Consumer Expenditure Survey · BLS CE 2024
Children under 2 spending
U.S. households spent $77/yr on children under 2 in 2024 - 0.1% of the average budget . Down 8.3% vs 2023 ; the top income quintile outspends the bottom by 7.2×. Figures from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey.
- 2024 avg
- $77
- Budget share
- 0.1%
- vs 2023
- -8.3%
CES spend plate
Line CHILDREN-UNDER-2 · Children under 2 $77 · 0.1%
SHARE-TRACE · QUINT-ELITE · YOY-DROP · REAL-EASE · REGION-WEST · BOOK-TRACE
- SHARE-TRACE 0.1% of budget
- QUINT-ELITE 7.2× Q5/Q1
- YOY-DROP -8.3% YoY
- REAL-EASE Below CPI
- REGION-WEST West leads
- BOOK-TRACE #99/99 dollars
Nearest dollar peer: Other apparel products and services (+$175)
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 Children under 2
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 · Children under 2
Average annual spending · 2024 · poles + near peers
this line
Spending Trend (2020–2024)
Children under 2 spending per household, 2020–2024
National average annual spending
| Year | Annual Amount |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $77 |
| 2023 | $84 |
| 2022 | $74 |
| 2021 | $66 |
| 2020 | $68 |
Income stretch on a smaller children under 2 line
A smaller CES line: even the top quintile is $151/yr, with the bottom at $21 (7.2× gap).
| Income Group | Annual Amount |
|---|---|
| Lowest 20% | $21 |
| Second 20% | $54 |
| Middle 20% | $51 |
| Fourth 20% | $110 |
| Highest 20% | $151 |
West leads children under 2 geographically
West leads at $92/yr.
Lifecycle peak · 25–34
25–34 heads spend the most on this line at $207/yr - the lifecycle peak on a smaller book line.
Frequently Asked Questions (show 6)
How much does the average household spend on children under 2? ▼
Is children under 2 spending increasing? ▼
How does income affect children under 2 spending? ▼
Which region spends the most on children under 2? ▼
Which age group spends the most on children under 2? ▼
Does household size affect children under 2 spending? ▼
Other smaller CES lines near children under 2
Dollar-amount and budget-share neighbours from BLS CE 2024 (this category excluded).
Similar dollar amount
Nearest other categories by 2024 average annual spending ($77 here).
| Category | 2024 avg |
|---|---|
| Boys, 2 to 15 | $92 |
| Food prepared by consumer unit on out of town trips | $94 |
| Residential phone service, VOIP, and phone cards | $100 |
| Eggs | $105 |
| Household textiles | $107 |
| Girls, 2 to 15 | $112 |
| Floor coverings | $30 |
| Fats and oils | $125 |
Similar budget share
Nearest other categories by share of the household budget (0.1% here).
| Category | Budget share |
|---|---|
| Boys, 2 to 15 | 0.1% |
| Eggs | 0.1% |
| Food prepared by consumer unit on out of town trips | 0.1% |
| Girls, 2 to 15 | 0.1% |
| Household textiles | 0.1% |
| Residential phone service, VOIP, and phone cards | 0.1% |
| Fats and oils | 0.2% |
| Fresh milk and cream | 0.2% |
Average household budget · Methodology · BLS CEX source
Informational only - not advice. See disclaimer.