BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey · 2024
U.S. Household Spending Statistics
The key, citable figures on how the average American household spends its money in 2024 - drawn directly from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey.
- Average annual spend
- $78,535
- Largest category
- Housing · 33.4%
- Categories tracked
- 14
Key statistics (2024)
In 2024 the average U.S. household spent $78,535, according to the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey, with housing the largest expense at $26,266 (33.4% of the budget). The figures below are free to cite (CC0).
- The average U.S. household spent $78,535 in 2024, according to the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey.
- Housing is the single largest household expense at $26,266 a year - 33.4% of the total budget.
- The three largest categories (housing, transportation, food) together account for 63% of all household spending.
- The highest-income fifth of households spent $150,342 in 2024 - 4.3× the $35,046 spent by the lowest-income fifth.
- Average household spending changed +28% over five years, from $61,334 in 2020 to $78,535 in 2024.
- By Census region, West households spent the most ($92,625) and South households the least ($70,376) in 2024.
- PlainHousehold tracks 14 major spending categories broken down by income, age, Census region, household size, and housing tenure.
All figures computed from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024. See our methodology for how each is derived.
Cite or reuse these statistics
These statistics are free to use, including for commercial work, under CC0 (public domain). Underlying data is the public-domain BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey. A link back is appreciated but not required.