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Average Electric Bill 2026: By State, Home Size & How to Lower It
Updated on October 28, 2026
11 min read
The average electric bill in the United States is about $160 a month in 2026 — roughly 850 kWh of usage at the national average residential rate of 18.83¢/kWh (U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2026). But the average electric bill swings widely: from under $100 in the cheapest states to more than $230 in Hawaii, and from about $90 for a one-bedroom apartment to well over $185 in a large all-electric Texas home. This guide breaks the average electric bill down by state, by home size, and by what actually drives it — plus how to lower yours.
TL;DR
- US average electric bill: ~$160/month (~850 kWh at 18.83¢/kWh, EIA 2026).
- By state: New Mexico is lowest (~$99); Hawaii highest (~$231). Texas runs high (~$186) on heavy AC use.
- By home size: ~$90–135 for a 1-bedroom apartment; ~$160+ for a house.
- Biggest lever: about half your bill is heating and cooling — and in deregulated states, shopping your rate cuts the price side directly.
What is the average electric bill in the US in 2026?
The average electric bill in the US is about $160 per month in 2026, based on roughly 850 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of monthly usage at the national average residential rate of 18.83¢/kWh (EIA). That number is a blend of every home in the country — tiny apartments and large all-electric houses alike — so most single households land somewhere on either side of it. Electricity prices rose about 7% in a year — from 17.55¢ to 18.83¢/kWh between April 2025 and April 2026 (EIA), so the average electric bill in 2026 is meaningfully higher than a year ago. The two things that decide where you fall are how much power you use and the price you pay per kWh.
Is your electric bill normal? The 30-second check
Rates checked October 6, 2026 against the EIA’s national average residential price for April 2026 (18.83¢/kWh).
You don’t need to compare your bill to a national average — you need to compare your rate and your usage. Both are printed on your bill.
- Find your effective rate. Divide your total bill by the kWh you used. A $180 bill on 900 kWh is 20¢/kWh.
- Compare it to 18.83¢. Paying well above the national average usually means a high-cost state, an expired fixed-rate contract, or a variable plan that drifted up.
- Compare your usage to 850 kWh. Using far more than that points to heating and cooling, an older AC unit, or an all-electric home — a usage problem, not a rate problem.
Bottom line: a high rate is fixable by shopping; high usage is fixable at home. If you live in a deregulated state such as Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois, New York or New Jersey, you can choose your own electricity supplier, and rates depend on your utility territory — compare electricity rates at your address.
How the average electric bill is calculated
Your bill is simple math: usage times rate, plus fixed charges. Take the national numbers — about 843 kWh at 18.4¢ per kWh works out to roughly 55 a month, before any fixed monthly service fee.
Change either input and the average electric bill moves with it. Use 1,200 kWh at the same rate and it climbs to about 21; drop the rate to 12¢ on 843 kWh and it falls to about 01. Your kWh and rate are both printed on your latest bill.
Average electric bill by state
Location is the single biggest factor in the average electric bill, because both rates and usage vary enormously by climate and local energy mix. Here’s how the extremes compare (EIA, 2026):
| State | Avg monthly bill | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | ~$231 | Highest rates in the US (~46¢/kWh), island fuel imports |
| Connecticut | ~$224 | High Northeast rates |
| Maryland | ~$205 | High rates + heavy summer cooling |
| Texas | ~$186 | Moderate rate (~17¢) but very high usage (~1,096 kWh) |
| Colorado | ~$112 | Low usage, mild climate |
| Utah | ~$103 | Low rates and low usage |
| New Mexico | ~$99 | Lowest average bill in the US |
Notice Texas: its rate is only middling, but its average electric bill is one of the highest in the country because homes are large and air conditioning runs hard for months. A high-usage state can have a bigger average electric bill than a high-rate state — usage and price both matter.
Average electric bill by home size
Square footage and the number of people under the roof drive usage, so the average electric bill scales with home size:
| Home type | Typical monthly usage | Average electric bill |
|---|---|---|
| Studio apartment | ~300–500 kWh | ~$55–$95 |
| 1-bedroom apartment | 500–750 kWh | ~$90–$135 |
| 2-bedroom apartment | 650–1,000 kWh | ~$117–$179 |
| Average house (~2,000 sq ft) | ~875 kWh | ~$160+ |
So the common search — “average electric bill for a 1-bedroom apartment” — lands around $90 to $135 a month nationally, and lower in cheap-rate states, higher in Texas or the Northeast. A house typically runs above the national average electric bill because of central AC, water heating, and more occupants.
What drives your electric bill?
Two homes on the same street can have very different bills. The drivers, roughly in order:
- Heating and cooling — about half of a typical bill. Central AC in a hot climate is the single biggest line item.
- Water heating — often the second-largest electric load in an all-electric home.
- Home size and occupancy — more square footage and more people = more kWh.
- Your rate per kWh — set by your utility or, in deregulated states, by the retail plan you chose. This is the part you can shop.
- Appliances and always-on load — older HVAC, electric dryers, pool pumps, and phantom loads add up.
Why is my electric bill so high in 2026?
If your average electric bill jumped, you’re not imagining it. National residential rates climbed about 10% year over year into 2026 — driven by higher fuel and grid costs — while summers keep setting demand records that push wholesale prices up. A bill can also spike from a single hot month (AC runs longer), a rate change on a variable plan, or rolling off a fixed contract onto a pricier default rate. The fix is the same in every case: cut usage where you can, and in a deregulated market, lock a competitive fixed rate.
How to lower your electric bill
You control two levers — usage and price. Both work:
- Attack heating and cooling first. A programmable thermostat, a couple of degrees of setback, and a clean AC filter hit the biggest half of the bill.
- Seal and insulate. Weatherstripping, attic insulation, and blocking duct leaks keep conditioned air in — cheap fixes with fast payback.
- Shift and shed load. Run the dryer and dishwasher off-peak, switch to LED lighting, and unplug always-on electronics.
- Shop your rate if you can. In a deregulated state (Texas and many others), you choose your retail provider — comparing 12-month fixed plans by the price at your usage level can cut the price side of the bill immediately. Many plans need no deposit.
Lower the price side of your bill
If you live in a deregulated state, enter your ZIP to compare electricity plans and lock a low fixed rate in minutes.
Average electric bill: the questions people ask, answered
What people type when they are checking whether their bill is normal, in their own words, answered as of October 25, 2026.
How much is the average electric bill in the United States?
About $160 a month in 2026: roughly 850 kWh of usage at the national average residential rate of 18.83 cents per kWh (EIA). That is $1,900 to $2,000 a year. The average hides a wide spread: under $100 a month in the cheapest states, $186 in Texas on air-conditioning load, and about $231 in Hawaii. Your own bill is normal if it sits within about 20 percent of your state’s average for your home size; the state table above gives the number to compare against.
What is the average electric bill per year in the U.S., and how much do people spend on electricity yearly?
Roughly $1,900 a year for the average household (12 months at about $160), with a seasonal shape: summer months in the South and Southwest run $220 to $300, winter months in all-electric homes in the Northeast and Midwest run similar, and shoulder months fall to $100 or less. A one-bedroom apartment spends about $1,100 to $1,600 a year; a 2,500-square-foot house in Texas or Florida spends $2,200 to $3,000. The EIA’s annual figure, which averages all states and all home sizes, lands between those.
What is the average electric bill for a family of four in an upper-middle-class home?
A four-person household in a 2,500 to 3,500-square-foot home typically uses 1,100 to 1,600 kWh a month, which at the national 18.83-cent average is $210 to $300 a month, or $2,500 to $3,600 a year. In Texas, Florida or Arizona with central air running six months a year, 1,800 to 2,200 kWh summer months put the peak bill at $300 to $400; in California the same house costs more because the rate is 30 cents or higher, and in Washington or Idaho it costs less because the rate is near 11 cents. Pools, EV charging and electric heat each add $50 to $150 a month.
What is the average electric bill for a one-bedroom apartment, or a two-bedroom duplex?
A one-bedroom apartment runs about $90 to $135 a month (450 to 700 kWh), lower if the building supplies heat and hot water. A two-bedroom duplex or small house runs $120 to $170 (650 to 900 kWh), more with electric heat or an older window AC. Gas heat and gas water heating shift $30 to $80 a month off the electric bill onto the gas bill, so an all-electric one-bedroom in winter can cost as much as a gas-heated two-bedroom.
Which state has the lowest electric bill, and which the highest?
By average monthly bill, New Mexico is lowest at about $99, with Utah, Colorado, Illinois and the Pacific Northwest close behind; Hawaii is highest at about $231, followed by Connecticut, Texas, Alabama and Florida, where either high rates (Hawaii, New England) or heavy usage (the Gulf South) push bills up. Note that the lowest-rate states (Washington, Idaho, North Dakota at 11 to 12 cents) are not always the lowest-bill states, because cold-climate usage is higher; the table above shows both the rate and the bill.
How many kilowatt-hours is a normal electric bill, and what is the average energy bill in 2026 with prices going up?
Normal is 600 to 1,100 kWh a month depending on home size and climate; 850 kWh is the national average. Residential electricity prices rose about 4 to 6 percent nationally over the past year and more in states with data-center load growth, storm hardening or wildfire costs, so a bill that is $10 to $15 higher than last year at the same usage is the rate, not you. In deregulated states (Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, Maryland and the Northeast) the supply portion can be shopped; the address check above shows the fixed-rate plans available for your meter.
Also searched as: average electric bill, how much is the average electric bill, average electric bill in the United States, average power bill, average electric bill per year and average electric bill by state 2026. They all mean the figures on this page.
Average electric bill: FAQ
What is the average electric bill in the US?
About $160 per month in 2026 — roughly 850 kWh at the national average residential rate of 18.83¢/kWh (EIA). Your bill depends on your state, home size, and how much you use.
What is the average electric bill for a 1-bedroom apartment?
Around $90 to $135 a month nationally, on 500–750 kWh of usage. It’s lower in cheap-rate states and higher in Texas or the Northeast, where rates or cooling demand run higher.
Which state has the highest average electric bill?
Hawaii, at about $231 a month, because of the highest electricity rates in the country. Connecticut and Maryland are next. Texas is also high (~$186) despite a moderate rate, due to heavy air-conditioning use.
Which state has the lowest average electric bill?
New Mexico, at roughly $99 a month, followed by Utah (~$103) and Colorado (~$112) — a mix of lower rates and lower usage in milder climates.
Why is my electric bill so high?
Usually heating and cooling, which is about half a typical bill, combined with a higher rate. Rates rose ~10% into 2026, and a hot month or rolling onto a variable/default plan can spike the average electric bill further.
How much of my bill is heating and cooling?
About half of a typical U.S. home’s electricity use goes to heating and cooling, which is why thermostat settings and insulation have the biggest impact on your bill.
How can I lower my electric bill?
Cut cooling/heating load first (thermostat, insulation, filters), shift big appliances off-peak, and — if you’re in a deregulated state — shop a competitive fixed-rate plan to lower the price per kWh.
Does the average electric bill include gas?
No. These figures are for electricity only. Homes that heat or cook with natural gas have a separate gas bill, and often a lower electric bill because heating isn’t on the electric meter.
How much is electricity per month on average?
About $160 a month in 2026 for the average U.S. home, which uses roughly 850 kWh at the national average residential rate of 18.83 cents per kWh (EIA, April 2026). Apartments typically run $90 to $135; large all-electric homes in hot states can top $185.
Is a $200 electric bill normal?
It can be. At the national average rate, $200 buys about 1,060 kWh — more than the 850 kWh average home uses, so it is normal for a large or all-electric house in summer, but high for an apartment. Divide your bill by your kWh to see whether the problem is your rate or your usage.
Why did my electric bill go up in 2026?
Rates rose about 7% in a year — the national average went from 17.55 cents to 18.83 cents per kWh between April 2025 and April 2026 (EIA) — driven by fuel costs, grid and transmission spending, and growing demand from data centers. If you are in a deregulated state and your fixed-rate contract expired, you may also have rolled onto a higher variable rate.
Also compare energy, home security and home warranty at your address
Electricity plans in 14 deregulated states. Security and warranty nationwide.
Keep going
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- How to switch electricity providers in Texas
- Deregulated energy: which states let you choose
Reviewed by the Utility Search Marketplace team. Methodology: bill and usage figures are national averages from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026); home-size ranges reflect typical apartment and single-family usage. Your actual bill varies by state, climate, and rate plan. Last updated October 2026.
