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-18 percent of the population in homeless

-50% of homeless have substance abuse problems

-30% of homeless suffer from mental disorders

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As housing costs rise, more than half a million people lack homes, including nearly 100k children.

Written By: Security.org Team | Published: January 25, 2023

Homelessness in America is a pressing crisis that can be difficult to document. The same pandemic conditions that ravaged the economy and disproportionately impacted the most vulnerable kept the government from accurately counting those left without shelter.

Following a period of limited data, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently completed its first comprehensive Annual Homelessness Assessment Report (AHAR) in two years. It found that nearly 600,000 Americans are unhoused on any night - a slight increase over pre-COVID numbers. A deeper dive into the census reveals that while overall numbers were relatively stable during COVID's reign, some demographics shifted notably.

As part of Security.org's ongoing commitment to highlighting this societal problem, this annual report examines the overall scope of the homelessness issue, explores its geographical distribution, and identifies groups most at risk. This article builds on our previous reports from 2022, 2021, and 2019.

Key Findings:

582,462 individuals are experiencing homelessness in America, an increase of about 2,000 people since the last complete census conducted in 2020.

About 30 percent of people without homes are experiencing chronic patterns of homelessness. This means they've been without homes for more than 12 months or have experienced extended periods of extended homelessness over the past three years.

Most states saw their homeless populations rise since 2019, including four where the tally more than doubled (Delaware, Vermont, Louisiana, Maine).

Sixty percent of individuals experiencing homelessness are male, though unsheltered homelessness rose by five percent among women and girls. More than a quarter of those experiencing homelessness were with their families and children.

Much progress has been made in reducing homelessness among military veterans. Homelessness in this population declined by 11 percent over the past two years and has been halved since 2010.

FYI: Most U.S. cities exhibit a positive correlation between homelessness and crime rates. While we must prioritize compassion in addressing homelessness, it is understandable to exercise caution if you live in a neighborhood with high homelessness rates. We tackle all the different ways a home security system protects you and your family in our home security guide.

American Homelessness in 2022: An Overview

In December of 2022, HUD calculated that 582,462 people were experiencing homelessness in the United States and its territories. That number represented an increase of nearly 2,000 individuals over the last complete accounting of 2020, yet remained steady at .18 percent of the nation's population.

Despite this slight increase in those without homes since the pandemic's start and gradual increases since 2016, the number of people experiencing homelessness is lower today than a decade ago.

Of those experiencing homelessness, 60 percent found refuge in sheltered locations (like emergency shelters, safe havens, or transitional housing programs). The other 40 percent spent their nights unsheltered (often on the street, in abandoned buildings, or in other places not designated/suitable for human habitation).

These proportions mark a three percent increase in unsheltered individuals combined with a two percent decrease among those in shelter facilities. Though available shelter beds increased over the last two years (aided by emergency funding through the federal CARES act), the shift may reflect COVID restrictions compelling reduced occupancy.

Sadly, more than a quarter of those experiencing homelessness in 2022 did so as part of a family with children. Though the number of families without permanent homes is distressing, this group had greater access to assistance. Nearly nine in ten unhoused people who were part of families with children were sheltered - a much higher percentage than individuals experiencing homelessness (49 percent). Thankfully, the number of unhoused people in families with children has declined each year since 2012 and fallen collectively by one-third in that time.

Regional Trends in Homelessness

Homelessness touches communities of all sizes across every region, though some bear its brunt more than others. Contributing factors to the concentration of the unhoused include local financial hardship, housing markets, climate conditions, and available social resources.

Though the common conception of those experiencing homelessness might be unsheltered individuals on the streets of a city, the issue reaches communities of all types. While most unhoused Americans occupy urban areas, many live in suburban and rural settings.

Among major cities, Los Angeles (54,469 individuals) and New York City (32,308) have the largest unhoused populations, collectively accounting for nearly one-fifth of the country's total afflicted. No other city contains more than 10,000 persons experiencing homelessness, with Seattle, San Jose, and Oakland/San Francisco rounding out the top five afflicted metroplexes.

Major cities saw an increase in unhoused individuals over the past two years (5,694 additional persons) and featured the highest percentage of unsheltered homeless (55 percent). However, the most notable expansion in unhoused populations occurred in rural areas, where homeless numbers have jumped six percent since 2020.

Regionally, the western United States exhibited the highest per capita rates of homelessness, though numbers varied significantly by state.

States with largest populations of homeless people

States with most people experiencing homelessness per capita

Fastest growing populations of people in homelessness 2019 - 2022

California, New York, Florida, Washington, and Texas had the highest number of unhoused individuals. Vermont, Oregon, and Hawaii join CA and NY as the most afflicted states per capita. Delaware, Vermont, Louisiana, and Maine recorded the most significant percentage increases in homelessness - each more than doubling its rate since 2019.

In all, twenty-eight states saw homelessness increase in the latest AHAR. To find the extent of the homeless problem in your state, consult the data appendix below.

Special Populations Experiencing Homelessness

Every instance of homelessness has an element of tragedy, and each springs from a singular tale, yet certain commonalities and communities emerge among the unhoused population. Historically, armed forces veterans and BIPOC individuals are more likely to experience homelessness. At the same time, children and young adults on the streets before their adult lives have started may be the most vulnerable victims.

Chronic Homelessness

One of the most troubling trends is the continuing surge of individuals experiencing chronic patterns of homelessness. This includes people who have been homeless for more than 12 months or have experienced extended periods of extended homelessness over the past three years.

Currently, about 30 percent of unhoused individuals suffer from these chronic patterns. That number jumped 16 percent over the past two years and has grown by 64 percent since 2016.

In Nevada, Oregon, California, Colorado, and Oklahoma, a third or more of people experiencing homelessness were caught in chronic homelessness. These states had the highest rates of chronic homelessness.

Homelessness Among America's Youth

We previously noted the numbers of families experiencing homelessness, yet those do not account for all unhoused young people. Though advocates claim that the number of unhoused youths is vastly underreported, HUD found that more than 30,000 unaccompanied Americans under age 25 lack a permanent dwelling, and 13,000 of those young people are unsheltered.

Since the pandemic's start, governments, nonprofits, and other groups have made progress in reducing youth homelessness. The number of unaccompanied youths experiencing homelessness in America decreased by 12 percent between 2020 and 2022. California registered the most significant drop of any state (2,582 individuals) but still accounts for one-third of the country's unhoused youth.

The states with the largest shares of minors experiencing homelessness were Massachusetts (39 percent under 18), Delaware (32 percent), and Louisiana (31 percent).

Racial Disparities: Homelessness Across the Ethnic Spectrum

As with many economic hardships, homelessness affects BIPOC communities most deeply. The Black community suffers particularly hard, comprising nearly forty percent of all unhoused persons.

All racial groups other than White and Asian Americans experience homelessness at a rate that is disproportionately high to their share of the population. The same is true of those identifying as Hispanic or Latino, a separate classification in the federal statistical system.

Racial Disparities in Homelessness
Demographic characteristics of people experiencing homelessness, compared to national population
Conversely, the number of Black individuals identifying as homeless dropped by over 11,000 over the past two years, as most other communities endured a rise in their unhoused ranks.

Perhaps the brightest spot of progress in the battle against homelessness comes from the count of unhoused veterans. At the start of the last decade, more than 74,000 veterans were without permanent lodgings, with that community experiencing homelessness at a rate double the national average. Following years of increased funding and targeted initiatives, signs of success have emerged.

The states with the largest proportion of veterans in their homeless populations were:

Mississippi: 12 percent

Montana: 11 percent

Wyoming: 10 percent

South Carolina: 10 percent

Nevada: 10 percent

New York had the lowest percentage of veterans in their homeless populations at just one percent.

Conclusion

Following a year of incomplete data, HUD completed a comprehensive 2022 point-in-time survey of American homelessness. It showed that the number of unhoused individuals grew slightly (less than one percent) during the pandemic period.

Some would label this increase a failure of societal policies, while others might credit an influx of funding and proactive countermeasures with preventing a far worse catastrophe (some estimated that COVID and its accompanying recession would spike homelessness by 49 percent).

All would agree that with nearly 600,000 individuals unhoused, the nation still faces a challenging problem, especially among vulnerable communities. The Biden administration recently unveiled a new strategic plan to tackle the crisis. Still, as conservatives seize the nation's purse strings and housing costs continually rise, many foresee the problem deepening.

As mandated by Congress, a new Annual Homelessness Assessment Report will be issued next year, updating the country's progress. Security.org will again analyze the numbers for you.

Methodology

All figures on homelessness come from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Annual Homelessness Assessment Reports to Congress, with the latest statistics derived from its 2022 Point in Time homelessness count. You can access the tables and HUD's latest report to Congress here. Demographic information regarding the general population came from publically available figures from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Data Appendix

State

2022 total unhoused

Percentage change since 2019

Percent of people experiencing homeless under age 18

Percent military veterans

Percent in chronic homelessness

Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Annual Homelessness Assessment Reports to Congress (2022).

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Homelessness in America 2023: Statistics, Analysis, & Trends | Security.org

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As housing costs rise, more than half a million people lack homes, including nearly 100k children. Written By: Security.org Team | Published: January 25, 2023 Homelessness in America is a pressing crisis that can be difficult to document. The same pandemic conditions that ravaged the economy and disproportionately impacted the most vulnerable kept the government from accurately counting those left without shelter.

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2 leading causes of homelessness:

-reduced income

-decrease in work hours

Reduced income?:

-Covid-19 caused incomes to decrease

-high inflation

-stagnant wages

Decreased work hours?:

-technological improvements

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In the United States, a significant number of people are considered homeless. In January 2015, more than half a million people slept outside, in an emergency shelter, or in transitional housing during a single night. In 2014, 7 million people resided in homes with other families, a plight that often precedes homelessness.

A variety of factors contribute to homelessness in the U.S., including a lack of affordable housing, low wages, poverty, and unemployment. In recent years, the American housing crisis escalated the number of families living without homes in this country.

There are federal programs in place to address homelessness in urban areas, but funding for these agencies has been curtailed in recent years and is under constant threat of additional cuts.

Homelessness is a complex issue, and there are many different reasons why families suffer.

Lack of Affordable Housing

While construction in urban areas is frequent and ubiquitous, 80 percent of such projects are exclusive high-rises that often replace older, more affordable housing in the area. Even in areas where housing is readily available, many families cannot afford to live there. In 2012, 10.3 million renters were identified as having " extremely low incomes" (ELI). Concurrently, only 5.8 million rental units were deemed as affordable by those individuals. Furthermore, 75 percent of ELI households routinely spent more than half of their incomes on rent and utilities, leaving little money for other necessities, such as groceries, medicine, and transportation.

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Unemployment, Low Wages and Poverty

The last decade's Great Recession saw the rate of Americans living at or below the poverty line surge to 15 percent. Combined with a lack of affordable housing available and the subsequent housing crisis, many families were left without the means to afford basic necessities, like housing.

But economic recession is not the only factor driving up the poverty rate in the United States. While the wealthiest 1 percent in this country currently earn an average of $1.3 million per year, the average post-tax income of the poorest 50 percent of Americans is around $25,000 per year, according to 2014 data. In the last 30 years, wages in the U.S. have not kept pace with cost of living increases, creating an ever-widening gap in income inequality. And since 1970, the minimum wage has grown 353 percent, but the Consumer Price Index has increased 482 percent, and the average cost of a home has ballooned 917 percent.

Mental Illness, Substance Abuse and Lack of Services

Nearly a quarter of the homeless population has a severe mental illness. Among those individuals, almost half deal with substance abuse and dependence. According to the National Coalition for the Homeless, "Contrary to popular belief, many homeless people with severe mental illnesses are willing to accept treatment and services. Outreach programs are more successful when workers establish a trusting relationship through continued contact with the people they are trying to help."

Between 2014 and 2015, the homelessness rate in Kentucky decreased by more than 10 percent. Despite that, more than 4,000 individuals in the state remain homeless, and skilled social workers are needed to serve the homeless population. An online social work degree from Campbellsville University can help you learn the skills you need to help Kentucky's homeless. Learn in a dynamic online environment, on a schedule that works for your busy life.

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In the United States, a significant number of people are considered homeless. In January 2015, more than half a million people slept outside, in an emergency shelter, or in transitional housing during a single night. In 2014, 7 million people resided in homes with other families, a plight that often precedes homelessness.

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-there are more buyers than available housing

-California has a chronic shortage of housing

-also has the largest homeless populaion

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-4.68 billion dollars are going towards building more houses in California

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Future of Housing | High rise is the urban solution | New Civil Engineer

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According to the United Nations, 55% of the world’s population now lives in urban areas, a proportion that is expected to increase to 68% by 2050. High

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Providing housing centers can help prevent exacerbation of substance abuse and help treat mental disorders.

-in California, there is a schedule in March for there to be affordable physiatric and substance abuse treatment centers.

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Holiday Schedule:

* We will be closed Thursday, Nov. 23rd, and Friday, Nov. 24th for Thanksgiving.

* We will be closed Monday, Dec. 25th, Tuesday, Dec. 26th, and Monday, Jan. 1st for Christmas and New Year's.

Mental Health Solutions is committed to maintaining the health and safety of our patients, our employees, and our community during this difficult time.

We are providing both In-Person and Telemedicine appointments for current and new patients.

For In-Person Appointments:

For Telemedicine Appointments:

Please begin your Telemedicine appointment by logging in to your Patient Portal on our Main page.

Additional information regarding scheduling and using Telemedicine is available on our Telemedicine Information page.

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-Over the last five years, the total number of people experiencing homelessness has increased by 5.7%

-mental illness may lead to cognitive and behavioral problems that make it difficult to earn a stable income

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In San Francisco, a 1% increase in homeless led to a 72% increase in complaints.

There has not been a significant overall rise in the number of people experiencing homelessness over the past decade, according to a new ABC News analysis of data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, though there has been a steady increase in the number of people experiencing homelessness with severe mental illness, according to our analysis of HUD data.

However, people experiencing homelessness may be much more visible in public spaces to a degree that outpaces the growth in overall numbers, experts told ABC News. This is due to a combination of factors, including a rising number of people who are homeless and living nearly full time on the street, increased real estate development in some cities, and police action in prohibiting and forcing the relocation of the homeless, all of which experts said can contribute to or exacerbate mental health problems.

"It's more visible in a lot of these cities," Chris Herring, an assistant professor of sociology at the University of California Los Angeles who studies homelessness, told ABC News. "People are moving to new parts of the city and often have to move around more, and are more unstable."

That creates the perception of more people experiencing homelessness and the perception of more severe mental illness, even as the overall numbers are not rising dramatically.

"Homelessness has become more obvious without necessarily becoming worse," Dr. Margot Kushel, M.D., director of the Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative at USCF and principal investigator of the California Statewide Study of People Experiencing Homelessness, told ABC News. "It's much more in your face than it was before."

Perception versus reality

The national landscape of homelessness is highly variable across the United States, according to data from the Annual Homelessness Assessment Report produced by HUB. More than half of all people experiencing homelessness in 2022 were in four states: California (30%); New York (13%); Florida (5%); and Washington (4%). California, Vermont, Oregon and Hawaii have the highest rates of homelessness relative to the number of residents, according to HUD data.

But overall numbers have been fairly steady over time. An ABC analysis of HUD data shows that in 2022 there were about 2,000 more people living in homelessness nationwide compared to 2020. Over the last five years, the total number of people experiencing homelessness has increased by 5.7%, but compared to a decade ago, there's been a 6.3% decline. While HUD data is the most nationally representative available that measures the number of people experiencing homelessness, it is only collected on one day per year. Experts say that it's a consistent metric but does not paint a complete picture of homelessness in the US.

However, the relatively stable number of homeless people in the U.S. may now be intersecting with the nation's growing mental health crisis.

ABC News' analysis of HUD data does show some increase in the numbers of people living in homelessness who have a severe mental illness. In 2022, over 122,000 people living in homelessness had severe mental illness - this number has been rising slowly over the last decade, increasing from 108,378 in 2012, according to HUD data.

There has not been a significant overall rise in the number of people experiencing homelessness over the past decade, according to a new ABC News analysis, though there has been a steady increase in the number of people experiencing homelessness with severe mental illness.

That small increase of homeless led to a tsunami of calls to 311 and 911, experts said.

Despite overall stability in the population of people experiencing homelessness, people in some cities are more likely to raise concerns about homelessness.

"In many cities we've seen extraordinary growth in using 311 to complain about homelessness that go far beyond the number of people experiencing homelessness," Herring said.

In San Francisco, for example, the number of people homeless and living on the street - considered "unsheltered" homeless - grew by around 1% between 2013 and 2017, according to HUD data.

In that same window of time, the number of 311 complaints for homelessness increased 781%, according to research from Herring published in the journal American Sociological Review. The number of 911 dispatches for homeless complaints increased 72%.

Those calls weren't associated with any crime, Herring said. Based on how the city of San Francisco records 911 and 311 calls, they were calls just expressing "homeless concern."

Similar patterns exist in other cities, he said.

"While annual HUD statistics are informative, the alarming increase in civic complaints in cities like San Francisco, not linked to criminal activities but rather societal concerns, accentuates the heightened visibility of this challenge," John Brownstein, Ph.D., epidemiologist at Boston Children's Hospital and ABC News contributor, told ABC News.

More people who experience homelessness are living on the streets or unsheltered

The most visible group of people experiencing homelessness are "unsheltered homeless" - people who regularly sleep on the streets, in parks, or in vehicles. "Sheltered homeless," on the other hand, includes people who stay in emergency shelters, transitional housing or other safe havens.

ABC News' analysis shows that the numbers and proportion of people experiencing homelessness who are unsheltered, sometimes called "rough sleepers," has been increasing.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 28: People are gathered at a homeless encampment in the Skid Row community on September 28, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. State and local lawmakers, both Republicans and Democrats, are seeking to overturn lower court decisions which currently block their power to clear encampments with unhoused people. Dozens of leaders, many from Western states including California, have turned to the Supreme Court to overturn the rulings. Skid Row is home to thousands of people who either live on the streets or in shelters. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

"The rise of 'unsheltered homeless' individuals, particularly in states like California, brings to the fore the urgency of the situation," Brownstein said.

Over the past decade, the number of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness has been rising and now accounts for 40.1% of the number of people experiencing homelessness - a historical high compared to 2007 when it reached 39.5%. This is also highly variable across states. For example, California and New York have the highest numbers of people experiencing homelessness in the U.S., but 67% of the unhoused in California were unsheltered in 2022 while 95% of the unhoused in New York were sheltered in 2022, according to HUD estimates.

Kushel says this is likely to play a part in people's perception of homelessness because people experiencing homelessness may be more visible in some cities.

"When I give talks, I say, 'who has more homeless people - New York, or Los Angeles," she says. "Every single person says California or Los Angeles; it seems so obvious to them."

That's because in New York, a bigger portion of the homeless population is sheltered, Kushel says. "They're out of sight."

In 2022, Kushel led the most comprehensive homelessness survey done to date in California. This survey reported nearly 80% of people experiencing homelessness said that they had spent the most time while homeless in the prior six months in unsheltered settings (21% in a vehicle, 57% without a vehicle) and nearly all respondents (90%) reported at least one night in an unsheltered setting in the last six months.

"Such visibility, combined with an increased number of those without shelter, inevitably shifts public perception, underlining the need for multifaceted solutions that address both the root causes and the immediate concerns," Brownstein said.

In addition to more people being unsheltered, more people experiencing homeless are chronically homeless - defined by HUD as continually homeless for a year or more, or with four episodes of homelessness in the past three years.

"Once people become homeless, they stay homeless a really long time," Kushel says.

ABC analysis of HUD data showed 12,768 people were experiencing chronic homelessness in 2022, which is a 47.4% increase in the past five years and a 27.9% increase compared to a decade ago. This now makes up 21% of the population experiencing homelessness, which is a historical high since 2007 when 18.5% of the homeless population experienced chronic homelessness.

Responses to homelessness can also make it more visible

New real estate development in places like San Francisco also contribute to the perception that more people are experiencing homelessness, Herring said.

"Certain areas where unhoused people could exist out of sight, or more safely, or more stably, are being eaten up by development," he said. That development increases the number of workers and commercial businesses in those areas - raising the chances that someone might encounter someone who is unhoused.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 28: A person walks past a homeless encampment in the Skid Row community on September 28, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. State and local lawmakers, both Republicans and Democrats, are seeking to overturn lower court decisions which currently block their power to clear encampments with unhoused people. Dozens of leaders, many from Western states including California, have turned to the Supreme Court to overturn the rulings. Skid Row is home to thousands of people who either live on the streets or in shelters. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Businesses in those areas may be more likely to call 911 or 311 about a person experiencing homelessness. The data sometimes shows daily or weekly calls from the same address, Herring said. That could reflect a security guard calling regularly about a person sleeping nearby, for example, he said.

Increased policing in response to those types of calls, particularly on the West Coast, contributes further to visibility, Herring said. Much of the police response focuses on dispersing people experiencing homelessness and moving them out of certain areas. That forces people to move around more and disrupts sleep, which in turn could exacerbate visible mental health symptoms, he said.

"It could increase problematic behaviors that are more visible," Herring said. "It's different from when someone has a stable camp in a hidden spot."

That visibility creates the impression there are more unhoused people behaving more erratically in U.S cities. However, Herring said that doesn't reflect the underlying numbers - it reflects the changing circumstances that people experiencing homelessness encounter.

Those encounters are also the ones that people remember, and the ones that drive their perception of the underlying problem of homelessness in the US.

"People see the most extreme version of homelessness," Kushel said. "But that doesn't mean that's the extent of the problem."
Dr. Jade A Cobern, M.D., M.P.H., licensed and practicing physician, is a member of the ABC News Medical Unit. Youri Benadjaoud, MPH, ABC News and Benjamin Rader, PhD, Boston's Children's Hospital contributed data analysis.

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Amount of homeless people with mental illness increased slightly in recent years, but experts say they're more visible: Analysis

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There has not been a significant overall rise in the number of people experiencing homelessness over the past decade, according to a new ABC News analysis.

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 Announces $2.8 Billion in Annual Funding to Help People Experiencing Homelessness

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reduced income/decreased work hours: Solution

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reduced income/decreased work hours: Solution

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a multi-year commitment of $2.8 billion annually to support local homelessness efforts

-In California, there is half a billion in fundings put into creating 55,000 housing units and treatment spots

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HUD.gov / U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

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HUD Announces $2.8 Billion in Annual Funding to Help People Experiencing Homelessness

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HUD No. 23-062 HUD Public Affairs (202) 708-0685 FOR RELEASE Tuesday March 28, 2023 HUD ANNOUNCES $2.8 BILLION IN ANNUAL FUNDING TO HELP PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS WASHINGTON - To help individuals and families experiencing homelessness move into permanent housing, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced $2.8 billion in Continuum of Care (CoC) Competition Awards for thousands of local homeless service and housing programs across the United States. The awards, previewed by HUD Secretary Marcia L.

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Hawaii is the most expensive state for living expenses, a new study has found.

According to a report from Doxo, the average US household spends roughly $2,046 per month on bills.

Hawaii residents are paying about 50% above this national average.

Hawaii is the most expensive state when it comes to living expenses, a new study has found.

A report from the online-bill-payment service Doxo said the average US household spends roughly $2,046 a month on bills such as rent, phone payments, and medical insurance. This amounts to about 35% of the annual US household average income of $70,784.

Hawaii residents, however, pay about 50% more than this national average - forking out an average of $3,070 for their monthly expenses. The data shows that Hawaii residents are spending more on things such as rent, even compared to well-known pricey areas such as New York City. Utilities also cost more in Hawaii, an average of $633, while residents in New York pay an average of $384 per month, for comparison.

California, New Jersey, and Massachusetts also ranked high for their costs of living, while New York came in at seventh place, the report said. West Virginia, Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Kentucky were listed as some of the most affordable.

The company focused on 10 of the most common expenses to create the list. They analyzed the cost of mortgages, rent prices, utilities, auto loans, auto insurance, cable and internet, mobile phones, health insurance, alarm and security, and life insurance across states.

Here are the top 10 most expensive US states based on monthly expenses:

1. Hawaii

Monthly bill expenses per household: $3,070

2. California

Monthly bill expenses per household: $2,838

3. New Jersey

Monthly bill expenses per household: $2,727

4. Massachusetts

Monthly bill expenses per household: $2,656

5. Maryland

Monthly bill expenses per household: $2,569

6. Connecticut

Monthly bill expenses per household: $2,504

7. New York

Monthly bill expenses per household: $2,495

8. Washington

Monthly bill expenses per household: $2,468

9. Colorado

Monthly bill expenses per household: $2,413

10. Alaska

Monthly bill expenses per household: $2,335

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The top 10 most expensive states to live in based on living expenses - Hawaii is 50% above the national average

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The most expensive states based on living expenses. Hawaii residents are paying $3,070 for their monthly expenses, 50% more than the national average.