Where Ohio’s Household Expenses are the Highest in 2022
How does living in the Buckeye state affect your wallet? doxo breaks down key insights about Ohio’s household expenses, with a close eye to how bills differ in towns and cities across the state. The average household in Ohio, doxo’s data reveals, pays $1,717 in bills per month.
doxo’s data also has infographics for 180 cities and towns across Ohio, 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 Ohio and how it changes according to location.
The data sheds light on Ohio’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.
Ohio residents pay $1,717 in household bills a month
The average Ohio household pays $1,717 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.
Ohio residents, overall, get a good deal on their bills: the state ranks 39th out of 50 states in terms of average monthly spending. Kansas ranks 38th, with annual monthly expenses of $1,720, and Missouri ranks 43rd, at $1,706.
Ohio’s household expenses, on average, are 14.3% 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. Ohio households spend 36% of their income on For example, New Jersey is the 3rd most expensive state and Alaska is the 4th most expensive, but Alaskans spend 37.5% of their income on bills, while New Jersey residents spend only 35.4%. Still, Ohio residents spend more than both groups on bills, at 39.7% of household income.
Annually, Ohio residents pay $95 billion in household bills. See more data about bill pay in Ohio by clicking on the infographic link below.
Data: doxoINSIGHTS’ bill pay infographic about Ohio
- Average Bill Cost per HH: $1,717 per month
- State Bill Pay Market Size: $95 billion
- doxoINSIGHTS State Rank: 39 out of 50
- Percent of HHI Used for Bills: 39%
- Difference from the National Average: 14.3% lower
Housing bill category drives Ohio’s low monthly bill expenses
The average Ohio household pays $1,717 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 Ohio is $1,062, and average rent is $818, 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 Ohio is $386 a month, compared to the national average of $433.
Compared to the national average, utilities are also a notably higher expense for residents of Ohio. The average household in the state pays $332 a month for utilities, compared to the national average of $328.
Auto insurance, by contrast, is more affordable in Ohio. While US residents on average spend $196 per month on car insurance, in Ohio they spend just $170.
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 Ohio Household Bill Spending
| Bill Category | Average Ohio Monthly Bill | National Average Monthly Bill | Ohio Percent +/- National Average ($2,003) |
| Mortgage | $1,062 | $1,368 | 22% lower |
| Rent | $818 | $1,129 | 28% lower |
| Auto Loan | $386 | $433 | 11% lower |
| Utilities | $332 | $328 | 1% higher |
| Auto Insurance | $170 | $196 | 13% lower |
| Cable & Internet | $117 | $114 | 3% higher |
| Health Insurance | $107 | $123 | 13% lower |
| Mobile Phone | $111 | $113 | 2% lower |
| Alarm & Security | $81 | $84 | 4% lower |
| Life Insurance | $83 | $82 | 1% higher |
| Total | $1,717 | $2,003 | 14.3% lower |
Dublin tops the list of most expensive cities for Ohio’s household bills
Residents of Dublin pay the highest household bills in the state of Ohio, at an average of $2,731 per month. Powell comes second in the rankings, with residents paying $2,670 on average per month.
In proportion to household income, however, Dublin’s bills are costlier than ones in Powell. While Dublin’s monthly bill basket makes up 33% of average household income there, Powell’s bill basket accounts for just 24% 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 Ohio Cities for Household Bills
| Rank (1-10 out of 78) | City | Monthly Bill Expenses Per Household* | Percent of Household Income Used for Bills |
| 1 | Dublin | $2,731 | 33% |
| 2 | Powell | $2,670 | 24% |
| 3 | New Albany | $2,598 | 26% |
| 4 | Hilliard | $2,575 | 36% |
| 5 | Lewis Center | $2,524 | 26% |
| 6 | Hudson | $2,438 | 23% |
| 7 | Avon | $2,404 | 28% |
| 8 | Chagrin Falls | $2,371 | 24% |
| 9 | Solon | $2,354 | 27% |
| 10 | Brecksville | $2,329 | 27% |
*Household Bill Pay Expense averages shown above reflect the ten most common bills paid, including housing (rent/mortgage).
Kenton is the most affordable Ohio city for household bills
Out of 180 cities and towns, Kenton is the most affordable place in Ohio, with residents paying $1,208 on average for household bills. Household bills account for 31% of local income in Piedmont.
Ironton comes in at the second most affordable town or city in Ohio, with residents paying $1,265 per month on average.
Also on the list of 10 least expensive cities in Ohio are Youngstown ($1,300 per month), Galian ($1,330 per month), and Conneaut ($1,334 per month).
10 Most Affordable Ohio Cities for Household Bills
| Rank (69-78 out of 78) | City | Monthly Bill Expenses Per Household | Percent of Household Income Used for Bills |
| 69 | Ashtabula | $1,379 | 44% |
| 70 | Portsmouth | $1,373 | 51% |
| 71 | Marietta | $1,359 | 37% |
| 72 | Fostoria | $1,358 | 40% |
| 73 | Cortland | $1,351 | 27% |
| 74 | Conneaut | $1,334 | 34% |
| 75 | Galion | $1,330 | 38% |
| 76 | Youngstown | $1,300 | 36% |
| 77 | Ironton | $1,265 | 39% |
| 78 | Kenton | $1,208 | 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 Ohio’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.