Consumer Expenditure Survey · BLS CE 2024
Shelter spending
U.S. households spent $16,317/yr on shelter in 2024 - 20.8% of the average budget . Up 5.3% vs 2023 ; the top income quintile outspends the bottom by 3.0×. Figures from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey.
- 2024 avg
- $16,317
- Budget share
- 20.8%
- vs 2023
- +5.3%
CES spend plate
Line SHELTER · Shelter $16,317 · 20.8%
SHARE-DOMINANT · QUINT-WIDE · YOY-UP · REAL-BURDEN · REGION-WEST · BOOK-TOP
- SHARE-DOMINANT 20.8% of budget
- QUINT-WIDE 3.0× Q5/Q1
- YOY-UP +5.3% YoY
- REAL-BURDEN Above CPI
- REGION-WEST West leads
- BOOK-TOP #2/99 dollars
Nearest dollar peer: Utilities, fuels, and public services ($-11,581)
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 Shelter
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 · Shelter
Average annual spending · 2024 · poles + near peers
this line
Spending Trend (2020–2024)
Shelter spending per household, 2020–2024
National average annual spending
| Year | Annual Amount |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $16,317 |
| 2023 | $15,499 |
| 2022 | $14,507 |
| 2021 | $13,258 |
| 2020 | $12,604 |
Subcategories
How the $16,317 shelter total divides across subcategories (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024).
| Subcategory | Annual Amount (2024) |
|---|---|
| Owned dwellings | $9,310 |
| Rented dwellings | $5,660 |
| Other lodging | $1,347 |
Income stretch on a large shelter line
A large CES line: top-quintile households spend $27,338/yr here vs $9,178 at the bottom (3.0×).
| Income Group | Annual Amount |
|---|---|
| Lowest 20% | $9,178 |
| Second 20% | $11,902 |
| Middle 20% | $15,257 |
| Fourth 20% | $17,851 |
| Highest 20% | $27,338 |
West leads shelter geographically
West leads at $21,032/yr among the bigger CES categories.
Lifecycle peak · 45–54
45–54 heads spend the most on this line at $19,283/yr - a lifecycle peak on a large budget share.
Frequently Asked Questions (show 6)
How much does the average household spend on shelter? ▼
Is shelter spending increasing? ▼
How does income affect shelter spending? ▼
Which region spends the most on shelter? ▼
Which age group spends the most on shelter? ▼
Does household size affect shelter spending? ▼
Other large CES lines near shelter
Dollar-amount and budget-share neighbours from BLS CE 2024 (this category excluded).
Similar dollar amount
Nearest other categories by 2024 average annual spending ($16,317 here).
| Category | 2024 avg |
|---|---|
| Transportation | $13,318 |
| Food | $10,169 |
| Personal insurance and pensions | $9,797 |
| Owned dwellings | $9,310 |
| Retirement, pensions, and Social Security | $9,222 |
| Housing | $26,266 |
| Food at home | $6,224 |
| Healthcare | $6,197 |
Similar budget share
Nearest other categories by share of the household budget (20.8% here).
| Category | Budget share |
|---|---|
| Transportation | 17.0% |
| Food | 12.9% |
| Personal insurance and pensions | 12.5% |
| Owned dwellings | 11.9% |
| Retirement, pensions, and Social Security | 11.7% |
| Housing | 33.4% |
| Food at home | 7.9% |
| Healthcare | 7.9% |
Average household budget · Methodology · BLS CEX source
Informational only - not advice. See disclaimer.