Spending in 2013: Another Decline

Average household spending peaked in 2006, just prior to the Great Recession, and has yet to recover. In 2013, the average household spent just $51,100, according to the latest numbers from the Consumer Expenditure Survey. This is 2.1 percent less than the average household spent in 2012 and fully 8.6 percent less than it spent in 2006, after adjusting for inflation. Here is average annual household spending from the peak spending year of 2006 through 2013 (in 2013 dollars), and the percent change in spending from the preceding year...

2013: $51,100 (-2.1%)
2012: $52,196 (+1.4%)
2011: $51,477 (+0.2%)
2010: $51,397 (-3.5%)
2009: $53,280 (-2.5%)
2008: $54,626 (-2.1%)
2007: $55,770 (-0.3%)
2006: $55,926 (+1.0%)

Note that the 2012-13 spending decline of 2.1 percent is equal to the decline that occurred between 2007 and 2008—in the midst of the Great Recession.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Expenditure Survey