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The American Energy Consumer







Table 5-12.Air Conditioning Characteristics, by Income, 1973
Air conditioning characteristics Poor Lower middle Upper middle Well off
Percent
All households 100 100 100 100
Air conditioning 22 45 58 64
Window 18 34 39 33
Central 4 10 19 32
None 78 55 42 36
All households living in area with less than 1,000 cooling degree days 100 100 100 100
Air conditioning 9 27 42 51
None 91 73 58 49
All households living in area with 1,000 cooling degree days or more 100 100 100 100
Air conditioning 31 58 71 76
None 69 42 29 24
All households with air conditioning 100 100 100 100
1-3 rooms cooled 56 44 28 26
4 or more 44 56 72 74
All households 100 100 100 100
Buy air conditioner that:
Costs $50 less and $20/yr
more to operate 15 8 7 5
Costs $50 more and $20/yr
less to operate 70 86 93 93
Don't know/No answer 16 6 1 2
Btu index (electricity; poor = 100)
All households 100 147 196 225
Air conditioning
Some 100 124 143 157
None 100 123 188 221
Source: Washington Center for Metropolitan Studies' Lifestyles and Energy Surveys.


Table 5-13.Percent of Households, by Appliance Index, by Income, 1973
Appliance index Poor Lower middle Upper middle Well off
All households 100 100 100 100
Less than 40 65 39 13 10
40-59 21 30 40 26
60 and over 14 31 47 64
Source: Washington Center for Metropolitan Studies' Lifestyles and Energy Surveys.


Footnotes
Footnote :

a Results subject to substantial variation because of the small number of interviews in the group.