Are you living in one of the most expensive places in America without knowing it? This month, the bill payment service Doxo recently released its United States of Bill Pay report, which ranks all 50 states by their average household expenses. The survey looked at ten of the most common bills: mortgage; rent; auto loan; utilities; car insurance; cable, internet and phone; health insurance; mobile phone; home security; and life insurance. These are the ten priciest states to live in, with the most expensive coming last. It might surprise you.
Alaska is nobody's idea of a luxury paradise, but it's the 10th-most-expensive state, the Doxo survey found. If you're an Alaskan, your bills average $2,335 a month, or about 35% of your household income. That's 14% above the national average.
In Colorado, the average cost of monthly bills is $2,413. That's 17.9% above the national average and 37% of the average household income. The average mortgage is $1,746, compared to a national average of $1,321, and rent averages $1,437 a month, compared to the national average of $1,191.
The average resident of Washington State spends $2,468 on bills, about 37% of household income and 20.6% over the national average. Every major metric Doxo looked at was above the national average, especially mortgage payments ($1,854) and rent ($1,476).
Frequently cited as a state with a high cost of living, New York fell in the lower half of the top 10, with average monthly bills of $2,495, which is about 38% of household income and 21.9% above the national average. The most expensive city in the state is Rye, where residents' bills average $3,750 monthly.
In the Constitution State, average monthly bills total $2,504. That amounts to 34% of household income, 22.4% above the national average. While auto loans and home security expenses are lower than the average American's, the typical mortgage payment is significantly higher—$2,003 in Connecticut versus $1,321 nationally.
In Maryland, average household bills are $2,569 a month, about 34% of household income and 25.5% over the national average. Health insurance, life insurance, and auto loans are cheaper than in other states, but every other major expense comes in above the national average, particularly mortgage payments ($1,920) and rent ($1,492).
With average bills totaling $2,656 a month, Massachusetts lands in the top four most expensive states nationwide. Household bills amount to 35% of income, and are 29.8% higher than the U.S. average. Although health insurance and home security are slightly less pricey than in other states, mortgages (averaging $2,199) make a real dent in monthly budgets.
The Garden State hits the top three in terms of household expenses, with the typical resident paying $2,727 a month, 35% of household income and 33.2% above the national average. At $2,312, mortgages are nearly $1,000 a month over the national average. The most expensive city is Princeton, where residents pay $4,052 in bills—almost 25% more than the most expensive state in the nation. (Read on.)
In the Golden State, bills amount to $2,838 per month, 38.7% above the national average and 40% of the average household income. Mortgages are the biggest monthly bill, averaging $2,402. The typical renter pays $1,762 a month for their home.
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Living in paradise doesn't come cheap. Hawaii is the most expensive state in the nation, going by the cost of household bills. They total $3,070 a month—a whopping 50% above the national average and 43% of the typical household income. The average mortgage in the state is $2,247, while the average rent is $1,856.
