Oklahoma utility bills among lowest in US

New study reveals where Americans are paying the most for household bills

• New data has revealed that California has the highest household bill burden in the U.S., paying $4,193 per month on average across different bills.
• New Jersey has the second-highest, at an average of $4,036 per month, and Hawaii has the third-highest household costs, at $4,028 per month.
• West Virginia residents pay the lowest cost of household bills, at $1,984 per month.

A new study has unveiled the states with the highest total household bills, with California coming at the top of the ranking. Oklahoma ranks 44 with a monthly average of just less than $2,500 or less than $30,000 annually.

The study, conducted by the energy rate comparison website UtilityRates.com, examined the average cost of utilities and essential household expenses in each U.S. state, including gas, electric, water, waste, recycling, cable, internet and more. The total monthly and annual bills were calculated in each state and ranked from highest to lowest cost.

States with the highest household bills*

*Table highlights key findings and is not inclusive of every factor analyzed.

California has been named the state with the highest household bill burden. In this state, the total monthly cost of all utilities and other essential household bills comes to $4,193 per month on average, or $50,316 a year. California residents pay the highest mortgage costs in the country, at $2,657 a month, and the second-highest alarm and security bills, at $100 a month, tied with New York.

New Jersey is in second place, with $4,036 in monthly household bills, or $48,432 in annual costs on average. New Jersey has the second-highest mortgage costs nationwide, at $2,533 a month per household.

In third place is Hawaii, where monthly household bills come to $4,028 on average, which is $48,336 every year. Hawaii has the highest electric bills in America ($197 monthly), as well as the third-highest mortgage bills ($2,494 monthly), and the second-highest auto loan costs ($520 monthly).

Massachusetts is in fourth place, with average monthly household costs of $3,927, which is $47,124 annually. The state has the fourth-highest mortgage costs, paying $2,386 a month on average. Massachusetts residents also pay the highest auto insurance bills ($167 monthly), the highest waste and recycling bills ($127 monthly), and the second-highest gas bills ($117 monthly).

In fifth place is New York, where, on average, residents are paying $3,779 a month in household bills, or $45,348 a year. New Yorkers pay the second-highest alarm and security costs in the country, at $100 per month, tying with Californians. This state has the fifth-highest mortgage costs ($2,315 monthly), beaten by California, New Jersey, Hawaii and Massachusetts.

Washington ranks sixth, where residents pay $3,670 in household bills each month on average, which is $44,040 annually. This state has the second-highest water and sewage bills, at $162 a month, as well as the second-highest life insurance bills, at $80 a month.

Connecticut has come in seventh place, with average monthly household costs of $3,652, which is $43,824 yearly. This state has the third-highest waste and recycling bills, at $124 a month.

Maryland has ranked eighth, with average monthly household bills at $3,570, which comes to $42,840 annually. This state has the highest water and sewage bills, coming to $189 per month, as well as the highest waste and recycling bills, at $127, tying with Massachusetts.

In ninth place is Alaska, with $3,508 of monthly household bills on average, which is $42,096 annually. Alaska residents pay the most for gas, at $136 a month, and the most for health insurance, at $235 a month.

Colorado completes the ranking, coming in tenth place with average monthly household costs of $3,464, or $41,568 yearly. 

Karl Trollinger, CEO of UtilityRates.com, commented on the findings: “Household bills are one of the biggest pressures on monthly budgets, and this study shows just how dramatically those costs can vary depending on where you live. In states like California, New Jersey, and Hawaii, residents are facing monthly household costs of around $4,000, placing a substantial strain on budgets before groceries, childcare, or discretionary spending are even considered.

“What makes the issue more challenging is that many Americans are already balancing record levels of borrowing. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, total U.S. household debt reached $18.8 trillion at the end of 2025, while credit card balances alone climbed to $1.28 trillion. That means for many households, rising monthly bills are landing at a time when existing financial commitments are already stretched.

“What stands out in these findings is that these costs are rarely driven by one single bill. Instead, it is the combined weight of housing costs, utilities, insurance, internet, and transport expenses that creates the biggest pressure.

“For households looking to reduce pressure, regularly reviewing utility plans, insurance premiums, broadband packages, and other recurring bills can make a meaningful difference. Even the most modest monthly savings become increasingly valuable when essential costs remain high across the country.”

Methodology

For each state and each of the 12 most common household bill categories, the median monthly bill per paying household was taken from Doxo’s 2025 U.S. Household Bill Pay Report. These were summed across all 12 categories and annualized. States are ranked by total annualized household bills, descending.

Categories included: Mortgage; Auto Loan; Gas; Electric; Water & Sewer; Waste & Recycling; Auto Insurance; Cable & Internet; Health Insurance; Mobile Phone; Alarm & Security; Life Insurance

Full ranking: