The U.S. residential average was 18.31¢/kWh in July 2026. Across the 50 states and DC, prices ranged from 12.72¢/kWh in Louisiana to 48.00¢/kWh in Hawaii. That 35.28¢ spread means location alone can change a simple 1,000-kWh energy-cost estimate by more than $352.80 before fixed charges, taxes, or special tariffs.
What stood out in July 2026
19 jurisdictions were above the U.S. residential average and 32 were below it. The median state/DC price was 16.09¢/kWh, lower than the national average because a handful of high-price states pull the U.S. average upward.
Year over year, 45 state/DC averages increased while 6 declined. Hawaii had the largest increase in this dataset at +22.0%, followed by New Hampshire at +16.7% and Maine at +15.8%.
The five highest residential prices
1. Hawaii — 48.00¢/kWh
2. California — 33.61¢/kWh
3. Maine — 32.41¢/kWh
4. Massachusetts — 30.49¢/kWh
5. New York — 29.90¢/kWh
The five lowest residential prices
1. Louisiana — 12.72¢/kWh
2. Nevada — 12.77¢/kWh
3. Utah — 13.12¢/kWh
4. North Dakota — 13.41¢/kWh
5. Tennessee — 13.71¢/kWh
Why a state ranking is not a bill ranking
These are average delivered residential electricity prices, not a promise about what one household pays. A household's actual bill can differ because of utility territory, rate design, fixed customer charges, taxes, credits, time-of-use periods, usage tiers, and monthly consumption. A low-price state can still produce a high bill if usage is high, while a high-price state household can keep total spending lower through lower consumption.
All states and DC
| Rank | State/DC | July 2026 price | 1,000 kWh energy cost | YoY change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | 48.00¢ | $480.00 | +22.0% |
| 2 | California | 33.61¢ | $336.10 | +2.9% |
| 3 | Maine | 32.41¢ | $324.10 | +15.8% |
| 4 | Massachusetts | 30.49¢ | $304.90 | +1.4% |
| 5 | New York | 29.90¢ | $299.00 | +14.0% |
| 6 | Alaska | 28.83¢ | $288.30 | +5.6% |
| 7 | Rhode Island | 28.29¢ | $282.90 | +8.1% |
| 8 | New Hampshire | 26.60¢ | $266.00 | +16.7% |
| 9 | District of Columbia | 25.21¢ | $252.10 | +9.4% |
| 10 | New Jersey | 25.19¢ | $251.90 | -0.5% |
| 11 | Connecticut | 24.16¢ | $241.60 | -12.5% |
| 12 | Vermont | 23.75¢ | $237.50 | +7.3% |
| 13 | Michigan | 23.05¢ | $230.50 | +12.2% |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | 21.72¢ | $217.20 | +11.3% |
| 15 | Maryland | 21.41¢ | $214.10 | +13.7% |
| 16 | Ohio | 19.45¢ | $194.50 | +11.9% |
| 17 | Illinois | 19.22¢ | $192.20 | +11.6% |
| 18 | Wisconsin | 19.06¢ | $190.60 | +4.4% |
| 19 | Delaware | 18.48¢ | $184.80 | +11.5% |
| 20 | Virginia | 17.55¢ | $175.50 | +11.2% |
| 21 | Minnesota | 17.45¢ | $174.50 | +3.1% |
| 22 | Colorado | 17.00¢ | $170.00 | +6.3% |
| 23 | Indiana | 16.73¢ | $167.30 | +3.4% |
| 24 | Alabama | 16.40¢ | $164.00 | +3.0% |
| 25 | Georgia | 16.27¢ | $162.70 | +4.6% |
| 26 | Missouri | 16.09¢ | $160.90 | +3.4% |
| 27 | New Mexico | 16.09¢ | $160.90 | +1.8% |
| 28 | Iowa | 15.99¢ | $159.90 | +4.4% |
| 29 | Oregon | 15.97¢ | $159.70 | +2.3% |
| 30 | Texas | 15.88¢ | $158.80 | +3.4% |
| 31 | West Virginia | 15.78¢ | $157.80 | +2.3% |
| 32 | South Carolina | 15.47¢ | $154.70 | +5.2% |
| 33 | Arizona | 15.38¢ | $153.80 | +0.3% |
| 34 | South Dakota | 15.37¢ | $153.70 | +5.9% |
| 35 | Kansas | 15.27¢ | $152.70 | +5.6% |
| 36 | North Carolina | 15.16¢ | $151.60 | +13.4% |
| 37 | Florida | 15.03¢ | $150.30 | -0.5% |
| 38 | Montana | 14.99¢ | $149.90 | +5.0% |
| 39 | Washington | 14.71¢ | $147.10 | +9.4% |
| 40 | Mississippi | 14.54¢ | $145.40 | +7.1% |
| 41 | Wyoming | 14.36¢ | $143.60 | -1.9% |
| 42 | Oklahoma | 14.35¢ | $143.50 | +6.1% |
| 43 | Arkansas | 14.33¢ | $143.30 | +8.1% |
| 44 | Kentucky | 13.81¢ | $138.10 | +5.2% |
| 45 | Nebraska | 13.78¢ | $137.80 | +7.3% |
| 46 | Idaho | 13.73¢ | $137.30 | +11.8% |
| 47 | Tennessee | 13.71¢ | $137.10 | +3.8% |
| 48 | North Dakota | 13.41¢ | $134.10 | +0.8% |
| 49 | Utah | 13.12¢ | $131.20 | -2.5% |
| 50 | Nevada | 12.77¢ | $127.70 | +3.1% |
| 51 | Louisiana | 12.72¢ | $127.20 | -3.0% |
How we calculated the comparisons
We use the July 2026 residential price in our EIA-derived state dataset. The 1,000-kWh figure is simply price × 1,000 kWh. Year-over-year change compares July 2026 with July 2025 for the same state/DC. It does not adjust for household usage, fixed charges, or tariff structure.
Source
Primary data: U.S. Energy Information Administration residential electricity sales/price data. See our Data & Methodology page for update logic and limitations.