Insights » 2020 U.S. Household Bill Pay Market Size & Category Breakout

2020 U.S. Household Bill Pay Market Size & Category Breakout

Feature image for doxoINSIGHTS Top 10 Bill Categories Report

Today we released our latest doxoINSIGHTS report that reveals that Americans spend $2.75 trillion annually – over one fifth (21%) of all U.S. consumer spending – across 11 primary bill payment categories. For the first time, statistical analysis of actual household payments was used to size the market and category – across 30,000+ US zip codes and 45 types of services. The report, which found that the average U.S. household spends $21,378 per year on bills, breaks out the household spending market size for each bill category, percentage of households that pay each bill, and average monthly and annual bill pay costs by state.

The U.S. Bill Pay Market Size & Category Breakout Report findings include breakouts by service category, household market penetration for each type of service, and household average spend per month by state.

$2.75 trillion total household bill pay is spent across these categories:

The average U.S. household spends $21,378 per year on the most common bills

According to The U.S. Census Bureau, the median household income in the U.S. is $65,712. This number, combined with doxo’s estimate that the average U.S. household spends $21,378 per year on common bills, suggests that nearly one third of Americans’ yearly salary is put towards core expenses – a sizable portion of income by any measure.

While housing costs top monthly expenses, the report reveals that the average household is paying more out-of-pocket per month for mobile phone and cable/internet bills than health, life, or dental insurance, which are frequently covered by their employer or automatically deducted from paychecks. The average monthly amount of each bill paid in each category is:

  • $1,268 Mortgage
  • $1,023 Rent
  • $374 Auto Loan
  • $290 Utilities
  • $181 Auto Insurance
  • $110 Cable & Internet
  • $94 Health Insurance
  • $88 Mobile Phone
  • $76 Life Insurance
  • $76 Alarm & Security
  • $25 Dental Insurance

Note that the market size of each category, and the total spend per household per year, factor in not just the average amount of each bill payment, but also the actual percentage of households paying each category. For example, consumers that pay rent are not typically also paying a mortgage. See the report for these category details and more below.