Electricity Bill Diagnostic
Enter your bill total and kWh used. Tool tells you whether the spike is rate, usage, or both, and what to do next. No email required.
Total at the bottom of your bill, before pre-payment credit.
Look for the "current usage" or "kWh" line on your bill.
US Average: 18.56c/kWh avg, 869 kWh typical
Diagnosis
Within typical range
Your effective rate
18.95c
per kWh
Your effective rate is 18.95c/kWh (+2% vs state avg) and usage is 950 kWh (+9% vs typical). Nothing dramatically out of line.
Rate vs state avg
+2%
18.95c vs 18.56c US Average
Usage vs typical
+9%
950 kWh vs 869 kWh typical
Bill vs typical
+20%
$180.00 vs $150 US Average avg
Where your $180.00 goes (estimate)
Decomposed using US Average's average rate, typical fixed charges, and US-average tax / surcharge rates. Your specific utility's breakdown will differ in line-item naming but the proportions are accurate.
Energy charge
950 kWh × 18.56c
$176.32
Fixed customer charge
Monthly meter / connection fee
$10.00
Taxes (state + local)
~8% of energy + fixed
$14.91
Surcharges (renewable, efficiency)
~4% of energy + fixed
$7.45
Discount / credit
Often distribution riders, late fees, or unbundled supplier charges
-$28.68
Total
$180.00
What would actually move the needle?
Two scenarios applied to your bill, with the savings you'd see.
Cut usage 15%
$2.14 / mo saved
$26 / year
Realistic from smart-thermostat (6% of usage savings) + LED retrofit + scheduling laundry / dishwasher / EV charge to overnight. Doable without major spending.
Switch to TOU off-peak
$51.51 / mo saved
$618 / year (if 80%+ of usage shifts off-peak)
Requires (a) an EV-friendly TOU plan from your utility and (b) actually moving discretionary loads to overnight. Smart Level 2 charger or smart thermostat handles most of it automatically.
How the diagnostic works
The tool runs three calculations: an effective-rate check, a usage check, and a verdict that weighs them.
Effective rate calculation
Your bill total divided by kWh used gives your effective per-kWh rate, including all line items. This is the cleanest single number to compare against your state's average. State averages are from EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A, refreshed monthly via our cron pipeline.
Usage benchmark
Each state has a typical residential kWh figure derived from EIA Form 826. Florida averages 1,100+ kWh/month (AC dominated); Vermont averages 580 kWh/month (no AC, heat pumps less common). Your usage is compared to your state's typical, not the US average, which would mislead on hot or cold states.
Rate-vs-usage verdict
If your effective rate exceeds the state average by ≥1.5× as much as your usage exceeds typical (in percentage terms), the verdict is 'rate-driven'. Mirror for usage. If both are within ±10%, the verdict is 'within typical range'. The thresholds prevent overreacting to noise.
Bill decomposition
Energy charge is kWh × state average rate. Fixed customer charge is the typical US figure ($10/month — varies $5-25 by utility). Taxes assume 8% on energy+fixed (varies 0-15%). Surcharges assume 4% (varies 1-6%). The 'unexplained' line catches the gap — usually distribution riders, late fees, or your specific utility's idiosyncratic line items.
Month-over-month decomposition
When you provide prior-month data, we attribute the bill change to rate change (rate Δ × this month's kWh), usage change (last month's rate × kWh Δ), and an interaction term (the residue). This is the standard variance-attribution decomposition used in financial analysis. It tells you which driver contributed how many dollars, not just which percentage moved more.
What-if scenarios
The 15% usage cut assumes proportional reduction across all hours. The TOU scenario assumes 80%+ of usage shifts to a 0.60× off-peak window — typical for an EV-friendly plan with a smart Level 2 charger handling overnight charging. Real savings depend on actual utility plan and how much load is shiftable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my electricity bill suddenly so high?+
An electricity bill spike has only three sources: your rate went up, your usage went up, or both. This tool decomposes which one. Common usage-driven causes: summer AC (especially heat pump in cool mode at high humidity), winter electric heating, an undocumented EV charge, a faulty appliance running constantly, or a vampire-load device (mining rig, server). Common rate-driven causes: your utility filed a rate case that took effect, you fell off a fixed-rate plan onto variable, your state-mandated renewable surcharge increased, or you moved onto TOU and consume during peak hours. At the US average residential rate of 18.56c/kWh (March 2026 EIA), a typical bill is around $150/month for 869 kWh of usage (EIA 2025 annual averages). Bills more than 25% above that warrant investigation.
How do I know if my bill is rate-driven or usage-driven?+
Look at the two numbers separately: (1) bill total ÷ kWh used = your effective rate in $/kWh. Compare to your state's average rate. (2) kWh used compared to your usual months. If your rate is dramatically higher than the state average but your usage is normal, it's rate-driven (most often: variable plan, peak TOU hours, supplier change). If your rate is normal but usage doubled, it's usage-driven (most often: heating/cooling, new EV, faulty appliance). If both are elevated, you have two problems. The diagnostic tool above shows you which.
What is a normal electricity bill in the US?+
The US average residential electricity bill is $150/month for 869 kWh of usage (EIA 2025 annual data). State variation is large: Louisiana averages $154/month (high AC usage on a cheap rate), Hawaii averages $207/month (highest rate in the US), Texas averages $171/month (high usage from AC offsetting a moderate rate). Within a state, bills vary 2-3x based on home size, heating system, AC use, and EV ownership.
What percentage of my bill is taxes and fees?+
Roughly 8-15% of a typical US residential electricity bill is non-energy charges: state and local taxes (4-10% depending on state), renewable portfolio surcharges (1-3%), low-income assistance programs (0.5-2%), efficiency programs (0.5-2%), and the fixed customer/meter charge (typically $5-15/month). The remaining 85-92% is the energy charge (your kWh × rate) plus distribution costs that are often bundled into the rate. This tool estimates each line to within 10% accuracy; your actual utility bill will use different line-item names but similar proportions.
If my rate is high, can I switch suppliers?+
Only in deregulated states. 18 US states plus DC allow residential customers to choose their electricity supplier: Texas, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Jersey, New York (parts), Illinois, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maine, New Hampshire, Maryland, Michigan (partial), Virginia (partial), Delaware, Oregon (industrial only), Montana (industrial only), and DC. In these states, the utility still delivers the power, but you choose who generates and sells it to you. Switching can cut 2-4 cents/kWh off your effective rate. In regulated states (California, Florida, most of the South and Midwest), you cannot switch; your only rate-side lever is moving onto a TOU plan if your utility offers one.
What's the fastest way to lower an electricity bill?+
In rough order of payback speed: (1) Move discretionary loads to off-peak hours if you're on TOU — instant savings, no spending. (2) Set your AC 2-3°F warmer in summer and your heat 2-3°F cooler in winter — 6-15% bill cut, no spending. (3) Smart thermostat ($120-250) — 10-15% HVAC savings, 6-12 month payback. (4) LED bulbs ($2-8 each) — replace remaining incandescents/CFLs, 60-75% lighting savings. (5) In deregulated states, shop your supply rate — 2-4 cents/kWh savings on the energy portion. Solar and EV charging changes are bigger but slower payback (5-10 years for solar with current incentives).
Do you store the bill information I enter?+
No. The diagnostic runs entirely in your browser. We don't collect, store, or transmit your bill total, kWh, or state selection. You can verify this by opening browser dev tools and watching the network tab while you use the tool. No POST requests fire.
