Insights » 2023 Report: Cities in Vermont where Household Expenses are Highest and Lowest

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

How does living in the Green Mountain State affect your wallet? doxo breaks down key insights about Vermont’s household expenses, with a close eye to how bills differ in towns and cities across the state. The average household in Vermont, doxo’s data reveals, pays $2,036 in bills per month.

doxo’s data also has infographics for 10 cities and towns across Vermont, 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 Vermont and how it changes according to location.

The data sheds light on Vermont’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.

Vermont residents pay $2,036 in household bills a month

The average Vermont household pays $2,036 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.

Vermont residents, overall, get a good deal on their bills: the state ranks 23rd out of 50 states in terms of average monthly spending. Delaware ranks 22nd, with annual monthly expenses of $2,044, and Wyoming ranks 24th, at $2,031.

Vermont’s household expenses, on average, are 0.5% 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. Vermont households spend 37% of their income on household bills.

Annually, Vermont residents pay $6 billion in household bills. See more data about bill pay in Vermont by clicking on the infographic link below.

Data: doxoINSIGHTS’ bill pay infographic about Vermont

• Average Bill Cost per HH: $2,036 per month
• State Bill Pay Market Size: $6 billion
• doxoINSIGHTS State Rank: 23 out of 50
• Percent of HHI Used for Bills: 37%
• Difference from the National Average: 0.5% lower

Housing bill category drives Vermont’s relatively low monthly bill expenses

The average Vermont household pays $2,036 in the 10 most common household bills per month. The average mortgage payment in Vermont is $1,466, and average rent is $1,119, 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 residents of Vermont. Still, these expenses are lower than the national average. The average auto loan bill in Vermont is $410 a month, compared to the national average of $467.

Compared to the national average, utilities are a notably higher expense for residents of Vermont. The average household in the state pays $428 a month for utilities, compared to the national average of $351.

Auto insurance, by contrast, is more affordable in Vermont. While US residents on average spend $207 per month on car insurance, in Vermont they spend just $148.

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 Vermont Household Bill Spending

South Burlington tops the list of most expensive cities for Vermont’s household bills

Residents of South Burlington pay the highest household bills in the state of Vermont, at an average of $2,419 per month. Essex Junction comes second in the rankings, with residents paying $2,353 on average per month.

In proportion to household income, however, South Burlington’s bills are costlier than ones in Essex Junction. While South Burlington’s monthly bill basket makes up 38% of average household income there, Essex Junction’s bill basket accounts for just 33% 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.

5 Most Expensive Vermont Cities for Household Bills

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

Brattleboro is the most affordable Vermont city for household bills

Out of 10 cities and towns, Brattleboro is the most affordable place in Vermont, with residents paying $1,810 on average for household bills. Household bills account for 49% of local income in Brattleboro.

Barre comes in at the second most affordable town or city in Vermont, with residents paying $1,841 per month on average.

5 Most Affordable Vermont Cities for Household Bills

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 Vermont’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.