Affirming what we’ve all guessed at by now, a new report determined that residents in many of the Lone Star State’s metros pay some of the nation’s steepest electricity bills. This confirmation comes courtesy of Commodity.com, an organization that analyzes and reports on commodities, commodity trading, and cryptocurrency.
To determine the U.S. metropolitan areas with the largest electric bills, researchers at Commodity.com analyzed Census Bureau data and calculated the median monthly electricity costs for households. The data represents what residents pay in total for electricity on a monthly basis --a function of both electricity rates and electricity use. Researchers also took into account the proportion of total housing and utility costs that electric bills account for to determine the final ranking, according to Commodity.com.
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In the event of a tie, the location with the higher median total utility costs -- including gas, water, and other fuels -- was ranked higher.
“Knowing a state’s energy prices is just part of understanding the economics of electricity for its residents,” the report stated. “A state with expensive electricity rates doesn’t necessarily have the highest median electricity bills, which are a function of both energy prices and consumption. For example, Hawaii’s electricity costs more than any other state, but the median electric bill of $140 ranks 26th.”
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Commodity.com’s analysis of data from the Census Bureau found that electricity costs accounts for nearly 60% of residential utility bills and more than 12% of total housing costs for the average U.S. household.
Residents in the nation’s southern states reported the highest median electricity bills. At $200 per month Alabama residents shell out the most for electricity. Alabamans are paying not just more than any other state on a monthly basis -- electricity bills make up 75.5% of their utility bill and 26.6% of their housing costs, both the highest in the nation. Other states with median electric bills topping $160 per month include South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas.
As expected, several of the Lone Star State’s metros made it on the list. The report determined residents in the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land paid the sixth-steepest electric bills among the nation’s large metros. At a median $170 per month, electricity costs in the Houston metro area account for 66.2% of total utility costs and 12.9% of total housing costs.
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Here is a summary of the report’s data for the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX metro area:
- Median monthly electricity costs: $170
- Median total utility costs: $257
- Median total housing costs: $1,315
- Electricity as a share of total utility costs: 66.2%
- Electricity as a share of total housing costs: 12.9%
For reference, here are the statistics for the country as a whole:
- Median monthly electricity costs: $140
- Median total utility costs: $238
- Median total housing costs: $1,120
- Electricity as a share of total utility costs: 58.7%
- Electricity as a share of total housing costs: 12.5%
Here’s how Texas cities ranked on the report’s list of metros with the highest electricity costs:
Note that the report broke down its findings into three different categories: Large, midsize and small metros.
Large metros
- No. 5 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington (Median monthly electricity costs: $170)
- No. 6 Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land (Median monthly electricity costs: $170)
- No. 7 San Antonio-New Braunfels (Median monthly electricity costs: $170)
Midsize metros
- No. 4 Corpus Christi (Median monthly electricity costs: $140)
- No. 13 Beaumont-Port Arthur (Median monthly electricity costs: $170)
- No. 14 Brownsville-Harlingen (Median monthly electricity costs: $140)
Small metros
- No. 1 Laredo (Median monthly electricity costs: $200)
- No. 2 Midland (Median monthly electricity costs: $200)
- No. 9 College Station-Bryan (Median monthly electricity costs: $200)
- No. 11 Waco (Median monthly electricity costs: $180)
- No. 12 Lubbock (Median monthly electricity costs: $180)
- No. 13 San Angelo (Median monthly electricity costs: $180)
- No. 14 Tyler (Median monthly electricity costs: $180)
Read the full report here.