Cellular phone service Spending
How much American households spend on cellular phone service — 2024 data from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey
Spending Insight: Cellular phone service
American households spent an average of $1,359 on cellular phone service in 2024, representing 1.7% of total consumer expenditures. This marks a notable 7.0% increase from 2023 ($1,270), outpacing general inflation and suggesting growing consumer prioritization of this category.
Since 2020, cellular phone service spending has risen by 8.5% (from $1,253 to $1,359), broadly tracking with inflation-adjusted cost changes.
Income is the strongest predictor of cellular phone service spending: the top income quintile spends $1,935/year versus $720 for the lowest quintile — a 2.7x gap. Regionally, the West spends the most ($1,468/year) while the Midwest spends the least ($1,262/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)
| Year | Annual Amount |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $1,359 |
| 2023 | $1,270 |
| 2022 | $1,284 |
| 2021 | $1,244 |
| 2020 | $1,253 |
By Income Level (2024)
How cellular phone service spending varies across income quintiles
| Income Group | Annual Amount |
|---|---|
| Lowest 20% | $720 |
| Second 20% | $1,084 |
| Middle 20% | $1,376 |
| Fourth 20% | $1,678 |
| Highest 20% | $1,935 |
By Region (2024)
Geographic variation in cellular phone service spending
By Age Group (2024)
How cellular phone service spending changes across the lifecycle
By Household Size (2024)
| Size | Annual |
|---|---|
| 1 Person | $733 |
| 2 People | $1,629 |
| 3 People | $1,335 |
| 4 People | $1,669 |
| 5 or More | $1,965 |
By Housing Tenure (2024)
| Tenure | Annual |
|---|---|
| Homeowner (with mortgage) | $1,502 |
| Homeowner (no mortgage) | $1,685 |
| Renter | $1,260 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the average household spend on cellular phone service? ▼
Is cellular phone service spending increasing? ▼
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Spending Guides
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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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
