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The numbers behind going solar

Your electricity rate is the single biggest driver of whether solar pays off. We track it — honestly, monthly, in every state — and connect it to the calculators that turn it into a savings estimate. Built from U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), Electricity retail sales — average price by state.

Latest data snapshot

April 2026 electricity rates at a glance

Start with the national average, then compare your state before running a solar estimate. High-rate states usually see solar savings faster; low-rate states need tighter cost and payback assumptions.

National average19.32¢Residential, April 2026Highest stateHawaii46.62¢ · +141.3% vs nationalLowest stateNorth Dakota12.35¢ · -36.1% vs nationalUse your rateEstimate savingsCalculator pre-fills from state pages
National avg rate
19.32¢

per kWh, residential, April 2026

Year over year
+7.0%

national average change

States tracked
51

each with its own price page

Source
EIA

U.S. Energy Information Administration

Datasets

Turn a rate into a savings estimate

What we measure: Average residential retail price of electricity published by the EIA for the state, in cents per kilowatt-hour — a statewide monthly average, not a personalized utility tariff or the rate any single household pays. EIA publishes state retail-price data on a lag of roughly two to three months; the latest period shown reflects that lag.