Maconites paid more for utilities this year, but still got a good deal. Here’s why
Whether you’re a homeowner or just renting space, we all have a common concern: — how much we pay for utilities. No one wants to pay more.
Now, a new study found that Maconites were justified in their fears.
The average utility bill in Macon in 2023 was $291, up 5.4%, according to a study by the U.S. bill pay data company doxoInsights.
But there was a silver lining:
While Macon’s utility bills were slightly higher than Georgia’s statewide average of $286 per month, the average utility bill across the U.S. was $351 per month.
The study took into account electric, gas, water and sewer and trash and recycling.
And if you take the entire household fixed costs — which include mortgages or rent along with loans and other expenses — Macon’s housing bills end up at $1,835 per month — more than 10% lower than the national average.
This tallies out to $2,532 lower per year than the average monthly household bill in the U.S., the study shows. It also means living in Macon is a great bang for your buck — despite its size, was only the 75th most-expensive city in Georgia for household expenses, according to doxoInsights.
Some other Middle Georgia cities were significantly below the national averages as well. Macon’s northern neighbor Forsyth was slightly more expensive, ranking 73rd most-expensive in the state. Warner Robins came in at 80th, or 13% lower than the national average for monthly home expenses, while Perry was 79th.
Here are other highlights from the study:
▪ The most-expensive Georgian city is Alpharetta with a monthly bill average of $2,894, followed by Suwanee at $2,824.
▪ Among Georgia’s 109 counties, Bibb County ranked 34th with a household monthly bill average of $1,845. The lowest was Jefferson County at $1,111. The highest? You guessed it — Fulton County with $2,472. Atlanta ranks 13th with an average monthly bill of $2,412.
▪ The average mortgage in Macon is $1,050 per month, compared with $1,321 nationwide. And rent in Middle Georgia is a reasonable $854 a month, compared with $1,191 elsewhere in the country, doxoinsights found.
▪ One place where people in Macon don’t fare as well is in what they pay for their auto loans. According to the study, the average Macon car loan in 2023 was $529 a month, compared with $467 for the national average.
This story was originally published December 28, 2023 at 6:00 AM.