Consumer Expenditure Survey · BLS CE 2024 · #8 largest category
Apparel and services spending
U.S. households spent $2,001/yr on apparel and services in 2024 - 2.5% of the average budget . Down 2% vs 2023 ; the top income quintile outspends the bottom by 3.4×. Figures from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey.
- 2024 avg
- $2,001
- Budget share
- 2.5%
- vs 2023
- -2.0%
CES spend plate
Line APPAREL-AND-SERVIC · Apparel and services $2,001 · 2.5%
SHARE-THIN · QUINT-WIDE · YOY-DOWN · REAL-BURDEN · REGION-NE · BOOK-UPPER
- SHARE-THIN 2.5% of budget
- QUINT-WIDE 3.4× Q5/Q1
- YOY-DOWN -2.0% YoY
- REAL-BURDEN Above CPI
- REGION-NE Northeast leads
- BOOK-UPPER #27/99 dollars
Nearest dollar peer: Cash contributions (+$291)
Instrument codes from this line’s budget share, income-quintile gap, YoY move, real change vs ~21% CPI-U (2020-2024), regional lead, and corpus book size, not a budgeting recommendation.
Spend neighbourhood around Apparel and services
Lowest and highest poles plus nearest dollar peers among major categories, not a full-board reprint. Figures from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey.
Dollar neighbourhood · Apparel and services
Average annual spending · 2024 · poles + near peers
this line
Spending Trend (2020–2024)
Apparel and services spending per household, 2020–2024
National average annual spending
| Year | Annual Amount |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $2,001 |
| 2023 | $2,041 |
| 2022 | $1,945 |
| 2021 | $1,754 |
| 2020 | $1,434 |
Subcategories
How the $2,001 apparel and services total divides across subcategories (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024).
| Subcategory | Annual Amount (2024) |
|---|---|
| Men and boys | $467 |
| Women and girls | $744 |
| Children under 2 | $77 |
| Footwear | $461 |
| Other apparel products and services | $252 |
Income stretch on a large apparel and services line
A large CES line: top-quintile households spend $3,872/yr here vs $1,124 at the bottom (3.4×).
| Income Group | Annual Amount |
|---|---|
| Lowest 20% | $1,124 |
| Second 20% | $1,328 |
| Middle 20% | $1,642 |
| Fourth 20% | $2,034 |
| Highest 20% | $3,872 |
Northeast leads apparel and services geographically
Northeast leads at $2,420/yr among the bigger CES categories.
Lifecycle peak · 35–44
35–44 heads spend the most on this line at $2,649/yr - a lifecycle peak on a large budget share.
Frequently Asked Questions (show 6)
How much does the average household spend on apparel and services? ▼
Is apparel and services spending increasing? ▼
How does income affect apparel and services spending? ▼
Which region spends the most on apparel and services? ▼
Which age group spends the most on apparel and services? ▼
Does household size affect apparel and services spending? ▼
Other large CES lines near apparel and services
Dollar-amount and budget-share neighbours from BLS CE 2024 (this category excluded).
Similar dollar amount
Nearest other categories by 2024 average annual spending ($2,001 here).
| Category | 2024 avg |
|---|---|
| Vehicle insurance | $1,993 |
| Household operations | $1,921 |
| Electricity | $1,833 |
| Cash contributions | $2,292 |
| Gasoline | $2,411 |
| Household furnishings and equipment | $2,414 |
| Education | $1,569 |
| Other food at home | $2,447 |
Similar budget share
Nearest other categories by share of the household budget (2.5% here).
| Category | Budget share |
|---|---|
| Vehicle insurance | 2.5% |
| Household operations | 2.4% |
| Electricity | 2.3% |
| Cash contributions | 2.9% |
| Education | 2.0% |
| Cars and trucks, new | 3.1% |
| Gasoline | 3.1% |
| Household furnishings and equipment | 3.1% |
Average household budget · Methodology · BLS CEX source
Informational only - not advice. See disclaimer.