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Electric Bill Calculator
Enter your monthly electric bill and your rate per kWh to see what it costs per year and over 10 years, and how you compare to the US average of about $142 a month (EIA, 2024).
US average: $142.26/month (EIA, 2024)
US average: $0.1648/kWh (EIA, 2024)
Sources & Methodology
By Sean Baldwin · Last updated
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average electric bill in the US?
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the average US household paid $142.26/month for electricity in 2024, the latest full year, or roughly $1,707/year. That is an average rate of 16.48 cents per kilowatt-hour applied to average usage of 863 kilowatt-hours a month. Rates have risen since, so today's bill is likely higher. It varies enormously by state, and by both halves of the equation: Hawaii averaged $212.12/month on a 42.86 cent rate despite using the least power in the country (495 kilowatt-hours), while Utah averaged $94.57 on 12.22 cents.
How can I reduce my electric bill?
The highest-impact changes are: switching to LED bulbs (saves $75+/year), installing a programmable thermostat (saves $50-100/year), sealing air leaks around doors and windows, upgrading to Energy Star appliances, and considering solar panels for long-term savings of 70-90% of your bill.
Are solar panels worth it to reduce electricity costs?
For most homeowners paying $100+/month, solar panels have a payback period of 6-12 years and a 25-year ROI of 200-400%. The federal tax credit was eliminated for 2026 installs, so state and local incentives now matter more for the math. Use our Solar Panel ROI Calculator for a personalized estimate.
What uses the most electricity in a home?
Heating and cooling (HVAC) is usually the biggest, and water heating is typically the second largest, about 20% of an average home's energy use according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Targeting your HVAC system usually yields the largest savings.
How to calculate your electric bill
Your bill is roughly the kilowatt-hours (kWh) you use times your rate per kWh, plus any fixed monthly charge your utility adds. At the 2024 national averages from the EIA, 863 kWh at 16.48 cents per kWh comes to about $142 a month. To check your own, find the kWh used and the rate on your latest statement, then enter your bill and rate in the calculator above to see what it adds up to over a year and over ten.
What your electric bill actually costs over time
The average US household paid about $142/month for electricity in 2024 (EIA), that's about $1,707/year, and roughly $17,000 over 10 years. But most people only see the monthly number and never calculate the long-term total. When you frame electricity as a 10-year cost, the math for efficiency upgrades and solar changes dramatically. A $300 smart thermostat that saves $100/year pays for itself in three years and generates $700 in savings over a decade. Solar can change the long-term math further, see the Solar Panel ROI Calculator. The monthly bill feels small. The decade total is a serious number worth managing.
What uses the most electricity in your home
Heating and cooling (HVAC) is usually the biggest part of a home's energy use, and water heating is typically the second largest (about 20% of an average home's energy use, according to the U.S. Department of Energy). Small loads like phone chargers are tiny by comparison, so the familiar advice to "unplug your chargers" saves very little. If your goal is to meaningfully reduce your bill, focus on your HVAC system: schedule regular maintenance, change filters on schedule, and consider turning your thermostat back while you're away (the Department of Energy says turning it back 7 to 10 degrees for 8 hours a day can save as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling). If your unit is old, a modern heat pump is worth pricing.
Why electricity rates vary so much by state
The US average electricity rate is about 16 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) in 2026, but the range runs from 10 cents (Louisiana, Wyoming) to 40+ cents (Hawaii). What drives the difference? States with abundant hydropower (Washington, Oregon) or natural gas (Texas, Louisiana) have cheap electricity. States that import power, have aging infrastructure, or rely on expensive fuel mixes (Hawaii burns oil, California has high regulatory costs) pay significantly more. This matters because the economics of solar, efficiency upgrades, and EV charging all depend on your local rate, not the national average. A solar system in California or Massachusetts pays back in 5–6 years. The same system in Louisiana might take 15+.
The fastest ways to cut your electric bill
Changes worth considering, in rough order of impact: (1) A thermostat you actually program, since the Department of Energy says a setback of 7 to 10 degrees for 8 hours a day can save as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling. (2) LED bulbs throughout, since ENERGY STAR certified LEDs use at least 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs. (3) Air sealing doors and windows with weatherstripping and caulk. (4) A regular HVAC tune-up. (5) ENERGY STAR appliances when replacing, not worth buying early, but when your water heater or refrigerator dies, an efficient model lowers operating costs (ENERGY STAR says certified heat pump water heaters use up to 70% less energy than standard electric ones). Get quotes and compare the savings to the price for your own home. Solar panels are the highest-impact option for homeowners but require a longer planning horizon, see the Solar Panel ROI Calculator for a personalized payback estimate.
When to repair vs. replace your HVAC system
Because heating and cooling drives close to half of most electric bills, an aging or failing HVAC system is often the single biggest reason a bill runs high. A rough guide: repair if the unit is under about 10 years old and the fix costs a few hundred dollars, but start pricing replacement once it passes 12 to 15 years, needs frequent service calls, or a single repair approaches half the cost of a new system. A modern high-efficiency unit or heat pump can cut heating and cooling costs meaningfully compared with a unit from the early 2010s. Because pricing varies widely by region and equipment, getting a few quotes from local contractors is the only reliable way to know your real numbers before committing to a repair-or-replace decision.
How your rate plan and time-of-use pricing change the math
Two homes using the same amount of electricity can pay very different bills depending on the rate plan. Many utilities now offer time-of-use pricing, where power costs more during late-afternoon and evening peak hours and less overnight. If you are on a time-of-use plan, shifting the dishwasher, laundry, EV charging, and pool pump to off-peak windows can cut costs without changing how much you use. It is worth checking whether your utility offers a flat rate, a tiered rate that rises as you use more, or a time-of-use plan, and whether switching would help given your usage pattern. Households that run heavy appliances in the evening often pay a premium they could avoid simply by rescheduling when the power is drawn.
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Further Reading
How We Calculate Your Score
The Worth It Score compares your monthly electricity bill to the U.S. national average. A bill at or below average scores in the 60–88 range; a bill significantly above average scores lower. The score reflects how efficiently you're paying for electricity relative to the national benchmark.
- · Bill ≤70% of national average → 88; ≤90% → 75; ≤110% → 62; ≤130% → 48; ≤160% → 35; ≤200% → 22; above 200% → 10
The national average electricity bill is used as the benchmark. Your costs may be higher for legitimate reasons (large home, electric heat, EV charging) rather than inefficiency. The score is a signal to investigate, not a verdict.
How to Cite This Calculator
If you reference this calculator in an article, blog post, or research, use one of the formats below. The Worth It Score methodology is fully documented and independently verifiable.
APA
Baldwin, S. (2026). Electric Bill Calculator: What Your Bill Costs Per Year (2026). Worth It Calculators. https://worthitcalculators.com/electricity-cost/
MLA
Baldwin, Sean. "Electric Bill Calculator: What Your Bill Costs Per Year (2026)." Worth It Calculators, October 14, 2026, https://worthitcalculators.com/electricity-cost/.
Plain text / web
Source: Electric Bill Calculator: What Your Bill Costs Per Year (2026), Worth It Calculators (https://worthitcalculators.com/electricity-cost/)
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