2016 Consumer Expenditures Surveys — 2017-08-29

Average expenditures per consumer unit1 for 2016 were $57,311, a 2.4-percent increase from 2015 levels, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. During the same period, the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) rose 1.3 percent2, and average pre-tax income per consumer unit increased 7.2 percent to $74,664. In 2015, spending increased 4.6 percent from 2014 levels. Six of the eight major components of household spending increased in 2016, as shown in table A. Of these, cash contributions expenditures showed the greatest percentage increase, 14.4 percent. This was followed by expenditures for personal insurance and pensions, rising 7.6 percent, healthcare, rising 6.2 percent, food and housing, both rising 2.6 percent, and entertainment, rising 2.5 percent. Expenditures on transportation fell 4.8 percent, while expenditures on apparel and services fell 2.3 percent. Expenditures on cash contributions rose again this year, up 14.4 percent after rising 1.7 percent in 2015. Personal insurance and pensions expenditures rose 7.6 percent to $6,831.