Household spending · Consumer Expenditure Survey · BLS CE 2024
Shelter Spending
How much American households spend on shelter - broken down by income, age, region, household size and tenure, from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey.
- Annual average (2024)
- $16,317
- Share of spending
- 20.8%
- Change vs 2023
- +5.3%
- Change vs 2020
- +29.5%
Spending Insight: Shelter
American households spent an average of $16,317 on shelter in 2024, representing 20.8% of total consumer expenditures. This marks a notable 5.3% increase from 2023 ($15,499), outpacing the roughly 3% general inflation in 2024 and suggesting growing consumer prioritization of this category.
Since 2020, shelter spending has risen by 29.5% (from $12,604 to $16,317), outpacing the roughly 21% cumulative inflation over 2020–2024 (BLS CPI-U) - a real-terms increase in household burden. The category breaks into 3 subcategories, each with its own spending dynamic, drill into any row below to see the finer-grained picture.
Income is strongly associated with shelter spending: the top income quintile spends $27,338/year versus $9,178 for the lowest quintile, a 3.0x gap. Regionally, the West spends the most ($21,032/year) while the Midwest spends the least ($13,657/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)
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 |
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 $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 |
By Income Level (2024)
How shelter spending varies across income quintiles
| Income Group | Annual Amount |
|---|---|
| Lowest 20% | $9,178 |
| Second 20% | $11,902 |
| Middle 20% | $15,257 |
| Fourth 20% | $17,851 |
| Highest 20% | $27,338 |
By Region (2024)
Geographic variation in shelter spending
By Age Group (2024)
How shelter spending changes across the lifecycle
By Household Size (2024)
| Size | Annual |
|---|---|
| 1 Person | $12,954 |
| 2 People | $17,763 |
| 3 People | $16,459 |
| 4 People | $17,555 |
| 5 or More | $20,634 |
By Housing Tenure (2024)
| Tenure | Annual |
|---|---|
| Homeowner (with mortgage) | $16,206 |
| Homeowner (no mortgage) | $21,056 |
| Renter | $9,807 |
What to do with this data
The average U.S. household spends $16,317 a year on shelter - here's how to put that in context.
- Compare your own spending against the national income quintiles. Budget calculator
- See how shelter 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
How much does the average household spend on shelter? ▼
Is shelter spending increasing? ▼
How does income affect shelter spending? ▼
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Spending Guides (show related guides)
Related Spending Categories
Browse other major categories from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey.
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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Free to reuse, including commercially, under CC0 (the underlying BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey data is public domain). A link back is appreciated.
