Electricity price report, March 2026
That tops all 38 earlier monthly readings since January 2023. March 2026 was +9.2% against March 2025 and +5.4% on the month before. Highest: Hawaii at 42.23 cents. Lowest: North Dakota at 11.94. Source: EIA data for March 2026, retrieved 2 Oct 2026.
The year so far: 2026 against 2025
U.S. average 18.60 cents, +5.4% on February 2026. At 749 kWh the energy bill is $139.
12 rows from EIA retail sales, monthly, residential.
CSVBiggest movers in March 2026
District of Columbia rose most (+22.5%) and Rhode Island moved least or fell most (-7.5%). 46 of 50 states are above March 2025, and 20 are up more than 10%.
| State | Change vs March 2025 | March 2026 ¢/kWh | March 2025 ¢/kWh |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | +22.5% | 25.00 | 20.40 |
| New Jersey | +19.5% | 23.48 | 19.65 |
| New Hampshire | +18.1% | 26.92 | 22.79 |
| Ohio | +16.9% | 18.78 | 16.06 |
| Maryland | +16.8% | 22.20 | 19.01 |
| State | Change vs March 2025 | March 2026 ¢/kWh | March 2025 ¢/kWh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | -7.5% | 29.91 | 32.32 |
| Connecticut | -6.1% | 30.45 | 32.43 |
| Oregon | -2.5% | 14.88 | 15.26 |
| Nevada | -1.9% | 14.16 | 14.44 |
| Massachusetts | +0.3% | 30.21 | 30.12 |
Where prices changed, March 2026 against March 2025
- -7.5% to +3.7%
- +3.7% to +7.5%
- +7.5% to +10.6%
- +10.6% to +13.5%
- +13.5% to +22.5%
March 2026: darker = bigger rise.
Nine regions in March 2026
New England paid the most at 29.42 cents and West North Central the least at 14.07, sales-weighted from the state series.
| Census division | March 2026 ¢/kWh | vs February 2026 | vs March 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| New England | 29.42 | -1.6% | -0.2% |
| Pacific | 25.27 | +3.9% | +8.4% |
| Middle Atlantic | 24.34 | -0.4% | +14.1% |
| East North Central | 19.08 | +6.8% | +10.8% |
| South Atlantic | 16.39 | +4.0% | +6.8% |
| East South Central | 15.74 | +12.5% | +10.2% |
| West South Central | 15.60 | +7.3% | +8.4% |
| Mountain | 14.92 | -0.0% | +7.2% |
| West North Central | 14.07 | +6.6% | +9.4% |
What March 2026 prices mean for your bill
- March 2026: choose a state and kWh.
March 2026: energy only (price times kWh), no fixed charges or taxes.
All 50 states, March 2026
| Alabama | 17.15 | 21 | +6.0% | +3.5% | 879 | $151 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 27.16 | 8 | +5.0% | +5.1% | 712 | $193 |
| Arizona | 15.61 | 30 | -2.6% | +4.0% | 859 | $134 |
| Arkansas | 13.63 | 41 | +7.1% | +10.6% | 813 | $111 |
| California | 33.28 | 2 | +0.2% | +5.3% | 462 | $154 |
| Colorado | 16.74 | 23 | -0.3% | +12.3% | 592 | $99 |
| Connecticut | 30.45 | 3 | -1.0% | -6.1% | 664 | $202 |
| Delaware | 17.64 | 20 | +8.4% | +5.4% | 971 | $171 |
| District of Columbia | 25.00 | 10 | +4.3% | +22.5% | 666 | $166 |
| Florida | 15.37 | 31 | -2.7% | +2.5% | 900 | $138 |
| Georgia | 15.01 | 34 | +6.2% | +2.1% | 844 | $127 |
| Hawaii | 42.23 | 1 | -1.8% | +3.7% | 485 | $205 |
| Idaho | 13.00 | 48 | +2.9% | +12.3% | 866 | $113 |
| Illinois | 18.85 | 16 | +5.7% | +7.5% | 612 | $115 |
| Indiana | 17.85 | 19 | +11.1% | +10.6% | 806 | $144 |
| Iowa | 13.41 | 46 | +5.4% | +8.4% | 808 | $108 |
| Kansas | 15.34 | 32 | +1.5% | +8.0% | 692 | $106 |
| Kentucky | 14.89 | 35 | +11.0% | +13.5% | 940 | $140 |
| Louisiana | 14.16 | 39 | +10.0% | +8.5% | 891 | $126 |
| Maine | 28.31 | 7 | -12.0% | +0.4% | 669 | $189 |
| Maryland | 22.20 | 13 | +10.6% | +16.8% | 870 | $193 |
| Massachusetts | 30.21 | 4 | -0.8% | +0.3% | 594 | $180 |
| Michigan | 21.19 | 14 | +6.0% | +9.4% | 577 | $122 |
| Minnesota | 15.69 | 29 | +2.1% | +4.0% | 721 | $113 |
| Mississippi | 16.30 | 27 | +10.7% | +11.3% | 874 | $142 |
| Missouri | 13.44 | 45 | +10.4% | +13.5% | 890 | $120 |
| Montana | 13.47 | 44 | +1.1% | +12.7% | 876 | $118 |
| Nebraska | 12.91 | 49 | +11.3% | +12.1% | 881 | $114 |
| Nevada | 14.16 | 40 | -1.5% | -1.9% | 674 | $95 |
| New Hampshire | 26.92 | 9 | +1.5% | +18.1% | 634 | $171 |
| New Jersey | 23.48 | 12 | +1.6% | +19.5% | 548 | $129 |
| New York | 28.55 | 6 | -4.6% | +12.3% | 544 | $155 |
| North Carolina | 16.00 | 28 | +9.3% | +8.2% | 835 | $134 |
| North Dakota | 11.94 | 50 | +2.6% | +7.5% | 1,181 | $141 |
| Ohio | 18.78 | 17 | +6.6% | +16.9% | 765 | $144 |
| Oklahoma | 13.57 | 43 | +5.3% | +8.8% | 800 | $109 |
| Oregon | 14.88 | 36 | +1.7% | -2.5% | 874 | $130 |
| Pennsylvania | 20.92 | 15 | +3.1% | +13.6% | 805 | $168 |
| Rhode Island | 29.91 | 5 | +1.6% | -7.5% | 524 | $157 |
| South Carolina | 16.46 | 24 | +1.9% | +6.6% | 821 | $135 |
| South Dakota | 14.28 | 38 | +8.0% | +12.5% | 1,006 | $144 |
| Tennessee | 15.08 | 33 | +17.6% | +12.3% | 987 | $149 |
| Texas | 16.39 | 25 | +6.3% | +7.8% | 821 | $135 |
| Utah | 13.17 | 47 | -1.2% | +6.6% | 630 | $83 |
| Vermont | 24.11 | 11 | +3.6% | +8.3% | 619 | $149 |
| Virginia | 17.05 | 22 | +6.8% | +14.4% | 905 | $154 |
| Washington | 14.39 | 37 | +2.1% | +13.8% | 1,092 | $157 |
| West Virginia | 16.37 | 26 | +13.6% | +3.2% | 1,041 | $170 |
| Wisconsin | 18.78 | 18 | +0.3% | +6.4% | 627 | $118 |
| Wyoming | 13.59 | 42 | +4.3% | +9.6% | 859 | $117 |
Sources
| Source | Data period | Retrieved | Used for |
|---|---|---|---|
| EIA retail sales, March 2026 | March 2026 | 26 Oct 2026 | March 2026 prices, sales, accounts |
March 2026 price = revenue over kWh for homes. Data sources.
Keep going
February 2026 | April 2026 | All monthly reports
March in other years: March 2024, March 2023, March 2025.
Questions
What was the average U.S. electricity price in March 2026?
18.60 cents per kWh for homes.
Which state had the highest electricity price in March 2026?
Hawaii at 42.23 cents per kWh; the lowest was North Dakota at 11.94.
How did prices change from March 2025?
The U.S. average moved +9.2%, from 17.03 to 18.60 cents. 46 of 50 states were higher.
Which state's price rose most in March 2026?
District of Columbia: +22.5% against March 2025, to 25.00 cents.
Which state's price fell most or rose least in March 2026?
Rhode Island: -7.5% against March 2025, at 29.91 cents.
What did a typical home pay in March 2026?
About $139 for 749 kWh at 18.60 cents, energy only.
What is the median state price in March 2026?
16.38 cents across 50 states, against 18.60 cents for the U.S.
Why does March 2026 differ from the annual price?
March 2026 follows the season; the 2025 annual average was 17.23 cents.
Are the March 2026 numbers final?
EIA can revise March 2026; we retrieved it on 2 Oct 2026.