Consumer Expenditure Survey · BLS CE 2024
Cars and trucks, used spending
U.S. households spent $2,818/yr on cars and trucks, used in 2024 - 3.6% of the average budget . Up 9% vs 2023 ; the top income quintile outspends the bottom by 5.7×. Figures from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey.
- 2024 avg
- $2,818
- Budget share
- 3.6%
- vs 2023
- +9.0%
CES spend plate
Line CARS-AND-TRUCKS-US · Cars and trucks, used $2,818 · 3.6%
SHARE-THIN · QUINT-ELITE · YOY-SURGE · REAL-INLINE · REGION-SOUTH · BOOK-UPPER
- SHARE-THIN 3.6% of budget
- QUINT-ELITE 5.7× Q5/Q1
- YOY-SURGE +9.0% YoY
- REAL-INLINE Near CPI
- REGION-SOUTH South leads
- BOOK-UPPER #19/99 dollars
Nearest dollar peer: Cars and trucks, new ($-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, used
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, used
Average annual spending · 2024 · poles + near peers
this line
Spending Trend (2020–2024)
Cars and trucks, used spending per household, 2020–2024
National average annual spending
| Year | Annual Amount |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $2,818 |
| 2023 | $2,585 |
| 2022 | $2,239 |
| 2021 | $2,555 |
| 2020 | $2,360 |
Income stretch on a large cars and trucks, used line
A large CES line: top-quintile households spend $4,989/yr here vs $883 at the bottom (5.7×).
| Income Group | Annual Amount |
|---|---|
| Lowest 20% | $883 |
| Second 20% | $1,942 |
| Middle 20% | $2,750 |
| Fourth 20% | $3,513 |
| Highest 20% | $4,989 |
South leads cars and trucks, used geographically
South leads at $3,053/yr among the bigger CES categories.
Lifecycle peak · 45–54
45–54 heads spend the most on this line at $3,841/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, used? ▼
Is cars and trucks, used spending increasing? ▼
How does income affect cars and trucks, used spending? ▼
Which region spends the most on cars and trucks, used? ▼
Which age group spends the most on cars and trucks, used? ▼
Does household size affect cars and trucks, used spending? ▼
Other large CES lines near cars and trucks, used
Dollar-amount and budget-share neighbours from BLS CE 2024 (this category excluded).
Similar dollar amount
Nearest other categories by 2024 average annual spending ($2,818 here).
| Category | 2024 avg |
|---|---|
| Property taxes | $2,738 |
| Maintenance, repairs, insurance, and other expenses | $2,926 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $2,645 |
| Cars and trucks, new | $2,469 |
| Other food at home | $2,447 |
| Household furnishings and equipment | $2,414 |
| Gasoline | $2,411 |
| Cash contributions | $2,292 |
Similar budget share
Nearest other categories by share of the household budget (3.6% here).
| Category | Budget share |
|---|---|
| Maintenance, repairs, insurance, and other expenses | 3.7% |
| Property taxes | 3.5% |
| Gasoline and other fuels | 3.4% |
| Cars and trucks, new | 3.1% |
| Gasoline | 3.1% |
| Household furnishings and equipment | 3.1% |
| Other food at home | 3.1% |
| Cash contributions | 2.9% |
Average household budget · Methodology · BLS CEX source
Informational only - not advice. See disclaimer.