While living in Burke, one unavoidable living expense is utilities.

At first, I only thought about big expenses like rent, home prices, and car insurance, thinking how much could the electricity bill really be?

However, after spending my first summer here, my perspective changed a bit.

Summers in Burke make it hard to get by without air conditioning. It's hot and humid outside, and once you come home, the air conditioning runs all day, leading to a moment of pause when you see the bill from the electric company.

According to EnergySage data, the average electricity bill for homes in Burke is about $200 per month. This figure is based on an average usage of around 1,477 kWh per month, with electricity priced at about 14 cents per kWh.

While $200 a month may not seem like much, that adds up to $2,400 a year.

Still, compared to the national average annual electricity costs, Burke isn't particularly expensive. The issue is that the average doesn't guarantee what your bill will be.

Especially from June to August, the difference can be significant depending on how much you run the air conditioning.

If you live in an old single-family home with poor insulation, you might find yourself wondering, "If the average is $200, why is my bill so high?" Conversely, a relatively small apartment or an energy-efficient home might have much lower costs.

When winter comes, gas bills become a factor.

Many homes in Burke use natural gas for heating, which can add around $100 a month in gas costs during the winter. In colder months, some homes can see combined electricity and gas bills exceeding $300.

Ultimately, in summer, air conditioning costs add up, while in winter, heating costs do the same.

Spring and fall are the saving grace.

During months when you can open the windows and hardly use either air conditioning or heating, the bills noticeably drop. It's a nice feeling, even if you haven't saved anything; it feels like the weather is making you money.

So, when looking for a home in Burke, you can't just focus on the rent.

If you're excited about a place that's $100 cheaper in rent but has old windows and poor insulation, resulting in an extra $100 in heating and cooling costs each month, it's essentially the same.

When viewing a home, it's good to ask how old the HVAC system is, whether the windows are double-pane, and whether the heating is gas or electric.

Having lived in Burke, I've found that living expenses can differ significantly in these small numbers rather than just the big ones.

Rent is a one-time shock at signing, while the electricity bill surprises you a little each month.

In the end, to accurately calculate living expenses in Burke, it's wise to add a little note next to the rent.

'Electricity + gas, don't let your guard down by season.'