Why is electricity so expensive in Vermont?
Vermont pays 24.44¢/kWh for residential electricity, 33.3% above the U.S. average of 18.34¢/kWh and the #10 highest of 51 jurisdictions. At 900 kWh a month that is about $219.96, 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 Vermont compares
| Measure | Vermont |
|---|---|
| Residential rate (EIA, June 2026) | 24.44¢/kWh |
| U.S. average (EIA) | 18.34¢/kWh |
| Difference | +33.3% (+6.10¢) |
| Rank among 51 jurisdictions | #10 highest (#42 lowest) |
| Northeast average (9 states) | 26.71¢/kWh |
| Affordability tier | Affordable (index 71/100) |
| 12-month change | rose 6.3% (23.00¢/kWh → 24.44¢/kWh) |
| 5-year change | rose 26.4% (19.34¢/kWh → 24.44¢/kWh) |
See every state in one ranked table on electricity cost per kWh by state or the Northeast region.
What the EIA series shows for Vermont
- Past 12 months (June 2025 → June 2026)
- The Vermont residential rate rose 6.3% (+1.44¢/kWh), from 23.00¢ in June 2025 to 24.44¢ in June 2026.
- Past 5 years (June 2021 → June 2026)
- The rate rose 26.4% (+5.10¢/kWh), from 19.34¢ in June 2021 to 24.44¢ in June 2026.
- Past 10 years (June 2016 → June 2026)
- The rate rose 38.9% (+6.84¢/kWh), from 17.60¢ in June 2016 to 24.44¢ in June 2026.
- Highest and lowest month on record
- In this series the Vermont rate peaked at 25.16¢/kWh in November 2024 and bottomed at 12.04¢/kWh in April 2001. The series covers January 2001 to June 2026.
- Steepest 12-month increase
- The largest single-year move in the series ended in November 2024: the rate rose 16.6% (+3.59¢/kWh), from 21.57¢ in November 2023 to 25.16¢ in November 2024. 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 Vermont's +26.4% lagged the nationwide move by 8.4 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, Vermont's change is the 31st 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 25.16¢/kWh in November 2024 and bottomed at 12.04¢/kWh in April 2001.
Every month is charted on the Vermont electricity price history page, with the year-over-year table and the same measured facts.
What sits on top of the rate in Vermont
Green Mountain Power's standard residential tariff adds $19.05 a month before the first kilowatt-hour, 1.07¢/kWh in riders, for an all-in 24.65¢/kWh at 900 kWh.
The line items are on hidden electricity fees and taxes for Vermont.
What generally moves electricity rates
A rate series shows what changed, not why. This dataset records Vermont's residential rate and nothing about what moved it, and no reviewed Vermont 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 Vermont bill
| Monthly usage | Vermont (24.44¢/kWh) | U.S. average (18.34¢/kWh) |
|---|---|---|
| 650 kWh | $158.86 | $119.21 |
| 900 kWh | $219.96 | $165.06 |
| 1,200 kWh | $293.28 | $220.08 |
| 1,600 kWh | $391.04 | $293.44 |
- Average electric bill in Vermont, by home size and city.
- Estimate a Vermont bill from your own usage.
- Why is my electric bill so high? The eight usual causes and what to check first.
Frequently asked questions
Why is electricity so expensive in Vermont?
Vermont pays 24.44¢/kWh for residential electricity, 33.3% above the U.S. average of 18.34¢/kWh and the #10 highest of 51 jurisdictions. Over the past 12 months the rate rose 6.3% (23.00¢/kWh → 24.44¢/kWh), and over five years it rose 26.4% (19.34¢/kWh → 24.44¢/kWh). The EIA series records the rate and nothing about what moved it, and no reviewed Vermont driver analysis is published yet, so no cause is claimed here.
How does Vermont's electricity rate compare with the U.S. average?
24.44¢/kWh in Vermont against 18.34¢/kWh for the U.S. average (EIA, June 2026): 33.3% above, the #10 highest of 51 jurisdictions. The Northeast average across 9 states is 26.71¢/kWh. At 900 kWh a month that is about $219.96, against $165.06 at the U.S. average.
Is electricity in Vermont getting more expensive?
Over the past 12 months the rate rose 6.3% (23.00¢/kWh → 24.44¢/kWh), and over five years it rose 26.4% (19.34¢/kWh → 24.44¢/kWh). In EIA data from January 2001 to June 2026, the rate peaked at 25.16¢/kWh in November 2024 and bottomed at 12.04¢/kWh in April 2001. The full monthly series is on the Vermont electricity price history page.
What can I do about a high electric bill in Vermont?
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. Green Mountain Power's standard residential tariff adds $19.05 a month before the first kilowatt-hour, 1.07¢/kWh in riders, for an all-in 24.65¢/kWh at 900 kWh. The high-bill guide walks through the eight usual causes.