US Census region · BLS CE 2024 · #4 of 4 regions
South household spending
West leads total regional spending at $92,625 - South ranks #4 of 4 at $70,376 (10.4% below the U.S. average) , where Housing is the largest category at $23,260. Use the category table below for the full breakdown.
- Avg spend
- $70,376
- Region rank
- #4/4
- Categories
- 14
South household spend stack
South region · top 8 categories · 2024
How this region compares
Total annual household spending across all four Census regions · South ranks #4 of 4 · 2024
| Category | Annual Amount |
|---|---|
| Food | $9,003 |
| Alcoholic beverages | $488 |
| Housing | $23,260 |
| Apparel and services | $1,759 |
| Transportation | $12,768 |
| Healthcare | $5,870 |
| Entertainment | $2,999 |
| Personal care products and services | $827 |
| Reading | $92 |
| Education | $1,036 |
| Tobacco products and smoking supplies | $374 |
| Miscellaneous | $1,029 |
| Cash contributions | $2,382 |
| Personal insurance and pensions | $8,488 |
How we calculate this: % of Budget is each category's published regional spend divided by that region's total household spend. The above/below national-average comparison is this region's total divided by the U.S. total, minus 100%. Both are computed from the raw BLS figures, not re-estimated.
What to do with South data
South households spend $70,376 a year on average, here's how to see where your own budget fits.
- Compare your spending against the national income quintiles. Budget calculator
- See how spending differs across the other Census regions. All regions
- Save the categories you care about to your private watchlist. Save categories
Regional figures are BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey averages; households within a region vary widely.
Nationwide regions with similar spending scale
Two peer sets for South, each excluding this Census region, total spending and housing budget share are different lenses on the same BLS data.
Similar total spending
Nearest other regions by average annual household spend ($70,376 here).
Similar housing share
Nearest other regions by housing as a share of the regional budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do South households spend per year? ▼
What are the biggest expenses for South households? ▼
How much do South households spend on housing? ▼
What do South households spend on food? ▼
Is the South above or below the national spending average? ▼
How does South spending compare to other regions? ▼
Spending Guides
Related Census Regions
Compare household spending across other U.S. Census Bureau regions from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.