Household spending · Consumer Expenditure Survey · BLS CE 2024
Other food at home Spending
How much American households spend on other food at home - broken down by income, age, region, household size and tenure, from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey.
- Annual average (2024)
- $2,447
- Share of spending
- 3.1%
- Change vs 2023
- -0.9%
- Change vs 2020
- +37.8%
Spending Insight: Other food at home
American households spent an average of $2,447 on other food at home in 2024, representing 3.1% of total consumer expenditures. Year-over-year change was -0.9% (from $2,469 in 2023), roughly in line with broader consumer spending trends.
Since 2020, other food at home spending has risen by 37.8% (from $1,776 to $2,447), outpacing the roughly 21% cumulative inflation over 2020–2024 (BLS CPI-U) - a real-terms increase in household burden. The category breaks into 5 subcategories, each with its own spending dynamic, drill into any row below to see the finer-grained picture.
Income is strongly associated with other food at home spending: the top income quintile spends $3,700/year versus $1,489 for the lowest quintile, a 2.5x gap. Regionally, the West spends the most ($2,804/year) while the South spends the least ($2,166/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)
Other food at home spending per household, 2020–2024
National average annual spending
| Year | Annual Amount |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $2,447 |
| 2023 | $2,469 |
| 2022 | $2,144 |
| 2021 | $1,947 |
| 2020 | $1,776 |
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.
Subcategories
How the $2,447 other food at home total divides across subcategories (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024).
| Subcategory | Annual Amount (2024) |
|---|---|
| Sugar and other sweets | $230 |
| Fats and oils | $125 |
| Miscellaneous foods | $1,284 |
| Nonalcoholic beverages | $714 |
| Food prepared by consumer unit on out of town trips | $94 |
By Income Level (2024)
How other food at home spending varies across income quintiles
| Income Group | Annual Amount |
|---|---|
| Lowest 20% | $1,489 |
| Second 20% | $1,941 |
| Middle 20% | $2,265 |
| Fourth 20% | $2,838 |
| Highest 20% | $3,700 |
By Region (2024)
Geographic variation in other food at home spending
By Age Group (2024)
How other food at home spending changes across the lifecycle
By Household Size (2024)
| Size | Annual |
|---|---|
| 1 Person | $1,391 |
| 2 People | $2,901 |
| 3 People | $2,388 |
| 4 People | $2,981 |
| 5 or More | $3,389 |
By Housing Tenure (2024)
| Tenure | Annual |
|---|---|
| Homeowner (with mortgage) | $2,733 |
| Homeowner (no mortgage) | $2,976 |
| Renter | $2,347 |
What to do with this data
The average U.S. household spends $2,447 a year on other food at home - here's how to put that in context.
- Compare your own spending against the national income quintiles. Budget calculator
- See how other food at home 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
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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.
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