Housing and Food Took Nearly Half of U.S. Spending in 2025

Housing and food accounted for a combined share of nearly half of U.S. household spending in 2025, the highest proportion in 15 years, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Households spent an average of $1,988 more on the two categories together than they did in 2024. Housing made up 33.9% of average expenditures, while food accounted for 13.0%. The housing share was the highest since 2010, excluding a spike in 2020, and food’s share was its highest since 2011. The two were the only major spending categories with statistically significant increases, the BLS said. Average annual expenditures reached $81,905, up 4.3% from 2024. Average pretax income rose 6.4% to $110,847 over the same period. The figures show income grew faster than overall spending, even as housing and food took up a greater portion of household budgets. Households spent an average of $27,790 on housing, a 5.8% increase. Shelter costs rose 8.0%, and spending on rented dwellings increased 10.8%. Food spending averaged $10,633, up 4.6% from the previous year. The survey does not establish how the national averages varied among regions or states. Spending on meat, poultry, fish and eggs rose 11.7% to...