Consumer Expenditure Survey · BLS CE 2024
Audio and visual equipment and services spending
U.S. households spent $965/yr on audio and visual equipment and services in 2024 - 1.2% of the average budget . Down 1% vs 2023 ; the top income quintile outspends the bottom by 2.7×. Figures from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey.
- 2024 avg
- $965
- Budget share
- 1.2%
- vs 2023
- -1.0%
CES spend plate
Line AUDIO-AND-VISUAL-E · Audio and visual equipment and services $965 · 1.2%
SHARE-TRACE · QUINT-MOD · YOY-FLAT · REAL-CUT · REGION-MW · BOOK-MID
- SHARE-TRACE 1.2% of budget
- QUINT-MOD 2.7× Q5/Q1
- YOY-FLAT -1.0% YoY
- REAL-CUT Nominal drop
- REGION-MW Midwest leads
- BOOK-MID #45/99 dollars
Nearest dollar peer: Fees and admissions ($-30)
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 Audio and visual equipment and services
Lowest and highest poles plus nearest dollar peers among sibling lines, not a full-board reprint. Figures from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey.
Dollar neighbourhood · Audio and visual equipment and services
Average annual spending · 2024 · poles + near peers
this line
Spending Trend (2020–2024)
Audio and visual equipment and services spending per household, 2020–2024
National average annual spending
| Year | Annual Amount |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $965 |
| 2023 | $975 |
| 2022 | $1,020 |
| 2021 | $1,020 |
| 2020 | $1,049 |
Income stretch · mid-book audio and visual equipment and services
Mid-book CES line: income still stretches 2.7× from $538 (bottom quintile) to $1,444 (top).
| Income Group | Annual Amount |
|---|---|
| Lowest 20% | $538 |
| Second 20% | $870 |
| Middle 20% | $889 |
| Fourth 20% | $1,084 |
| Highest 20% | $1,444 |
Midwest leads audio and visual equipment and services geographically
Midwest leads at $1,100/yr.
Lifecycle peak · 55–64
55–64 heads spend the most on this line at $1,130/yr.
Frequently Asked Questions (show 6)
How much does the average household spend on audio and visual equipment and services? ▼
Is audio and visual equipment and services spending increasing? ▼
How does income affect audio and visual equipment and services spending? ▼
Which region spends the most on audio and visual equipment and services? ▼
Which age group spends the most on audio and visual equipment and services? ▼
Does household size affect audio and visual equipment and services spending? ▼
Nationwide peers near audio and visual equipment 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 ($965 here).
| Category | 2024 avg |
|---|---|
| Fruits and vegetables | $953 |
| Personal care products and services | $978 |
| Maintenance and repairs | $984 |
| Fees and admissions | $935 |
| Pets | $880 |
| Housekeeping supplies | $877 |
| Pets, toys, hobbies, and playground equipment | $1,069 |
| Miscellaneous household equipment | $1,089 |
Similar budget share
Nearest other categories by share of the household budget (1.2% here).
| Category | Budget share |
|---|---|
| Fees and admissions | 1.2% |
| Fruits and vegetables | 1.2% |
| Personal care products and services | 1.2% |
| Housekeeping supplies | 1.1% |
| Pets | 1.1% |
| Water and other public services | 1.1% |
| Maintenance and repairs | 1.3% |
| Cereals and bakery products | 1.0% |
Average household budget · Methodology · BLS CEX source
Informational only - not advice. See disclaimer.