Household spending · Consumer Expenditure Survey · BLS CE 2024

Bakery products Spending

How much American households spend on bakery products - broken down by income, age, region, household size and tenure, from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey.

Annual average (2024)
$539
Share of spending
0.7%
Change vs 2023
-6.1%
Change vs 2020
+25.9%
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Spending Insight: Bakery products

American households spent an average of $539 on bakery products in 2024, representing 0.7% of total consumer expenditures. Spending declined 6.1% from 2023 ($574), indicating households may be cutting back or finding lower-cost alternatives.

Since 2020, bakery products spending has risen by 25.9% (from $428 to $539), broadly in line with the roughly 21% cumulative inflation over 2020–2024, so the real-terms change was modest.

Income is strongly associated with bakery products spending: the top income quintile spends $807/year versus $345 for the lowest quintile, a 2.3x gap. Regionally, the Northeast spends the most ($646/year) while the South spends the least ($479/year). Use the cross-cuts below, by income, region, age, household size, and housing tenure, to see which demographic factors drive this category hardest for your situation.

Spending Trend (2020–2024)

Bakery products spending per household, 2020–2024

National average annual spending

Source: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey As of 2024-12-31

$400$450$500$550$600 20202021202220232024 $539
Year Annual Amount
2024 $539
2023 $574
2022 $497
2021 $462
2020 $428

How we calculate this: % of Total is this category's published spend divided by that year's total household spend. YoY Change is the percentage difference between a year's amount and the prior year's amount. Both are computed from the raw BLS figures, not re-estimated.

By Income Level (2024)

How bakery products spending varies across income quintiles

Income Group Annual Amount
Lowest 20% $345
Second 20% $435
Middle 20% $517
Fourth 20% $589
Highest 20% $807

See full income breakdown →

By Region (2024)

Geographic variation in bakery products spending

See full regional breakdown →

By Age Group (2024)

How bakery products spending changes across the lifecycle

Age Group Annual Amount
25–34 $458
35–44 $653
45–54 $644
55–64 $519
65–74 $506
75 and older $482
Under 25 $339

See full age breakdown →

By Household Size (2024)

Size Annual
1 Person $297
2 People $643
3 People $527
4 People $643
5 or More $776

By Housing Tenure (2024)

Tenure Annual
Homeowner (with mortgage) $603
Homeowner (no mortgage) $652
Renter $523

What to do with this data

The average U.S. household spends $539 a year on bakery products - here's how to put that in context.

  • Compare your own spending against the national income quintiles. Budget calculator
  • See how bakery products spending shifts across income levels, ages, and regions. By income
  • Track this category in your private watchlist to revisit as the data updates. Save categories

Figures are national averages from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey; your own household may differ from these means.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does the average household spend on bakery products?
The average American household spent $539 on bakery products in 2024, according to the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey. This represents 0.7% of total household spending.
Is bakery products spending increasing?
Bakery products spending decreased by 6.1% from 2023 to 2024 ($574 to $539). Over 5 years (2020–2024), it changed by +25.9%.
How does income affect bakery products spending?
The lowest income quintile spends $345/year on bakery products, while the highest quintile spends $807/year, a 2.3x difference. Higher-income households spend more in absolute terms but may allocate a smaller share of their budget.
Which region spends the most on bakery products?
The Northeast region spends the most at $646/year, while the South region spends the least at $479/year on bakery products.
Which age group spends the most on bakery products?
Households headed by someone in the 35–44 age group spend the most on bakery products at $653/year.
Does household size affect bakery products spending?
Yes. 1 Person households spend $297/year on bakery products, while 5 or More households spend $776/year. Larger households generally spend more in absolute terms on most categories.
Spending Guides (show related guides)

Related Spending Categories

Browse other major categories from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey.

Data source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Expenditure Survey (BLS CEX). BLS CEX homepage. Data represents average annual expenditures per consumer unit. 2024 data released 2025. See our methodology for processing details.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.

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Every figure on PlainHousehold is rendered directly from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.