2026 Edition · Updated March 2026
Key findings
A plain-English read on the commercial energy market — what businesses are actually paying, and what it means for your next contract.
The headline numbers
- The U.S. average commercial electricity rate is 13.92¢/kWh, up +5.8% from a year earlier — a real cost increase for every business on a variable or expiring contract.
- The spread between states is enormous: commercial rates run from 7.46¢ in North Dakota to 37.93¢ in Hawaii — a 5.1× difference for the same kilowatt-hour.
- Ohio saw the steepest year-over-year jump, up +25.2%. Businesses there that didn’t lock a fixed rate absorbed the full increase.
- Across the 14 deregulated states where businesses can choose their supplier, the average commercial rate is 18.76¢/kWh — and in those markets, that number is negotiable.
- Commercial natural gas averages $12.36/Mcf nationally, but ranges from $5.31 to $55.98 by state — dual-fuel operations should shop both.
Year over year
Where commercial rates moved the most
Commercial electricity price change vs. the same month a year earlier, by state.
Biggest increases
| # | State | Rate | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio | 14.03¢ | ▲ +25.2% |
| 2 | Maryland | 16.54¢ | ▲ +19.6% |
| 3 | California | 28.18¢ | ▲ +18.2% |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | 14.19¢ | ▲ +18.2% |
| 5 | Maine | 25.06¢ | ▲ +15.8% |
| 6 | District of Columbia | 23.26¢ | ▲ +15.5% |
| 7 | Virginia | 10.16¢ | ▲ +14.9% |
| 8 | Colorado | 13.01¢ | ▲ +14.8% |
Biggest decreases
| # | State | Rate | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Mexico | 9.76¢ | ▼ -12.3% |
| 2 | Minnesota | 11.18¢ | ▼ -5.8% |
| 3 | Connecticut | 23.78¢ | ▼ -5.4% |
| 4 | Rhode Island | 23.44¢ | ▼ -4.4% |
| 5 | Indiana | 14.32¢ | ▼ -2.2% |
| 6 | Arizona | 11.97¢ | ▼ -2.0% |
| 7 | Georgia | 11.57¢ | ▼ -0.8% |
| 8 | West Virginia | 12.00¢ | ▼ -0.7% |
The extremes
Cheapest and most expensive states
Average commercial electricity rate, cents per kWh.
Lowest commercial rates
| # | State | Rate | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | 7.46¢ | ▲ +5.7% |
| 2 | Oklahoma | 8.33¢ | ▲ +2.6% |
| 3 | Texas | 8.69¢ | ▼ -0.3% |
| 4 | Nebraska | 8.89¢ | ▲ +3.3% |
| 5 | Nevada | 9.06¢ | ▼ -0.7% |
Highest commercial rates
| # | State | Rate | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | 37.93¢ | ▲ +4.1% |
| 2 | California | 28.18¢ | ▲ +18.2% |
| 3 | Massachusetts | 25.09¢ | ▲ +8.7% |
| 4 | Maine | 25.06¢ | ▲ +15.8% |
| 5 | Connecticut | 23.78¢ | ▼ -5.4% |
See the full 51-state table on our commercial electricity rates by state page.
By region
Regional snapshot
Average commercial rate by U.S. census division, and how each compares to the national average of 13.92¢/kWh.
| Region | States | Avg | vs. U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| West North Central | IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD | 10.23¢ | 27% below U.S. |
| West South Central | AR, LA, OK, TX | 10.36¢ | 26% below U.S. |
| Mountain | AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY | 10.71¢ | 23% below U.S. |
| South Atlantic | DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV | 13.52¢ | 3% below U.S. |
| East North Central | IL, IN, MI, OH, WI | 14.10¢ | 1% above U.S. |
| East South Central | AL, KY, MS, TN | 14.38¢ | 3% above U.S. |
| Middle Atlantic | NJ, NY, PA | 17.87¢ | 28% above U.S. |
| Pacific | AK, CA, HI, OR, WA | 22.39¢ | 61% above U.S. |
| New England | CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT | 23.38¢ | 68% above U.S. |
Natural gas
Commercial natural gas snapshot
Average commercial natural gas price, dollars per thousand cubic feet (Mcf). U.S. average: $12.36.
Lowest gas prices
| # | State | $/Mcf |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $5.31 |
| 2 | North Dakota | $6.78 |
| 3 | Idaho | $6.96 |
| 4 | New Mexico | $7.19 |
| 5 | Nebraska | $7.83 |
Highest gas prices
| # | State | $/Mcf |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $55.98 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $24.37 |
| 3 | New Hampshire | $21.29 |
| 4 | Kentucky | $19.08 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $17.54 |
Full detail on our natural gas rates by state page.
For media & researchers
Citing this report
These figures are free to cite with attribution. Please credit USA Energy (Utility Services Advisory Group LLC) and link to this page. Suggested citation:
“The State of Commercial Energy Rates, 2026 Edition,” USA Energy, usaenergy.io/commercial-energy-rates-report. Underlying data: U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Questions or a custom data pull for a story? Email [email protected].
Methodology
How we built this
All figures are drawn from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) — the official federal source for average retail energy prices. Electricity rates come from EIA’s Electric Power Monthly (Table 5.6.A, average price by state and sector); natural gas from EIA’s Natural Gas Monthly (commercial price by state). We report the commercial sector specifically, and year-over-year comparisons use the same month one year prior.
Rates shown are state-level averages. An individual business’s rate depends on its utility, usage profile, contract terms, and — in deregulated markets — the supplier it chooses. That last point is the opportunity: where supply is competitive, the rate on your bill is negotiable. The numbers here update as EIA publishes new data.
Common questions
About this report
See where your business stands
The averages are one thing — your actual rate is another. Send us one recent bill and we’ll benchmark it against live supplier offers, free.