A comprehensive dataset of average residential, commercial, and combined electricity rates in cents per kWh for all 50 U.S. states.

Ireland, Italy, and Germany had some of the highest household electricity prices worldwide, as of March 2025. At the time, Irish households were charged around 0.45 U.S. dollars per kilowatt-hour, while in Italy, the price stood at 0.43 U.S. dollars per kilowatt-hour. By comparison, in Russia, residents paid almost 10 times less. What is behind electricity prices? Electricity prices vary widely across the world and sometimes even within a country itself, depending on factors like infrastructure, geography, and politically determined taxes and levies. For example, in Denmark, Belgium, and Sweden, taxes constitute a significant portion of residential end-user electricity prices. Reliance on fossil fuel imports Meanwhile, thanks to their great crude oil and natural gas production output, countries like Iran, Qatar, and Russia enjoy some of the cheapest electricity prices in the world. Here, the average household pays less than 0.1 U.S. dollars per kilowatt-hour. In contrast, countries heavily reliant on fossil fuel imports for electricity generation are more vulnerable to market price fluctuations.

A table listing the average electricity rates (kWh) of all 50 U.S. states as of August 2025.

The average retail price of electricity for households has risen steadily in the United States, reaching a peak of around 15.98 cents per kilowatt-hour in 2023. In the U.S., electricity prices tend to reflect base overnight costs for power plants, their maintenance, fuel costs, and the operation of power grids. How electricity rates differ across states in the U.S. The price of electricity varies widely across states. Hawaii has continuously had one of the highest rates and Washington one of the lowest. In Hawaii, the power sector is largely reliant on petroleum and diesel generators. Crude oil is a comparatively expensive fuel and prices tend to be volatile, driving up overall electricity prices. Meanwhile, electricity prices are low in states which use hydropower as the main source of electricity, as Washington. In the U.S., costs of electricity are greatly shaped by the primary power source used per state. Maintaining the power grid In addition to primary fuel purchases, the costs required to operate and maintain transmission and distribution systems also impact the prices that a household pays. In 2022, power utilities reported a peak in grid operating expenses, with transmission-related costs reaching 15.9 billion U.S. dollars and almost six billion U.S. dollars invested in distribution networks.

Graph and download economic data for Average Price: Electricity per Kilowatt-Hour in U.S. City Average (APU000072610) from Nov 1978 to Jun 2025 about electricity, energy, retail, price, and USA.

The retail price for electricity in the United States stood at an average of ***** U.S. dollar cents per kilowatt-hour in 2024. This is the highest figure reported in the indicated period. Nevertheless, the U.S. still has one of the lowest electricity prices worldwide. As a major producer of primary energy, energy prices are lower than in countries that are more reliant on imports or impose higher taxes. Regional variations and sector disparities The impact of rising electricity costs across U.S. states is not uniform. Hawaii stands out with the highest household electricity price, reaching a staggering ***** U.S. cents per kilowatt-hour in September 2024. This stark contrast is primarily due to Hawaii's heavy reliance on imported oil for power generation. On the other hand, states like Utah benefit from lower rates, with prices around **** U.S. cents per kilowatt-hour. Regarding U.S. prices by sector, residential customers have borne the brunt of price increases, paying an average of ***** U.S. cents per kilowatt-hour in 2023, significantly more than commercial and industrial sectors. Factors driving price increases Several factors contribute to the upward trend in electricity prices. The integration of renewable energy sources, investments in smart grid technologies, and rising peak demand all play a role. Additionally, the global energy crisis of 2022 and natural disasters affecting power infrastructure have put pressure on the electric utility industry. The close connection between U.S. electricity prices and natural gas markets also influences rates, as domestic prices are affected by higher-paying international markets. Looking ahead, projections suggest a continued increase in electricity prices, with residential rates expected to grow by *** percent in 2024, driven by factors such as increased demand and the ongoing effects of climate change.

In September 2024, industrial electricity prices in the European countries of Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom were among the highest in the world, at around **** U.S. dollars per kilowatt-hour. Singapore was the Asian country with the highest electricity bill worldwide at that time. Lowest electricity prices in the world The average retail electricity price in the United States was considerably lower than in most of Europe. Iceland was the European country with one of the lowest electricity bills for enterprises that month. At the bottom of the ranking were also Russia, Iraq, Qatar, Argentina, and Libya. In these countries, commercial electricity prices amounted to less than *** U.S. dollars per kilowatt-hour. Household electricity prices In addition, European countries had the highest household electricity prices worldwide that month, with Italy at the top of the ranking. By comparison, Iran and Ethiopia had the lowest residential electricity prices in the world.

As of December 2024, Guatemala had the highest household electricity price among Latin American countries, with an average of **** U.S. dollars per kilowatt-hour. Argentina reported the lowest rate among the countries displayed, at less than **** U.S. dollars per kilowatt-hour. Electricity prices across the American continent Electricity prices vary considerably across the American continent. The Caribbean country of Jamaica accounted for the highest household electricity price on the continent, after Guatemala and Uruguay, at **** U.S. dollars per kilowatt-hour. In comparison, the residential electricity price in the United States amounted to approximately **** U.S. dollars per kilowatt-hour, like in Brazil. Global electricity prices After recovering from the global energy crisis, global electricity prices fell in most countries worldwide. The wildest price spikes occurred in countries that heavily rely on fossil fuels and energy imports, like the European countries. In some cases, price caps set by governmental institutions kept domestic electricity prices under a certain threshold, such as in Brazil.

Electricity prices for industries in the United States increased over the past few years, peaking in summer 2022. Industrial electricity prices amounted to **** U.S. cents per kilowatt-hour in May 2024, up from **** U.S. dollar cents per kilowatt-hour the previous month. The average retail electricity price for industrial consumers in the United States stood at **** U.S. dollar cents per kilowatt-hour in 2023.

In 2024, the retail price of electricity for residential customers in the United States averaged 16.48 U.S. cents per kilowatt-hour. Households are charged more than the commercial and industrial sectors, because of the higher distribution costs. Since 2020, electricity customers have seen electricity prices increase in the U.S. and peak in 2024. The U.S. electricity market The U.S. electricity market is led by several types of electricity providers, such as cooperatives, municipal systems, and shareholder-owned electric utilities. In 2022, cooperatives were the most common type of ownership in the U.S., with more than 600 providers. That year, the U.S. electric utility industry revenue amounted to 488 billion U.S. dollars. Electricity prices around the world Electricity prices vary widely from country to country, depending on energy sources used, as well as government and industry subsidies and regulations. In 2023, Ireland and the United Kingdom had some of the highest household electricity prices worldwide. Meanwhile, U.S. households paid some of the lowest prices. However, leading oil and gas-producing regions such as the Middle East registered the cheapest rates overall.

Rooftop solar photovoltaic installations on residential buildings and nuclear power have the highest unsubsidized levelized costs of energy generation in the United States. If it wasn't for federal and state subsidies, rooftop solar PV would come with a price tag between *** and *** U.S. dollars per megawatt-hour. Rooftop installations have a higher levelized cost range due to their relatively small capacity when compared with utility-scale power plant facilities. LCOE for solar PV Levelized cost of electricity or energy generation (LCOE) is a measure used to compare cost efficiency of different electricity generating technologies. It describes the average expense of building and maintaining a power plant divided by its total power output over the facility’s lifetime. The global levelized cost of electricity for solar PV averaged **** U.S. dollars per kilowatt-hour in 2023. The economic viability of solar PV installations is dependent on a variety of factors largely centering around topography and the predominant weather pattern at the installation site. In regions with high sunshine duration, installing solar PV would come with lower LCOE’s as electricity production may be higher. As countries may stretch across highly variable topography and even across climate zones, solar PV LCOE may also vary greatly within a country. The U.S. has some of the lowest LCOE’s for utility-scale solar PV. Capital costs by energy technology In terms of capital costs – the one-time expense arising from the purchase of land, construction material, and building of the power plant for new power plants expected to come live in 2028, offshore wind power is the most expensive in the United States. It had an estimated levelized capital costs of roughly **** U.S. dollars per megawatt-hour as of March 2023. Capital costs for solar PV are comparatively low.

This statistic represents the projected capital costs of a typical nuclear power plant in the United States in 2008, 2010 and 2050. In 2008, the capital costs of a nuclear power plant amounted to around 6,230 U.S. dollars per kilowatt hour.

Industrial consumers of electricity in the United States paid an average of 8.15 U.S. dollar cents per kilowatt-hour in 2024. This was an increase compared to the previous year, when prices peaked at 8.3 U.S. dollar cents per kilowatt-hour. Prices are forecast to increase further to 8.32 U.S. dollar cents per kilowatt-hour by the end of 2025.

IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ DISCLAIMER BEFORE USING DATA. To reduce the energy burden on income-qualified households within New York State, NYSERDA offers the EmPower New York (EmPower) program, a retrofit program that provides cost-effective electric reduction measures (i.e., primarily lighting and refrigerator replacements), and cost-effective home performance measures (i.e., insulation air sealing, heating system repair and replacments, and health and safety measures) to income qualified homeowners and renters. Home assessments and implementation services are provided by Building Performance Institute (BPI) Goldstar contractors to reduce energy use for low income households. This data set includes energy efficiency projects completed since January 2018 for households with income up to 60% area (county) median income.

D I S C L A I M E R: Estimated Annual kWh Savings, Estimated Annual MMBtu Savings, and First Year Energy Savings $ Estimate represent contractor reported savings derived from energy modeling software calculations and not actual realized energy savings. The accuracy of the Estimated Annual kWh Savings and Estimated Annual MMBtu Savings for projects has been evaluated by an independent third party. The results of the impact analysis indicate that, on average, actual savings amount to 54 percent of the Estimated Annual kWh Savings and 70 percent of the Estimated Annual MMBtu Savings. The analysis did not evaluate every single project, but rather a sample of projects from 2007 and 2008, so the results are applicable to the population on average but not necessarily to any individual project which could have over or under achieved in comparison to the evaluated savings. The results from the impact analysis will be updated when more recent information is available. Some reasons individual households may realize savings different from those projected include, but are not limited to, changes in the number or needs of household members, changes in occupancy schedules, changes in energy usage behaviors, changes to appliances and electronics installed in the home, and beginning or ending a home business. For more information, please refer to the Evaluation Report published on NYSERDA’s website at: https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/-/media/Files/Publications/PPSER/Program-Evaluation/2012ContractorReports/2012-EmPower-New-York-Impact-Report.pdf.

This dataset includes the following data points for projects completed after January 1, 2018: Reporting Period, Project ID, Project County, Project City, Project ZIP, Gas Utility, Electric Utility, Project Completion Date, Total Project Cost (USD), Pre-Retrofit Home Heating Fuel Type, Year Home Built, Size of Home, Number of Units, Job Type, Type of Dwelling, Measure Type, Estimated Annual kWh Savings, Estimated Annual MMBtu Savings, First Year Modeled Energy Savings $ Estimate (USD).

How does your organization use this dataset? What other NYSERDA or energy-related datasets would you like to see on Open NY? Let us know by emailing OpenNY@nyserda.ny.gov.

IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ DISCLAIMER BEFORE USING DATA. The Residential Existing Homes Program is a market transformation program that uses Building Performance Institute (BPI) Goldstar contractors to install comprehensive energy-efficient improvements. The program is designed to use building science and a whole-house approach to reduce energy use in the State’s existing one-to-four family and low-rise multifamily residential buildings and capture heating fuel and electricity-related savings. The Program provides income-based incentives, including an assisted subsidy for households with income up to 80% of the State or Median County Income, whichever is higher to install eligible energy efficiency improvements including building shell measures, high efficiency heating and cooling measures, ENERGY STAR appliances and lighting. D I S C L A I M E R: Estimated Annual kWh Savings, Estimated Annual MMBtu Savings, and First Year Energy Savings $ Estimate represent contractor reported savings derived from energy modeling software calculations and not actual realized energy savings. The accuracy of the Estimated Annual kWh Savings and Estimated Annual MMBtu Savings for projects has been evaluated by an independent third party. The results of the impact analysis indicate that, on average, actual savings amount to 35 percent of the Estimated Annual kWh Savings and 65 percent of the Estimated Annual MMBtu Savings. The analysis did not evaluate every single project, but rather a sample of projects from 2007 and 2008, so the results are applicable to the population on average but not necessarily to any individual project which could have over or under achieved in comparison to the evaluated savings. The results from the impact analysis will be updated when more recent information is available. Many factors influence the degree to which estimated savings are realized, including proper calibration of the savings model and the savings algorithms used in the modeling software. Some reasons individual households may realize savings different from those projected include, but are not limited to, changes in the number or needs of household members, changes in occupancy schedules, changes in energy usage behaviors, changes to appliances and electronics installed in the home, and beginning or ending a home business. Beginning November 2017, the Program requires the use of HPXML-compliant modeling software tools and data quality protocols have been implemented to more accurately project savings. For more information, please refer to the Evaluation Report published on NYSERDA’s website at: http://www.nyserda.ny.gov/-/media/Files/Publications/PPSER/Program-Evaluation/2012ContractorReports/2012-HPwES-Impact-Report-with-Appendices.pdf. The New York Residential Existing Homes (One to Four Units) dataset includes the following data points for projects completed during Green Jobs Green-NY, beginning November 15, 2010: Home Performance Project ID, Home Performance Site ID, Project County, Project City, Project Zip, Gas Utility, Electric Utility, Project Completion Date, Customer Type, Low-Rise or Home Performance Indicator, Total Project Cost (USD), Total Incentives (USD), Type of Program Financing, Amount Financed Through Program (USD), Pre-Retrofit Home Heating Fuel Type, Year Home Built, Size of Home, Volume of Home, Number of Units, Measure Type, Estimated Annual kWh Savings, Estimated Annual MMBtu Savings, First Year Energy Savings $ Estimate (USD), Homeowner Received Green Jobs-Green NY Free/Reduced Cost Audit (Y/N). How does your organization use this dataset? What other NYSERDA or energy-related datasets would you like to see on Open NY? Let us know by emailing OpenNY@nyserda.ny.gov.

As of the second quarter of 2025, Australia had the highest average electricity price for households in the Asia-Pacific region, at about **** U.S. dollars per kilowatt-hour. Singapore had the second-highest average electricity price, with households paying around **** U.S. dollars per kilowatt-hour.

Power plant construction is the highest contributor to the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) for geothermal power worldwide, accounting for roughly 35 percent. Other substantial components include drilling, steamfield development, operations, and maintenance. In 2023, the global average LCOE of geothermal energy was 0.07 U.S. dollars per kilowatt hour.

Between 2010 and 2023, the average installed cost of photovoltaics worldwide declined steadily due to the widespread availability of materials, which reduced production expenses. In 2023, the average installed cost of solar PV systems stood at 758 U.S. dollars per kilowatt. Likewise, the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) for solar photovoltaics has seen a similar trend over the past decade. Solar photovoltaic technology Solar cells, also known as photovoltaic (PV) cells, can absorb sunlight and convert it into electrical energy. They are made of different semiconductor materials with specific characteristics. Silicon as the primary semiconductor has a maximum theoretical efficiency at around 32 percent, this has prompted researching new materials and designs to enhance PV performance. Currently, China is by far the leading producer of solar PV modules across the globe. Solar PV energy worldwide In 2023, solar PV accounted for 5.5 percent of the global electricity generation, with the renewables being dominated by hydropower. Despite fossil fuels remaining as the largest contributor to electricity generation representing some 60 percent of the global share, renewable sources are projected to grow in the following years, accounting for more than half of the world’s power generation by 2050.

In the United States, new battery energy storage systems and nuclear plants starting operations in 2030 had the highest estimated levelized capital costs in the country, as of 2024 calculations. Battery storage had capital costs of 90.8 U.S. dollars per megawatt-hour, while advanced nuclear plants had an estimated cost of 70.9 dollars per megawatt-hour. The preliminary phase of power plant construction is characterized by capital costs.

What are levelized capital costs? The levelized cost of energy (or LCOE) is a comparative indication of the financial viability of different forms of energy over a system’s lifetime. Capital costs are the one-time expenses of acquiring the land, equipment, and construction resources to start a project. A decrease in the cost of renewable energy technologies over the past decades was an important factor in the rapid expansion of these technologies. For example, the cost of solar PV electricity worldwide declined by more than 90 percent between 2010 and 2023. Harvesting wind from the sea Despite the higher capital costs of building wind turbines in bodies of water, the high economic potential for fixed-bottom and floating offshore wind technologies is nevertheless predicted off the Atlantic coast, particularly in New England. While U.S. investors and politicians have been relatively skeptical towards the establishment of offshore wind farms in the past, the Biden administration strengthened the offshore wind energy sector. As of 2024, the offshore wind capacity pipeline in the U.S. stood at more than 80 gigawatts.

Electricity production from combined-cycle gas turbines had the lowest average levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) in the United States as of the end of 2023, ranging between ** and ** nominal U.S. dollars per megawatt-hour. The LCOE of onshore wind power production could reach a minimum of ** nominal U.S. dollars per megawatt-hour.