Data · May 2026 · 10th of 51 jurisdictions

District of Columbia Electricity Prices

Residential electricity in District of Columbia averaged 25.40¢ per kilowatt-hour in May 2026, and its distance from the national benchmark has been widening. That sits within 0.0% of the jurisdiction's all-time high of 25.41¢, set in April 2026. Since January 2001 the jurisdiction average has risen 255%, from 7.16¢ — a compound 5.1% a year — and month-to-month it has been among the most month-to-month variable third of jurisdictions. It is the most expensive jurisdiction in its border group, against Virginia at 17.61¢.

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

Key facts — May 2026

Avg residential rate
25.40¢
National rank
10th of 51 jurisdictions reporting May 2026
Change (year over year)
+24.3%
vs national average
+30.9%
Est. annual bill
$2,667
All-time high
25.41¢ April 2026
National average
19.41¢
Months tracked
305

How District of Columbia compares: above the national benchmark

Over the trailing twelve months the jurisdiction average ranged from 22.70¢ in June 2025 to 25.41¢ in April 2026 — a wide 11.9% spread within a single year.

District of Columbia is the most expensive of the 5 jurisdictions in its immediate border group; the cheapest, Virginia, averages 17.61¢.

District of Columbia and its land-border neighbours, all at May 2026. A neighbour not reporting that month is omitted rather than compared at a different date.
JurisdictionAvg rate (¢/kWh)vs District of Columbia
Virginia17.61-30.7%
Delaware19.38-23.7%
Pennsylvania21.55-15.2%
Maryland21.77-14.3%

District of Columbia is close to its record high

Record high
25.41¢ April 2026
Record low
6.20¢ October 2002
Change since January 2001
+254.7%
Compound annual rate
+5.1%/yr

Across the complete calendar years in the series (2001–2025), August is District of Columbia's most expensive month relative to its own year and January its cheapest, a seasonal swing of about 11.0 percentage points. Each month is divided by its own calendar-year mean first, so the long-run price rise is not counted as seasonality. Partial years are excluded, so they are not part of the span named here.

Use District of Columbia's 25.40¢/kWh jurisdiction average as comparison context. It is a public-data benchmark, not a household bill or solar result: a household figure requires documented annual use, address-specific production, same-scope price, utility cash flows, and source-event dates, and this page does not prefill them.

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District of Columbia trend, last 36 reported months

Average residential price per kWh each month. Bars scale to the highest month shown.

MonthAvg rate (¢/kWh)
June 202316.55
July 202316.61
August 202316.48
September 202316.29
October 202318.03
November 202316.99
December 202317.82
January 202416.88
February 202417.15
March 202417.71
April 202417.93
May 202417.84
June 202417.16
July 202417.07
August 202417.40
September 202418.03
October 202418.59
November 202418.93
December 202418.79
January 202518.83
February 202519.71
March 202520.40
April 202521.32
May 202520.43
June 202522.70
July 202523.04
August 202523.19
September 202523.67
October 202523.92
November 202522.72
December 202523.90
January 202623.72
February 202623.97
March 202625.00
April 202625.41
May 202625.40

District of Columbia electricity rates — common questions

Why is electricity so expensive in District of Columbia?

District of Columbia sits in the most expensive quarter of the country — 25.40¢ per kilowatt-hour in May 2026, 10th-highest of 51 and 30.9% above the national benchmark. The index reports the published average, not its causes.

What is the average electricity bill in District of Columbia?

At District of Columbia's May 2026 average of 25.40¢/kWh, 10,500 kWh of annual use works out to $2,667 a year — around $222 a month. Running the same 10,500 kWh calculation at the May 2026 national benchmark rate gives $2,038 — a $629 gap between the two published averages, more for District of Columbia, not a bill either way.

Are electricity rates going up in District of Columbia?

Over the full EIA series the District of Columbia jurisdiction average has risen 255% since January 2001, from 7.16¢ to 25.40¢ in May 2026 — a compound 5.1% per year. District of Columbia is among the most month-to-month variable third of jurisdictions.

When were electricity rates highest in District of Columbia?

April 2026, at 25.41¢ per kilowatt-hour. The May 2026 reading of 25.40¢ sits 0.0% below that peak. The lowest monthly average on record was 6.20¢ in October 2002.

What time of year is electricity most expensive in District of Columbia?

August. Measured over the 25 complete calendar years the EIA series covers for District of Columbia, 2001 through 2025, August runs highest relative to its own year and January runs lowest — a swing of roughly 11.0 percentage points.

Is electricity cheaper in states bordering District of Columbia?

Among District of Columbia and its land-border neighbours in May 2026, Virginia posts the lowest average at 17.61¢ and District of Columbia the highest at 25.40¢. That makes District of Columbia the most expensive in the group, at 25.40¢.

Is 25.40¢/kWh the rate I actually pay in District of Columbia?

Almost certainly not exactly, and this is the one caveat that governs every figure on this page. The published value is the EIA residential average across every utility and residential rate class in District of Columbia for May 2026 — a benchmark, never a billed amount. Even the jurisdiction figure is not one number — across the trailing year it moved between 22.70¢ in June 2025 and 25.41¢ in April 2026. Your own rate depends on your utility, tariff, usage tier, time-of-use schedule, and fixed monthly charges, none of which this index models. Read your bill for the rate that applies to you.

Use this data

Download District of Columbia CSV — free to reuse with attribution. See how the District of Columbia figure is calculated for the metric definition, refresh cadence, and limitations. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), Electricity retail sales — average price by state.

Suggested citation

"District of Columbia Electricity Prices." Geostellar Residential Electricity Price Index, May 2026, based on U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) electricity retail-sales data. https://geostellar.com/energy/electricity-rates/district-of-columbia

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