Explainer

Massachusetts homes use less electricity than almost anyone, and still pay more

By Evin Anderson · Published September 16, 2026
Data through June 2026 · Source release August 26, 2026 release (June 2026 data) · Retrieved September 16, 2026 · Dataset eia861m-2026-08-26-e43e8601b730ec7e

Less use, higher bill

Massachusetts usage is 31% below the national average. Its price is 70% above. The result is a bill 18% higher, a gap of about $28 a month.

Only Hawaii and California have a higher average residential price. Massachusetts ranks 3rd among the 50 states and DC.

Where the extra $74 came from

In the year ending June 2016, the average Massachusetts residential bill was $110 a month, within a dollar of the national average of $111. By June 2026 it was $183.

Of that $74 increase, about $5 is explained by higher usage. Massachusetts homes went from 579 to 604 kWh a month, a 4% rise. The other $69, or 94% of the increase, is price. The average price went from 18.92 to 30.38 cents per kWh over the decade, a 61% rise.

What the supply rate alone costs

The state average blends supply, delivery and program charges. For context, the utilities' current fixed basic service supply rates for residential customers are 17.323 cents per kWh at Eversource in Eastern Massachusetts and 17.185 cents at National Grid, both in effect from 1 August 2026 to 31 January 2027. Both utilities now reset these rates on 1 February and 1 August. Supply alone is above the entire national average price of 17.90 cents per kWh, before any delivery charge is added.

The rest of New England

Every New England state is in the top 12 nationally on price. Connecticut has the highest bill in the region, driven by higher usage rather than a higher price. Vermont has the lowest price and the lowest bill in the region.

What it means for a Massachusetts homeowner

When usage is already low, the lever left is price per unit, and that pushes three decisions in a particular direction.

First, the value of each kilowatt-hour you avoid or generate is nearly twice the national figure. Solar, efficiency upgrades and heat pump water heaters return more here than the same equipment does in most of the country, before any state rebate.

Second, a heat pump's economics depend on the electricity price relative to oil or gas, not on the electricity price alone. At 30 cents per kWh the comparison is closer than in cheaper states. The heat pump vs. oil calculator runs that comparison with prices you enter.

Third, the June 2026 month alone showed a rare decline: Massachusetts' average price was 2.4% below June 2025. One month is not a trend. Over the full year it was still up 1.3%.

Methodology and sources

All figures are trailing 12 months ending in the stated month. Price is residential revenue divided by residential sales. Bill is revenue divided by the average customer count, divided by 12. The decomposition holds the 2016 price constant and applies 2026 usage to isolate the usage effect; the remainder is price. Ranks are among the 50 states and DC.

• EIA Form EIA-861M monthly retail sales file, August 26, 2026 release (June 2026 data)
• Eversource: Eastern Massachusetts electric supply rates (read 16 September 2026)
• National Grid: Massachusetts residential basic service rate table (read 16 September 2026)

Dataset version eia861m-2026-08-26-e43e8601b730ec7e. Download the snapshot manifest and file checksums. The data month is separate from the release date and from the retrieval date. How we verify.

Related

• Heat pump vs. oil calculator
• Massachusetts heat pump rebates
• Home energy optimizer

Drafted with AI assistance from FrugalWatt's data pipeline. Figures use the cited U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-861M monthly retail sales (sales_revenue.xlsx) snapshot; no interviews were conducted and no professional review is claimed. Editorial policy · Subscribe via RSS.