763 | 2,292 |
Transportation |
8,133 | 8,495 |
Vehicle purchases (net outlay) |
2,706 | 2,321 |
Gasoline and motor oil |
2,351 | 1,943 |
Other vehicle expenses |
2,580 | 3,137 |
Public transportation |
496 | 1,093 |
Healthcare |
3,051 | 3,027 |
Entertainment |
2,764 | 2,828 |
Personal care products and services |
606 | 686 |
Reading |
113 | 110 |
Education |
1,057 | 2,043 |
Tobacco products and smoking supplies |
348 | 223 |
Miscellaneous |
828 | 920 |
Cash contributions |
1,730 | 1,515 |
Personal insurance and pensions |
5,538 | 6,591 |
Life and other personal insurance |
313 | 415 |
Pensions and Social Security |
5,225 | 6,176 |
Area | Housing | Transportation | Food |
---|---|---|---|
United States |
34.2 | 16.3 | 12.9 |
Atlanta |
*37.2 | *14.7 | *11.7 |
Baltimore |
*39.6 | *12.6 | *11.3 |
Boston |
35.1 | *14.5 | *13.8 |
Chicago |
*36.2 | 15.5 | 12.4 |
Cleveland |
33.8 | 15.3 | 12.5 |
Dallas |
33.8 | 16.1 | 12.5 |
Detroit |
33.1 | *19.2 | 13.0 |
Houston |
*31.9 | 18.3 | *11.9 |
Los Angeles |
*38.6 | 15.5 | 13.3 |
Miami |
*39.9 | 17.7 | 12.2 |
Minneapolis |
34.0 | 15.7 | 12.2 |
New York |
*39.2 | *14.1 | *12.3 |
Philadelphia |
*37.2 | *14.4 | *11.4 |
Phoenix |
34.9 | 17.4 | 11.9 |
San Diego |
*41.7 | *13.3 | 12.2 |
San Francisco |
*38.5 | *14.1 | *11.7 |
Seattle |
33.4 | *14.2 | 12.2 |
Washington |
*37.1 | *13.8 | *11.3 |
Note: An asterisk (*) represents a statistically significant difference from the U.S. average at the 95-percent confidence level. Columns may not add to 100 due to rounding. |
Last Modified Date: November 24, 2010