Consumer Expenditures for the Denver Metropolitan Area — 2022–23

Households in the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO, metropolitan area spent an average of $94,236 per year in 2022-23, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Michael Hirniak noted that food, housing, and transportation expenditures together accounted for 63.0 percent of the area's household budget. (See chart 1 and table 1.) Nationally, these three components accounted for 62.9 percent of household spending.

Average expenditures among the 22 published metropolitan areas nationwide ranged from $110,886 in San Francisco to $71,378 in Miami. Nationally, the average annual household expenditure was $75,172.

Highlights of the Denver area's 2022-23 spending patterns:

• Housing: This was the largest expenditure component for Denver-area households and averaged $33,407. Housing accounted for 35.5 percent of the area's household budget, compared to the 33.1-percent U.S. average. Among the 22 metropolitan areas, housing expenditure shares ranged from 38.0 percent in San Francisco to 30.5 percent in St. Louis. (See table 2.)
• Transportation: Denver-area households spent 16.2 percent of their budget on transportation. The national average was 16.9 percent. Of the $15,264 in annual transportation expenditures in Denver, 88.6 percent was spent buying and maintaining private vehicles; this compared to the national average of 92.3 percent.
• Food: The portion of a Denver household's budget spent on food was 11.3 percent, compared to the 12.9-percent U.S. average. Denver-area households spent $5,863, or 55.0 percent, of their food dollars on food at home and $4,795 (45.0 percent) on food away from home. In comparison, the average U.S. household spent 60.8 percent of its food budget on food at home and 39.2 percent on food away from home.
• Personal insurance and pensions: Expenditures for this component accounted for 13.4 percent of the Denver area's household budget, compared to the 12.2-percent U.S. average. Among the 22 metropolitan areas, personal insurance and pensions expenditure shares ranged from 15.2 percent in Seattle to 9.8 percent in Houston.

Additional Information

Data in this release are from the Consumer Expenditure Surveys (CE), which the U.S. Census Bureau conducts for the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data in this release were averaged over a 2-year period. Data for the nation, the four geographic regions of the United States, and 22 metropolitan areas nationwide are available via published tables. The CE provides a glossary of terms for reader convenience. Technical and related information are available in the Consumer Expenditures and Income Handbook of Methods.

The Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area comprises Adams, Arapahoe, Broomfield, Clear Creek, Denver, Douglas, Elbert, Gilpin, Jefferson, and Park Counties in Colorado. MSA definitions and details for areas referenced in this release are available online.

Differences in spending among metropolitan areas may reflect differences in the cost of living, but they also may reflect other causes. Spending differences may result from different consumer preferences or variations in demographic characteristics, such as household size, age, or income levels. However, expenditure shares, or the percentage of a household's budget spent on a particular component, can be used to compare spending patterns across areas. Sample sizes for the metropolitan areas are much smaller than for the nation, so the U.S. estimates and year-to-year changes are more reliable than those for the metropolitan areas. Users should also keep in mind that prices for many goods and services have changed since the survey was conducted.

Other metropolitan area news releases for the Consumer Expenditure Survey are available online.

Information in this release will be made available to individuals with sensory impairments upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Telecommunications Relay Service: 7-1-1.

Information in this release will be made available to individuals with sensory impairments upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Telecommunications Relay Service: 7-1-1.

Table 1. Average annual expenditures, characteristics, and percent distributions, United States and Denver metropolitan area, 2022-23

Category	United States	Denver
Consumer unit characteristics:
Income before taxes ($)	97,911	134,607
Age of reference person (years)	52.1	48.8
Average number in consumer unit:
People	2.5	2.5
Children under 18	0.6	0.7
Adults 65 and over	0.4	0.3
Earners	1.3	1.5
Vehicles	1.9	1.9
Percent homeowner	65	71
Average annual expenditures ($)	75,172	94,236
Percent distribution
Total	100.0	100.0
Food	12.9	11.3
Alcoholic beverages	0.8	1.0
Housing	33.1	35.5
Apparel and services	2.7	2.1
Transportation	16.9	16.2
Healthcare	8.0	7.6
Entertainment	4.7	6.0
Personal care products and services	1.2	1.4
Reading	0.2	0.2
Education	2.0	1.9
Tobacco products and smoking supplies	0.5	0.3
Miscellaneous	1.5	1.4
Cash contributions	3.4	1.8
Personal insurance and pensions	12.2	13.4

Table 2. Percent share of average annual expenditures for housing, transportation, and food, United States and 22 metropolitan areas, 2022-23

Area	Housing	Transportation	Food
United States	33.1	16.9	12.9
Anchorage	33.3	18.2	13.7
Atlanta	33.5	16.5	12.7
Baltimore	32.4	16.5	12.9
Boston	34.5	13.4	13.0
Chicago	34.1	13.4	13.6
Dallas-Fort Worth	35.4	16.0	12.4
Denver	35.5	16.2	11.3
Detroit	31.5	19.4	12.3
Honolulu	36.1	14.4	16.6
Houston	32.9	20.2	10.3
Los Angeles	36.6	16.5	13.6
Miami	37.4	20.2	11.5
Minneapolis-St. Paul	31.5	15.0	11.7
New York	37.2	14.2	12.5
Philadelphia	33.2	13.9	14.0
Phoenix	30.8	17.3	9.8
San Diego	37.9	15.7	12.7
San Francisco	38.0	14.4	12.8
Seattle	34.6	13.2	12.6
St. Louis	30.5	16.5	14.0
Tampa	34.7	18.2	11.4
Washington, DC	33.6	14.4	11.8

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