How Do Americans Actually Spend Their Money?
Official BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey data, made plain.
Multi-dimensional US household spending breakdowns by income, age, region, size & tenure from BLS CEX (2020-2024 trends).
The average American household spent $78,535 in 2024. Explore every spending category, broken down by income, age group, region, and household size.
How Americans split a household budget
The 2024 BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey shows the average US household spent $78,535. Housing absorbs roughly a third; transportation and food together claim another 30 percent. The remaining categories below trace where the rest goes.
US household spend stack - 2024
National average · $78,535 annual spending
Source: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey · per-household annual averages from 2024 micro-data.
How household spending has climbed since 2020
Average annual spending rose from $61,334 in 2020 to $78,535 in 2024 - up about 28% over five years, largely driven by inflation.
Total household spending, 2020–2024
National average annual expenditures
Major Spending Categories
View all →Food
12.9%Alcoholic beverages
0.8%Housing
33.4%Apparel and services
2.5%Transportation
17.0%Healthcare
7.9%Explore by Demographic
See how spending varies across different household characteristics
All Major Categories, 2024
| Category | Annual Spending |
|---|---|
| Food | $10,169 |
| Alcoholic beverages | $643 |
| Housing | $26,266 |
| Apparel and services | $2,001 |
| Transportation | $13,318 |
| Healthcare | $6,197 |
| Entertainment | $3,609 |
| Personal care products and services | $978 |
| Reading | $125 |
| Education | $1,569 |
| Tobacco products and smoking supplies | $352 |
| Miscellaneous | $1,218 |
| Cash contributions | $2,292 |
| Personal insurance and pensions | $9,797 |
How we calculate this: % of Total is each category's published annual spend divided by that year's total household spend. YoY Change is the percentage change in a category's spend from the prior year. Both are computed from the raw BLS figures, not re-estimated.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey (CEX) 2024 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey (CEX) 2024
Which categories are big, and which are still growing
Each category plotted by annual spend (horizontal) against its 2023→2024 change (vertical). Top-right = large and rising (e.g. housing); lower-left = smaller and pulling back.
Source: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024, top categories by annual spend.
Household Spending Guides
In-depth guides to understanding and comparing American household spending.
Average Household Budget Breakdown
See how the typical American household allocates spending across categories, and how it compares to yours.
Housing Costs by Income Level
Housing is the largest expense for every income group. See exactly how much each quintile spends on shelter.
Understanding Income Quintiles
What do the five income groups actually look like? Income boundaries, spending patterns, and what drives the gaps.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the average American household spend per year?
The average American household spent $78,535 in 2024, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey. Housing was the largest category at 33.4% of total spending.
What is the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey?
The Consumer Expenditure Survey (CEX) is conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and is the only federal survey that provides comprehensive data on the expenditures, income, and demographic characteristics of US consumers. It has been collected annually since 1980.
How does spending differ by income level?
Spending varies dramatically by income quintile. The top 20% of earners spend roughly 4-5x more than the bottom 20% in absolute terms, but the bottom 20% spend a much higher share of income on necessities like food and housing.
How often is this data updated?
The BLS publishes Consumer Expenditure Survey results annually, typically about 6-12 months after the reference year. PlainHousehold shows data through 2024.
What is a 'consumer unit'?
The CEX uses 'consumer unit' rather than household. A consumer unit includes all members of a household sharing expenses, or a single person living alone. It is similar to but not identical to a Census household.
Make it personal
The average U.S. household spent $78,535 in 2024 - here's how to see where your own budget stands.
- Find your household's spending percentile against the national income quintiles. Budget calculator
- Break the budget down by category, income level, age, and region. All categories
- Save the categories that matter to you for quick side-by-side comparison. Save categories
All figures are national averages from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey; individual households vary.