Rates by state / California
Residential electricity · updated July 2026
Average electric bill in California
The average California home paid 33.0¢ per kWh and about $161 a month over the 12 months to July 2026, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration data. That rate is 83% above the U.S. average of 18.0¢, the 2nd highest of 50 states and D.C.
Average rate
33.0¢/kWh
12 months to Jul 2026. Latest month 33.6¢.
Average bill
$161/mo
Average use × average rate
Average use
487kWh/mo
Per residential customer
1-year change
+3.3%
5 years: +51.4%
California electric bills by month
What the average residential customer actually paid each month: total residential revenue ÷ customers. Source: EIA.
| Month | Avg use | Avg rate | Avg bill |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 2026 | 571 kWh | 33.6¢ | $192 |
| June 2026 | 474 kWh | 34.7¢ | $165 |
| May 2026 | 408 kWh | 33.3¢ | $136 |
| April 2026 | 392 kWh | 35.3¢ | $138 |
| March 2026 | 461 kWh | 33.4¢ | $154 |
| February 2026 | 420 kWh | 33.2¢ | $140 |
| January 2026 | 604 kWh | 30.3¢ | $183 |
| December 2025 | 401 kWh | 34.7¢ | $139 |
| November 2025 | 419 kWh | 31.9¢ | $134 |
| October 2025 | 451 kWh | 33.6¢ | $152 |
| September 2025 | 632 kWh | 32.0¢ | $202 |
| August 2025 | 614 kWh | 31.6¢ | $194 |
Typical bill by home size in California
Monthly use of typical homes, all household sizes, priced at California's average rate of 33.0¢. Source: EIA RECS 2020 and EIA retail sales.
| Home size | Typical use | Most homes | Typical bill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 1,000 sq ft | 356 kWh | 234–552 kWh | $117 |
| 1,000–1,499 sq ft | 571 kWh | 368–858 kWh | $188 |
| 1,500–1,999 sq ft | 699 kWh | 492–1,006 kWh | $231 |
| 2,000–2,999 sq ft | 889 kWh | 563–1,281 kWh | $293 |
| 3,000+ sq ft | 1,167 kWh | 821–1,652 kWh | $385 |
Summer and winter months run higher than these yearly averages. Check your own bill to compare a specific month.
What uses the most electricity in California homes
Average yearly use by purpose for California homes, priced at 33.0¢ per kWh. Source: EIA RECS 2020 (1,152 surveyed homes).
UsekWh / yr≈ $ / mo
Everything else plugged in1,534 (24%)$42
Air conditioning1,362 (21%)$37
Refrigerators and freezers928 (14%)$26
TVs and electronics570 (9%)$16
Lighting527 (8%)$14
Water heating333 (5%)$9
Space heating305 (5%)$8
Cooking and dishwasher265 (4%)$7
Washer and dryer255 (4%)$7
Pool and hot tub217 (3%)$6
Fans and dehumidifiers130 (2%)$4
EV charging56 (1%)$2
- 20% of California homes heat mainly with electricity. They use about 5,967 kWh a year, against 6,611 kWh in homes heated another way.
- Homes with a pool or hot tub use about 2,118 kWh a year on it, roughly $58 a month.
Monthly rate, last 5 years
Monthly prices swing with the season because fixed charges are spread over fewer or more kWh.
How much electricity California homes use
Electricity rates by utility in California
Average residential revenue per kWh in 2025, largest 25 of 59 by customers. Source: EIA-861.
| Utility | Customers | Rate | Avg use / mo | 1-yr change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pacific Gas & Electric Co. | 5,055,556 | 37.5¢ | 405 kWh | -5.3% |
| Southern California Edison Co | 4,627,247 | 31.5¢ | 468 kWh | -2.9% |
| Los Angeles Department of Water & Power | 1,415,602 | 26.5¢ | 469 kWh | +11.1% |
| San Diego Gas & Electric Co | 1,378,465 | 45.8¢ | 296 kWh | +4.9% |
| San Diego Community Power | 851,153 | 39.2¢* | 304 kWh | -0.3% |
| Clean Power Alliance of Southern Califor | 752,163 | 37.4¢* | 549 kWh | -5.8% |
| Ava Community Energy | 657,327 | 37.9¢* | 343 kWh | -1.1% |
| Sacramento Municipal Util Dist | 601,275 | 18.9¢ | 663 kWh | +5.9% |
| Marin Clean Energy | 533,896 | 38.4¢* | 418 kWh | -1.0% |
| Central Coast Community Energy | 429,482 | 38.2¢* | 363 kWh | +4.0% |
| CleanPowerSF | 358,382 | 38.6¢* | 266 kWh | +1.3% |
| San Jose Clean Energy | 326,574 | 37.4¢* | 381 kWh | -3.7% |
| WestLight Energy | 285,476 | 35.9¢* | 402 kWh | -3.8% |
| Silicon Valley Clean Energy Authority | 253,277 | 36.7¢* | 417 kWh | -3.6% |
| Clean Energy Alliance | 218,258 | 41.7¢* | 311 kWh | +1.3% |
| Sonoma Clean Power Authority | 202,434 | 35.8¢* | 409 kWh | -2.6% |
| Orange County Power Authority | 155,559 | 36.4¢* | 408 kWh | -5.6% |
| Pioneer Community Energy | 145,198 | 37.3¢* | 518 kWh | -1.8% |
| Imperial Irrigation District | 142,916 | 18.7¢ | 1,083 kWh | +4.4% |
| City of Anaheim - (CA) | 107,148 | 19.4¢ | 476 kWh | +13.2% |
| Modesto Irrigation District | 104,671 | 23.0¢ | 751 kWh | +5.7% |
| City of Riverside - (CA) | 101,042 | 21.9¢ | 616 kWh | +8.6% |
| Turlock Irrigation District | 80,976 | 17.4¢ | 814 kWh | +6.5% |
| City of Glendale - (CA) | 78,071 | 35.5¢ | 391 kWh | +5.0% |
| City of Roseville - (CA) | 64,556 | 21.3¢ | 681 kWh | +14.1% |
* Energy supplier: rate adds the state's average delivery charge, so it's an estimate.
All 59 utilities in California
- City of Pasadena - (CA) 25.1¢
- Valley Clean Energy Alliance 37.4¢
- City of Santa Clara - (CA) 17.9¢
- Redwood Coast Energy Authority 37.3¢
- Lancaster Choice Energy 39.8¢
- City of Burbank Water and Power - (CA) 21.5¢
- Liberty Utilities 27.6¢
- Energy for Palmdale's Independent Choice 40.3¢
- City of Redding - (CA) 19.0¢
- Pomona Choice Energy (PCE) 39.7¢
- PacifiCorp 24.2¢
- Alameda Municipal Power 24.0¢
- Santa Barbara Clean Energy 38.8¢
- Desert Community Energy 41.5¢
- City of Palo Alto - (CA) 21.4¢
- City of Lodi - (CA) 22.8¢
- Bear Valley Electric Service 41.1¢
- Apple Valley Choice Energy 37.5¢
- City of Colton - (CA) 23.0¢
- City of Azusa 20.8¢
- Pico Rivera Innovative Municipal Energy 39.4¢
- San Jacinto Power 40.4¢
- Rancho Mirage Energy Authority 37.0¢
- Merced Irrigation District 24.1¢
- City of Moreno Valley - (CA) 40.6¢
- City of Shasta Lake - (CA) 22.9¢
- Pilot Power Group, LLC 40.1¢
- City & County of San Francisco - (CA) 27.1¢
- Surprise Valley Electrification 13.5¢
- King City Community Power 37.6¢
- City of Corona - (CA) 15.8¢
- City of Vernon - (CA) 13.0¢
- 3 Phases Renewables Inc 36.5¢
- Valley Electric Assn, Inc 18.7¢
California electricity: common questions
- What is the average electric bill in California?
- The average California household pays about $161 a month for electricity, based on 487 kWh of use at 33.0¢ per kWh over the 12 months to July 2026 (U.S. Energy Information Administration data).
- How much does electricity cost per kWh in California?
- Residential electricity in California averaged 33.0¢ per kWh over the 12 months to July 2026, and 33.6¢ in July 2026 alone. That is 83% above the U.S. average of 18.0¢, the 2nd highest of the 50 states and D.C. These averages spread fixed service charges and surcharges over each kWh. Sales taxes added to bills may not be included.
- When are electric bills highest in California?
- In the last 12 months, the average California bill peaked in September 2025 at $202 and was lowest in November 2025 at $134.
- How much electricity does a 1,500–1,999 sq ft home use in California?
- A typical California home of 1,500–1,999 square feet uses about 699 kWh a month, and most use between 492 and 1,006 kWh. At the state's average rate that is roughly $231 a month. Based on EIA's Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS 2020).
- Are electricity rates going up in California?
- California's average residential rate changed +3.3% compared with the previous 12 months and +51.4% over five years.
- What uses the most electricity in California homes?
- In a typical California home, everything else plugged in uses the most electricity (about 1,534 kWh a year, 24% of the total), followed by air conditioning (21%) and refrigerators and freezers (14%). Homes heated with electricity use about 5,967 kWh a year, compared with 6,611 kWh for homes heated another way. Source: EIA RECS 2020.
- How do I know if my California electric bill is too high?
- Compare two things: how many kWh you used against similar homes, and what you paid per kWh against the state average. The free bill check on AverageElectricBill.com does both from the numbers on your bill, adjusting for the month and your home's size.
States with similar rates
- Massachusetts 30.4¢
- Maine 29.3¢
- Rhode Island 29.3¢
- New York 28.4¢
- Connecticut 28.0¢
- Alaska 26.9¢