Which states had the biggest electricity price increases?
These are EIA residential average prices. The ranking compares the same month in consecutive years across all 50 states; D.C. and aggregates are unranked. The June 2026 release was the latest available when checked September 13. The estimates are preliminary.
The percentage tells you how quickly the price changed. The dollar column answers a different question: what that change would cost at the same 1,000 kWh of use. That usage is an illustration, not a typical household assumption.
| State | June 2025 ¢/kWh | June 2026 ¢/kWh | Change | Monthly change at 1,000 kWh |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 40.96 | 52.72 | 28.7% | +$117.60 |
| Idaho | 12.07 | 14.37 | 19.1% | +$23.00 |
| Washington | 12.96 | 14.91 | 15.0% | +$19.50 |
| New Hampshire | 23.51 | 27.01 | 14.9% | +$35.00 |
| Maryland | 19.29 | 21.84 | 13.2% | +$25.50 |
| U.S. benchmark | 17.47 | 18.34 | 5.0% | +$8.70 |
Percentage change = (later price − earlier price) ÷ earlier price × 100; rounded to one decimal. Dollar change = 1,000 × (later cents − earlier cents) ÷ 100.
Idaho's 14.37¢ price remains below the 18.34¢ U.S. benchmark; New Hampshire's 27.01¢ is above it. Percentage growth alone does not establish affordability.
Compare every state below. The last column holds monthly consumption at an illustrative 1,000 kWh, so differences reflect price alone. A minus sign means a decrease.
View all 50 states, ranked by percentage change
On a narrow screen, scroll the table sideways. Keyboard users can focus the table and use the arrow keys.
| State / rank | 2025 ¢/kWh | 2026 ¢/kWh | Change | Monthly change at 1,000 kWh |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Hawaii | 40.96 | 52.72 | +28.7% | +$117.60 |
| 2. Idaho | 12.07 | 14.37 | +19.1% | +$23.00 |
| 3. Washington | 12.96 | 14.91 | +15.0% | +$19.50 |
| 4. New Hampshire | 23.51 | 27.01 | +14.9% | +$35.00 |
| 5. Maryland | 19.29 | 21.84 | +13.2% | +$25.50 |
| 6. Virginia | 15.23 | 17.22 | +13.1% | +$19.90 |
| 7. New York | 26.55 | 29.49 | +11.1% | +$29.40 |
| 8. Michigan | 20.82 | 22.99 | +10.4% | +$21.70 |
| 9. Pennsylvania | 19.69 | 21.73 | +10.4% | +$20.40 |
| 10. North Carolina | 13.38 | 14.74 | +10.2% | +$13.60 |
| 11. Ohio | 17.50 | 19.19 | +9.7% | +$16.90 |
| 12. Rhode Island | 26.84 | 29.23 | +8.9% | +$23.90 |
| 13. Illinois | 18.29 | 19.89 | +8.7% | +$16.00 |
| 14. South Dakota | 14.22 | 15.36 | +8.0% | +$11.40 |
| 15. Nevada | 12.26 | 13.11 | +6.9% | +$8.50 |
| 16. Colorado | 16.04 | 17.13 | +6.8% | +$10.90 |
| 17. Kentucky | 13.40 | 14.26 | +6.4% | +$8.60 |
| 18. Vermont | 23.00 | 24.44 | +6.3% | +$14.40 |
| 19. Indiana | 16.48 | 17.51 | +6.3% | +$10.30 |
| 20. Delaware | 18.16 | 19.29 | +6.2% | +$11.30 |
| 21. Louisiana | 12.74 | 13.49 | +5.9% | +$7.50 |
| 22. Mississippi | 14.07 | 14.88 | +5.8% | +$8.10 |
| 23. Wisconsin | 18.52 | 19.56 | +5.6% | +$10.40 |
| 24. Arkansas | 13.37 | 14.12 | +5.6% | +$7.50 |
| 25. Maine | 28.14 | 29.59 | +5.2% | +$14.50 |
| 26. South Carolina | 14.79 | 15.55 | +5.1% | +$7.60 |
| 27. Oklahoma | 13.63 | 14.33 | +5.1% | +$7.00 |
| 28. Alaska | 26.87 | 28.21 | +5.0% | +$13.40 |
| 29. Texas | 15.26 | 15.94 | +4.5% | +$6.80 |
| 30. Kansas | 15.04 | 15.71 | +4.5% | +$6.70 |
| 31. Iowa | 15.33 | 15.93 | +3.9% | +$6.00 |
| 32. California | 33.59 | 34.74 | +3.4% | +$11.50 |
| 33. Oregon | 15.80 | 16.32 | +3.3% | +$5.20 |
| 34. North Dakota | 13.71 | 14.12 | +3.0% | +$4.10 |
| 35. New Mexico | 14.68 | 15.06 | +2.6% | +$3.80 |
| 36. Georgia | 15.96 | 16.36 | +2.5% | +$4.00 |
| 37. Wyoming | 14.89 | 15.24 | +2.4% | +$3.50 |
| 38. Minnesota | 17.12 | 17.52 | +2.3% | +$4.00 |
| 39. Montana | 14.81 | 15.14 | +2.2% | +$3.30 |
| 40. Alabama | 16.06 | 16.40 | +2.1% | +$3.40 |
| 41. Utah | 13.10 | 13.37 | +2.1% | +$2.70 |
| 42. Missouri | 15.91 | 16.22 | +1.9% | +$3.10 |
| 43. Tennessee | 13.82 | 14.07 | +1.8% | +$2.50 |
| 44. Nebraska | 13.14 | 13.25 | +0.8% | +$1.10 |
| 45. New Jersey | 24.88 | 24.95 | +0.3% | +$0.70 |
| 46. Arizona | 15.23 | 15.18 | -0.3% | −$0.50 |
| 47. Florida | 15.35 | 15.10 | -1.6% | −$2.50 |
| 48. West Virginia | 15.82 | 15.45 | -2.3% | −$3.70 |
| 49. Massachusetts | 30.33 | 29.61 | -2.4% | −$7.20 |
| 50. Connecticut | 27.19 | 24.32 | -10.6% | −$28.70 |
D.C. is outside the 50-state ranking: 22.70 → 24.39¢/kWh, +7.4%; +$16.90 at 1,000 kWh. U.S. benchmark: 17.47 → 18.34¢/kWh, +5.0%; +$8.70 at 1,000 kWh.
Download the dated comparison (CSV) · Open the original EIA table
Reference: EIA: Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A · EIA: Electric Power Monthly release information
What does the rate change mean at your usage?
Choose a state to load both June benchmarks, or enter the consumption-dependent prices from your bills. Keep usage unchanged to isolate the rate effect. The comparison shows both costs together.
For your own rates, include the per-kWh charges you want to model and keep fixed charges separate. A state average is only a benchmark: EIA calculates it from revenues and sales, so it does not identify the charge for one extra kWh on your account.
Start with a dated benchmark or enter the consumption-dependent rates from your bills. The initial 1,000 kWh is an example. Inputs stay in this page and are not sent to a server.
Reference: EIA: Electricity Monthly Update · RealCostTools: Appliance electricity cost calculator
Was June part of a longer increase?
A single June comparison cannot establish a year-long trend. EIA's separate January–June figures give a broader check for the same five states. Every one had a higher first-half average than a year earlier, but Hawaii's June jump was much larger than its first-half change.
Hawaii rose 28.7% in the June comparison versus 11.0% across the first half. New Hampshire was 14.9% on both rounded measures. The U.S. was 5.0% for June versus 7.4% for the first half. Your conclusion changes with the period you select.
| State / benchmark | Jan–Jun 2025 ¢/kWh | Jan–Jun 2026 ¢/kWh | Derived change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 41.41 | 45.95 | 11.0% |
| Idaho | 11.44 | 12.80 | 11.9% |
| Washington | 12.63 | 14.35 | 13.6% |
| New Hampshire | 23.36 | 26.83 | 14.9% |
| Maryland | 18.73 | 21.27 | 13.6% |
| U.S. benchmark | 16.91 | 18.16 | 7.4% |
Source: residential columns of EIA Table 5.6.B. These are six-month aggregate prices, not an arithmetic average of the monthly percentage changes. They do not show that prices rose in every individual month.
Reference: EIA: Table 5.6.B, year-to-date residential prices
Find the right rate on your bill
Start with two bills and the rate schedule that applied to each billing period. A tariff is the published schedule of prices and service terms. Note the billing dates, kWh used, supply provider and plan name before comparing amounts.
Classify each line by what determines it. A charge per kWh belongs in a consumption-based comparison; a flat monthly charge stays separate. Check both supply and delivery if they are billed separately. Treat taxes, credits, minimum charges, arrears and demand charges according to the actual plan rather than folding them into an unexplained rate.
| Line item | Illustrative calculation | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Supply | 800 kWh × 12¢ ÷ 100 | $96.00 |
| Delivery charged per kWh | 800 kWh × 5¢ ÷ 100 | $40.00 |
| Fuel adjustment charged per kWh | 800 kWh × 1¢ ÷ 100 | $8.00 |
| Fixed monthly service charge | Separate flat amount | $15.00 |
| Consumption-dependent subtotal | 800 kWh × (12 + 5 + 1)¢ ÷ 100 | $144.00 |
| Total of these listed charges | $144 + $15 | $159.00 |
The rate for the modeled consumption is 18¢/kWh. Dividing the full $159 bill by 800 produces 19.875¢/kWh, which spreads the fixed charge over usage. That effective average cannot price additional usage accurately under this fictional flat-rate plan.
The electricity engine reproduces the $144 consumption cost. Adding the $15 fixed charge is a separate bill-reconciliation calculation; the appliance calculator has no fixed-charge input.
Reference: RealCostTools: Appliance electricity cost calculator · EIA: Tariff definition · U.S. Department of Energy: Evaluating your utility rate options
Separate a higher rate from higher usage
Suppose the fictional next bill uses 900 kWh at 20¢/kWh and has an $18 fixed charge. Its listed total is $198, up $39 from $159. Only $16 of that difference comes from applying the higher rate to the earlier 800 kWh.
This breakdown uses earlier consumption to measure the rate effect, then prices the extra usage at the later rate. It assigns the interaction between price and usage to the usage line. Another consistent order can split those two lines differently, but the combined change stays $39.
| What changed | Calculation | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Rate at earlier usage | 800 × (20 − 18) ÷ 100 | +$16.00 |
| Extra usage at later rate | (900 − 800) × 20 ÷ 100 | +$20.00 |
| Fixed charge | $18 − $15 | +$3.00 |
| Total change | $16 + $20 + $3 | +$39.00 |
All inputs in this bill walkthrough are fictional. Both consumption costs use the existing engine; fixed charges and the decomposition are separately derived. Real bills may have additional components.
Compare billing-period lengths as well as total kWh. A longer bill can cover more days of consumption. Average daily kWh can help identify that difference, but it does not adjust for weather or changes in occupancy.
Reference: RealCostTools: Appliance electricity cost calculator
Why are electricity prices rising?
EIA identifies fuel, power-plant and delivery-system costs as price drivers. Weather affects both demand and generation availability. For Hawaii, EIA specifically identifies dependence on imported petroleum fuels as a reason its electricity prices are high relative to other states. That explains price context; it does not apportion the 28.7% June increase.
To explain your utility's change, look for its rate notice and the regulator's order, including the effective date. Separate a proposed increase from an approved one and check whether it affects supply, delivery or another charge. A statewide average cannot establish how much a particular project added to your bill.
Use this request when the bill remains unclear: “Please identify the rate schedule and effective dates for this billing period, list which charges vary with kWh, and explain which line items changed from my earlier bill.” The response gives you inputs you can actually check.
Reference: EIA: Factors affecting electricity prices · EIA: Electricity Monthly Update
When one electricity rate is not enough
With time-of-use pricing, calculate each period's kWh at that period's rate and add the results. If your plan charges different prices for usage blocks, do the same for each block. The comparison above applies one entered rate to the whole load.
For a past spending estimate, a usage-weighted rate can summarize those charges. For an extra appliance, use the prices that its additional consumption would face. A change in timing, a crossed block boundary or a minimum bill can make a whole-bill average misleading.
If you have solar exports, demand charges, bill credits or a budget-billing payment, keep those separate until you can reconcile them with the plan. The amount paid this month may not equal that month's consumption cost.
Reference: EIA: Factors affecting electricity prices · RealCostTools: Appliance electricity cost calculator · RealCostTools: EnergyGuide appliance operating costs · U.S. Department of Energy: Evaluating your utility rate options
Check the math: Hawaii at unchanged annual usage
The annual example uses a fictional 12,000 kWh load, quantity one. Pricing it at each June benchmark gives the following energy-cost scenarios. Each rate is held constant throughout the fictional year.
In the appliance calculator, select annual kWh, enter 12,000 as one combined row, set quantity to one and leave the optional alternative blank. Calculate at 40.96¢, then at 52.72¢. Monthly outputs are annual cost divided by 12.
| Item | Example result |
|---|---|
| Annual consumption input; quantity | 12,000 kWh; 1 |
| June 2025 Hawaii residential rate input | 40.96¢/kWh |
| June 2026 Hawaii residential rate input | 52.72¢/kWh |
| Earlier annual energy cost: 12,000 × 40.96 ÷ 100 | $4,915.20 |
| Later annual energy cost: 12,000 × 52.72 ÷ 100 | $6,326.40 |
| Earlier monthly average: annual cost ÷ 12 | $409.60 |
| Later monthly average: annual cost ÷ 12 | $527.20 |
| Derived monthly increase: later − earlier | $117.60 |
The $117.60 monthly difference holds consumption constant. Applying either June price throughout the year is a scenario assumption; the table does not describe an observed annual Hawaii bill.
Consumption is fictional; the two price inputs are sourced EIA state averages. Energy costs use the same engine as the calculator. Differences between outputs are derived.
Calculate my rate change ↗Reference: EIA: Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A · RealCostTools: Appliance electricity cost calculator
Use the comparison for your next decision
If the same-use rate comparison explains only part of your bill increase, check the remaining usage and charge changes before setting a budget. Save the two bills and the applicable rate schedule with your calculation so you can repeat it when the next bill arrives.
For appliance shopping, use the EnergyGuide guide to compare annual label kWh and replacement operating costs. For a move, carry your reconciled electricity estimate into the rent budget alongside the other housing costs.
Compare appliance costs using EnergyGuide kWh ↗
Include electricity in a move-in and monthly housing budget ↗
Data, formulas and limits
This is a dated June 2026 comparison, released August 26, 2026. EIA scheduled the next release for September 24. The ranking should not be read as September tariffs or a full-year 2026 ranking; subsequent releases may revise the estimates.
EIA average price = sales revenue ÷ electricity sold. Our percentage change uses the printed cents/kWh values. The comparison tool calls the existing electricity engine twice with identical consumption; the price difference is calculated before display rounding. One kWh is one kilowatt used for one hour.
The examples cover only their stated inputs. Applying the same consumption and prices across 12 months is a sensitivity assumption. Actual utility bills can include components that this single-rate model does not calculate.
Prepared by RealCostTools with AI-assisted research and drafting. Primary sources and calculation outputs were checked during the September 13 review. Source links and the downloadable snapshot make the numerical comparisons inspectable.
About RealCostTools and its operator ↗
Report a data or calculation issue ↗
Reference: EIA: Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A · EIA: Electric Power Monthly release information · EIA: Measuring electricity · EIA: Electricity Monthly Update · RealCostTools: Appliance electricity cost calculator
Sources and calculation notes
- EIA: Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A
June 2026 versus June 2025 residential columns, cents/kWh. Released August 26, 2026; preliminary. All 50 state rows checked September 13, 2026. Percentages and constant-use costs are calculated from printed prices.
- EIA: Electric Power Monthly release information
Latest release checked September 13, 2026: June data, released August 26. Next release scheduled September 24. This article preserves that dated comparison.
- EIA: Measuring electricity
Undated reference, checked September 13, 2026. Definitions of power and energy; no household-use average taken from this page.
- EIA: Factors affecting electricity prices
Undated explanation, checked September 13, 2026. General price drivers, Hawaii's petroleum dependence and time-of-day pricing. Its annual price statistics are not used here.
- EIA: Electricity Monthly Update
June 2026 data, released August 26; checked September 13. Describes the revenue-per-kWh proxy. Its all-sector state ranking is separate from this residential ranking.
- RealCostTools: Appliance electricity cost calculator
Existing energy-cost formulas and exclusions checked September 13, 2026. The comparison on this page calls the same electricity engine. Bill totals and decomposed differences are separately derived.
- RealCostTools: EnergyGuide appliance operating costs
Published September 8, 2026; checked September 13. Label kWh, quantities, incremental operating costs and replacement comparisons.
- EIA: Table 5.6.B, year-to-date residential prices
January–June 2026 versus January–June 2025, released August 26, 2026; preliminary. The five June leaders and U.S. row checked September 13. These six-month aggregate prices are not June-only or full-year averages.
- EIA: Tariff definition
Undated glossary checked September 13, 2026. Tariff means published rate schedules and general service terms and conditions.
- U.S. Department of Energy: Evaluating your utility rate options
Current page checked September 13, 2026. FEMP guidance addresses federal facilities; used only for definitions of energy, fixed and demand charges and separate supply/delivery bills. No residential prevalence or savings claim is drawn from it.
Read the appliance electricity cost methodology for the model assumptions and excluded costs.
Published . Sources checked . Editorial policy · Corrections