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North Carolina electric bills: $196/month (August 2026)

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

$196/month
Average residential electric bill, North Carolina, August 2026
14.95¢/kWh · 1,310 kWh/month · rank 24 of 51 (1 = cheapest)
12-month average: $154/month (12 months to August 2026)
Source: EIA, Aug 2026

North Carolina households paid an average of $196 a month for electricity in August 2026, based on U.S. Energy Information Administration data. That is 17.4% higher than August 2025, and it ranks North Carolina 24th of 51 from the lowest average bill.

How much is the average electric bill in North Carolina?

The typical North Carolina home used 1,310 kWh in August 2026, above the U.S. average of 1,152 kWh, at 14.95¢/kWh. The average bill was $196. Check your own bill below.

Estimated bill: $196 a month, $2,352 a year if every month matched this one

Defaults are the North Carolina averages for August 2026 (EIA). Use changes with the seasons: the actual average bills for the 12 months to August 2026 added up to $1,853. 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 North Carolina electricity prices changed?

North Carolina's price went from 11.83¢/kWh in September 2021 to 14.95¢/kWh, 26.4% higher. The five-year low was 10.52¢/kWh in January 2022; the high 16.25¢/kWh in April 2026.

Average residential electricity price in North Carolina, last 12 months
13.1¢14.0¢14.8¢15.7¢16.6¢Sep 2025Dec 2025Mar 2026Jun 2026
Show the numbers
Average residential electricity price in North Carolina, last 12 months
MonthValue
Sep 202515.08¢/kWh
Oct 202515.01¢/kWh
Nov 202514.61¢/kWh
Dec 202513.45¢/kWh
Jan 202613.68¢/kWh
Feb 202614.64¢/kWh
Mar 202616.00¢/kWh
Apr 202616.25¢/kWh
May 202615.09¢/kWh
Jun 202614.74¢/kWh
Jul 202615.16¢/kWh
Aug 202614.95¢/kWh

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

Average residential electricity price in North Carolina, last 5 years
9.8¢11.6¢13.4¢15.2¢16.9¢Sep 2021Sep 2022Sep 2023Sep 2024Sep 2025
Show the numbers
Average residential electricity price in North Carolina, last 5 years
MonthValue
Sep 202111.83¢/kWh
Oct 202112.10¢/kWh
Nov 202111.44¢/kWh
Dec 202111.14¢/kWh
Jan 202210.52¢/kWh
Feb 202210.83¢/kWh
Mar 202211.79¢/kWh
Apr 202211.80¢/kWh
May 202211.68¢/kWh
Jun 202211.33¢/kWh
Jul 202211.52¢/kWh
Aug 202211.87¢/kWh
Sep 202212.64¢/kWh
Oct 202212.97¢/kWh
Nov 202211.89¢/kWh
Dec 202211.48¢/kWh
Jan 202312.37¢/kWh
Feb 202312.75¢/kWh
Mar 202312.67¢/kWh
Apr 202312.91¢/kWh
May 202312.90¢/kWh
Jun 202312.57¢/kWh
Jul 202312.39¢/kWh
Aug 202312.70¢/kWh
Sep 202313.72¢/kWh
Oct 202314.40¢/kWh
Nov 202313.39¢/kWh
Dec 202312.97¢/kWh
Jan 202412.84¢/kWh
Feb 202414.88¢/kWh
Mar 202415.34¢/kWh
Apr 202414.72¢/kWh
May 202413.92¢/kWh
Jun 202413.45¢/kWh
Jul 202413.67¢/kWh
Aug 202413.91¢/kWh
Sep 202414.87¢/kWh
Oct 202415.23¢/kWh
Nov 202414.86¢/kWh
Dec 202413.51¢/kWh
Jan 202512.50¢/kWh
Feb 202514.13¢/kWh
Mar 202514.79¢/kWh
Apr 202514.54¢/kWh
May 202514.30¢/kWh
Jun 202513.37¢/kWh
Jul 202513.35¢/kWh
Aug 202514.59¢/kWh
Sep 202515.08¢/kWh
Oct 202515.01¢/kWh
Nov 202514.61¢/kWh
Dec 202513.45¢/kWh
Jan 202613.68¢/kWh
Feb 202614.64¢/kWh
Mar 202616.00¢/kWh
Apr 202616.25¢/kWh
May 202615.09¢/kWh
Jun 202614.74¢/kWh
Jul 202615.16¢/kWh
Aug 202614.95¢/kWh

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

How does North Carolina compare with other states?

North Carolina ranked 24th of 51, 6.2% lower than the U.S. average of $209 in August 2026, and lower than all four of its neighbors, including Tennessee ($206) and Georgia ($234).

RankStateAvg. bill¢/kWhkWh/month
1Wyoming$11814.43821
2Washington$12014.63819
3Montana$12215.57784
4North Dakota$13013.31979
5Oregon$13515.92847
…
21Rhode Island$17628.18625
22Kentucky$18813.801,364
23Indiana$18917.021,110
24North Carolina$19614.951,310
25Pennsylvania$19821.77911
26Ohio$19919.381,029
27New Hampshire$20227.64730
…
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. North Carolina
North Carolina$19614.95—
Georgia$23415.90+19.4%
South Carolina$22615.76+15.3%
Tennessee$20613.42+5.1%
Virginia$22017.64+12.2%

What is behind North Carolina's electric bills?

  • A fast-rising price: 2.5% higher in a year, while the bill moved 17.4%.
  • Range over 12 months: $119 (October 2025) to $203 (July 2026), $1,853 in total.

Frequently asked questions

How much is the average electric bill in North Carolina?

The average residential electric bill in North Carolina was $196 a month in August 2026, based on EIA data. That assumes the state's average use of 1,310 kWh at 14.95¢/kWh. Because use changes with the seasons, the average over the 12 months to August 2026 is a steadier guide: $154 a month.

How much does electricity cost in North Carolina?

Residential customers in North Carolina paid an average of 14.95¢/kWh in August 2026, 2.5% higher than a year earlier.

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

In August 2026 the average North Carolina electric bill was $196, 6.2% lower than the U.S. average of $209. North Carolina ranked 24th of 51 from the lowest average bill (the 50 states and the District of Columbia).

How much electricity does a typical North Carolina home use?

A typical residential customer in North Carolina used 1,310 kWh in August 2026, calculated as total residential sales divided by the number of residential customers reported to EIA.

How much does a North Carolina household spend on electricity in a year?

Adding up the last 12 monthly average bills gives about $1,853 a year for a typical North Carolina household (12 months to August 2026). The highest month was July 2026 at $203; the lowest was October 2025 at $119.

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.