“A new study by LendingTree found that more than a third of Americans have reduced their spending or skipped household necessities at least once in the past year to pay for utility bills.

LendingTree cited the U.S. Census Bureau, reporting that electricity bills have increased by 2.6%, leaving 23.4% unable to pay part or all of their energy bills and 22.8% keeping their homes at an unhealthy or unsafe temperature.

Eight of the top 11 states with the highest percentage of residents struggling to pay energy bills are in the South, with Mississippi, Alabama, and Oklahoma leading in the number of people cutting essential expenses.

Connecticut, Arizona, and Texas had the highest average monthly electricity bills in the nation. See where your state ranks here.”

-Courtesy of FlyoverNC