Average Utility Bills by State (2026)

· Updated

The average American household spends roughly $450 per month on utilities — but that figure varies dramatically by state, climate, and home size. Here’s a state-by-state breakdown.

Table of Contents

Average Monthly Utility Costs (National)

Utility Average Monthly Cost
Electricity $140
Natural gas $65
Water & sewer $75
Internet $70
Trash/recycling $35
Phone (mobile) $50
Streaming services $30
Total $465

Average Electricity Bill by State

Rank State Avg Monthly Bill Avg Rate (¢/kWh) Avg Usage (kWh)
1 Hawaii $190 32.0 594
2 Connecticut $175 26.5 660
3 Alabama $170 13.5 1,259
4 South Carolina $165 13.8 1,196
5 Mississippi $162 12.5 1,296
6 Georgia $160 13.2 1,212
7 Texas $158 13.0 1,215
8 Virginia $155 13.0 1,192
9 Louisiana $153 11.5 1,330
10 Tennessee $150 11.8 1,271
— US Average $140 14.5 966
41 Oregon $112 12.0 933
42 Montana $110 11.5 957
43 Minnesota $108 14.0 771
44 Idaho $105 10.5 1,000
45 Wisconsin $104 15.5 671
46 Colorado $102 13.5 756
47 Washington $100 10.5 952
48 New Mexico $95 14.0 679
49 Nebraska $93 11.0 845
50 Utah $90 10.5 857

Southern states have low rates but very high usage (air conditioning), while northeastern states have high rates but lower usage.

Average Natural Gas Bill by State

Rank State Avg Monthly Bill Avg Therms Used
1 Alaska $105 95
2 Connecticut $98 62
3 New Jersey $95 65
4 Massachusetts $92 58
5 Illinois $88 72
— US Average $65 52
46 Florida $30 15
47 Arizona $28 18
48 Hawaii $25 N/A
49 Mississippi $25 18
50 Louisiana $22 16

Cold-weather states dominate natural gas costs, while southern states use minimal gas for heating.

Average Water & Sewer Bill by State

Rank State Avg Monthly Bill
1 West Virginia $105
2 California $98
3 Oregon $95
4 Washington $92
5 New Jersey $90
— US Average $75
46 Wisconsin $52
47 Vermont $50
48 North Carolina $48
49 Montana $45
50 Idaho $42

Water costs depend on local infrastructure, drought conditions, and treatment requirements.

Total Monthly Utility Costs by State

Including electricity, gas, water, internet, and trash:

Rank State Total Monthly Utilities vs National Average
1 Hawaii $550 +19%
2 Connecticut $530 +14%
3 Alaska $520 +12%
4 Alabama $510 +10%
5 Massachusetts $505 +9%
6 New Hampshire $500 +8%
7 South Carolina $498 +7%
8 Rhode Island $495 +6%
9 Mississippi $490 +5%
10 Georgia $488 +5%
11 New Jersey $485 +4%
12 New York $480 +3%
13 California $478 +3%
14 Texas $475 +2%
15 Virginia $472 +2%
— US Average $465 —
36 Ohio $440 -5%
37 Michigan $435 -6%
38 Kansas $430 -8%
39 Iowa $425 -9%
40 Indiana $420 -10%
41 Oregon $418 -10%
42 Minnesota $415 -11%
43 Montana $410 -12%
44 Nebraska $405 -13%
45 Wisconsin $400 -14%
46 Wyoming $395 -15%
47 Colorado $390 -16%
48 Washington $385 -17%
49 Idaho $380 -18%
50 New Mexico $375 -19%
51 Utah $370 -20%

The difference between the most and least expensive states is roughly $180/month or $2,160/year.

Utility Costs by Home Size

Home Size Electricity Gas Water Total Utilities
Apartment (800 sq ft) $85 $35 $45 $310
Small house (1,200 sq ft) $115 $55 $65 $395
Average house (1,800 sq ft) $140 $65 $75 $465
Large house (2,500 sq ft) $185 $85 $90 $545
Very large house (3,500+ sq ft) $240 $110 $105 $640

Doubling your square footage increases utility costs by roughly 50-70%.

Seasonal Variation

Season Avg Monthly Electricity Avg Monthly Gas Total
Summer (Jun-Aug) $180 $25 $350 (excl. water/internet)
Fall (Sep-Nov) $120 $55 $320
Winter (Dec-Feb) $110 $105 $360
Spring (Mar-May) $105 $45 $295

Winter and summer are the most expensive seasons, with heating and cooling driving costs.

Internet Costs by State

Rank State Avg Monthly Cost Avg Speed Available
1 Hawaii $85 200 Mbps
2 Alaska $82 100 Mbps
3 Montana $80 150 Mbps
4 Wyoming $78 100 Mbps
5 Vermont $78 150 Mbps
— US Average $70 250 Mbps
46 Florida $60 300 Mbps
47 Texas $58 500 Mbps
48 Ohio $58 300 Mbps
49 New York $55 500 Mbps
50 Virginia $55 500+ Mbps

Rural states with less competition tend to have higher internet costs and slower speeds.

Ways to Lower Your Utility Bills

Strategy Potential Annual Savings
Switch electricity provider (deregulated states) $200-500
Adjust thermostat 2°F (programmable/smart) $150-300
LED bulbs throughout home $75-150
Seal air leaks and add insulation $200-400
Energy-efficient appliances (EnergyStar) $100-300
Low-flow showerheads and faucets $50-100
Solar panels (where viable) $1,000-2,000
Negotiate internet plan or switch providers $120-360
Bundle internet + phone $100-200
Total potential savings $1,000-4,000/year

Utility Costs as % of Income

Household Income Monthly Utilities % of Gross Income % of Take-Home
$30,000 $465 18.6% 23.5%
$40,000 $465 14.0% 17.2%
$50,000 $465 11.2% 13.3%
$60,000 $465 9.3% 10.8%
$75,000 $465 7.4% 8.5%
$100,000 $465 5.6% 6.3%

Low-income households spend nearly a quarter of their take-home pay on utilities — a significant burden.

Key Takeaways

  1. The average household spends $465/month on all utilities combined
  2. Hawaii, Connecticut, and Alaska have the highest total utility costs
  3. Utah, New Mexico, and Idaho are the cheapest states for utilities
  4. Southern states have low electricity rates but high usage from air conditioning
  5. The annual difference between the most and least expensive states is over $2,100
  6. Home size is the biggest factor — a 3,500 sq ft home uses 70%+ more than an apartment
  7. Simple efficiency upgrades can save $1,000-4,000 per year