Consumer Expenditure Surveys
Intro and Overview
The Consumer Expenditure Surveys (CEX) include data on expenditures, income, and demographic characteristics of US consumers and inform the Consumer Price Index. The Public-Use Microdata (PUMD) files include five quarters of data, four for the release year and one for the first quarter of the next year. Calendar year estimates are feasible.
There are two separate surveys in the CE program:
- The Quarterly Interview Survey
- The Diary Survey
The Quarterly Interview Survey is intended to collect information about large and recurring expenditures that consumers will likely recall for a period of 3 months or longer (e.g. rent). The Diary Survey collects information on smaller purchases, like food and clothing. The surveys are conducted using separate samples.
Tips for Getting Started
The BLS has several helpful resources for new researchers:
Links to an external site.Key Advantages
- Frequency of the survey allows for seasonal analysis.
- Estimates are possible for some smaller geographies Links to an external site.
Key Disadvantages
- Cross-sectional.
- The Quarterly Interview Survey and Diary Survey cannot be linked at the individual level because the respondents are not the same.
- The sample is relatively small and predominately urban.
- More considerations on the BLS page Links to an external site.
Papers Using these Data
BLS has an extensive listing of Working Papers on their Poverty Research Links to an external site. page.
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