What counts as the kilowatt-hours on my bill?

The usage figure for the billing period, usually printed near the meter readings. Use the same period the total covers.

Should I include taxes and fees?

Yes. The point of an effective rate is that it captures everything you actually paid, which is also how EIA's state averages are computed.

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Check your electricity bill against your state

The rate on your utility's marketing material is not the rate you pay. Fixed monthly charges, tiers, taxes and fees all land in the total. Divide the whole bill by the kilowatt-hours it covers and you get the number that actually matters — your effective rate — which is directly comparable with the state averages published by EIA.

Kilowatt-hours on the billBill total ($)Your state

What to know

A high effective rate is not automatically a bad deal. Fixed charges are spread over fewer kilowatt-hours in a low-usage month, so a small bill almost always shows a higher effective rate than a large one.
If your rate is far above the state average across several months, the usual explanations are a tiered plan you have climbed into, a time-of-use plan you are using at the wrong hours, or a competitive supplier contract that has rolled onto a variable rate.

Questions

What counts as the kilowatt-hours on my bill?: The usage figure for the billing period, usually printed near the meter readings. Use the same period the total covers.
Should I include taxes and fees?: Yes. The point of an effective rate is that it captures everything you actually paid, which is also how EIA's state averages are computed.

State rates are averages of what residential customers actually paid (June 2026), from EIA. Your own plan can differ. Everything on this page is computed in your browser; nothing is sent anywhere.