View original document

The full text on this page is automatically extracted from the file linked above and may contain errors and inconsistencies.

Wednesday, November 24, 2021
Contact: Jeannine Aversa, (301) 278-9003

Personal Income and Outlays, October 2021
Personal income increased $93.4 billion, or 0.5 percent at a monthly rate, while consumer spending
increased $214.3 billion, or 1.3 percent, in October. The increase in personal income primarily reflected
an increase in compensation of employees. The personal saving rate (that is, personal saving as a
percentage of disposable personal income) was 7.3 percent in October, compared with 8.2 percent in
September.
Percent change from preceding month

Percent change from preceding month

Personal saving as a percentage of disposable personal income

Shaded area indicates recession
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis

Seasonally adjusted

Personal income
In October, personal income increased, primarily reflecting increases in compensation of employees and
personal income receipts on assets. Partly offsetting these increases was a decrease in government
social benefits, notably unemployment insurance.

BEA data—including GDP, personal income, the balance of payments, foreign direct investment, the input -output accounts, and
regional economic data—are available at www.bea.gov. E-mail alerts are also available. Estimates of November 2021 Personal
Income and Outlays will be released on December 23, 2021.

• Within compensation of employees, the increase primarily reflected an increase in wages and
salaries, based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Current Employment Statistics. Wages and
salaries of services-producing industries increased $76.9 billion, while wages and salaries of goodsproducing industries increased $10.4 billion.
• Personal income on assets increased $25.5 billion. Personal dividend income increased $15.8 billion
while personal interest income increased $9.7 billion.
• Within unemployment benefits, there were decreases in three pandemic-related unemployment
programs: Pandemic Unemployment Compensation Payments, Pandemic Emergency Unemployment
Compensation, and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. All three programs were originally
authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act with an extension of benefits
provided through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Information on each of these programs can
be found at the FAQ How will the expansion of unemployment benefits in response to the COVID-19
pandemic be recorded in the NIPAs?.
Additional information on factors affecting monthly personal income can be found on Effects of Selected
Federal Pandemic Response Programs on Personal Income.
Consumer spending
Personal outlays increased in October, reflecting an increase in consumer spending for both goods and
services.

Page 2 of 4

• Within goods, both durable and nondurable goods increased.
o The increase in durable goods primarily reflected increases in motor vehicles and parts,
led by new motor vehicles (light trucks), based on data from Wards Intelligence; and
recreational goods and vehicles, led by video, audio, photographic and information
processing equipment, based on data from the Census Monthly Retail Trade Survey.
o The increase in nondurable goods primarily reflected increases in “other” nondurable
goods, notably pharmaceutical products, based on data from IMS Health; gasoline and
other energy goods, based on price data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS); and
food and beverages, based on data from the Census Monthly Retail Trade Survey.
• Within services, the increase reflected increases in “other” services, notably international travel by
U.S. residents, based on information from BEA’s International Transaction Accounts; housing and
utilities, led by housing; and health care, led by outpatient services, based on data from the BLS
Current Employment Statistics as well as private data.
PCE price index
The personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index for October increased 5.0 percent from one
year ago, reflecting increases in both goods and services. Energy prices increased 30.2 percent while
food prices increased 4.8 percent. Excluding food and energy, the PCE price index for October increased
4.1 percent from one year ago.

Page 3 of 4

Compared to September 2021, the PCE price index increased 0.6 percent, reflecting increases in both
goods and services. Energy prices increased 4.9 percent while food prices increased 0.8 percent.
Excluding food and energy, the PCE price index increased 0.4 percent from September 2021 to October
2021.

Page 4 of 4