The pie charts illustrate how the average household budget was allocated among six categories of expenditure in 1965 and 2015.
Overall, household spending patterns underwent a substantial shift over the period shown. In 1965, food was the predominant expense, whereas by 2015 housing had overtaken all other categories to become the dominant component of household outlay. Additionally, while food and clothing declined markedly, healthcare and transportation witnessed considerable growth.
In 1965, food constituted the largest proportion of household expenditure at 35%, followed by housing, which accounted for 30%. Healthcare represented a moderate share of 15%, while spending on clothing stood at 12%. By comparison, transportation and other expenses remained marginal, comprising only 5% and 3% respectively.
By 2015, housing expenditure had risen substantially to 35%, surpassing all other categories. Healthcare also experienced a notable increase, climbing to 25%, reflecting changing budgetary priorities. In contrast, food expenditure fell sharply to 15%, less than half of its previous level. Similarly, clothing saw a significant decline to just 5%. Meanwhile, transportation spending tripled to 15%, while other costs increased slightly to 5%.
In summary, household budgets shifted away from basic necessities towards housing, healthcare, and transportation, highlighting evolving economic conditions and lifestyle demands.