---
title: "Energy Cost Burden (Energy PCE as % of Disposable Income)"
slug: the-energy-squeeze
summary: "Energy spending took 3.7% of U.S. disposable income in Q3 2026, the same as in Q2 2026"
category: "Prices"
unit: percent
frequency: quarterly
direction: higher_is_worse
latest_value: 3.6513
latest_period: "2026-Q3"
trend: stable
last_updated: "2026-10-29T00:00:00Z"
source: "Computed (U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis data retrieved via FRED: DNRGRC1Q027SBEA / DSPI × 100)"
source_url: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/DNRGRC1Q027SBEA
canonical_html: https://americandefault.org/indicators/the-energy-squeeze/
citation_apa: "Kilburn, R. (2026). Energy Cost Burden (Energy PCE as % of Disposable Income) [Data set]. American Default Research. https://americandefault.org/indicators/the-energy-squeeze/"
citation_chicago: "Kilburn, Ross. 2026. \"Energy Cost Burden (Energy PCE as % of Disposable Income).\" American Default Research. https://americandefault.org/indicators/the-energy-squeeze/."
citation_mla: "Kilburn, Ross. \"Energy Cost Burden (Energy PCE as % of Disposable Income).\" American Default Research, 2026, americandefault.org/indicators/the-energy-squeeze/."
---

# Energy Cost Burden (Energy PCE as % of Disposable Income)

Also tracked as The Energy Squeeze.

> Energy spending took 3.7% of U.S. disposable income in Q3 2026, the same as in Q2 2026

## Current Reading

As of 2026-Q3, Energy Cost Burden (Energy PCE as % of Disposable Income) is **3.65%** (stable).

of disposable income spent on energy — the same as in Q2 2026

## What Changed

- Energy spending was 3.7% of U.S. disposable income in Q3 2026, the same as in Q2 2026.
- Higher than the 3.3% of a year earlier.

## Recent Values

| Period | Value |
|--------|-------|
| 2026-Q3 | 3.65% |
| 2026-Q2 | 3.66% |
| 2026-Q1 | 3.37% |
| 2025-Q4 | 3.33% |
| 2025-Q3 | 3.26% |
| 2025-Q2 | 3.3% |
| 2025-Q1 | 3.46% |
| 2024-Q4 | 3.33% |
| 2024-Q3 | 3.4% |
| 2024-Q2 | 3.52% |
| 2024-Q1 | 3.49% |
| 2023-Q4 | 3.61% |

## Historical Context

- Peak since 1980: **8.04%** in Q2 1981
- Low since 1980: **2.46%** in Q2 2020
- Pre-pandemic average (2015-01 – 2019-12): **3.81%**
- Post-pandemic average (2020-01 – 2024-12): **3.57%**

## Methodology

This indicator carries quarterly observations and is interpreted as higher values indicate worse household conditions. Source: Computed (U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis data retrieved via FRED: DNRGRC1Q027SBEA / DSPI × 100).
Automation: collected automatically on the daily refresh pipeline, with no hand entry.

## Source

Computed (U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis data retrieved via FRED: DNRGRC1Q027SBEA / DSPI × 100) — [https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/DNRGRC1Q027SBEA](https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/DNRGRC1Q027SBEA)

Data retrieved: 2026-10-29T00:00:00Z

## Related Indicators

- [energy-cpi-all-items](https://americandefault.org/indicators/energy-cpi-all-items/)
- [the-pump-tax](https://americandefault.org/indicators/the-pump-tax/)

## Machine-Readable Endpoints

- HTML page: https://americandefault.org/indicators/the-energy-squeeze/
- JSON: https://americandefault.org/api/indicators/the-energy-squeeze.json
- CSV: https://americandefault.org/api/downloads/the-energy-squeeze.csv
- BibTeX: https://americandefault.org/citations/the-energy-squeeze.bib
- RIS: https://americandefault.org/citations/the-energy-squeeze.ris

## Citation

**APA 7th**

    Kilburn, R. (2026). Energy Cost Burden (Energy PCE as % of Disposable Income) [Data set]. American Default Research. https://americandefault.org/indicators/the-energy-squeeze/

**Chicago (author-date)**

    Kilburn, Ross. 2026. "Energy Cost Burden (Energy PCE as % of Disposable Income)." American Default Research. https://americandefault.org/indicators/the-energy-squeeze/.

**MLA 9th**

    Kilburn, Ross. "Energy Cost Burden (Energy PCE as % of Disposable Income)." American Default Research, 2026, americandefault.org/indicators/the-energy-squeeze/.

Use **American Default Research** as the institutional name in source lists, bibliographies, and press citations. **American Default** is the brand and URL form. **American Distress Index (ADI)** is the product name for the national composite score.