Consumer Expenditure Survey · BLS CE 2024

Mortgage interest and charges spending

U.S. households spent $3,646/yr on mortgage interest and charges in 2024 - 4.6% of the average budget . Up 6.1% vs 2023 ; the top income quintile outspends the bottom by 12.3×. Figures from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey.

2024 avg
$3,646
Budget share
4.6%
vs 2023
+6.1%

CES spend plate

Line MORTGAGE-INTEREST- · Mortgage interest and charges $3,646 · 4.6%

SHARE-THIN · QUINT-ELITE · YOY-UP · REAL-INLINE · REGION-WEST · BOOK-UPPER

  • SHARE-THIN 4.6% of budget
  • QUINT-ELITE 12.3× Q5/Q1
  • YOY-UP +6.1% YoY
  • REAL-INLINE Near CPI
  • REGION-WEST West leads
  • BOOK-UPPER #16/99 dollars

Nearest dollar peer: Maintenance, repairs, insurance, and other expenses ($-720)

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 Mortgage interest and charges

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 · Mortgage interest and charges

Average annual spending · 2024 · poles + near peers

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

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Spending Trend (2020–2024)

Mortgage interest and charges spending per household, 2020–2024

National average annual spending

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

$2,600$2,800$3,000$3,200$3,400$3,600$3,800 20202021202220232024 $3,646
Year Annual Amount
2024 $3,646
2023 $3,435
2022 $3,101
2021 $2,781
2020 $2,962

Income stretch on a large mortgage interest and charges line

A large CES line: top-quintile households spend $8,850/yr here vs $720 at the bottom (12.3×).

Income Group Annual Amount
Lowest 20% $720
Second 20% $1,367
Middle 20% $2,667
Fourth 20% $4,593
Highest 20% $8,850

See full income breakdown →

West leads mortgage interest and charges geographically

West leads at $5,246/yr among the bigger CES categories.

Region Annual Amount
Midwest $3,104
Northeast $3,514
South $3,095
West $5,246

See full regional breakdown →

Lifecycle peak · 35–44

35–44 heads spend the most on this line at $5,580/yr - a lifecycle peak on a large budget share.

Age Group Annual Amount
25–34 $4,093
35–44 $5,580
45–54 $5,326
55–64 $3,689
65–74 $1,975
75 and older $1,337
Under 25 $631

See full age breakdown →

Frequently Asked Questions (show 6)
How much does the average household spend on mortgage interest and charges?
The average American household spent $3,646 on mortgage interest and charges in 2024, according to the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey. This represents 4.6% of total household spending.
Is mortgage interest and charges spending increasing?
Mortgage interest and charges spending increased by 6.1% from 2023 to 2024 ($3,435 to $3,646). Over 5 years (2020–2024), it changed by +23.1%.
How does income affect mortgage interest and charges spending?
The lowest income quintile spends $720/year on mortgage interest and charges, while the highest quintile spends $8,850/year, a 12.3x difference. Higher-income households spend more in absolute terms but may allocate a smaller share of their budget.
Which region spends the most on mortgage interest and charges?
The West region spends the most at $5,246/year, while the South region spends the least at $3,095/year on mortgage interest and charges.
Which age group spends the most on mortgage interest and charges?
Households headed by someone in the 35–44 age group spend the most on mortgage interest and charges at $5,580/year.
Does household size affect mortgage interest and charges spending?
Yes. 1 Person households spend $1,627/year on mortgage interest and charges, while 4 People households spend $6,976/year. Larger households generally spend more in absolute terms on most categories.

Other large CES lines near mortgage interest and charges

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

Similar dollar amount

Nearest other categories by 2024 average annual spending ($3,646 here).

Category 2024 avg
Entertainment $3,609
Food away from home $3,945
Health insurance $4,055
Other vehicle expenses $4,206
Maintenance, repairs, insurance, and other expenses $2,926
Cars and trucks, used $2,818
Property taxes $2,738
Gasoline and other fuels $2,645

Similar budget share

Nearest other categories by share of the household budget (4.6% here).

Category Budget share
Entertainment 4.6%
Food away from home 5.0%
Health insurance 5.2%
Other vehicle expenses 5.4%
Maintenance, repairs, insurance, and other expenses 3.7%
Cars and trucks, used 3.6%
Property taxes 3.5%
Gasoline and other fuels 3.4%

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.