Report Reveals the Average American Now Spends More Than $2,000 per Month on Household Bills – up 6% From the Prior Year as the U.S. Continues to Grapple With Inflation.
Annual doxoINSIGHTS’ State-by-State Breakdown & Analysis of Recurring Monthly Bills Shows Hawaii Most Expensive at +45.4% Above National Average, West Virginia Most Affordable at -27.5% Below National Average.
SEATTLE, June 08, 2022 – doxo, the innovative web and mobile bill pay service, today released its 2022 State by State Bill Pay Market report, a look at the $4.6 trillion U.S. consumer bill pay market, with specific state level break out of the 10 most common household bill payment categories. The report, which reflects actual bill payment activity across more than 97% U.S. zip codes, reveals the most and least expensive states for Americans to live based on average spend per month on actual household bill payments. While the average U.S. household spends $24,032 annually on bills, 36% of the U.S. household median income ($67,521) and roughly $2,003 per month (up 6% year over year, in line with the increase in total consumer spending as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis for the same period), plenty of states rank well above or below this figure. Hawaii, California, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Maryland top the list as the most expensive, while West Virginia, Arkansas, Mississippi, Indiana and Kentucky were the most affordable.
This unique view of relative expenses, and how much of household income is required to cover bills in each state, is especially relevant given recent strains on household budgets due to inflation. Consumers are indeed feeling the 6% year over year increase in the amount paid on household bills. A recent doxoINSIGHTS study found that 9 out of 10 Americans (89%) have seen a jump in their household bills over the past 12 months, with those in the utilities category rising the most. The study also found that 87% of Americans worry about their ability to pay their bills if inflation rates continue to rise.
“From the impact of inflation on household bills, to sky-high gas prices, to fears of a looming recession, Americans are feeling the squeeze on their budgets,” said Jim Kreyenhagen, VP of Marketing and Consumer Services at doxo. “Through doxoINSIGHTS, we provide consumers, businesses, and financial institutions with access to the broadest and most transparent data available on actual household spending for critical bills. Armed with this data and the doxo bill pay app, consumers can improve their financial health with more informed decisions and tools like reminders and financial protections. Additionally, the service providers and financial institutions that serve them can better align with their needs, especially during these trying times.”
The findings outlined in the 2022 State by State Bill Pay Market report include, for each state, the total monthly spend for bills each month, as well as a breakout of each of the ten most common household bills, including: Mortgage; Rent; Auto Loan; Utilities (electric, gas, water & sewer, and waste & recycling); Auto Insurance; Cable & Internet & Phone; Health Insurance (consumer paid portion); Mobile Phone; Alarm & Security; and Life Insurance.
The report shows that Hawaiians spend $2,911 each month on the ten most common household bills, 45.4% above the national average. At the other end of the spectrum, households in West Virginia spend an average of $1,452 across the top ten categories, 27.5% below the average nationwide. The 10 most expensive and least expensive states to live are outlined below.
10 Most Expensive States for Household Bills
| State | Monthly Bill Expense per Household* | Percent of Household Income | Percent +/- National Average |
| Hawaii | $2,911 | 44% | +45.4% |
| California | $2,649 | 41% | +32.3% |
| New Jersey | $2,610 | 36% | +30.3% |
| Massachusetts | $2,511 | 36% | +25.4% |
| Maryland | $2,456 | 34% | +22.7% |
| Connecticut | $2,380 | 35% | +18.8% |
| New York | $2,361 | 39% | +17.9% |
| Alaska | $2,334 | 36% | +16.6% |
| Washington | $2,277 | 37% | +13.7% |
| New Hampshire | $2,256 | 35% | +12.6% |
10 Least Expensive States for Household Bills
| State | Monthly Bill Expense per Household* | Percent of Household Income | Percent +/- National Average |
| Nebraska | $1,696 | 34% | -15.3% |
| Alabama | $1,688 | 41% | -15.7% |
| New Mexico | $1,663 | 41% | -17.0% |
| South Dakota | $1,654 | 35% | -17.4% |
| Oklahoma | $1,634 | 37% | -18.4% |
| Kentucky | $1,627 | 39% | -18.8% |
| Indiana | $1,607 | 34% | -19.8% |
| Mississippi | $1,559 | 42% | -22.2% |
| Arkansas | $1,552 | 40% | -22.5% |
| West Virginia | $1,452 | 38% | -27.5% |