What the average electricity rate means
The prices here are the U.S. Energy Information Administration's average residential price for each state: everything residential customers paid their utilities divided by the kWh they used. That spreads delivery charges and the fixed monthly customer charge over every kWh, so it lands close to your all-in rate — your total bill divided by the kWh on it. For August 2026 the U.S. average was 18.16¢, and 18.19¢ for Jan–Aug 2026, up 6.8% on the same months of 2025.
Example: a home using 1,000 kWh in a month at the U.S. average of 18.19¢ pays about $181.90. The same month costs $127.20 in Nevada and $471.80 in Hawaii.
Electricity rates by state, August 2026
| State | August 2026 | Jan–Aug 2026 | vs 2025 YTD | Avg use (kWh/mo) | Bill at avg use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 47.18¢ | 46.41¢ | +14.7% | 511 | $237 |
| Maine | 32.11¢ | 30.23¢ | +10% | 532 | $161 |
| Massachusetts | 30.48¢ | 30.19¢ | −0.1% | 600 | $181 |
| California | 29.75¢ | 32.58¢ | +4.7% | 480 | $156 |
| Alaska | 29.41¢ | 27.32¢ | +4.8% | 564 | $154 |
| New York | 28.65¢ | 29.26¢ | +12.1% | 586 | $171 |
| Rhode Island | 28.18¢ | 29.05¢ | −0.1% | 562 | $163 |
| New Hampshire | 27.64¢ | 26.91¢ | +15% | 639 | $172 |
| District of Columbia | 25.98¢ | 24.86¢ | +17.2% | 639 | $159 |
| New Jersey | 24.61¢ | 24.09¢ | +7.9% | 664 | $160 |
| Connecticut | 24.51¢ | 27.47¢ | −9.1% | 705 | $194 |
| Vermont | 23.84¢ | 23.93¢ | +7.3% | 594 | $142 |
| Michigan | 22.99¢ | 21.73¢ | +9% | 634 | $138 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.77¢ | 21.13¢ | +12% | 842 | $178 |
| Maryland | 21.4¢ | 21.31¢ | +12.6% | 948 | $202 |
| Wisconsin | 19.41¢ | 19.05¢ | +5.7% | 666 | $127 |
| Ohio | 19.38¢ | 18.81¢ | +13% | 883 | $166 |
| Illinois | 19.32¢ | 19.23¢ | +10.3% | 722 | $139 |
| Delaware | 18.7¢ | 17.98¢ | +7.1% | 932 | $168 |
| Virginia | 17.64¢ | 16.95¢ | +13% | 1,067 | $181 |
| Minnesota | 17.2¢ | 16.44¢ | +4.2% | 742 | $122 |
| Colorado | 17.17¢ | 16.8¢ | +8.6% | 678 | $114 |
| Iowa | 17.06¢ | 14.55¢ | +6% | 857 | $125 |
| Indiana | 17.02¢ | 17.04¢ | +8.6% | 957 | $163 |
| New Mexico | 16.51¢ | 15.34¢ | +4.5% | 654 | $100 |
| Alabama | 16.33¢ | 16.51¢ | +3.1% | 1,152 | $190 |
| West Virginia | 16.31¢ | 15.58¢ | +1.4% | 1,073 | $167 |
| Missouri | 16.02¢ | 14.28¢ | +7.2% | 1,063 | $152 |
| Oregon | 15.92¢ | 15.46¢ | +0.6% | 873 | $135 |
| Texas | 15.91¢ | 16.03¢ | +5.6% | 1,118 | $179 |
| Georgia | 15.9¢ | 15.48¢ | +4.2% | 1,091 | $169 |
| South Carolina | 15.76¢ | 15.9¢ | +6.1% | 1,075 | $171 |
| Montana | 15.57¢ | 14.13¢ | +10.7% | 853 | $121 |
| Kansas | 15.47¢ | 15.26¢ | +6.9% | 880 | $134 |
| South Dakota | 15.15¢ | 14.58¢ | +10.5% | 1,005 | $147 |
| Arizona | 15.05¢ | 15.36¢ | +1.2% | 1,030 | $158 |
| Florida | 14.99¢ | 15.32¢ | +1.9% | 1,099 | $168 |
| North Carolina | 14.95¢ | 14.94¢ | +8.2% | 1,043 | $156 |
| Oklahoma | 14.82¢ | 13.81¢ | +6.6% | 1,071 | $148 |
| Washington | 14.63¢ | 14.42¢ | +11.7% | 954 | $138 |
| Mississippi | 14.43¢ | 15.06¢ | +8.6% | 1,183 | $178 |
| Wyoming | 14.43¢ | 14.01¢ | +7.1% | 850 | $119 |
| Arkansas | 14.37¢ | 13.74¢ | +7.8% | 1,074 | $148 |
| Kentucky | 13.8¢ | 14.2¢ | +8.9% | 1,131 | $161 |
| Nebraska | 13.54¢ | 12.92¢ | +8.2% | 970 | $125 |
| Tennessee | 13.42¢ | 13.8¢ | +4.2% | 1,217 | $168 |
| Idaho | 13.37¢ | 13.02¢ | +11.8% | 933 | $121 |
| North Dakota | 13.31¢ | 12.46¢ | +6.8% | 1,073 | $134 |
| Utah | 13.31¢ | 13.19¢ | +2.7% | 777 | $102 |
| Louisiana | 12.87¢ | 13.27¢ | +5.8% | 1,228 | $163 |
| Nevada | 12.72¢ | 13.36¢ | +2% | 870 | $116 |
Sorted from most to least expensive in August 2026. Average use is EIA's 2025 figure per residential customer; the bill column prices it at the Jan–Aug 2026 average. Source: EIA Electric Power Monthly, Tables 5.6.A and 5.6.B (preliminary), refreshed automatically each month.
Price and usage both vary by state
The most expensive state pays 3.7 times as much per kWh as the cheapest. Usage swings just as widely: the average home in Louisiana used 1,228 kWh a month in 2025, against 480 in California. So a low rate doesn't guarantee a low bill — compare the bill column, not just the price.
Reading your own bill
- Supply (generation) is the energy itself. In states with retail choice it may come from a separate supplier.
- Delivery pays for the wires and poles, and is usually charged per kWh as well.
- Fixed customer charge doesn't change with use. California utilities, for example, added a base services charge of about $24 a month in 2026.
- Tiers and time of use. Some plans charge more above a baseline or in peak hours (often 4–9 pm), so the cost of extra kWh can differ from the average.
To price a new appliance, add only the per-kWh lines (supply + delivery) — that is your marginal rate. To compare states or estimate a whole bill, the EIA average is the right number.
Where prices are heading
The final 2025 U.S. average was 17.23¢/kWh (EIA Electric Power Annual). EIA's October 2026 Short-Term Energy Outlook projects 18.2¢ for all of 2026 and 18.7¢ for 2027. Any figure from a 2024 or 2025 article quoting 16–17¢ is out of date.
Use your state's rate
Every calculator on this site starts from these prices. Pick your state in the electricity cost calculator, or open a state page for the space heater, air conditioner and EV charging calculators. High rate? See whether solar pays off where you live.