Health care is expensive for American households, but less than housing or transportation

In 2013 Americans of all ages devoted more of total household spending to housing and transportation than health care, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For most age groups that year, health care spending was also behind food and pensions/Social Security. Spending on health care peaked for ages 65 to 74 at $5,188 per person; children spent the least at $943. Americans under age 34 spent more on entertainment than health care on average, and children under age 25 and seniors age 75 and older spent more on clothing than health care.