Energy Cost Burden (Energy PCE as % of Disposable Income)
U.S. energy spending as a share of after-tax income
Where the Energy Cost Burden (Energy PCE as % of Disposable Income) stands now
The Energy Cost Burden (Energy PCE as % of Disposable Income) was 3.7% in the third quarter of 2026. Since 1980 it has ranged from 2.5% in the second quarter of 2020 to 8.0% in the second quarter of 1981.
What it means for households: Rent & Housing Cost Statistics
How the Energy Cost Burden (Energy PCE as % of Disposable Income) has moved since 1980
Energy Cost Burden (Energy PCE as % of Disposable Income): up since 2025
Personal consumption expenditures on energy as percent of disposable personal income, quarterly, seasonally adjusted: 3.7% in the third quarter of 2026, up from 3.3% a year earlier. Quarterly, 1980–2026.
What the Energy Cost Burden (Energy PCE as % of Disposable Income) measures
A higher rate is worse for households.
Energy Cost Burden (Energy PCE as % of Disposable Income) by quarter, 1980 to 2026
| Quarter | Rate (%) | Change from a year earlier (percentage points) |
|---|---|---|
| Q3 2026 | 3.7 | +0.4 |
| Q2 2026 | 3.7 | +0.4 |
| Q1 2026 | 3.4 | −0.1 |
| Q4 2025 | 3.3 | 0.0 |
| Q3 2025 | 3.3 | −0.1 |
| Q2 2025 | 3.3 | −0.2 |
| Q1 2025 | 3.5 | 0.0 |
| Q4 2024 | 3.3 | −0.3 |
| Q3 2024 | 3.4 | −0.3 |
| Q2 2024 | 3.5 | −0.1 |
| Q1 2024 | 3.5 | −0.3 |
| Q4 2023 | 3.6 | −0.6 |
| Q3 2023 | 3.7 | −0.6 |
| Q2 2023 | 3.6 | −1.1 |
| Q1 2023 | 3.8 | −0.5 |
| Q4 2022 | 4.2 | +0.3 |
| Q3 2022 | 4.3 | +0.7 |
| Q2 2022 | 4.7 | +1.3 |
| Q1 2022 | 4.3 | +1.4 |
| Q4 2021 | 3.9 | +1.0 |
| Q3 2021 | 3.6 | +0.7 |
| Q2 2021 | 3.4 | +0.9 |
| Q1 2021 | 2.9 | −0.4 |
| Q4 2020 | 2.9 | −0.7 |
| Q3 2020 | 2.9 | −0.8 |
| Q2 2020 | 2.5 | −1.2 |
| Q1 2020 | 3.3 | −0.4 |
| Q4 2019 | 3.6 | −0.3 |
| Q3 2019 | 3.7 | −0.3 |
| Q2 2019 | 3.7 | −0.3 |
| Q1 2019 | 3.7 | −0.3 |
| Q4 2018 | 3.9 | 0.0 |
| Q3 2018 | 4.0 | +0.3 |
| Q2 2018 | 4.0 | +0.3 |
| Q1 2018 | 4.0 | +0.3 |
| Q4 2017 | 3.9 | +0.2 |
| Q3 2017 | 3.7 | 0.0 |
| Q2 2017 | 3.7 | 0.0 |
| Q1 2017 | 3.7 | +0.2 |
| Q4 2016 | 3.7 | 0.0 |
| Q3 2016 | 3.7 | −0.4 |
| Q2 2016 | 3.7 | −0.4 |
| Q1 2016 | 3.5 | −0.7 |
| Q4 2015 | 3.7 | −0.9 |
| Q3 2015 | 4.1 | −0.7 |
| Q2 2015 | 4.1 | −1.0 |
| Q1 2015 | 4.2 | −1.1 |
| Q4 2014 | 4.6 | −0.6 |
| Q3 2014 | 4.8 | −0.3 |
| Q2 2014 | 5.1 | 0.0 |
| Q1 2014 | 5.3 | −0.1 |
| Q4 2013 | 5.2 | +0.2 |
| Q3 2013 | 5.1 | −0.1 |
| Q2 2013 | 5.1 | 0.0 |
| Q1 2013 | 5.4 | +0.3 |
| Q4 2012 | 5.0 | −0.3 |
| Q3 2012 | 5.2 | −0.2 |
| Q2 2012 | 5.1 | −0.3 |
| Q1 2012 | 5.1 | −0.1 |
| Q4 2011 | 5.3 | +0.2 |
| Q3 2011 | 5.4 | +0.5 |
| Q2 2011 | 5.4 | +0.6 |
| Q1 2011 | 5.2 | +0.2 |
| Q4 2010 | 5.1 | +0.1 |
| Q3 2010 | 4.9 | +0.2 |
| Q2 2010 | 4.8 | +0.4 |
| Q1 2010 | 5.0 | +0.7 |
| Q4 2009 | 5.0 | +0.1 |
| Q3 2009 | 4.7 | −1.4 |
| Q2 2009 | 4.4 | −1.4 |
| Q1 2009 | 4.3 | −1.4 |
| Q4 2008 | 4.9 | −0.6 |
| Q3 2008 | 6.1 | +0.7 |
| Q2 2008 | 5.8 | +0.5 |
| Q1 2008 | 5.7 | +0.6 |
| Q4 2007 | 5.5 | +0.6 |
| Q3 2007 | 5.4 | −0.2 |
| Q2 2007 | 5.3 | 0.0 |
| Q1 2007 | 5.1 | 0.0 |
| Q4 2006 | 4.9 | −0.5 |
| Q3 2006 | 5.6 | +0.2 |
| Q2 2006 | 5.3 | +0.5 |
| Q1 2006 | 5.1 | +0.4 |
| Q4 2005 | 5.4 | +0.7 |
| Q3 2005 | 5.4 | +1.0 |
| Q2 2005 | 4.8 | +0.4 |
| Q1 2005 | 4.7 | +0.3 |
| Q4 2004 | 4.7 | +0.5 |
| Q3 2004 | 4.4 | +0.2 |
| Q2 2004 | 4.4 | +0.3 |
| Q1 2004 | 4.4 | 0.0 |
| Q4 2003 | 4.2 | +0.1 |
| Q3 2003 | 4.2 | +0.2 |
| Q2 2003 | 4.1 | +0.2 |
| Q1 2003 | 4.4 | +0.8 |
| Q4 2002 | 4.1 | +0.3 |
| Q3 2002 | 4.0 | −0.1 |
| Q2 2002 | 3.9 | −0.5 |
| Q1 2002 | 3.6 | −0.9 |
| Q4 2001 | 3.8 | −0.8 |
| Q3 2001 | 4.1 | −0.3 |
| Q2 2001 | 4.4 | +0.1 |
| Q1 2001 | 4.5 | +0.4 |
| Q4 2000 | 4.6 | +0.5 |
| Q3 2000 | 4.4 | +0.3 |
| Q2 2000 | 4.3 | +0.3 |
| Q1 2000 | 4.1 | +0.4 |
| Q4 1999 | 4.1 | +0.4 |
| Q3 1999 | 4.1 | +0.2 |
| Q2 1999 | 4.0 | 0.0 |
| Q1 1999 | 3.7 | −0.3 |
| Q4 1998 | 3.7 | −0.7 |
| Q3 1998 | 3.9 | −0.5 |
| Q2 1998 | 4.0 | −0.4 |
| Q1 1998 | 4.0 | −0.6 |
| Q4 1997 | 4.4 | −0.2 |
| Q3 1997 | 4.4 | −0.1 |
| Q2 1997 | 4.4 | −0.3 |
| Q1 1997 | 4.6 | −0.1 |
| Q4 1996 | 4.6 | +0.1 |
| Q3 1996 | 4.5 | −0.1 |
| Q2 1996 | 4.7 | +0.1 |
| Q1 1996 | 4.7 | +0.2 |
| Q4 1995 | 4.5 | −0.1 |
| Q3 1995 | 4.6 | −0.1 |
| Q2 1995 | 4.6 | −0.1 |
| Q1 1995 | 4.5 | −0.3 |
| Q4 1994 | 4.6 | −0.2 |
| Q3 1994 | 4.7 | −0.2 |
| Q2 1994 | 4.7 | −0.1 |
| Q1 1994 | 4.8 | −0.1 |
| Q4 1993 | 4.8 | −0.1 |
| Q3 1993 | 4.9 | +0.1 |
| Q2 1993 | 4.8 | 0.0 |
| Q1 1993 | 4.9 | +0.2 |
| Q4 1992 | 4.9 | 0.0 |
| Q3 1992 | 4.8 | −0.2 |
| Q2 1992 | 4.8 | −0.3 |
| Q1 1992 | 4.7 | −0.4 |
| Q4 1991 | 4.9 | −0.6 |
| Q3 1991 | 5.0 | −0.2 |
| Q2 1991 | 5.1 | +0.1 |
| Q1 1991 | 5.1 | +0.1 |
| Q4 1990 | 5.5 | +0.3 |
| Q3 1990 | 5.2 | +0.1 |
| Q2 1990 | 5.0 | −0.3 |
| Q1 1990 | 5.0 | 0.0 |
| Q4 1989 | 5.2 | +0.1 |
| Q3 1989 | 5.1 | 0.0 |
| Q2 1989 | 5.3 | +0.2 |
| Q1 1989 | 5.0 | −0.2 |
| Q4 1988 | 5.1 | −0.2 |
| Q3 1988 | 5.1 | −0.3 |
| Q2 1988 | 5.1 | −0.4 |
| Q1 1988 | 5.2 | 0.0 |
| Q4 1987 | 5.3 | +0.2 |
| Q3 1987 | 5.4 | +0.2 |
| Q2 1987 | 5.5 | +0.1 |
| Q1 1987 | 5.2 | −0.8 |
| Q4 1986 | 5.1 | −1.3 |
| Q3 1986 | 5.2 | −1.2 |
| Q2 1986 | 5.4 | −1.0 |
| Q1 1986 | 6.0 | −0.6 |
| Q4 1985 | 6.4 | −0.1 |
| Q3 1985 | 6.4 | −0.1 |
| Q2 1985 | 6.4 | −0.4 |
| Q1 1985 | 6.6 | −0.1 |
| Q4 1984 | 6.5 | −0.6 |
| Q3 1984 | 6.5 | −0.7 |
| Q2 1984 | 6.8 | −0.4 |
| Q1 1984 | 6.7 | −0.3 |
| Q4 1983 | 7.1 | −0.2 |
| Q3 1983 | 7.2 | −0.1 |
| Q2 1983 | 7.2 | −0.2 |
| Q1 1983 | 7.0 | −0.8 |
| Q4 1982 | 7.3 | −0.4 |
| Q3 1982 | 7.3 | −0.4 |
| Q2 1982 | 7.4 | −0.6 |
| Q1 1982 | 7.8 | −0.1 |
| Q4 1981 | 7.7 | 0.0 |
| Q3 1981 | 7.7 | −0.1 |
| Q2 1981 | 8.0 | 0.0 |
| Q1 1981 | 7.9 | 0.0 |
| Q4 1980 | 7.7 | — |
| Q3 1980 | 7.8 | — |
| Q2 1980 | 8.0 | — |
| Q1 1980 | 7.9 | — |
Quarterly · Computed (U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis data retrieved via FRED: DNRGRC1Q027SBEA / DSPI × 100)
Counties with the highest debt burden scores
There's no county figure for this measure, so this list uses the debt burden part of our County Distress Index.
| Rank | County | Score (0–100) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bronx County, NY | 99.6 |
| 2 | Miami-Dade County, FL | 99.4 |
| 3 | Rockland County, NY | 99.4 |
| 4 | Clayton County, GA | 99.1 |
| 5 | Broward County, FL | 99 |
| 6 | Palm Beach County, FL | 98.8 |
| 7 | Santa Barbara County, CA | 98.4 |
| 8 | St. Lucie County, FL | 98.4 |
| 9 | Osceola County, FL | 98.3 |
| 10 | Orleans Parish, LA | 98 |
Questions about energy costs as a share of income
What is the energy cost burden?
It is total U.S. spending on energy as a share of disposable personal income. In the third quarter of 2026 it was 3.7%, the same as in the second quarter of 2026. Energy here means gasoline and other fuels plus electricity and natural gas.
Is this how much a typical household spends on energy?
No. It divides one national spending total by one national income total, so it is not an average household's share. Lower-income households usually spend a larger share of income on energy, and this ratio does not show that.
Is the energy share at a record?
No. The latest quarter ranks 22nd lowest of 187 quarters since 1980.
Where does this data come from?
Both parts come from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, republished on FRED: personal consumption spending on energy goods and services, and disposable personal income. A quarter's first reading arrives about a month after it ends and is revised in later BEA releases.
Sources and method for the Energy Cost Burden (Energy PCE as % of Disposable Income)
- Computed (U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis data retrieved via FRED: DNRGRC1Q027SBEA / DSPI × 100) We use the quarterly figures as published, from the first quarter of 1980 through the third quarter of 2026, with no adjustment of our own. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis’s report
We write with assistance from AI tools. Figures come from the data and sources named on this page.