Cost of Living in Massachusetts: Cities Where Household Expenses are Highest and Lowest in 2024
What is the cost of living in Massachusetts? doxo breaks down key insights about Massachusetts’s household expenses, with a close look into how bills differ between towns and cities across the state.
According to doxo’s The Cost of Bills Index™ (COBI), the average household in Massachusetts pays $2,817 in monthly expenses. doxoINSIGHTS compares the cost of the ten most common household bills across different regions. This includes Utilities, Cable & Phone, Mobile Phone, Auto Loans, Auto Insurance, Life Insurance, Health Insurance, Alarm & Security, Rent, and Mortgage.
The data sheds light on Massachusetts’s cost of living through other metrics as well. For example, the “percent of household income” data point shows what percentage of their household income residents spend on bills each month.
By leveraging these tools, residents can gain a clearer understanding of their household expenses and optimize their financial planning.
Massachusetts ranks as the 3rd most expensive state in the US for household bills
According to doxo’s COBI report, Massachusetts is ranked as the 3rd most expensive state in the U.S. for household bills, making it the least expensive state for these expenses.
At $33,807 per year, Massachusetts’s household expenses, on average, are 33% higher than the US average of $25,513.
Absolute dollar amounts don’t tell the full story, however. doxo’s “Percentage of Household Income” data provides a more proportional look at bill spending in a particular location. Massachusetts households spend 33% of their income on bills.
COBI helps consumers understand how much it costs to live in one area as compared to another as it relates to the most common household bills. For COBI, the number 100 represents the national average and then, states, counties and cities are assigned a number, either above or below 100, based on how they compare to the national average. The COBI for Massachusetts is 133.
- Average Bill Cost per Household: $2,817 per month
- Cost of Bills Index(COBI): 133
- doxoINSIGHTS State Rank: #3
- Percent of Household Income Used for Bills: 33%
- Compared to the National Average: 33% higher
Massachusetts Household Expenses are 33% Higher Than the National Average
The average Massachusetts household pays $2,817 per month in the 10 most common household bills. The least expensive of these are alarm and security bills.
On the lowest end of the spectrum, the average monthly payment for alarm and security bills in Massachusetts is $83, compared to the national average of $85, making it 2% lower than average.
Monthly mortgage bills are the most significant of the 10 most common bills for Massachusetts residents. The average monthly mortgage payment is $2,343, compared to the national average of $1,402, making it 67% more expensive.
Average Massachusetts Household Bill Spending
| Bill Category | Average Massachusetts Monthly Bill | National Average Monthly Bill | Massachusetts Percent +/- National Average |
| Mortgage | $2,343 | $1,402 | 67% higher |
| Rent | $1,684 | $1,300 | 30% higher |
| Auto Loan | $527 | $496 | 6% higher |
| Utilities | $456 | $362 | 26% higher |
| Auto Insurance | $229 | $209 | 10% higher |
| Health Insurance | $121 | $114 | 6% higher |
| Mobile Phone | $127 | $121 | 5% higher |
| Cable & Internet | $134 | $122 | 10% higher |
| Life Insurance | $85 | $87 | 2% lower |
| Alarm & Security | $83 | $85 | 2% lower |
| Total | $2,817 | $2,126 | 33% higher |
*Household Bill Pay Expense averages shown above reflect the ten most common bills paid, including housing (rent/mortgage).
Brookline has the highest cost of living in Massachusetts for household bills
Residents of Brookline pay the highest household bills in the state of Massachusetts, at an average of $2,936 per month. The Cost of Bills Index (COBI) for Brookline is 138, meaning the average cost of bills in this city is 38% higher than the national average.
In proportion to household income, monthly bills in Brookline makeup 24% of the average annual household income of $147,437.
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 Massachusetts Cities for Household Bills
| Rank | City | Average Income | Monthly Bill Expenses Per Household | Cost of Bills Index (COBI) – Standard | % +/- Than the National Average | Percent of Household Income Used for Bills |
| 1 | Brookline | $123,028 | $3,849 | 181 | 81% higher | 38% |
| 2 | Nantucket | $135,939 | $3,848 | 181 | 81% higher | 34% |
| 3 | Sudbury | $234,427 | $3,824 | 180 | 80% higher | 20% |
| 4 | Hingham | $170,326 | $3,818 | 180 | 80% higher | 27% |
| 5 | North Andover | $131,852 | $3,807 | 179 | 79% higher | 35% |
| 6 | Lynnfield | $157,955 | $3,747 | 176 | 76% higher | 28% |
| 7 | Cambridge | $121,036 | $3,715 | 175 | 75% higher | 37% |
| 8 | Needham | $207,844 | $3,711 | 175 | 75% higher | 21% |
| 9 | Scituate | $127,255 | $3,682 | 173 | 73% higher | 35% |
| 10 | Lexington | $209,884 | $3,677 | 173 | 73% higher | 21% |
*Household Bill Pay Expense averages shown above reflect the ten most common bills paid, including housing (rent/mortgage).
Chicopee has the lowest cost of living in Massachusetts for household bills
Out of 184 cities, Chicopee is the most affordable place in Massachusetts, with residents paying $1,741 on average for household bills, accounting for 32% of annual income of $64,684. The Cost of Bills Index (COBI) for Chicopee is 82, meaning the average cost of bills in this city is 18% below the national average.
North Adams is the second most affordable city in Massachusetts, with residents paying $1,743 per month on average.
Also on the list of the 10 least expensive cities in Massachusetts are Greenfield ($1,848), Springfield ($1,888) and Agawam ($1,917).
10 Most Affordable Massachusetts Cities for Household Bills
| Rank | City | Average Income | Monthly Bill Expense Per Household | Cost of Bills Index (COBI) – Standard | % +/- Than the National Average | Percent of Household Income Used for Bills |
| 175 | Ludlow | $76,395 | $2,018 | 95 | 5% lower | 32% |
| 176 | West Springfield | $67,297 | $1,991 | 94 | 6% lower | 35% |
| 177 | Athol | $66,985 | $1,980 | 93 | 7% lower | 35% |
| 178 | Webster | $70,644 | $1,980 | 93 | 7% lower | 34% |
| 179 | Westfield | $78,901 | $1,924 | 90 | 10% lower | 29% |
| 180 | Agawam | $73,398 | $1,917 | 90 | 10% lower | 31% |
| 181 | Springfield | $48,292 | $1,888 | 89 | 11% lower | 47% |
| 182 | Greenfield | $53,536 | $1,848 | 87 | 13% lower | 41% |
| 183 | North Adams | $53,692 | $1,743 | 82 | 18% lower | 39% |
| 184 | Chicopee | $64,684 | $1,741 | 82 | 18% lower | 32% |
*Household Bill Pay Expense averages shown above reflect the ten most common bills paid, including housing (rent/mortgage).
Some individuals might be considering moving from a more expensive city to a less expensive one. For those making such decisions, doxoINSIGHTS can be a valuable resource. It allows consumers to compare household expenses in Massachusetts with average bills in various cities and states nationwide.