If you have just moved into your first apartment, or your bill doubled after a hot summer, the obvious question is: what does everyone else pay? The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) answers it every year with the average monthly bill for every state. The latest full year is 2024.
The short version
- The average U.S. home electric bill was $142.26 a month in 2024, for 863 kilowatt-hours (kWh).
- Hawaii had the highest average bill ($212.12); New Mexico had the lowest ($92.88).
- A bill is just price × usage. Some states have cheap power but use a lot of it; others pay a high price for less.
- At the July 2026 U.S. average price, the same 863 kWh would cost about $158.
The national average
In 2024, the typical residential customer used 863 kWh a month and paid an average of 16.48¢ per kWh. That works out to $142.26 a month, or about $1,707 a year. Those are averages across 143 million homes, from small city apartments to large houses with electric heat, so your own bill can be far from them in either direction.
States with the highest and lowest bills
| State | Average monthly bill (2024) | Average use | Average price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $212.12 | 495 kWh | 42.86¢ |
| Connecticut | $199.66 | 695 kWh | 28.75¢ |
| Alabama | $173.50 | 1,143 kWh | 15.18¢ |
| Massachusetts | $167.20 | 570 kWh | 29.35¢ |
| Maryland | $165.87 | 929 kWh | 17.86¢ |
| U.S. average | $142.26 | 863 kWh | 16.48¢ |
| Montana | $107.91 | 852 kWh | 12.66¢ |
| Wyoming | $107.65 | 863 kWh | 12.47¢ |
| Colorado | $100.57 | 674 kWh | 14.92¢ |
| Utah | $94.57 | 774 kWh | 12.22¢ |
| New Mexico | $92.88 | 654 kWh | 14.20¢ |
Every state’s figure, with today’s price, is on our electricity cost by state page.
Why bills differ so much
A monthly bill is two numbers multiplied together: how many kilowatt-hours you use, and what you pay for each one. States reach a high bill in very different ways.
- High price, low use. Hawaii homes used only 495 kWh a month, among the lowest in the country, but paid almost 43¢ per kWh, so the bill still topped $200. Much of Hawaii’s power comes from imported fuel.
- Low price, high use. Alabama’s price was close to the national average, but homes used 1,143 kWh a month. Long, hot summers and widespread electric heating and cooling drive that.
- Low price, moderate use. Utah and New Mexico pair below-average prices with below-average use, which is why they sit at the bottom of the list.
Climate, home size, whether you heat with electricity or gas, and the rules for your utility all play a part. That is also why bills swing with the seasons: in most of the country, summer air conditioning is the biggest spike.
What the same use costs at today’s prices
Prices have risen since 2024. The EIA’s average residential price was 18.31¢ per kWh in July 2026, up from 17.45¢ in July 2025. At that price, the national average 863 kWh would cost about $158 a month, before any changes in how much you use.
Example: is my bill normal?
Marisol rents a two-bedroom apartment in Phoenix. Her last bill shows 1,050 kWh for $178.50. Dividing the dollars by the kWh gives 17¢ per kWh, a little below the July 2026 national average. Compared with Arizona’s 2024 average of 1,075 kWh a month, her use is normal for the climate, so the size of the bill comes from summer cooling, not from something wrong.
How to estimate your own monthly bill
- Find your kWh used on last month’s bill. If you don’t have one yet, start with your state’s average use from the table or our state page.
- Find your price per kWh: total electricity charges ÷ kWh used. New customers can use their state’s average price.
- Multiply them. Add any fixed monthly customer charge your utility lists.
- Repeat for a summer month and a winter month. The difference tells you how much heating or cooling costs you.
Our utility cost calculator does the math for any appliance or monthly total.
When a high bill is a warning sign
A bill well above your state’s average is not automatically a problem. A large home, electric heat or a home office can explain it. It is worth a closer look if your kWh jumped compared with the same month last year without a change in weather, or if the bill shows an estimated meter reading. Our guide to why your electric bill is high walks through nine common causes.
The bottom line
Across the U.S., $142 a month was the 2024 average, and something closer to $158 is a fair 2026 estimate at average use. Your state, your home and the season matter more than the national number, so compare your kWh with your own state’s average first.
Average bills in the largest states
| State | Average monthly bill (2024) | Average use | Average price (2024) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | $163.72 | 1,096 kWh | 14.94¢ |
| California | $160.86 | 503 kWh | 31.97¢ |
| Arizona | $160.24 | 1,075 kWh | 14.91¢ |
| Florida | $156.09 | 1,104 kWh | 14.14¢ |
| Georgia | $151.25 | 1,074 kWh | 14.08¢ |
| Louisiana | $140.96 | 1,202 kWh | 11.73¢ |
| New York | $139.53 | 571 kWh | 24.43¢ |
| Ohio | $135.16 | 846 kWh | 15.99¢ |
| Missouri | $129.18 | 1,001 kWh | 12.91¢ |
| Washington | $113.68 | 955 kWh | 11.90¢ |
California is a good example of why price alone misleads. Its price per kWh in 2024 was more than double Texas’s, but Californians used less than half as much electricity, so the average bills ended up within about $3 of each other.
Summer, winter and the rest of the year
The EIA figures are annual averages, so they smooth out the seasons. In practice, most households see two peaks: summer, when air conditioners run for hours, and winter in homes that heat with electricity. Spring and fall bills are usually the lowest of the year. If you’re setting a monthly budget, use your highest month, not the average, or ask your utility about budget billing, which spreads the yearly total into equal payments.
Renters vs. homeowners
Apartments usually use less electricity than houses because they are smaller and share walls, which helps with heating and cooling. If you are moving from a house to an apartment, expect lower usage even in the same city. Before you sign a lease, it is reasonable to ask the landlord or utility for the unit’s average monthly bill over the last year; many utilities will share a 12-month history for an address.
Three changes that move the number most
- Thermostat settings. ENERGY STAR says heating and cooling make up almost half of a typical household’s energy bill, so a couple of degrees matters more than unplugging chargers.
- Water heating. If your water heater is electric, shorter showers and washing clothes in cold water cut kWh directly.
- The rate plan. In states with retail choice, such as Texas, the plan you pick changes the price per kWh. Check yours when a contract ends.
