Consumer Expenditure Survey · BLS CE 2024

Major appliances spending

U.S. households spent $385/yr on major appliances in 2024 - 0.5% of the average budget . Up 0.3% vs 2023 ; the top income quintile outspends the bottom by 3.6×. Figures from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey.

2024 avg
$385
Budget share
0.5%
vs 2023
+0.3%

CES spend plate

Line MAJOR-APPLIANCES · Major appliances $385 · 0.5%

SHARE-TRACE · QUINT-WIDE · YOY-FLAT · REAL-EASE · REGION-WEST · BOOK-LOWER

  • SHARE-TRACE 0.5% of budget
  • QUINT-WIDE 3.6× Q5/Q1
  • YOY-FLAT +0.3% YoY
  • REAL-EASE Below CPI
  • REGION-WEST West leads
  • BOOK-LOWER #72/99 dollars

Nearest dollar peer: Small appliances and miscellaneous housewares ($-230)

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 Major appliances

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 · Major appliances

Average annual spending · 2024 · poles + near peers

Source: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey As of 2024-12-31

View my saved categories →

Spending Trend (2020–2024)

Major appliances spending per household, 2020–2024

National average annual spending

Source: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey As of 2024-12-31

$300$350$400$450$500 20202021202220232024 $385
Year Annual Amount
2024 $385
2023 $384
2022 $408
2021 $464
2020 $354

Income stretch on a smaller major appliances line

A smaller CES line: even the top quintile is $658/yr, with the bottom at $182 (3.6× gap).

Income Group Annual Amount
Lowest 20% $182
Second 20% $217
Middle 20% $353
Fourth 20% $514
Highest 20% $658

See full income breakdown →

West leads major appliances geographically

West leads at $462/yr.

Region Annual Amount
Midwest $420
Northeast $319
South $352
West $462

See full regional breakdown →

Lifecycle peak · 55–64

55–64 heads spend the most on this line at $478/yr - the lifecycle peak on a smaller book line.

Age Group Annual Amount
25–34 $307
35–44 $431
45–54 $435
55–64 $478
65–74 $392
75 and older $298
Under 25 $144

See full age breakdown →

Frequently Asked Questions (show 6)
How much does the average household spend on major appliances?
The average American household spent $385 on major appliances in 2024, according to the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey. This represents 0.5% of total household spending.
Is major appliances spending increasing?
Major appliances spending increased by 0.3% from 2023 to 2024 ($384 to $385). Over 5 years (2020–2024), it changed by +8.8%.
How does income affect major appliances spending?
The lowest income quintile spends $182/year on major appliances, while the highest quintile spends $658/year, a 3.6x difference. Higher-income households spend more in absolute terms but may allocate a smaller share of their budget.
Which region spends the most on major appliances?
The West region spends the most at $462/year, while the Northeast region spends the least at $319/year on major appliances.
Which age group spends the most on major appliances?
Households headed by someone in the 55–64 age group spend the most on major appliances at $478/year.
Does household size affect major appliances spending?
Yes. 1 Person households spend $239/year on major appliances, while 5 or More households spend $570/year. Larger households generally spend more in absolute terms on most categories.

Other smaller CES lines near major appliances

Dollar-amount and budget-share neighbours from BLS CE 2024 (this category excluded).

Similar dollar amount

Nearest other categories by 2024 average annual spending ($385 here).

Category 2024 avg
Fresh fruits $394
Men, 16 and over $374
Beef $408
Fresh vegetables $355
Tobacco products and smoking supplies $352
Vehicle finance charges $418
Footwear $461
Men and boys $467

Similar budget share

Nearest other categories by share of the household budget (0.5% here).

Category Budget share
Beef 0.5%
Fresh fruits 0.5%
Fresh vegetables 0.5%
Men, 16 and over 0.5%
Vehicle finance charges 0.5%
Footwear 0.6%
Men and boys 0.6%
Natural gas 0.6%

Average household budget · Methodology · BLS CEX source

Informational only - not advice. See disclaimer.

Every figure on PlainHousehold is rendered directly from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.