Your rate
Divide each bill by its kWh and you get what you actually paid per unit. We apply that price change to your average usage. Without kWh, we fall back on your state's average price, which is much rougher.
Why did my electric bill go up?
Put two bills side by side. See how much came from your rate, the weather and everything else.
Three things move a bill
The weather
Homes in each state respond differently to heat and cold. Federal records since 2015 show how much, so we can estimate what your two months' weather should have done to your usage.
Everything else
What's left: a new freezer, an EV, a houseguest, a longer billing period, a meter estimate. It also picks up our own errors, so treat it as a place to start looking.
How to get a useful answer
Pull up two bills and look for three numbers on each one: the total, the kWh used and the month the service mostly covered. If your billing period crosses two months, pick the one with more days. Then choose your state and press the button.
The result splits the change into three lines. Rate is what the change in your price per kWh cost you. Weather is what your state's temperature records suggest should have happened to usage. Everything else is what's left over, including real changes in your home and any error in our estimate.
What to do with the result
If rate leads, compare the supply, delivery and rider lines on the two bills, and check whether a fixed-term plan ended. This guide covers the usual causes. If weather leads, the increase may be normal for that month, and sealing or servicing your heating and cooling is where to look. Here's how weather affects bills. If everything else leads, work through the high bill checklist, starting with billing days and estimated reads.
When two causes are too close to separate, the tool says so. That is a real limit of the data and it's better to know it.
Common questions
Why did my electric bill go up?
The usual causes are a higher price per kWh, hotter or colder weather, more days in the billing period, or a change at home like new appliances. Comparing two bills shows which one matters most in your case.
Do I need my kWh?
It is optional but strongly recommended. With kWh from both bills, the tool uses what you actually paid per kWh. Without it, the tool falls back on your state's average price, which is much rougher.
Which two bills should I compare?
The same month a year apart is best, as it removes most of the seasonal effect. You can also compare consecutive months, but expect weather to play a larger role.
Is this accurate for my home?
It is an estimate. The method tested well against statewide data, but it has not been tested on individual household bills, and it can't see tiers, time-of-use pricing or fixed fees.
Does it cost anything or save my bill?
No. It is free, there is no sign-up, and it runs in your browser, so your numbers aren't sent to us.
Guides
How to read an electric bill, line by line
Every utility lays out its bill differently, but nearly all of them contain the same few parts.
Why your bill went up when your usage didn't
When usage holds steady and the total climbs, the weather and your habits are probably not the reason.
How weather changes your electric bill
Heating and cooling respond directly to outdoor temperature, so a month that feels only a little hotter can show up clearly on your bill.
High electric bill? Work through this checklist
Don't start by unplugging phone chargers.
Your state
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
What this can't tell you
These are estimates from statewide figures. Your street's weather, tiered plans, fixed fees and billing dates can all change the answer. Confirm anything important with your utility.
Where the numbers come from
Prices and usage: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-861M, through . Weather: NOAA nClimDiv and Climate Prediction Center data, through . On 2023 onward data the state models had a median R² of . Weather isn't modeled for Alaska, Hawaii, DC or Maine.