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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
- A new military status research table is now available. (9/28/23) Read More »
- The 2022 annual news release, tables, LABSTAT database, public use microdata and Data Quality Profile are now available. (9/08/2023) Read More »
- The 2022 Research Supplemental Poverty Measure Thresholds are now available. (9/07/23) 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
Four personal tax liabilities trends that have emerged from recent tax legislation
Have recent tax benefits meant more money in your bank account? In 2017, Congress passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), and, in 2020, Congress passed the COVID-19 pandemic relief acts, directly affecting the personal tax liabilities of many Americans. read more »
The Economics Daily
Consumer expenditures rise 8.6 percent in April–June 2022 quarter compared with year earlier
From April to June of 2022, total expenditures averaged $18,059 per consumer unit, an increase of 8.6 percent over the same period in 2021. The largest percentage increase was in transportation spending, a gain of 16.5 percent to a total of $3,215 per household for the quarter. 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 »
