A kilowatt-hour costs about four times more in Hawaii than in Nevada, and the electric meter counts both the same way. Prices moved this past year too, and not in one direction. The map below lets you switch between home and business rates and see where your state landed.
Key Takeaways
The U.S. residential electricity rate reached 18.34 cents per kWh in October 2026, up 5.0% from a year earlier. Prices rose in 45 states and D.C. and fell in five. Hawaii climbed 28.7% to 52.72 cents, while Nevada stayed the cheapest at 13.11 cents.
Idaho (+19.1%), New Hampshire (+14.9%) and Washington (+14.9%) had the biggest increases after Hawaii.
Connecticut fell 10.7%, the largest drop.
Commercial rates rose 9.5% on average, to 14.19 cents.
Ohio’s commercial rate jumped 21.3%, and Oregon’s fell 8.7%.
Which states pay the most for electricity?
Hawaii leads at 52.72 cents per kWh, followed by California (34.74), Massachusetts (29.61), Maine (29.59) and New York (29.49). Electric Choice notes that Hawaii imports petroleum for most of its power generation, which keeps its rate far above everyone else’s. At the other end, Nevada (13.11), Nebraska (13.25), Utah (13.37), Louisiana (13.49) and Tennessee (14.07) are the cheapest for households.
Where did home electricity prices rise the most?
Hawaii added 11.76 cents in a year. Nevada rose 14.8% and still has the lowest residential rate. Texas households paid 15.94 cents, while Texas businesses paid 8.66.
Table 1. Residential electricity price, a year ago vs October 2026 (cents per kWh)
State
A year ago
Oct 2026
Change
United States
17.47
18.34
+5.0%
Alabama
16.00
16.40
+2.5%
Alaska
26.88
28.21
+4.9%
Arizona
15.28
15.18
-0.7%
Arkansas
13.33
14.12
+5.9%
California
33.52
34.74
+3.6%
Colorado
16.16
17.13
+6.0%
Connecticut
27.24
24.32
-10.7%
Delaware
18.15
19.29
+6.3%
District of Columbia
22.70
24.39
+7.4%
Florida
15.36
15.10
-1.7%
Georgia
16.00
16.36
+2.2%
Hawaii
40.96
52.72
+28.7%
Idaho
12.07
14.37
+19.1%
Illinois
18.33
19.89
+8.5%
Indiana
16.60
17.51
+5.5%
Iowa
15.39
15.93
+3.5%
Kansas
15.00
15.71
+4.7%
Kentucky
13.62
14.26
+4.7%
Louisiana
12.64
13.49
+6.7%
Maine
28.14
29.59
+5.2%
Maryland
19.33
21.84
+13.0%
Massachusetts
30.37
29.61
-2.5%
Michigan
20.85
22.99
+10.3%
Minnesota
17.14
17.52
+2.2%
Mississippi
13.94
14.88
+6.7%
Missouri
15.84
16.22
+2.4%
Montana
14.85
15.14
+2.0%
Nebraska
13.17
13.25
+0.6%
Nevada
11.42
13.11
+14.8%
New Hampshire
23.51
27.01
+14.9%
New Jersey
24.88
24.95
+0.3%
New Mexico
14.77
15.06
+2.0%
New York
26.53
29.49
+11.2%
North Carolina
13.33
14.74
+10.6%
North Dakota
13.68
14.12
+3.2%
Ohio
17.52
19.19
+9.5%
Oklahoma
13.62
14.33
+5.2%
Oregon
15.77
16.32
+3.5%
Pennsylvania
19.70
21.73
+10.3%
Rhode Island
26.84
29.23
+8.9%
South Carolina
14.71
15.55
+5.7%
South Dakota
14.23
15.36
+7.9%
Tennessee
13.98
14.07
+0.6%
Texas
15.23
15.94
+4.7%
Utah
13.12
13.37
+1.9%
Vermont
23.21
24.44
+5.3%
Virginia
15.41
17.22
+11.7%
Washington
12.98
14.91
+14.9%
West Virginia
15.82
15.45
-2.3%
Wisconsin
18.57
19.56
+5.3%
Wyoming
14.89
15.24
+2.4%
Did businesses see the same changes?
Not quite. Commercial prices rose in 41 states and D.C. and fell in nine states. Hawaii’s commercial rate jumped 35.2% to 48.05 cents, and Ohio’s rose 21.3%. Oregon (-8.7%), Connecticut (-8.1%) and Nebraska (-5.7%) saw the largest drops. North Dakota has the cheapest commercial power at 8.02 cents.
Table 2. Commercial electricity price, a year ago vs October 2026 (cents per kWh)
State
A year ago
Oct 2026
Change
United States
12.96
14.19
+9.5%
Alabama
14.44
14.67
+1.6%
Alaska
22.93
23.42
+2.1%
Arizona
12.98
12.47
-3.9%
Arkansas
10.84
11.54
+6.5%
California
26.69
27.33
+2.4%
Colorado
13.51
14.19
+5.0%
Connecticut
21.36
19.62
-8.1%
Delaware
12.45
14.40
+15.7%
District of Columbia
20.37
23.38
+14.8%
Florida
11.48
11.47
-0.1%
Georgia
12.37
11.91
-3.7%
Hawaii
35.54
48.05
+35.2%
Idaho
9.00
9.92
+10.2%
Illinois
12.86
14.53
+13.0%
Indiana
13.71
14.15
+3.2%
Iowa
12.64
12.79
+1.2%
Kansas
12.07
12.27
+1.7%
Kentucky
11.88
12.40
+4.4%
Louisiana
11.15
11.64
+4.4%
Maine
21.05
22.24
+5.7%
Maryland
14.82
16.84
+13.6%
Massachusetts
23.10
24.52
+6.1%
Michigan
14.87
16.63
+11.8%
Minnesota
13.63
13.68
+0.4%
Mississippi
12.85
13.83
+7.6%
Missouri
12.42
12.71
+2.3%
Montana
13.14
13.48
+2.6%
Nebraska
9.35
8.82
-5.7%
Nevada
8.80
9.83
+11.7%
New Hampshire
19.46
21.22
+9.0%
New Jersey
18.00
18.47
+2.6%
New Mexico
11.46
10.82
-5.6%
New York
21.72
23.56
+8.5%
North Carolina
9.76
10.51
+7.7%
North Dakota
8.05
8.02
-0.4%
Ohio
11.35
13.77
+21.3%
Oklahoma
9.77
9.90
+1.3%
Oregon
11.60
10.59
-8.7%
Pennsylvania
12.37
13.33
+7.8%
Rhode Island
22.15
22.70
+2.5%
South Carolina
11.00
11.62
+5.6%
South Dakota
11.27
11.35
+0.7%
Tennessee
13.49
13.94
+3.3%
Texas
8.60
8.66
+0.7%
Utah
10.58
10.99
+3.9%
Vermont
19.79
21.22
+7.2%
Virginia
9.66
10.99
+13.8%
Washington
11.30
11.77
+4.2%
West Virginia
11.09
11.09
-3.5%
Wisconsin
13.36
14.05
+5.2%
Wyoming
9.78
10.01
+2.4%
Frequently asked questions
What is the average electricity rate in the U.S.? In October 2026 the average was 18.34 cents per kWh for homes and 14.19 cents for businesses, according to Electric Choice.
Which state has the cheapest electricity? Nevada, at 13.11 cents per kWh for residential customers. North Dakota is cheapest for commercial customers at 8.02 cents.
Did any state’s electricity get cheaper this year? Yes. Home rates fell in Connecticut, Massachusetts, West Virginia, Florida and Arizona. Commercial rates fell in nine states.
Method and sources
Current rates come from Electric Choice, which blends utility-reported revenue per kWh with live competitive-market prices.
