Spending by Generation, 2014

In an experimental research effort, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has examined household spending by generation based on data from the 2014 Consumer Expenditure Survey (birth years based on Pew Research Center definitions)...

Average household spending in 2014
Millennials (1981 and later): $43,942
Generation X (1965 to 1980): $63,137
Baby Boomers (1946 to 1964): $58,202
Silent Generation (1929 to 1945): $40,923
WWII Generation (1928 and earlier): $32,610

Gen Xers spend much more on mortgage interest than any other generation. Many bought homes when housing prices were peaking. Millennials, Gen Xers, and Boomers spend more on cell service than landline service. Eighty percent of Millennial households own a car. Ownership peaks at 91 percent among Boomers and falls with age to 66 percent in the WWII generation (aged 86 or older). Gen Xers spend the most on men's clothes. Boomers spend the most on women's clothes. Average household spending on entertainment is highest among Gen Xers. Millennials spend relatively little on entertainment, surpassing only the WWII generation. Even the Silent generation spends more on entertainment than Millennials.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, CE Experimental Research Tables