Electricity bill calculator
Enter the kilowatt-hours from your last statement and pick a state. The calculator applies that state's May 2026 residential average and compares it against the U.S. average of 18.44¢/kWh. No sign-up, nothing stored.
Estimate a monthly bill
Multiply your own usage by the May 2026 state average. Enter the kilowatt-hours from your last statement. This is a supply-and-delivery blended average, not a utility quote.
Rate used: …. U.S. average 18.44¢/kWh, May 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
What each thing in your house costs to run
Rate shopping gets a lot of attention and usage gets very little, which is backwards for most households. The table below converts common loads into monthly kilowatt-hours and prices them at the U.S. average, at the cheapest state's rate and at the most expensive state's. The gap between the columns is what geography does; the gap between the rows is what you control.
| Load | kWh / month | U.S. avg | Idaho | Hawaii |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central air conditioning 3-ton unit, roughly 6 hours a day through a hot month | 300 | $55 | $37 | $156 |
| Electric resistance heat Whole-home baseboard through a cold month | 900 | $166 | $111 | $468 |
| Air-source heat pump Same house, same month, roughly a third of the load | 350 | $65 | $43 | $182 |
| Electric water heater Four-person household, conventional tank | 400 | $74 | $49 | $208 |
| Heat pump water heater Same household, same hot water | 120 | $22 | $15 | $62 |
| Electric vehicle 1,000 miles a month at about 3.3 miles per kWh | 300 | $55 | $37 | $156 |
| Clothes dryer Roughly 20 loads a month, electric | 75 | $14 | $9 | $39 |
| Refrigerator Modern full-size unit, running continuously | 45 | $8 | $6 | $23 |
| Pool pump Single-speed pump, 8 hours a day | 250 | $46 | $31 | $130 |
Reading your bill properly
Almost every American electricity bill splits into two halves that behave completely differently, and knowing which half dominates yours determines what is worth doing about it.
Supply is the cost of the electricity itself. In a retail-choice state such as Texas, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois or most of the Northeast, this is the part you can shop. In a regulated state it is procured for you by the utility at cost, with no markup.
Delivery is the cost of the poles, wires, substations, meters, storm restoration, vegetation management and the policy programmes funded through the bill. It follows you regardless of who sells you the electrons, and in high-rate states such as Massachusetts and California it is frequently the larger half.
There is also a fixed customer charge, a flat monthly amount that does not vary with usage at all. In some states it is a few dollars; in Kansas, Wyoming and parts of the Mountain West it is large enough to materially reduce the payoff from using less. Find it before you model savings from efficiency work.
Finally, check whether your rate is tiered or time-differentiated. If it is, the average rate on this site tells you about your state, not about what the next kilowatt-hour will cost you. The marginal rate is the one that matters for any decision about adding or shifting load.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate my electricity bill?
Multiply the kilowatt-hours you used by your rate in dollars. A rate quoted in cents is divided by 100 first: 1,000 kWh at 18¢/kWh is 1,000 × 0.18 = $180. Real bills then add a fixed monthly customer charge, taxes, and any riders your utility applies, so the arithmetic gives you the variable portion rather than the total.
Where do I find my kilowatt-hours?
On your bill, usually labelled "kWh used" or "usage this period", next to the meter reading. Most utilities also show a twelve-month usage history, which is the more useful number, because a single month tells you about the weather more than about your home.
Why is my actual bill higher than this estimate?
Three usual reasons. Your utility's rate may differ from the state average, since the average blends every utility in the state and the spread within a state can be wide. Fixed monthly charges are not included here. And if you are on a tiered rate, your marginal rate above a usage threshold can be substantially higher than your average rate.
How much electricity does a typical U.S. household use?
It varies enormously by climate and heating fuel. A small apartment in a mild climate with gas heat might use 400 kWh a month; a large house in the South with electric heat and a pool can exceed 2,500. Rather than assume a figure, take the number from your own bill. That is why this calculator asks for it instead of guessing.
Rate data: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A: Average Price of Electricity to Ultimate Customers by End-Use Sector, by State, Form Form EIA-861M, May 2026. Retrieved 2026-08-19. Methodology