All Spending Categories
The BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey tracks 14 major spending categories. Click any category to explore detailed subcategories and breakdowns by income, age, and region.
Food
12.9% of budgetAlcoholic beverages
0.8% of budgetHousing
33.4% of budgetApparel and services
2.5% of budgetTransportation
17.0% of budgetHealthcare
7.9% of budgetEntertainment
4.6% of budgetPersonal care products and services
1.2% of budgetReading
0.2% of budgetEducation
2.0% of budgetTobacco products and smoking supplies
0.4% of budgetMiscellaneous
1.6% of budgetCash contributions
2.9% of budgetPersonal insurance and pensions
12.5% of budgetAbout This Data
Data is from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey (BLS CEX), the primary federal source for comprehensive household spending data in the United States. The survey interviews approximately 6,000 consumer units per quarter. The "average" represents all consumer units surveyed, not a median or typical household.
Source: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey · Data year: 2024
Methodology Notes
Category figures come from the BLS CEX annual integrated tables (2024 release). Amounts represent mean annual expenditures per consumer unit — a household or financially independent person — and include both out-of-pocket spending and tracked in-kind transfers where applicable. Percentages are computed against total average annual expenditures, not against disposable income.
For full details on survey design, sampling, update cadence, and limitations, see our methodology page.