The average retail price of electricity for households has risen steadily in the United States, reaching a peak of around 16.48 cents per kilowatt-hour in 2024. 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 2023, power utilities reported a peak in grid operating expenses, with transmission-related costs reaching 15.8 billion U.S. dollars and 6.4 billion U.S. dollars invested in distribution networks.

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.

This dataset, compiled by NREL using data from ABB, the Velocity Suite (http://energymarketintel.com/) and the U.S. Energy Information Administration dataset 861 (http://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/eia861/), provides average residential, commercial and industrial electricity rates with likely zip codes for both investor owned utilities (IOU) and non-investor owned utilities. Note: the files include average rates for each utility (not average rates per zip code), but not the detailed rate structure data found in the OpenEI U.S. Utility Rate Database (https://openei.org/apps/USURDB/).

The retail price for electricity in the United States stood at an average of 12.99 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 41.27 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 11.4 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 15.98 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 two percent in 2024, driven by factors such as increased demand and the ongoing effects of climate change.

In 2023, Hawaiian residents paid around 113.17 U.S. dollars per million British thermal unit for electricity, by far the highest price in the country. This was significantly more than electricity prices in California that year, which was the second most expensive U.S. state for electricity purchases. Electricity prices across economic sectors in the U.S. Residential customers in the U.S. paid the highest electricity prices compared to the other economic sectors. This commodity price in the state of Hawaii was over 25 U.S. dollar cents per kilowatt-hour above the national average of 17 U.S. dollar cents per kilowatt-hour. By comparison, the price of electricity for the industrial and the commercial sectors was considerably lower. Electricity sources in the U.S. In 2023, most of the electricity generated in the U.S. came from natural gas, with the country being a leading global producer. Due to its autonomous power sector, the U.S. experienced a relatively smaller impact on electricity prices from the 2022 energy crisis compared to other nations, particularly those in Europe. By comparison, Hawaii’s high electricity prices are a consequence of the island state’s reliance on imported oil for its power generation.

This dataset provides values for ELECTRICITY PRICE reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

Graph and download economic data for Average Price: Electricity per Kilowatt-Hour in the Northeast Census Region - Urban (APU010072610) from Nov 1978 to Sep 2025 about electricity, energy, retail, price, and USA.

Electricity Prices: U.S. vs Hawaii (Source: EIA)

United States - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Electricity in U.S. City Average was 280.04000 Index 1982-84=100 in July of 2024, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Electricity in U.S. City Average reached a record high of 280.04000 in July of 2024 and a record low of 101.90000 in January of 1984. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Electricity in U.S. City Average - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on September of 2025.

United States EIA Forecast: Electricity Price: Retail: Commercial Sector data was reported at 10.525 0.01 USD/kWh in Dec 2019. This records a decrease from the previous number of 10.693 0.01 USD/kWh for Nov 2019. United States EIA Forecast: Electricity Price: Retail: Commercial Sector data is updated monthly, averaging 10.623 0.01 USD/kWh from Mar 2016 (Median) to Dec 2019, with 46 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 11.168 0.01 USD/kWh in Sep 2019 and a record low of 9.844 0.01 USD/kWh in Jan 2017. United States EIA Forecast: Electricity Price: Retail: Commercial Sector data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Energy Information Administration. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.P003: Energy Price: Forecast: Energy Information Administration.

Annual data on the average price of retail electricity to consumers. Data organized by U.S. state and by provider, i.e., total electric industry, full-service providers, restructured retail service providers, energy-only providers, and delivery-only service. Annual time series extend back to 1990. Based on Form EIA-861 data.

United States EIA Forecast: Electricity Price: Retail: Residential Sector data was reported at 13.027 0.01 USD/kWh in Dec 2019. This records a decrease from the previous number of 13.488 0.01 USD/kWh for Nov 2019. United States EIA Forecast: Electricity Price: Retail: Residential Sector data is updated monthly, averaging 13.050 0.01 USD/kWh from Mar 2016 (Median) to Dec 2019, with 46 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 13.716 0.01 USD/kWh in Sep 2019 and a record low of 12.002 0.01 USD/kWh in Jan 2017. United States EIA Forecast: Electricity Price: Retail: Residential Sector data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Energy Information Administration. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.P003: Energy Price: Forecast: Energy Information Administration.

A dataset containing the average annual commercial electricity rates, in cents per kWh, for all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia from 1990 to 2024. Data is compiled from individual utility filings.

This dataset provides values for ELECTRICITY PRICE. reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

This dataset presents a unified, cross-continental time-series day-ahead electricity prices compiled from major wholesale markets across Asia, Europe, North America, South America, and Oceania. The dataset offers a standardized format that supports time-series forecasting and enables robust comparative analysis across diverse global electricity markets.

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.

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.

Graph and download economic data for Average Price: Electricity per Kilowatt-Hour in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA (CBSA) (APUS49A72610) from Nov 1978 to Dec 2024 about Los Angeles, electricity, energy, urban, CA, retail, price, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Average Price: Electricity per Kilowatt-Hour in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI (CBSA) (APUS23A72610) from Nov 1978 to Dec 2024 about Chicago, electricity, energy, WI, IN, IL, urban, retail, price, and USA.