Residential electricity prices have increased steeply in recent months, and there are noticeable geographical differences in prices.

Our FRED graph above uses data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to show just how high and variable electricity prices are: Between April 2020 and January 2026, country-wide average electricity prices increased by 44.4%. The average price of electricity was highest in the Northeast Census Region, at $0.265 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), and lowest in the South Census Region, at $0.164 per kWh. (For the states in the various Census regions, see this map.)

A Kansas City Fed report by Nida Çakır Melek and Alex Gallin discusses how artificial intelligence is related to the surging demand for electricity and the concentration of those surges in some US states. That analysis can help explain the data patterns in our FRED graph.

The FRED Blog has discussed related topics as well: regional differences in gasoline prices and the recent divergence of electricity and natural gas prices. The BLS data in our FRED graph here confirm the insights from these two posts.

How this graph was created: Search FRED for and select “Average Price: Electricity per Kilowatt-Hour in the Northeast Census Region – Urban.” Click on the “Edit Graph” button and select the “Add Line” tab to search for “Average Price: Electricity per Kilowatt-Hour in the Midwest Census Region – Urban.” Don’t forget to click “Add data series.” Repeat the last two steps to add the other two series: “Average Price: Electricity per Kilowatt-Hour in the South Census Region – Urban” and “Average Price: Electricity per Kilowatt-Hour in the West Census Region – Urban.”

Suggested by Diego Mendez-Carbajo.