What is the average electric bill in South Carolina?

$165 a month over the 12 months to July 2026. The average home used about 1,060 kWh a month at an average 15.64¢ 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 South Carolina?

15.47¢ per kWh for homes in July 2026, the latest month EIA has published, and 15.64¢ 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 South Carolina higher than average?

Yes. The typical South Carolina bill of $165 a month is above the U.S. average of $157, and ranks 13th highest of the 50 states and D.C..

What's a normal electric bill for a 1-bedroom apartment in South Carolina?

About $84 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 South Carolina's average of 15.64¢ per kWh.

Average electric bill in South Carolina

What a typical South Carolina 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 South Carolina12 months to July 2026

Average monthly electric bill$1651,060 kWh a month at 15.64¢ per kWh

Lowest stateNew Mexico $98Highest stateHawaii $224

Bill vs. U.S. average: 5.5% higher
Price vs. a year ago (May–Jul): Up 5.1%

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$84/mo
2-bedroom apartment$112/mo
3-bedroom house$170/mo
Large house, 2,500+ sq ft$227/mo

BillAverage estimate based on EIA data: typical use for each home type in the South (EIA's 2020 home energy survey), scaled to South Carolina's average use and priced at 15.64¢ per kWh.

Is your bill higher than this?

South Carolina bills ran highest in July, about $232, and lowest in November, about $128. Air conditioning does most of the work in summer. If yours is well above $165 in a mild month, your rate, an older air conditioner or the size of your home are the usual reasons.

Homes here use about 1,060 kWh a month, 21% more than the U.S. average of 870 kWh, and pay 15.64¢ per kWh, 13% lower than the U.S. average of 18.01¢, so heavier use, not the price, is what pushes bills above the national average.

About 64% of homes here heat mainly with electricity, which raises winter bills, according to EIA's 2020 home energy survey.

South Carolina electricity price trend

South CarolinaU.S. average

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

More for South Carolina

Nearby states

Questions

What is the average electric bill in South Carolina?: $165 a month over the 12 months to July 2026. The average home used about 1,060 kWh a month at an average 15.64¢ 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 South Carolina?: 15.47¢ per kWh for homes in July 2026, the latest month EIA has published, and 15.64¢ 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 South Carolina higher than average?: Yes. The typical South Carolina bill of $165 a month is above the U.S. average of $157, and ranks 13th highest of the 50 states and D.C..
What's a normal electric bill for a 1-bedroom apartment in South Carolina?: About $84 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 South Carolina's average of 15.64¢ per kWh.