Consumers’ monthly household bills are rising as inflation reached its highest point in three years in April.
California residents are facing the highest monthly bills in the nation across 12 categories that include mortgage, gas for utilities, electric, water, internet and waste, according to a new study from energy rate comparison site UtilityRates.com.
“Household bills are one of the biggest pressures on monthly budgets,” UtilityRates.com CEO Karl Trollinger said in a statement. “What stands out in these findings is that these costs are rarely driven by one single bill. Instead, it is the combined weight of housing costs, utilities, insurance, internet, and transport expenses that creates the biggest pressure.
The top five most expensive states, according to the study, are California ($4,193 per month), New Jersey ($4,036), Hawaii ($4,028), Massachusetts ($3,927) and New York ($3,779).
The study reveals stark differences in household bills based on where consumers live.
Average monthly household bills in California are more than double what West Virginians are paying.
The five cheapest states for household bills are West Virginia ($1,984), Wyoming ($2,356), Mississippi ($2,407), Indiana ($2415) and Arkansas ($2,422).
Utility bills, which make up part of household bills, rose 7 percent from 2024 to 2025, consumer research and data firm JD Power reported in March.
Rising costs for everything from gas to groceries have hampered consumer wallets in 2026.
In the months following the United States’ attack on Iran in late February, gas prices have gone up by more than 50 percent because of political tensions and slowed oil shipping. Gas prices in every state averaged at least $4 for the first time in four years, motor club AAA.com revealed Wednesday.
Grocery prices continue to surge – beef and tomatoes rose 14.8 percent and 15 percent, respectively, in April.
As life gets more expensive, voter confidence in President Donald Trump plummets. The president’s approval rating fell to a record low of 29 percent on Thursday, according to a Fox News poll.
A majority of voters in each party – 51 percent of Republicans, 85 percent of independents and 96 percent of Democrats – disapprove of the way Trump is handling inflation, the poll found.
The Trump administration has tried to slow inflation and make life more affordable by encouraging the Federal Reserve to drop rates, removing refrigerant emissions regulations Thursday to lower the cost of groceries and banning Wall Street investors from buying single-family homes.
