Large buildings
508 kWh
About $87.55 a month
Small buildings
554 kWh
About $95.48 a month
All US homes
880 kWh
About $151.66 a month
Benchmarks for apartment electricity use
The most useful federal benchmark comes from the EIA Residential Energy Consumption Survey, which asks households about their homes and then measures energy use by home type. The 2020 results are the newest published. They split apartments by the size of the building.
| Home type | kWh per month | Bill at 17.23 cents |
|---|---|---|
| Apartments in buildings with 5 or more units | 508 | $87.55 |
| Apartments in buildings with 2 to 4 units | 554 | $95.48 |
| Households of one person, any home type | 598 | $103.06 |
| All US homes | 880 | $151.66 |
Source: EIA Residential Energy Consumption Survey 2020, Table CE4.1, converted at 293.071 kWh per million Btu. Prices from EIA Form EIA-861, 2025.
Where an apartment’s electricity goes
| What the electricity does | kWh per month | Share | Cost at US average price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Space heating | 65 | 13% | $11.20 |
| Water heating | 95 | 19% | $16.37 |
| Air conditioning | 83 | 16% | $14.30 |
| Refrigerators | 45 | 9% | $7.76 |
| Everything else | 219 | 43% | $37.74 |
Source: EIA Residential Energy Consumption Survey 2020, Table CE4.1. Averages cover every home of this type, including homes that heat or cook with gas, so each line is smaller than it would be for a home that uses electricity for that purpose.
Water heating and air conditioning are the two largest named uses in a typical large-building apartment. The line called everything else covers lighting, cooking, laundry, televisions, computers and the standby draw of devices that never fully switch off. If your landlord supplies hot water or heat, your meter will show much less.
Studio, one, two and three bedroom apartments
Federal tables do not split electricity use by bedroom count, so no honest source can print a single average for a studio or a three bedroom unit. What the data does show is that size and the number of residents drive the bill. A studio will normally sit at or below the 508 kWh large-building average. A three bedroom apartment with several residents can land well above it.
For the two most searched sizes we built separate pages that show the benchmarks bracketing each one: the 1 bedroom apartment bill and the 2 bedroom apartment bill.
What your state does to the number
Highest estimated bills
- Hawaii$205.21
- California$159.27
- Massachusetts$154.47
- Rhode Island$149.76
- Connecticut$148.90
Lowest estimated bills
- North Dakota$60.02
- Idaho$60.10
- Nebraska$61.24
- Louisiana$63.59
- Arkansas$65.37
Show the estimate for all 50 states and DC
| State | Cents per kWh | Estimated bill at 508 kWh |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 16.09 | $81.74 |
| Alaska | 26.11 | $132.64 |
| Arizona | 15.26 | $77.51 |
| Arkansas | 12.87 | $65.37 |
| California | 31.35 | $159.27 |
| Colorado | 15.69 | $79.72 |
| Connecticut | 29.31 | $148.90 |
| Delaware | 17.15 | $87.12 |
| District of Columbia | 21.92 | $111.36 |
| Florida | 15.21 | $77.29 |
| Georgia | 14.74 | $74.89 |
| Hawaii | 40.40 | $205.21 |
| Idaho | 11.83 | $60.10 |
| Illinois | 17.67 | $89.76 |
| Indiana | 15.96 | $81.08 |
| Iowa | 13.62 | $69.21 |
| Kansas | 14.44 | $73.33 |
| Kentucky | 13.13 | $66.72 |
| Louisiana | 12.52 | $63.59 |
| Maine | 27.69 | $140.69 |
| Maryland | 19.53 | $99.19 |
| Massachusetts | 30.41 | $154.47 |
| Michigan | 20.03 | $101.76 |
| Minnesota | 15.83 | $80.40 |
| Mississippi | 14.03 | $71.26 |
| Missouri | 13.30 | $67.56 |
| Montana | 12.99 | $66.01 |
| Nebraska | 12.05 | $61.24 |
| Nevada | 13.26 | $67.37 |
| New Hampshire | 24.53 | $124.59 |
| New Jersey | 22.48 | $114.22 |
| New Mexico | 14.85 | $75.42 |
| New York | 26.39 | $134.08 |
| North Carolina | 14.00 | $71.10 |
| North Dakota | 11.82 | $60.02 |
| Ohio | 16.90 | $85.87 |
| Oklahoma | 13.21 | $67.08 |
| Oregon | 15.46 | $78.55 |
| Pennsylvania | 19.29 | $97.99 |
| Rhode Island | 29.48 | $149.76 |
| South Carolina | 15.12 | $76.79 |
| South Dakota | 13.32 | $67.68 |
| Tennessee | 13.22 | $67.15 |
| Texas | 15.40 | $78.22 |
| Utah | 13.02 | $66.12 |
| Vermont | 22.79 | $115.75 |
| Virginia | 15.28 | $77.63 |
| Washington | 13.17 | $66.91 |
| West Virginia | 15.39 | $78.17 |
| Wisconsin | 18.08 | $91.84 |
| Wyoming | 13.37 | $67.91 |
Source: Estimate = 508 kWh multiplied by each state's 2025 average residential price from EIA Form EIA-861. It assumes national average use for this home type. Hot or cold climates push real usage up or down.
How renters can lower the bill
- Set an electric water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit if you control it. The U.S. Department of Energy lists 120 degrees as a safe, efficient setting.
- Wash clothes in cold water and run full loads. Heating the water is the biggest part of a laundry cycle.
- Plug televisions, game consoles and chargers into a switched power strip and turn it off overnight.
- Ask the utility whether it gives renters free LED bulbs, a smart thermostat or a rebate. Many do.
- Close blinds on sunny afternoons in summer, and seal drafts around windows in winter.
Check your own bill
Frequently asked questions
What is the average electric bill for an apartment?
Apartments in buildings with five or more units average about 508 kWh a month in federal survey data, which costs about $87.55 at the 2025 US average price. Apartments in two to four unit buildings average about 554 kWh, or $95.48.
Is electricity ever included in the rent?
Sometimes. Some leases and condo fees include all utilities, and others include only water or heat. Read the lease before you open a utility account, and ask whether the electric meter in your unit is billed to you or to the building.
How do I estimate my own apartment bill?
Multiply your monthly kWh by your price per kWh, then add any fixed monthly charge from your utility. If you do not know your kWh, use the benchmark above and your state price.