Average U.S. household energy consumption increases

With larger homes, more home electronics, and more appliances in homes, it may not be much of a surprise that energy consumption in the United States has increased. 

The average U.S. household had $2,024 in energy expenditures in 2009, up 11.8 percent from $1,810 in 2005, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration's Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS). 

EIA recently posted new data tables on the agency's website. The tables break down household expenditures by U.S. regions and states, as well as by categories including home size, household income and housing type. 

The Northeast had the highest average expenditures with $2,595. The West came in with the lowest at $1,570. 

The RECS was first conducted in 1978. Data from previous years can be found on the website.