Natural gas Spending
How much American households spend on natural gas — 2024 data from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey
Spending Insight: Natural gas
American households spent an average of $493 on natural gas in 2024, representing 0.6% of total consumer expenditures. Spending declined 8.7% from 2023 ($540), indicating households may be cutting back or finding lower-cost alternatives.
Since 2020, natural gas spending has risen by 19.1% (from $414 to $493), broadly tracking with inflation-adjusted cost changes.
Income is the strongest predictor of natural gas spending: the top income quintile spends $751/year versus $287 for the lowest quintile — a 2.6x gap. Regionally, the Northeast spends the most ($695/year) while the South spends the least ($310/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)
| Year | Annual Amount |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $493 |
| 2023 | $540 |
| 2022 | $535 |
| 2021 | $447 |
| 2020 | $414 |
By Income Level (2024)
How natural gas spending varies across income quintiles
| Income Group | Annual Amount |
|---|---|
| Lowest 20% | $287 |
| Second 20% | $410 |
| Middle 20% | $458 |
| Fourth 20% | $555 |
| Highest 20% | $751 |
By Region (2024)
Geographic variation in natural gas spending
By Age Group (2024)
How natural gas spending changes across the lifecycle
By Household Size (2024)
| Size | Annual |
|---|---|
| 1 Person | $329 |
| 2 People | $563 |
| 3 People | $493 |
| 4 People | $571 |
| 5 or More | $632 |
By Housing Tenure (2024)
| Tenure | Annual |
|---|---|
| Homeowner (with mortgage) | $624 |
| Homeowner (no mortgage) | $673 |
| Renter | $561 |
Frequently Asked Questions
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Spending Guides
Related Spending Categories
Browse other major categories from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey.
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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.
