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Household spending increased 4.6 percent from 2014 to 2015

September 12, 2016

The average U.S. household spent $55,978 in 2015, a 4.6-percent increase from 2014. During the same period, the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) was virtually unchanged, rising 0.1 percent. In 2014, spending increased 4.7 percent. All major components of household spending increased in 2015.

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Chart Data

Net and percent change in average annual household spending, 2014–2015
Expenditure	2014	2015	Net change	Percent change	Share of total in 2015
Total	$53,495	$55,978	$2,483	4.6%	100.0%
Food	$6,759	$7,023	$264	3.9	12.5
Food at home	$3,971	$4,015	$44	1.1	7.2
Food away from home	$2,787	$3,008	$221	7.9	5.4
Alcoholic beverages	$463	$515	$52	11.2	0.9
Housing	$17,798	$18,409	$611	3.4	32.9
Shelter	$10,491	$10,742	$251	2.4	19.2
Utilities, fuels, and public services	$3,921	$3,885	-$36	-0.9	6.9
Natural gas	$439	$421	-$18	-4.1	0.8
Electricity	$1,484	$1,460	-$24	-1.6	2.6
Fuel oil and other fuels	$152	$116	-$36	-23.7	0.2
Telephone services	$1,315	$1,347	$32	2.4	2.4
Water and other public services	$530	$540	$10	1.9	1.0
Household operations	$1,174	$1,309	$135	11.5	2.3
Housekeeping supplies	$632	$655	$23	3.6	1.2
Household furnishings and equipment	$1,581	$1,818	$237	15.0	3.2
Apparel and services	$1,786	$1,846	$60	3.4	3.3
Transportation	$9,073	$9,503	$430	4.7	17.0
Vehicle purchases (net outlay)	$3,301	$3,997	$696	21.1	7.1
Gasoline and motor oil	$2,468	$2,090	-$378	-15.3	3.7
Other vehicle expenses	$2,723	$2,756	$33	1.2	4.9
Public and other transportation	$581	$661	$80	13.8	1.2
Healthcare	$4,290	$4,342	$52	1.2	7.8
Health insurance	$2,868	$2,977	$109	3.8	5.3
Medical services	$790	$791	$1	0.1	1.4
Drugs	$486	$425	-$61	-12.6	0.8
Medical supplies	$146	$149	$3	2.1	0.3
Entertainment	$2,728	$2,842	$114	4.2	5.1
Personal care products and services	$645	$683	$38	5.9	1.2
Reading	$103	$114	$11	10.7	0.2
Education	$1,236	$1,315	$79	6.4	2.3
Tobacco products and smoking supplies	$319	$349	$30	9.4	0.6
Miscellaneous	$782	$871	$89	11.4	1.6
Cash contributions	$1,788	$1,819	$31	1.7	3.2
Personal insurance and pensions	$5,726	$6,349	$623	10.9	11.3
Life and other personal insurance	$327	$333	$6	1.8	0.6
Pensions and Social Security	$5,399	$6,016	$617	11.4	10.7

From 2014 to 2015, among major components of household spending, personal insurance and pensions had the largest increase, rising 10.9 percent to $6,349. The increase was primarily driven by an 11.4-percent increase in spending on pensions and Social Security.

Spending on education increased 6.4 percent from 2014 to 2015. This increase was largely driven by a 63.7-percent increase in finance, late, and interest charges for student loans to $157.

From 2014 to 2015, transportation spending rose 4.7 percent to $9,503. Within transportation, spending on vehicle purchases increased 21.1 percent to $3,997, while spending on gasoline and motor oil decreased 15.3 percent to $2,090. Spending on public and other transportation rose 13.8 percent to $661.

Cash contributions increased 1.7 percent from 2014 to 2015, after falling 2.5 percent from 2013 to 2014. Cash contributions include alimony and child support payments; care of students away from home; and contributions to religious, educational, charitable, or political organizations.

These data come from the Consumer Expenditure Survey. To learn more, see "Consumer Expenditures — 2015" (HTML) (PDF).

SUGGESTED CITATION

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Household spending increased 4.6 percent from 2014 to 2015 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2016/household-spending-increased-4-point-6-percent-from-2014-to-2015.htm (visited March 09, 2026).

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