All reports
| Report | First place | Last place |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest electricity | North Dakota, 11.82 cents | Hawaii, 40.40 cents |
| Most expensive electricity | Hawaii, 40.40 cents | North Dakota, 11.82 cents |
| Highest electric bills | Hawaii, $207.89 | New Mexico, $94.65 |
| Lowest electric bills | New Mexico, $94.65 | Hawaii, $207.89 |
| Highest electricity use | Louisiana, 1,225 kWh | California, 494 kWh |
| Lowest electricity use | California, 494 kWh | Louisiana, 1,225 kWh |
| Most reliable power | District of Columbia, 34 min | West Virginia, 498 min |
| Most retail choice | Massachusetts, 61.8% | Wyoming, 0.0% |
| Rate increase tracker | Largest rise since 2020 | Smallest rise since 2020 |
At a glance
| Measure | Highest three | Lowest three |
|---|---|---|
| Price per kWh | Hawaii, California, Massachusetts | North Dakota, Idaho, Nebraska |
| Monthly bill | Hawaii, Connecticut, Maryland | New Mexico, Utah, Colorado |
| Outage minutes | West Virginia, Mississippi, Virginia | District of Columbia, Rhode Island, Illinois |
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-861 (final 2025 data). For outage minutes, the first column is the longest outages and the second the shortest.
How prices have changed since 2020
The US average residential price rose from 13.16 cents per kWh in 2020 to 17.24 cents in 2025, a rise of 31 percent. Consumer prices overall rose 24 percent over the same years, and the electricity component of the consumer price index rose 36 percent. See the rate increase tracker for every state.
How to use the reports
- Start with your own state. Each ranking links to the state page for the full picture, and each state page links back to its place in the rankings.
- Compare price, use and bill together. A high bill can come from a high price, high use or both, and the rankings show which.
- Use the tracker to see whether prices where you live have risen faster than inflation.
- Cite the page and the source when you use a figure. See how to cite our data.
What the reports cannot tell you
A state average does not describe any one home, and it cannot say what a household pays in a month with unusual weather. Rankings cover electricity, not gas, water or the cost of living. They also do not say who is to blame for a price or what a rate plan would save you. For those questions, use the tools and the guides with your own bill.
Where the numbers come from
Every figure is built from federal data: EIA Form EIA-861 for prices, use, customers, ownership and reliability, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the consumer price index. We show the data year on every page and describe each calculation on the methodology page. Rankings change only when EIA publishes new final data.
Reports questions
What is on this page?
Rankings of all 50 states and DC on electricity price, monthly bill, use, outage minutes and retail choice, plus a tracker of how prices changed since 2020. All of it comes from final federal data.
How current is the data?
Rankings use EIA Form EIA-861 final 2025 data, released October 7, 2026. The tracker uses the same survey for 2020 through 2025.
Can I cite these rankings?
Yes. Cite the page and the EIA source. See our page on how to cite our data for ready credit lines.
Do rankings show which state is cheapest to live in?
No. They cover electricity only, and a state average is not your bill. Other costs matter more for most households.