Colorado is not the most expensive state for utility bills: report
This article originally appeared on Fox 31
By Addy Bink
(KTLA) — Utility bills are a big part of every household budget and can 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.
Perhaps surprisingly to Denverites and Coloradans as a whole, the state didn’t land in the top 5 for spending on utilities.
After reviewing the utility bills of users at Doxo.com (the service helps users pay and manage their bills in one location), the report determined the average U.S. household pays $351 each month in utilities, or $3,327 a year. While high, there are three other categories Americans spend more on: mortgage payments, rent, and auto loans. Colorado’s low-income energy assistance program sets new applications record
The report found residents in Hawaii spent the most on their utility bills, on average, at $633 per month. That was followed by Maine ($500/month), New Jersey ($467/month), Connecticut ($463/month) and Vermont ($428/month).
On the opposite end of the list, Mississippi residents had 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.
At number six was Colorado, with an average monthly utility bill of $322. That’s about $2,859 each year. It was, however, a bit higher in Denver, at about $352 per month for a total of $3,084 each month.
Colorado Springs residents also spend a fair amount each month on average ($258/month), according to Doxo.
The most expensive city for utility bills, however, may come as a surprise. According to Doxo, Milwaukee’s residents are paying the most each month at $538 — almost $200 more than the national average. After Milwaukee, the five most expensive large cities were New York ($511), Los Angeles ($455), Pittsburgh and San Jose (both at $439).
Minneapolis ($209), Memphis ($216), Austin ($221), Atlanta ($240), and Charlotte ($247) 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.