New England electricity rates
Across the 6 jurisdictions of New England, residential electricity averages 27.75¢ per kilowatt-hour as of May 2026, 50.5% above the U.S. average of 18.44¢. The regional average bill is $169 a month at 610 kWh.
What binds these states together
New England is the most tightly coupled region in the country. Six states share a single wholesale market, ISO New England, and a single binding physical constraint: the natural gas pipelines running into the region are not large enough to serve both heating and power generation on the coldest days.
When a cold snap arrives, gas contracted for heating takes priority. Generators switch to oil or imported liquefied natural gas, the marginal cost of production jumps, and the regional clearing price rises for everyone. That single mechanism does more to explain New England rates than any state-level policy.
Layered on top is a set of delivery costs that are high for structural reasons. The distribution networks are old, the terrain is wooded and storm-exposed, and customer density outside the Boston and Providence corridors is low. Maine in particular has more line per customer than almost anywhere in the Northeast.
What is moving rates now
Most of the region moved up over the past year, but not for a single reason. Default-service supply is procured in six-month blocks in several states, so rates step rather than drift, and each reset republishes the market's view of forward gas prices.
Connecticut is the exception and the instructive case. Its public benefits charge spiked in 2024, driven by a long-term nuclear contract and by recovery of pandemic-era arrears, then fell back as those specific items rolled off. The year-over-year decline reflects an inflated base rather than a cheap state.
Vermont is the structural exception. It holds long-term hydro contracts rather than buying at the spot price, and it has no retail choice, so costs are smoothed through rate cases instead of resetting twice a year.
State by state
| State | May 2026 (¢/kWh) | May 2025 | Change | vs. U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | 29.46 | 29.00 | +1.6% | +59.8% |
| Massachusetts | 28.82 | 29.90 | -3.6% | +56.3% |
| Maine | 28.63 | 27.91 | +2.6% | +55.3% |
| Connecticut | 27.37 | 31.59 | -13.4% | +48.4% |
| New Hampshire | 27.33 | 24.02 | +13.8% | +48.2% |
| Vermont | 24.89 | 23.75 | +4.8% | +35.0% |
Source: 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. Regional averages are unweighted means of the jurisdictions listed. Methodology
What it means for a household here
Two things matter more here than elsewhere. First, check whether your community runs a municipal aggregation programme. New England has the most developed aggregation market in the country, and it has consistently outperformed individual supplier switching.
Second, read the delivery half of your bill before shopping for supply. In Massachusetts especially, delivery and policy charges have grown faster than supply for years and are frequently the larger half, which caps how much any supply deal can save you.
New England electricity: common questions
What is the average electricity rate in New England?
27.75¢ per kilowatt-hour as of May 2026, an unweighted average of the 6 jurisdictions covered. That is +50.5% against the U.S. average of 18.44¢.
Which New England state has the cheapest electricity?
Vermont at 24.89¢/kWh, against Rhode Island at 29.46¢ at the other end.
Did rates rise in New England this year?
The regional average moved +1.0% from May 2025 to May 2026. Individual states varied: New Hampshire +13.8%, Vermont +4.8%, Maine +2.6%.
How much do households in New England spend on electricity?
The regional average bill is $169 a month at 610 kWh, measured across the twelve months to May 2026. The U.S. average is $155 at 871 kWh.