Last updated: October 27, 2026. Data: EIA Electric Power Monthly, released October 23, 2026, covering August 2026. 2026 figures are preliminary. Next EIA release: November 24, 2026.
The average U.S. home paid 18.16¢ per kWh for electricity in August 2026, up from 17.57¢ a year earlier, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A. That’s the latest month EIA has published, and the 2026 numbers are preliminary. The gap between states is huge. Hawaii was the most expensive at 47.18¢. Nevada was the cheapest at 12.72¢, roughly a quarter of Hawaii’s price.
The table below ranks every state plus DC. For context it also shows last August and the year-to-date average, plus a rough monthly bill at 1,000 kWh. My family moved to Texas in 2025, so Texas gets its own section, but the table covers the whole country.
Quick answer (August 2026, preliminary)
- U.S. average residential price: 18.16¢/kWh (August 2025: 17.57¢) (EIA Table 5.6.A)
- Most expensive: Hawaii 47.18¢, then Maine 32.11¢, Massachusetts 30.48¢ and California 29.75¢
- Least expensive: Nevada 12.72¢, then Louisiana 12.87¢ and Utah and North Dakota at 13.31¢
- Texas: 15.91¢, about 12% below the U.S. average and 30th most expensive of 51
- Rough bill at 1,000 kWh: about $181.60 at the U.S. average price, $159.10 in Texas, $471.80 in Hawaii
Average residential electricity price by state, August 2026
States are ranked from most to least expensive by the August 2026 price. The year-to-date column (January through August) comes from EIA’s companion Table 5.6.B and smooths out one-month swings. The last column is just the August price × 1,000 kWh.
| Rank | State | Aug 2026 (prelim.) | Aug 2025 | Jan–Aug 2026 | ~1,000 kWh bill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | 47.18¢ | 38.53¢ | 46.41¢ | $471.80 |
| 2 | Maine | 32.11¢ | 28.14¢ | 30.23¢ | $321.10 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | 30.48¢ | 30.55¢ | 30.19¢ | $304.80 |
| 4 | California | 29.75¢ | 30.92¢ | 32.58¢ | $297.50 |
| 5 | Alaska | 29.41¢ | 27.79¢ | 27.32¢ | $294.10 |
| 6 | New York | 28.65¢ | 26.64¢ | 29.26¢ | $286.50 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | 28.18¢ | 26.53¢ | 29.05¢ | $281.80 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | 27.64¢ | 24.44¢ | 26.91¢ | $276.40 |
| 9 | District of Columbia | 25.98¢ | 23.18¢ | 24.86¢ | $259.80 |
| 10 | New Jersey | 24.61¢ | 24.70¢ | 24.09¢ | $246.10 |
| 11 | Connecticut | 24.51¢ | 30.17¢ | 27.47¢ | $245.10 |
| 12 | Vermont | 23.84¢ | 22.10¢ | 23.93¢ | $238.40 |
| 13 | Michigan | 22.99¢ | 20.73¢ | 21.73¢ | $229.90 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | 21.77¢ | 19.93¢ | 21.13¢ | $217.70 |
| 15 | Maryland | 21.40¢ | 19.89¢ | 21.31¢ | $214.00 |
| 16 | Wisconsin | 19.41¢ | 18.44¢ | 19.05¢ | $194.10 |
| 17 | Ohio | 19.38¢ | 17.55¢ | 18.81¢ | $193.80 |
| 18 | Illinois | 19.32¢ | 18.03¢ | 19.23¢ | $193.20 |
| 19 | Delaware | 18.70¢ | 16.85¢ | 17.98¢ | $187.00 |
| 20 | Virginia | 17.64¢ | 15.85¢ | 16.95¢ | $176.40 |
| 21 | Minnesota | 17.20¢ | 16.89¢ | 16.44¢ | $172.00 |
| 22 | Colorado | 17.17¢ | 16.21¢ | 16.80¢ | $171.70 |
| 23 | Iowa | 17.06¢ | 15.48¢ | 14.55¢ | $170.60 |
| 24 | Indiana | 17.02¢ | 16.21¢ | 17.04¢ | $170.20 |
| 25 | New Mexico | 16.51¢ | 15.98¢ | 15.34¢ | $165.10 |
| 26 | Alabama | 16.33¢ | 16.26¢ | 16.51¢ | $163.30 |
| 27 | West Virginia | 16.31¢ | 15.62¢ | 15.58¢ | $163.10 |
| 28 | Missouri | 16.02¢ | 15.32¢ | 14.28¢ | $160.20 |
| 29 | Oregon | 15.92¢ | 15.85¢ | 15.46¢ | $159.20 |
| 30 | Texas | 15.91¢ | 15.40¢ | 16.03¢ | $159.10 |
| 31 | Georgia | 15.90¢ | 15.55¢ | 15.48¢ | $159.00 |
| 32 | South Carolina | 15.76¢ | 15.16¢ | 15.90¢ | $157.60 |
| 33 | Montana | 15.57¢ | 14.29¢ | 14.13¢ | $155.70 |
| 34 | Kansas | 15.47¢ | 14.65¢ | 15.26¢ | $154.70 |
| 35 | South Dakota | 15.15¢ | 13.90¢ | 14.58¢ | $151.50 |
| 36 | Arizona | 15.05¢ | 15.09¢ | 15.36¢ | $150.50 |
| 37 | Florida | 14.99¢ | 15.33¢ | 15.32¢ | $149.90 |
| 38 | North Carolina | 14.95¢ | 14.59¢ | 14.94¢ | $149.50 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | 14.82¢ | 14.42¢ | 13.81¢ | $148.20 |
| 40 | Washington | 14.63¢ | 13.65¢ | 14.42¢ | $146.30 |
| 41 | Mississippi | 14.43¢ | 13.61¢ | 15.06¢ | $144.30 |
| 41 | Wyoming | 14.43¢ | 14.33¢ | 14.01¢ | $144.30 |
| 43 | Arkansas | 14.37¢ | 13.33¢ | 13.74¢ | $143.70 |
| 44 | Kentucky | 13.80¢ | 13.10¢ | 14.20¢ | $138.00 |
| 45 | Nebraska | 13.54¢ | 12.80¢ | 12.92¢ | $135.40 |
| 46 | Tennessee | 13.42¢ | 13.09¢ | 13.80¢ | $134.20 |
| 47 | Idaho | 13.37¢ | 12.08¢ | 13.02¢ | $133.70 |
| 48 | North Dakota | 13.31¢ | 12.97¢ | 12.46¢ | $133.10 |
| 48 | Utah | 13.31¢ | 13.62¢ | 13.19¢ | $133.10 |
| 50 | Louisiana | 12.87¢ | 12.55¢ | 13.27¢ | $128.70 |
| 51 | Nevada | 12.72¢ | 12.54¢ | 13.36¢ | $127.20 |
| U.S. average | 18.16¢ | 17.57¢ | 18.19¢ | $181.60 |
The most and least expensive states
| Most expensive | ¢/kWh | Least expensive | ¢/kWh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 47.18¢ | Nevada | 12.72¢ |
| Maine | 32.11¢ | Louisiana | 12.87¢ |
| Massachusetts | 30.48¢ | Utah | 13.31¢ |
| California | 29.75¢ | North Dakota | 13.31¢ |
| Alaska | 29.41¢ | Idaho | 13.37¢ |
Hawaii is in a league of its own: at 47.18¢ it was 2.6 times the national average and 22.5% higher than in August 2025. The next six, Maine, Massachusetts, California, Alaska, New York and Rhode Island, ranged from 28.18¢ to 32.11¢. Down at the cheap end, Nevada, Louisiana, Utah, North Dakota and Idaho were all at or below 13.37¢.
Only 19 of the 51 (50 states plus DC) were above the U.S. average. The other 32 were below it, and that isn’t a mistake. The national figure is weighted by how much electricity each state buys, so large, high-price states count for more than small, cheap ones. The median state was 16.33¢, well under the 18.16¢ average.
Prices rose year over year in 44 of the 51 and fell in 7. The biggest drop was Connecticut, from 30.17¢ to 24.51¢ (down 18.8%). EIA’s table doesn’t say why. I haven’t confirmed the reason, so I won’t guess.
How Texas compares
Texas came in at 15.91¢ per kWh in August 2026, 0.51¢ more than in August 2025 (15.40¢) and about 12% below the U.S. average. That puts it 30th most expensive of 51, squarely mid-pack. Over January through August the Texas average was 16.03¢ against 18.19¢ nationally, which ranks it 25th.
Those two figures, 15.91¢ for Texas and 18.16¢ for the U.S., are the ones GridPenny uses across the site. I rechecked both against EIA today and neither has moved. They will after EIA’s next release, though, because 2026 values are preliminary.
A lower price doesn’t mean a lower bill. Texas homes use a lot of electricity in summer: the average Texas residential customer used about 1,670 kWh in August 2026, GridPenny’s calculation from EIA retail sales data (kWh sold ÷ customers, preliminary). Multiply a below-average price by well-above-average summer usage and the bill is still big. We break that down month by month in the average electric bill in Texas.
The statewide average also blends very different markets: city-owned utilities, co-ops, and the competitive areas where you choose a plan on Power to Choose. In the Houston area, delivery alone is $4.90 a month plus 6.5333¢ per kWh as of October 1, 2026 (CenterPoint rate report), before your provider charges anything for energy. Here’s what goes into that CenterPoint charge, and here’s how to read the Electricity Facts Label that shows a plan’s energy price.
Why prices differ so much from state to state
EIA lists the main drivers on its electricity prices explainer:
- Fuel. Natural gas and petroleum prices feed straight into generation costs. EIA says Hawaii’s prices are high mainly because most of its electricity comes from petroleum fuels that have to be imported.
- Power plants. Every plant has construction, financing, maintenance and operating costs, and the mix of plants differs a lot by state.
- The grid. Building, maintaining and repairing transmission and distribution lines, including storm damage, costs money that shows up in rates.
- Weather. Heat waves and cold snaps push demand and prices up. Rain and wind can supply cheap hydro and wind power, until a drought or a calm spell takes it away.
- Regulation. Some states fully regulate prices; others, like the competitive parts of Texas, leave generation to the market and regulate only transmission and distribution.
EIA also notes that residential customers pay more per kWh than industrial ones because delivering power to many small customers costs more, and that prices tend to peak in summer when more expensive power plants are needed. Keep that in mind with this table. August is a summer month, and single-month rankings can shuffle. Iowa was 23rd most expensive in August but 37th on the year-to-date average; North Dakota was the cheapest state year to date at 12.46¢.
What 1,000 kWh costs, roughly
Multiply the price by your usage and you have a ballpark bill: 1,000 kWh at the U.S. average of 18.16¢ is about $181.60. In Texas it’s about $159.10, in Nevada $127.20, and in Hawaii $471.80.
It’s only a ballpark. EIA’s average price is total residential revenue divided by kWh sold, so it already spreads fixed monthly charges across everyone’s usage. A home that uses far less than average will usually pay more per kWh than the state figure, and a heavy user a bit less. Taxes and local fees vary too. For an exact number, use the rates on your own bill or plan documents.
FAQ
What is the average price of electricity in the U.S. right now?
18.16¢ per kWh for homes in August 2026, the latest month published by EIA (preliminary). The January–August 2026 average was 18.19¢.
Which state has the cheapest electricity?
Nevada, at 12.72¢ per kWh in August 2026, just ahead of Louisiana at 12.87¢. On the year-to-date average, North Dakota was cheapest at 12.46¢.
Which state has the most expensive electricity?
Hawaii, at 47.18¢ in August 2026 and 46.41¢ year to date. Among the lower 48, Maine (32.11¢) was highest in August and California (32.58¢) year to date.
Is electricity cheap in Texas?
Per kWh, it’s below average: 15.91¢ against 18.16¢ nationally in August 2026. But Texas homes use a lot of power, especially in summer (about 1,670 kWh on average in August 2026), so bills aren’t necessarily low.
How often is this updated?
EIA publishes new state data monthly, about two months after the month it covers. The next Electric Power Monthly release is scheduled for November 24, 2026, and we’ll update this table after it.
Sources
- U.S. EIA, Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A: Average Price of Electricity to Ultimate Customers by End-Use Sector, by State, August 2026 and 2025. Released Oct 23, 2026; 2026 values preliminary. Checked Oct 27, 2026.
- U.S. EIA, Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.B: Year-to-Date through August 2026 and 2025. Released Oct 23, 2026. Checked Oct 27, 2026.
- U.S. EIA, Electricity explained: Prices and factors affecting prices. Checked Oct 27, 2026.
- U.S. EIA, electricity retail sales data: Texas residential sales and customers, August 2026 (preliminary). Checked Oct 27, 2026.
- CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric Rates Report, 10/1/2026 (PUCT). Checked Oct 27, 2026.