Consumer Expenditure Survey · BLS CE 2024

Nonalcoholic beverages spending

U.S. households spent $714/yr on nonalcoholic beverages in 2024 - 0.9% of the average budget . Up 7.7% vs 2023 ; the top income quintile outspends the bottom by 2.1×. Figures from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey.

2024 avg
$714
Budget share
0.9%
vs 2023
+7.7%

CES spend plate

Line NONALCOHOLIC-BEVER · Nonalcoholic beverages $714 · 0.9%

SHARE-TRACE · QUINT-MOD · YOY-UP · REAL-BURDEN · REGION-NE · BOOK-MID

  • SHARE-TRACE 0.9% of budget
  • QUINT-MOD 2.1× Q5/Q1
  • YOY-UP +7.7% YoY
  • REAL-BURDEN Above CPI
  • REGION-NE Northeast leads
  • BOOK-MID #54/99 dollars

Nearest dollar peer: Sugar and other sweets ($-484)

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 Nonalcoholic beverages

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 · Nonalcoholic beverages

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)

Nonalcoholic beverages spending per household, 2020–2024

National average annual spending

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

$400$500$600$700$800 20202021202220232024 $714
Year Annual Amount
2024 $714
2023 $663
2022 $584
2021 $515
2020 $455

Income stretch · mid-book nonalcoholic beverages

Mid-book CES line: income still stretches 2.1× from $478 (bottom quintile) to $985 (top).

Income Group Annual Amount
Lowest 20% $478
Second 20% $610
Middle 20% $695
Fourth 20% $801
Highest 20% $985

See full income breakdown →

Northeast leads nonalcoholic beverages geographically

Northeast leads at $781/yr.

Region Annual Amount
Midwest $656
Northeast $781
South $679
West $776

See full regional breakdown →

Lifecycle peak · 45–54

45–54 heads spend the most on this line at $851/yr.

Age Group Annual Amount
25–34 $669
35–44 $803
45–54 $851
55–64 $759
65–74 $624
75 and older $550
Under 25 $592

See full age breakdown →

Frequently Asked Questions (show 6)
How much does the average household spend on nonalcoholic beverages?
The average American household spent $714 on nonalcoholic beverages in 2024, according to the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey. This represents 0.9% of total household spending.
Is nonalcoholic beverages spending increasing?
Nonalcoholic beverages spending increased by 7.7% from 2023 to 2024 ($663 to $714). Over 5 years (2020–2024), it changed by +56.9%.
How does income affect nonalcoholic beverages spending?
The lowest income quintile spends $478/year on nonalcoholic beverages, while the highest quintile spends $985/year, a 2.1x difference. Higher-income households spend more in absolute terms but may allocate a smaller share of their budget.
Which region spends the most on nonalcoholic beverages?
The Northeast region spends the most at $781/year, while the Midwest region spends the least at $656/year on nonalcoholic beverages.
Which age group spends the most on nonalcoholic beverages?
Households headed by someone in the 45–54 age group spend the most on nonalcoholic beverages at $851/year.
Does household size affect nonalcoholic beverages spending?
Yes. 1 Person households spend $417/year on nonalcoholic beverages, while 5 or More households spend $1,069/year. Larger households generally spend more in absolute terms on most categories.

Nationwide peers near nonalcoholic beverages

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

Similar dollar amount

Nearest other categories by 2024 average annual spending ($714 here).

Category 2024 avg
Women and girls $744
Drugs $658
Cereals and bakery products $779
Furniture $648
Alcoholic beverages $643
Other entertainment supplies, equipment, and services $640
Women, 16 and over $632
Dairy products $631

Similar budget share

Nearest other categories by share of the household budget (0.9% here).

Category Budget share
Women and girls 0.9%
Alcoholic beverages 0.8%
Cereals and bakery products 1.0%
Dairy products 0.8%
Drugs 0.8%
Furniture 0.8%
Other entertainment supplies, equipment, and services 0.8%
Vehicle rental, leases, licenses, and other charges 1.0%

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.