Alaska, Hawaii, and Connecticut were the states with the highest average monthly utility costs in the United States in 2023. Residents paid about ****** U.S. dollars for their electricity bills in Hawaii, while the average monthly bill for natural gas came to *** U.S. dollars. This was significantly higher than in any other state. Bigger homes have higher utility costs Despite regional variations, single-family homes in the United States have grown bigger in size since 1975. This trend also means that, unless homeowners invest in energy savings measures, they will have to pay more for their utility costs. Which are the most affordable states to live in? According to the cost of living index, the three most affordable states to live in are Mississippi, Kansas, and Oklahoma. At the other end of the scale are Hawaii, District of Columbia, and New York. The index is based on housing, utilities, grocery items, transportation, health care, and miscellaneous goods and services. To buy a median priced home in Kansas City, a prospective home buyer will have to earn an annual salary of about ****** U.S. dollars.

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

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.

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

Hawaii is the state with the highest household electricity price in the United States. In February 2025, the average retail price of electricity for Hawaiian residences amounted to 41.11 U.S. cents per kilowatt-hour. California followed in second, with 32.41 U.S. cents per kilowatt-hour. Meanwhile, Utah registered the lowest price in the period, at around 12.41 U.S. cents per kilowatt-hour. Why is electricity so expensive in Hawaii? Fossil fuels, and specifically oil, account for approximately 80 percent of Hawaii’s electricity mix, so the electricity price in this state can be roughly brought down to the price of oil in the country. Oil was by far the most expensive fossil fuel used for electricity generation in the country. As Hawaii depends on oil imports, the cost of transportation and infrastructure must be added to the oil price. Electricity prices worldwide The U.S. retail price for electricity increased almost every year since 1990. In 2024, it stood at 13 U.S. cents per kilowatt-hour, almost double the charge put on electricity back in 1990. However, household electricity prices are around 25 U.S. dollar cents per kilowatt-hour lower in the U.S. when compared to European countries reliant on energy imports, such as Germany and Italy.

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

In 2022, industrial electricity prices were highest in the state of Hawaii, located offshore the Pacific coast of the United States. In Hawaii, electricity prices for industries amounted to ***** U.S. dollar cents per kilowatt-hour that year. Alaska, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts followed with roughly ** U.S. dollar cents per kilowatt-hour each. Hawaii accounted for the highest residential electricity price in the U.S., as well.

The state of Wyoming recorded the highest monthly energy price in 2024, amounting to ***** U.S. dollars. More expensive bills were due to the freezing winters faced by more northern states, as well as population distributed across rural areas with fewer heating options. Arizona and New Mexico have the lowest energy costs in the U.S., at *** U.S. dollars and *** U.S. dollars, respectively.

State-level data on all energy sources. Data on production, consumption, reserves, stocks, prices, imports, and exports. Data are collated from state-specific data reported elsewhere on the EIA website and are the most recent values available. Data on U.S. territories also available.

Graph and download economic data for Unit Labor Costs for Utilities: Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (NAICS 2211) in the United States (IPUCN2211U101000000) from 1988 to 2024 about power transmission, distributive, unit labor cost, utilities, electricity, NAICS, and USA.

This dataset presents statistics for Utilities: Cost of Purchased Electricity for Resale by Utilities for the U.S.

Typical average monthly electric bills for residential, commercial and industrial customers.

-Residential customer bills are computed for usages of 0, 250, 500, 750, 3000, and 5000 KWH. -Commercial customer bills are computed demands, load factors and usages of: - 10 KW, 20%, and 1440 KWH - 10 KW, 30%, and 2160 KWH - 50 KW, 25%, and 9000 KWH - 50 KW, 35%, and 12600 KWH - 250 KW, 30%, and 54000 KWH - 250 KW, 50%, and 9000 KWH -Industrial customer bills are computed demands, load factors and usages of: - 500 KW, 40%, and 144000 KWH - 2000 KW, 50%, and 720000 KWH - 10000 KW, 65%, and 4680000 KWH

Graph and download economic data for Unit Labor Costs for Utilities: Water, Sewage and Other Systems (NAICS 2213) in the United States (IPUCN2213U100000000) from 1987 to 2024 about waste, water, unit labor cost, utilities, NAICS, and USA.

This spreadsheet contains information reported by over 200 investor-owned utilities to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in the annual filing FERC Form 1 for the years 1994-2019. It contains 1) annual capital costs for new transmission, distribution, and administrative infrastructure; 2) annual operation and maintenance costs for transmission, distribution, and utility business administration; 3) total annual MWh sales and sales by customer class; 4) annual peak demand in MW; and 5) total customer count and the number of customers by class.

Annual spending on new capital infrastructure is read from pages 204 to 207 of FERC Form 1, titled Electric Plant in Service. Annual transmission capital additions are recorded from Line 58, Column C - Total Transmission Plant Additions. Likewise, annual distribution capital additions are recorded from Line 75, Column C - Total Distribution Plant Additions. Administrative capital additions are recorded from Line 5, Column C - Total Intangible Plant Additions, and Line 99, Column C - Total General Plant Additions.

Operation and maintenance costs associated with transmission, distribution, and utility administration are read from pages 320 to 323 of FERC Form 1, titled Electric Operation and Maintenance Expenses. Annual transmission operation and maintenance are recorded from Line 99, Column B - Total Transmission Operation Expenses for Current Year, and Line 111, Column B - Total Transmission Maintenance Expenses for Current Year. Likewise, annual distribution operation and maintenance costs are recorded from Line 144, Column B - Total Distribution Operation Expenses, and Line 155, Column B - Total Distribution Maintenance Expenses. Administrative operation and maintenance costs are recorded from: Line 164, Column B - Total Customers Accounts Expenses; Line 171, Column B - Total Customer Service and Information Expenses; Line 178, Column B - Total Sales Expenses; and Line 197, Column B - Total Administrative and General Expenses.

The annual peak demand in MW over the year is read from page 401, titled Monthly Peaks and Output. The monthly peak demand is listed in Lines 29 to 40, Column D. The maximum of these monthly reports during each year is taken as the annual peak demand in MW. The annual energy sales and customer count data come from page 300, Electric Operating Revenues. The values are provided in Line 2 - Residential Sales, Line 4 - Commercial Sales, Line 5 - Industrial Sales, and Line 10 - Total Sales to Ultimate Consumers.

More information about the database is available in an associated report published by the University of Texas at Austin Energy Institute: https://live-energy-institute.pantheonsite.io/sites/default/files/UTAustin_FCe_TDA_2016.pdf

Also see an associated paper published in the journal Energy Policy:

Fares, Robert L., and Carey W. King. "Trends in transmission, distribution, and administration costs for US investor-owned electric utilities." Energy Policy 105 (2017): 354-362. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2017.02.036

All data come from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission FERC Form 1 Database available in Microsoft Visual FoxPro Format: https://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/forms/form-1/data.asp

West Virginia and Kansas had the lowest cost of living across all U.S. states, with composite costs being half of those found in Hawaii. This was according to a composite index that compares prices for various goods and services on a state-by-state basis. In West Virginia, the cost of living index amounted to **** — well below the national benchmark of 100. Virginia— which had an index value of ***** — was only slightly above that benchmark. Expensive places to live included Hawaii, Massachusetts, and California. Housing costs in the U.S. Housing is usually the highest expense in a household’s budget. In 2023, the average house sold for approximately ******* U.S. dollars, but house prices in the Northeast and West regions were significantly higher. Conversely, the South had some of the least expensive housing. In West Virginia, Mississippi, and Louisiana, the median price of the typical single-family home was less than ******* U.S. dollars. That makes living expenses in these states significantly lower than in states such as Hawaii and California, where housing is much pricier. What other expenses affect the cost of living? Utility costs such as electricity, natural gas, water, and internet also influence the cost of living. In Alaska, Hawaii, and Connecticut, the average monthly utility cost exceeded *** U.S. dollars. That was because of the significantly higher prices for electricity and natural gas in these states.

United States Electric Retail Price: Sold by Electric Utilities: Avg: Residential data was reported at 12.890 USD/kWh in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 12.550 USD/kWh for 2016. United States Electric Retail Price: Sold by Electric Utilities: Avg: Residential data is updated yearly, averaging 7.565 USD/kWh from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 12.890 USD/kWh in 2017 and a record low of 2.200 USD/kWh in 1970. United States Electric Retail Price: Sold by Electric Utilities: Avg: Residential 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.P011: Electricity Price.

Graph and download economic data for Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Electricity in U.S. City Average (CUSR0000SEHF01) from Jan 1952 to Jul 2025 about electricity, urban, consumer, CPI, price index, indexes, price, and USA.

United States Electricity: Average Retail Price: EIA: Residential data was reported at 13.300 0.01 USD/kWh in Aug 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 13.130 0.01 USD/kWh for Jul 2018. United States Electricity: Average Retail Price: EIA: Residential data is updated monthly, averaging 8.590 0.01 USD/kWh from Jul 1976 (Median) to Aug 2018, with 434 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 13.300 0.01 USD/kWh in Aug 2018 and a record low of 3.600 0.01 USD/kWh in Jan 1977. United States Electricity: Average Retail Price: EIA: Residential 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.P002: Energy Price.

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.

Cost Of Electricity For State Agencies