Household spending · Consumer Expenditure Survey · BLS CE 2024
Telephone services Spending
How much American households spend on telephone services - broken down by income, age, region, household size and tenure, from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey.
- Annual average (2024)
- $1,460
- Share of spending
- 1.9%
- Change vs 2023
- +4.1%
- Change vs 2020
- +1.3%
Spending Insight: Telephone services
American households spent an average of $1,460 on telephone services in 2024, representing 1.9% of total consumer expenditures. This marks a notable 4.1% increase from 2023 ($1,403), outpacing the roughly 3% general inflation in 2024 and suggesting growing consumer prioritization of this category.
Since 2020, telephone services spending has risen by 1.3% (from $1,441 to $1,460), rising slower than the roughly 21% cumulative inflation over the same period, a decline in real, inflation-adjusted terms. The category breaks into 2 subcategories, each with its own spending dynamic, drill into any row below to see the finer-grained picture.
Income is strongly associated with telephone services spending: the top income quintile spends $2,024/year versus $834 for the lowest quintile, a 2.4x gap. Regionally, the West spends the most ($1,570/year) while the Midwest spends the least ($1,355/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)
Telephone services spending per household, 2020–2024
National average annual spending
| Year | Annual Amount |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $1,460 |
| 2023 | $1,403 |
| 2022 | $1,431 |
| 2021 | $1,409 |
| 2020 | $1,441 |
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 $1,460 telephone services total divides across subcategories (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024).
| Subcategory | Annual Amount (2024) |
|---|---|
| Residential phone service, VOIP, and phone cards | $100 |
| Cellular phone service | $1,359 |
By Income Level (2024)
How telephone services spending varies across income quintiles
| Income Group | Annual Amount |
|---|---|
| Lowest 20% | $834 |
| Second 20% | $1,204 |
| Middle 20% | $1,465 |
| Fourth 20% | $1,770 |
| Highest 20% | $2,024 |
By Region (2024)
Geographic variation in telephone services spending
By Age Group (2024)
How telephone services spending changes across the lifecycle
By Household Size (2024)
| Size | Annual |
|---|---|
| 1 Person | $849 |
| 2 People | $1,722 |
| 3 People | $1,451 |
| 4 People | $1,758 |
| 5 or More | $2,031 |
By Housing Tenure (2024)
| Tenure | Annual |
|---|---|
| Homeowner (with mortgage) | $1,633 |
| Homeowner (no mortgage) | $1,772 |
| Renter | $1,448 |
What to do with this data
The average U.S. household spends $1,460 a year on telephone services - here's how to put that in context.
- Compare your own spending against the national income quintiles. Budget calculator
- See how telephone services 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 telephone services? ▼
Is telephone services spending increasing? ▼
How does income affect telephone services spending? ▼
Which region spends the most on telephone services? ▼
Which age group spends the most on telephone services? ▼
Does household size affect telephone services spending? ▼
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.
Cite this page
Free to reuse, including commercially, under CC0 (the underlying BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey data is public domain). A link back is appreciated.
