With holiday gift-buying in full swing, many Americans have to decide whether to buy a practical or flashy present. We can see the trend toward the practical in an Ace Hardware study that analyzed 205,372 gift purchases from 2014 to 2024. They used data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey to map out where hardware and home improvement gifts are the most common.
They discovered that the Mid-Atlantic region, particularly New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, tops the list. In this region, 77.35 out of every 1,000 gifts given are related to home improvement. These Mid-Atlantic states exceed the national average of 66.61 gifts per 1,000 people. The Mid-Atlantic may top the list for home improvement gift-giving because of the region’s many old homes. The median home age is 62, as opposed to the national average of 41. Older homes need more maintenance, repairs, and upgrades, which might be precisely why hardware-type gifts are so popular in the region.
But which home improvement gifts are the most common? Across the country, lawn and garden supplies are the most popular choice, accounting for 25% of all home improvement gifts. We also see major appliances and building supplies as popular choices. Other categories encompass furniture, small appliances, home décor, storage and organization items, lighting and electrical supplies, paint and painting supplies, and tools.
Regional differences emerge in this category as well. In the Mid-Atlantic, lawn and garden gifts are still the most popular, but furniture and major appliances are more popular than building supplies. In parts of the Midwest, we see building supplies as the most popular gift, outpacing lawn and garden supplies, and home décor. The biggest takeaway from the study is that Americans enjoy valuable, practical gifts that can improve their home lives.
