Electricity rates by state

All 50 states and the District of Columbia are in the table below, and 19 of them are above the national average this month. It shows the latest month, the same month a year earlier, the change, and the average over the last twelve months. Click a column heading to sort.

Where prices moved most in a year

Compared with July 2025, the steepest increases were in Hawaii (+22.0%), New Hampshire (+16.7%), Maine (+15.8%). The largest drops were in Connecticut (−12.5%), Louisiana (−3.0%), Utah (−2.5%). One month against another can swing with weather and with when a utility's new rates take effect, so the 12-month column is the steadier guide to what a household actually pays over a year.

The national price has a seasonal shape: it tends to be higher in summer, when many utilities charge more per kWh and air conditioning pushes homes into higher-priced tiers, and lower in winter. Comparing a summer month with a winter month exaggerates or hides the real trend, which is why the table compares the same month a year apart.

Why electricity costs so much more in some states

Three things set most of the gap. The first is how a state makes its power. States with a lot of hydroelectric generation, like Washington and Idaho, tend to sit near the bottom of the table, while Hawaii, which burns imported oil for a large share of its electricity, sits at the top. EIA's state energy profiles show each state's generation mix.

The second is the cost of the wires. A price per kWh pays for transmission lines, local distribution, storm repairs and the utility's return on all of it, not only for generation. States with old networks, expensive land or frequent storm damage carry more of that cost in every kWh.

The third is how the market is set up. In some states a regulated utility sets prices that a state commission approves; in others households choose a retail supplier. Neither model is reliably cheaper, but they change how fast fuel price swings reach a bill.

Why your own rate may not match your state

These figures are averages: EIA divides what all residential customers in a state paid by the kWh they bought. That makes them an all-in price, including the fixed monthly charges utilities spread over usage, and it is what most people mean by "what I pay per kWh". Your bill can still differ for a few reasons:

• Utilities in the same state charge different rates, sometimes very different ones between a city utility and an investor-owned company next door.
• Many plans charge more per kWh above a monthly threshold, or more in summer, or more at peak hours.
• A bill with a large fixed charge looks expensive per kWh in a month when you use little.

To find your own figure, divide the total on a recent bill by the kWh it shows. That number, entered in the electricity cost calculator, will give you a better estimate than any state average. To see what these prices add up to over a month, the average electric bill by state combines them with how much electricity homes in each state use.