Consumer Expenditure Survey · BLS CE 2024

Beef spending

U.S. households spent $408/yr on beef in 2024 - 0.5% of the average budget . Up 32% vs 2023 ; the top income quintile outspends the bottom by 2.5×. Figures from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey.

2024 avg
$408
Budget share
0.5%
vs 2023
+32.0%

CES spend plate

Line BEEF · Beef $408 · 0.5%

SHARE-TRACE · QUINT-MOD · YOY-SURGE · REAL-BURDEN · REGION-NE · BOOK-LOWER

  • SHARE-TRACE 0.5% of budget
  • QUINT-MOD 2.5× Q5/Q1
  • YOY-SURGE +32.0% YoY
  • REAL-BURDEN Above CPI
  • REGION-NE Northeast leads
  • BOOK-LOWER #70/99 dollars

Nearest dollar peer: Poultry ($-141)

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 Beef

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 · Beef

Average annual spending · 2024 · poles + near peers

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

View my saved categories →

Spending Trend (2020–2024)

Beef spending per household, 2020–2024

National average annual spending

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

$250$300$350$400$450 20202021202220232024 $408
Year Annual Amount
2024 $408
2023 $309
2022 $317
2021 $293
2020 $296

Income stretch on a smaller beef line

A smaller CES line: even the top quintile is $593/yr, with the bottom at $237 (2.5× gap).

Income Group Annual Amount
Lowest 20% $237
Second 20% $336
Middle 20% $382
Fourth 20% $492
Highest 20% $593

See full income breakdown →

Northeast leads beef geographically

Northeast leads at $490/yr.

Region Annual Amount
Midwest $399
Northeast $490
South $358
West $441

See full regional breakdown →

Lifecycle peak · 45–54

45–54 heads spend the most on this line at $504/yr - the lifecycle peak on a smaller book line.

Age Group Annual Amount
25–34 $405
35–44 $487
45–54 $504
55–64 $415
65–74 $377
75 and older $257
Under 25 $234

See full age breakdown →

Frequently Asked Questions (show 6)
How much does the average household spend on beef?
The average American household spent $408 on beef in 2024, according to the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey. This represents 0.5% of total household spending.
Is beef spending increasing?
Beef spending increased by 32% from 2023 to 2024 ($309 to $408). Over 5 years (2020–2024), it changed by +37.8%.
How does income affect beef spending?
The lowest income quintile spends $237/year on beef, while the highest quintile spends $593/year, a 2.5x difference. Higher-income households spend more in absolute terms but may allocate a smaller share of their budget.
Which region spends the most on beef?
The Northeast region spends the most at $490/year, while the South region spends the least at $358/year on beef.
Which age group spends the most on beef?
Households headed by someone in the 45–54 age group spend the most on beef at $504/year.
Does household size affect beef spending?
Yes. 1 Person households spend $194/year on beef, while 5 or More households spend $713/year. Larger households generally spend more in absolute terms on most categories.

Other smaller CES lines near beef

Dollar-amount and budget-share neighbours from BLS CE 2024 (this category excluded).

Similar dollar amount

Nearest other categories by 2024 average annual spending ($408 here).

Category 2024 avg
Vehicle finance charges $418
Fresh fruits $394
Major appliances $385
Men, 16 and over $374
Footwear $461
Fresh vegetables $355
Tobacco products and smoking supplies $352
Men and boys $467

Similar budget share

Nearest other categories by share of the household budget (0.5% here).

Category Budget share
Fresh fruits 0.5%
Fresh vegetables 0.5%
Major appliances 0.5%
Men, 16 and over 0.5%
Vehicle finance charges 0.5%
Footwear 0.6%
Men and boys 0.6%
Natural gas 0.6%

Average household budget · Methodology · BLS CEX source

Informational only - not advice. See disclaimer.

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.