Department of Labor Logo United States Department of Labor
Dot gov

The .gov means it's official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Consumer Expenditure Surveys

The Consumer Expenditure Surveys (CE) program provides data on expenditures, income, and demographic characteristics of consumers in the United States. The CE program provides these data in tablesLABSTAT databasenews releasesreports, and public use microdata files.

CE data are collected by the Census Bureau for BLS in two surveys: the Interview Survey for major and/or recurring items and the Diary Survey for more minor or frequently purchased items. CE data are primarily used to revise the relative importance of goods and services in the market basket of the Consumer Price Index. The CE is the only Federal household survey to provide information on the complete range of consumers' expenditures and incomes. Here is an overview of the CE program and its methods.

To be notified when new datasets become available, sign up for CE updates. The menu will prompt you to select Consumer Expenditures. If you have comments or questions about this page and its contents, contact us.

Notices

  • The 2021 annual news release, tables, LABSTAT database, and public use microdata are now available (9/8/2022). Read More »
  • The 2021 annual Data Quality Profile is now available (9/8/2022). Read More »
  • The Economics Daily: “Consumer spending on public transportation rebounded in 2021 after large decline in 2020”, by Shane Meyers (9/9/2022). Read More »

Info For Survey Participants

Info For Survey Participants   Respondents homepage
read more »

News Releases

//CESAN RED HAT maintenance ZUNI3 1092024// Consumer unit expenditure a 9.0% increase...

10/09/2024

//CESAN RED HAT maintenance ZUNI3 1092024// Average for all consumer units.
HTML | PDF | RSS


Next Release

The Consumer Expenditures release is scheduled to be released on Friday, September 8, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time.
read more »

Publications

The Economics Daily

The Economics Daily article image

Consumer expenditures for athletic gear, game tables, and exercise equipment doubled in 2021

The average consumer unit spent $111.80 on athletic gear, game tables, and exercise equipment in 2021. That was more than double the average spending of $54.33 in 2020. read more »

Spotlight on Statistics

Spotlight on Statistics article image

How the COVID-19 Pandemic Changed Urban and Rural Spending Habits

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic affected the United States profoundly. In addition to the heavy toll on health and life, the pandemic also brought significant economic challenges, such as a drastic shift in workplace culture and the highest unemployment rate since data began in 1948. This Spotlight on Statistics explores how the COVID-19 pandemic influenced the spending behaviors of urban and rural consumers. read more »

Monthly Labor Review

Monthly Labor Review article image

Employment recovery continues in 2021, with some industries reaching or exceeding their prepandemic employment levels

Total nonfarm employment in the United States continued to recover in 2021, with some industries fully recovering and subsequently expanding amid the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. read more »