Energy
Electricity, per kWh
The price of electricity
A kilowatt-hour of electricity cost 4.6¢ in November 1978 and 19.6¢ in September 2026.
In Sep 2026 dollars it cost 23.0¢ in November 1978, so it is 15% cheaper now after inflation. The record is 19.8¢, in June 2026; the low was 4.6¢, in November 1978.
The Nov 1978 price in Sep 2026 dollars: what it cost then, in today’s money.
- In one year
- up 4.3%From 18.8¢ in Sep 2025
- In ten years
- up 41.0%From 13.9¢ in Sep 2016
- Record high
- 19.8¢June 2026
- Record low
- 4.6¢November 1978
Electricity, per kWh, every month since Nov 1978
Price at the timeIn Sep 2026 dollarsSolid line, yellow area: the average price in each month, in the dollars of that month. Dashed blue line: the same price restated in Sep 2026 dollars using the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers (CPI-U). Where the dashed line falls, the item got cheaper compared with everything else. Months with no published price are left as gaps when they are long, and bridged when they are a single month. Hover, tap or use the arrow keys to read any month.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, average price series APU000072610 (U.S. city average); CPI-U CUUR0000SA0.
A January in every decade
“Now vs then” is the plain change on the shelf. “After inflation” compares the old price in Sep 2026 dollars with today’s: negative means it takes less of today’s money than it did.
| Month | Price then | In today’s $ | Now vs then | After inflation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1980 | 5.3¢ | 23.0¢ | up 269.8% | down 14.8% |
| Jan 1990 | 8.1¢ | 21.4¢ | up 142.0% | down 8.4% |
| Jan 2000 | 8.4¢ | 16.8¢ | up 133.3% | up 16.7% |
| Jan 2010 | 12.4¢ | 19.3¢ | up 58.1% | up 1.6% |
| Jan 2020 | 13.4¢ | 17.5¢ | up 46.3% | up 12.0% |
Year by year
Averages of the monthly prices in each calendar year, newest first. Years with fewer than nine published months are left out; partial years are marked.
| Year | Average | vs year before | Lowest month | Highest month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20269 of 12 months | 19.4¢ | up 4.9% | 18.9¢ Feb | 19.8¢ Jun |
| 202511 of 12 months | 18.5¢ | up 5.4% | 17.9¢ Jan | 19.0¢ Jun |
| 2024 | 17.6¢ | up 4.5% | 17.3¢ Jan | 17.8¢ Jun |
| 2023 | 16.8¢ | up 6.1% | 16.5¢ Apr | 17.1¢ Sep |
| 2022 | 15.8¢ | up 12.6% | 14.7¢ Jan | 16.7¢ Aug |
| 2021 | 14.1¢ | up 4.0% | 13.6¢ Jan | 14.4¢ Aug |
| 2020 | 13.5¢ | down 0.7% | 13.3¢ Apr | 13.7¢ Jun |
| 2019 | 13.6¢ | up 0.1% | 13.3¢ Nov | 14.0¢ Jul |
| 2018 | 13.6¢ | down 1.1% | 13.4¢ Apr | 13.9¢ Jun |
| 2017 | 13.8¢ | up 1.9% | 13.4¢ Jan | 14.3¢ Jul |
Every year back to 1979
| Year | Average | vs year before | Lowest month | Highest month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 13.5¢ | down 2.1% | 13.1¢ Nov | 13.9¢ Jul |
| 2015 | 13.8¢ | up 0.7% | 13.3¢ Dec | 14.3¢ Jun |
| 2014 | 13.7¢ | up 3.7% | 13.1¢ Apr | 14.3¢ Jun |
| 2013 | 13.2¢ | up 2.0% | 12.8¢ Mar | 13.7¢ Jun |
| 2012 | 13.0¢ | down 0.1% | 12.7¢ Mar | 13.5¢ Jun |
| 2011 | 13.0¢ | up 1.6% | 12.5¢ Jan | 13.5¢ Jul |
| 2010 | 12.8¢ | up 0.4% | 12.3¢ Feb | 13.3¢ Jul |
| 2009 | 12.7¢ | up 3.1% | 12.4¢ Nov | 13.2¢ Jun |
| 2008 | 12.3¢ | up 5.7% | 11.6¢ Jan | 13.2¢ Aug |
| 2007 | 11.7¢ | up 3.9% | 11.3¢ Jan | 12.2¢ Jun |
| 2006 | 11.2¢ | up 12.3% | 10.8¢ Jan | 11.8¢ Jun |
| 2005 | 10.0¢ | up 6.0% | 9.4¢ Jan | 10.6¢ Sep |
| 2004 | 9.4¢ | up 1.6% | 9.1¢ Jan | 10.0¢ Aug |
| 2003 | 9.3¢ | up 1.9% | 8.9¢ Jan | 9.8¢ Jul |
| 2002 | 9.1¢ | down 1.4% | 8.8¢ Apr | 9.5¢ Jun |
| 2001 | 9.2¢ | up 5.8% | 8.8¢ Jan | 9.9¢ Jul |
| 2000 | 8.7¢ | up 1.1% | 8.4¢ Jan | 9.1¢ Jul |
| 1999 | 8.6¢ | down 0.6% | 8.4¢ Jan | 9.0¢ Jul |
| 1998 | 8.7¢ | down 8.0% | 8.4¢ Nov | 9.1¢ Jun |
| 1997 | 9.4¢ | up 0.2% | 9.0¢ Dec | 9.9¢ Jun |
| 1996 | 9.4¢ | up 0.6% | 9.1¢ Jan | 9.9¢ Jul |
| 1995 | 9.4¢ | up 1.7% | 9.0¢ Apr | 9.8¢ Jun |
| 1994 | 9.2¢ | up 0.5% | 8.8¢ Apr | 9.6¢ Aug |
| 1993 | 9.2¢ | up 4.0% | 8.7¢ Feb | 9.7¢ Aug |
| 1992 | 8.8¢ | up 1.6% | 8.4¢ Feb | 9.2¢ Jun |
| 1991 | 8.7¢ | up 3.6% | 8.4¢ Jan | 9.1¢ Jul |
| 1990 | 8.4¢ | up 2.2% | 8.1¢ Jan | 8.8¢ Jun |
| 1989 | 8.2¢ | up 2.3% | 7.9¢ Jan | 8.6¢ Jun |
| 1988 | 8.0¢ | up 1.3% | 7.7¢ Apr | 8.4¢ Jun |
| 1987 | 7.9¢ | up 3.2% | 7.5¢ Jan | 8.5¢ Aug |
| 1986 | 7.7¢ | down 5.8% | 7.3¢ Nov | 8.1¢ Jan |
| 198511 of 12 months | 8.1¢ | down 0.6% | 7.9¢ Jan | 8.5¢ Jun |
| 1984 | 8.2¢ | up 4.5% | 7.8¢ Jan | 8.9¢ Aug |
| 1983 | 7.8¢ | up 2.8% | 7.5¢ Jan | 8.2¢ Jul |
| 1982 | 7.6¢ | up 9.7% | 7.3¢ Jan | 7.9¢ Jun |
| 1981 | 6.9¢ | up 15.6% | 6.3¢ Jan | 7.5¢ Aug |
| 1980 | 6.0¢ | up 19.2% | 5.3¢ Jan | 6.5¢ Sep |
| 1979 | 5.0¢ | — | 4.6¢ Jan | 5.3¢ Jul |
About this number
- What this number is. The average price BLS records for “Electricity per KWH” across U.S. cities, collected for the Consumer Price Index. It is an average across many stores and brands, not a price at any one store.
- No price for October 2025. BLS did not publish one: data unavailable due to the 2025 lapse in appropriations.
- 1 other month without a price between Sep 1985 and Sep 1985. BLS publishes an average only when it has enough price quotes; the yearly table skips thin years.
- Today’s dollars. Prices are restated in Sep 2026 dollars by multiplying by CPI-U for Sep 2026 (336.94) and dividing by CPI-U for the month in question.
Sources
- BLS series APU000072610: Electricity per KWHU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. city average, monthly
- Average price data: what it is and how it is collectedU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Average price data filesdownload.bls.gov, files updated Oct 14, 2026
- up 34.2% from a year earlier Regular gasper gallon Oldest price, 197660.5¢September 2026: $4.48
- up 33.0% from a year earlier Gasolineper gallon Oldest price, 197863.1¢September 2026: $4.63
- up 30.4% from a year earlier Midgrade gasper gallon Oldest price, 1993$1.19September 2026: $4.96
- up 28.2% from a year earlier Premium gasper gallon Oldest price, 1981$1.47September 2026: $5.43
- up 69.7% from a year earlier Dieselper gallon Oldest price, 1998$1.25September 2026: $6.33
- up 5.4% from a year earlier Natural gasper therm Oldest price, 197830.4¢September 2026: $1.70
- up 64.9% from a year earlier Heating oilper gallon Oldest price, 197853.3¢September 2026: $5.92