# How Much Electricity Does a House Use? 863 kWh a Month

> How much electricity does a house use? The average U.S. home bought 863 kWh a month in 2024, per EIA, from 495 in Hawaii to 1,202 in Louisiana. Here's why.

- URL: https://solarexaminer.com/posts/how-much-electricity-does-a-house-use/
- Site: Solar Examiner (https://solarexaminer.com/)
- Category: Electric Rates
- Published: 2026-11-03
- Last verified: 2026-11-03
- Author: John Marshall

## Key takeaways

- The average U.S. residential customer bought 863 kWh of electricity a month in 2024, and the average monthly bill was $142.26, according to EIA's annual sales data (Table 5a).
- Use varies about 2.4 times by state: from 495 kWh a month in Hawaii to 1,202 kWh in Louisiana. Hot Southern states use the most.
- Use also swings by season. EIA's 2020 household survey puts the average home at 1,200 kWh in July and 714 kWh in April.
- Air conditioning (19%), space heating (12%) and water heating (12%) were the three biggest uses of home electricity in 2020, per EIA.
- For a bill estimate or a solar quote, use your own 12 months of kWh from your bills, not a national or state average.



**The average U.S. home bought 863 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity a month in 2024, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), and paid an average bill of $142.26.** That is about 10,356 kWh a year. But the average hides a wide range: the average residential customer in Hawaii bought 495 kWh a month, and in Louisiana 1,202.

Where you live, how you heat and cool, and the time of year matter more than the national number. The average Louisiana household bought more than twice as much as the average Hawaii household yet paid less per month ($140.96 vs. $212.12), because Louisiana's average price was among the lowest in the country and Hawaii's the highest; our [Louisiana electricity rates and solar guide](/posts/louisiana-electricity-rate-changes-2026/) covers what is changing there. This guide shows the averages, explains the differences, and shows how to work out your own number.

## The Short Answer

| Measure (U.S. residential, 2024) | Value |
|---|---|
| Average electricity bought per customer | 863 kWh a month |
| Same, per year | about 10,356 kWh |
| Average monthly bill | $142.26 |
| Lowest state average use | Hawaii, 495 kWh a month |
| Highest state average use | Louisiana, 1,202 kWh a month |

Source: EIA, Electric Sales, Revenue, and Average Price, Table 5a (2024 data). The annual figure is our arithmetic (863 × 12).

EIA's FAQ on this question still cites 2022 data: 10,791 kWh a year, or about 899 kWh a month. Both are EIA figures for electricity bought per residential customer; the 2024 table is simply newer.

## Average Electricity Use by State

The ten states with the highest and lowest average monthly use per residential customer in 2024:

| Highest use | kWh/month | Avg. bill | | Lowest use | kWh/month | Avg. bill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | 1,202 | $140.96 | | Hawaii | 495 | $212.12 |
| Mississippi | 1,156 | $154.83 | | California | 503 | $160.86 |
| Tennessee | 1,154 | $143.32 | | Maine | 550 | $133.60 |
| Alabama | 1,143 | $173.50 | | Rhode Island | 567 | $162.40 |
| Florida | 1,104 | $156.09 | | Massachusetts | 570 | $167.20 |
| Texas | 1,096 | $163.72 | | New York | 571 | $139.53 |
| Oklahoma | 1,079 | $132.05 | | Vermont | 574 | $125.66 |
| Arizona | 1,075 | $160.24 | | Alaska | 578 | $143.54 |
| Georgia | 1,074 | $151.25 | | Michigan | 618 | $119.31 |
| South Carolina | 1,050 | $149.51 | | New Hampshire | 619 | $144.87 |

Source: EIA Table 5a, 2024. Bills are EIA's average monthly residential bill per customer.

Two patterns stand out:

- **Hot, Southern states use the most.** Every state on the high-use list is in the South or Southwest, where air conditioning runs for months and many homes heat with electricity.
- **Low use does not mean a low bill.** Hawaii had the lowest use and the highest average bill, $212.12. Several New England states also combine low use with bills above the national average. The highest-use state, Louisiana, had a bill slightly below the national average.

EIA adds a caution for Hawaii: these figures measure electricity *bought* from utilities. In states where many homes have net-metered rooftop solar, purchases can understate how much electricity households actually use.

## Why Use Varies So Much

These are general factors rather than figures from EIA's tables, but they explain most of the gap between two homes:

- **Climate.** Cooling and heating are the biggest electric loads in most homes.
- **Heating fuel.** A home heated by an electric furnace or heat pump uses far more electricity in winter than one heated by natural gas, propane or oil, even though its total energy use may be similar.
- **Water heating and cooking fuel.** Electric water heaters, dryers and ranges add load that gas appliances shift to the gas bill.
- **Home size and type.** A large detached house generally uses more than an apartment.
- **Big new loads.** An electric vehicle, a pool pump or a hot tub can add hundreds of kWh a month, and a second refrigerator adds more.

EIA's 2020 Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS) ranks the biggest uses of home electricity nationally:

| End use (U.S. homes, 2020) | Share of residential electricity |
|---|---|
| Air conditioning | 19% |
| Space heating | 12% |
| Water heating | 12% |

Source: EIA, Energy Explained, "Electricity use in homes," citing RECS 2020. EIA lists lighting and refrigerators as the next two largest uses.

## Electricity Use by Month

Monthly use swings with the weather. EIA's RECS survey estimated average household electricity use for every month of 2020:

| Month (2020) | Avg. kWh per household using electricity |
|---|---|
| January | 890 |
| April | 714 |
| July | 1,200 |
| August | 1,137 |
| October | 742 |
| December | 959 |
| Full year | 10,566 |

Source: EIA, RECS 2020, Table CE8.5.M. Selected months shown.

At the national level, July use was about 68% higher than April use (1,200 ÷ 714). In your home the swing could be larger or smaller, depending on your climate and heating fuel. That is why one month's bill is a poor guide to your yearly use.

## What 863 kWh Costs at August 2026 Prices

EIA's preliminary data put the U.S. average residential price at 18.16 cents per kWh in August 2026, a single preliminary summer month (see our [August 2026 electricity prices by state](/posts/electricity-prices-by-state-august-2026/)). At that price:

- 863 kWh × $0.1816 = **about $156.72 a month**

EIA's 2024 average price was 16.48 cents, which gives about $142 for the same 863 kWh, in line with EIA's $142.26 average bill. These averages already include fixed monthly charges, so they are a rough guide, not a quote. Your own bill splits into a fixed customer charge plus per-kWh charges; our guide on [how to read your electric bill](/posts/how-to-read-your-electric-bill/) shows where each appears.

## How to Find Your Own Number

1. **Check your bills.** Most bills show kWh used and a 12- or 13-month usage history. Many utilities also let you download it from your online account.
2. **Add up 12 months.** The annual total smooths out summer and winter peaks.
3. **Divide by 12** for a true monthly average, then compare it with your state in the table above.

To estimate a single appliance, the U.S. Department of Energy gives this formula:

> (Wattage × hours used per day) ÷ 1,000 = kWh per day

DOE's example is a 1,500-watt kettle used for one hour: 1.5 kWh a day. At that rate, 30 days of use is 45 kWh, about 5% of an 863 kWh month. DOE notes that actual wattage varies, so use the figure on your own product's label when you have it.

## What It Means for Solar

Installers size a solar system from your annual kWh, not the national average. If you use 10,356 kWh a year (the 2024 national average), a system that offsets all of it is very different from one sized for, say, a 6,000 kWh home in New England or a 14,000 kWh home on the Gulf Coast (illustrative figures).

Three practical points:

- **Bring 12 months of usage to every quote.** A proposal built on one summer bill can oversize the system; one built on a spring bill can undersize it.
- **Plan for new loads.** If you expect to add an EV or a heat pump, tell the installer and estimate the added kWh.
- **Usage is only half the math.** Savings depend on your rates and how your utility credits power you export.

Our step-by-step guide to [how many solar panels you need](/posts/how-many-solar-panels-do-i-need/) and the [solar system size calculator](/solar-system-size-calculator/) take your annual kWh from here.

## Limitations

State and national figures are averages per residential customer and include apartments as well as houses. They measure electricity bought from utilities, which understates use in homes with rooftop solar. The monthly profile is from EIA's RECS 2020. EIA's 2024 table is the most recent full year we could verify.

## Sources and verification

| Important claim | Source | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 863 kWh a month and $142.26 average bill, U.S., 2024; state figures | [EIA, Electric Sales, Revenue, and Average Price, Table 5a (2024)](https://www.eia.gov/electricity/sales_revenue_price/pdf/table_5a.pdf) | Verified |
| 10,791 kWh a year (about 899 a month) in 2022; net-metered solar caution | [EIA FAQ: How much electricity does an American home use?](https://www.eia.gov/tools/FAQs/faq.php?id=97&t=3) | Verified |
| Air conditioning 19%, space heating 12%, water heating 12% (2020) | [EIA Energy Explained: Electricity use in homes](https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/use-of-energy/electricity-use-in-homes.php) | Verified |
| Monthly household use, 2020 (July 1,200 kWh; April 714 kWh) | [EIA RECS 2020, Table CE8.5.M](https://www.eia.gov/consumption/residential/data/2020/c&e/pdf/CE8.5.M.2020.AverageSiteElectricityConsumption.pdf) | Verified |
| Appliance kWh formula and kettle example | [U.S. DOE Energy Saver](https://www.energy.gov/node/365749) | Verified |
| U.S. average price 18.16¢/kWh, August 2026 | [EIA Electricity Monthly Update](https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/update/print-version.php) | Verified |

## Frequently asked questions

### How many kWh does an average house use per month?

The average U.S. residential customer bought 863 kWh a month in 2024, according to EIA's Table 5a. That is about 10,356 kWh a year. EIA's older FAQ figure, 899 kWh a month, is for 2022.

### What is a normal electric bill for a house?

EIA puts the 2024 U.S. average residential bill at $142.26 a month. State averages ranged from $92.88 in New Mexico to $212.12 in Hawaii. Your bill depends on your usage, your utility's rates and fixed charges.

### Which state uses the most electricity per home?

Louisiana, at 1,202 kWh a month per residential customer in 2024. Mississippi (1,156), Tennessee (1,154) and Alabama (1,143) were next.

### How do I figure out how much electricity an appliance uses?

Multiply the appliance's wattage by the hours you use it each day, then divide by 1,000 to get kWh per day. The U.S. Department of Energy's example: a 1,500-watt kettle used for one hour uses 1.5 kWh.

### How much electricity does a house use for solar sizing?

Add up the kWh on your last 12 bills. That annual total, not a monthly average from one season, is what installers use to size a system. The national average of 863 kWh a month works out to about 10,356 kWh a year.


Image credit: Photo by [Breno Assis](https://unsplash.com/@brenoassis?utm_source=solarexaminer&utm_medium=referral) on [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/photos/aerial-view-of-suburban-neighborhood-houses-r3WAWU5Fi5Q?utm_source=solarexaminer&utm_medium=referral)