Electricity Rates by State — 2024 Average Residential Rates
Your electricity rate is the single biggest factor in what your appliances cost to run. The same 550 kWh refrigerator costs $56 a year in Idaho and $213 in Hawaii. Find your state in the table below, then price your own appliances at that rate and carry it straight into the calculator.
National Average
16.0¢/kWh
Cheapest State
Idaho
10.1¢/kWh
Most Expensive State
Hawaii
38.8¢/kWh
5 Most Expensive States
| Hawaii | 38.8¢/kWh |
| Connecticut | 29.3¢/kWh |
| Massachusetts | 28.2¢/kWh |
| California | 27.9¢/kWh |
| Rhode Island | 26.9¢/kWh |
5 Cheapest States
| Idaho | 10.1¢/kWh |
| Utah | 11.2¢/kWh |
| Wyoming | 11.2¢/kWh |
| Washington | 11.4¢/kWh |
| Arkansas | 11.5¢/kWh |
All 50 States + DC — Residential Electricity Rates
Rates shown are average residential rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Your actual rate may differ based on your utility provider and rate plan.
| # | State | Rate (¢/kWh) | vs. National Avg | Annual Cost (avg home) | Refrigerator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii (HI) | 38.8¢ | +142.3% | $4,070 | $213 |
| 2 | Connecticut (CT) | 29.3¢ | +82.9% | $3,073 | $161 |
| 3 | Massachusetts (MA) | 28.2¢ | +76.3% | $2,962 | $155 |
| 4 | California (CA) | 27.9¢ | +74.3% | $2,927 | $153 |
| 5 | Rhode Island (RI) | 26.9¢ | +68.3% | $2,828 | $148 |
| 6 | New Hampshire (NH) | 25.3¢ | +57.8% | $2,651 | $139 |
| 7 | Maine (ME) | 24.9¢ | +55.4% | $2,610 | $137 |
| 8 | Alaska (AK) | 24.0¢ | +49.8% | $2,517 | $132 |
| 9 | New York (NY) | 22.1¢ | +37.8% | $2,315 | $121 |
| 10 | Vermont (VT) | 21.3¢ | +33.1% | $2,235 | $117 |
| 11 | New Jersey (NJ) | 18.0¢ | +12.4% | $1,888 | $99 |
| 12 | Michigan (MI) | 17.8¢ | +11.4% | $1,871 | $98 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania (PA) | 16.5¢ | +3.2% | $1,734 | $91 |
| 14 | Wisconsin (WI) | 16.0¢ | +0.1% | $1,681 | $88 |
| 15 | Illinois (IL) | 15.8¢ | -1.1% | $1,661 | $87 |
| 16 | Maryland (MD) | 15.6¢ | -2.6% | $1,637 | $86 |
| 17 | District of Columbia (DC) | 15.1¢ | -5.6% | $1,586 | $83 |
| 18 | Colorado (CO) | 14.7¢ | -7.9% | $1,548 | $81 |
| 19 | Minnesota (MN) | 14.3¢ | -10.5% | $1,504 | $79 |
| 20 | Iowa (IA) | 14.1¢ | -11.9% | $1,480 | $78 |
| 21 | Kansas (KS) | 14.1¢ | -11.9% | $1,480 | $78 |
| 22 | New Mexico (NM) | 14.1¢ | -11.9% | $1,479 | $77 |
| 23 | Ohio (OH) | 14.1¢ | -12.1% | $1,477 | $77 |
| 24 | Florida (FL) | 14.0¢ | -12.4% | $1,472 | $77 |
| 25 | Indiana (IN) | 14.0¢ | -12.4% | $1,471 | $77 |
| 26 | Texas (TX) | 14.0¢ | -12.7% | $1,467 | $77 |
| 27 | Delaware (DE) | 14.0¢ | -12.8% | $1,466 | $77 |
| 28 | Alabama (AL) | 13.9¢ | -13.1% | $1,460 | $76 |
| 29 | South Carolina (SC) | 13.8¢ | -14.0% | $1,445 | $76 |
| 30 | Nevada (NV) | 13.7¢ | -14.6% | $1,435 | $75 |
| 31 | Arizona (AZ) | 13.3¢ | -16.6% | $1,401 | $73 |
| 32 | Georgia (GA) | 13.3¢ | -16.6% | $1,401 | $73 |
| 33 | Virginia (VA) | 13.3¢ | -16.6% | $1,401 | $73 |
| 34 | South Dakota (SD) | 13.2¢ | -17.8% | $1,382 | $72 |
| 35 | West Virginia (WV) | 12.8¢ | -19.9% | $1,345 | $70 |
| 36 | Oregon (OR) | 12.7¢ | -20.6% | $1,335 | $70 |
| 37 | Missouri (MO) | 12.6¢ | -21.2% | $1,324 | $69 |
| 38 | Mississippi (MS) | 12.6¢ | -21.4% | $1,320 | $69 |
| 39 | Montana (MT) | 12.4¢ | -22.8% | $1,298 | $68 |
| 40 | Nebraska (NE) | 12.2¢ | -23.9% | $1,279 | $67 |
| 41 | North Carolina (NC) | 12.2¢ | -24.1% | $1,276 | $67 |
| 42 | Tennessee (TN) | 11.8¢ | -26.1% | $1,242 | $65 |
| 43 | Louisiana (LA) | 11.8¢ | -26.2% | $1,240 | $65 |
| 44 | Oklahoma (OK) | 11.8¢ | -26.4% | $1,236 | $65 |
| 45 | North Dakota (ND) | 11.7¢ | -27.0% | $1,226 | $64 |
| 46 | Kentucky (KY) | 11.6¢ | -27.3% | $1,221 | $64 |
| 47 | Arkansas (AR) | 11.5¢ | -28.4% | $1,203 | $63 |
| 48 | Washington (WA) | 11.4¢ | -28.9% | $1,195 | $63 |
| 49 | Wyoming (WY) | 11.2¢ | -29.8% | $1,179 | $62 |
| 50 | Utah (UT) | 11.2¢ | -30.3% | $1,171 | $61 |
| 51 | Idaho (ID) | 10.1¢ | -36.8% | $1,062 | $56 |
Ranked most expensive first. Annual cost is the 10,500 kWh a year an average US household uses, priced at that state's rate. The refrigerator column is the 550 kWh/year standard top-freezer this site uses throughout, so the last two columns are the same rate applied to a whole house and to a single appliance.
What does this rate mean for your appliances?
An appliance's electricity cost is its kilowatt-hours multiplied by your rate, and nothing else — which is why the same refrigerator costs 3.8 times as much to run in Hawaii as in Idaho. These are three of the machines this site prices most often, at whatever rate you pick.
Priced at the national average of 16.0¢/kWh. Pick your state and all three reprice — and each one carries that rate into its own calculator.
Refrigerator
550 kWh a year — a standard 18-21 cu ft top-freezer, never switched off
$88
a year · $7 a month
Open the refrigerator calculator→Electric dryer
585 kWh a year — 2.25 kWh a load, 5 loads a week
$94
a year · $8 a month
Open the dryer calculator→Chest freezer
290 kWh a year — a 9 cu ft chest in the garage
$46
a year · $4 a month
Open the chest freezer calculator→Those three machines together use 1,425 kWh a year. At the national average of 16.0¢/kWh that is $228 a year. Pick your state above to see what the same three cost where you live.
Understanding Rate Structures
Flat Rate
The simplest structure — you pay the same price per kWh regardless of when or how much you use. Most common in regulated markets. Easy to calculate costs with our tool.
Tiered Rate
Price per kWh increases as you use more. The first 500 kWh might cost $0.12/kWh, but anything over 1,000 kWh could cost $0.20/kWh. This penalizes high usage and incentivizes conservation.
Time-of-Use (TOU)
Different rates for different times of day. Peak hours (usually 2-8 PM weekdays) cost more, while off-peak (nights and weekends) costs less. Running appliances at night can save 20-40%. Great for EV charging and scheduling laundry off-peak.
Related Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average electricity rate in the United States?
The national average residential electricity rate is approximately $0.16 per kWh as of 2024. However, rates vary dramatically by state, ranging from about $0.10/kWh in states like Idaho and Utah to over $0.38/kWh in Hawaii.
Why do electricity rates vary so much by state?
Rates depend on the energy sources used (coal, natural gas, nuclear, hydro, renewables), infrastructure costs, regulatory environment, climate (which affects demand), and how deregulated the market is. States with abundant hydroelectric power (like Washington) tend to have lower rates.
How do I find my exact electricity rate?
Check your most recent electricity bill. Look for the line item showing cost per kWh. You may see tiered rates (different prices for different usage levels) or time-of-use rates (different prices at different times of day). Use the total charges divided by total kWh for your effective rate.
How do I work out what my appliances cost at my state's rate?
Multiply the appliance's annual kilowatt-hours by your state's rate. A standard 550 kWh/year refrigerator costs $56 a year in Idaho and $213 in Hawaii — same fridge, same kilowatt-hours, a different bill. The section above does that arithmetic for a refrigerator, an electric dryer and a chest freezer at any state's rate, and each one links through to its full calculator with that state already selected.
Do electricity rates change throughout the year?
Yes. Many utilities charge higher rates during summer months when demand peaks due to air conditioning. Time-of-use plans charge more during peak hours (typically 2-8 PM) and less at night. Rates also increase annually — the average has risen about 3-5% per year recently.