2015 Consumer Expenditures Surveys — 2016-08-30

Average expenditures per consumer unit(1) for 2015 were $55,978, a 4.6 percent increase from 2014 levels, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. During the same period, the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) was virtually unchanged, rising 0.1 percent(2). In 2014, spending increased 4.7 percent. Average pre-tax income per consumer unit increased at a slightly slower pace than expenditures, up 4.1 percent from 2014 to $69,629. All major components of household spending increased in 2015, as shown in table A. Of these, expenditures on personal insurance and pensions showed the greatest percentage increase, 10.9 percent. This was followed by education expenditures, rising 6.4 percent, transportation expenditures, rising 4.7 percent, and entertainment expenditures, rising 4.2 percent. Expenditures on food, housing, and apparel and services showed smaller, positive gains between 3.4 percent and 3.9 percent, while expenditures on cash contributions, increased 1.7 percent. Healthcare expenditures rose 1.2 percent in 2015. Personal insurance and pensions expenditures rose 10.9 percent to $6,349.