What is the average electric bill in the District of Columbia?

$153 a month over the 12 months to July 2026. The average home used about 630 kWh a month at an average 24.20¢ per kWh. That's our calculation from U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) data on residential sales, revenue and customers.

How much is electricity per kWh in the District of Columbia?

25.21¢ per kWh for homes in July 2026, the latest month EIA has published, and 24.20¢ on average over the 12 months to July 2026. The U.S. average over the same 12 months was 18.01¢.

Are electric bills in the District of Columbia higher than average?

No. The typical D.C. bill of $153 a month is below the U.S. average of $157, and ranks 28th highest of the 50 states and D.C..

What's a normal electric bill for a 1-bedroom apartment in the District of Columbia?

About $78 a month. That's our estimate: a studio or 1-bedroom apartment in the South uses about 51% as much electricity as the average home there (EIA's 2020 home energy survey), priced at D.C.'s average of 24.20¢ per kWh.

Average electric bill in D.C.

What a typical D.C. household pays for electricity, how that compares with the rest of the country, and what to expect for your size of home.

Updated September 29, 2026 · EIA data

Typical household in D.C.12 months to July 2026

Average monthly electric bill$153630 kWh a month at 24.20¢ per kWh

Lowest stateNew Mexico $98Highest stateHawaii $224

Bill vs. U.S. average: 2.6% lower
Price vs. a year ago (May–Jul): Up 12.3%

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, residential sales, revenue and customers, August 2025 to July 2026. Bill and use per home are our calculation. How we calculate this

By home size

Studio or 1-bedroom apartment$78/mo
2-bedroom apartment$104/mo
3-bedroom house$157/mo
Large house, 2,500+ sq ft$209/mo

BillAverage estimate based on EIA data: typical use for each home type in the South (EIA's 2020 home energy survey), scaled to the District of Columbia's average use and priced at 24.20¢ per kWh.

Is your bill higher than this?

D.C. bills ran highest in July, about $209, and lowest in November, about $108. Air conditioning does most of the work in summer. If yours is well above $153 in a mild month, your rate or plan, an older air conditioner or the size of your home are the usual reasons.

Homes here use about 630 kWh a month, 28% less than the U.S. average of 870 kWh, and pay 24.20¢ per kWh, 34% higher than the U.S. average of 18.01¢, so the typical bill lands close to the national average.

About 41% of homes here heat mainly with electricity, which raises winter bills, according to EIA's 2020 home energy survey.

D.C. lets you pick your electricity supplier

Most homes can buy power from a competing supplier while the local utility still delivers it, so the rate you pay depends on the supplier and plan you chose.

D.C. electricity price trend

D.C.U.S. average

Average residential price per kWh each month. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration.

More for D.C.

Nearby states

Questions

What is the average electric bill in the District of Columbia?: $153 a month over the 12 months to July 2026. The average home used about 630 kWh a month at an average 24.20¢ per kWh. That's our calculation from U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) data on residential sales, revenue and customers.
How much is electricity per kWh in the District of Columbia?: 25.21¢ per kWh for homes in July 2026, the latest month EIA has published, and 24.20¢ on average over the 12 months to July 2026. The U.S. average over the same 12 months was 18.01¢.
Are electric bills in the District of Columbia higher than average?: No. The typical D.C. bill of $153 a month is below the U.S. average of $157, and ranks 28th highest of the 50 states and D.C..
What's a normal electric bill for a 1-bedroom apartment in the District of Columbia?: About $78 a month. That's our estimate: a studio or 1-bedroom apartment in the South uses about 51% as much electricity as the average home there (EIA's 2020 home energy survey), priced at D.C.'s average of 24.20¢ per kWh.