Electricity Rates by State and Price Trends — May 2026
WattItCost is an independent appliance energy-cost calculator project.
Compare current residential electricity-rate averages and monthly price trends for all 50 states and DC from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. These values are not customer tariffs; use your own bill rate when available.
EIA data period: May 2026EIA source release date: WattItCost site update date:
National average: 18.44¢/kWhAre US electricity prices going up?
The latest complete EIA month is compared with the previous month and the same month one year earlier.
Latest U.S. residential rate
18.4400¢/kWh
Previous-month change
−2.1%
Twelve-month change
+6.2%
States rising year over year
45
States falling year over year
6
Five largest twelve-month increases
- Illinois+28.4%
- Hawaii+26.7%
- District of Columbia+24.3%
- Virginia+15.4%
- Maryland+14.6%
Five largest twelve-month decreases
- Connecticut−13.4%
- Massachusetts−3.6%
- Arizona−3.1%
- New Mexico−2.6%
- Iowa−0.1%
Latest complete month: May 2026. Stored history: June 2021 through May 2026.
EIA values are statewide residential averages reported after a delay. They do not represent a forecast, supplier plan, or a specific utility tariff.
Use a state rate in your decision
Select a state to compare its EIA residential average with the U.S. average. The dollar examples are energy-charge illustrations, not complete utility bills.
Selected-state electricity price trend
Use the state selector and your monthly kWh to see how the energy-rate component changed over the stored EIA history.
Current state rate
16.7700¢/kWh
May 2026
Previous-month rate
17.4100¢/kWh
Apr 2026
Rate twelve months ago
16.1500¢/kWh
May 2025
Earliest stored rate
13.4000¢/kWh
Jun 2021
One-month change
−3.7%
Twelve-month change
+3.8%
Five-year window change
+25.1%
Twelve-month energy-rate impact
Monthly impact at your entered kWh
+$6.20
Annualized impact at the same monthly kWh
+$74.40
This isolates the change in the average energy-rate component. Actual bills also reflect changing usage, fixed charges, riders, taxes, credits, and utility-specific tariffs.
Latest twelve-month state context
Average monthly residential bill per customer
$184.53
Average monthly residential kWh per customer
1,128 kWh
These EIA statewide averages provide context; they are not a claim about what every household should use or pay.
State average
16.7700¢/kWh
U.S. average
18.4400¢/kWh
Difference per kWh
−1.6700¢/kWh
Percentage difference
−9.1%
Illustrated monthly energy charge
| Monthly use | State reference | U.S. reference | Dollar difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 | $83.85 | $92.20 | −$8.35 |
| 1,000 | $167.70 | $184.40 | −$16.70 |
| 1,500 | $251.55 | $276.60 | −$25.05 |
These examples multiply kWh by an average energy rate. They do not include fixed charges, taxes, credits, demand charges, or tariff tiers.
Compare the rate from your own bill
Your rate minus the state average
+2.0600¢/kWh
Difference at your entered monthly kWh
+$20.60
Use total electricity charges divided by kWh only when that calculation matches what you want to compare.
The selected rate is passed once in this browser tab and remains editable in the Audit.
Download this dataset
| State | Rate (cents per kWh) | vs National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 16.77¢/kWh | -9% |
| Alaska | 28.23¢/kWh | +53% |
| Arizona | 15.23¢/kWh | -17% |
| Arkansas | 14.36¢/kWh | -22% |
| California | 33.25¢/kWh | +80% |
| Colorado | 16.16¢/kWh | -12% |
| Connecticut | 27.37¢/kWh | +48% |
| Delaware | 19.38¢/kWh | +5% |
| District of Columbia | 25.40¢/kWh | +38% |
| Florida | 15.17¢/kWh | -18% |
| Georgia | 15.84¢/kWh | -14% |
| Hawaii | 52.00¢/kWh | +182% |
| Idaho | 12.35¢/kWh | -33% |
| Illinois | 23.85¢/kWh | +29% |
| Indiana | 18.15¢/kWh | -2% |
| Iowa | 14.14¢/kWh | -23% |
| Kansas | 15.13¢/kWh | -18% |
| Kentucky | 14.98¢/kWh | -19% |
| Louisiana | 14.15¢/kWh | -23% |
| Maine | 28.63¢/kWh | +55% |
| Maryland | 21.77¢/kWh | +18% |
| Massachusetts | 28.82¢/kWh | +56% |
| Michigan | 22.01¢/kWh | +19% |
| Minnesota | 16.95¢/kWh | -8% |
| Mississippi | 16.16¢/kWh | -12% |
| Missouri | 13.68¢/kWh | -26% |
| Montana | 14.67¢/kWh | -20% |
| Nebraska | 13.59¢/kWh | -26% |
| Nevada | 13.60¢/kWh | -26% |
| New Hampshire | 27.33¢/kWh | +48% |
| New Jersey | 23.27¢/kWh | +26% |
| New Mexico | 14.12¢/kWh | -23% |
| New York | 29.93¢/kWh | +62% |
| North Carolina | 15.09¢/kWh | -18% |
| North Dakota | 13.61¢/kWh | -26% |
| Ohio | 19.52¢/kWh | +6% |
| Oklahoma | 13.38¢/kWh | -27% |
| Oregon | 16.27¢/kWh | -12% |
| Pennsylvania | 21.55¢/kWh | +17% |
| Rhode Island | 29.46¢/kWh | +60% |
| South Carolina | 16.18¢/kWh | -12% |
| South Dakota | 15.73¢/kWh | -15% |
| Tennessee | 14.47¢/kWh | -22% |
| Texas | 16.44¢/kWh | -11% |
| Utah | 12.96¢/kWh | -30% |
| Vermont | 24.89¢/kWh | +35% |
| Virginia | 17.61¢/kWh | -5% |
| Washington | 14.95¢/kWh | -19% |
| West Virginia | 16.80¢/kWh | -9% |
| Wisconsin | 19.74¢/kWh | +7% |
| Wyoming | 14.80¢/kWh | -20% |
Rates are EIA average residential prices for May 2026, not customer tariffs. National average: 18.44¢/kWh.
Methodology
Rates are EIA average residential electricity prices, not customer utility tariffs. Source: EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A residential. EIA data period: May 2026. EIA source release date: July 23, 2026. WattItCost site update date: July 30, 2026. Rates retain EIA's published two-decimal cents-per-kWh precision; displayed cost estimates may be rounded to the nearest cent.
See how WattItCost uses these rates in its calculationsCite this page
Electricity Rates by State (May 2026). WattItCost. https://wattitcost.com/electricity-rates-by-state/
Electricity Rates — Common Questions
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