Insights » Ohio cities with highest and lowest household expenses in 2023

2023 Report: Cities in Ohio where Household Expenses are Highest and Lowest

Ohio skyline

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 $1,789 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 $1,789 in household bills a month

The average Ohio household pays $1,789 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. Michigan ranks 38th, with annual monthly expenses of $1,809, and Nebraska ranks 40th, at $1,788.

Ohio’s household expenses, on average, are 12.6% lower than the national average of $2,046.

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 35% of their income on household bills.

Annually, Ohio residents pay $99 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: $1,789 per month
  • State Bill Pay Market Size: $99 billion
  • doxoINSIGHTS State Rank: 39 out of 50
  • Percent of HHI Used for Bills: 35%
  • Difference from the National Average: 12.6% lower

Housing bill category drives Ohio’s low monthly bill expenses

The average Ohio household pays $1,789 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 $1,090, and average rent is $888, compared to the national average mortgage bill of $1,321 and rent bill of $1,191.

Other than housing-related expenses, auto loans are the most significant of the 10 most common bills for Ohio residents. Still, these expenses are lower than the national average. The average auto loan bill in Ohio is $403 a month, compared to the national average of $467.

Compared to the national average, utilities are a notably higher expense for residents of Ohio. The average household in the state pays $369 a month for utilities, compared to the national average of $351.

Auto insurance, by contrast, is more affordable in Ohio. While US residents on average spend $207 per month on car insurance, in Ohio they spend just $181.

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 CategoryAverage Ohio Monthly BillNational Average Monthly BillOhio Percent +/- National Average ($2,046)
Mortgage$1,090$1,32117% lower
Rent$888$1,19125% lower
Auto Loan$403$46714% lower
Utilities$369$3515% higher
Auto Insurance$181$20713% lower
Cable & Internet$120$1182% higher
Health Insurance$120$1200% lower
Mobile Phone$114$1194% lower
Alarm & Security$84$840% lower
Life Insurance$73$8918% lower
Total$1,789$2,04612.6% lower

New Albany tops the list of most expensive cities for Ohio’s household bills

Residents of New Albany pay the highest household bills in the state of Ohio, at an average of $2,922 per month. Westerville comes second in the rankings, with residents paying $2,668 on average per month.

In proportion to household income, however, Westerville’s bills are costlier than ones in New Albany. While New Albany’s monthly bill basket makes up 29% of average household income there, Westerville’s bill basket accounts for 32% 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 180)
CityMonthly Bill Expenses Per Household*Percent of Household Income Used for Bills
1New Albany$2,92229%
2Westerville$2,66832%
3Lewis Center$2,66624%
4Dublin$2,65731%
5Powell$2,56923%
6Hilliard$2,51732%
7Solon$2,48026%
8Hudson$2,46122%
9Avon$2,36526%
10Mason$2,34225%

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

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

Marietta is the most affordable Ohio city for household bills

Out of 180 cities and towns, Marietta is the most affordable place in Ohio, with residents paying $1,274 on average for household bills. Household bills account for 32% of local income in Marietta.

Barberton comes in at the second most affordable town or city in Ohio, with residents paying $1,295 per month on average.

Also on the list of 10 least expensive cities in Ohio are Conneaut ($1,336 per month), Ironton ($1,342 per month), and Ashtabula ($1,344 per month).

10 Most Affordable Ohio Cities for Household Bills

Rank
(171-180 out of 180)
CityMonthly Bill Expenses Per HouseholdPercent of Household Income Used for Bills
171Greensville$1,41836%
172Hillsboro$1,40439%
173Alliance$1,38234%
174Youngstown$1,38137%
175Van Wert$1,37031%
176Ashtabula$1,34439%
177Ironton$1,34239%
178Conneaut$1,33632%
179Barberton$1,29531%
180Marietta$1,27432%

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 use doxoINSIGHTS’ regional bill comparison database to compare average costs for over 4000 towns and cities across the country.