Statistics provided by a recent study by doxo, a financial support organization designed to help consumers reduce the anxiety of bills and stay on top of payments, Americans spend an annual total of $3.87 trillion on household bills – or, for a single household, approximately $2,046 per month or $24,557 per year.
According to numbers from the Area Development Partnership in Hattiesburg, the Hub City is in good standing in that sense, with residents paying $3,342 per year less than the United States average, which matches up with data from the ADP. That data comes from the ADP’s Cost of Living Index, which is compiled annually.
“The most recent overall cost of living for the Hattiesburg metro area was 12 percent lower than the national average at 88 percent, with cost of housing being almost 32 percent lower than the national average,” said Chelsey Everett, vice president of marketing and research and economic development at the ADP. “In comparison, some of our neighboring southeast (metropolitan areas) like Baton Rouge, Louisiana, have a cost of living at 97 percent of the national average.
“New Orleans, Louisiana is at 111 percent; Atlanta, Georgia is at 101 percent; and Nashville, Tennessee is at 95 percent. Hattiesburg has all the charm of a mid-sized college town with a low cost of living, but with the amenities of a mid-size metro (area), such as excellent healthcare, countless recreational opportunities and award-winning restaurants.”
According to the doxo study, The average Hattiesburg household pays $1,768 per month – or $21,215 per year – for the10 most common household bills. That amounts to approximately 46 percent of residents’ income.
The study shows that Hattiesburg is the 17th-most expensive city in Mississippi for household bills. The data, which doxo has compiled for 4,000 cities across the United States, looks at total amount spent on bills per month.
It also breaks down bill payments into 10 different categories, including utilities, auto loans, cable bills and more. That breakdown is as follows:
- Mortgage: $1,142
- Rent: $923
- Auto loans: $394
- Utilities: $279
- Health insurance: $100
- Auto insurance: $181
- Cable and Internet: $114
- Mobile phone: $99
- Alarm and security: $75
- Life insurance: $80
Hattiesburg’s ranking as No. 17 in the state in household bill average follows the following cities:
- Madison, $2,317
- Ridgeland, $2,209
- Vicksburg, $2,207
- Oxford, $2,077
- Hernando, $2,069
- Southaven, $2,052
- Olive Branch, $2,002
- Ocean Springs, $,1983
- Carriere, $1,928
- Clinton, $1,903
- Canton, $1,887
- Brandon, $1,848
- Horn Lake, $1,842
- Gulfport, $1,839
- Vancleave, $1,817
- Gautier, $1,798
Top service providers in Hattiesburg include North Lamar Water Association, Mississippi Power, the City of Hattiesburg, Pearl River Valley Electric Power Association, West Lamar Water Association, Spire Energy – Wilmut Gas, Dixie Community Utility Association and North Pike Water Association.
