What state has the cheapest electricity?

Nevada has the cheapest residential electricity rate at 12.72¢/kWh, with an average monthly bill of $207. The top 5 cheapest states are: Nevada, Louisiana, North Dakota, Utah, Idaho.

What state has the most expensive electricity?

Hawaii has the most expensive residential electricity rate at 47.18¢/kWh, with an average monthly bill of $269. The top 5 most expensive states are: Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, California, Alaska.

How much does electricity cost per kWh?

The national average is 18.16¢/kWh for residential customers. Rates range from 12.72¢/kWh in Nevada to 47.18¢/kWh in Hawaii. Commercial rates average 14.47¢/kWh, approximately 20% lower than residential.

Can I choose my electricity provider?

Yes, in 17 states and the District of Columbia with deregulated electricity markets: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia, and DC.

Why are electricity rates different by state?

Electricity rates vary by state due to differences in energy sources (coal, natural gas, renewables, nuclear), state regulations, transmission infrastructure costs, local demand, and whether the state has a deregulated or regulated electricity market.

Electricity Rates by State (August 2026)

Name: U.S. Electricity Rates by State
Creator: U.S. Energy Information Administration

Electricity rates vary widely from state to state, shaped by local energy sources, infrastructure, and whether the market is regulated or deregulated. Explore the table below to see how every state and the District of Columbia compares.

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration. Data as of August 2026.

All States & DC


#1	Nevada	12.72¢/kWh	9.80¢/kWh	$207	-30.0%	+1.5%
#2	Louisiana	12.87¢/kWh	11.09¢/kWh	$227	-29.1%	+2.5%
#3	North Dakota	13.31¢/kWh	8.07¢/kWh	$130	-26.7%	+2.6%
#3	Utah	13.31¢/kWh	10.39¢/kWh	$164	-26.7%	-2.7%
#5	Idaho	13.37¢/kWh	10.21¢/kWh	$137	-26.4%	+10.7%
#6	Tennessee	13.42¢/kWh	13.13¢/kWh	$206	-26.1%	+3.1%
#7	Nebraska	13.54¢/kWh	10.00¢/kWh	$155	-25.4%	+2.9%
#8	Kentucky	13.80¢/kWh	12.09¢/kWh	$188	-24.0%	+4.8%
#9	Arkansas	14.37¢/kWh	11.73¢/kWh	$217	-20.9%	+8.2%
#10	Mississippi	14.43¢/kWh	13.45¢/kWh	$239	-20.5%	+6.2%

1 - 10 of 51 records

Per page:

Key Stats

18.16¢/kWh

National average residential rate

Cheapest State

Nevada

12.72¢/kWh residential

$207/mo est. bill

Most Expensive State

Hawaii

47.18¢/kWh residential

$269/mo est. bill

Cheapest & Most Expensive States

5 Cheapest · Residential

1Nevada12.72¢
2Louisiana12.87¢
3North Dakota13.31¢
4Utah13.31¢
5Idaho13.37¢

5 Cheapest · Commercial

1North Dakota8.07¢
2Texas8.96¢
3Nevada9.80¢
4Nebraska10.00¢
5Idaho10.21¢

5 Most Expensive · Residential

1Hawaii47.18¢
2Maine32.11¢
3Massachusetts30.48¢
4California29.75¢
5Alaska29.41¢

5 Most Expensive · Commercial

1Hawaii43.55¢
2California30.02¢
3Massachusetts24.11¢
4Alaska23.90¢
5Rhode Island23.31¢

Key Takeaways

Nevada is the cheapest state at 12.72¢/kWh
Hawaii is the most expensive at 47.18¢/kWh
+3.1% national rate change over the past 12 months
18 states & DC have deregulated electricity markets
Hawaii had the largest year-over-year increase at +21.3%

Electricity Rates by Region

Gulf States-20.2%

14.49¢/kWh

LA · AR · OK · TX

South Central-20.2%

14.50¢/kWh

TN · KY · MS · AL

Mountain-18.7%

14.77¢/kWh

NV · UT · ID · WY · AZ · MT · NM · CO

Midwest-15.3%

15.39¢/kWh

ND · NE · SD · KS · MO · IA · MN

South Atlantic-1.1%

17.96¢/kWh

NC · FL · SC · GA · WV · VA · DE · MD · DC

Great Lakes+8.0%

19.62¢/kWh

IN · IL · OH · WI · MI

Mid-Atlantic+37.7%

25.01¢/kWh

PA · NJ · NY

Pacific+50.8%

27.38¢/kWh

WA · OR · AK · CA · HI

New England+53.0%

27.79¢/kWh

VT · CT · NH · RI · MA · ME

Regions follow the US Census Bureau classification, as used by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

How Electricity Rates Have Changed

The national average residential rate has increased 8% over the past 24 months, from 16.82¢ to 18.16¢/kWh.

Frequently Asked Questions

As of August 2026, the average residential electricity rate in the US is 18.16¢/kWh. The average commercial rate is 14.47¢/kWh. Rates have changed +3.1% compared to the same month last year.