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News Release Information

13-2472-SAN
Monday, December 23, 2013

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (415) 625-2270

Consumer Expenditures for the San Diego Area: 2011-2012

Consumer units (households)in the San Diego, California metropolitan area spent an average of $56,205 per year in 2011-2012, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Richard J. Holden noted that this figure was 11 percent above the $50,581 average expenditure level for a typical household in the United States. Although households in the San Diego area spent more than the U.S. average, they allocated their dollars similarly among most of the major expenditure categories, differing significantly in 3 of the 8. For example, expenditures for healthcare accounted for 5.9 percent of a typical household budget in the San Diego area, significantly below the nationwide average of 6.8 percent. (See chart 1 and table 1.)

Housing in the San Diego metropolitan area averaged $21,640 annually and was the largest expenditure category, accounting for 38.5 percent of a San Diego area household’s total budget. This share was significantly larger than the 33.3-percent national average. (See tables 1 and 2.) Overall, 8 of the 18 published metropolitan areas had expenditure shares for housing measurably above the U.S. average, while 3 had significantly lower-than-average shares. (See chart 2.) Among the 18 areas, housing shares ranged from 39.7 percent in New York to 31.7 percent in Detroit. (See table 3.)

The majority of total housing expenditures in San Diego, 69.3 percent, went toward shelter, which includes mortgage interest, property taxes, repairs, and rent, among other items; nationwide, 58.5 percent of the housing budget was allocated for shelter. (See table A.) Utilities, fuels, and public services expenses accounted for 14.2 percent of the housing budget locally; nationally, it made up 21.9 percent. The rate of homeownership in San Diego, at 53 percent, was less than the U.S. average of 65 percent.

Table A. Percent distribution of housing expenditures, United States and San Diego, 2011–2012
Category United States San Diego

Total Housing

100.0 100.0

Shelter

58.5 69.3

Utilities, fuels and public services

21.9 14.2

Household operation

6.8 6.2

Housekeeping supplies

3.6 2.2

Household furnishings and equipment

9.2 8.1

Note: Columns may not add to 100 due to rounding.
 

At 15.6 percent of the total budget, transportation was the second-largest expenditure category in the San Diego area, not significantly different from the national average of 17.1 percent. Among the 18 published areas nationwide, 8 had transportation shares that were significantly below the national average; only one had a share that was significantly above the average. (See chart 3.)

Of the $8,748 in annual expenditures for transportation in San Diego, 92.8 percent was spent buying and maintaining private vehicles; this compared to the national average of 93.9 percent. The remaining 7.2 percent of a San Diego household’s transportation budget was spent on public transit–which includes fares for taxis, buses, trains, and planes–and was above the 6.1-percent average for the nation. (See table B.) The average number of vehicles per household in San Diego was 1.8, compared to the national average of 1.9.

Table B. Percent distribution of transportation expenditures, United States and San Diego, 2011–2012
Category United States San Diego

Total Transportation

100.0 100.0

Vehicle purchases (net outlay)

34.0 23.4

Gasoline and motor oil

31.3 34.6

Other vehicle expenses

28.6 34.8

Public transportation

6.1 7.2

Note: Columns may not add to 100 due to rounding.
 

The portion of the average San Diego consumer unit’s budget spent on food, 12.0 percent, was not significantly different from the 12.9-percent U.S. average. Among the 18 metropolitan areas, 14 had food expenditure shares that were not measurably different from the nationwide average. In the four remaining areas, three had food shares significantly below the national average, while one was significantly above average.

Households in San Diego spent $3,579, or 53.1 percent, of their food dollars on food prepared at home and the remaining 46.9 percent on food prepared away from home, such as restaurant meals, carry-out, board at school, and catered affairs. In comparison, the typical U.S. household spent 59.4 percent of its food budget on food prepared at home and 40.6 percent on food prepared away from home.

As noted, San Diego is 1 of 18 metropolitan areas nationwide for which Consumer Expenditure Survey (CE) data are available. Metropolitan area CE data and that for the four geographic regions and the United States are available on our website at www.bls.gov/cex/tables.htm. Metropolitan area CE news releases are available at www.bls.gov/regions/subjects/consumer-spending.htm .

Additional information

Data contained in this report are from the CE, which is collected on an ongoing basis by the U.S. Census Bureau for the BLS. The CE data were averaged over a two-year period, 2011 and 2012 and are available for the nation, the 4 geographic regions of the country, and 18 metropolitan areas. The metropolitan area discussed in this release is San Diego, California, which is comprised of San Diego County.

The survey consists of two components, a diary or recordkeeping survey, and an interview survey. The integrated data from the BLS Diary and Interview Surveys provide a complete accounting of consumer expenditures and income, which neither survey component alone is designed to do. Due to changes in the survey sample frame, metropolitan area data in this release are not directly comparable to those prior to 1996.

A consumer unit is defined as members of a household related by blood, marriage, adoption, or other legal arrangement; a single person living alone or sharing a household with others but who is financially independent; or two or more persons living together who share responsibility for at least 2 out of 3 major types of expenses – food, housing, and other expenses. The terms household or consumer unit are used interchangeably for convenience.

CE metropolitan area estimates are not comparative cost of living surveys, as neither the quantity nor the quality of goods and services has been held constant among areas. Differences may result from variations in demographic characteristics such as consumer unit size, age, preferences, income levels, etc. However, expenditure shares, or the percentage of a consumer unit’s budget spent on a particular category, can be used to compare spending patterns across areas. Sample sizes for the metropolitan areas are much smaller than for the nation, so the U.S. estimates and year-to-year changes are more reliable than those for the metropolitan areas. Users should also keep in mind that prices for many goods and services have changed since the survey was conducted.

Expenditure shares for housing and transportation that are above or below that for the nation after testing for significance at the 95-percent confidence interval are also identified in charts 2 and 3 for the 18 metropolitan areas surveyed.

A value that is statistically different from another does not necessarily mean that the difference has economic or practical significance. Statistical significance is concerned with our ability to make confident statements about a universe based on a sample. It is entirely possible that a large difference between two values is not significantly different statistically, while a small difference is, since both the size and heterogeneity of the sample affect the relative error of the data being tested.

For additional technical and related information, see www.bls.gov/opub/hom/cex/home.htm.

Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: 202-691-5200; Federal Relay Service: 800-877-8339.

Table 1. Percent distribution of average annual expenditures, United States and San Diego, Consumer Expenditure Survey,
2011–2012
Category United States San Diego

Average annual expenditures

$50,581
$56,205

Percent distribution:

100.0
100.0

Food

12.9
12.0

Alcoholic beverages

0.9
1.3

Housing

33.3
38.5*

Apparel and services

3.4
3.7

Transportation

17.1
15.6

Healthcare

6.8
5.9*

Entertainment

5.1
4.8

Personal care products and services

1.2
1.2

Reading

0.2
0.2

Education

2.2
1.3*

Tobacco products and smoking supplies

0.7
0.4*

Miscellaneous

1.6
1.4

Cash contributions

3.6
2.5*

Personal insurance and pensions

10.9
11.2

*Statistically significant difference from the U.S. average at the 95-percent confidence level.
  Note: Columns may not add to 100 due to rounding.
 



 

Table 2. Average annual expenditures and characteristics, United States and San Diego, Consumer Expenditure Survey,
2011–2012
Category United States San Diego
Consumer unit characteristics:    

Income before taxes

$64,649 $76,358

Age of reference person

49.9 50.8
Average number in consumer unit:    

Persons

2.5 2.5

Children under 18

0.6 .5

Persons 65 and over

0.3 .4

Earners

1.3 1.3

Vehicles

1.9 1.8

Percent homeowner

65 53
Average annual expenditures:    

Average annual expenditures

$50,581 $56,205

Food

6,529 6,744

Food at home

3,880 3,579

Cereals and bakery products

534 427

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs

843 723

Dairy products

413 383

Fruits and vegetables

723 727

Other food at home

1,367 1,321

Food away from home

2,649 3,165

Alcoholic beverages

454 714

Housing

16,846 21,640

Shelter

9,858 14,989

Owned dwellings

6,101 8,003

Rented dwellings

3,109 6,434

Other lodging

648 552

Utilities, fuels, and public services

3,687 3,080

Household operations

1,141 1,341

Housekeeping supplies

612 482

Household furnishings and equipment

1,547 1,749

Apparel and services

1,738 2,093

Transportation

8,649 8,748

Vehicle purchases (net outlay)

2,942 2,047

Gasoline and motor oil

2,706 3,030

Other vehicle expenses

2,472 3,045

Public transportation

529 626

Healthcare

3,436 3,338

Entertainment

2,589 2,690

Personal care products and services

631 676

Reading

112 114

Education

1,130 745

Tobacco products and smoking supplies

341 230

Miscellaneous

802 799

Cash contributions

1,818 1,394

Personal insurance and pensions

5,508 6,278

Life and other personal insurance

335 128

Pensions and Social Security

5,173 6,150



Table 3. Percent share of average annual expenditures for housing, transportation, and food, United States and 18 metropolitan areas, Consumer Expenditure Survey, 2011-2012
Area Housing Transportation Food

United States

33.3
17.1
12.9

Atlanta

34.7
16.9
11.7*

Baltimore

33.8
13.7*
12.7

Boston

31.8* 14.8*
13.2

Chicago

34.9* 15.0*
12.3

Cleveland

31.9
17.8
12.3

Dallas

32.9
18.6
12.5

Detroit

31.7*
18.8
13.3

Houston

31.9
20.3*
12.5

Los Angeles

37.7* 16.0* 13.6*

Miami

38.4*
17.0
13.7

Minneapolis

31.8*
17.5
12.6

New York

39.7* 13.7*
12.4

Philadelphia

37.9* 14.4*
12.7

Phoenix

34.8
15.9
13.0

San Diego

38.5*
15.6
12.0

San Francisco

35.2* 14.2* 11.5*

Seattle

34.1
15.7
12.8

Washington

35.3* 15.0* 11.6*

* Statistically significant difference from the U.S. average at the 95-percent confidence level.
 

 

Last Modified Date: Monday, December 23, 2013