Bills. The five-letter word is enough to spark sighs, rolled eyes, and empathetic conversation.
Although it’s unlikely you will encounter someone who enjoys the monthly process of paying for food, utilities and housing, Jacksonville residents have a reason to smile a little.
Average monthly bills in Jacksonville are 11.4% lower than the national average, according to a new analysis by Doxo. The third-party payment and management website study shows monthly bills are lower than more than half of the cities in Illinois that were reviewed.
Nationally, bill payments average $1,016 a month in eight key household categories that include auto loans and insurance, utilities, health and life insurance, cable and satellite service, cellphones, and alarms and security systems. Jacksonville residents pay an average of $900, Doxo said in its latest Insights report.
It’s even less for those in nearby Springfield ($858) and Quincy ($808).
Interested in more? Doxo took a look at how the pandemic shaped savings and spending in its report “Household Bills and Financial Health After a Year of COVID-19.” The report is available at bit.ly/3pTPlbF.
Still, it’s enough savings that Jacksonville is 17th lowest among 26 cities studied in the state. Nationally, it is 736th lowest of 914 cities both larger and smaller.
Peoria, incidentally, is the most expensive at $1,143; Danville — at $788 — is the lowest.
The biggest expense for Jacksonville residents is auto loans. Some 63% of people in town have one and pay an average of $444 a month; slightly above the $411 national average.
But with the exception of cellphones and cable or satellite service, monthly costs are lower than most. Mobile phone service charges average $117 a month in Jacksonville — and 96% of people have one, according to Doxo — compared to $102 elsewhere. Cable or satellite service — enjoyed among 89% of Jacksonville bill payers — averages $119 a month. That’s about $4 more than the national average,
Other average monthly charges in Jacksonville, compared to the national average, are:
• Auto insurance: $122 ($185 nationally)
• Utilities: $298 ($316 nationally)
• Health insurance: $105 ($113 nationally)
• Life insurance: $47 ($88 nationally)
• Alarms and security: $77 ($88 nationally)
And a bit of fun trivia — most Jacksonville residents pay their bills at 11 a.m. Wednesday, followed by Monday. Monday and Friday are the biggest bill-paying days nationally.
