Insights » Where Nebraska’s Household Expenses are the Highest in 2022

Where Nebraska’s Household Expenses are the Highest in 2022

Nebraska skyline

How does living in the Cornhusker state affect your wallet? doxo breaks down key insights about Nebraska’s household expenses, with a close eye to how bills differ in towns and cities across the state. The average household in Nebraska, doxo’s data reveals, pays $1,696 in bills per month.

doxo’s data also has infographics for 16 cities and towns across Nebraska, 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 Nebraska and how it changes according to location.

The data sheds light on Nebraska’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.

Nebraska residents pay $1,696 in household bills a month

The average Nebraska household pays $1,696 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.

Nebraska residents, overall, get a good deal on their bills: the state ranks 41st out of 50 states in terms of average monthly spending. Missouri ranks 40th, with annual monthly expenses of $1,706, and Alabama ranks 42nd, at $1,688.

Nebraska’s household expenses, on average, are 15.3% 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. Nebraska households spend 41% 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%. Still, Missouri residents spend more than both groups on bills, at 42% of household income.

Annually, Nebraska residents pay $15 billion in household bills. See more data about bill pay in Nebraska by clicking on the infographic link below.

Data: doxoINSIGHTS’ bill pay infographic about Nebraska

  • Average Bill Cost per HH: $1,696 per month
  • State Bill Pay Market Size: $15 billion
  • doxoINSIGHTS State Rank: 41 out of 50
  • Percent of HHI Used for Bills: 34%
  • Difference from the National Average: 15.3% lower

Housing bill category drives Nebraska’s low monthly bill expenses

The average Nebraska household pays $1,696 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 Nebraska is $1,182, and average rent is $830, 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 Alabamians. Still, these expenses are still lower than the national average. The average auto loan bill in Nebraska is $421 a month, compared to the national average of $433.

Compared to the national average, health insurance bills are also a notably higher expense for residents of Nebraska. The average household in the state pays $142 a month for health insurance, compared to the national average of $123.

Auto insurance, by contrast, is more affordable in Nebraska. While US residents on average spend $196 per month on car insurance, in Nebraska they spend $196.

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 Nebraska Household Bill Spending

Bill CategoryAverage Nebraska Monthly BillNational Average Monthly BillNebraska Percent +/- National Average ($2,003)
Mortgage$1,182$1,36814% lower
Rent$830$1,12926% lower
Auto Loan$421$4333% lower
Utilities$305$3287% lower
Auto Insurance$196$1960% lower
Cable & Internet$99$11413% lower
Health Insurance$142$12315% higher
Mobile Phone$103$1139% lower
Alarm & Security$58$8431% lower
Life Insurance$74$8210% lower
Total$1,696$2,00315.3% lower

Elkhorn tops the list of most expensive cities for Nebraska’s household bills

Residents of Elkhorn pay the highest household bills in the state of Nebraska, at an average of $2,631 per month. Papillion comes second in the rankings, with residents paying $2,562 on average per month.

In proportion to household income, however, Elkhorn’s bills are costlier than ones in Papillion. While Elkhorn’s monthly bill basket makes up 30% of average household income there, Papillion’s bill basket accounts for just 31% 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.

4 Most Expensive Nebraska Cities for Household Bills

Rank
(1-4 out of 16)
CityMonthly Bill Expenses Per Household*Percent of Household Income Used for Bills
1Elkhorn$2,63130%
2Papillion$2,56231%
3La Vista$2,12836%
4Bellevue$1,92134%

*Household Bill Pay Expense averages shown above reflect the ten most common bills paid, including housing (rent/mortgage).

Columbus is the most affordable Nebraska city for household bills

Out of 16 cities and towns, Columbus is the most affordable place in Nebraska, with residents paying $1,431 on average for household bills. Household bills account for 28% of local income in Piedmont.

Hastings comes in at the second most affordable town or city in Nebraska, with residents paying $1,460 per month on average.

Also on the list of 10 least expensive cities in Nebraska are Beatrice ($1,474 per month), Norfolk ($1,574 per month), and Grand Island ($1,594 per month).

5 Most Affordable Nebraska Cities for Household Bills

Rank
(12-16 out of 16)
CityMonthly Bill Expenses Per HouseholdPercent of Household Income Used for Bills
12Grand Island$1,59435%
13Norfolk$1,57436%
14Beatrice$1,47438%
15Hastings$1,46036%
16Columbus$1,43128%

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 Nebraska’s household expenses against average bills in different cities and states across the country. They can also usedoxoINSIGHTS’ regional bill comparison database to compare average costs for over 4000 towns and cities across the country.