Electricity rates by state, and what they do to running costs
Bottom line
The same appliance costs about 3.7 times as much to run in Hawaii (46.41¢/kWh) as in North Dakota (12.46¢/kWh). A typical 20–25 cu ft bottom-freezer refrigerator (590 kWh/yr) costs $274 a year in Hawaii and $74 in North Dakota.
To adapt the rule of thumb, divide annual kWh by the number in the third column instead of 5.5.
Residential price by state
| State | ¢ per kWh | Divide kWh by | Fridge, 590 kWh/yr | Room AC, 562 kWh/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 16.51 | 6.1 | $97 | $93 |
| Alaska | 27.32 | 3.7 | $161 | $154 |
| Arizona | 15.36 | 6.5 | $91 | $86 |
| Arkansas | 13.74 | 7.3 | $81 | $77 |
| California | 32.58 | 3.1 | $192 | $183 |
| Colorado | 16.80 | 6.0 | $99 | $94 |
| Connecticut | 27.47 | 3.6 | $162 | $155 |
| Delaware | 17.98 | 5.6 | $106 | $101 |
| District of Columbia | 24.86 | 4.0 | $147 | $140 |
| Florida | 15.32 | 6.5 | $90 | $86 |
| Georgia | 15.48 | 6.5 | $91 | $87 |
| Hawaii | 46.41 | 2.2 | $274 | $261 |
| Idaho | 13.02 | 7.7 | $77 | $73 |
| Illinois | 19.23 | 5.2 | $113 | $108 |
| Indiana | 17.04 | 5.9 | $101 | $96 |
| Iowa | 14.55 | 6.9 | $86 | $82 |
| Kansas | 15.26 | 6.6 | $90 | $86 |
| Kentucky | 14.20 | 7.0 | $84 | $80 |
| Louisiana | 13.27 | 7.5 | $78 | $75 |
| Maine | 30.23 | 3.3 | $178 | $170 |
| Maryland | 21.31 | 4.7 | $126 | $120 |
| Massachusetts | 30.19 | 3.3 | $178 | $170 |
| Michigan | 21.73 | 4.6 | $128 | $122 |
| Minnesota | 16.44 | 6.1 | $97 | $92 |
| Mississippi | 15.06 | 6.6 | $89 | $85 |
| Missouri | 14.28 | 7.0 | $84 | $80 |
| Montana | 14.13 | 7.1 | $83 | $79 |
| Nebraska | 12.92 | 7.7 | $76 | $73 |
| Nevada | 13.36 | 7.5 | $79 | $75 |
| New Hampshire | 26.91 | 3.7 | $159 | $151 |
| New Jersey | 24.09 | 4.2 | $142 | $136 |
| New Mexico | 15.34 | 6.5 | $91 | $86 |
| New York | 29.26 | 3.4 | $173 | $165 |
| North Carolina | 14.94 | 6.7 | $88 | $84 |
| North Dakota | 12.46 | 8.0 | $74 | $70 |
| Ohio | 18.81 | 5.3 | $111 | $106 |
| Oklahoma | 13.81 | 7.2 | $81 | $78 |
| Oregon | 15.46 | 6.5 | $91 | $87 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.13 | 4.7 | $125 | $119 |
| Rhode Island | 29.05 | 3.4 | $171 | $163 |
| South Carolina | 15.90 | 6.3 | $94 | $89 |
| South Dakota | 14.58 | 6.9 | $86 | $82 |
| Tennessee | 13.80 | 7.2 | $81 | $78 |
| Texas | 16.03 | 6.2 | $95 | $90 |
| Utah | 13.19 | 7.6 | $78 | $74 |
| Vermont | 23.93 | 4.2 | $141 | $135 |
| Virginia | 16.95 | 5.9 | $100 | $95 |
| Washington | 14.42 | 6.9 | $85 | $81 |
| West Virginia | 15.58 | 6.4 | $92 | $88 |
| Wisconsin | 19.05 | 5.2 | $112 | $107 |
| Wyoming | 14.01 | 7.1 | $83 | $79 |
Prices: average residential price, Source: https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.php?t=epmt_5_6_b | period: YTD through August 2026 | retrieved 2026-10-31. U.S. average 18.19¢/kWh. Fridge = median ENERGY STAR bottom-freezer / French-door refrigerator, 20–25 cu ft. Room AC = median ENERGY STAR room air conditioner, 10,000–14,000 BTU/h (rated hours; real use varies by climate). Averages include fixed charges spread over usage, so your marginal price per extra kWh can differ: check your own bill.