Electricity Cost by State per kWh (All 50 States, 2026)

The average US home paid 16.48 cents per kWh for electricity in 2024, and the cost by state ranged from 11.51 cents in North Dakota to 42.86 cents in Hawaii (EIA, final 2024 data). That is a gap of almost four to one for the same kilowatt-hour. Preliminary EIA data puts the 2025 US residential average higher again, at 17.30 cents per kWh, and the latest monthly figure, July 2026, is 18.31 cents.

This guide lists the residential electricity cost per kWh for all 50 states and Washington, DC, ranked from most expensive to cheapest. It also shows what 900 kWh a month costs in each state, why prices differ, and why a low price does not always mean a low bill.

Electricity cost by state per kWh: full table

The ranking uses the average residential retail price for calendar year 2024 from the EIA Electric Power Annual, Table 2.10 (“Average Price of Electricity to Ultimate Customers by End-Use Sector, by State, 2024 and 2023”). It is the latest full-year state dataset that EIA has finalized. The figure is total residential revenue divided by total residential kWh sold, so it includes fixed charges, delivery, and taxes collected by the utility.

The “900 kWh a month” column is our own arithmetic: price × 900 kWh ÷ 100. We use 900 kWh because EIA reports that the average US residential customer used 10,791 kWh in 2022, or about 899 kWh per month.

The last column shows the most recent monthly figure, July 2026, from EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A. In that month the US residential average was 18.31 cents per kWh, up from 17.45 cents in July 2025. Monthly prices swing with the season, so the ranking in this guide uses the final 2024 annual averages.

Only 17 of the 51 entries sit above the 2024 national average.

Average retail price of electricity by state: how the US average changed

The US average residential price was 16.00 cents per kWh in 2023 and 16.48 cents in 2024 (EIA, Table 2.10). That is an increase of 0.48 cents, or 0.48 ÷ 16.00 = 3.0%.

EIA’s preliminary figure for 2025 is 17.30 cents per kWh. Against 2024 that is another 0.82 cents, or 0.82 ÷ 16.48 = 5.0%. State-level 2025 annual prices were not yet published in final form when this table was built, so the ranking uses 2024.

Not every state moved the same way. Between 2023 and 2024, California rose from 29.51 to 31.97 cents, while Florida fell from 15.21 to 14.14 cents and Nevada from 16.67 to 15.00 cents.

Most expensive electricity by state

These ten had the highest residential prices in 2024. Where a reason is given, it comes from EIA’s own state electricity profiles or its explainer on price factors.

1. Hawaii, 42.86 cents. Petroleum is the state’s primary source of electricity, and EIA notes those fuels must be imported.
2. California, 31.97 cents. Up 2.46 cents in one year. Natural gas is the largest generation source.
3. Massachusetts, 29.35 cents. Natural gas is the primary generation source.
4. Connecticut, 28.75 cents. Natural gas is the primary generation source.
5. Rhode Island, 28.65 cents. Natural gas is the primary generation source, and the price rose from 27.02 cents in 2023.
6. Alaska, 24.82 cents. EIA points to petroleum-fueled generation in Alaska villages as a price driver.
7. New York, 24.43 cents. Up 2.19 cents from 2023.
8. Maine, 24.29 cents. Down from 27.42 cents in 2023.
9. New Hampshire, 23.40 cents. Down from 28.15 cents in 2023.
10. Vermont, 21.90 cents. The cheapest of the six New England states.

All six New England states are in the top ten. The region as a whole averaged 27.68 cents per kWh, 68% above the US average (27.68 ÷ 16.48 = 1.68).

Would solar pay off at your electricity price? Enter your rate and monthly bill to see payback time and lifetime savings. Open the free Solar Savings Calculator

Cheapest electricity by state

These ten had the lowest residential prices in 2024, starting with the cheapest. The primary generation source is from each state’s 2024 EIA electricity profile.

1. North Dakota, 11.51 cents. Coal is the primary generation source.
2. Idaho, 11.52 cents. Hydroelectric power is the primary generation source.
3. Nebraska, 11.53 cents. Coal is the primary generation source.
4. Louisiana, 11.73 cents. Natural gas is the primary generation source.
5. Washington, 11.90 cents. Hydroelectric power is the primary source. Washington produced 26% of all US conventional hydroelectricity in 2025 (EIA, preliminary).
6. Utah, 12.22 cents. Coal is the primary generation source.
7. Oklahoma, 12.24 cents. Natural gas is the primary generation source.
8. Arkansas, 12.32 cents. Natural gas is the primary generation source.
9. Tennessee, 12.42 cents. Nuclear is the primary generation source.
10. Wyoming, 12.47 cents. Coal is the primary generation source.

Cheap power is not always clean power. Several low-price states run mostly on coal or gas, so each kWh carries more carbon. You can compare that side of the picture in our data on CO₂ emissions by US state, or convert your own usage with the kWh to CO₂ calculator.

Power cost per kWh: residential vs commercial vs industrial

Homes pay the highest energy rate per kWh of any major customer group. EIA explains that the retail price for industrial customers is generally close to the wholesale price of electricity, because large users take power in bulk at higher voltages.

All values are cents per kWh (EIA). In 2024 a home paid about twice the industrial rate: 16.48 ÷ 8.13 = 2.03. The gap also holds inside states. In Texas, homes paid 14.94 cents while industry paid 6.12 cents.

If you run a small business, your bill is on the commercial line. Use that rate when you estimate energy costs or enter electricity use into a business carbon calculator.

Why the cost of electricity by state per kWh differs so much

EIA lists five main factors behind electricity prices. Each one varies by state.

• Fuels. Fuel prices, especially natural gas and petroleum, feed straight into generation cost. Hawaii and Alaska villages lean on petroleum.
• Power plant costs. Every plant has financing, construction, maintenance, and operating costs that end up in rates.
• Transmission and distribution. The wires that connect plants to homes cost money to build, run, and maintain.
• Weather. Extreme heat or cold raises demand, which can raise fuel and power prices.
• Regulation. In some states utility commissions fully regulate prices. Others mix regulated and unregulated prices.

Geography shows up clearly in the table. The two noncontiguous states, Hawaii and Alaska, both rank in the top six. The Pacific Northwest, with its large hydro base, has two of the five cheapest states.

How much is a kWh? A worked bill example

A kilowatt-hour is the energy used by a 1,000-watt appliance running for one hour. If the units are new to you, our guide to kW vs kWh covers the difference. The bill math is simple:

Monthly cost = kWh used × price in cents ÷ 100

Take a home that uses 900 kWh in a month:

• At the US average: 900 × 16.48 ÷ 100 = $148.32
• In Hawaii: 900 × 42.86 ÷ 100 = $385.74
• In North Dakota: 900 × 11.51 ÷ 100 = $103.59

The same usage costs $282.15 more per month in Hawaii than in North Dakota ($385.74 − $103.59). Over a year that is $282.15 × 12 = $3,385.80.

The same formula prices an electric car charge: 60 kWh costs 60 × 11.90 ÷ 100 = $7.14 in Washington and 60 × 31.97 ÷ 100 = $19.18 in California. Our EV vs gas car calculator takes your own rate, and our guide on how many kWh it takes to charge a Tesla has the figures by model. For whole-home numbers, see how many kWh a house uses.

Price is not the same as your bill

The 900 kWh column makes states comparable, but real households do not use the same amount everywhere. EIA’s 2024 residential bill data (Table 5A) shows average use of 863 kWh per month nationally, with a US average bill of $142.26.

Louisiana has the fourth-cheapest price in the country, yet its households use 1,202 kWh a month, so the average bill lands close to the national figure. Alabama pays less per kWh than the US average but ends up with a higher bill than California.

California is the reverse case. Its price is almost double the national average, but homes use only 503 kWh a month. Texas, at less than half California’s price, has a slightly higher average bill: $163.72 versus $160.86.

New Mexico had the lowest average bill at $92.88, with a mid-range price and low usage. Your rate sets the cost of each kWh, but how many kWh you use decides the bill.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average cost of electricity per kWh in the US?

The US residential average was 16.48 cents per kWh in 2024, according to EIA. Preliminary EIA data for 2025 shows 17.30 cents per kWh, and the July 2026 monthly average was 18.31 cents.

Which state has the most expensive electricity?

Hawaii, at 42.86 cents per kWh for homes in 2024. California is second at 31.97 cents, followed by Massachusetts at 29.35 cents.

Which state has the cheapest electricity?

North Dakota had the lowest residential price in 2024 at 11.51 cents per kWh. Idaho (11.52) and Nebraska (11.53) were within 0.02 cents of it.

How much does 1,000 kWh of electricity cost?

At the 2024 US average, 1,000 × 16.48 ÷ 100 = $164.80. In Hawaii the same 1,000 kWh costs $428.60, and in North Dakota $115.10.

Sources

• EIA, Electric Power Annual, Table 2.10: Average Price of Electricity to Ultimate Customers by End-Use Sector, by State, 2024 and 2023
• EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A (July 2026 data)
• EIA, Table 5A: 2024 Average Monthly Bill, Residential
• EIA, Electricity explained: Prices and factors affecting prices (2025 preliminary sector prices)
• EIA FAQ: How much electricity does an American home use?
• EIA, State Electricity Profiles 2024 (primary generation source by state)
• EIA, Where hydropower is generated