Mental Floss

Which States Will Pay the Most—and the Least—for Electricity This Summer?

Residents in certain states, like Hawaii, may end up feeling the strain on their wallets even more this summer when it comes to electricity costs.
ByMarla Mackoul|
Keeping the lights on in paradise gets pricey.
Keeping the lights on in paradise gets pricey. | Atlantide Phototravel, Corbis Documentary, Getty Images

As summer kicks into high gear, air conditioning units are getting used more and more across the United States. Around the world, Americans are actually notorious for loving the artificial cold, but it comes at a cost. Of course, there’s the toll on the environment that comes from all that energy consumption. But there’s also a more literal cost: high monthly electricity bills.

According to recent findings from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the amount that Americans can expect to pay for electricity for the rest of summer 2025 varies significantly, depending on the state. Though the agency’s data reveals price hikes pretty much across the board, some areas are more strongly affected than others.

  1. Which State Will Pay the Most for Electricity This Summer?
  2. Which States Can Also Expect High Electricity Costs This Summer?
  3. Which States Can Expect To Have the Cheapest Electricity Costs This Summer?

Which State Will Pay the Most for Electricity This Summer?

According to This Old House, most American households consume between 760 to 899 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity monthly. As the current average residential rate is around 17 cents per kWh, that means that the typical bill can be anywhere from $125 to $153 per month.

The state most affected by electricity cost increases this year is Hawaii, where residential electricity rates have soared up to 41.1 cents per kWh. Residents of the Aloha State can expect to pay a lot overall for the year, with bills estimated to hit between $211 to $228 per month.

This is roughly consistent with 2024 findings from the EIA, though: Hawaii was solidly No. 1 last year, too, in terms of the average amount paid for electricity, with most residents paying about $213 per month. This is despite the fact that the state consumes the least grid-delivered electricity, on average.

Which States Can Also Expect High Electricity Costs This Summer?

Hawaii isn’t the only state that will pay a lot for power this season. Though the Aloha State has the highest rate per kWh of all the states, Connecticut, at 33.25 cents per kWh, is arguably just as expensive. In some cases, residents of the Constitution State might actually end up paying more because of higher consumption habits, meaning residents could expect to pay between $219 to $237 per month.

Other states with high costs include Maryland ($183 to $199 monthly), Alabama ($183 to $194 monthly), Rhode Island ($170 to $182 monthly), Texas ($177 to $181 monthly), and Massachusetts ($182 per month).

But some states, like Maine, also made significant jumps in energy prices, with residential costs now up by about 11.55 percent. Even though the state pays 26.26 cents per kWh on average, and monthly costs are about $146, that still can be a heavy expense for some households.

Which States Can Expect To Have the Cheapest Electricity Costs This Summer?

Though no states will see their monthly bills decrease this year, some are more affordable than others. In terms of being budget-friendly, Utah is expected to have the cheapest energy costs for residents this summer. The monthly average bill is less than half of what Hawaii deals with, and is estimated to be between $88 to $91.96, or about $1103.49 for the year.

Beyond Utah, other states that follow in affordability include New Mexico ($100 to $104 monthly), Nebraska ($97 to $113), Colorado ($108 to $109), Wyoming ($105 to $113), and Iowa ($109 to $113). In terms of overall energy prices, though, rates in Michigan are only estimated to increase by about 0.44 percent in 2025, followed by South Dakota and Iowa with 1 percent increases.

Some of the major factors that help keep prices down in the more affordable states are lower overall energy demand, diverse power sources, and small-scale, local utility companies. And of course, pricing regulations that vary state by state also play a role.

But not everything that goes into electricity prices is out of our hands. Luckily, there are things you can do, from lifestyle choices to adjustments in your home, to keep your energy bills as low as possible, no matter where you live.

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