SLO County pays $8,000 more on household bills than U.S. average, report says
Annual household bills in San Luis Obispo County are more than $8,000 higher than the U.S. average, according to a new report from DoxoInsights.
The average SLO County household pays $2,724 per month, or, $32,693 per year on mortgage, rent, utilities, insurance payments and other expenses, the report said.
That puts SLO County among the top 20 California counties in terms of household expenses, according to DoxoInsights.
The U.S. bill pay company’s 2023 State by State Bill Pay Market report examined what people consider common household bills, payment activity and data from the U.S. Census Bureau to conduct its analysis.
How does SLO County compare to California counties?
According to the report, Californians spend roughly 40% of their family income on household bills.
Out of 55 counties, SLO County ranks at No. 19 in terms of the highest household expenses, the report found, noting that a local family with an annual household income of $77,850 spends 42% of those earnings on bills.
Elsewhere on the Central Coast, Monterey County was No. 9 and Santa Barbara County No. 13 in terms of household expenses, DoxoInsights said.
Marin County was first on the list, with a monthly average of $3,897 in household bills, the report said.
What household expenses cost the most in SLO County?
Here’s how monthly average bills in San Luis Obispo County compare to the national average based on estimates from DoxoInsights.
On average, rent in SLO County costs $1,669 a month, compared to the national monthly average of $1,191.
Mortgage payments in SLO County cost $2,292 a month on average, compared to a monthly average of $1,321 across the nation.
Monthly car loan payments cost $455 on average in SLO County, compared to a national monthly average of $467.
Utilities such as water, gas, electric and garbage collection cost $347 a month on average in SLO County, but cost $351 a month on average nationwide.
On average, car insurance costs $265 a month in SLO County, compared to an average of $207 a month nationwide.
Health insurance in SLO County costs $132 a month on average, compared to an average of $120 a month across the United States.
Phone bills average $86 a month in SLO County, compared to a monthly national average of $119.
On average, cable and wireless internet bills cost $123 per month in SLO County, compared to a national, monthly average of $118.
Life insurance costs $110 a month on average in SLO County, compared to a national average of $89 per month.
Alarm or security systems cost an average of $101 locally per month, compared to $84 a month nationwide.
Which SLO County city has the highest household bills?
Morro Bay had the highest monthly bills in SLO County, according to DoxoInsights.
The average household in Morro Bay pays $2,900 per month, or $34,800 per year on bills, the report said. That’s $10,243 per year higher than the U.S. average.
In contrast, the average San Luis Obispo household spends $2,824 per month, or $33,886 per year, on household bills.
The average Paso Robles household spends $2,559 per month, or $30,707 per year on household bills.
In Arroyo Grande, the average household spends $2,852 per month, or $34,229 yearly on household bills.
How California compares to other states
California is the second most expensive state in the United States in terms of household expenses, according to DoxoInsights, with the average household spending $2,838 per month, or, $34,055 per year on household bills.
California closely trails Hawaii and is followed by New Jersey, Massachusetts and Maryland for most expensive household bills.
According to the report, some of the most affordable states for household expenses include West Virginia, Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Kentucky.
Californians spend $2,838 per month, or $34,055 per year, on household bills. That’s $9,498 more per year than the rest of the U.S.
Here’s how much California residents spend on average on monthly bills, according to DoxoInsights:
▪ Rent: $1,762
▪ Mortgage: $2,402
▪ Car Loan: $532
▪ Utilities (water, gas, electric, garbage): $368
▪ Car insurance: $196
▪ Health insurance $132
▪ Phone: $114
▪ Cable and wireless internet: $117
▪ Life insurance : $110
▪ Alarm (security): $101
