Kilowatt Atlas

Ranking

Cheapest States for Electricity: Ranked by Average Price

All 51 ranked by average price, from final 2025 EIA data, with the traits that sit behind the order.

Reviewed Data: EIA Form EIA-861, released October 7, 2026

First

11.82 cents

North Dakota

Last

40.40 cents

Hawaii

US average

17.23 cents

2025

The top ten at a glance

Top ten places by average price, 2025

The first three are North Dakota (11.82 cents), Idaho (11.83 cents), Nebraska (12.05 cents).

All 51 ranked

Average price by state, 2025, ranked lowest first
RankStateAverage priceUseBillPrice change since 2020
1North Dakota11.82 cents1,070 kWh$126.40+13.2%
2Idaho11.83 cents933 kWh$110.36+18.9%
3Nebraska12.05 cents973 kWh$117.23+11.6%
4Louisiana12.52 cents1,225 kWh$153.32+29.5%
5Arkansas12.87 cents1,076 kWh$138.42+23.6%
6Montana12.99 cents853 kWh$110.80+15.6%
7Utah13.02 cents761 kWh$99.06+24.7%
8Kentucky13.13 cents1,094 kWh$143.72+20.9%
9Washington13.17 cents945 kWh$124.41+33.4%
10Oklahoma13.21 cents1,064 kWh$140.52+30.5%
11Tennessee13.22 cents1,180 kWh$156.03+22.9%
12Nevada13.26 cents868 kWh$115.07+16.9%
13Missouri13.30 cents1,038 kWh$137.97+18.5%
14South Dakota13.32 cents984 kWh$131.10+13.4%
15Wyoming13.37 cents835 kWh$111.59+20.3%
16Iowa13.62 cents861 kWh$117.30+9.4%
17North Carolina14.00 cents1,044 kWh$146.14+23.0%
18Mississippi14.03 cents1,184 kWh$166.05+25.6%
19Kansas14.44 cents876 kWh$126.42+12.3%
20Georgia14.74 cents1,077 kWh$158.70+22.7%
21New Mexico14.85 cents638 kWh$94.65+14.8%
22South Carolina15.12 cents1,067 kWh$161.21+18.2%
23Florida15.21 cents1,103 kWh$167.86+35.0%
24Arizona15.26 cents1,030 kWh$157.15+24.3%
25Virginia15.28 cents1,067 kWh$163.05+27.1%
26West Virginia15.39 cents1,073 kWh$165.13+30.4%
27Texas15.40 cents1,110 kWh$170.95+31.4%
28Oregon15.46 cents866 kWh$133.89+38.5%
29Colorado15.69 cents658 kWh$103.30+27.0%
30Minnesota15.83 cents744 kWh$117.67+20.2%
31Indiana15.96 cents938 kWh$149.72+24.5%
32Alabama16.09 cents1,145 kWh$184.31+28.0%
33Ohio16.90 cents874 kWh$147.74+37.6%
34Delaware17.15 cents920 kWh$157.80+36.5%
35Illinois17.67 cents717 kWh$126.59+35.5%
36Wisconsin18.08 cents667 kWh$120.60+26.3%
37Pennsylvania19.29 cents839 kWh$161.90+42.0%
38Maryland19.53 cents945 kWh$184.42+50.1%
39Michigan20.03 cents635 kWh$127.17+23.2%
40District of Columbia21.92 cents639 kWh$140.05+73.5%
41New Jersey22.48 cents670 kWh$150.59+40.3%
42Vermont22.79 cents592 kWh$134.78+16.6%
43New Hampshire24.53 cents640 kWh$156.94+28.8%
44Alaska26.11 cents564 kWh$147.18+15.7%
45New York26.39 cents586 kWh$154.75+43.7%
46Maine27.69 cents533 kWh$147.67+64.7%
47Connecticut29.31 cents704 kWh$206.46+29.0%
48Rhode Island29.48 cents562 kWh$165.62+33.9%
49Massachusetts30.41 cents596 kWh$181.08+38.4%
50California31.35 cents494 kWh$154.73+53.3%
51Hawaii40.40 cents515 kWh$207.89+33.4%

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-861 (final 2025 data). Cents per kWh.

What the gap means in dollars and minutes

Take a home that uses the US average of 874 kWh a month. At North Dakota's average price of 11.82 cents it would pay about $103.30 a month for that energy, and at Hawaii's 40.40 cents about $353.17. That is a gap of $249.87 a month, or $2,998 a year, from price alone. The middle of the ranking is West Virginia at 15.39 cents, about $134.54 for the same use. Real bills also differ because homes in different places use different amounts.

What sits behind the order

A state's price per kWh reflects what it costs to generate and deliver power there, how much fuel it imports, the taxes and policy costs it adds, and how its utilities are owned. EIA lists fuel costs, power plant costs, transmission and distribution costs, weather and regulation among the factors, and names Hawaii's reliance on imported petroleum as the main reason for its price. See why bills are going up.

Average traits of the ten places at each end of the cheapest states for electricity ranking
GroupPriceUseBillInvestor-owned sharePublic and co-op share
Top ten of this ranking12.66 cents999 kWh$126.4259%41%
Bottom ten of this ranking28.85 cents578 kWh$165.7180%18%

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-861 (final 2025 data). Simple averages of the ten places in each group, not weighted by size. Ownership shares are the percent of residential customers served by each type of utility. A pattern in a group is not proof of a cause.

How the ranking is built

The ranking uses the final 2025 EIA-861 data that the rest of Kilowatt Atlas uses. Average price is the revenue utilities and suppliers collect from residential customers divided by the kilowatt-hours sold, so it includes fixed charges. Average use is residential kWh per customer per month, and the bill is price times use. Places tie only if their values match exactly. Read the full methodology.

Statewide averages are not your bill

A state average hides large differences between utilities, home types and plans. Your own price and use decide your bill. See whether your bill is normal.

More rankings

About this ranking

Which state is first in this ranking?

North Dakota ranks first with 11.82 cents, and Hawaii ranks last with 40.40 cents.

Where does the data come from?

From EIA Form EIA-861 final 2025 data, released October 7, 2026. Price is residential revenue divided by sales, and bill is price times use.

How often is this ranking updated?

When EIA publishes new final data, once a year. The ranking shows 2025 data until then.

Does a higher rank mean a better state?

No. A rank describes one number. Prices, bills, use and reliability each reflect different things, and a place with a high bill may also have high use or a hot or cold climate.

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