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Consumer Expenditure Surveys
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The Consumer Expenditure Surveys (CE) program provides data on expenditures, income, and demographic characteristics of consumers in the United States. The CE program provides these data in tables, LABSTAT database, news releases, reports, and public use microdata files.
CE data are collected by the Census Bureau for BLS in two surveys: the Interview Survey for major and/or recurring items and the Diary Survey for more minor or frequently purchased items. CE data are primarily used to revise the relative importance of goods and services in the market basket of the Consumer Price Index. The CE is the only Federal household survey to provide information on the complete range of consumers' expenditures and incomes. Here is an overview of the CE program and its methods.
To be notified when new datasets become available, sign up for CE updates. The menu will prompt you to select Consumer Expenditures. If you have comments or questions about this page and its contents, contact us.
Notices
- Beyond the Numbers: We love our pets, and our spending proves it (11/6/23) Read More »
- Beyond the Numbers: How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect healthcare spending? (11/02/23) Read More »
- A new military status research table is now available. (9/28/23) Read More »
Most Requested Tables
News Releases
Consumer unit expenditures in 2022 are $72,967; a 9.0% increase from 2021
09/08/2023
Average expenditures for all consumer units in 2022 were $72,967, a 9.0-percent increase
from 2021, and average income before taxes increased 7.5 percent.
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Publications
Beyond the Numbers
We love our pets, and our spending proves it
This Beyond the Numbers article uses data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditures Surveys (CE) to examine trends in pet spending from 2013 to 2021. It compares pet expenditures to other consumer expenditure trends. It further analyzes trends in components of pet expenditures, specifically pet food and pet purchase, supplies, and medicine, during the COVID-19 pandemic. read more »
The Economics Daily
Consumer spending increased 9.0 percent in 2022
Average annual expenditures for all consumer units increased 9.0 percent from 2021 to 2022, similar to the 9.1 percent increase from 2020 to 2021. The only major component to decrease from 2021 to 2022 was entertainment (−3.1 percent). read more »
Monthly Labor Review
Developing a consumption measure, with examples of use for poverty and inequality analysis: a new research product from BLS
This article provides an update on the work being done by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to produce a research-based consumption measure and explores its potential use in poverty and inequality analysis. read more »
Spotlight on Statistics
How the COVID-19 Pandemic Changed Urban and Rural Spending Habits
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic affected the United States profoundly. In addition to the heavy toll on health and life, the pandemic also brought significant economic challenges, such as a drastic shift in workplace culture and the highest unemployment rate since data began in 1948. This Spotlight on Statistics explores how the COVID-19 pandemic influenced the spending behaviors of urban and rural consumers. read more »