5-4 Household Expenses by Category: 2012 (Table)
percent of average annual household expenses
| Category | Dollars | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | 16,887 | 33 |
| Transportation | 8,998 | 17 |
| Vehicle purchases | 3,210 | |
| Gasoline and motor oil | 2,756 | |
| Other vehicle expenses | 2,490 | |
| Public and other transportation | 542 | |
| Othera | 8,075 | 16 |
| Food | 6,599 | 13 |
| Personal insurance and pensions | 5,591 | 11 |
| Health care | 3,556 | 7 |
| Apparel and services | 1,736 | 3 |
| Total | 51,442 |
aIncludes alcoholic beverages, cash contributions, education, entertainment, personal care products and services, reading, tobacco products and smoking supplies, and other items.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Expenditure Survey, available at www.bls.gov/cex as of October 2013.