Hidden costs of homeownership by state!

Hey, where's the data from NY? They're hiding something. I bet this has something to do with Epstein!

Why owning a home in Illinois costs more in 2025

By Justin Kaufmann and Sami Sparber

Axios News, July 16th, 2025

A map of the U.S. showing the estimated annual "hidden" homeownership costs for single-family homes in 2025. These costs include property taxes, insurance, maintenance and utility fees. The states with the highest costs are Hawai

Data: Bankrate; Map: Jacque Schrag/Axios

Homeowners in Illinois spend an average of $19,471 a year on upkeep and other "hidden expenses," according to a Bankrate study.

Why it matters: Overlooked costs, beyond mortgage payments, can surprise unprepared homeowners.

Zoom out: Across the U.S., the average annual cost of these hidden expenses for a single-family home is $21,400 this year.

That sum includes property taxes, insurance, utilities/energy, internet/cable and maintenance.

By the numbers: According to the report, the Illinois homeowner averages $6,243 a year in property taxes, $5,710 in maintenance, $2,140 in home insurance, $4,134 in utilities and $1,515 in internet.

Reality check: These are numbers for the entire state. For Chicago and some surrounding suburbs, these costs are much higher.