A new report and analysis of consumer credit data by The Century Foundation (TCF) and Protect Borrowers reveals that rising energy and utility costs are pushing families deeper and deeper into debt, fueled by poorly regulated utility monopolies, the explosion of AI data centers, and President Trump’s policies that have jacked up Americans’ utility bills.
The analysis finds that, since 2022, the average overdue balance on utility bills climbed from $597 to $789—a 32 percent increase. Nearly 1 in 20 households, or 14 million Americans, have utility debt so severe that it was sent or soon will be sent to collections. Across the Atlantic coast and in parts of the Midwest, overdue utility balances total more than $1,500 on average—debts that can mushroom through interest and penalties, and are disproportionately carried by Black, Asian, and subprime households.
TCF and Protect Borrowers also released state fact sheets that provide a glimpse into the growing utility debt crisis in each state.
Read the Report and Analysis: Fueling Debt: How Rising Utility Costs Are Overwhelming American Families
View the Fact Sheets: See here
Read the Press Release: NEW DATA: 14 Million Americans Face Severely Delinquent Utility Debt Due to Rising Energy Costs, Putting Families At Risk Ahead of Winter