In China, as in other countries, an important determinant of the affluence of a household was the dependency ratio – the number of nonworkers supported by each worker.[1] In 1985 the average cost of living for one person in urban areas was ¥732 a year, and the average state enterprise worker, even with food allowance and other benefits added to the basic wage, had difficulty supporting one other person.[1] Two average wage earners, however, could easily support one dependent.[1] Families with several workers and few or no dependents had substantial surplus earnings, which they saved or used to buy nonessential goods.[1] An important positive influence on the per capita consumption levels of urban families was a decline in the number of dependents per urban worker, from 2.4 in 1964 to 0.7 in 1985.[1] In farm families the dependency ratio fell from 1.5 in 1978 to 0.7 in 1985.[1] Farm incomes rose rapidly in the 1980s under the stimulus of the responsibility system but on average remained considerably lower than urban incomes.[1] Household surveys found that in 1985 average net per capita income for rural residents was ¥398, less than half the average per capita urban income, which was ¥821.[1] The value of goods farmers produced and consumed themselves accounted for 31 percent of rural income in 1985.[1] The largest component of income in kind was food, 58 percent of which was self-produced.[1]