Consumer Expenditure Survey · BLS CE 2024 · #1 largest category
Housing spending
U.S. households spent $26,266/yr on housing in 2024 - 33.4% of the average budget . Up 3.3% vs 2023 ; the top income quintile outspends the bottom by 3.0×. Figures from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey.
- 2024 avg
- $26,266
- Budget share
- 33.4%
- vs 2023
- +3.3%
CES spend plate
Line HOUSING · Housing $26,266 · 33.4%
SHARE-DOMINANT · QUINT-WIDE · YOY-UP · REAL-INLINE · REGION-WEST · BOOK-TOP
- SHARE-DOMINANT 33.4% of budget
- QUINT-WIDE 3.0× Q5/Q1
- YOY-UP +3.3% YoY
- REAL-INLINE Near CPI
- REGION-WEST West leads
- BOOK-TOP #1/99 dollars
Nearest dollar peer: Transportation ($-12,948)
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 Housing
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 · Housing
Average annual spending · 2024 · poles + near peers
this line
Spending Trend (2020–2024)
Housing spending per household, 2020–2024
National average annual spending
| Year | Annual Amount |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $26,266 |
| 2023 | $25,436 |
| 2022 | $24,298 |
| 2021 | $22,624 |
| 2020 | $21,409 |
Subcategories
How the $26,266 housing total divides across subcategories (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024).
| Subcategory | Annual Amount (2024) |
|---|---|
| Shelter | $16,317 |
| Utilities, fuels, and public services | $4,736 |
| Household operations | $1,921 |
| Housekeeping supplies | $877 |
| Household furnishings and equipment | $2,414 |
Income stretch on a large housing line
A large CES line: top-quintile households spend $44,033/yr here vs $14,563 at the bottom (3.0×).
| Income Group | Annual Amount |
|---|---|
| Lowest 20% | $14,563 |
| Second 20% | $19,174 |
| Middle 20% | $24,093 |
| Fourth 20% | $29,374 |
| Highest 20% | $44,033 |
West leads housing geographically
West leads at $32,147/yr among the bigger CES categories.
Lifecycle peak · 45–54
45–54 heads spend the most on this line at $30,747/yr - a lifecycle peak on a large budget share.
Frequently Asked Questions (show 6)
How much does the average household spend on housing? ▼
Is housing spending increasing? ▼
How does income affect housing spending? ▼
Which region spends the most on housing? ▼
Which age group spends the most on housing? ▼
Does household size affect housing spending? ▼
Other large CES lines near housing
Dollar-amount and budget-share neighbours from BLS CE 2024 (this category excluded).
Similar dollar amount
Nearest other categories by 2024 average annual spending ($26,266 here).
| Category | 2024 avg |
|---|---|
| Shelter | $16,317 |
| Transportation | $13,318 |
| Food | $10,169 |
| Personal insurance and pensions | $9,797 |
| Owned dwellings | $9,310 |
| Retirement, pensions, and Social Security | $9,222 |
| Food at home | $6,224 |
| Healthcare | $6,197 |
Similar budget share
Nearest other categories by share of the household budget (33.4% here).
| Category | Budget share |
|---|---|
| Shelter | 20.8% |
| Transportation | 17.0% |
| Food | 12.9% |
| Personal insurance and pensions | 12.5% |
| Owned dwellings | 11.9% |
| Retirement, pensions, and Social Security | 11.7% |
| Food at home | 7.9% |
| Healthcare | 7.9% |
Average household budget · Methodology · BLS CEX source
Informational only - not advice. See disclaimer.