Some states manage to keep the lights on without shocking your wallet. Others? Not so much. To find out where electricity is both costly and unreliable, we analyzed the latest outage and pricing data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), as well as Google search trends for “power outage near me” in the past year.
This ranking combines electricity rates with outage duration, frequency and total disruptions per capita. We also factored in how often residents search for outage information online, as it’s a digital signal of electric issues. The result is a state-by-state look at where energy problems hit hardest and where service is more dependable and affordable.
The Highs and Lows of U.S. Electricity
Not all power grids are created equal. Maine, Hawaii and California topped the list as the states where electricity is both expensive and frequently disrupted. These states had the worst overall scores in our ranking below, meaning residents not only pay more for electricity but also experience more service interruptions.
Maine, Hawaii and California have the most expensive and unreliable electricity in the country. At the other end of the spectrum, Nebraska, South Dakota and Iowa offer some of the country’s most affordable and reliable electricity. Nebraska stood out with the lowest outage frequency per customer, the shortest average downtime and the second-lowest electricity costs nationwide.
Power Outage Hotspots
Maine had the most power outages per 100,000 residents in 2023, which is the latest annual data available. There were more than 202,000 reported interruptions per 100K residents, meaning residents in Maine were more likely to lose power than those in other states. They also spent the most time without electricity, averaging 1,863 minutes, or about 31 hours, over the year.
Oklahoma was next, with residents averaging 1,339 minutes (about 22 hours) without power. Michigan followed with 1,128 minutes, nearly 19 hours. Tennessee and Arkansas rounded out the top five, with each state averaging more than 15 hours of power loss over the year.
Hawaii had the highest number of outages per customer in 2023, with residents losing power nearly four times on average (3.92 outages). That means individual customers experienced more frequent interruptions than in any other state.
However, Hawaii also had the fewest total outages, with just 9,624 per 100,000 residents. This is because the state’s total population is relatively small, so even though outages happened more often for each person, the total number across the state was lower than in more populated states.
Other states also saw frequent power outages on a per-customer basis. Residents in Maine lost power an average of 3.31 times per year, while those in Alaska averaged 3.26 outages. Tennessee and Mississippi weren’t far behind, with about 2.8 and 2.6 outages per customer each year, respectively.
Where Electricity Costs the Most and Least
Electricity prices vary widely depending on where you live. Hawaii had the highest average electricity rate in the country, at 40.5 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh). That’s more than four times the cost in North Dakota, where the average was just 9.9 cents per kWh. Nebraska and Idaho also had some of the lowest rates in the country.
Top 10 Most Expensive States for Electricity (per KWh)
- Hawaii (40.5 cents)
- Rhode Island (31.7 cents)
- California (30.2 cents)
- Massachusetts (30.1 cents)
- Connecticut (30.1 cents)
- Maine (26.1 cents)
- New York (25.3 cents)
- Alaska (24.7 cents)
- New Hampshire (23.4 cents)
- Vermont (22 cents)
Top 10 Least Expensive States for Electricity per KWh
- North Dakota (9.9 cents)
- Nebraska (10.6 cents)
- Idaho (10.8 cents)
- Louisiana (11 cents)
- Oklahoma (11 cents)
- Missouri (11.2 cents)
- Arkansas (11.3 cents)
- Montana (11.4 cents)
- Wyoming (11.7 cents)
- Washington (11.8 cents)
These price differences show how much location matters. Depending on your state, powering your home could be either a manageable monthly expense or a major budget strain.
What These Power Rankings Mean for You
Behind every electric bill is a story about how well your state delivers power and how much it costs you. In some places, electricity is both affordable and consistent. In others, it’s an expensive service that often leaves people in the dark. If you’ve noticed higher bills, it might not just be your usage — it could be where you live. While you can’t control the grid, you can take steps to manage your energy use and make smarter choices at home.
If you live in a deregulated energy market, such as the one in Texas, you also have the power to choose your light company. By comparing providers and energy plans, you may be able to secure low energy prices and reduce your total electricity costs.
Methodology
This analysis ranks electricity cost and reliability across all 50 U.S. states using the most recent data available. Reliability data comes from the “State Totals” sheet in the EIA’s 2024 dataset. The metrics are based on the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) standard for electric utility reporting and include SAIDI (System Average Interruption Duration Index), SAIFI (System Average Interruption Frequency Index), and the number of customers per state. All figures reflect “All Events (With Major Event Days),” providing a comprehensive view of utility performance that includes both routine outages and those caused by extreme events.
Each state received a combined score based on the following weighted factors:
- Cost score (50%)
- Average residential electricity rate by state from the latest EIA data as of January 2025
- Unreliability score (50%)
- SAIDI (20%): Total average downtime per customer in minutes per year
- SAIFI (10%): Average number of outages per customer
- Estimated total outages per 100,000 residents (10%):
- Calculated as SAIFI × number of customers = total customer interruptions
- We then calculated per 100,000 residents
- Power outage search volume per capita (10%): Based on Google Trends data from the past year for the search term “power outage near me”
About Home Energy Club
Home Energy Club helps Texans save on electricity by making it easy to compare providers, plans and rates in one place. With tools and resources designed to simplify the process, we empower users to make informed energy choices without the guesswork. Whether you’re looking to cut costs or avoid unexpected fees, Home Energy Club offers a smarter way to shop for power.
Fair Use Statement
Sharing these insights about electricity in the U.S. is allowed for noncommercial purposes if proper attribution through a link is given.
