Consumer spending (PCE), 12-month
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · monthly · 800 observations
418th highest of 800 months since Jan 1960 (tied with 9 months; BEA monthly data begin Jan 1959).
+0.4 pp vs prior month+0.5 pp vs a year earlier
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. 12-month % change computed from PCE index levels. Nominal personal consumption expenditures, SAAR, billions of dollars; not adjusted for inflation.
About this series
What it measures
The 12-month change in total household spending on goods and services in dollars, before adjusting for inflation. Spending was $22.31 trillion at an annual rate in August 2026.
Why it matters
Consumer spending is about two-thirds of GDP, so its growth is a large part of the economy's overall growth.
Common misreads
This is nominal: with PCE prices up 3.4% over the same year, much of the 6.1% is higher prices rather than more stuff. Inflation-adjusted (real) spending is a separate BEA series.