Where Michigan’s Household Expenses are the Highest in 2022
How does living in the Great Lake state affect your wallet? doxo breaks down key insights about Michigan’s household expenses, with a close eye to how bills differ in towns and cities across the state. The average household in Michigan, doxo’s data reveals, pays $1,754 in bills per month.
doxo’s data also has infographics for 167 cities and towns across Michigan, breaking down localized bill pay data figures as well. The state-wide rankings for most and least expensive cities provide insight into cost of living in Michigan and how it changes according to location.
The data sheds light on Michigan’s cost of living through other metrics, too. For example, the “percent of household income” data point shows what percentage of household income local residents spend on bills. doxo’s data also indicates how much more or less expensive specific cities are than the national and state average.
Michigan residents pay $1,754 in household bills a month
The average Michigan household pays $1,754 a month for the 10 most common household bills. This figure takes into account the 10 most common household bills, which are:Mortgage; Rent; Auto Loan; Utilities (electric, gas, water & sewer, and waste & recycling); Auto Insurance; Cable & Internet & Phone, Health Insurance (consumer paid portion); Mobile Phone; Alarm & Security; and Life Insurance.
Michigan residents, overall, get a good deal on their bills: the state ranks 35th out of 50 states in terms of average monthly spending. Idaho ranks 34th, with annual monthly expenses of $1,777, and Montana ranks 36th, at $1,751.
Michigan’s household expenses, on average, are 12.4% lower than the national average of $2,003.
Absolute dollar amounts don’t tell the full story, however. The “percentage of household income” metric provides a more proportional look at bill spending in a particular location. Michigan households spend 36% of their income on household bills. For example, Connecticut is the 6th most expensive state and New York is the 7th most expensive, but New York residents spend 39% of their income on bills, while Connecticut residents spend only 35%.
Annually, Michigan residents pay $82 billion in household bills. See more data about bill pay in Michigan by clicking on the infographic link below.
Data: doxoINSIGHTS’ bill pay infographic about Michigan
- Average Bill Cost per HH: $1,754 per month
- State Bill Pay Market Size: $82 billion
- doxoINSIGHTS State Rank: 35 out of 50
- Percent of HHI Used for Bills: 36%
- Difference from the National Average: 12.4% lower
The average Michigan household pays $1,754 in the 10 most common household bills per month. Rent and mortgage expenses drive savings, with both being considerably lower than the national average. The average mortgage payment in Michigan is $1,124, and average rent is $885, compared to the national average mortgage bill of $1,368 and rent bill of $1,129.
Other than housing-related expenses, auto loans are the most significant of the 10 most common bills for residents of Michigan. Still, these expenses are still lower than the national average. The average auto loan bill in Michigan is $410 a month, compared to the national average of $433.
Compared to the national average, alarm and security are also a notably higher expense for residents of Michigan. The average household in the state pays $100 a month for utilities, compared to the national average of $84.
Auto insurance, by contrast, is more affordable in Michigan. While US residents on average spend $196 per month on car insurance, in Michigan they spend just $184.
Note: Health Insurance and Life Insurance expenses do not account for payments made by employers on behalf of employees. These just include out-of-pocket expenses. Also, the state and national bill totals take into account the percentage of households that pay a bill.
Average Michigan Household Bill Spending
| Bill Category | Average Michigan Monthly Bill | National Average Monthly Bill | Michigan Percent +/- National Average ($2,003) |
| Mortgage | $1,124 | $1,368 | 18% lower |
| Rent | $885 | $1,129 | 22% lower |
| Auto Loan | $410 | $433 | 5% lower |
| Utilities | $310 | $328 | 5% lower |
| Auto Insurance | $185 | $196 | 6% lower |
| Cable & Internet | $114 | $114 | 0% lower |
| Health Insurance | $122 | $123 | 1% lower |
| Mobile Phone | $100 | $113 | 12% lower |
| Alarm & Security | $100 | $84 | 19% higher |
| Life Insurance | $82 | $82 | 0% lower |
| Total | $1,754 | $2,003 | 12.4% lower |
Birmingham tops the list of most expensive cities for Michigan’s household bills
Residents of Birmingham pay the highest household bills in the state of Michigan, at an average of $2,885 per month. Bloomfield Hills comes second in the rankings, with residents paying $2,671 on average per month.
In proportion to household income, however, Birmingham’s bills are costlier than ones in Bloomfield Hills. While Birmingham’s monthly bill basket makes up 29% of average household income there, Bloomfield Hills’ bill basket accounts for just 25% of average household income in that area.
Access detailed infographics about each city or town by clicking on the hyperlinks in the “City” column in the tables below. You can also browse doxoINSIGHTS’ regional bill comparison database to see infographics about more than 4,200 cities and towns across all 50 states in the US.
10 Most Expensive Michigan Cities for Household Bills
| Rank (1-10 out of 167) | City | Monthly Bill Expenses Per Household* | Percent of Household Income Used for Bills |
| 1 | Birmingham | $2,885 | 29% |
| 2 | Bloomfield Hills | $2,671 | 25% |
| 3 | Ada | $2,556 | 24% |
| 4 | Grosse Pointe | $2,534 | 29% |
| 5 | Northville | $2,514 | 27% |
| 6 | West Bloomfield | $2,462 | 29% |
| 7 | Franklin | $2,383 | 23% |
| 8 | Rochester | $2,375 | 28% |
| 9 | Novi | $2,345 | 30% |
| 10 | Canton | $2,274 | 30% |
*Household Bill Pay Expense averages shown above reflect the ten most common bills paid, including housing (rent/mortgage).
Wyoming is the most affordable Michigan city for household bills
Out of 167 cities and towns, Wyoming is the most affordable place in Michigan, with residents paying $1,276 on average for household bills. Household bills account for 31% of local income in Wyoming.
Alpena comes in at the second most affordable town or city in Michigan, with residents paying $1,298 per month on average.
Also on the list of 10 least expensive cities in Michigan are Harrison ($1,340 per month), Marshall ($1,351 per month), and Battlecreek ($1,364 per month).
10 Most Affordable Michigan Cities for Household Bills
| Rank (158-167 out of 167) | City | Monthly Bill Expenses Per Household | Percent of Household Income Used for Bills |
| 158 | Dowagiac | $1,412 | 37% |
| 159 | Bay City | $1,401 | 47% |
| 160 | Highland Park | $1,396 | 80% |
| 161 | Albion | $1,384 | 44% |
| 162 | Menominee | $1,369 | 37% |
| 163 | Battle Creek | $1,364 | 35% |
| 164 | Marshall | $1,351 | 28% |
| 165 | Harrison | $1,340 | 51% |
| 166 | Alpena | $1,298 | 38% |
| 167 | Wyoming | $1,276 | 31% |
In the wake of the rise of remote work, some individuals may be deciding whether to move from a more expensive city to a less expensive one. doxoINSIGHTS can be a valuable resource for consumers seeking to make key decisions like this, allowing them to compare Michigan’s household expenses against average bills in different cities and states across the country. They can also use doxoINSIGHTS’ regional bill comparison database to compare average costs for over 900 towns and cities across the country.