Price of a kilowatt-hour of electricity by year, 1980–2025
A kilowatt-hour of electricity cost $0.06 on average in 1980 and $0.185 in 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The price rose 208% over those years while prices in general rose 291%, so, measured in 2025 dollars, it cost 21% less in 2025 than in 1980.
- Average in 1980
- $0.06
- Average in 2025
- $0.185
- Highest year, 2025
- $0.185
- Biggest one-year rise, 1981
- +15%
- Against inflation
- Trailed it by 21%
Every year
The table lists all 46 years with data, from 1980 to 2025. Select a year to see what everything else cost that year.
| Year | Average price | In 2025 dollars | Change from year before |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | $0.06 | $0.234 | — |
| 1981 | $0.069 | $0.244 | +15% |
| 1982 | $0.076 | $0.254 | +10% |
| 1983 | $0.078 | $0.252 | +3% |
| 1984 | $0.082 | $0.254 | +5% |
| 1985 | $0.081 | $0.242 | −1% |
| 1986 | $0.077 | $0.226 | −5% |
| 1987 | $0.079 | $0.224 | +3% |
| 1988 | $0.08 | $0.218 | +1% |
| 1989 | $0.082 | $0.213 | +2% |
| 1990 | $0.084 | $0.207 | +2% |
| 1991 | $0.087 | $0.206 | +4% |
| 1992 | $0.088 | $0.202 | +1% |
| 1993 | $0.092 | $0.205 | +5% |
| 1994 | $0.092 | $0.20 | 0% |
| 1995 | $0.094 | $0.199 | +2% |
| 1996 | $0.094 | $0.193 | 0% |
| 1997 | $0.094 | $0.189 | 0% |
| 1998 | $0.087 | $0.172 | −7% |
| 1999 | $0.086 | $0.166 | −1% |
| 2000 | $0.087 | $0.163 | +1% |
| 2001 | $0.092 | $0.167 | +6% |
| 2002 | $0.091 | $0.163 | −1% |
| 2003 | $0.093 | $0.163 | +2% |
| 2004 | $0.094 | $0.16 | +1% |
| 2005 | $0.10 | $0.165 | +6% |
| 2006 | $0.112 | $0.179 | +12% |
| 2007 | $0.117 | $0.182 | +4% |
| 2008 | $0.123 | $0.184 | +5% |
| 2009 | $0.127 | $0.191 | +3% |
| 2010 | $0.128 | $0.189 | +1% |
| 2011 | $0.13 | $0.186 | +2% |
| 2012 | $0.13 | $0.182 | 0% |
| 2013 | $0.132 | $0.182 | +2% |
| 2014 | $0.137 | $0.186 | +4% |
| 2015 | $0.138 | $0.187 | +1% |
| 2016 | $0.135 | $0.181 | −2% |
| 2017 | $0.138 | $0.181 | +2% |
| 2018 | $0.136 | $0.174 | −1% |
| 2019 | $0.136 | $0.171 | 0% |
| 2020 | $0.135 | $0.168 | −1% |
| 2021 | $0.141 | $0.168 | +4% |
| 2022 | $0.159 | $0.175 | +13% |
| 2023 | $0.168 | $0.178 | +6% |
| 2024 | $0.176 | $0.181 | +5% |
| 2025 | $0.185 | $0.185 | +5% |
Decade by decade
Across the 1980s the yearly average ran from $0.06 in 1980 to $0.082 in 1984, for a decade average of $0.076. The 1990s averaged $0.09: the most expensive year was 1995 at $0.094 and the cheapest 1990 at $0.084. In the 2000s, a kilowatt-hour of electricity averaged $0.104, from a low of $0.087 in 2000 to a high of $0.127 in 2009. Across the 2010s the yearly average ran from $0.128 in 2010 to $0.138 in 2015, for a decade average of $0.134. The 2020s averaged $0.161: the most expensive year was 2025 at $0.185 and the cheapest 2020 at $0.135.
Every five years in this record: 1980 $0.06, 1985 $0.081, 1990 $0.084, 1995 $0.094, 2000 $0.087, 2005 $0.10, 2010 $0.128, 2015 $0.138, 2020 $0.135 and 2025 $0.185. From 2021 to 2025, the most recent years of data, the average rose 31%, from $0.141 to $0.185.
Against inflation
In 2025 dollars, the 1980 average of $0.06 is worth $0.234. The actual 2025 average was $0.185. So after adjusting for inflation, a kilowatt-hour of electricity cost 21% less in 2025 than in 1980, even though the price on the shelf went up.
Highs, lows and big moves
The highest yearly average in this record is $0.185 in 2025, and the lowest is $0.06 in 1980. The biggest one-year increase was 15%, from $0.06 in 1980 to $0.069 in 1981. The biggest one-year decrease was 7%, from $0.094 in 1997 to $0.087 in 1998.
Of the 4 items in energy tracked here, 1 rose faster than inflation over their full records.
Average prices are U.S. city averages from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (series APU000072610), averaged over each calendar year. A year is included only when the Bureau published at least nine months of prices for it. Values in 2025 dollars use the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) annual average. See how Sticker Shock builds its data. Figures may contain errors and are not financial advice.