Fresno has highest electric bills in the US. Here’s how much people pay and why

Looking to save money on utilities? Fresno residents have the highest electric bills in the nation, according to CashNetUSA.

The online lender recently ranked the U.S. cities where households spend the most on electricity each year, and three California cities ranked in the top 10.

Fresno was No. 1 on the list, with the average household in the Central Valley city paying $3,123 annually for electricity.

That’s nearly $1,000 more than the statewide annual average of $2,172, according to a CashNetUSA study published March 10.

In comparison, Bakersfield residents annually paid $2,928 in electric bills on average, the study found, and Stockton households shelled out an average of $2,790 per year.

How do Fresno electricity bills compare to rest of California?

According to CashNetUSA, the average Fresno household spent 4.62% of its annual income on electric bills, making the city one of the least affordable in the United States when it comes to power costs.

As of 2025, the average residential electricity rate in Fresno was approximately 41 cents per kilowatt-hour, according to NRG Clean Power, a solar power company serving customers across California.

“This rate is notably higher compared to California’s statewide average rate of around 33 cents per kilowatt-hour and significantly above the national average of approximately 20 cents per kilowatt-hour,” NRG Clean Power said on its website.

Based on those rates, the solar power company estimated that it costs $205 per month to power a one-bedroom apartment in Fresno and up to $512 per month to light up a four-bedroom Fresno home.

Why are utility costs so high in Fresno?

Fresno residents rely on Pacific Gas and Electric Company to power local homes and businesses.

One of the largest utility companies in the country, PG&E provides gas and electric to roughly 16 million people in Central and Northern California. It recorded a $2.47 billion profit in 2024 after earning $2.24 billion the previous year, The Sacramento Bee previously reported.

PG&E customers saw record rate increases in 2024, paying about $400 more annually compared to the previous year, according to The Bee’s archives.

In March, PG&E asked for another rate increase in a filing with the California Public Utilities Commission, seeking to raise utility bills by roughly $5.50 per month for residential customers starting in 2026.

According to PG&E spokesperson Jeff Smith, electric bills in Fresno and other parts of the Central Valley are “often higher than other areas (of California) because of high summer temperatures.”

“Many summer days in the Fresno area (have temperatures) well over 100 degrees,” he said, so “customers use electricity to run their air conditioners.”

On average, more than half of a U.S. household’s annual energy consumption is for “just two energy end uses: space heating and air conditioning,” according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

“That’s the biggest driver of high summer bills in Fresno,” Smith said

Smith said PG&E recognizes that “summer energy bills in the Fresno area cause a tremendous hardship for many of our Central Valley customers,” and said the utility company is “working hard to stabilize bills.”

Which US cities have the most expensive electric bills?

According to CashNetUSA, these were the 10 cities in the United States with the highest electricity bills -- and how much residents pay each year:

1. Fresno: $3,123 a year
2. Bakersfield: $2,928 a year
   
   
3. Stockton: $2,790 a year
   
   
4. Gilbert, Arizona: $2,772 a year
   
   
5. Memphis, Tennessee: $2,714 a year
6. Garland, Texas: $2,592 a year
7. Laredo, Texas: $2,586 a year
8. Arlington, Texas: $2,563 a year
9. Chesapeake, Virginia: $2,526 a year
10. Plano, Texas: $2,502 a year

Which cities have cheapest power costs in US?

According to CashNetUSA, households in these 10 U.S. cities pay the least for electricity each year:

1. Cleveland: $1,088 a year
2. Buffalo, New York: $1,152 a year
3. Minneapolis: $1,277 a year
4. Boise: $1,264 a year
5. Chicago: $1,274 a year
6. Lincoln, Nebraska: $1,368 a year
7. Washington, D.C. $1,376 a year
8. St. Louis: $1,380 a year
9. Toledo, Ohio: $1,386 a year
10. Durham, North Carolina: $1,422 a year

Try these energy-saving tips to lower electricity bill

Here are some tips to reduce energy costs and lower your electricity bill, according to personal finance website Nerd Wallet:

• Do an energy audit.

• Give your thermostat a nudge.

• Adjust your fridge and freezer temperature.

• Keep up with routine maintenance.

• Take shorter showers.

• Replace your showerhead.

• Wash clothes in warm or cold water.

• Adjust the temperature on your water heater.

• Purchase energy-efficient appliances.

• Ask about discounted rates.

• Switch to LED lighting.

• Install dimmer switches.

• Use smart power strips.

How did CashNetUSA come up with findings?

In January 2024, CashNetUSA said, it analyzed data from the U.S. Census data to “determine the states and cities across America where households spend the most and least annually on average on electricity.”

The online lender calculated affordability by location based on the average percentage of annual household income spent on electricity, using median household income data from the U.S. Census.

CashNetUSA calculated these metrics for the 100 most populated cities in the United States and aggregated the data.

This story was originally published May 6, 2025 at 2:44 PM.

Fernanda Galan

The Fresno Bee

559-441-6005

Fernanda Galan covers Central Valley and California news as The Fresno Bee’s service journalism reporter. Before joining The Bee in 2024, she reported in Milwaukee, Arizona and Los Angeles. She is a graduate of Arizona State’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.