How much electricity a home uses, state by state, and what it pays

By DueRiva · Published September 23, 2026 · Updated November 4, 2026 · Figures from data retrieved October 8, 2026

The typical home — the middle household in the federal residential survey — uses 13,784 kWh of electricity a year in Louisiana and 5,619 kWh in California, about 1,149 kWh and 468 kWh a month. Priced on the published plans a household can take at the utilities indexed in 44 states and DC, that typical home’s bill is dearest in Hawaii, at a median of $2,720 a year, where the typical home uses 7,169 kWh a year.

A year’s electricity for a home, by state
State	Typical home, a year	A month	Average home, a year	Homes surveyed
Louisiana	13,784 kWh	1,149 kWh	14,779 kWh	311
Alabama	13,001 kWh	1,083 kWh	13,810 kWh	242
Mississippi	12,714 kWh	1,059 kWh	14,062 kWh	168
Tennessee	12,591 kWh	1,049 kWh	14,220 kWh	505
Florida	12,447 kWh	1,037 kWh	13,990 kWh	655
Arizona	12,362 kWh	1,030 kWh	13,603 kWh	495
Georgia	12,312 kWh	1,026 kWh	13,270 kWh	417
Texas	12,235 kWh	1,020 kWh	13,440 kWh	1,016
South Carolina	12,233 kWh	1,019 kWh	13,526 kWh	334
Kentucky	12,100 kWh	1,008 kWh	13,330 kWh	428
Virginia	11,898 kWh	991 kWh	12,937 kWh	451
North Carolina	11,796 kWh	983 kWh	12,498 kWh	479
Arkansas	11,782 kWh	982 kWh	13,395 kWh	268
Oklahoma	11,623 kWh	969 kWh	13,579 kWh	232
West Virginia	11,084 kWh	924 kWh	13,462 kWh	197
Missouri	10,845 kWh	904 kWh	11,983 kWh	296
Kansas	10,268 kWh	856 kWh	10,829 kWh	208
Delaware	9,851 kWh	821 kWh	11,135 kWh	143
Nevada	9,829 kWh	819 kWh	11,094 kWh	231
Indiana	9,608 kWh	801 kWh	11,638 kWh	400
Idaho	9,605 kWh	800 kWh	11,087 kWh	270
North Dakota	9,567 kWh	797 kWh	11,841 kWh	331
Oregon	9,502 kWh	792 kWh	11,132 kWh	313
Nebraska	9,479 kWh	790 kWh	10,712 kWh	189
Washington	9,442 kWh	787 kWh	10,990 kWh	439
Maryland	9,367 kWh	781 kWh	11,526 kWh	359
South Dakota	9,184 kWh	765 kWh	10,779 kWh	183
Ohio	8,951 kWh	746 kWh	10,278 kWh	339
Iowa	8,936 kWh	745 kWh	10,262 kWh	286
Pennsylvania	8,669 kWh	722 kWh	10,248 kWh	617
Utah	8,633 kWh	719 kWh	9,116 kWh	188
Montana	8,114 kWh	676 kWh	9,308 kWh	172
Minnesota	8,015 kWh	668 kWh	9,331 kWh	325
Wyoming	7,548 kWh	629 kWh	9,180 kWh	190
Illinois	7,432 kWh	619 kWh	8,451 kWh	530
Michigan	7,344 kWh	612 kWh	8,370 kWh	388
New Mexico	7,332 kWh	611 kWh	8,234 kWh	178
New Jersey	7,251 kWh	604 kWh	8,305 kWh	456
Wisconsin	7,198 kWh	600 kWh	8,432 kWh	357
Hawaii	7,169 kWh	597 kWh	7,976 kWh	282
Colorado	7,053 kWh	588 kWh	8,144 kWh	360
Connecticut	6,695 kWh	558 kWh	7,794 kWh	294
Alaska	6,636 kWh	553 kWh	7,452 kWh	311
New Hampshire	6,443 kWh	537 kWh	7,273 kWh	175
Vermont	6,274 kWh	523 kWh	6,746 kWh	245
Washington, DC	6,039 kWh	503 kWh	7,020 kWh	221
Rhode Island	6,023 kWh	502 kWh	6,913 kWh	191
Maine	6,011 kWh	501 kWh	7,048 kWh	223
Massachusetts	5,990 kWh	499 kWh	7,237 kWh	552
New York	5,721 kWh	477 kWh	6,916 kWh	904
California	5,619 kWh	468 kWh	6,482 kWh	1,152

All electricity a household used in a year, from the EIA’s 2020 Residential Energy Consumption Survey. The typical home is the weighted median household; the average is the weighted mean. A state is left out where fewer than 30 homes were surveyed.

Why the average home uses more than the typical one

In every one of the 50 states and DC, the average home uses more than the typical one. A minority of homes that use far more than the rest pull the average up and leave the middle household where it is; the gap is widest in North Dakota, where the average is 24% above the typical home. That is why the bills below are priced at the typical home: at least half of homes use no more than it does, and so less than the average.

What the typical home’s electricity costs in a year
State	Typical use, a year	Cheapest	Median	Dearest	Median, a month	Median per kWh
Hawaii2 plans from Hawaiian Electric Co Inc	7,169 kWh	$2,648	$2,720	$2,792	$227	37.9¢
California51 plans from Los Angeles Department of Water & Power, Pacific Gas & Electric Co, San Diego Gas & Electric Co, and Southern California Edison Co	5,619 kWh	$1,358	$2,287	$2,817	$191	40.7¢
Maryland2 plans from Baltimore Gas & Electric Co	9,367 kWh	$2,245	$2,258	$2,271	$188	24.1¢
Connecticut2 plans from Connecticut Light & Power Co	6,695 kWh	$2,055	$2,063	$2,071	$172	30.8¢
Pennsylvania4 plans from Duquesne Light Co, PECO Energy Co, and PPL Electric Utilities Corp	8,669 kWh	$1,747	$2,041	$2,100	$170	23.5¢
Virginia2 plans from Virginia Electric & Power Co	11,898 kWh	$2,007	$2,013	$2,020	$168	16.9¢
Alabama3 plans from Alabama Power Co and City of Huntsville, Alabama (Utility Company)	13,001 kWh	$1,626	$2,012	$2,047	$168	15.5¢
South Carolina7 plans from Berkeley Electric Coop Inc, Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC (South Carolina), Progress Energy Carolinas Inc (South Carolina), South Carolina Electric&Gas Co, and South Carolina Pub Serv Auth	12,233 kWh	$1,511	$1,989	$2,280	$166	16.3¢
Tennessee5 plans from City of Memphis, Tennessee (Utility Company), Middle Tennessee E M C, and Nashville Electric Service	12,591 kWh	$1,751	$1,907	$1,983	$159	15.1¢
Maine2 plans from Central Maine Power Co	6,011 kWh	$1,866	$1,895	$1,924	$158	31.5¢
Arizona12 plans from Arizona Public Service Co, Salt River Project, and Tucson Electric Power Co	12,362 kWh	$1,698	$1,870	$2,318	$156	15.1¢
Ohio4 plans from Ohio Edison Co and Ohio Power Co	8,951 kWh	$1,699	$1,834	$2,391	$153	20.5¢
Michigan6 plans from Consumers Energy Co and DTE Electric	7,344 kWh	$1,625	$1,797	$1,816	$150	24.5¢
Illinois3 plans from Ameren Illinois Company and Commonwealth Edison Co	7,432 kWh	$1,173	$1,794	$3,573	$149	24.1¢
Kentucky5 plans from Kentucky Power Co and Louisville Gas & Electric Co	12,100 kWh	$1,511	$1,784	$1,842	$149	14.7¢
Florida4 plans from Florida Power & Light Co., Jacksonville Electric Authority, and Progress Energy Florida Inc	12,447 kWh	$1,655	$1,777	$1,912	$148	14.3¢
Massachusetts6 plans from Massachusetts Electric Co and NSTAR Electric Company	5,990 kWh	$1,601	$1,775	$2,717	$148	29.6¢
Oregon4 plans from PacifiCorp (Oregon) and Portland General Electric Co	9,502 kWh	$1,518	$1,753	$2,012	$146	18.4¢
New Jersey5 plans from Jersey Central Power & Lt Co (New Jersey) and Public Service Elec & Gas Co	7,251 kWh	$1,429	$1,747	$2,101	$146	24.1¢
New Hampshire2 plans from Public Service Co of NH	6,443 kWh	$1,685	$1,710	$1,735	$143	26.5¢
Georgia6 plans from Georgia Power Co, Jackson Electric Member Corp, and Sawnee Electric Membership Corporation	12,312 kWh	$1,244	$1,703	$2,071	$142	13.8¢
South Dakota1 plan from NorthWestern Energy	9,184 kWh	$1,671	$1,671	$1,671	$139	18.2¢
Indiana3 plans from Duke Energy Indiana Inc and Indianapolis Power & Light Co	9,608 kWh	$1,600	$1,670	$1,679	$139	17.4¢
North Carolina7 plans from Brunswick Electric Member Corp, Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, EnergyUnited Elec Member Corp, Progress Energy Carolinas Inc, and Virginia Electric & Power Co (North Carolina)	11,796 kWh	$1,428	$1,663	$1,944	$139	14.1¢
Iowa1 plan from Interstate Power and Light Co	8,936 kWh	$1,608	$1,608	$1,608	$134	18.0¢
Rhode Island1 plan from The Narragansett Electric Co	6,023 kWh	$1,605	$1,605	$1,605	$134	26.6¢
Washington11 plans from City of Seattle, Washington (Utility Company), Puget Sound Energy Inc, and Snohomish County PUD No 1	9,442 kWh	$1,148	$1,600	$1,954	$133	16.9¢
Vermont2 plans from Green Mountain Power Corp	6,274 kWh	$1,552	$1,598	$1,645	$133	25.5¢
Texas9 plans from Austin Energy, City of San Antonio, Texas (Utility Company), Denton County Elec Coop, Inc, El Paso Electric Co, Entergy Texas Inc., and Southwestern Electric Power Co (Texas)	12,235 kWh	$1,241	$1,596	$1,735	$133	13.0¢
Mississippi1 plan from Entergy Mississippi Inc	12,714 kWh	$1,594	$1,594	$1,594	$133	12.5¢
Louisiana4 plans from Cleco Power LLC, Entergy Louisiana Inc, Entergy New Orleans Inc, and Southwestern Electric Power Co (Louisiana)	13,784 kWh	$1,254	$1,556	$2,078	$130	11.3¢
New York27 plans from Consolidated Edison Co-NY Inc, Long Island Power Authority, New York State Elec & Gas Corp, Niagara Mohawk Power Corp., and Rochester Gas & Electric Corp	5,721 kWh	$1,184	$1,544	$2,369	$129	27.0¢
West Virginia1 plan from Monongahela Power Co (West Virginia)	11,084 kWh	$1,529	$1,529	$1,529	$127	13.8¢
Missouri12 plans from Cuivre River Electric Coop Inc, KCP&L Greater Missouri Operations, Kansas City Power & Light Co (Missouri), and Union Electric Co	10,845 kWh	$1,281	$1,437	$1,480	$120	13.3¢
Wisconsin9 plans from Wisconsin Electric Power Co, Wisconsin Power & Light Co, and Wisconsin Public Service Corp	7,198 kWh	$1,245	$1,388	$1,590	$116	19.3¢
Nevada2 plans from Nevada Power Co	9,829 kWh	$1,360	$1,384	$1,409	$115	14.1¢
Minnesota4 plans from Minnesota Power Inc and Northern States Power Co - Minnesota	8,015 kWh	$1,021	$1,371	$1,379	$114	17.1¢
Kansas3 plans from Westar Energy Inc	10,268 kWh	$1,111	$1,309	$1,319	$109	12.7¢
New Mexico3 plans from El Paso Electric Co (New Mexico) and Public Service Co of NM	7,332 kWh	$609	$1,238	$1,628	$103	16.9¢
Colorado5 plans from City of Colorado Springs, Colorado (Utility Company) and Public Service Co of Colorado	7,053 kWh	$1,093	$1,237	$1,252	$103	17.5¢
Utah2 plans from PacifiCorp (Utah)	8,633 kWh	$1,180	$1,235	$1,290	$103	14.3¢
Wyoming1 plan from PacifiCorp (Wyoming)	7,548 kWh	$1,210	$1,210	$1,210	$101	16.0¢
Washington, DC1 plan from Potomac Electric Power Co	6,039 kWh	$1,197	$1,197	$1,197	$100	19.8¢
Nebraska2 plans from Lincoln Electric System and Omaha Public Power District	9,479 kWh	$964	$1,139	$1,314	$95	12.0¢
Idaho1 plan from PacifiCorp (Idaho)	9,605 kWh	$1,114	$1,114	$1,114	$93	11.6¢

A state here is the plans of the utilities named under it, not every utility in the state. Each plan is priced at the state’s typical-home consumption spread evenly over the year: fixed charges included, taxes excluded. Plans any household can take only — means-tested, closed and conditional schedules and delivery-only records are left out, and so are plans with a demand charge, which the rate engine can only price on an even hourly profile that understates them.

How much of the gap is use, and how much is price

The typical home in Hawaii uses 25% less electricity than the typical home in Idaho, and its median bill is still 2.4 times as large: each kWh costs 3.3 times as much there, a median of 37.9¢ against 11.6¢. The whole difference, and more, is price.

The heaviest typical home among the states priced here is in Louisiana, at 13,784 kWh a year, and its median bill ranks 31st of 45.

What these figures assume

The consumption is from the survey’s 2020 edition; the prices are the plans in force when the tariff records were retrieved. What a household uses has moved since the survey, and nothing here adjusts for it.

The year’s consumption is spread evenly across the months. Real use rises in summer or winter, and on a seasonal or tiered plan that changes which price each kWh is billed at. The state-by-state cost guide prices the same plans at three fixed levels of use instead of the typical home’s.

More guides

How this page was made

Every figure here is computed when the site is built, from the records named below, by the same code that fills the state, utility and cost-to-run pages this guide links to. When those records are refreshed, the figures change with them; the words around them do not, which is why no sentence here states a direction the data has not been checked for.

The methodology page sets out what the rate engine assumes and where its figures stop being reliable.