The black consumer’s spending power is powerful and continues to grow.
According to black consumer spending statistics, black households spent an estimated $835 billion in 2019 and are projected to reach a buying power of $1.8 trillion by 2024.
On average, black households spend an average of $36,149 each year, which is an impressive number.
As black buying power rises, companies and marketers have recognized the potential that the black market brings and are aiming to improve the quality of their technology, products, and services for those who purchase within this market.
Black Consumer Spending Statistics: Key Findings
- Black consumer buying power is projected to reach $1.8 trillion by 2024.
- In 2021, black spending power reached $1.6 trillion.
- Black households spend an average of $36,149 per year, accounting for 79.8% of their pre-tax income.
- Over the last two decades, black households’ spending has increased by 5% per year.
- In 2019, Black households accounted for nearly 10% of total US spending on goods and services.
- The media consumption of black consumers is 13.4% higher than the national average.
- Low-income Black households spent the most on housing (45.5%), total food (23.5%), transportation (11.5%), healthcare (4.1%), and entertainment (3.8%). High-income Black households spent the most on housing (34.2%), transportation (17.1%), personal insurance and pensions (15.0%), total food (12.7%), and healthcare (4.8%).
- Compared to 26% of the population, 52% of Black people find in-store shopping relaxing.
- Every year, black consumers spend $50 billion on electronics.
- Black people were 42% more likely to respond to mobile ads than the rest of the American population.
Sources: (NielsenIQ, Forbes, BLS)
How Much Do African American Spend Yearly
BLS reported that the average Black household spends $36,149 each year on goods and services, which significantly outpaces figures from other minority groups as well as the national median.
This annual expenditure is made possible by the dedication, resourcefulness, and hard work that members of this demographic continue to demonstrate despite continuing challenges and widespread socio-economic inequality.
It says a lot about their capacity to contribute even more to our collective economic progress if they are given equal opportunity and access.
1. In the year 2019, African American households spent 2,429 U.S. dollars for food away from home on average.
According to Statista, African American families spent an average of 2,429 U.S. dollars on meals consumed out from home in 2012. According to the findings, African Americans spend less money on meals while they are away from home than Asians and Whites. In terms of food expenditure, Asians spend the most ($4581), while Whites spend the least ($3636) while dining out at restaurants.
(Statista)
2. The typical Black household earns a fraction of White households just 59 cents for every dollar. The gap between Black and White annual household incomes is about $29,000 per year.
According to the Joint Economic Committee’s study “The Economic State of Black America 2020,” the average Black family earns a fraction of what the typical White household earns, earning just 59 cents for every $1 earned by the typical White household. The yearly income disparity between Black and White households is about $29,000 per year. This disparity in low-income indicates that African Americans are subjected to discrimination and have less chances.
( Joint Economic Committee)
3. African-American buying power has seen impressive gains since the end of the last economic downturn, jumping from $961 billion in 2010 to an estimated $1.3 trillion in 2018. Since 2000, the African-American market has seen a 114 percent increase in buying power.
A recent report from a reputable source indicates that African-American purchasing power has increased dramatically since the conclusion of the last economic crisis, rising from $961 billion in 2010 to an anticipated $1.3 trillion in 2018. Since 2000, the purchasing power of African-Americans has increased by a whopping 114 percentage points.
The rise in the black population, the attainment of more college degrees, and the establishment of black-owned companies have all contributed to the growth in purchasing power.
(News Wise)
4. Half of the total spend ($941 million) on dry grains and vegetables in the U.S. in 2017 came from consumers of colour. And Black consumers represented $147 million of the total spend in this category.
According to Nielsen, consumers of color accounted for half of the total amount spent on dry grains and vegetables in the United States in 2017. Furthermore, Black customers accounted for $147 million of the total expenditure in this category. Black consumers are having a significant effect on the entire market, and in certain areas, they are spending more than half of their income on goods and services.
(Nielsen)
5. 11% of the black African American females and 13% males prefer to buy luxury or designer brands’ clothes.
According to the source, when rich American men and females were asked about their purchasing habits, the findings revealed that 11 percent of black African American ladies and 13 percent of males prefer to purchase clothing from luxury or designer labels. While 9 percent of white men and 6 percent of white women said they like expensive clothes, the majority of white women indicated they do not. This demonstrates that for black men and women, appearance and being well dressed are very important, and that they outperform whites in this regard.
(Ipsos)
6. For low-income Black households, the top five aggregate expenditure share categories were housing (45.5 percent), total food (23.5 percent), transportation (11.5 percent), healthcare (4.1 percent), and entertainment (3.8 percent). In comparison, the top five aggregate expenditure share categories for high-income Black households were housing (34.2 percent), transportation (17.1 percent), personal insurance and pensions (15.0 percent), total food (12.7 percent), and healthcare (4.8 percent).
Consumer Expenditure Survey data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals the household expenditures of low-income Black families as well as high-income Black families, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). People who make less than $12,001 per year qualify as low-income blacks; those who earn more than $162,000 per year qualify as high-income blacks.
In this study, spending is split into five categories, and the findings reveal how much of a person’s total earnings % is spent on each category by low- and high-income African-Americans.
Housing (45.5 percent), total food (23.5 percent), transportation (11.5 percent), healthcare (4.1 percent), and entertainment (4.1 percent) were the top five aggregate spending share categories for low-income Black families (3.8 percent). Compared to other families, the top five aggregate spending share categories for high-income Black households were housing (34.2 percent), transportation (17.1 percent), personal insurance and pensions (15.0 percent), total food (12.7 percent), and healthcare (12.7 percent) (4.8 percent).
(Bureau of Labor Statistics)
7. Blacks who do own homes are just as likely as other homeowners to have spent between $1,000 and $2,000 on home improvements in the past year.
Blacks who do own houses, according to the source, are neither more or less likely than other homeowners to have spent between $1,000 and $2,000 on home renovations in the previous year. African Americans are spending more money on renovations and have plans to make additions to their homes in the future years, according to the National Association of Realtors.
(PR News Wire)
8. 72% of African Americans enjoy grocery shopping.
According to Statista, African Americans are the group of individuals that love doing their grocery shopping the most. In their 2018 study of customers who like grocery shopping depending on race, 72 percent of African American respondents said that they enjoyed grocery shopping, compared to 56 percent of White respondents and 61 percent of Asian respondents who expressed the same sentiment.
(Statista)
9. The percentage of Black homeowners decreased between 2005 and 2017 from 46% to 41.4% where it remained unchanged in 2018.
Black homeowners’ proportion dropped from 46 percent to 41.4 percent between 2005 and 2017, according to the source, and has stayed constant in 2018. Approximately half of the African American population does not own a home and instead lives in a rental property.
These higher rates for rental are due to the discriminatory policies towards the minorities.
(Black demographics)
10. 55 percent of African Americans used private health insurance in 2018, while 41.2 percent were enrolled in Medicaid or some other type of public health insurance.
Approximately 55 percent of African Americans had private health insurance in 2018, according to the Census Foundation, while 41.2 percent were enrolled in Medicaid or some other form of public health care. In other words, more than half of the black population is responsible for their own and their family’s health-care expenses; they are not covered by the government’s health-care assistance programs.
(the Census Foundation)
11. Low-income Black households have 4.1 percent of yearly spending on healthcare while high-income black households have 4.8 percent spending on healthcare.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that low-income black families spend 4.1 percent of their annual income on healthcare, whereas high-income black households spend 4.8 percent of their annual income on healthcare.
(Bureau of Labor Statistics)
12. In 2019 Black consumers spent an average of $8,509 on transportation while White and all other races spent 11,070 and Asians spent 11,378 on transportation.
Black consumers spent an average of $8,509 on transportation in 2019, according to Statista, while White and all other races spent an average of 11,070 and Asians spent an average of 11,378 on transportation in 2019. Immediately after housing, transportation is the second most expensive area in which black people have spent the most of their money.
(Statista)
13. Nearly 86% of the spend Blacks make up on ethnic hair and beauty aids.
In accordance with the source, Black women spend almost 86 percent of their earnings on ethnic hair and cosmetic products. African Americans are the ones who dominate the beauty product business, accounting for 86 percent of the total $63.5 million spent on ethnic hair and beauty aids in 2010..
(Nielsen)
14. African Americans spend an average of 100% more than whites for each car insured.
The source claims that African Americans pay on average 100 percent more than whites for each automobile insured. Minorities pay a higher premium for auto insurance than the general public. According to the source, on average, 73 percent of African and American families possess a car, with an annual spend of about $1,581 on their vehicle. Minorities get less services, according to the source study, despite the fact that they pay more for insurance.
(Consumer Federation)
15. African Americans are voracious media consumers, across multiple channels, spending over 11 hours more each week using television (50:38 hrs per week) compared to the total population. “Internet on the go,” usage is increasing with more time spent on video, audio and social networking than the total population on both smartphones and tablets.
Time is money because spending money is the same as spending time, and time is money. Nielsen reports that African Americans are avid consumers of mass media across a wide range of platforms, spending almost 11 hours more each week watching television (50:38 hours per week) than the general population (see chart below). Smartphone and tablet users are spending more time watching videos, listening to music, and engaging in social networking than the general public, indicating an increase in “Internet on the go” use.
This makes them a more digitally savvy consumer in the market, and it also raises awareness for the rights of the community and the impact of black influencers in the market.
(Nielsen)
16. Black consumers are more likely than the total population to agree “I am willing to pay extra for a product that is consistent with the image I want to convey” (by 20%) and say clothes made by fashion designers are more appealing (by 22%).
According to the source, Black consumers are more likely than the total population to agree “I am willing to pay extra for a product that is consistent with the image I want to convey” (by 20%) and say clothes made by fashion designers are more appealing (by 22%).
As awareness is increased about the diversity and individuality among the black community, they are likely to choose those brands and products which are targeting them as a special market and catering to their needs to the fullest.
(Nielsen)
17. African-Americans use the Internet more across many topics, including entertainment, sports, dating, personal advancement and commerce. Black households with incomes between $75,000 and $100,000 are particularly active online.
By 20 percent, Black customers are more likely than the general population to agree that “I am prepared to spend more for a product that is compatible with the image I want to convey” and that garments designed by fashion designers are more attractive than generic clothing (by 22 percent ).
Due to increasing knowledge of the variety and uniqueness within the black community, people in this group are more inclined to patronize companies and goods that cater specifically to them as a particular market and meet their requirements to the greatest extent possible.
(Diversity)
Final Thought
African Americans represent a growing market in consumer spending, with more black-owned businesses than ever before impacting the global economy.
These consumers are increasingly focused on businesses that cater to their unique needs and are investing more in education to achieve a better social status. Additionally, they are putting money into real estate and spending on clothing and services.
Notwithstanding this increase in purchasing power, black customers are nonetheless excluded from various public assistance programs due to their minority status.
FAQs
What are the different categories of spending by people in the United States?
Housing is the area in which the people of the United States spend the most of their money because housing is a fundamental need on a very basic level. Statista estimates that white Americans spent $21,012 on housing in 2019, while Asians paid $24,694 and blacks spent $17,176 in the same year.
What African American is likely to spend the most?
The answer is that African Americans are more likely to spend more money on clothing, personal hygiene items, and services than other ethnic groups. The companies that effectively communicate their personalities and uniqueness are the ones that they choose.
What does black-owned business mean?
A black-owned firm is defined as one in which African American owners control more than 50% of the company’s stock. The most well-known black-owned companies include RLJ Lodging Trust, Advent Capital Management, and Beauty Bakerie, to name a few.
Source
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
