Electricity Rates by State

How much does electricity cost?

The average residential electricity rate in the U.S. is 16.26 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh). The March Choose Energy Electricity Rates Report shows you the cost of electricity per kWh by state based on the latest electricity prices from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Knowing how electricity rates fluctuate and change can help you understand your electricity bill or decide to switch to a new energy plan.

Do you live in a deregulated area and want to sign up for a new energy plan? Enter your ZIP code on this page to explore available electricity rates in your area today.

According to the latest data available from the EIA, the average residential U.S. electricity price is 16.26 cents per kWh. The national average increased by 3.6% compared with the previous year.

North Dakota currently pays the cheapest residential electricity rates in the country – 10.21 cents per kWh. Meanwhile, Hawaii’s electricity rates are the highest, at 42.34 cents per kWh.

The average home in the U.S. consumes 855 kWh of electricity per month. Electricity bills vary by state and region based on different energy rates, utility fees, and local taxes. To estimate your average monthly energy bill, multiply your home’s average electricity usage by the monthly cost per kWh in your state.

For example, the average electricity rate in California is 30.55 cents per kWh in this month’s report. The state’s average residential energy usage is 491 kWh per month. This amounts to an average monthly bill of approximately $150 (30.55 cents x 491 kWh).

Find your state in the following table to check the latest average rate (shown in cents per kWh), how it ranks among other states, and the percentage change from the previous year.

North Dakota pays the lowest residential electricity rates in the nation, at 10.21 cents per kWh. The state’s rate is 0.6% lower than it was last year.

Hawaii residents currently pay the most expensive electricity rates in the country, with a rate of 42.34 cents per kWh. Hawaii’s average electricity rates have decreased by 1.8% since last year.

In many states, the energy market is deregulated for both residential and commercial customers. Business owners in deregulated areas can choose their energy supplier and plan, making it easier to find the cheapest commercial electricity rate available. The average business consumed 6,054  kWh of electricity per month and had a monthly electric bill of about $762.51 in 2023.

Business electricity rates vary greatly by industry and function. Although homes come in all shapes and sizes, businesses have larger variations with diverse needs — from industrial buildings to small businesses. For example, the latest average commercial electricity rate in Texas was 8.85 cents per kWh. With this number, we can deduce that companies in the state paid an average of $535.78 for their electricity bill.

Due to the volatility of the energy market, energy prices fluctuate throughout the year. From December 2023 to December 2024, Oregon experienced a 12% increase, the largest increase in residential electricity prices in the United States. Meanwhile, Rhode Island experienced the largest decrease, with rates dropping 18%.

Changes in electricity prices may seem random, but a few primary factors typically determine how much you pay. These factors include:

• When you use energy: Some energy suppliers offer plans with time-of-use discounts or free usage periods, such as free power from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.
• The time of year: In warmer states, summer rates can be higher than winter rates due to higher energy demand for cooling. The opposite can be true in states with harsher winters, which lead consumers to use more electricity to heat their homes.
• Where you live: Energy supply rates change from state to state. They can also vary within utility service areas in the same state, regardless of whether your location has energy choice.

If you are unsure about any of the terms used in this analysis, check out the Choose Energy glossary to learn more about the energy industry.

Energy comes from many sources, including coal, natural gas, nuclear power, and renewables. As nonrenewable sources such as coal diminish, the need for renewable energy sources grows. Some states satisfy the country’s growing renewable energy needs with their production of wind, solar, and hydropower.

• Wind: Texas has the capacity to generate 18,500 megawatts hours of electricity through wind energy – and expects to add another 5,000 megawatts of wind generation capacity from facilities under construction.
• Solar: California’s solar farms and small-scale solar power systems generated 4,465 thousand megawatt-hours in December 2024 – the most of any state in the country.
• Hydroelectric: Washington hydroelectric power produces two-thirds of its net electricity. The largest hydro plant is located at the Grand Coulee Dam in the northern part of the state.

Find out which is the greenest state or learn more about green energy across the country.

The following states and the District of Columbia have deregulated electricity markets, meaning customers can choose the company that provides their electricity from competitive suppliers. Click on your state to check current electricity rates in your state.

• California
• Connecticut
• Georgia
• Illinois
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New York
• Ohio
• Pennsylvania
• Texas
• Washington, D.C.

Are you a journalist or researcher writing about this topic who needs to know more about historical rates? Send us details about what you need, and we’ll get back to you with an answer and a relevant quote from one of our rate experts. You should also check out the Choose Energy Data Center for more statistics and analyses on energy in the U.S.

Topics in our Data Center include:

• The cost of fueling your car with gasoline vs. electricity in your state.
• The cost of natural gas in your state.
• Your state’s carbon footprint.
• The sources of electricity in your state.
• Solar energy, wind energy, and nuclear energy generation by state.
• The cost of solar panels.