Consumer Expenditure Survey · BLS CE 2024
Utilities, fuels, and public services spending
U.S. households spent $4,736/yr on utilities, fuels, and public services in 2024 - 6.0% of the average budget . Up 2.4% vs 2023 ; the top income quintile outspends the bottom by 2.3×. Figures from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey.
- 2024 avg
- $4,736
- Budget share
- 6.0%
- vs 2023
- +2.4%
CES spend plate
Line UTILITIES-FUELS-AN · Utilities, fuels, and public services $4,736 · 6.0%
SHARE-SOLID · QUINT-MOD · YOY-UP · REAL-EASE · REGION-NE · BOOK-UPPER
- SHARE-SOLID 6.0% of budget
- QUINT-MOD 2.3× Q5/Q1
- YOY-UP +2.4% YoY
- REAL-EASE Below CPI
- REGION-NE Northeast leads
- BOOK-UPPER #12/99 dollars
Nearest dollar peer: Household furnishings and equipment ($-2,322)
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 Utilities, fuels, and public services
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 · Utilities, fuels, and public services
Average annual spending · 2024 · poles + near peers
this line
Spending Trend (2020–2024)
Utilities, fuels, and public services spending per household, 2020–2024
National average annual spending
| Year | Annual Amount |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $4,736 |
| 2023 | $4,625 |
| 2022 | $4,549 |
| 2021 | $4,223 |
| 2020 | $4,158 |
Subcategories
How the $4,736 utilities, fuels, and public services total divides across subcategories (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024).
| Subcategory | Annual Amount (2024) |
|---|---|
| Natural gas | $493 |
| Electricity | $1,833 |
| Fuel oil and other fuels | $125 |
| Telephone services | $1,460 |
| Water and other public services | $826 |
Income stretch on a large utilities, fuels, and public services line
A large CES line: top-quintile households spend $6,607/yr here vs $2,934 at the bottom (2.3×).
| Income Group | Annual Amount |
|---|---|
| Lowest 20% | $2,934 |
| Second 20% | $4,065 |
| Middle 20% | $4,635 |
| Fourth 20% | $5,431 |
| Highest 20% | $6,607 |
Northeast leads utilities, fuels, and public services geographically
Northeast leads at $5,085/yr among the bigger CES categories.
Lifecycle peak · 45–54
45–54 heads spend the most on this line at $5,779/yr - a lifecycle peak on a large budget share.
Frequently Asked Questions (show 6)
How much does the average household spend on utilities, fuels, and public services? ▼
Is utilities, fuels, and public services spending increasing? ▼
How does income affect utilities, fuels, and public services spending? ▼
Which region spends the most on utilities, fuels, and public services? ▼
Which age group spends the most on utilities, fuels, and public services? ▼
Does household size affect utilities, fuels, and public services spending? ▼
Other large CES lines near utilities, fuels, and public services
Dollar-amount and budget-share neighbours from BLS CE 2024 (this category excluded).
Similar dollar amount
Nearest other categories by 2024 average annual spending ($4,736 here).
| Category | 2024 avg |
|---|---|
| Other vehicle expenses | $4,206 |
| Vehicle purchases (net outlay) | $5,337 |
| Health insurance | $4,055 |
| Food away from home | $3,945 |
| Rented dwellings | $5,660 |
| Mortgage interest and charges | $3,646 |
| Entertainment | $3,609 |
| Healthcare | $6,197 |
Similar budget share
Nearest other categories by share of the household budget (6.0% here).
| Category | Budget share |
|---|---|
| Other vehicle expenses | 5.4% |
| Health insurance | 5.2% |
| Vehicle purchases (net outlay) | 6.8% |
| Food away from home | 5.0% |
| Rented dwellings | 7.2% |
| Entertainment | 4.6% |
| Mortgage interest and charges | 4.6% |
| Food at home | 7.9% |
Average household budget · Methodology · BLS CEX source
Informational only - not advice. See disclaimer.