Seattle households spend 30% more money than national average, study shows

A new report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS) shows Seattle-area households spend 30% more money than the national average.

According to the report, households in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metropolitan area spent an average of $81,728 per year between 2019–20, compared to the national average of $62,188. Unsurprisingly, housing makes up the largest expenditure, averaging at 30,007 annually and accounting for 36.7% of total spending—the national average is 33.8%.

Transportation costs account for 13.2% of budgets locally, compared to the national average of 16.5%. Food spending accounts for 12.1%, compared to the national 12.5%.

Compared to other western U.S. states, Seattle-area households spend more than Los Angeles, Phoenix, Denver, Honolulu and Anchorage, but spend less than San Diego and San Francisco. Households also have, on average, the second-highest income compared to other western states at $115,548, beaten out by San Francisco at $156,851.

You can view the Western Region chart here, or find more information on the BLS website.

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