Most expensive states for electricity
The most expensive US state for residential electricity is Hawaii at 42.23¢/kWh — about +127.5% versus the US average of 18.56¢ (EIA, March 2026). Next come California (33.35¢) and Connecticut (30.47¢). The full ranking of all 51 states, with the cost of 1,000 kWh, is below.
Source: EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A (residential). Data as of June 2026.
All 51 states ranked, most to least expensive
| # | State | ¢/kWh | vs US avg | 1,000 kWh costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | 42.23¢ | +127.5% | $422 |
| 2 | California | 33.35¢ | +79.7% | $334 |
| 3 | Connecticut | 30.47¢ | +64.2% | $305 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | 30.21¢ | +62.8% | $302 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | 29.91¢ | +61.2% | $299 |
| 6 | New York | 28.55¢ | +53.8% | $286 |
| 7 | Maine | 28.32¢ | +52.6% | $283 |
| 8 | Alaska | 27.17¢ | +46.4% | $272 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | 26.92¢ | +45.0% | $269 |
| 10 | District of Columbia | 25.00¢ | +34.7% | $250 |
| 11 | Vermont | 24.11¢ | +29.9% | $241 |
| 12 | New Jersey | 23.49¢ | +26.6% | $235 |
| 13 | Maryland | 22.20¢ | +19.6% | $222 |
| 14 | Michigan | 21.20¢ | +14.2% | $212 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | 20.92¢ | +12.7% | $209 |
| 16 | Illinois | 18.86¢ | +1.6% | $189 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | 18.80¢ | +1.3% | $188 |
| 18 | Ohio | 18.78¢ | +1.2% | $188 |
| 19 | Indiana | 17.85¢ | -3.8% | $179 |
| 20 | Delaware | 17.64¢ | -5.0% | $176 |
| 21 | Alabama | 17.15¢ | -7.6% | $172 |
| 22 | Virginia | 17.05¢ | -8.1% | $171 |
| 23 | Colorado | 16.74¢ | -9.8% | $167 |
| 24 | South Carolina | 16.45¢ | -11.4% | $164 |
| 25 | Texas | 16.39¢ | -11.7% | $164 |
| 26 | West Virginia | 16.37¢ | -11.8% | $164 |
| 27 | Mississippi | 16.30¢ | -12.2% | $163 |
| 28 | North Carolina | 16.00¢ | -13.8% | $160 |
| 29 | Arizona | 15.59¢ | -16.0% | $156 |
| 30 | Kansas | 15.34¢ | -17.3% | $153 |
| 31 | Minnesota | 15.08¢ | -18.7% | $151 |
| 32 | Tennessee | 15.08¢ | -18.7% | $151 |
| 33 | Georgia | 15.01¢ | -19.1% | $150 |
| 34 | Oregon | 14.89¢ | -19.8% | $149 |
| 35 | Kentucky | 14.88¢ | -19.8% | $149 |
| 36 | Florida | 14.86¢ | -19.9% | $149 |
| 37 | New Mexico | 14.81¢ | -20.2% | $148 |
| 38 | Washington | 14.40¢ | -22.4% | $144 |
| 39 | South Dakota | 14.29¢ | -23.0% | $143 |
| 40 | Nevada | 14.17¢ | -23.7% | $142 |
| 41 | Louisiana | 14.16¢ | -23.7% | $142 |
| 42 | Arkansas | 13.63¢ | -26.6% | $136 |
| 43 | Wyoming | 13.59¢ | -26.8% | $136 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | 13.56¢ | -26.9% | $136 |
| 45 | Montana | 13.48¢ | -27.4% | $135 |
| 46 | Missouri | 13.44¢ | -27.6% | $134 |
| 47 | Iowa | 13.42¢ | -27.7% | $134 |
| 48 | Utah | 13.17¢ | -29.0% | $132 |
| 49 | Nebraska | 13.10¢ | -29.4% | $131 |
| 50 | Idaho | 13.01¢ | -29.9% | $130 |
| 51 | North Dakota | 11.95¢ | -35.6% | $120 |
Source: EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A (residential) (March 2026). Data as of June 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What state has the highest electricity prices?
Hawaii has the highest residential electricity price of any US state at 42.23¢/kWh — +127.5% versus the US average of 18.56¢. California (33.35¢) and Connecticut (30.47¢) follow. Source: EIA, March 2026.
Why is electricity so expensive in these states?
High-rate states tend to combine some of: heavy reliance on imported or oil-fired generation (Hawaii, Alaska), expensive transmission and wildfire/grid-hardening costs (California), and high demand with constrained supply in the Northeast. Island and remote grids are structurally the priciest.
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Last updated: 2026-06-20