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California electric bills: $235/month (August 2026)

Updated with August 2026 data · Editor: Otto Pop · Methodology

$235/month
Average residential electric bill, California, August 2026
29.75¢/kWh · 789 kWh/month · rank 43 of 51 (1 = cheapest)
12-month average: $164/month (12 months to August 2026)
Source: EIA, Aug 2026

California households paid an average of $235 a month for electricity in August 2026, based on U.S. Energy Information Administration data. That is 21.1% higher than August 2025, and it ranks California 43rd of 51 from the lowest average bill.

How much is the average electric bill in California?

California paid 29.75¢/kWh in August 2026, one of the highest rates in the country, but its homes use comparatively little electricity: 789 kWh on average, compared with 1,152 kWh nationally. That keeps the average bill at $235. Your bill depends heavily on your utility and rate plan, so use your own numbers below.

Estimated bill: $235 a month, $2,820 a year if every month matched this one

Defaults are the California averages for August 2026 (EIA). Use changes with the seasons: the actual average bills for the 12 months to August 2026 added up to $1,967. Enter the use and price from your own bill for a personal estimate. EIA's average price already spreads fixed customer charges across every kWh; your utility's own fixed charge and rate plan can differ.

How have California electricity prices changed?

In September 2021 the average price was 23.49¢/kWh. It was 26.6% higher in August 2026. Over five years the low was 22.02¢/kWh (October 2021) and the high 35.29¢/kWh (April 2026).

Average residential electricity price in California, last 12 months
29.1¢30.8¢32.5¢34.2¢36.0¢Sep 2025Dec 2025Mar 2026Jun 2026
Show the numbers
Average residential electricity price in California, last 12 months
MonthValue
Sep 202531.89¢/kWh
Oct 202533.62¢/kWh
Nov 202532.03¢/kWh
Dec 202529.95¢/kWh
Jan 202630.29¢/kWh
Feb 202633.22¢/kWh
Mar 202633.28¢/kWh
Apr 202635.29¢/kWh
May 202633.25¢/kWh
Jun 202634.74¢/kWh
Jul 202633.61¢/kWh
Aug 202629.75¢/kWh

Source: EIA, residential electricity data, Sep 2025–Aug 2026

Average residential electricity price in California, last 5 years
20.4¢24.5¢28.7¢32.8¢36.9¢Sep 2021Sep 2022Sep 2023Sep 2024Sep 2025
Show the numbers
Average residential electricity price in California, last 5 years
MonthValue
Sep 202123.49¢/kWh
Oct 202122.02¢/kWh
Nov 202123.87¢/kWh
Dec 202123.38¢/kWh
Jan 202223.07¢/kWh
Feb 202225.34¢/kWh
Mar 202226.37¢/kWh
Apr 202223.28¢/kWh
May 202227.21¢/kWh
Jun 202228.16¢/kWh
Jul 202226.18¢/kWh
Aug 202226.49¢/kWh
Sep 202225.96¢/kWh
Oct 202225.76¢/kWh
Nov 202225.52¢/kWh
Dec 202226.04¢/kWh
Jan 202326.47¢/kWh
Feb 202327.25¢/kWh
Mar 202330.39¢/kWh
Apr 202329.70¢/kWh
May 202329.82¢/kWh
Jun 202331.24¢/kWh
Jul 202329.46¢/kWh
Aug 202329.97¢/kWh
Sep 202330.01¢/kWh
Oct 202331.78¢/kWh
Nov 202329.54¢/kWh
Dec 202329.12¢/kWh
Jan 202429.62¢/kWh
Feb 202431.41¢/kWh
Mar 202432.46¢/kWh
Apr 202434.49¢/kWh
May 202434.55¢/kWh
Jun 202433.24¢/kWh
Jul 202432.73¢/kWh
Aug 202431.22¢/kWh
Sep 202431.83¢/kWh
Oct 202432.45¢/kWh
Nov 202430.18¢/kWh
Dec 202430.62¢/kWh
Jan 202530.13¢/kWh
Feb 202531.57¢/kWh
Mar 202531.59¢/kWh
Apr 202527.76¢/kWh
May 202532.51¢/kWh
Jun 202532.43¢/kWh
Jul 202531.72¢/kWh
Aug 202530.92¢/kWh
Sep 202531.89¢/kWh
Oct 202533.62¢/kWh
Nov 202532.03¢/kWh
Dec 202529.95¢/kWh
Jan 202630.29¢/kWh
Feb 202633.22¢/kWh
Mar 202633.28¢/kWh
Apr 202635.29¢/kWh
May 202633.25¢/kWh
Jun 202634.74¢/kWh
Jul 202633.61¢/kWh
Aug 202629.75¢/kWh

Source: EIA, residential electricity data, Sep 2021–Aug 2026

How does California compare with other states?

With use below the U.S. average, California's $235 average was 12.4% higher than the U.S. average of $209 in August 2026. Next door, Arizona averaged $269 and Oregon averaged $135.

RankStateAvg. bill¢/kWhkWh/month
1Wyoming$11814.43821
2Washington$12014.63819
3Montana$12215.57784
4North Dakota$13013.31979
5Oregon$13515.92847
…
40Louisiana$22712.871,763
41Maryland$23321.401,091
42Georgia$23415.901,471
43California$23529.75789
44New Jersey$23624.61960
45Massachusetts$23630.48774
46Mississippi$23914.431,655
47Oklahoma$25114.821,696
48Alabama$25416.331,555
49Texas$26615.911,670
50Arizona$26915.051,789
51Hawaii$26947.18570

1 = lowest average monthly bill. 50 states and DC.

StateAvg. bill¢/kWhvs. California
California$23529.75—
Arizona$26915.05+14.5%
Nevada$20712.72-11.9%
Oregon$13515.92-42.6%

What is behind California's electric bills?

  • Rate and use pull in opposite directions. The price per kWh was above the U.S. average of 18.16¢/kWh, while use was below the U.S. average.
  • Seasonal range: from $133 in November 2025 to $235 in August 2026.
  • Twelve-month total: $1,967.

Frequently asked questions

How much is the average electric bill in California?

The average residential electric bill in California was $235 a month in August 2026, based on EIA data. That assumes the state's average use of 789 kWh at 29.75¢/kWh. Because use changes with the seasons, the average over the 12 months to August 2026 is a steadier guide: $164 a month.

How much does electricity cost in California?

Residential customers in California paid an average of 29.75¢/kWh in August 2026, 3.8% lower than a year earlier.

Is electricity in California more expensive than the U.S. average?

In August 2026 the average California electric bill was $235, 12.4% higher than the U.S. average of $209. California ranked 43rd of 51 from the lowest average bill (the 50 states and the District of Columbia).

How much electricity does a typical California home use?

A typical residential customer in California used 789 kWh in August 2026, calculated as total residential sales divided by the number of residential customers reported to EIA.

How much does a California household spend on electricity in a year?

Adding up the last 12 monthly average bills gives about $1,967 a year for a typical California household (12 months to August 2026). The highest month was August 2026 at $235; the lowest was November 2025 at $133.

Methodology, sources and updates

The average bill is the EIA average residential price multiplied by average monthly use per residential customer. EIA's price is residential revenue divided by kWh sold, so the fixed customer charges utilities bill are already spread across every kWh; your own fixed charge, rate plan and taxes can differ. Read the full methodology.

  • — Updated with EIA data for August 2026.
  • — Updated with EIA residential retail sales data for July 2026.

General information based on public data, not financial advice. Your own bill depends on your utility, rate plan, fixed charge, use and any taxes added to it. Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it publicly.