What geographic areas are covered?
Region of residence is one of the standard variables by which expenditure data are classified. Region tables, which show data for the Northeast, Midwest, South, and West, are included in Consumer Expenditure Survey reports and on the program s Web site. A region variable also is included on the public-use CD-ROMs. • Consumer expenditure data for selected Metropolitan Statistical Areas also are published in the biennial report. The tables presenting these data show annual averages over a 2-year period for 18 areas. Two years worth of data is used so as to have sufficiently large samples for publication. For confidentiality reasons, area identifiers are not included on the public-use microdata on CD-ROMs. However, the Bureau of Labor Statistics now makes State identifiers available for use with the public-use CD-ROMs, although some States are not identified for confidentiality reasons. Further information about geographic identifiers can be obtained from the Bureau s Division of Consumer
