What a Family of 4 Spends on Utilities in All 50 States
Families of four know firsthand just how expensive basic utilities like electricity, water and gas are on a monthly and annual basis. Fortunately, there are some states where utilities cost a little less annually to accommodate tight budgets.
To find out how much a four-person family pays for utilities in every state, MoneyLion referred to data from an existing study on annual living expenses for a family of four. We pulled the annual cost of utilities and their respective cost-of-living index, measuring the cost in each state compared to the U.S. national average set at 100. (Alaska’s utilities CoL index of 155.5, for example, means utilities are 55% higher than the national average.)
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See how much a four-person family pays for utilities in every state. Plus, review the living wage these families need to stay financially secure.
Alabama
Annual utility costs: $6,044
Utilities CoL index: 97.1
Alaska
Annual utility costs: $9,680
Utilities CoL index: 155.5
Arizona
Annual utility costs: $6,300
Utilities CoL index: 101.2
Arkansas
Annual utility costs: $5,957
Utilities CoL index: 95.7
California
Annual utility costs: $9,020
Utilities CoL index: 144.9
Colorado
Annual utility costs: $5,466
Utilities CoL index: 87.8
Connecticut
Annual utility costs: $7,781
Utilities CoL index: 125
Delaware
Annual utility costs: $6,044
Utilities CoL index: 97.1
Florida
Annual utility costs: $6,013
Utilities CoL index: 96.6
Georgia
Annual utility costs: $6,194
Utilities CoL index: 99.5
Hawaii
Annual utility costs: $11,535
Utilities CoL index: 185.3
Idaho
Annual utility costs: $4,389
Utilities CoL index: 70.5
Illinois
Annual utility costs: $6,237
Utilities CoL index: 100.2
Indiana
Annual utility costs: $5,982
Utilities CoL index: 96.1
Iowa
Annual utility costs: $5,428
Utilities CoL index: 87.2
Kansas
Annual utility costs: $6,082
Utilities CoL index: 97.7
Kentucky
Annual utility costs: $5,503
Utilities CoL index: 88.4
Louisiana
Annual utility costs: $5,279
Utilities CoL index: 84.8
Maine
Annual utility costs: $7,433
Utilities CoL index: 119.4
Maryland
Annual utility costs: $7,059
Utilities CoL index: 113.4
Massachusetts
Annual utility costs: $9,674
Utilities CoL index: 155.4
Michigan
Annual utility costs: $6,038
Utilities CoL index: 97
Minnesota
Annual utility costs: $5,982
Utilities CoL index: 96.1
Mississippi
Annual utility costs: $5,534
Utilities CoL index: 88.9
Missouri
Annual utility costs: $5,683
Utilities CoL index: 91.3
Montana
Annual utility costs: $5,204
Utilities CoL index: 83.6
Nebraska
Annual utility costs: $5,534
Utilities CoL index: 88.9
Nevada
Annual utility costs: $5,154
Utilities CoL index: 82.8
New Hampshire
Annual utility costs: $7,034
Utilities CoL index: 113
New Jersey
Annual utility costs: $6,356
Utilities CoL index: 102.1
New Mexico
Annual utility costs: $5,210
Utilities CoL index: 83.7
New York
Annual utility costs: $6,499
Utilities CoL index: 104.4
North Carolina
Annual utility costs: $5,876
Utilities CoL index: 94.4
North Dakota
Annual utility costs: $5,048
Utilities CoL index: 81.1
Ohio
Annual utility costs: $6,244
Utilities CoL index: 100.3
Oklahoma
Annual utility costs: $6,138
Utilities CoL index: 98.6
Oregon
Annual utility costs: $6,013
Utilities CoL index: 96.6
Pennsylvania
Annual utility costs: $6,773
Utilities CoL index: 108.8
Rhode Island
Annual utility costs: $7,956
Utilities CoL index: 127.8
South Carolina
Annual utility costs: $5,976
Utilities CoL index: 96
South Dakota
Annual utility costs: $5,341
Utilities CoL index: 85.8
Tennessee
Annual utility costs: $5,459
Utilities CoL index: 87.7
Texas
Annual utility costs: $6,343
Utilities CoL index: 101.9
Utah
Annual utility costs: $5,148
Utilities CoL index: 82.7
Vermont
Annual utility costs: $7,059
Utilities CoL index: 113.4
Virginia
Annual utility costs: $6,125
Utilities CoL index: 98.4
Washington
Annual utility costs: $6,194
Utilities CoL index: 99.5
West Virginia
Annual utility costs: $5,553
Utilities CoL index: 89.2
Wisconsin
Annual utility costs: $5,553
Utilities CoL index: 89.2
Wyoming
Annual utility costs: $6,306
Utilities CoL index: 101.3
Methodology: MoneyLion surveyed annual living expenses for a family of four people in all 50 states, using the 2024 Consumer Expenditure Survey (latest available) data for a family of four (a married couple with children, oldest child aged 6-17) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The itemized costs of living were housing, groceries, utilities, healthcare and transportation, collectively termed “necessities.” Based on each state’s cost-of-living index for each category, sourced from the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center’s 2025 Q3 Cost of Living Data Series, the study calculated the annual cost of each necessity and summed them up to find total annual expenditure on necessities. With these figures found, MoneyLion found the absolute minimum of what could be considered a living wage. This living wage is defined as the absolute minimum hourly wage needed to achieve living wage, assuming one works five days a week, eight-hour days for 2,080 hours a year. All data was collected on and is up to date as of Jan. 28, 2026.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
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