Electric Consumer

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

South Carolina residential electricity rates

South Carolina residential electricity cost 14.23 cents per kWh in 2024, with 2,581,882 accounts buying 32.5 TWh.

In 2024 South Carolina residential accounts paid 14.23 ¢/kWh, rank 30 of 51 and 13.7% below the U.S. residential price (16.48 ¢). A South Carolina account using 1,050 kWh a month pays about $149. Since 2015 the South Carolina price moved +13.2%.

South Carolina sits 0.18 ¢ under Virginia, the state above, and 0.03 ¢ over New Mexico, the state below. At 1,050 kWh a month, energy in South Carolina costs 29 dollars more than in North Dakota, the cheapest residential state.

How it compares

South Carolina residential
Residential price20242015ChangeBill
South Carolina14.23 ¢/kWhthis state12.57 ¢/kWh+13.2%$149at 1,050 kWh
Virginia (next above)14.41 ¢/kWh+0.18 ¢ against South Carolina11.37 ¢/kWh+26.7%$151at 1,050 kWh
New Mexico (next below)Lowest in this table14.20 ¢/kWh-0.03 ¢ against South Carolina12.47 ¢/kWh+13.9%$149at 1,050 kWh

Compare 26 South Carolina companies

South Carolina residential: 2025 and 2026

South Carolina residential, data to July 2026.

South Carolina 2025 average price
14.96 ¢/kWh+5.1% against 2024, U.S. +5.0%
South Carolina 2025 rank
31 of 51-1 places against 2024
South Carolina January to Jul 2026
15.92 ¢/kWh+7.6% on Jan-Jul 2025
South Carolina Last 12 months
15.64 ¢/kWhto July 2026
South Carolina July 2026
15.47 ¢/kWh+5.2% against July 2025
South Carolina 2025 costliest month
Apr 15.86 ¢cheapest Jan 13.88 ¢, a 14% spread
South Carolina Typical 2025 bill
$161 a monthtop Jul $222, low Apr $124

The South Carolina residential price averaged 14.96 ¢/kWh in 2025, +5.1% on 2024: South Carolina stayed within 0.2 points of the nation. From January to July 2026 the South Carolina average is 15.92 ¢, +7.6% on 2025, close to the U.S. change. Seasonality in South Carolina: 2025 peaked in April at 15.86 ¢ and bottomed in January at 13.88 ¢. A typical residential account in South Carolina paid about $1,931 for energy over 2025, from $124 in April to $222 in July; use per account ran 784 to 1,510 kWh a month.

South Carolina residential price by month, 2024 to Jul 2026

Price by month, South Carolina residential: 12 rows
Month202420252026 to Jul
Jan13.2813.8815.41
Feb13.9414.5016.15
Mar14.5615.2716.45
Apr14.6015.8617.06
May13.7815.4116.18
Jun13.9014.7915.55
Jul13.8214.7015.47
Aug14.3114.98No data
Sep14.7915.34No data
Oct15.4015.65No data
Nov15.6215.53No data
Dec13.9514.82No data

12 rows from EIA retail sales.

CSV

What a typical South Carolina residential account paid each month

South Carolina residential: use per account times price, energy only.

Typical bill by month, South Carolina residential: 12 rows
Month20252026 to Jul
Jan204198
Feb153183
Mar131135
Apr124131
May141148
Jun184186
Jul222232
Aug188No data
Sep157No data
Oct130No data
Nov128No data
Dec167No data

12 rows from EIA retail sales.

CSV

South Carolina residential charts

Residential price, South Carolina and U.S.

South Carolina 12.57 ¢ in 2015 and 14.23 ¢ in 2024, 2.25 ¢ under the national figure.

South Carolina residential price vs U.S., 2015 to 2024: 10 rows
YearSouth Carolina residentialGap to U.S. residentialSouth Carolina commercial
201512.57-0.0810.21
201612.65+0.1010.28
201713.02+0.1310.57
201812.44-0.4310.11
201912.99-0.0210.58
202012.78-0.3710.35
202112.86-0.8010.67
202213.59-1.4510.86
202313.68-2.3210.39
202414.23-2.2510.64

10 rows from EIA retail sales.

CSV

Annual change

Biggest move +5.7% in 2022; latest +4.0%.

% vs prior year

  1. +0.62016
  2. +2.92017
  3. -4.52018
  4. +4.42019
  5. -1.62020
  6. +0.62021
  7. +5.72022
  8. +0.72023
  9. +4.02024

Year-over-year change, South Carolina residential price: EIA retail sales.

CSV

Analyst note

The South Carolina residential price sat above the U.S. average in 2 of 10 years; the gap was -0.08 ¢ in 2015 and -2.25 ¢ in 2024. In the 2024 ranking South Carolina sits between Virginia (14.41 ¢) one place above and New Mexico (14.20 ¢) one place below; the top of the list is 28.63 ¢ away and the bottom 2.72 ¢. South Carolina was 20th in 2015 with 12.57 ¢ and is 30th now; a fall in the table. South Carolina residential prices rose in 7 of 9 years. The largest rise was +5.7% in 2022, and the largest fall -4.5% in 2018. The South Carolina price peaked at 14.23 ¢ in 2024 and bottomed at 12.44 ¢ in 2018; 2024 is the peak and +14.4% from the low. Compounded, that is +1.39% a year in South Carolina, -1.59 points against the U.S. South Carolina buys 2.19% of all U.S. residential electricity with 1.80% of the accounts, so the average South Carolina account uses 1.22 times the national average.

South Carolina residential customers paid 14.23 ¢ in 2024, which puts the state 30th of 51, a middle position, 2.25 ¢ under the U.S. Nine years moved the South Carolina residential price +13.2% (+1.4% a year), behind the U.S. by 17.1 points. The sharpest year was 2022 at +5.7%; the peak came in 2024.

The latest South Carolina year moved +4.0%, so prices are still climbing. The South Carolina commercial price of 10.64 ¢ sits 3.59 ¢ below. A South Carolina residential account uses 1,050 kWh a month; priced at 14.23 ¢ that is about $149, and the sector buys 38.8% of South Carolina's power.

Counting revenue instead of kWh, South Carolina residential accounts bring in 50.6% of South Carolina sector revenue on 38.8% of the kWh, a premium of 11.9 points that comes from the price level: 14.23 ¢ here against 10.64 ¢ for commercial and 6.84 ¢ for industrial accounts. The average South Carolina residential account uses 1,050 kWh a month, 10 of 51 among states on that measure; a commercial account uses 5.05 times as much and a industrial account 552.74 times. Residential accounts are 86.10% of the 2,998,873 accounts in South Carolina.

Facts

Residential price 2024
14.23 ¢/kWh-13.7% against U.S.
Price in 2015
12.57 ¢/kWh+13.2% to 2024
Annual change
+1.4%-1.6 points vs U.S.
Rank
30 of 5121 states cost less
Gap to U.S.
-2.25 ¢$23.63 a month
Peak year
202414.23 ¢; 2018 low 12.44 ¢
Sales
32.5 TWh38.8% of state sales
Residential accounts
2,581,882495.30 per 1,000 residents
Use per account
1,050 kWh/mo12,605 a year
Implied monthly bill
$149-$24 against U.S. rate

Data tables

South Carolina, residential: price by year

YearSouth CaroliU.S.ChangeGapRatio
201512.5712.65No data-0.080.994
201612.6512.55+0.6%+0.101.008
201713.0212.89+2.9%+0.131.010
201812.4412.87-4.5%-0.430.967
201912.9913.01+4.4%-0.020.998
202012.7813.15-1.6%-0.370.972
202112.8613.66+0.6%-0.800.941
202213.5915.04+5.7%-1.450.904
202313.6816.00+0.7%-2.320.855
202414.2316.48+4.0%-2.250.863

South Carolina residential: cost by use

Monthly kWhSouth Carolina cost a monthGap to U.S. rate in South Carolina
260 (0.25x the South Carolina account)$37.00-$5.85
530 (0.5x the South Carolina account)$75.42-$11.93
1,050 (1x the South Carolina account)$149.41-$23.62
1,580 (1.5x the South Carolina account)$224.83-$35.55
2,100 (2x the South Carolina account)$298.83-$47.25
4,200 (4x the South Carolina account)$597.66-$94.50

South Carolina: the three sectors measured against residential

SectorSouth Carolina price ¢/kWhPrice vs residentialSouth Carolina kWh per account a monthUse vs residentialSouth Carolina revenue shareSouth Carolina kWh share
Residential (this page)14.231.00x1,0501.00x50.6%38.8%
Commercial10.640.75x5,3035.05x30.6%31.3%
Industrial6.840.48x580,614552.74x18.8%29.9%

Questions on South Carolina residential

What is the average residential electricity rate in South Carolina? Is 14.23 cents high?

14.23 cents in 2024, -13.7% against the U.S. rate.

Where does South Carolina rank for residential electricity prices?

30th of 51, with 21 places charging less.

How much did South Carolina residential rates change since 2015?

12.57 to 14.23 cents: +13.2% in total, +1.4% a year.

What does an average South Carolina residential account pay a month?

1,050 kWh at 14.23 cents, price times use, comes to $149.

How large is the South Carolina residential customer base?

2,581,882 accounts, or 495.30 per 1,000 residents.

What year did South Carolina residential power peak?

2024 at 14.23 cents; the low was 12.44 cents in 2018.

What did South Carolina residential electricity cost in 2025?

South Carolina averaged 14.96 cents per kWh, +5.1% against 14.23 in 2024, and 31 of 51 among states.

Are South Carolina residential electricity prices rising in 2026?

South Carolina is +0.5 points against the U.S.: 15.92 cents from January to July 2026, +7.6% on 2025.

When in 2025 did South Carolina residential power cost most, April or January?

April at 15.86 cents in South Carolina; January was the lowest at 13.88, a 14% spread.

Does South Carolina residential power cost less than the national average in 2026?

2.29 cents below the national average; South Carolina 15.92 cents over January to July 2026, +7.6% on 2025.

More on South Carolina residential

Share this page

In 2024 South Carolina residential accounts paid 14.23 ¢/kWh, rank 30 of 51 and 13.7% below the U.S. residential price (16.48 ¢).