Consumer Expenditure Survey · BLS CE 2024
Cars and trucks, new spending
U.S. households spent $2,469/yr on cars and trucks, new in 2024 - 3.1% of the average budget . Down 14.7% vs 2023 ; the top income quintile outspends the bottom by 8.3×. Figures from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey.
- 2024 avg
- $2,469
- Budget share
- 3.1%
- vs 2023
- -14.7%
CES spend plate
Line CARS-AND-TRUCKS-NE · Cars and trucks, new $2,469 · 3.1%
SHARE-THIN · QUINT-ELITE · YOY-DROP · REAL-INLINE · REGION-WEST · BOOK-UPPER
- SHARE-THIN 3.1% of budget
- QUINT-ELITE 8.3× Q5/Q1
- YOY-DROP -14.7% YoY
- REAL-INLINE Near CPI
- REGION-WEST West leads
- BOOK-UPPER #22/99 dollars
Nearest dollar peer: Cars and trucks, used (+$349)
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 Cars and trucks, new
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 · Cars and trucks, new
Average annual spending · 2024 · poles + near peers
this line
Spending Trend (2020–2024)
Cars and trucks, new spending per household, 2020–2024
National average annual spending
| Year | Annual Amount |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $2,469 |
| 2023 | $2,896 |
| 2022 | $2,195 |
| 2021 | $2,210 |
| 2020 | $2,089 |
Income stretch on a large cars and trucks, new line
A large CES line: top-quintile households spend $6,823/yr here vs $819 at the bottom (8.3×).
| Income Group | Annual Amount |
|---|---|
| Lowest 20% | $819 |
| Second 20% | $982 |
| Middle 20% | $1,365 |
| Fourth 20% | $2,333 |
| Highest 20% | $6,823 |
West leads cars and trucks, new geographically
West leads at $3,089/yr among the bigger CES categories.
Lifecycle peak · 55–64
55–64 heads spend the most on this line at $3,356/yr - a lifecycle peak on a large budget share.
Frequently Asked Questions (show 6)
How much does the average household spend on cars and trucks, new? ▼
Is cars and trucks, new spending increasing? ▼
How does income affect cars and trucks, new spending? ▼
Which region spends the most on cars and trucks, new? ▼
Which age group spends the most on cars and trucks, new? ▼
Does household size affect cars and trucks, new spending? ▼
Other large CES lines near cars and trucks, new
Dollar-amount and budget-share neighbours from BLS CE 2024 (this category excluded).
Similar dollar amount
Nearest other categories by 2024 average annual spending ($2,469 here).
| Category | 2024 avg |
|---|---|
| Other food at home | $2,447 |
| Household furnishings and equipment | $2,414 |
| Gasoline | $2,411 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $2,645 |
| Cash contributions | $2,292 |
| Property taxes | $2,738 |
| Cars and trucks, used | $2,818 |
| Maintenance, repairs, insurance, and other expenses | $2,926 |
Similar budget share
Nearest other categories by share of the household budget (3.1% here).
| Category | Budget share |
|---|---|
| Gasoline | 3.1% |
| Household furnishings and equipment | 3.1% |
| Other food at home | 3.1% |
| Cash contributions | 2.9% |
| Gasoline and other fuels | 3.4% |
| Property taxes | 3.5% |
| Cars and trucks, used | 3.6% |
| Apparel and services | 2.5% |
Average household budget · Methodology · BLS CEX source
Informational only - not advice. See disclaimer.