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    Top 15 Cities With The Highest Utilities

    Top 15 Cities With The Highest Utilities

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    By David Heacock

    According to data from the Census Bureau, the typical American family spends about $2,850 per year-or about 22 percent of total housing costs-on their utility bills. With working from home on the rise due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans are beginning to experience one of the hidden costs of working remotely: increased utility spending.

    Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) shows that industrial and commercial electricity usage have both declined due to shutdowns, stay-at-home orders, and increased remote working in the wake of the pandemic. In contrast, residential electricity usage in the last few months is higher than the average for the last 5 years. Not only has working from home led to increased electricity, internet, and phone usage for residential customers, but many Americans are using more energy for things like cooking and running the dishwasher more frequently as well.

    Line graph comparing residential, commercial, and industrial electricity use before and during the COVID-19 pandemic across the U.S.

    Energy usage depends greatly on climate. Households in colder climates tend to use a lot of energy in the winter for heating, while people in warmer climates see their highest energy usage during the summer months. According to data from the EIA, households in the Northeast and Midwest use the most energy on average. Households in the more temperate West region use the least.

    Bar graph showing that households in the Northeast and Midwest consume the most energy per household compared to other U.S. regions.

    Spending on utilities depends not only on climate but also on energy costs, which vary geographically. With total utility spending (including electric, gas, other heating fuels, water, and sewer) in excess of $280 per month for the typical household, residents in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Alaska, and Rhode Island spend the most on utilities. Total utility spending is lowest in New Mexico, Montana, and Idaho, where median utility costs are less than $200 per month.

    West Virginia and Mississippi households spend the most on utilities as a percentage of total housing costs. Median utility costs as a percentage of total housing costs is 50.1 percent for West Virginia and 41.7 percent for Mississippi homeowners. At the other end of the spectrum, Hawaii and California homeowners spend the smallest share of their housing costs on utilities, at 14.1 and 13.4 percent, respectively.

    Map showing U.S. states where residents spend the highest share of their housing costs on utilities, with West Virginia and Mississippi leading.

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    To find the metropolitan areas that spend the most on utilities, researchers at Filterbuy analyzed the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau on owner-occupied housing units. The researchers ranked metro areas according to their respective median monthly utility costs, including electricity, gas, other heating fuels, water, and sewer. The researchers also calculated median monthly utility costs as a percentage of total housing costs.

    To improve relevance, only metropolitan areas with at least 100,000 people were included in the analysis. Additionally, metro areas were grouped into the following cohorts based on population size:

    Here are the metropolitan areas that spend the most on utilities.

    List of U.S. small and midsize metro areas with the highest median monthly utility costs, including Atlantic City, Bridgeport, and Anchorage.

    Large Metros That Spend the Most on Utilities

    Washington, D.C., a metro with above-average energy use and high utility spending per household.

    Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

    15. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

    Downtown Memphis skyline at dusk, where residents face rising utility bills as part of total living expenses.

    Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

    14. Memphis, TN-MS-AR

    Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis, representing a Midwestern city where utilities contribute notably to housing costs.

    Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

    13. Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN

    Louisville, Kentucky skyline at sunset, highlighting a city where utilities make up a significant share of living expenses.

    Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

    12. Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN

    California State Capitol in Sacramento, a city in a state known for high electricity and water utility costs.

    Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

    11. Sacramento-Roseville-Arden-Arcade, CA

    Pittsburgh skyline at night, one of the U.S. cities with high utility costs impacting housing budgets.

    Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

    10. Pittsburgh, PA

    Virginia Beach coastline with hotels, representing a tourist-heavy city where seasonal utility use affects residents’ costs.

    Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

    9. Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC

    Rowhomes in Philadelphia, where residents often pay high heating and cooling utility bills year-round.

    Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

    8. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD

    Sunset over Dallas skyline, a major city where high electricity demand drives up utility costs significantly.

    Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

    7. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX

    Night view of downtown Birmingham, Alabama — a city known for high energy usage and above-average utility expenses.

    Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

    6. Birmingham-Hoover, AL

    Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

    a small metro ranked among the top 15 U.S. cities with the highest utility costs for residents.

    5. Kansas City, MO-KS

    Cityscape of Hartford, Connecticut, where residents in nearby metros report high median monthly utility costs.

    Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

    4. Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT

    a midsize city with some of the highest utility spending per household.

    Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

    3. Providence-Warwick, RI-MA

    Street view of brownstone homes in New York City, where residents face some of the nation’s highest utility costs.

    Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

    2. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA

    Boston skyline and State House at sunset, highlighting one of the top cities for high monthly utility bills in the U.S.

    Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

    1. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH

    Detailed Findings & Methodology

    Residents in the eastern half of the country spend more total on utilities than those in the western half, with Alaska being the notable exception. Residents in the Northeast in particular-with hot summers and cold winters-spend the most on utilities. Nationally, the median total monthly utility bill is $238, and median utility costs as a share of total housing costs comes out to about 22 percent for American homeowners.

    For the small and midsize metros that spend the most on utilities, many homeowners in these areas spend upwards of 30-40 percent of their total housing expenditures on utilities. Workers in these metros who are now working from home due to the pandemic could see these costs rise even higher. These workers will save on commuting costs, but their increased spending on energy and other utilities could add up to more than what they’re saving by staying home.

    To determine the metros that spend the most on utilities, researchers at Filterbury analyzed the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2018 American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample (ACS PUMS). The researchers ranked metro areas according to median total utility costs. In the event of a tie, the metro with larger median total utility costs as a percentage of total housing costs was ranked higher. Only households who owned their home were included in the analysis.

    Only metropolitan areas with at least 100,000 people were included in the analysis. Additionally, metro areas were grouped into the following cohorts based on population size: