Household spending · Consumer Expenditure Survey · BLS CE 2024
Major appliances Spending
How much American households spend on major appliances - broken down by income, age, region, household size and tenure, from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey.
- Annual average (2024)
- $385
- Share of spending
- 0.5%
- Change vs 2023
- +0.3%
- Change vs 2020
- +8.8%
Spending Insight: Major appliances
American households spent an average of $385 on major appliances in 2024, representing 0.5% of total consumer expenditures. Year-over-year change was +0.3% (from $384 in 2023), roughly in line with broader consumer spending trends.
Since 2020, major appliances spending has risen by 8.8% (from $354 to $385), rising slower than the roughly 21% cumulative inflation over the same period, a decline in real, inflation-adjusted terms.
Income is strongly associated with major appliances spending: the top income quintile spends $658/year versus $182 for the lowest quintile, a 3.6x gap. Regionally, the West spends the most ($462/year) while the Northeast spends the least ($319/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)
Major appliances spending per household, 2020–2024
National average annual spending
| Year | Annual Amount |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $385 |
| 2023 | $384 |
| 2022 | $408 |
| 2021 | $464 |
| 2020 | $354 |
How we calculate this: % of Total is this category's published spend divided by that year's total household spend. YoY Change is the percentage difference between a year's amount and the prior year's amount. Both are computed from the raw BLS figures, not re-estimated.
By Income Level (2024)
How major appliances spending varies across income quintiles
| Income Group | Annual Amount |
|---|---|
| Lowest 20% | $182 |
| Second 20% | $217 |
| Middle 20% | $353 |
| Fourth 20% | $514 |
| Highest 20% | $658 |
By Region (2024)
Geographic variation in major appliances spending
By Age Group (2024)
How major appliances spending changes across the lifecycle
By Household Size (2024)
| Size | Annual |
|---|---|
| 1 Person | $239 |
| 2 People | $448 |
| 3 People | $390 |
| 4 People | $484 |
| 5 or More | $466 |
By Housing Tenure (2024)
| Tenure | Annual |
|---|---|
| Homeowner (with mortgage) | $524 |
| Homeowner (no mortgage) | $576 |
| Renter | $453 |
What to do with this data
The average U.S. household spends $385 a year on major appliances - here's how to put that in context.
- Compare your own spending against the national income quintiles. Budget calculator
- See how major appliances spending shifts across income levels, ages, and regions. By income
- Track this category in your private watchlist to revisit as the data updates. Save categories
Figures are national averages from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey; your own household may differ from these means.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Spending Guides (show related guides)
Related Spending Categories
Browse other major categories from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey.
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.
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Free to reuse, including commercially, under CC0 (the underlying BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey data is public domain). A link back is appreciated.
