Utility bills are a big part in every household budget and vary from month to month based on factors like the weather, wholesale energy prices, and, of course, how much water, electricity and natural gas you use.
A new report from doxoINSIGHTS has ranked every U.S. state and major city based on the average cost of utility bills and, not surprisingly, California is among the more expensive states in the nation, and Los Angeles is among the most expensive cities.
Utility bills in the Golden State average $368 per month, higher than the national average of $351, the report shows.
While higher than average, California is still well below the most expensive states: Hawaii ($633 per month), Maine ($500/month), New Jersey ($467/month), Connecticut ($463/month) and Vermont ($428/month).
On the opposite end of the list, Mississippi has the least expensive utility bills in the U.S., averaging just $255 per month, followed by South Dakota ($278/month), North Carolina ($282/month), Missouri ($284/month) and Georgia ($286/month), the report shows.
Looking at the nation’s largest cities, Los Angeles has the 3rd highest average utility bills in the U.S. at $455 per month, behind only Milwaukee ($538) and New York City ($511), according to doxoINSIGHTS. San Jose ($439/month) was fifth.
Minneapolis, Memphis, Austin, Atlanta and Charlotte have the least expensive bills of America’s largest cities.
The report also compiled data on the ten most common monthly bills, which included mortgages, rent, auto loans, auto insurance, health insurance, utilities, and other items. It found the average Los Angeles household pays $2,859 per month, or $34,313 per year in typical household bills – second only to Hawaii ($3,070 per month).