Our Methodology

Data Source

All electricity price and generation data on RateWatt comes from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the statistical arm of the U.S. Department of Energy. The EIA collects mandatory surveys from electric utilities and power generators across all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

RateWatt draws from three primary EIA datasets:

Electricity Price Calculation

Average retail electricity prices are calculated by dividing total revenue by total kilowatt-hour (kWh) sales within each sector and state. Prices are expressed in cents per kWh (¢/kWh):

Average Price (¢/kWh) = (Total Revenue in $) ÷ (Total kWh Sold) × 100

Prices are reported separately for three sectors: residential (homes), commercial (businesses), and industrial (manufacturing and large-scale operations). The all-sector average is a revenue-weighted blend of all three.

Energy Generation Mix

Generation mix percentages show the share of a state's total electricity generation that came from each energy source during the reporting year. Sources include:

  • Natural gas (combined cycle, combustion turbine, steam)
  • Coal (steam turbine)
  • Nuclear
  • Wind (onshore and offshore)
  • Solar (utility-scale photovoltaic and thermal)
  • Hydroelectric
  • Other renewables (geothermal, biomass, wood, waste)
  • Other non-renewables (petroleum, other gases)

Percentages are computed from net generation figures (gross generation minus station use) as reported in the EIA Electric Power Monthly.

Historical Price Trends

Price trend charts use annual data from SEDS and EPM spanning the most recent 9-year period available (2016-2024). All historical prices are nominal (not inflation-adjusted) to match how utilities report and bill electricity.

State Rankings

Rankings are computed directly from the EIA data: states are ordered by the metric in question (e.g., cheapest residential price, highest renewable share) with ties resolved alphabetically. Rankings reflect annual averages, not peak or off-peak rates.

Data Vintage

RateWatt uses the most recent annual EIA data available at the time of each database refresh. The EIA typically publishes final annual electricity data with approximately a 12-month lag. We update our database when the EIA releases new complete-year figures.

Limitations

  • Prices are statewide averages, your actual rate depends on your specific utility, tariff class, time-of-use plan, and local distribution charges.
  • Small utilities and cooperative utilities may have different pricing structures not fully captured in statewide averages.
  • Generation mix reflects utility-scale generation only; rooftop solar and small distributed generation may be under-counted in some states.
  • Data does not include transmission and distribution charges, taxes, or fees separately, these are included in the retail price averages.

Data Accuracy Commitment

All electricity pricing and generation data on RateWatt is presented exactly as published by the EIA without editorial modification. Our processing pipeline extracts, transforms, and loads the raw EIA data into a structured format optimized for search and comparison. We do not adjust, estimate, or interpolate any values. If you find a discrepancy between RateWatt data and the original EIA source, please contact us at hello@ratewatt.com and we will investigate and correct any errors promptly.

Not Affiliated

RateWatt is not affiliated with the U.S. Energy Information Administration or any utility company. We are an independent portal that makes publicly available government energy data accessible in a searchable, comparable format.