Average electric bill in California
A typical California home paid about $156.17 a month for electricity in 2025, $1,873.98 for the year, using 480 kWh a month at 32.54 cents per kWh.
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Energy only, 32.54 ¢ per kWh; the slider starts at 480 kWh.
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The numbers
- Typical bill 2025
- $156.17 a month$1,873.98 a year, energy only
- Rank by bill
- 19 of 51+3% on the U.S. typical
- Average use
- 480 kWh a month51 of 51; -45% on the U.S.
- Home price 2025
- 32.54 ¢/kWh2 of 51; +88% on the U.S.
- Costliest month
- Sep $202.41632 kWh at 32.04 ¢
- Cheapest month
- Apr $129.02382 kWh at 33.82 ¢
- Summer to winter swing
- 57%costliest month over cheapest
- Typical bill, Jan to Jul 2026
- $158.08 a month+5.1% on the same months of 2025
- Share of median income
- 1.95%36 of 51; median household income $96,334
- Typical bill 2023 to 2025
- +8.0%$144.66 to $156.17 a month
- Typical business bill 2025
- $1,406.13 a month26.36 ¢/kWh
- Gap to the lowest bill
- $57.57 a monthlowest is New Mexico at $98.59
California charts
Typical monthly bill, California
$129.02 in Apr to $202.41 in Sep.
Typical monthly bill, California: 12 rows
| Month | 2025 | 2026 to Jul |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 167 | 183 |
| Feb | 145 | 140 |
| Mar | 133 | 154 |
| Apr | 129 | 138 |
| May | 130 | 136 |
| Jun | 162 | 165 |
| Jul | 187 | 192 |
| Aug | 194 | No data |
| Sep | 202 | No data |
| Oct | 152 | No data |
| Nov | 134 | No data |
| Dec | 139 | No data |
12 rows from EIA retail sales.
CSVCalifornia and the states next to it in rank
$156.17 a month, rank 19 of 51.
California, Typical monthly bill, California against others, 2025: EIA retail sales.
CSVBill by use level
| Use | California a month | California a year | U.S. a month | Gap to U.S. in California |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 120 kWh, 0.25x the California average | $39.05 | $468.58 | $20.76 | +$18 |
| 240 kWh, 0.5x the California average | $78.10 | $937.15 | $41.52 | +$37 |
| 360 kWh, 0.75x the California average | $117.14 | $1,405.73 | $62.28 | +$55 |
| 480 kWh, 1x the California average | $156.19 | $1,874.30 | $83.04 | +$73 |
| 600 kWh, 1.25x the California average | $195.24 | $2,342.88 | $103.80 | +$91 |
| 720 kWh, 1.5x the California average | $234.29 | $2,811.46 | $124.56 | +$110 |
| 960 kWh, 2x the California average | $312.38 | $3,748.61 | $166.08 | +$146 |
| 1,440 kWh, 3x the California average | $468.58 | $5,622.91 | $249.12 | +$219 |
California month by month in 2025
| Month | California kWh per account | California price ¢/kWh | California typical bill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 551 | 30.28 | $166.75 |
| Feb | 457 | 31.72 | $145.10 |
| Mar | 410 | 32.48 | $133.26 |
| Apr | 382 | 33.82 | $129.02 |
| May | 391 | 33.29 | $130.20 |
| Jun | 481 | 33.59 | $161.70 |
| Jul | 572 | 32.66 | $186.72 |
| Aug | 614 | 31.65 | $194.47 |
| Sep | 632 | 32.04 | $202.41 |
| Oct | 451 | 33.60 | $151.52 |
| Nov | 419 | 31.89 | $133.55 |
| Dec | 401 | 34.71 | $139.29 |
California typical bill over the years
| Year | California bill a month | California a year | California kWh per account | California price ¢/kWh |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $144.66 | $1,735.91 | 490 | 29.51 |
| 2024 | $160.66 | $1,927.89 | 503 | 31.97 |
| 2025 | $156.17 | $1,873.98 | 480 | 32.54 |
California in 2026 so far
| Month | California kWh per account | California price ¢/kWh | California typical bill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2026 | 604 | 30.29 | $182.85 |
| Feb 2026 | 420 | 33.22 | $139.63 |
| Mar 2026 | 461 | 33.35 | $153.88 |
| Apr 2026 | 392 | 35.25 | $138.19 |
| May 2026 | 408 | 33.25 | $135.52 |
| Jun 2026 | 474 | 34.74 | $164.72 |
| Jul 2026 | 571 | 33.61 | $191.75 |
Business and industry in California
| Customer type | California bill a month, 2025 | California kWh per account | California price ¢/kWh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business | $1,406.13 | 5,337 | 26.36 |
| Industry | $5,180.98 | 23,998 | 21.62 |
California bill next to income
California: 1.95% of median household income, rank 36; the four states closest to it:
| State near California | Median income | Bill a year | Share of income, near California |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa | $73,147 | $1,411.17 | 1.93% |
| New Hampshire | $95,628 | $1,883.17 | 1.97% |
| Wisconsin | $75,670 | $1,450.80 | 1.92% |
| Nebraska | $74,985 | $1,437.16 | 1.92% |
Weather and the bill
California homes used the most power in Sep 2025 (632 kWh per account) and the least in Apr (382 kWh). Degree-days (heating plus cooling) peaked in Jan (509). Across the 12 months, use and degree-days have a correlation of -0.08. 2025 had 2,525 heating and 951 cooling degree-days, 22% below and 35% above the 1991 to 2020 normals (3,253 and 704).
California degree-days by year
Heating and cooling degree-days, California, 2015 to 2025: 11 rows
| California year | Heating (HDD) | Cooling (CDD) | Normal HDD | Normal CDD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 2347 | 1157 | 3253 | 704 |
| 2016 | 2445 | 1023 | 3253 | 704 |
| 2017 | 2449 | 1167 | 3253 | 704 |
| 2018 | 2546 | 1101 | 3253 | 704 |
| 2019 | 2950 | 896 | 3253 | 704 |
| 2020 | 2570 | 1206 | 3253 | 704 |
| 2021 | 2689 | 1146 | 3253 | 704 |
| 2022 | 2672 | 1205 | 3253 | 704 |
| 2023 | 3085 | 866 | 3253 | 704 |
| 2024 | 2717 | 1192 | 3253 | 704 |
| 2025 | 2525 | 951 | 3253 | 704 |
NOAA nClimDiv degree-days for California, 2015 to 2025, pulled 2 Oct 2026.
CSVCalifornia, 2025 by month: 12 rows
| Month | kWh per account | Price ¢/kWh | Typical bill | HDD 2025 | CDD 2025 | HDD normal | CDD normal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 551 | 30.28 | $167 | 509 | 0 | 582 | 0 |
| Feb | 457 | 31.72 | $145 | 372 | 0 | 475 | 0 |
| Mar | 410 | 32.48 | $133 | 437 | 1 | 453 | 2 |
| Apr | 382 | 33.82 | $129 | 281 | 12 | 333 | 8 |
| May | 391 | 33.29 | $130 | 120 | 56 | 196 | 30 |
| Jun | 481 | 33.59 | $162 | 27 | 149 | 66 | 93 |
| Jul | 572 | 32.66 | $187 | 6 | 202 | 7 | 215 |
| Aug | 614 | 31.65 | $194 | 0 | 300 | 8 | 207 |
| Sep | 632 | 32.04 | $202 | 12 | 182 | 38 | 121 |
| Oct | 451 | 33.60 | $152 | 139 | 36 | 165 | 26 |
| Nov | 419 | 31.89 | $134 | 262 | 8 | 372 | 2 |
| Dec | 401 | 34.71 | $139 | 360 | 5 | 558 | 0 |
EIA retail sales and NOAA nClimDiv for California, 2025 by month.
CSVAnalyst note
A typical California home account paid about $156.17 a month for energy in 2025, $1,873.98 over the year, which ranks 19 of 51 states, 3% above the U.S. typical bill. California homes used 480 kWh a month (51 of 51, 45% under the U.S.) at 32.54 cents (2 of 51, 88% over), so the bill reflects a high price. The year swings from $129.02 in April to $202.41 in September, a 57% gap, driven by use of 382 against 632 kWh. So far in 2026 the typical bill is $158.08 a month, +5.1% on the same months of 2025. Business accounts paid about $1,406.13 a month at 26.36 cents, 9.0 times a home bill. Over a year that is 1.95% of the $96,334 median household income, 36 of 51 states. The typical bill was $144.66 a month in 2023, $160.66 in 2024 and $156.17 in 2025, +8.0% in two years, with use per account at 490, 503 and 480 kWh.
California: states with a similar bill
| State | Typical bill, near California | kWh a month | Price ¢/kWh |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | $156.93 | 639 | 24.56 |
| Indiana | $155.35 | 957 | 16.23 |
| New York | $154.64 | 586 | 26.39 |
| Arizona | $157.78 | 1,030 | 15.32 |
Questions on the California bill
What is the average electric bill in California?
Energy only: about $156.17 a month in 2025, or $1,873.98 a year.
How much electricity does a California home use?
Rank 51 of 51: 480 kWh a month in 2025, -45% on the U.S.
What month is the electric bill highest in California?
September at $202.41; the lowest is April at $129.02.
Is the average electric bill in California above the national average?
Above, by $4.30 a month or 3%.
How much does 1,000 kWh cost in California?
$325.40 at 32.54 cents per kWh, the 2025 average.
How far is California from the state with the lowest bill?
$57.57 a month: the lowest typical bill, $98.59 in New Mexico, against $156.17 here.
What share of income goes to electricity in California?
1.95% of the $96,334 median household income, 36 of 51 states.
How much did the typical California bill change since 2023?
$144.66 a month in 2023, $156.17 in 2025, +8.0%.
What does a California business pay a month for electricity?
$1,406.13 for a typical commercial account, at 26.36 cents per kWh in 2025.
Is the California bill rising in 2026?
$158.08 a month so far, +5.1% on the same months of 2025.
More on California
- California electricity ratesutilities, map, outages
- California residential ratesprice history and rank
- Decode your California bill