Consumer Expenditure Survey · BLS CE 2024 · #6 largest category
Entertainment spending
U.S. households spent $3,609/yr on entertainment in 2024 - 4.6% of the average budget . Down 0.7% vs 2023 ; the top income quintile outspends the bottom by 5.8×. Figures from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey.
- 2024 avg
- $3,609
- Budget share
- 4.6%
- vs 2023
- -0.7%
CES spend plate
Line ENTERTAINMENT · Entertainment $3,609 · 4.6%
SHARE-THIN · QUINT-ELITE · YOY-FLAT · REAL-INLINE · REGION-WEST · BOOK-UPPER
- SHARE-THIN 4.6% of budget
- QUINT-ELITE 5.8× Q5/Q1
- YOY-FLAT -0.7% YoY
- REAL-INLINE Near CPI
- REGION-WEST West leads
- BOOK-UPPER #17/99 dollars
Nearest dollar peer: Cash contributions ($-1,317)
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 Entertainment
Lowest and highest poles plus nearest dollar peers among major categories, not a full-board reprint. Figures from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey.
Dollar neighbourhood · Entertainment
Average annual spending · 2024 · poles + near peers
this line
Spending Trend (2020–2024)
Entertainment spending per household, 2020–2024
National average annual spending
| Year | Annual Amount |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $3,609 |
| 2023 | $3,635 |
| 2022 | $3,458 |
| 2021 | $3,568 |
| 2020 | $2,912 |
Subcategories
How the $3,609 entertainment total divides across subcategories (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024).
| Subcategory | Annual Amount (2024) |
|---|---|
| Fees and admissions | $935 |
| Audio and visual equipment and services | $965 |
| Pets, toys, hobbies, and playground equipment | $1,069 |
| Other entertainment supplies, equipment, and services | $640 |
Income stretch on a large entertainment line
A large CES line: top-quintile households spend $7,660/yr here vs $1,316 at the bottom (5.8×).
| Income Group | Annual Amount |
|---|---|
| Lowest 20% | $1,316 |
| Second 20% | $2,156 |
| Middle 20% | $2,764 |
| Fourth 20% | $4,133 |
| Highest 20% | $7,660 |
West leads entertainment geographically
West leads at $4,544/yr among the bigger CES categories.
Lifecycle peak · 45–54
45–54 heads spend the most on this line at $4,803/yr - a lifecycle peak on a large budget share.
Frequently Asked Questions (show 6)
How much does the average household spend on entertainment? ▼
Is entertainment spending increasing? ▼
How does income affect entertainment spending? ▼
Which region spends the most on entertainment? ▼
Which age group spends the most on entertainment? ▼
Does household size affect entertainment spending? ▼
Other large CES lines near entertainment
Dollar-amount and budget-share neighbours from BLS CE 2024 (this category excluded).
Similar dollar amount
Nearest other categories by 2024 average annual spending ($3,609 here).
| Category | 2024 avg |
|---|---|
| Mortgage interest and charges | $3,646 |
| Food away from home | $3,945 |
| Health insurance | $4,055 |
| Other vehicle expenses | $4,206 |
| Maintenance, repairs, insurance, and other expenses | $2,926 |
| Cars and trucks, used | $2,818 |
| Property taxes | $2,738 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $2,645 |
Similar budget share
Nearest other categories by share of the household budget (4.6% here).
| Category | Budget share |
|---|---|
| Mortgage interest and charges | 4.6% |
| Food away from home | 5.0% |
| Health insurance | 5.2% |
| Other vehicle expenses | 5.4% |
| Maintenance, repairs, insurance, and other expenses | 3.7% |
| Cars and trucks, used | 3.6% |
| Property taxes | 3.5% |
| Gasoline and other fuels | 3.4% |
Average household budget · Methodology · BLS CEX source
Informational only - not advice. See disclaimer.