Electricity Prices by U.S. Region: July 2026 Compared
Compare residential, commercial and industrial electricity prices across EIA regions, from New England to the Pacific, with year-over-year changes.
Published 5 min readRoofPayback editorialChecked by automated fact and quality checks
Official data: EIA · DOE · IRS · how we check
In this article · 9 sections
Short answer
Electricity prices in the U.S. are not one number. In July 2026, the average home paid 18.31¢/kWh nationwide, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). But the price your neighbors pay in another region can be far higher or lower. Pacific Noncontiguous (Alaska and Hawaii) was highest at 40.76¢/kWh. East South Central was lowest among the regions at 14.61¢/kWh.
A kWh (kilowatt-hour) is the unit your utility bills you for. For more, see what is a kilowatt-hour.
How the EIA splits the country
The EIA groups states into census divisions. Each division is a set of neighboring states. Looking at divisions is a quick way to see broad regional patterns before you look at your own state.
The prices below are EIA averages for July 2026. The "change" column compares July 2026 with July 2025. Your own bill depends on your utility and your rate plan.
Residential prices by division
| Division | Residential (July 2026) | A year earlier | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| New England | 28¢/kWh | 27.89¢/kWh | 0.4% |
| Middle Atlantic | 25.71¢/kWh | 23.53¢/kWh | 9.3% |
| East North Central | 19.57¢/kWh | 17.8¢/kWh | 9.9% |
| West North Central | 15.89¢/kWh | 15.26¢/kWh | 4.1% |
| South Atlantic | 16.12¢/kWh | 15.28¢/kWh | 5.5% |
| East South Central | 14.61¢/kWh | 13.99¢/kWh | 4.4% |
| West South Central | 15.21¢/kWh | 14.71¢/kWh | 3.4% |
| Mountain | 14.92¢/kWh | 14.59¢/kWh | 2.3% |
| Pacific Contiguous | 27.14¢/kWh | 25.99¢/kWh | 4.4% |
| Pacific Noncontiguous | 40.76¢/kWh | 34.77¢/kWh | 17.2% |
| U.S. total | 18.31¢/kWh | 17.45¢/kWh | 4.9% |
Three things stand out.
- The Northeast and the Pacific coast are expensive. New England, Middle Atlantic and Pacific Contiguous all sit well above the U.S. total.
- The middle of the country and the South are cheaper. Mountain, West South Central, East South Central and West North Central are all below 16¢/kWh.
- Prices rose almost everywhere. Every division is higher than a year earlier. New England moved the least. Pacific Noncontiguous moved the most.
Where prices rose fastest
The U.S. residential average rose 4.9% in a year. Three divisions rose faster than that by a clear margin: East North Central (9.9%), Middle Atlantic (9.3%) and South Atlantic (5.5%).
Mountain rose the least outside New England, at 2.3%. A small change does not mean the price is low. New England barely moved, yet it is still one of the priciest regions.
Why do these changes vary? Fuel costs, local grid upgrades, state policy and weather all play a part. The guide on why electricity prices differ by state goes through the main reasons.
Homes versus businesses
Homes usually pay more per kWh than businesses. Here is the same July 2026 view for commercial and industrial customers.
| Division | Commercial | Industrial |
|---|---|---|
| New England | 22.6¢/kWh | 17.97¢/kWh |
| Middle Atlantic | 20.14¢/kWh | 11.41¢/kWh |
| East North Central | 14.65¢/kWh | 10.49¢/kWh |
| West North Central | 11.96¢/kWh | 9.65¢/kWh |
| South Atlantic | 12.26¢/kWh | 9.25¢/kWh |
| East South Central | 13.49¢/kWh | 7.74¢/kWh |
| West South Central | 9.1¢/kWh | 7.07¢/kWh |
| Mountain | 12.14¢/kWh | 8.38¢/kWh |
| Pacific Contiguous | 23.94¢/kWh | 18.01¢/kWh |
| Pacific Noncontiguous | 34.32¢/kWh | 35.55¢/kWh |
Nationally, commercial customers paid 14.53¢/kWh and industrial customers paid 9.77¢/kWh. Pacific Noncontiguous is the one division where industrial customers paid more than commercial ones. Read more in residential vs business electricity prices.
Prices inside a region still differ
A division average hides a lot. Take the Pacific Contiguous division. California's residential price in July 2026 was 33.61¢/kWh, while Washington's was 14.71¢/kWh and Oregon's was 15.97¢/kWh. The division average of 27.14¢/kWh describes none of the three well.
The same goes for the Mountain division. Colorado was at 17¢/kWh, while Idaho was at 13.73¢/kWh and Utah was at 13.12¢/kWh.
So use the division as a starting point only. Then check your state page:
- Electricity prices by state
- Cheapest and most expensive states for electricity
- Average electric bill by state
What this means for rooftop solar
Solar saves money by replacing power you would otherwise buy. The higher your price per kWh, the more each solar kWh is worth to you. That is why regions with high prices often show shorter payback times, if the sun is decent and the utility credits exports fairly.
Here is a simple example. Our example home has a 7 kW system and uses 10500 kWh a year, with 40% of use while the sun is up. We assume an installed cost of $3000/kW ($21000 total), no incentives, $100/yr maintenance, electricity price +2.5%/yr, panel degradation 0.5%/yr and a 25-year horizon. Export credits are capped at a year of grid purchases (annual true-up). Production comes from PVWatts v8, south-facing, 20° pitch, 14% losses, using one reference city per state.
Change only the local price in that model and the result moves a lot. Sunshine matters too, and so do net metering rules. Some utilities credit exports at the full retail rate, and others pay less. Learn the difference in net metering vs net billing payback.
Incentives also changed. According to the IRS, the 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) is not available for property placed in service after December 31, 2025. Our example above assumes no incentives for that reason. State and utility programs vary, and DSIRE keeps a database of current ones. For more, read is solar worth it without the tax credit.
To test your own numbers, use the solar calculator. Our methodology page shows how we do the math. The best states for solar payback guide ranks states using the same approach.
How to check your own price
- Find the rate on your bill. Look for the total cost divided by total kWh, which includes fees.
- Compare it with your state and division in the tables above.
- Look at your last twelve months of use, not just one month. Summer and winter bills can differ a lot.
- Use the electricity cost calculator to see what your use costs at your rate.
The EIA publishes state averages monthly in the Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A. Recent months are preliminary, so numbers can be revised.
Bottom line
Regional prices differ widely. In July 2026 the range ran from 14.61¢/kWh in East South Central to 40.76¢/kWh in Pacific Noncontiguous, with a U.S. average of 18.31¢/kWh. Almost every region saw prices rise over the year.
Your own rate is what counts. Use the division as a rough guide, check your bill, and get quotes if you are weighing solar. Results depend on your utility, your roof and your quote.
Sources
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