New York electricity rates
As of May 2026, the average residential electricity rate in New York is 29.93 cents per kilowatt-hour, 62.3% above the U.S. average of 18.44¢. That is the 3rd highest rate of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
- Year over year
- ▲ +12.1% from 26.69¢ in May 2025
- Vs. U.S. average
- +62.3% U.S. average 18.44¢
- National rank
- #3 of 51 · #49 cheapest
- Supply market
- NYISO Retail choice statewide
Why New York pays what it pays
A single statewide average badly misrepresents New York. Upstate has abundant hydro at Niagara and the St. Lawrence, plus large nuclear units in the west, and its wholesale prices are among the lowest in the Northeast. New York City and Westchester are a separate world: a transmission-constrained load pocket where in-city generation must run for reliability, land and labour costs are extreme, and the distribution network is largely underground.
Underground networks are the quiet driver of Con Edison's delivery rates. Replacing a feeder in Manhattan costs an order of magnitude more than restringing an overhead line, and the city's network reliability standards are the strictest in the country.
The closure of Indian Point removed a large, low-cost, zero-emission generator close to the load centre. Replacement energy has come substantially from gas plants further away, which raised both the energy price and the congestion charge on transmission into the city.
How New York compares
New York ranks #3 of 51 jurisdictions by residential price, making it the 49th cheapest. Within the Middle Atlantic division, every other state is cheaper.
| State | ¢/kWh | YoY | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 21.55 | +11.7% | #16 |
| New Jersey | 23.27 | +13.6% | #13 |
| New York | 29.93 | +12.1% | #3 |
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A: Average Price of Electricity to Ultimate Customers by End-Use Sector, by State. Data period May 2026. Retrieved 2026-08-19.
What a bill looks like at this rate
The figures below apply the May 2026 New York average to four usage levels. They are arithmetic, not quotes. A real bill also carries fixed customer charges, taxes and any rider specific to your utility.
Estimate your New York bill
Multiply your own usage by the May 2026 state average. Enter the kilowatt-hours from your last statement. This is a supply-and-delivery blended average, not a utility quote.
Rate used: …. U.S. average 18.44¢/kWh, May 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
Who sells electricity in New York
Consolidated Edison serves New York City and Westchester. National Grid, NYSEG, RG&E and Central Hudson cover most of the rest, and the Long Island Power Authority, operated by PSEG Long Island, serves Long Island under a public-authority model.
New York has full retail choice through its ESCO market, though the Public Service Commission has repeatedly tightened the rules after finding that residential ESCO customers paid more on average than utility supply customers.
What you can actually do about it
If you are comparing New York against another state, use your own utility's rate rather than the state average. The spread between Con Edison and a western New York utility is larger than the spread between many entire states.
New York's low-income discount is applied automatically when a household is enrolled in certain benefit programmes, but only if the utility has been told. It is one of the more commonly missed savings in the state.
Closest states by price
These jurisdictions charge within a fraction of a cent of New York, which is useful if you are comparing a move or a multi-state operating cost.
New York electricity rates: common questions
What is the average electricity rate in New York?
The average residential electricity rate in New York is 29.93 cents per kilowatt-hour as of May 2026, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. That is +62.3% relative to the national average of 18.44¢/kWh.
How much is a typical monthly electric bill in New York?
At the May 2026 average rate of 29.93¢/kWh, a household using 900 kWh a month would pay about $269, and one using 1,500 kWh about $449. Actual bills vary with usage, rate schedule, fixed customer charges and taxes.
Have electricity rates in New York gone up?
New York rates rose 12.1% over the year to May 2026, from 26.69¢ in May 2025 to 29.93¢.
Can I choose my electricity supplier in New York?
Retail choice statewide. Residential customers in New York can buy supply from a competitive provider while the local utility continues to deliver it and maintain the wires.
Where does this New York rate figure come from?
It is the residential-sector average revenue per kilowatt-hour reported by utilities to the U.S. Energy Information Administration on Form EIA-861M and published in the Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A. It blends supply and delivery across every residential customer in the state, so it is a statewide average rather than a quote for any individual household.