Electricity prices and bills in California
Residential price 29.75 cents per kWh, rank 4 of 51. Average household usage 572 kWh a month, giving an estimated bill of $170.12.
What drives the number
The price is the residential rate the EIA publishes for California. The usage is the state average, derived from total residential sales divided by the number of residential customers. Multiply one by the other and you get the estimate above.
Two households in the same state can differ by a factor of three: a flat with gas heating and no air conditioning sits far below the state average, a house with electric heat and a pool sits far above it.
What a month costs at different usage levels
| Monthly usage | Bill at this state's rate | Same usage, national median rate |
|---|---|---|
| 300 kWh | $89.25 | $48.99 |
| 600 kWh | $178.50 | $97.98 |
| 900 kWh | $267.75 | $146.97 |
| 1,200 kWh | $357.00 | $195.96 |
Most one-bedroom flats land near the first row; a house with electric heat and central air can sit above the last one in the same state.
Check your own bill
Enter your monthly kWh to see what it costs at California's rate, and compare with the national median.
Next more expensive: Massachusetts. Next cheaper: Alaska.
If the bill is unaffordable
Energy assistance runs through LIHEAP, administered by each state. The California assistance page has the official application link and the income table.
Why the price moves
State prices follow fuel costs, transmission investment and weather. A hot summer raises demand and the rate with it; a mild winter does the reverse. The published monthly figure is a snapshot, not a contract: your own utility's tariff decides what you actually pay.