The average electricity rate is 12.55 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh).

The average price a residential customer in the United States pays for electricity is 13.31 cents per kWh.

What’s my current electric rate?

The price you pay for electricity depends on numerous factors including (but not limited to) your location, time of year, consumption, and market changes/disruptions.  Whether you’re in a regulated or deregulated market, your bill should clearly state the rate you pay per kWh.

Figures in the state map and tables below are displayed in cents per kilowatt hour (kWh).  This information is up-to-date and was last updated in September 2018 using data extracted from the Energy Information Agency (EIA)’s monthly reports.

States

Map of Average Electricity Rates by State

This map provides a good representation of how electricity costs in different areas of the country:

States in green have some of the lowest electric rates in the nation.  States colored in red have rates that are considered to be high (or very high in some cases), while blue states have prices that fall somewhere in the middle.

Table of Average Electricity Rates by State

Here is the average electric rate for each state.  This is the most current information available, though we are able to show current (today’s rates) for states that have deregulated energy markets.

September 2021 Electric Prices

Trends & Observations from State Data

From this data, we can see the state with the lowest electric rates is Louisiana.  On average, homes in Louisiana pay 9.53 cents per kWh.  Residential customers in Texas, the country’s largest deregulated market for electricity, pay a relatively low price for electricity as well of 11.68 cents per kWh.

The state that saw the great increase in prices for electricity is Rhode Island.  Rhode Island customers are paying nearly 20% more for electricity in 2018.

Electricity Prices by City and Zip Code

For cities and individual zip codes, use the search form above.