State ranking · 2024

The cheapest states for electricity

Every state ranked from the lowest average residential rate, using annual EIA data as a comparable statewide benchmark.

Compiled by RateWatt Editorial · May 15, 2026

11.51¢/kWh
Cheapest · North Dakota: 16.48¢/kWh
US average: 15+
States below average

North Dakota has the cheapest residential electricity at 11.51¢/kWh

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA Form-861, 2024), North Dakota has the lowest average residential electricity price in the country at 11.51¢/kWh, below the 16.48¢/kWh national average; 15 states fall below the national average.

16.48¢/kWh US residential average
42.86¢/kWh priciest - Hawaii

The verdict

North Dakota has the cheapest residential electricity at 11.51¢/kWh - below the 16.48¢/kWh US average, and about a third of Hawaii's rate.

11.51¢/kWh
cheapest - North Dakota: 16.48¢/kWh
US residential average: 15+
states below the US average: 42.86¢/kWh
priciest - Hawaii

Average residential price per kWh, EIA Form-861 (2024).

Residential electricity prices vary widely across states. The table below ranks the fifteen lowest statewide residential averages in the most recent annual EIA Form 861 release, and every figure links to that state's full profile. These are annual averages, not live utility quotes or a measure of the cause of a state rate.

North Dakota

11.51
Idaho

11.52
Nebraska

11.53
Louisiana

11.73
Washington

11.9
Utah

12.22
Oklahoma

12.24
Arkansas

12.32
Tennessee

12.42
Wyoming

12.47
Montana

12.66
Kentucky

12.79
South Dakota

12.86
Missouri

12.91
Mississippi

13.39

What this ranking can compare

The same EIA measure is applied to every state, so it can show the size of the annual residential-rate gap and the states nearest the national average. It cannot isolate why a particular state is low: statewide averages combine multiple utilities, customer classes, tariffs, and delivery systems. The linked profile supplies the matching rate, generation, and trend data without treating one field as a causal explanation for another.

How to use a yearly ranking

The leaders can be close together, so their order can change between annual releases. Compare both the current ranking and the multi-year rate series on a state profile before drawing a conclusion from a small difference. For a household decision, use a current utility tariff, fixed charges, and expected usage rather than converting this annual benchmark into a bill quote.

What a low rate does not tell you

A low annual rate is not a verdict on a grid's cleanliness, resilience, or a household's total bill. Those are different questions with different measures. Open a state profile to compare the reported rate, generation mix, and multi-year history, then use a current utility tariff for a personal estimate.

Rank	State	Avg residential rate	What the figure represents
1	North Dakota	11.51¢/kWh	Statewide annual residential average, not a utility quote.
2	Idaho	11.52¢/kWh	Statewide annual residential average, not a utility quote.
3	Nebraska	11.53¢/kWh	Statewide annual residential average, not a utility quote.
4	Louisiana	11.73¢/kWh	Statewide annual residential average, not a utility quote.
5	Washington	11.90¢/kWh	Statewide annual residential average, not a utility quote.
6	Utah	12.22¢/kWh	Statewide annual residential average, not a utility quote.
7	Oklahoma	12.24¢/kWh	Statewide annual residential average, not a utility quote.
8	Arkansas	12.32¢/kWh	Statewide annual residential average, not a utility quote.
9	Tennessee	12.42¢/kWh	Statewide annual residential average, not a utility quote.
10	Wyoming	12.47¢/kWh	Statewide annual residential average, not a utility quote.
11	Montana	12.66¢/kWh	Statewide annual residential average, not a utility quote.
12	Kentucky	12.79¢/kWh	Statewide annual residential average, not a utility quote.
13	South Dakota	12.86¢/kWh	Statewide annual residential average, not a utility quote.
14	Missouri	12.91¢/kWh	Statewide annual residential average, not a utility quote.
15	Mississippi	13.39¢/kWh	Statewide annual residential average, not a utility quote.

Frequently asked questions

Which state has the cheapest electricity?

North Dakota currently has the lowest average residential rate at 11.51¢/kWh, narrowly ahead of a tight cluster of low-cost states. The gap between the cheapest states is only a fraction of a cent, so year-to-year shuffling near the top is normal.

Why are these states so cheap?

This ranking establishes which statewide annual residential averages are lowest; it does not identify the cause of any state's rate. Utility tariffs, fuel contracts, delivery costs, customer mix, and regulation can all differ within a state. Use the ranking as a benchmark and consult your utility for a current rate explanation.

Will my actual bill match the state average?

Not exactly. EIA reports a single state average, but your utility, rate schedule, and time-of-use plan all move your effective rate. Rural cooperatives and municipal utilities often differ from the dominant investor-owned utility in the same state. Treat the ranking as a benchmark, not a quote.

Act on the ranking

A low state average is a starting point, not your bill.

Open North Dakota's profile for its rate, trend, and generation mix. All states
See the most expensive states for the full spread. Most expensive
Estimate your own monthly bill from your kWh usage. Cost calculator

Rates are EIA state averages, your utility, plan, and usage set your actual bill.

Every figure on RateWatt is rendered directly from official U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) data, no number is typed in by an editor. This ranking is computed live from the EIA's most recent published state price data. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-05-15.