Household spending · Consumer Expenditure Survey · BLS CE 2024
Miscellaneous Spending
How much American households spend on miscellaneous - broken down by income, age, region, household size and tenure, from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey.
- Annual average (2024)
- $1,218
- Share of spending
- 1.6%
- Change vs 2023
- +2.9%
- Change vs 2020
- +34.3%
Spending Insight: Miscellaneous
American households spent an average of $1,218 on miscellaneous in 2024, representing 1.6% of total consumer expenditures. Year-over-year change was +2.9% (from $1,184 in 2023), roughly in line with broader consumer spending trends.
Since 2020, miscellaneous spending has risen by 34.3% (from $907 to $1,218), outpacing the roughly 21% cumulative inflation over 2020–2024 (BLS CPI-U) - a real-terms increase in household burden.
Income is strongly associated with miscellaneous spending: the top income quintile spends $2,072/year versus $619 for the lowest quintile, a 3.3x gap. Regionally, the West spends the most ($1,744/year) while the South spends the least ($1,029/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.
How Miscellaneous compares to other categories
Miscellaneous is the #10 largest of 14 major household spending categories in 2024, claiming 1.6% of the total budget.
Major spending categories, ranked
Miscellaneous highlighted · average annual spending · 2024
Spending Trend (2020–2024)
Miscellaneous spending per household, 2020–2024
National average annual spending
| Year | Annual Amount |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $1,218 |
| 2023 | $1,184 |
| 2022 | $1,009 |
| 2021 | $986 |
| 2020 | $907 |
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 miscellaneous spending varies across income quintiles
| Income Group | Annual Amount |
|---|---|
| Lowest 20% | $619 |
| Second 20% | $767 |
| Middle 20% | $1,173 |
| Fourth 20% | $1,458 |
| Highest 20% | $2,072 |
By Region (2024)
Geographic variation in miscellaneous spending
By Age Group (2024)
How miscellaneous spending changes across the lifecycle
By Household Size (2024)
| Size | Annual |
|---|---|
| 1 Person | $1,096 |
| 2 People | $1,271 |
| 3 People | $1,115 |
| 4 People | $1,360 |
| 5 or More | $1,546 |
By Housing Tenure (2024)
| Tenure | Annual |
|---|---|
| Homeowner (with mortgage) | $1,433 |
| Homeowner (no mortgage) | $1,625 |
| Renter | $1,175 |
What to do with this data
The average U.S. household spends $1,218 a year on miscellaneous - here's how to put that in context.
- Compare your own spending against the national income quintiles. Budget calculator
- See how miscellaneous 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
How much does the average household spend on miscellaneous? ▼
Is miscellaneous spending increasing? ▼
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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.
