Consumer Expenditure Survey · BLS CE 2024
Medical supplies spending
U.S. households spent $233/yr on medical supplies in 2024 - 0.3% of the average budget . Down 12.7% vs 2023 ; the top income quintile outspends the bottom by 1.7×. Figures from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey.
- 2024 avg
- $233
- Budget share
- 0.3%
- vs 2023
- -12.7%
CES spend plate
Line MEDICAL-SUPPLIES · Medical supplies $233 · 0.3%
SHARE-TRACE · QUINT-FLAT · YOY-DROP · REAL-BURDEN · REGION-MW · BOOK-LOWER
- SHARE-TRACE 0.3% of budget
- QUINT-FLAT 1.7× Q5/Q1
- YOY-DROP -12.7% YoY
- REAL-BURDEN Above CPI
- REGION-MW Midwest leads
- BOOK-LOWER #80/99 dollars
Nearest dollar peer: Drugs (+$425)
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 Medical supplies
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 · Medical supplies
Average annual spending · 2024 · poles + near peers
this line
Spending Trend (2020–2024)
Medical supplies spending per household, 2020–2024
National average annual spending
| Year | Annual Amount |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $233 |
| 2023 | $267 |
| 2022 | $209 |
| 2021 | $181 |
| 2020 | $170 |
Income stretch on a smaller medical supplies line
A smaller CES line: even the top quintile is $359/yr, with the bottom at $215 (1.7× gap).
| Income Group | Annual Amount |
|---|---|
| Lowest 20% | $215 |
| Second 20% | $140 |
| Middle 20% | $200 |
| Fourth 20% | $251 |
| Highest 20% | $359 |
Midwest leads medical supplies geographically
Midwest leads at $262/yr.
Lifecycle peak · 65–74
65–74 heads spend the most on this line at $369/yr - the lifecycle peak on a smaller book line.
Frequently Asked Questions (show 6)
How much does the average household spend on medical supplies? ▼
Is medical supplies spending increasing? ▼
How does income affect medical supplies spending? ▼
Which region spends the most on medical supplies? ▼
Which age group spends the most on medical supplies? ▼
Does household size affect medical supplies spending? ▼
Other smaller CES lines near medical supplies
Dollar-amount and budget-share neighbours from BLS CE 2024 (this category excluded).
Similar dollar amount
Nearest other categories by 2024 average annual spending ($233 here).
| Category | 2024 avg |
|---|---|
| Sugar and other sweets | $230 |
| Cereals and cereal products | $240 |
| Fish and seafood | $224 |
| Other apparel products and services | $252 |
| Laundry and cleaning products | $209 |
| Pork | $260 |
| Processed fruits and vegetables | $203 |
| Poultry | $267 |
Similar budget share
Nearest other categories by share of the household budget (0.3% here).
| Category | Budget share |
|---|---|
| Cereals and cereal products | 0.3% |
| Fish and seafood | 0.3% |
| Laundry and cleaning products | 0.3% |
| Other apparel products and services | 0.3% |
| Pork | 0.3% |
| Poultry | 0.3% |
| Processed fruits and vegetables | 0.3% |
| Sugar and other sweets | 0.3% |
Average household budget · Methodology · BLS CEX source
Informational only - not advice. See disclaimer.