Food Spending
How much American households spend on food — 2024 data from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey
Spending Insight: Food
American households spent an average of $10,169 on food in 2024, representing 12.9% of total consumer expenditures. Year-over-year change was +1.8% (from $9,985 in 2023), roughly in line with broader consumer spending trends.
Since 2020, food spending has risen by 39% (from $7,316 to $10,169), substantially exceeding cumulative inflation over the same period — a real increase in household burden. The category breaks into 2 subcategories, each with its own spending dynamic — drill into any row below to see the finer-grained picture.
Income is the strongest predictor of food spending: the top income quintile spends $16,989/year versus $5,498 for the lowest quintile — a 3.1x gap. Regionally, the West spends the most ($11,746/year) while the South spends the least ($9,003/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 | $10,169 |
| 2023 | $9,985 |
| 2022 | $9,343 |
| 2021 | $8,289 |
| 2020 | $7,316 |
Subcategories
| Subcategory | Annual Amount (2024) |
|---|---|
| Food at home | $6,224 |
| Food away from home | $3,945 |
By Income Level (2024)
How food spending varies across income quintiles
| Income Group | Annual Amount |
|---|---|
| Lowest 20% | $5,498 |
| Second 20% | $7,400 |
| Middle 20% | $9,097 |
| Fourth 20% | $11,845 |
| Highest 20% | $16,989 |
By Region (2024)
Geographic variation in food spending
By Age Group (2024)
How food spending changes across the lifecycle
By Household Size (2024)
| Size | Annual |
|---|---|
| 1 Person | $5,644 |
| 2 People | $12,113 |
| 3 People | $10,158 |
| 4 People | $12,205 |
| 5 or More | $14,543 |
By Housing Tenure (2024)
| Tenure | Annual |
|---|---|
| Homeowner (with mortgage) | $11,375 |
| Homeowner (no mortgage) | $12,546 |
| Renter | $9,529 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the average household spend on food? ▼
Is food spending increasing? ▼
How does income affect food spending? ▼
Which region spends the most on food? ▼
Which age group spends the most on food? ▼
Does household size affect food spending? ▼
Spending Guides
Related Spending Categories
Browse other major categories from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey.
Related Economic Data
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.
