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How Much Does the Average Person Spend per Year?

  • 2 minute read
Chart of average annual US consumer expenditure

One of the first things you want to understand beforestarting any businessis yourtarget audience—more specifically, their spending capacity.

With over$507 billion in ecommerce salesin the first half of 2022 alone, the United States market definitely shows potential. So how much does the average American spend per year?

Average American spending per year

Thelatest statisticsindicate the average yearly expenses of a US consumer in 2021 is $66,928—an average of around $5,577 per month.

This represented a 9.1% increase from 2020, during which average consumer spending in the US was $61,332. In comparison, the year before saw spending fall by 2.7 percent from $63036 in 2019, marking the first decrease in years.

Prior to 2020, the average annual American spending had been rising steadily over the past few years. In fact, from 2017 to 2019, US consumers increased their average annual expenditure by around five percent, with an average annual growth rate of 2.5%.

Interestingly, the rate of increase in average consumer spending in the US is slower than the rate of increase in income (before taxes). From 2017 to 2021, theaverage American incomerose from $73,573 to $87,432—an 18.8% overall increase. Meanwhile, average yearly expenses grew by 11.4% in the same period.

Average Consumer Spending: Top Expenses

US consumers’ biggest expenditure is on housing. In 2021, the typical US consumer spent $22,624 on housing, which covered expenses on both owned and rented dwellings and accommodation spent on out-of-town trips. This represented 33.8% of their average yearly expenses and a 9.1% annual increase.

US consumers’ second-highest expense was transportation. Of the average yearly expenses in 2021, $10,961, (totaling 16.4%), was spent on transportation. This included vehicle purchases, gasoline, public transportation, and other related expenses.

The third-biggest expenditure was food. The average US consumer spent $8,289 on food in 2021, 13.4% less than they did in 2020. This is followed by personal insurance and pensions, on which $7,873 was spent.

In total, the top three expenditures of US consumers in 2021, housing, transportation, and food, added up to $41,874—or 62.6% of their average yearly expenses.

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How Much Does the Average Person Spend per Year? FAQ

How much does the average single person spend?

This is difficult to answer definitively, as spending habits vary greatly from person to person. Factors such as income, lifestyle, and location will all affect spending. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average single person spends around $66,928annually on goods and services.

一般人每天花多少钱?

The average person spends about $164 per day, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This figure includes spending on housing, food, transportation, entertainment, clothing, healthcare, and other goods and services.

How much does the average person spend on clothes per year?

The average amount spent on clothing per year by the average person varies widely depending on factors such as age, gender, and location. Generally speaking, the average person in the United States spends around $1,800 per year on clothing and related accessories.

What does the average American spend money on?

The average American spends money on housing (including rent/mortgage payments, maintenance, and utilities), transportation (including gas, car payments, and public transportation), food (groceries and dining out), healthcare, and entertainment (movies, sporting events, and recreation).
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