Methodology
To learn how Americans are faring when it comes to tackling utility bills we surveyed 1,006 renters and homeowners across the U.S. in December 2024. We asked about current utility bills as well as how Americans are handling payments. Ages ranged from 18 to 75 with an average age of 39, and 49% were men, 49% women, and 2% either nonbinary or did not disclose. All conclusions in this article are drawn from answers to this survey.
1 in 3 Americans are Struggling to Pay Their Utility Bills
In short, 1 in 3 Americans are struggling to afford their utility bills; across all respondents, the average monthly utility cost was $473– and rising. Nearly 9 in 10 (89%) said their utilities have gone up in the last year.
As such, people are worried: 1 in 3 are worried about affording electricity this winter, and over 2 in 5 are similarly worried about affording electricity this coming summer.
Over half get overwhelmed by their monthly utility bills– but many are finding ways to make ends meet. 30% have said they are getting a second job to cover their utilities, while nearly 1 in 4 are spending less on groceries in order to keep the lights on at home. A concerning 1 in 10 are skipping medical care or prescriptions to have enough money to pay their bills.
Which utilities have gone up the most in the last year? Electric bills are rising the most across the U.S., with 77% saying their electric bills have increased. Other high-ticket utilities include internet, gas, water, and phone bills.
These rate hikes have seen over 1 in 4 Americans missing at least one utility payment in the last year, with 14% saying they’ve missed at least two payments. Over 3 in 5 are concerned: they’re worried about the financial sustainability of these rate hikes. Many have doubts about the motives of electricity providers: 78% don’t think their electricity companies have their best interests in mind, and 79% feel utility companies take advantage of them.
Average Electric Bill Cost
With electricity accounting for the highest utility bills and also increasing the most, we asked Americans how they felt about the services they receive from providers. The average monthly cost of electric bills for Americans is $232; over half don’t think their electric bill is reasonable, and a similar amount has been frustrated by rate hikes in the last year alone.
Americans reported receiving an average rate hike of 11% in the last year, and over 3 in 5 don’t understand what causes their rate hikes. Among all utilities, 67% say their electric bill is the most expensive, and nearly half (49%) say their electricity provider frustrates them the most. This might be partially because 69% aren’t able to choose a provider; 71% don’t think it’s fair they can’t choose, and 77% wish they could choose providers.
Another contributing factor to customer satisfaction is service outages: Americans averaged 2 power outages in the last year, and the longest outage lasted an average of 18 hours.
