Consumer Expenditure Survey · BLS CE 2024
Vehicle finance charges spending
U.S. households spent $418/yr on vehicle finance charges in 2024 - 0.5% of the average budget . Up 15.8% vs 2023 ; the top income quintile outspends the bottom by 7.3×. Figures from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey.
- 2024 avg
- $418
- Budget share
- 0.5%
- vs 2023
- +15.8%
CES spend plate
Line VEHICLE-FINANCE-CH · Vehicle finance charges $418 · 0.5%
SHARE-TRACE · QUINT-ELITE · YOY-SURGE · REAL-BURDEN · REGION-WEST · BOOK-MID
- SHARE-TRACE 0.5% of budget
- QUINT-ELITE 7.3× Q5/Q1
- YOY-SURGE +15.8% YoY
- REAL-BURDEN Above CPI
- REGION-WEST West leads
- BOOK-MID #69/99 dollars
Nearest dollar peer: Vehicle rental, leases, licenses, and other charges (+$393)
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 Vehicle finance charges
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 · Vehicle finance charges
Average annual spending · 2024 · poles + near peers
this line
Spending Trend (2020–2024)
Vehicle finance charges spending per household, 2020–2024
National average annual spending
| Year | Annual Amount |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $418 |
| 2023 | $361 |
| 2022 | $295 |
| 2021 | $272 |
| 2020 | $258 |
Income stretch on a smaller vehicle finance charges line
A smaller CES line: even the top quintile is $739/yr, with the bottom at $101 (7.3× gap).
| Income Group | Annual Amount |
|---|---|
| Lowest 20% | $101 |
| Second 20% | $239 |
| Middle 20% | $376 |
| Fourth 20% | $632 |
| Highest 20% | $739 |
West leads vehicle finance charges geographically
West leads at $473/yr.
Lifecycle peak · 45–54
45–54 heads spend the most on this line at $596/yr - the lifecycle peak on a smaller book line.
Frequently Asked Questions (show 6)
How much does the average household spend on vehicle finance charges? ▼
Is vehicle finance charges spending increasing? ▼
How does income affect vehicle finance charges spending? ▼
Which region spends the most on vehicle finance charges? ▼
Which age group spends the most on vehicle finance charges? ▼
Does household size affect vehicle finance charges spending? ▼
Other smaller CES lines near vehicle finance charges
Dollar-amount and budget-share neighbours from BLS CE 2024 (this category excluded).
Similar dollar amount
Nearest other categories by 2024 average annual spending ($418 here).
| Category | 2024 avg |
|---|---|
| Beef | $408 |
| Fresh fruits | $394 |
| Major appliances | $385 |
| Footwear | $461 |
| Men, 16 and over | $374 |
| Men and boys | $467 |
| Fresh vegetables | $355 |
| Tobacco products and smoking supplies | $352 |
Similar budget share
Nearest other categories by share of the household budget (0.5% here).
| Category | Budget share |
|---|---|
| Beef | 0.5% |
| Fresh fruits | 0.5% |
| Fresh vegetables | 0.5% |
| Major appliances | 0.5% |
| Men, 16 and over | 0.5% |
| Footwear | 0.6% |
| Men and boys | 0.6% |
| Natural gas | 0.6% |
Average household budget · Methodology · BLS CEX source
Informational only - not advice. See disclaimer.