EMBARGOED UNTIL: 10 A.M. EST, DECEMBER 4, 1997 (THURSDAY) Public Information Office CB97-199 301-457-3030/301-457-3670(fax) 301-457-4067(TDD) e-mail: pio@census.gov Lars Johanson 301-457-1171 New Statistical Abstract Highlights Household Lifestyles Four in ten American families own stock, 1 in 3 households keep dogs as pets, 7 in 10 households donate to charities, 2 in 3 families use credit cards and 4 in 10 families pay mortgages. These are just a few of the facts found in the "Statistical Abstract of the United States: 1997," the new edition of the annual desktop compendium published by the Commerce Department's Census Bureau. "The 117th edition statistically profiles America's population and its economy. It's crammed with almost 1,700 tables and graphs, including nearly 100 new tables," said Glenn King, chief of the Statistical Compendia Branch. "Some of the new information covered in this year's edition includes schools with Internet access, family net worth, minority-owned businesses, mammography and workplace drug testing," he added. Other data on American families show that: - The use of general purpose credit cards jumped from 56 percent of all families in 1989 to about 66 percent in 1995. About 52 percent always paid off their balances, 20 percent paid off sometimes, while 28 percent hardly ever paid them off. - In 1995, family median net worth was $56,400. - In 1995, 41 percent of families had a mortgage or home equity debt; 47 percent had an installment debt; 48 percent, credit card debt; and six percent with an investment real estate debt. - In the spring of 1997, between five and six percent of households with incomes under $30,000 accessed the Internet in the prior 30 days. This compared with 27 percent of households with incomes of $50,000 or more. - The percentage of married mothers in the work force with children between 6 and 17 years old rose to 77 percent last year. - In 1995, the average family spent $1,775 or 5.5 percent of its total expenditures on entertainment or reading. - In 1995, 8 million households received food stamps, 9 million received free or reduced-priced school lunches, 5 million received public or subsidized housing and 14 million received Medicaid. - In 1996, 32 percent of households own dogs and 27 percent own cats. - In 1995, about 16 million families received Social Security or railroad retirement income, representing about 24 percent of all families. - In 1995, the average annual amount given to charities was $1,017. - Property crime (burglary, motor vehicle theft and theft) fell 9 percent between 1994 and 1995 to a rate of about 280 crimes per 1,000 households. - The average amount of life insurance per household increased from $124,500 in 1990 to $159,100 in 1995. The Statistical Abstract includes several tables formerly published by the International Trade Administration in the U.S. Industrial Outlook. The 1997 Statistical Abstract is available from the following: The National Technical Information Service (stock no. PB97-965801, $33 for softbound cover and PB97-965301, $39 for hardbound) by calling 703-487-4650 and the U.S. Government Printing Office (stock no. 003-024-08825-8, $43 for softbound cover and 003-024-08826-6, $51 for hardbound) by calling 202-512-1800.-X-The Census Bureau pre-eminent collector and provider of timely, relevant and quality data about the people and economy of the United States. In more than 100 surveys annually and 20 censuses a decade, evolving from the first census in 1790, the Census Bureau provides official information about America's people, businesses, industries and institutions.
