Electric Consumer

Editor: Katerine G., Editor & Data Researcher · Research & publishing: Electric Consumer Editorial Team · Data retrieved · Sources named on this page: EIA retail sales, Census ACS, DOE LEAD · How we got these numbers · Report an error

States where electricity takes the biggest share of income

3.6%of median household income goes to electricity in Mississippi (U.S. low end: 1.3% in Utah)

A typical Mississippi home pays about $166 a month for energy, $1,992 a year, which is 3.63% of the state's median household income of $54,915. In Utah it is 1.30%. The U.S. Department of Energy calls 6% of income spent on all home energy a high burden; this page counts electricity only, for the median household, so many households sit above these figures.

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States where electricity takes the biggest share of income, mapNew Mexico: 1.83%Texas: 2.69%Kentucky: 2.76%Ohio: 2.54%Georgia: 2.55%Arkansas: 2.83%Oregon: 2.00%Pennsylvania: 2.55%Missouri: 2.40%North Carolina: 2.51%Utah: 1.30%Virginia: 2.15%Wyoming: 1.79%West Virginia: 3.42%New York: 2.20%Indiana: 2.56%Kansas: 2.09%Idaho: 1.77%Nevada: 1.83%Illinois: 1.86%Vermont: 2.07%New Jersey: 1.79%Minnesota: 1.61%Maryland: 2.18%Iowa: 1.92%Hawaii: 2.54%New Hampshire: 1.97%Rhode Island: 2.30%Connecticut: 2.64%Montana: 1.90%Arizona: 2.45%Nebraska: 1.88%Washington: 1.57%South Dakota: 2.17%California: 1.93%Alabama: 3.57%Wisconsin: 1.91%Mississippi: 3.63%Colorado: 1.34%Oklahoma: 2.65%Tennessee: 2.79%Louisiana: 3.06%Michigan: 2.14%Massachusetts: 2.14%Florida: 2.81%Alaska: 1.98%North Dakota: 2.00%South Carolina: 2.90%Maine: 2.47%Delaware: 2.29%District of Columbia: 1.58%
  • 1.30% to 1.86%
  • 1.86% to 2.07%
  • 2.07% to 2.45%
  • 2.45% to 2.69%
  • 2.69% to 3.63%

Mississippi 3.63% first, Utah 1.30% last: the map links to each state.

All 51 ranked places

% of median household income spent on electricity (typical bill x 12)

  1. 1Mississippi3.63%
  2. 2Alabama3.57%
  3. 3West Virginia3.42%
  4. 4Louisiana3.06%
  5. 5South Carolina2.90%
  6. 6Arkansas2.83%
  7. 7Florida2.81%
  8. 8Tennessee2.79%
  9. 9Kentucky2.76%
  10. 10Texas2.69%
  11. 11Oklahoma2.65%
  12. 12Connecticut2.64%
  13. 13Indiana2.56%
  14. 14Pennsylvania2.55%
  15. 15Georgia2.55%
  16. 16Ohio2.54%
  17. 17Hawaii2.54%
  18. 18North Carolina2.51%
  19. 19Maine2.47%
  20. 20Arizona2.45%
  21. 21Missouri2.40%
  22. 22Rhode Island2.30%
  23. 23Delaware2.29%
  24. 24New York2.20%
  25. 25Maryland2.18%
  26. 26South Dakota2.17%
  27. 27Virginia2.15%
  28. 28Michigan2.14%
  29. 29Massachusetts2.14%
  30. 30Kansas2.09%
  31. 31Vermont2.07%
  32. 32Oregon2.00%
  33. 33North Dakota2.00%
  34. 34Alaska1.98%
  35. 35New Hampshire1.97%
  36. 36California1.93%
  37. 37Iowa1.92%
  38. 38Wisconsin1.91%
  39. 39Montana1.90%
  40. 40Nebraska1.88%
  41. 41Illinois1.86%
  42. 42New Mexico1.83%
  43. 43Nevada1.83%
  44. 44Wyoming1.79%
  45. 45New Jersey1.79%
  46. 46Idaho1.77%
  47. 47Minnesota1.61%
  48. 48District of Columbia1.58%
  49. 49Washington1.57%
  50. 50Colorado1.34%
  51. 51Utah1.30%

The table, sortable

Highest electricity burden: first 51 of 51
1Mississippi3.63$16654,9151,18414.03Median household 54,915, -27% vs median; 0.06% ahead of Alabama; Use 1,184, +35% vs median
2Alabama3.57$18462,0271,14516.09Typical bill $184, +25% vs median; 0.06% apart from Mississippi; Use 1,145, +31% vs median
3West Virginia3.42$16557,9171,07315.39Median household 57,917, -23% vs median; 0.15% apart from Alabama; Use 1,073, +23% vs median
4Louisiana3.06$15360,0231,22512.52Cooling degree-days 2,695, +209% vs median; 0.36% apart from West Virginia; Use 1,225, +40% vs median
5South Carolina2.90$16166,8181,06715.12Heating degree-days 2,586, -52% vs median; 0.17% apart from Louisiana; Cooling degree-days 1,945, +123% vs median
6Arkansas2.83$13858,7731,07612.87Median household 58,773, -22% vs median; 0.07% apart from South Carolina; Use 1,076, +23% vs median
7Florida2.81$16871,7111,10315.21Cooling degree-days 3,581, +310% vs median; 0.02% apart from Arkansas; Heating degree-days 645, -88% vs median
8Tennessee2.79$15667,0971,18113.22Use 1,181, +35% vs median; 0.02% apart from Florida; Median household 67,097, -11% vs median
9Kentucky2.76$14462,4171,09413.13Median household 62,417, -17% vs median; 0.03% apart from Tennessee; Use 1,094, +25% vs median
10Texas2.69$17176,2921,11015.40Cooling degree-days 2,808, +222% vs median; 0.08% apart from Kentucky; Heating degree-days 1,820, -67% vs median
11Oklahoma2.65$14163,6031,06413.21Median household 63,603, -16% vs median; 0.04% apart from Texas; Cooling degree-days 1,919, +120% vs median
12Connecticut2.64$20793,76070529.31Typical bill $207, +40% vs median; 0.01% apart from Oklahoma; Home price 29.31, +90% vs median
13Indiana2.56$15070,05193815.960.08% apart from Connecticut; Median household 70,051, -7% vs median
14Pennsylvania2.55$16276,08183919.290.01% apart from Indiana; Typical bill $162, +10% vs median
15Georgia2.55$15974,6641,07714.74Heating degree-days 2,807, -48% vs median; 0.00% apart from Pennsylvania; Use 1,077, +23% vs median
16Ohio2.54$14869,68087416.900.01% apart from Georgia; Median household 69,680, -8% vs median
17Hawaii2.54$20898,31751540.40Home price 40.40, +163% vs median; 0.01% apart from Ohio; Typical bill $208, +41% vs median
18North Carolina2.51$14669,9041,04414.00Heating degree-days 3,359, -38% vs median; 0.03% apart from Hawaii; Use 1,044, +19% vs median
19Maine2.47$14871,77353427.69Use 534, -39% vs median; 0.04% apart from North Carolina; Home price 27.69, +80% vs median
20Arizona2.45$15776,8721,03015.26Cooling degree-days 3,063, +251% vs median; 0.02% apart from Maine; Heating degree-days 1,919, -65% vs median
21Missouri2.40$13868,9201,03813.30Use 1,038, +19% vs median; 0.05% apart from Arizona; Home price 13.30, -14% vs median
22Rhode Island2.30$16686,37256229.48Home price 29.48, +92% vs median; 0.10% apart from Missouri; Use 562, -36% vs median
23Delaware2.29$15882,85592017.150.02% apart from Rhode Island; Typical bill $158, +7% vs median
24New York2.20$15584,57858626.39Home price 26.39, +71% vs median; 0.09% apart from Delaware; Use 586, -33% vs median
25Maryland2.18$184101,65294519.53Median household 101,652, +35% vs median; 0.02% apart from New York; Typical bill $184, +25% vs median
26South Dakota2.17$13172,42198413.32Heating degree-days 7,633, +40% vs median; 0.00% apart from Maryland; Home price 13.32, -13% vs median
27Virginia2.15$16390,9741,06715.28Median household 90,974, +20% vs median; 0.02% apart from South Dakota; Use 1,067, +22% vs median
28Michigan2.14$12771,14963520.03Use 635, -27% vs median; 0.01% apart from Virginia; Heating degree-days 6,745, +24% vs median
29Massachusetts2.14$181101,34159530.41Home price 30.41, +98% vs median; 0.00% apart from Michigan; Median household 101,341, +34% vs median
30Kansas2.09$12672,63987614.440.05% apart from Massachusetts; Typical bill $126, -14% vs median
31Vermont2.07$13578,02459222.79Heating degree-days 8,059, +48% vs median; 0.02% apart from Kansas; Use 592, -32% vs median
32Oregon2.00$13480,42686615.460.08% apart from Vermont; Cooling degree-days 232, -73% vs median
33North Dakota2.00$12675,9491,07011.82Heating degree-days 9,184, +69% vs median; 0.00% apart from Oregon; Use 1,070, +22% vs median
34Alaska1.98$14789,33656426.11Use 564, -36% vs median; 0.02% apart from North Dakota; Home price 26.11, +70% vs median
35New Hampshire1.97$15795,62864024.53Median household 95,628, +27% vs median; 0.01% apart from Alaska; Heating degree-days 7,449, +37% vs median
36California1.93$15596,33449331.35Home price 31.35, +104% vs median; 0.04% apart from New Hampshire; Use 493, -44% vs median
37Iowa1.92$11773,14786113.62Typical bill $117, -20% vs median; 0.00% apart from California; Heating degree-days 6,821, +25% vs median
38Wisconsin1.91$12175,67066718.08Heating degree-days 7,528, +38% vs median; 0.01% apart from Iowa; Use 667, -24% vs median
39Montana1.90$11169,92285312.99Heating degree-days 8,549, +57% vs median; 0.01% apart from Wisconsin; Typical bill $111, -25% vs median
40Nebraska1.88$11774,98597312.05Typical bill $117, -20% vs median; 0.03% apart from Montana; Home price 12.05, -22% vs median
41Illinois1.86$12781,70271617.67Typical bill $127, -14% vs median; 0.02% apart from Nebraska; Use 716, -18% vs median
42New Mexico1.83$9562,12563814.85Typical bill $95, -36% vs median; 0.03% apart from Illinois; Median household 62,125, -18% vs median
43Nevada1.83$11575,56186713.26Cooling degree-days 2,166, +148% vs median; 0.00% apart from New Mexico; Typical bill $115, -22% vs median
44Wyoming1.79$11274,81583513.37Heating degree-days 8,224, +51% vs median; 0.04% apart from Nevada; Typical bill $112, -24% vs median
45New Jersey1.79$151101,05067022.48Median household 101,050, +34% vs median; 0.00% apart from Wyoming; Use 670, -23% vs median
46Idaho1.77$11074,63693311.83Typical bill $110, -25% vs median; 0.01% apart from New Jersey; Home price 11.83, -23% vs median
47Minnesota1.61$11887,55674415.83Heating degree-days 8,534, +57% vs median; 0.16% apart from Idaho; Typical bill $118, -20% vs median
48District of Columbia1.58$140106,28763921.92Median household 106,287, +41% vs median; 0.03% apart from Minnesota; Use 639, -27% vs median
49Washington1.57$12494,95294513.17Median household 94,952, +26% vs median; 0.01% apart from District of Columbia; Cooling degree-days 182, -79% vs median
50Colorado1.34$10392,47065815.69Typical bill $103, -30% vs median; 0.23% apart from Washington; Median household 92,470, +22% vs median
51Utah1.30$9991,75076113.02Typical bill $99, -33% vs median; 0.05% apart from Colorado; Median household 91,750, +21% vs median

Mississippi 3.63% to Utah 1.30%; 51 rows in the CSV.

CSV

Why the top and the bottom differ

Highest five: Mississippi, Alabama, West Virginia, Louisiana, South Carolina. Lowest five: Minnesota, District of Columbia, Washington, Colorado, Utah. The burden rises with kWh used (+0.58) and falls with income (-0.62).

Averages of the first and last 10 states
MeasureFirst 10 (Mississippi to Texas)Last 10 (New Mexico to Utah)All 51
Share of income, %3.051.642.27
Typical bill a month$161$117$145
Median household income, $63,79986,12078,195
Use, kWh a month1,126769864
Home price 2025, ¢/kWh14.3015.5417.86
Cooling degree-days (normal)2,0366991,098
Heating degree-days (normal)2,8376,2615,218

Across the states, highest electricity burden moves most closely with (r, a pattern and not a cause; glossary):

  • median household income: r = -0.62 across 51 states
  • heating degree-days: r = -0.61 across 48 states
  • monthly home use: r = +0.58 across 51 states
  • cooling degree-days: r = +0.57 across 48 states

Highest electricity burden: regions and residents

By Census division, East South Central comes first on highest electricity burden (mean 3.19%) and Mountain last (1.78%). Between East South Central and Mountain the means are 1.41% apart; Mississippi and Utah are 2.33% apart: much of the spread is regional.

Highest electricity burden by Census division
Census divisionStatesMean, highest electricity burdenRanked highestRanked lowestMedian rank
New England62.27%Connecticut 2.64%New Hampshire 1.97%26
Middle Atlantic32.18%Pennsylvania 2.55%New Jersey 1.79%24
East North Central52.21%Indiana 2.56%Illinois 1.86%28
West North Central72.01%Missouri 2.40%Minnesota 1.61%33
South Atlantic92.49%West Virginia 3.42%District of Columbia 1.58%18
East South Central43.19%Mississippi 3.63%Kentucky 2.76%5
West South Central42.81%Louisiana 3.06%Oklahoma 2.65%8
Mountain81.78%Arizona 2.45%Utah 1.30%44
Pacific52.00%Hawaii 2.54%Washington 1.57%34

One vote per state or one per resident? On highest electricity burden the answers are the median state 2.17%, the plain state mean 2.27%, weighted by residents 2.31%.

Residents by position in the highest electricity burden ranking
GroupResidentsShare of ranked residentsMean of statesMean weighted by residents
First 10: Mississippi to Texas86 million26%3.05%2.87%
Middle 31: Oklahoma to Illinois206 million62%2.22%2.22%
Last 10: New Mexico to Utah40 million12%1.64%1.62%

Biggest steps between neighbours in this order:

  • 3rd to 4th: West Virginia to Louisiana, 0.36% apart
  • 49th to 50th: Washington to Colorado, 0.23% apart
  • 4th to 5th: Louisiana to South Carolina, 0.17% apart
  • 46th to 47th: Idaho to Minnesota, 0.16% apart

Within 10% of leader Mississippi (3.63%): 2 other places; within 25%: 8. The tenth place, Texas, is 0.94% from the leader and the last, Utah, 2.33%.

Bill as % of median income against Home use, kWh a month

51 dots, one per state; Mississippi is highest on bill as % of median income and Utah lowest. Fit line r = +0.58.

Bill as % of median income against Home use, kWh a month, 51 states1.01.52.02.53.03.54.0400600800100012001400Mississippi: 1184, 3.6MSAlabama: 1145, 3.6West Virginia: 1073, 3.4Louisiana: 1225, 3.1LASouth Carolina: 1067, 2.9Arkansas: 1076, 2.8Florida: 1103, 2.8Tennessee: 1181, 2.8Kentucky: 1094, 2.8Texas: 1110, 2.7Oklahoma: 1064, 2.7Connecticut: 705, 2.6Indiana: 938, 2.6Pennsylvania: 839, 2.6Georgia: 1077, 2.6Ohio: 874, 2.5Hawaii: 515, 2.5North Carolina: 1044, 2.5Maine: 534, 2.5Arizona: 1030, 2.5Missouri: 1038, 2.4Rhode Island: 562, 2.3Delaware: 920, 2.3New York: 586, 2.2Maryland: 945, 2.2South Dakota: 984, 2.2Virginia: 1067, 2.2Michigan: 635, 2.1Massachusetts: 595, 2.1Kansas: 876, 2.1Vermont: 592, 2.1Oregon: 866, 2.0North Dakota: 1070, 2.0Alaska: 564, 2.0New Hampshire: 640, 2.0California: 493, 1.9CAIowa: 861, 1.9Wisconsin: 667, 1.9Montana: 853, 1.9Nebraska: 973, 1.9Illinois: 716, 1.9New Mexico: 638, 1.8Nevada: 867, 1.8Wyoming: 835, 1.8New Jersey: 670, 1.8Idaho: 933, 1.8Minnesota: 744, 1.6District of Columbia: 639, 1.6Washington: 945, 1.6Colorado: 658, 1.3Utah: 761, 1.3UTHome use, kWh a monthBill as % of median income
51 states: first 8 of 51 rows
StateHome use, kWh a monthBill as % of median income
Mississippi1183.683.63
Alabama1145.443.57
West Virginia1072.803.42
Louisiana1224.553.06
South Carolina1066.822.90
Arkansas1075.762.83
Florida1103.502.81
Tennessee1180.732.79

Mississippi is highest on the vertical axis (3.6), Utah lowest (1.3).

CSV

Try your own numbers

Your own share: your yearly electric bill divided by household income. Nothing leaves your browser.

    Sources

    From EIA retail sales, Census ACS.

    Burden = typical monthly bill (EIA 2025 monthly average kWh per account times price) times 12, divided by ACS 2023 median household income of the state. Electricity energy cost only; the DOE threshold of 6% covers all home energy.

    Periods, retrieval dates and licences: data sources.

    Related to highest electricity burden

    Questions

    Which state has the highest electricity burden?

    Mississippi: 3.63% of median household income, from a typical bill of $166 a month (EIA 2025 monthly sales, ACS 2023 income).

    Which state has the lowest?

    Utah, at 1.30%.

    What is a high energy burden?

    The U.S. Department of Energy's LEAD tool treats spending above 6% of income on home energy as a high burden. That counts all fuels; our figure counts electricity only.

    Is this the burden for poor households?

    No. It uses the median household. Lower-income households use less power but earn far less, so their share is usually higher. State-level medians hide that.

    Why does price alone not decide it?

    Burden depends on price, use and income. Hawaii has the highest price but a burden of 2.54%; Mississippi pays 14.03 ¢ and uses 1,184 kWh a month.

    Are fixed charges and taxes included?

    No. The bill is average kWh times average price. Fixed charges are not in the EIA price, so true bills are higher.

    How do I work out my own?

    Divide your yearly electric bill by your household income. The calculator on this page does it and compares with your state.

    Share this page

    3.6% of median household income goes to electricity in Mississippi (U.S. low end: 1.3% in Utah)

    Cite this page

    Underlying data are U.S. government works (EIA, Census Bureau). Our tables and charts: CC BY 4.0, credit Electric Consumer. The access date fills in when you open this page.

    APA

    Electric Consumer. (2026). Electricity bills as a share of income: highest burden by state, 2025. Data as of 26 October 2026. Retrieved 26 October 2026, from https://electricconsumer.org/rankings/highest-electricity-burden-by-state.html

    MLA

    Electric Consumer. “Electricity bills as a share of income: highest burden by state, 2025.” Electric Consumer, data as of 26 October 2026, https://electricconsumer.org/rankings/highest-electricity-burden-by-state.html. Accessed 26 October 2026.

    Chicago

    Electric Consumer. “Electricity bills as a share of income: highest burden by state, 2025.” Data as of 26 October 2026. Accessed 26 October 2026. https://electricconsumer.org/rankings/highest-electricity-burden-by-state.html.

    BibTeX

    @misc{usedata_rankings_highest_electricity_burden_by_state,
  author = "Electric Consumer",
  title = {Electricity bills as a share of income: highest burden by state, 2025},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://electricconsumer.org/rankings/highest-electricity-burden-by-state.html},
  note = {Data as of 26 October 2026. Accessed 26 October 2026}
}
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