Is gas cheaper than electricity in the USA?
https://infohelper.net/home-energy · Updated 13 Oct 2026
Yes: at US average prices a unit of heat from electricity costs 3.3 times what it costs from natural gas.
- Electricity
- 17.99¢
- a kWh
- Natural gas
- $1.575
- a therm, average
- Heat from electricity
- 3.3×
- the price of heat from gas
Updated · Prices: 12 months to Jul 2026 · EIA · State average, not your tariff
What does energy cost in your state?
For the same amount of heat, natural gas costs less than electricity in all 50 states and DC. Propane costs less than electricity in 37 of the 38 states with a propane price, and heating oil in all 21 with an oil price.
That is the price of the fuel, before any appliance. A heat pump delivers more heat than the electricity it uses, so an electric heat pump can still cost less to run than a gas appliance where gas is the cheaper fuel; the pages below show where. For heating a home, at last winter's prices, see heat pump vs gas furnace. What a home pays a winter on propane against natural gas, state by state, is on propane vs natural gas.
| Fuel | A million BTU of heat |
|---|---|
| Electricity | $52.73 |
| Natural gas | $15.75 |
| Propane | $27.92 |
| Heating oil | $28.96 |
How many times dearer heat from electricity is than heat from gas
- under 3.0 times, 18 states
- 3.0 to 3.9, 11
- 4.0 and over, 22
| State | Electricity ¢/kWh · 12 months to Jul 2026 | Natural gas, average $ a therm, monthly charges included | Propane $/gallon · 38 states | Heating oil $/gallon · 21 states | Electricity $ per million BTU | Natural gas $ per million BTU · average price | Propane $ per million BTU | Heating oil $ per million BTU | Electric heat costs × the price of gas heat | Gas price period | In one sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 16.44 | 1.785 | 3.462 | – | 48.18 | 17.85 | 37.86 | – | 2.7 | 12 months to Jul 2026 | Alabama: electricity 16.44¢ a kWh; natural gas $1.785 a therm on average, monthly charges included. One more therm on your bill costs less: about $1.521, our estimate without the monthly charge. |
| Alaska | 26.85 | 1.376 | – | – | 78.69 | 13.76 | – | – | 5.7 | 12 months to Jul 2026 | Alaska: electricity 26.85¢ a kWh; natural gas $1.376 a therm on average, monthly charges included. One more therm on your bill costs less: about $1.075, our estimate without the monthly charge. |
| Arizona | 15.40 | 1.977 | – | – | 45.13 | 19.76 | – | – | 2.3 | 12 months to Jul 2026 | Arizona: electricity 15.40¢ a kWh; natural gas $1.977 a therm on average, monthly charges included. One more therm on your bill costs less: about $1.441, our estimate without the monthly charge. |
| Arkansas | 13.43 | 2.208 | 2.342 | – | 39.36 | 22.08 | 25.61 | – | 1.8 | 12 months to Jul 2026 | Arkansas: electricity 13.43¢ a kWh; natural gas $2.208 a therm on average, monthly charges included. For this state there is no estimate of what one more therm costs on a bill. |
| California | 32.99 | 2.154 | – | – | 96.69 | 21.54 | – | – | 4.5 | calendar year 2025 | California: electricity 32.99¢ a kWh; natural gas $2.154 a therm on average, monthly charges included. For this state there is no estimate of what one more therm costs on a bill. |
| Colorado | 16.55 | 1.087 | 2.223 | – | 48.51 | 10.87 | 24.31 | – | 4.5 | 12 months to Jul 2026 | Colorado: electricity 16.55¢ a kWh; natural gas $1.087 a therm on average, monthly charges included. One more therm on your bill costs less: about $0.858, our estimate without the monthly charge. |
| Connecticut | 27.99 | 1.634 | 3.828 | 3.948 | 82.03 | 16.34 | 41.86 | 28.51 | 5.0 | calendar year 2024 | Connecticut: electricity 27.99¢ a kWh; natural gas $1.634 a therm on average, monthly charges included. One more therm on your bill costs less: about $1.418, our estimate without the monthly charge. |
| Delaware | 17.79 | 1.778 | 3.572 | 4.432 | 52.14 | 17.78 | 39.06 | 32.00 | 2.9 | 12 months to Jul 2026 | Delaware: electricity 17.79¢ a kWh; natural gas $1.778 a therm on average, monthly charges included. One more therm on your bill costs less: about $1.236, our estimate without the monthly charge. |
| District of Columbia | 24.20 | 1.711 | – | – | 70.93 | 17.11 | – | – | 4.1 | 12 months to Jul 2026 | District of Columbia: electricity 24.20¢ a kWh; natural gas $1.711 a therm on average, monthly charges included. One more therm on your bill costs less: about $1.332, our estimate without the monthly charge. |
| Florida | 15.39 | 2.488 | 4.667 | – | 45.11 | 24.88 | 51.03 | – | 1.8 | calendar year 2025 | Florida: electricity 15.39¢ a kWh; natural gas $2.488 a therm on average, monthly charges included. One more therm on your bill costs less: about $1.517, our estimate without the monthly charge. |
| Georgia | 15.12 | 2.142 | 3.078 | – | 44.31 | 21.42 | 33.66 | – | 2.1 | 12 months to Jul 2026 | Georgia: electricity 15.12¢ a kWh; natural gas $2.142 a therm on average, monthly charges included. One more therm on your bill costs less: about $0.694, our estimate without the monthly charge. |
| Hawaii | 43.51 | 5.712 | – | – | 127.52 | 57.12 | – | – | 2.2 | calendar year 2025 | Hawaii: electricity 43.51¢ a kWh; natural gas $5.712 a therm on average, monthly charges included. For this state there is no estimate of what one more therm costs on a bill. |
| Idaho | 12.65 | 0.771 | 2.363 | – | 37.08 | 7.71 | 25.84 | – | 4.8 | 12 months to Jul 2026 | Idaho: electricity 12.65¢ a kWh; natural gas $0.771 a therm on average, monthly charges included. One more therm on your bill costs less: about $0.608, our estimate without the monthly charge. |
| Illinois | 18.79 | 1.136 | 1.905 | – | 55.07 | 11.36 | 20.83 | – | 4.8 | 12 months to Jul 2026 | Illinois: electricity 18.79¢ a kWh; natural gas $1.136 a therm on average, monthly charges included. One more therm on your bill costs less: about $0.785, our estimate without the monthly charge. |
| Indiana | 16.94 | 1.154 | 2.473 | 3.532 | 49.65 | 11.54 | 27.04 | 25.50 | 4.3 | 12 months to Jul 2026 | Indiana: electricity 16.94¢ a kWh; natural gas $1.154 a therm on average, monthly charges included. One more therm on your bill costs less: about $0.736, our estimate without the monthly charge. |
| Iowa | 14.13 | 1.095 | 1.591 | 3.208 | 41.41 | 10.95 | 17.40 | 23.16 | 3.8 | 12 months to Jul 2026 | Iowa: electricity 14.13¢ a kWh; natural gas $1.095 a therm on average, monthly charges included. One more therm on your bill costs less: about $0.745, our estimate without the monthly charge. |
| Kansas | 15.09 | 1.425 | 1.899 | – | 44.23 | 14.25 | 20.76 | – | 3.1 | calendar year 2025 | Kansas: electricity 15.09¢ a kWh; natural gas $1.425 a therm on average, monthly charges included. One more therm on your bill costs less: about $0.876, our estimate without the monthly charge. |
| Kentucky | 13.92 | 1.556 | 2.672 | 3.281 | 40.80 | 15.56 | 29.22 | 23.69 | 2.6 | 12 months to Jul 2026 | Kentucky: electricity 13.92¢ a kWh; natural gas $1.556 a therm on average, monthly charges included. One more therm on your bill costs less: about $0.983, our estimate without the monthly charge. |
| Louisiana | 12.99 | 1.705 | – | – | 38.07 | 17.05 | – | – | 2.2 | calendar year 2025 | Louisiana: electricity 12.99¢ a kWh; natural gas $1.705 a therm on average, monthly charges included. One more therm on your bill costs less: about $1.178, our estimate without the monthly charge. |
| Maine | 29.31 | 1.817 | 3.294 | 3.726 | 85.90 | 18.17 | 36.02 | 26.90 | 4.7 | calendar year 2024 | Maine: electricity 29.31¢ a kWh; natural gas $1.817 a therm on average, monthly charges included. One more therm on your bill costs less: about $1.366, our estimate without the monthly charge. |
| Maryland | 21.03 | 1.555 | 3.585 | 4.045 | 61.64 | 15.55 | 39.20 | 29.21 | 4.0 | calendar year 2024 | Maryland: electricity 21.03¢ a kWh; natural gas $1.555 a therm on average, monthly charges included. One more therm on your bill costs less: about $1.378, our estimate without the monthly charge. |
| Massachusetts | 30.43 | 2.551 | 3.413 | 4.121 | 89.19 | 25.51 | 37.32 | 29.75 | 3.5 | 12 months to Jul 2026 | Massachusetts: electricity 30.43¢ a kWh; natural gas $2.551 a therm on average, monthly charges included. For this state there is no estimate of what one more therm costs on a bill. |
| Michigan | 21.05 | 1.084 | 2.262 | 3.378 | 61.69 | 10.84 | 24.73 | 24.39 | 5.7 | 12 months to Jul 2026 | Michigan: electricity 21.05¢ a kWh; natural gas $1.084 a therm on average, monthly charges included. One more therm on your bill costs less: about $0.865, our estimate without the monthly charge. |
| Minnesota | 16.22 | 1.075 | 1.951 | 3.628 | 47.54 | 10.75 | 21.33 | 26.19 | 4.4 | 12 months to Jul 2026 | Minnesota: electricity 16.22¢ a kWh; natural gas $1.075 a therm on average, monthly charges included. One more therm on your bill costs less: about $0.865, our estimate without the monthly charge. |
| Mississippi | 14.77 | 1.728 | 3.020 | – | 43.29 | 17.28 | 33.02 | – | 2.5 | 12 months to Jul 2026 | Mississippi: electricity 14.77¢ a kWh; natural gas $1.728 a therm on average, monthly charges included. One more therm on your bill costs less: about $1.179, our estimate without the monthly charge. |
| Missouri | 13.95 | 1.661 | 2.097 | – | 40.89 | 16.61 | 22.93 | – | 2.5 | 12 months to Jul 2026 | Missouri: electricity 13.95¢ a kWh; natural gas $1.661 a therm on average, monthly charges included. One more therm on your bill costs less: about $1.234, our estimate without the monthly charge. |
| Montana | 13.84 | 0.869 | 2.024 | – | 40.56 | 8.69 | 22.13 | – | 4.7 | 12 months to Jul 2026 | Montana: electricity 13.84¢ a kWh; natural gas $0.869 a therm on average, monthly charges included. One more therm on your bill costs less: about $0.694, our estimate without the monthly charge. |
| Nebraska | 12.86 | 1.226 | 1.606 | 2.924 | 37.69 | 12.26 | 17.56 | 21.11 | 3.1 | 12 months to Jul 2026 | Nebraska: electricity 12.86¢ a kWh; natural gas $1.226 a therm on average, monthly charges included. One more therm on your bill costs less: about $0.758, our estimate without the monthly charge. |
| Nevada | 13.36 | 1.081 | – | – | 39.16 | 10.81 | – | – | 3.6 | 12 months to Jul 2026 | Nevada: electricity 13.36¢ a kWh; natural gas $1.081 a therm on average, monthly charges included. For this state there is no estimate of what one more therm costs on a bill. |
| New Hampshire | 26.67 | 1.791 | 3.580 | 3.898 | 78.17 | 17.91 | 39.15 | 28.14 | 4.4 | calendar year 2025 | New Hampshire: electricity 26.67¢ a kWh; natural gas $1.791 a therm on average, monthly charges included. For this state there is no estimate of what one more therm costs on a bill. |
| New Jersey | 23.78 | 1.423 | 3.628 | 4.299 | 69.70 | 14.23 | 39.67 | 31.04 | 4.9 | 12 months to Jul 2026 | New Jersey: electricity 23.78¢ a kWh; natural gas $1.423 a therm on average, monthly charges included. One more therm on your bill costs less: about $1.217, our estimate without the monthly charge. |
| New Mexico | 15.24 | 0.964 | – | – | 44.67 | 9.64 | – | – | 4.6 | calendar year 2025 | New Mexico: electricity 15.24¢ a kWh; natural gas $0.964 a therm on average, monthly charges included. For this state there is no estimate of what one more therm costs on a bill. |
| New York | 28.39 | 1.814 | 3.528 | 4.293 | 83.21 | 18.14 | 38.58 | 31.00 | 4.6 | 12 months to Jul 2026 | New York: electricity 28.39¢ a kWh; natural gas $1.814 a therm on average, monthly charges included. One more therm on your bill costs less: about $1.423, our estimate without the monthly charge. |
| North Carolina | 14.77 | 1.582 | 3.358 | 3.551 | 43.29 | 15.82 | 36.72 | 25.64 | 2.7 | calendar year 2024 | North Carolina: electricity 14.77¢ a kWh; natural gas $1.582 a therm on average, monthly charges included. One more therm on your bill costs less: about $1.507, our estimate without the monthly charge. |
| North Dakota | 12.32 | 0.969 | 1.630 | – | 36.11 | 9.69 | 17.82 | – | 3.7 | 12 months to Jul 2026 | North Dakota: electricity 12.32¢ a kWh; natural gas $0.969 a therm on average, monthly charges included. One more therm on your bill costs less: about $0.513, our estimate without the monthly charge. |
| Ohio | 18.25 | 1.304 | 2.579 | 3.736 | 53.49 | 13.04 | 28.20 | 26.97 | 4.1 | calendar year 2025 | Ohio: electricity 18.25¢ a kWh; natural gas $1.304 a therm on average, monthly charges included. One more therm on your bill costs less: about $0.714, our estimate without the monthly charge. |
| Oklahoma | 13.70 | 1.385 | 2.224 | – | 40.15 | 13.85 | 24.32 | – | 2.9 | calendar year 2025 | Oklahoma: electricity 13.70¢ a kWh; natural gas $1.385 a therm on average, monthly charges included. One more therm on your bill costs less: about $0.805, our estimate without the monthly charge. |
| Oregon | 15.50 | 1.617 | – | – | 45.43 | 16.17 | – | – | 2.8 | 12 months to Jul 2026 | Oregon: electricity 15.50¢ a kWh; natural gas $1.617 a therm on average, monthly charges included. One more therm on your bill costs less: about $1.332, our estimate without the monthly charge. |
| Pennsylvania | 20.70 | 1.540 | 2.932 | 3.730 | 60.67 | 15.40 | 32.06 | 26.93 | 3.9 | 12 months to Jul 2026 | Pennsylvania: electricity 20.70¢ a kWh; natural gas $1.540 a therm on average, monthly charges included. One more therm on your bill costs less: about $1.163, our estimate without the monthly charge. |
| Rhode Island | 29.27 | 2.107 | 3.629 | 4.114 | 85.79 | 21.07 | 39.68 | 29.70 | 4.1 | calendar year 2024 | Rhode Island: electricity 29.27¢ a kWh; natural gas $2.107 a therm on average, monthly charges included. For this state there is no estimate of what one more therm costs on a bill. |
| South Carolina | 15.64 | 1.637 | – | – | 45.84 | 16.37 | – | – | 2.8 | calendar year 2024 | South Carolina: electricity 15.64¢ a kWh; natural gas $1.637 a therm on average, monthly charges included. One more therm on your bill costs less: about $1.462, our estimate without the monthly charge. |
| South Dakota | 14.20 | 0.990 | 1.790 | – | 41.62 | 9.90 | 19.57 | – | 4.2 | 12 months to Jul 2026 | South Dakota: electricity 14.20¢ a kWh; natural gas $0.990 a therm on average, monthly charges included. One more therm on your bill costs less: about $0.716, our estimate without the monthly charge. |
| Tennessee | 13.56 | 1.302 | 3.145 | – | 39.74 | 13.02 | 34.39 | – | 3.1 | 12 months to Jul 2026 | Tennessee: electricity 13.56¢ a kWh; natural gas $1.302 a therm on average, monthly charges included. One more therm on your bill costs less: about $0.948, our estimate without the monthly charge. |
| Texas | 15.96 | 2.240 | 2.939 | – | 46.78 | 22.40 | 32.14 | – | 2.1 | 12 months to Jul 2026 | Texas: electricity 15.96¢ a kWh; natural gas $2.240 a therm on average, monthly charges included. One more therm on your bill costs less: about $1.252, our estimate without the monthly charge. |
| Utah | 13.32 | 1.056 | 2.292 | – | 39.04 | 10.56 | 25.06 | – | 3.7 | 12 months to Jul 2026 | Utah: electricity 13.32¢ a kWh; natural gas $1.056 a therm on average, monthly charges included. For this state there is no estimate of what one more therm costs on a bill. |
| Vermont | 23.80 | 1.749 | 3.688 | 3.910 | 69.75 | 17.49 | 40.33 | 28.23 | 4.0 | 12 months to Jul 2026 | Vermont: electricity 23.80¢ a kWh; natural gas $1.749 a therm on average, monthly charges included. One more therm on your bill costs less: about $1.317, our estimate without the monthly charge. |
| Virginia | 16.48 | 1.715 | 3.461 | 3.881 | 48.30 | 17.15 | 37.84 | 28.02 | 2.8 | 12 months to Jul 2026 | Virginia: electricity 16.48¢ a kWh; natural gas $1.715 a therm on average, monthly charges included. One more therm on your bill costs less: about $1.297, our estimate without the monthly charge. |
| Washington | 14.12 | 1.608 | – | – | 41.38 | 16.08 | – | – | 2.6 | calendar year 2025 | Washington: electricity 14.12¢ a kWh; natural gas $1.608 a therm on average, monthly charges included. One more therm on your bill costs less: about $1.214, our estimate without the monthly charge. |
| West Virginia | 15.48 | 1.270 | – | – | 45.37 | 12.70 | – | – | 3.6 | calendar year 2025 | West Virginia: electricity 15.48¢ a kWh; natural gas $1.270 a therm on average, monthly charges included. One more therm on your bill costs less: about $1.022, our estimate without the monthly charge. |
| Wisconsin | 18.74 | 1.024 | 1.909 | 3.311 | 54.92 | 10.24 | 20.87 | 23.91 | 5.4 | calendar year 2025 | Wisconsin: electricity 18.74¢ a kWh; natural gas $1.024 a therm on average, monthly charges included. One more therm on your bill costs less: about $0.855, our estimate without the monthly charge. |
| Wyoming | 14.01 | 1.234 | – | – | 41.06 | 12.34 | – | – | 3.3 | 12 months to Jul 2026 | Wyoming: electricity 14.01¢ a kWh; natural gas $1.234 a therm on average, monthly charges included. One more therm on your bill costs less: about $0.782, our estimate without the monthly charge. |
Propane and heating oil: Oct 2025–Mar 2026. A state whose gas price covers another period says so in its row. A dash means EIA publishes no price for that state. Tap a state's name for every column.
What that means for each appliance
Heating
- Heat pump vs gas furnace: running cost and break-even by state
In 43 of the 50 states and DC a new gas furnace costs less to run: heat worth $100 from gas costs $142–173 from a typical new heat pump.
- Space heater vs central heat: cost to run by state
A 1,500 W heater costs 27¢ an hour at the US average: $2.12 for 8 hours, $191 a month run 24/7.
- Propane vs natural gas: cost per home by state
Heating the average gas-heated home costs $1,044 a winter on propane and $528 on natural gas; propane costs more in all 38 states with a propane price.
Water heating
- Gas vs electric water heater: monthly cost by state
At US average prices a gas tank costs about $25 a month to run, an electric tank $53 and a heat pump water heater $13.
- Tankless vs tank water heater: savings and payback by state
At US prices gas tankless saves $84 a year on gas, so it pays off only if it costs under $1,680 more; electric tankless saves at most $50.
Laundry
- Gas vs electric dryer: cost per load by state
At US average prices a load costs about 17¢ in a gas dryer, 39¢ in an electric one and 14¢ in a heat pump dryer.
Why the price on this page is not the price on your bill
Each extra therm on your bill costs less than the average price shown on these pages, because the average includes the fixed monthly charge. For the US the average is $1.575 a therm; with the fixed charge taken out, our estimate is $1.124.
Compare with your bill: find the line priced per therm (or per CCF, about one therm), leave out the fixed monthly charge, and compare that line with your state's figure in the column "Estimated price per extra therm" below, not with the average.
Which price each page uses. The gas vs electric pages use the average price, monthly charge included: they compare keeping gas with giving it up, and giving it up also ends the charge. The tankless vs tank page uses the estimated price of one more therm: it compares two gas heaters, and the charge stays the same with either. So the same gas tank costs less there. The heat pump vs gas furnace page uses last winter's average, monthly charge included, because a furnace runs in winter and a heat pump may end the gas account; for a home that keeps gas it adds the estimate of one more therm.
EIA's residential gas price is what households paid divided by what they burned: the average is 40% above our US estimate. Across the 42 states where the estimate holds, the gap runs from 5% to 209%, with half the states under 33%.
A single month misleads for the same reason. Little gas is burned in summer, the fixed charge is spread over it, and the price per therm jumps. Even last winter's price ($1.412 for the US, Nov 2025–Mar 2026) is below the twelve-month figure, because the summer months pull the yearly average up.
On your own bill, look for the line priced per therm or per CCF, and for the line priced per kWh. Do not divide the total by the usage: that puts the fixed charge back in.
| State and the period, where it is not the 12 months to Jul 2026 | Average price monthly charges included (EIA) | Estimated price per extra therm fixed charge taken out; compare with your bill | Last winter average price, Nov 2025–Mar 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 1.785 | 1.521 | 1.646 |
| Alaska | 1.376 | 1.075 | 1.310 |
| Arizona | 1.977 | 1.441 | 1.783 |
| Arkansas | 2.208 | – | 2.000 |
| California calendar year 2025 | 2.154 | – | 2.223 |
| Colorado | 1.087 | 0.858 | 1.015 |
| Connecticut calendar year 2024 | 1.634 | 1.418 | 1.694 |
| Delaware | 1.778 | 1.236 | 1.622 |
| District of Columbia | 1.711 | 1.332 | 1.554 |
| Florida calendar year 2025 | 2.488 | 1.517 | – |
| Georgia | 2.142 | 0.694 | 1.597 |
| Hawaii calendar year 2025 | 5.712 | – | 6.085 |
| Idaho | 0.771 | 0.608 | 0.680 |
| Illinois | 1.136 | 0.785 | 0.992 |
| Indiana | 1.154 | 0.736 | 1.023 |
| Iowa | 1.095 | 0.745 | 0.960 |
| Kansas calendar year 2025 | 1.425 | 0.876 | 1.299 |
| Kentucky | 1.556 | 0.983 | 1.319 |
| Louisiana calendar year 2025 | 1.705 | 1.178 | – |
| Maine calendar year 2024 | 1.817 | 1.366 | – |
| Maryland calendar year 2024 | 1.555 | 1.378 | – |
| Massachusetts | 2.551 | – | 2.481 |
| Michigan | 1.084 | 0.865 | 0.998 |
| Minnesota | 1.075 | 0.865 | 1.036 |
| Mississippi | 1.728 | 1.179 | 1.445 |
| Missouri | 1.661 | 1.234 | 1.456 |
| Montana | 0.869 | 0.694 | 0.820 |
| Nebraska | 1.226 | 0.758 | 1.054 |
| Nevada | 1.081 | – | 0.949 |
| New Hampshire calendar year 2025 | 1.791 | – | 1.842 |
| New Jersey | 1.423 | 1.217 | 1.370 |
| New Mexico calendar year 2025 | 0.964 | – | – |
| New York | 1.814 | 1.423 | 1.629 |
| North Carolina calendar year 2024 | 1.582 | 1.507 | – |
| North Dakota | 0.969 | 0.513 | 0.830 |
| Ohio calendar year 2025 | 1.304 | 0.714 | 1.143 |
| Oklahoma calendar year 2025 | 1.385 | 0.805 | – |
| Oregon | 1.617 | 1.332 | 1.522 |
| Pennsylvania | 1.540 | 1.163 | 1.413 |
| Rhode Island calendar year 2024 | 2.107 | – | 2.034 |
| South Carolina calendar year 2024 | 1.637 | 1.462 | – |
| South Dakota | 0.990 | 0.716 | 0.920 |
| Tennessee | 1.302 | 0.948 | 1.196 |
| Texas | 2.240 | 1.252 | 1.923 |
| Utah | 1.056 | – | 1.038 |
| Vermont | 1.749 | 1.317 | 1.583 |
| Virginia | 1.715 | 1.297 | 1.571 |
| Washington calendar year 2025 | 1.608 | 1.214 | – |
| West Virginia calendar year 2025 | 1.270 | 1.022 | 1.221 |
| Wisconsin calendar year 2025 | 1.024 | 0.855 | 1.092 |
| Wyoming | 1.234 | 0.782 | 1.021 |
Where the estimate does not hold, the column shows a dash. How the estimate is made, and how far to trust it: how the prices are calculated.
How the prices are calculated
The period and the averaging
A state's price covers the twelve months ending with the latest month EIA has published.
- Electricity is what households paid divided by what they bought over those months (residential revenue ÷ residential sales), in cents per kWh. Where EIA's file lacks a month of revenue or sales for a state (2 states today), the plain mean of the twelve monthly prices is used instead.
- Natural gas is each month's residential price weighted by the volume sold that month, converted from dollars per thousand cubic feet to dollars per therm with the state's own heat content.
- Propane and heating oil are the simple average of EIA's weekly residential prices over the last complete heating season (Oct 2025–Mar 2026). EIA surveys them only in those months, publishes no volumes, and covers 38 states for propane and 21 for heating oil.
- US figures use EIA's national series under the same rules. They are not an average of the states.
EIA withholds some months for some states. A state with a withheld gas month in the twelve uses its last complete calendar year instead, and its row says which year. That is 18 of the 51 today.
One million BTU is 293.08 kWh, 10 therms, 10.93 gallons of propane or 7.22 gallons of heating oil. The ratio is the electricity price per million BTU divided by the gas price per million BTU.
The two gas views
The EIA average is the published price, fixed monthly charge included. Every headline number, count and map uses it.
The estimated per-therm rate takes the fixed charge out. It is our estimate, not a published price. A gas bill is modelled as a fixed charge per customer plus a rate per therm; then the month's average price rises as the volume sold falls. Fitting a straight line to the monthly price against one divided by the monthly volume, over the 36 months to Jul 2026, gives the per-therm rate as the line's intercept.
The estimate is dropped when fewer than 24 of the 36 months have data, when the line explains less than half of the variation in the price, when it implies a negative fixed charge or a rate that is not positive, or when it comes out above the EIA average. Today it holds in 42 of 51 (50 states and DC). Where it does not, tables show a dash and pages use the EIA average for that state and say so in its row.
How far to trust the estimate
It was compared with only two real tariffs. Treat it as the direction and rough size of the fixed charge's effect, not as a price to expect on a bill.
Electricity has the same bias in principle, since fixed charges are inside its average too. It has not been measured, so there is no second electricity figure.
Rounding
A price is rounded once, as stored: cents per kWh to two decimals, dollars per therm to four, dollars per gallon to three. Every cost on a page is computed from those stored prices and from the energy figures in that page's method block, so anyone can redo a row with a calculator. Tables print gas to three decimals; the downloadable files hold the fourth.
The "Updated" date on a page moves only when one of its numbers changes.
What the prices cannot tell you
- A state average is not your tariff. Utilities inside one state charge different rates, and the average includes fixed charges.
- Time-of-use rates, tiered rates, taxes shown separately on a bill and solar credits are not modelled.
- Appliance figures on the pages are certified test results or legal minimums, not measurements in homes; each page lists its own assumptions.
- Purchase and installation prices are in no figure: no public source has them.
Sources
Free to reuse (CC BY 4.0). Cite this page: https://infohelper.net/home-energy
- EIA: Electricity Data BrowserResidential revenue, sales and price by state, monthly; 12 months to Jul 2026. Edition of 23 Sep 2026.
- EIA: natural gas, average residential price by stateMonthly and annual residential price, volume, heat content and number of customers by state. Edition of 21 Oct 2026.
- EIA: Heating Oil and Propane UpdateWeekly residential propane and heating oil prices by state, Oct 2025–Mar 2026. Edition of 21 Oct 2026.
- EIA: Units and calculators explainedThe energy content of a therm, a gallon of propane and a gallon of heating oil.