The average US residential electric bill was $150.68 a month in 2025, for 874 kWh at 17.23¢ per kWh (EIA Form EIA-861 final data). Hawaii had the highest average bill at $207.89, and New Mexico had the lowest at $94.65. Renters already pay for electricity inside HUD Fair Market Rents and Census gross rents. For homeowners it is a separate budget line, which the relocation budget planner adds automatically.
Where the numbers come from
Average bill, use and price (2025). EIA’s final 2025 annual electric sales and revenue data (Form EIA-861), released October 7, 2026. Bill = residential revenue ÷ customers ÷ 12. Use = residential sales ÷ customers ÷ 12. Source: EIA HS861 state spreadsheet.
Latest monthly price (July 2026). EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A. Monthly prices swing with the season, so a July price is not an annual average.
All figures are statewide averages across every utility in the state.
Average monthly electric bill by state (2025)
Highest bills:
| State | Avg. bill / month | Avg. use (kWh) | Avg. price (¢/kWh) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $207.89 | 515 | 40.40 |
| Connecticut | $206.46 | 704 | 29.31 |
| Maryland | $184.42 | 944 | 19.53 |
| Alabama | $184.31 | 1,145 | 16.09 |
| Massachusetts | $181.08 | 596 | 30.41 |
| Texas | $170.95 | 1,110 | 15.40 |
| Florida | $167.86 | 1,103 | 15.21 |
| Mississippi | $166.05 | 1,184 | 14.03 |
Lowest bills:
| State | Avg. bill / month | Avg. use (kWh) | Avg. price (¢/kWh) |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | $94.65 | 638 | 14.85 |
| Utah | $99.06 | 761 | 13.02 |
| Colorado | $103.30 | 658 | 15.69 |
| Idaho | $110.36 | 933 | 11.83 |
| Montana | $110.80 | 853 | 12.99 |
| Wyoming | $111.59 | 835 | 13.37 |
| Nevada | $115.07 | 868 | 13.26 |
| Nebraska | $117.23 | 973 | 12.05 |
US average (2025): $150.68 a month, 874 kWh, 17.23¢/kWh. In 2024 it was $142.26, for 863 kWh at 16.48¢.
July 2026 prices next to 2025 bills
| State | Jul 2026 price (¢/kWh) | 2025 avg. price | 2025 avg. bill | 2025 avg. use (kWh) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 48.00 | 40.40 | $207.89 | 515 |
| California | 33.61 | 31.35 | $154.73 | 494 |
| Maine | 32.41 | 27.69 | $147.67 | 533 |
| Massachusetts | 30.49 | 30.41 | $181.08 | 596 |
| New York | 29.90 | 26.39 | $154.75 | 586 |
| Colorado | 17.00 | 15.69 | $103.30 | 658 |
| Texas | 15.88 | 15.40 | $170.95 | 1,110 |
| Florida | 15.03 | 15.21 | $167.86 | 1,103 |
| Washington | 14.71 | 13.17 | $124.41 | 945 |
| Louisiana | 12.72 | 12.52 | $153.32 | 1,225 |
Louisiana has one of the lowest prices but the highest average use of any state, 1,225 kWh a month. The US average price for July 2026 was 18.31¢/kWh.
What drives the difference between states
Usage. A bill is price times kilowatt-hours. Long cooling seasons in the Gulf states and electric heating in parts of the Southeast push use above 1,000 kWh a month. Homes in California, New England, New York and Hawaii averaged roughly 490–700 kWh.
Price. Hawaii’s average price (40.40¢) is more than double the US figure. California, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island all averaged around 29–31¢ in 2025. Idaho (11.83¢), North Dakota (11.82¢) and Nebraska (12.05¢) were at the low end.
Both together. Connecticut combines a high price with moderate use, giving the second-highest bill. Utah and New Mexico combine moderate prices with low use, giving the lowest bills.
How electricity enters a MoveMath budget
Renters: HUD Fair Market Rent and the ACS median gross rent already include tenant-paid utilities, so no separate electric line is added.
Homeowners: the default is the state’s EIA 2025 average monthly bill. Choose “My usage” in the relocation budget planner and the tool multiplies your kWh by the state’s 2025 average price, not the July 2026 monthly price.
Example: a Seattle homeowner using 800 kWh a month pays 800 × 13.17¢ = $105.36 under that method. Washington’s default average bill is $124.41, because the average home there uses 945 kWh.
Before you move
- Renters: check whether a listing includes utilities. If it doesn’t, the state’s average bill is a starting estimate for the electric share.
- Buyers: ask the seller for 12 months of utility bills. Use and climate matter more than the state average.
- Heating fuel: a home heated with natural gas will use fewer kWh in winter than an all-electric home. MoveMath adds gas only if you enter your own monthly use.
- Solar: if the home has panels, read the utility’s current net-metering or buy-back terms before you count on savings.
Compare full owner and renter budgets in the cost-of-owning-a-home calculator or the relocation budget planner. State pages: Texas, California, Washington.