View all Archives -
Environment and Development »
The American Energy Consumer
Table 7-11.Appliance Index and
Availability of Specific Appliances, by Race, 1973 (percent of
households)
| Appliance index and
appliance availability |
Black |
Other |
| All households |
100 |
100 |
| Appliance index |
|
|
| Less than 40 |
61 |
30 |
| 40-59 |
21 |
30 |
| 60 and over |
18 |
40 |
| Appliances in the home
Stove |
|
|
| None |
3 |
3 |
| Gas |
77 |
49 |
| Electric |
20 |
49 |
| Refrigerator |
99 |
100 |
| Must defrost |
58 |
47 |
| Frost-free |
41 |
52 |
| Clothes washer |
56 |
80 |
| None |
44 |
20 |
| Wringer type |
14 |
10 |
| Automatic |
42 |
73 |
| Dryer (1 or more) |
22 |
57 |
| None |
79 |
43 |
| TV (any) |
97 |
97 |
| Black and white |
84 |
62 |
| Color |
29 |
55 |
| Dishwasher |
4 |
27 |
| Air conditioning |
|
|
| None |
73 |
50 |
| Window-all |
20 |
33 |
| 1 unit |
17 |
22 |
| 2 or more |
3 |
11 |
| Central |
6 |
16 |
| Source: Washington
Center for Metropolitan Studies' Lifestyles and Energy
Surveys. |
On the
other hand, many black households—mostly at the middle and
upper end of the income scale—have additional amenities.
About one-fifth of black households have an appliance index of 60
or more, meaning that they are likely to have a dryer, an automatic
clothes washer, a frost-free refrigerator, a color TV, perhaps a
dishwasher, and either central air conditioning or several window
units.
Some poor
and lower middle black households also have the comforts and
conveniences of major appliances. This appears to be true
mostly