Consumer Expenditure Survey · BLS CE 2024

Other vehicle expenses spending

U.S. households spent $4,206/yr on other vehicle expenses in 2024 - 5.4% of the average budget . Up 9.4% vs 2023 ; the top income quintile outspends the bottom by 4.2×. Figures from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey.

2024 avg
$4,206
Budget share
5.4%
vs 2023
+9.4%

CES spend plate

Line OTHER-VEHICLE-EXPE · Other vehicle expenses $4,206 · 5.4%

SHARE-SOLID · QUINT-WIDE · YOY-SURGE · REAL-INLINE · REGION-WEST · BOOK-UPPER

  • SHARE-SOLID 5.4% of budget
  • QUINT-WIDE 4.2× Q5/Q1
  • YOY-SURGE +9.4% YoY
  • REAL-INLINE Near CPI
  • REGION-WEST West leads
  • BOOK-UPPER #13/99 dollars

Nearest dollar peer: Vehicle purchases (net outlay) (+$1,131)

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 Other vehicle expenses

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 · Other vehicle expenses

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)

Other vehicle expenses spending per household, 2020–2024

National average annual spending

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

$3,400$3,600$3,800$4,000$4,200$4,400 20202021202220232024 $4,206
Year Annual Amount
2024 $4,206
2023 $3,845
2022 $3,834
2021 $3,534
2020 $3,471

Subcategories

Vehicle insurance · $1,993 (47%) Maintenance and repairs · $984 (23%) Vehicle rental, leases, licenses, and other charges · $811 (19%) Vehicle finance charges · $418 (10%)

How the $4,206 other vehicle expenses total divides across subcategories (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024).

Subcategory Annual Amount (2024)
Vehicle finance charges $418
Maintenance and repairs $984
Vehicle rental, leases, licenses, and other charges $811
Vehicle insurance $1,993

Income stretch on a large other vehicle expenses line

A large CES line: top-quintile households spend $6,916/yr here vs $1,653 at the bottom (4.2×).

Income Group Annual Amount
Lowest 20% $1,653
Second 20% $3,019
Middle 20% $4,018
Fourth 20% $5,407
Highest 20% $6,916

See full income breakdown →

West leads other vehicle expenses geographically

West leads at $4,776/yr among the bigger CES categories.

Region Annual Amount
Midwest $3,864
Northeast $4,246
South $4,050
West $4,776

See full regional breakdown →

Lifecycle peak · 45–54

45–54 heads spend the most on this line at $5,597/yr - a lifecycle peak on a large budget share.

Age Group Annual Amount
25–34 $3,977
35–44 $4,704
45–54 $5,597
55–64 $4,710
65–74 $3,572
75 and older $2,663
Under 25 $2,461

See full age breakdown →

Frequently Asked Questions (show 6)
How much does the average household spend on other vehicle expenses?
The average American household spent $4,206 on other vehicle expenses in 2024, according to the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey. This represents 5.4% of total household spending.
Is other vehicle expenses spending increasing?
Other vehicle expenses spending increased by 9.4% from 2023 to 2024 ($3,845 to $4,206). Over 5 years (2020–2024), it changed by +21.2%.
How does income affect other vehicle expenses spending?
The lowest income quintile spends $1,653/year on other vehicle expenses, while the highest quintile spends $6,916/year, a 4.2x difference. Higher-income households spend more in absolute terms but may allocate a smaller share of their budget.
Which region spends the most on other vehicle expenses?
The West region spends the most at $4,776/year, while the Midwest region spends the least at $3,864/year on other vehicle expenses.
Which age group spends the most on other vehicle expenses?
Households headed by someone in the 45–54 age group spend the most on other vehicle expenses at $5,597/year.
Does household size affect other vehicle expenses spending?
Yes. 1 Person households spend $2,383/year on other vehicle expenses, while 4 People households spend $6,136/year. Larger households generally spend more in absolute terms on most categories.

Other large CES lines near other vehicle expenses

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

Similar dollar amount

Nearest other categories by 2024 average annual spending ($4,206 here).

Category 2024 avg
Health insurance $4,055
Food away from home $3,945
Utilities, fuels, and public services $4,736
Mortgage interest and charges $3,646
Entertainment $3,609
Vehicle purchases (net outlay) $5,337
Maintenance, repairs, insurance, and other expenses $2,926
Cars and trucks, used $2,818

Similar budget share

Nearest other categories by share of the household budget (5.4% here).

Category Budget share
Health insurance 5.2%
Food away from home 5.0%
Utilities, fuels, and public services 6.0%
Entertainment 4.6%
Mortgage interest and charges 4.6%
Vehicle purchases (net outlay) 6.8%
Maintenance, repairs, insurance, and other expenses 3.7%
Rented dwellings 7.2%

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.