2023 Report: Cities in Massachusetts where Household Expenses are Highest and Lowest
How does living in the Yellowhammer state affect your wallet? doxo breaks down key insights about Massachusetts’ household expenses, with a close eye to how bills differ in towns and cities across the state. The average household in Massachusetts, doxo’s data reveals, pays $2,656 in bills per month.
doxo’s data also has infographics for 154 cities and towns across Massachusetts, 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 Massachusetts and how it changes according to location.
The data sheds light on Massachusetts’ 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.
Massachusetts residents pay $2,656 in household bills a month
The average Massachusetts household pays $2,656 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.
The state ranks 4th out of 50 states in terms of average monthly spending. New Jersey ranks 3rd, with annual monthly expenses of $2,727, and Maryland ranks 5th, at $2,569.
Massachusetts’ household expenses, on average, are 29.8% higher 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. Massachusetts households spend 35% of their income on household bills. For comparison, New Jersey residents spend 35% and Maryland residents spend 34% of income on household bills.
Annually, Massachusetts residents pay $81 billion in household bills. See more data about bill pay in Massachusetts by clicking on the infographic link below.
Data: doxoINSIGHTS’ bill pay infographic about Massachusetts
- Average Bill Cost per HH: $2,656 per month
- State Bill Pay Market Size: $81 billion
- doxoINSIGHTS State Rank: 4 out of 50
- Percent of HHI Used for Bills: 35%
- Difference from the National Average: 29.8% higher
Housing bill category drives Massachusetts’ high monthly bill expenses
The average Massachusetts household pays $2,656 in the 10 most common household bills per month. Rent and mortgage expenses do not drive savings, with both being considerably higher than the national average. The average mortgage payment in Massachusetts is $2,199, and average rent is $1,528, 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 Massachusetts. The average auto loan bill in Massachusetts is $501 a month, compared to the national average of $467.
Compared to the national average, utilities are also a notably higher expense for residents of Massachusetts. The average household in the state pays $404 a month for utilities, compared to the national average of $351.
Alarm and security, by contrast, is more affordable in Massachusetts. While US residents on average spend $84 per month on alarm and security, in Massachusetts they spend just $66.
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 Massachusetts Household Bill Spending
| Bill Category | Average Massachusetts Monthly Bill | National Average Monthly Bill | Massachusetts Percent +/- National Average ($2,046) |
| Mortgage | $2,199 | $1,321 | 66% higher |
| Rent | $1,528 | $1,191 | 28% higher |
| Auto Loan | $501 | $467 | 7% higher |
| Utilities | $404 | $351 | 15% higher |
| Auto Insurance | $226 | $207 | 9% higher |
| Cable & Internet | $127 | $118 | 8% higher |
| Health Insurance | $108 | $120 | 10% lower |
| Mobile Phone | $123 | $119 | 3% higher |
| Alarm & Security | $66 | $84 | 21% lower |
| Life Insurance | $90 | $89 | 1% higher |
| Total | $2,656 | $2,046 | 29.8% higher |
Boston tops the list of most expensive cities for Massachusetts’ household bills
Residents of Boston pay the highest household bills in the state of Massachusetts, at an average of $3,962 per month. Needham comes second in the rankings, with residents paying $3,699 on average per month.
In proportion to household income, however, Boston’s bills are far costlier than ones in Needham. While Needham’s monthly bill basket makes up 24% of average household income there, Boston’s bill basket accounts for 57% 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 Massachusetts Cities for Household Bills
| Rank (1-10 out of 78) | City | Monthly Bill Expenses Per Household* | Percent of Household Income Used for Bills |
| 1 | Boston | $3,962 | 57% |
| 2 | Needham | $3,699 | 24% |
| 3 | Sudbury | $3,698 | 23% |
| 4 | Milton | $3,604 | 31% |
| 5 | Hingham | $3,528 | 29% |
| 6 | Newton Center | $3,524 | 22% |
| 7 | Winchester | $3,521 | 24% |
| 8 | Lexington | $3,515 | 22% |
| 9 | Cambridge | $3,492 | 39% |
| 10 | Brookline | $3,490 | 38% |
*Household Bill Pay Expense averages shown above reflect the ten most common bills paid, including housing (rent/mortgage).
North Adams is the most affordable Massachusetts city for household bills
Out of 154 cities and towns, North Adams is the most affordable place in Massachusetts, with residents paying $1,545 on average for household bills. Household bills account for 35% of local income in North Adams.
Greenfield comes in at the second most affordable town or city in Massachusetts, with residents paying $1,650 per month on average.
Also on the list of 10 least expensive cities in Massachusetts are Holyoke ($1,752 per month), Westfield ($1,802 per month), and Gardner ($1,803 per month).
10 Most Affordable Massachusetts Cities for Household Bills
| Rank (145-154 out of 154) | City | Monthly Bill Expenses Per Household | Percent of Household Income Used for Bills |
| 145 | Southbridge | $1,910 | 43% |
| 146 | Chicopee | $1,901 | 43% |
| 147 | Athol | $1,836 | 36% |
| 148 | West Springfield | $1,831 | 40% |
| 149 | Springfield | $1,822 | 52% |
| 150 | Gardner | $1,803 | 42% |
| 151 | Westfield | $1,802 | 29% |
| 152 | Holyoke | $1,752 | 49% |
| 153 | Greenfield | $1,650 | 42% |
| 154 | North Adams | $1,545 | 35% |
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 Massachusetts’ 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.