Methodology
The calculation and assumptions layer for this site. How we calculate electricity rates, inflation, affordability, battery recharge cost, and generator vs battery comparison. All formulas are documented below and implemented in open source.
Why methodology matters: Transparent formulas build trust and let you verify our numbers. We publish our assumptions so you can judge the data yourself.
How to verify this site
Review the methodology, inspect downloadable datasets, browse topic hubs, explore the site map and electricity hubs, and compare state rankings.
Core formulas
- How Electricity Rates Are Presented — Rates in ¢/kWh, conversion to monthly bill estimates
- How Electricity Inflation Is Calculated — 1-year and 5-year percentage changes
- How Electricity Affordability Is Estimated — Standard usage assumption, operating-cost comparison
- How Battery Recharge Cost Is Estimated — Capacity, efficiency, and charging losses
- How Generator vs Battery Cost Is Compared — Fixed assumptions for operating-cost comparison
Proprietary metrics
- Electricity Price Index™ — State rates normalized to a national baseline of 100
- Value Score™ — Composite score combining affordability, price, and data freshness
- Freshness Scoring — How we classify data as fresh, aging, or stale
Data foundation
All metrics use state-level average residential electricity prices (¢/kWh) from our normalized state dataset, grounded in the latest available U.S. Energy Information Administration state electricity data. See electricity data, datasets, sources, data policy, and about for data provenance and update cadence.
Explore
- Knowledge — National snapshot, state rankings, and methodology
- Electricity Trends — National price trends, inflation, and affordability
- Electricity Insights — Most expensive and cheapest states, key insights
- Download datasets — JSON and CSV exports for electricity prices and rankings
- View the site map · Browse electricity data · Review the launch checklist
Explore more
Context
- AI data centers and demand growth — How emerging demand patterns may affect electricity prices
About | Research | Data downloads | How to cite | Citations