Is electricity getting more expensive in California?
California homes pay 48% more than in 2001 once inflation is removed. California paid 12.09 ¢ per kWh in 2001 (21.98 ¢ in today's money) and 32.54 ¢ in 2025: +169.1% printed, +48.0% real. Rank 49th of 51 (1 = biggest real fall).
California price since 2001
California cents per kWh by year, 2001 to 2025: 25 rows
| Year | California, 2025 dollars | California, as printed |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 21.98 | 12.09 |
| 2002 | 22.62 | 12.64 |
| 2003 | 21.40 | 12.23 |
| 2004 | 20.79 | 12.20 |
| 2005 | 20.62 | 12.51 |
| 2006 | 22.88 | 14.33 |
| 2007 | 22.39 | 14.42 |
| 2008 | 20.65 | 13.81 |
| 2009 | 22.12 | 14.74 |
| 2010 | 21.78 | 14.75 |
| 2011 | 21.15 | 14.78 |
| 2012 | 21.51 | 15.34 |
| 2013 | 22.43 | 16.23 |
| 2014 | 22.10 | 16.25 |
| 2015 | 23.08 | 16.99 |
| 2016 | 23.33 | 17.39 |
| 2017 | 24.05 | 18.31 |
| 2018 | 24.15 | 18.84 |
| 2019 | 24.12 | 19.15 |
| 2020 | 25.44 | 20.45 |
| 2021 | 27.11 | 22.82 |
| 2022 | 28.43 | 25.84 |
| 2023 | 31.18 | 29.51 |
| 2024 | 32.81 | 31.97 |
| 2025 | 32.54 | 32.54 |
25 rows from EIA, BLS.
CSV| Year | California as printed | California in 2025 dollars | California real change on the row above | California against U.S. real price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 12.09 ¢ | 21.98 ¢ | start | +40.9% |
| 2006 | 14.33 ¢ | 22.88 ¢ | +4.1% | +37.7% |
| 2011 | 14.78 ¢ | 21.15 ¢ | −7.6% | +26.1% |
| 2016 | 17.39 ¢ | 23.33 ¢ | +10.3% | +38.6% |
| 2021 | 22.82 ¢ | 27.11 ¢ | +16.2% | +67.0% |
| 2025 | 32.54 ¢ | 32.54 ¢ | +20.0% | +88.1% |
What would your California bill have been?
Try your own California bill
- 2010: 21.78 ¢ (2025 dollars), $101 a month for 464 kWh. 2025: 32.54 ¢, $151. $50 more a month, $599 a year.
- Scenario at +6.7% a year: 45.00 ¢ and $209 a month in 2030. Not a forecast.
What the California numbers say
California's biggest one-year real jump came in 2006 (+11.0%) and its biggest drop in 2008 (−7.8%); the California price fell in 10 of 24 yearly steps. California's real price last stood above today's 32.54 ¢ in 2024, at 32.81 ¢.
Most of the recent pressure on California came after 2019: the real price rose 34.9%, from 24.12 ¢ to 32.54 ¢ in 2025 dollars. California sat 40.9% above the U.S. average in 2001 (21.98 ¢ against 15.60 ¢); California is 88.1% above it in 2025 (32.54 ¢ against 17.30 ¢).
Per year, California moved +1.65% real and +4.21% printed over 24 years, against +0.43% real for the nation.
California key numbers
| Measure | California |
|---|---|
| California 2001 price, as printed | 12.09 ¢ |
| California 2001 price in 2025 dollars | 21.98 ¢ |
| California 2025 price, preliminary | 32.54 ¢ |
| California change as printed | +169.1% |
| California change after inflation | +48.0% |
| California real change since 2019 | +34.9% |
| California real change since 2021 | +20.0% |
| California highest real price (2024) | 32.81 ¢ |
| California lowest real price (2005) | 20.62 ¢ |
| California real change per year | +1.65% |
California against its neighbors
California: +48.0% real since 2001. States bordering: Arizona +1.5% (46.5 points below California); Nevada −20.4% (68.4 points below California); Oregon +34.5% (13.6 points below California).
Sources
EIA state data and EIA-861 give the California prices; BLS CPI-U gives the inflation factor for California. Retrieved 5 Oct 2026. Method. CSV for every state, California included
More on California
Questions
Is electricity getting more expensive in California?
The California home price went from 12.09 ¢ per kWh in 2001 to 32.54 ¢ in 2025 as printed (+169.1%). After inflation California changed +48.0%, against +10.9% for the U.S.
What is the California home electricity price in 2025 dollars?
California paid 21.98 ¢ per kWh in 2001 (in 2025 dollars) and 32.54 ¢ in 2025. The California series low is 20.62 ¢ (2005) and the high is 32.81 ¢ (2024).
California: how does it rank on electricity prices against inflation?
California ranks 49th of 51 on the real change since 2001 (+48.0%), and 51st on the change since 2019 (+34.9%).
California homes in 2025 against 2019: how much more?
California went from 19.15 ¢ to 32.54 ¢ as printed (+69.9%), and from 24.12 ¢ to 32.54 ¢ in 2025 dollars (+34.9%).