The Growing Spending Divide
Households earning $100,000 or more now spend 2.8 times as much each month as households earning under $50,000, the widest gap in Morning Consult’s tracking.
Author
Sofia Baig
Senior Economist
Key takeaways
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Higher earners are pulling away: Households earning $100,000 or more now spend 2.8 times as much each month as households earning under $50,000, the widest gap on record.
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Millennials outspend every other generation: Millennials spend about $4,040 a month, 16% more than Gen Z, 27% more than Gen X and 46% more than Boomers. Their lead over the other three generations combined is the widest on record.
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Millennial parents in particular lead the way: In September 2026, millennial parents spent about $5,500 a month, 79% more than millennials without children at home. That gap has widened from 58% in December 2025.
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Discretionary spending is up while essentials stall: After inflation, discretionary spending is up 14% from a year ago and at its highest on record. Spending on essentials is down 5% and has been roughly flat for two years.