Why is electricity so expensive in Maryland?
Maryland pays 21.84¢/kWh for residential electricity, 19.1% above the U.S. average of 18.34¢/kWh and the #14 highest of 51 jurisdictions. At 900 kWh a month that is about $196.56, against $165.06 at the U.S. average.
Rates are EIA residential averages through June 2026, refreshed Sep 9, 2026. The U.S. average is the EIA U.S.-total residential price; rank and region figures compare the 51 jurisdiction averages.
How Maryland compares
| Measure | Maryland |
|---|---|
| Residential rate (EIA, June 2026) | 21.84¢/kWh |
| U.S. average (EIA) | 18.34¢/kWh |
| Difference | +19.1% (+3.50¢) |
| Rank among 51 jurisdictions | #14 highest (#38 lowest) |
| South average (17 states) | 16.32¢/kWh |
| Affordability tier | Affordable (index 78/100) |
| 12-month change | rose 13.2% (19.29¢/kWh → 21.84¢/kWh) |
| 5-year change | rose 67.1% (13.07¢/kWh → 21.84¢/kWh) |
See every state in one ranked table on electricity cost per kWh by state or the South region.
What the EIA series shows for Maryland
- Past 12 months (June 2025 → June 2026)
- The Maryland residential rate rose 13.2% (+2.55¢/kWh), from 19.29¢ in June 2025 to 21.84¢ in June 2026.
- Past 5 years (June 2021 → June 2026)
- The rate rose 67.1% (+8.77¢/kWh), from 13.07¢ in June 2021 to 21.84¢ in June 2026.
- Past 10 years (June 2016 → June 2026)
- The rate rose 49.4% (+7.22¢/kWh), from 14.62¢ in June 2016 to 21.84¢ in June 2026.
- Highest and lowest month on record
- In this series the Maryland rate peaked at 22.30¢/kWh in October 2025 and bottomed at 6.74¢/kWh in January 2001. The series covers January 2001 to June 2026.
- Steepest 12-month increase
- The largest single-year move in the series ended in February 2008: the rate rose 35.1% (+3.33¢/kWh), from 9.50¢ in February 2007 to 12.83¢ in February 2008. That is when the change happened; the series does not say what caused it.
- Against the rest of the country
- Over the same window the unweighted average across the 51 jurisdictions with data for this period rose 34.8%, so Maryland's +67.1% outpaced the nationwide move by 32.3 percentage points. That gap is the part of the movement this dataset cannot attribute to a nationwide trend — it does not identify what else was involved.
- Rank among jurisdictions (June 2021 → June 2026)
- Measured over that identical five-year window, Maryland's change is the 3rd largest of the 51 jurisdictions whose series covers it — rank 1 is the biggest increase, rank 51 the biggest decrease. The rank places the movement; it does not explain it.
Between January 2001 and June 2026 the rate peaked at 22.30¢/kWh in October 2025 and bottomed at 6.74¢/kWh in January 2001.
Every month is charted on the Maryland electricity price history page, with the year-over-year table and the same measured facts.
What sits on top of the rate in Maryland
Baltimore Gas & Electric (BGE)'s standard residential tariff adds $10.00 a month before the first kilowatt-hour, 8.58¢/kWh in riders, for an all-in 22.21¢/kWh at 900 kWh.
The line items are on hidden electricity fees and taxes for Maryland, and plan choice matters in a competitive market: read regulated vs deregulated markets.
What generally moves electricity rates
A rate series shows what changed, not why. This dataset records Maryland's residential rate and nothing about what moved it, and no reviewed Maryland driver analysis is published yet — so this page makes no causal claim. The factors that generally move retail rates are documented separately.
- Fuel and purchased power. Natural gas, coal, and wholesale power prices pass through to retail rates, often with a lag of months.
- Generation mix. Hydro and legacy nuclear tend to hold rates down; imported fuel, oil, and constrained supply tend to push them up.
- Wires investment. Transmission and distribution upgrades, storm hardening, and wildfire mitigation are recovered through rates over years.
- Market structure. Regulated utilities set rates in rate cases; deregulated markets price supply competitively and bill delivery separately.
- Demand and weather. Load growth, peak-heavy demand, and extreme weather raise the cost of serving each kilowatt-hour.
the factors themselves are documented on electricity generation cost drivers.
What the rate means for a Maryland bill
| Monthly usage | Maryland (21.84¢/kWh) | U.S. average (18.34¢/kWh) |
|---|---|---|
| 650 kWh | $141.96 | $119.21 |
| 900 kWh | $196.56 | $165.06 |
| 1,200 kWh | $262.08 | $220.08 |
| 1,600 kWh | $349.44 | $293.44 |
- Average electric bill in Maryland, by home size and city.
- Estimate a Maryland bill from your own usage.
- Why is my electric bill so high? The eight usual causes and what to check first.
- Compare electricity plans if your contract rolled to a variable rate.
Frequently asked questions
Why is electricity so expensive in Maryland?
Maryland pays 21.84¢/kWh for residential electricity, 19.1% above the U.S. average of 18.34¢/kWh and the #14 highest of 51 jurisdictions. Over the past 12 months the rate rose 13.2% (19.29¢/kWh → 21.84¢/kWh), and over five years it rose 67.1% (13.07¢/kWh → 21.84¢/kWh). The EIA series records the rate and nothing about what moved it, and no reviewed Maryland driver analysis is published yet, so no cause is claimed here.
How does Maryland's electricity rate compare with the U.S. average?
21.84¢/kWh in Maryland against 18.34¢/kWh for the U.S. average (EIA, June 2026): 19.1% above, the #14 highest of 51 jurisdictions. The South average across 17 states is 16.32¢/kWh. At 900 kWh a month that is about $196.56, against $165.06 at the U.S. average.
Is electricity in Maryland getting more expensive?
Over the past 12 months the rate rose 13.2% (19.29¢/kWh → 21.84¢/kWh), and over five years it rose 67.1% (13.07¢/kWh → 21.84¢/kWh). In EIA data from January 2001 to June 2026, the rate peaked at 22.30¢/kWh in October 2025 and bottomed at 6.74¢/kWh in January 2001. The full monthly series is on the Maryland electricity price history page.
What can I do about a high electric bill in Maryland?
Start with the kWh line: compare this bill with the same month last year, then the price per kWh, the billing days, and the fixed charges. Baltimore Gas & Electric (BGE)'s standard residential tariff adds $10.00 a month before the first kilowatt-hour, 8.58¢/kWh in riders, for an all-in 22.21¢/kWh at 900 kWh. In Maryland's competitive market a plan that rolled to a variable rate is a common cause of a jump, so compare plans. The high-bill guide walks through the eight usual causes.