Why is electricity so cheap in Idaho?
EIA data for , updated · Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration
Idaho pays 13.37¢/kWh for residential electricity, 26.4% below the U.S. average of 18.16¢/kWh and the #5 lowest of 51 jurisdictions. At 900 kWh a month that is about $120.33, against $163.44 at the U.S. average.
Rates are EIA residential averages (EIA data for August 2026, updated Oct 28, 2026). The U.S. average is the EIA U.S.-total residential price; rank and region figures compare the 51 jurisdiction averages.
How Idaho compares
| Measure | Idaho |
|---|---|
| Residential rate (EIA, August 2026) | 13.37¢/kWh |
| U.S. average (EIA) | 18.16¢/kWh |
| Difference | −26.4% (−4.79¢) |
| Rank among 51 jurisdictions | #47 highest (#5 lowest) |
| West average (13 states) | 19.62¢/kWh |
| Affordability tier | Very Affordable (index 98/100) |
| 12-month change | rose 10.7% (12.08¢/kWh → 13.37¢/kWh) |
| 5-year change | rose 24.8% (10.71¢/kWh → 13.37¢/kWh) |
See every state in one ranked table on electricity cost per kWh by state or the West region.
What the EIA series shows for Idaho
- Past 12 months (August 2025 → August 2026)
- The Idaho residential rate rose 10.7% (+1.29¢/kWh), from 12.08¢ in August 2025 to 13.37¢ in August 2026.
- Past 5 years (August 2021 → August 2026)
- The rate rose 24.8% (+2.66¢/kWh), from 10.71¢ in August 2021 to 13.37¢ in August 2026.
- Past 10 years (August 2016 → August 2026)
- The rate rose 27.8% (+2.91¢/kWh), from 10.46¢ in August 2016 to 13.37¢ in August 2026.
- Highest and lowest month on record
- In this series the Idaho rate peaked at 14.37¢/kWh in June 2026 and bottomed at 5.21¢/kWh in January 2001. The series covers January 2001 to August 2026.
- Steepest 12-month increase
- The largest single-year move in the series ended in January 2002: the rate rose 25.9% (+1.35¢/kWh), from 5.21¢ in January 2001 to 6.56¢ in January 2002. 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 33.0%, so Idaho's +24.8% lagged the nationwide move by 8.2 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 (August 2021 → August 2026)
- Measured over that identical five-year window, Idaho's change is the 30th 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 August 2026 the rate peaked at 14.37¢/kWh in June 2026 and bottomed at 5.21¢/kWh in January 2001.
Every month is charted on the Idaho electricity price history page, with the year-over-year table and the same measured facts.
What sits on top of the rate in Idaho
Idaho Power's standard residential tariff adds $15.00 a month before the first kilowatt-hour, 0.33¢/kWh in riders, for an all-in 13.24¢/kWh at 900 kWh.
The line items are on hidden electricity fees and taxes for Idaho.
What generally moves electricity rates
A rate series shows what changed, not why. This dataset records Idaho's residential rate and nothing about what moved it, and no reviewed Idaho 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 Idaho bill
| Monthly usage | Idaho (13.37¢/kWh) | U.S. average (18.16¢/kWh) |
|---|---|---|
| 650 kWh | $86.90 | $118.04 |
| 900 kWh | $120.33 | $163.44 |
| 1,200 kWh | $160.44 | $217.92 |
| 1,600 kWh | $213.92 | $290.56 |
- Average electric bill in Idaho, by home size and city.
- Estimate a Idaho bill from your own usage.
- Why is my electric bill so high? When the rate is low but the bill is not.
Frequently asked questions
Why is electricity so cheap in Idaho?
Idaho pays 13.37¢/kWh for residential electricity, 26.4% below the U.S. average of 18.16¢/kWh and the #5 lowest of 51 jurisdictions. Over the past 12 months the rate rose 10.7% (12.08¢/kWh → 13.37¢/kWh), and over five years it rose 24.8% (10.71¢/kWh → 13.37¢/kWh). The EIA series records the rate and nothing about what moved it, and no reviewed Idaho driver analysis is published yet, so no cause is claimed here.
How does Idaho's electricity rate compare with the U.S. average?
13.37¢/kWh in Idaho against 18.16¢/kWh for the U.S. average (EIA, August 2026): 26.4% below, the #5 lowest of 51 jurisdictions. The West average across 13 states is 19.62¢/kWh. At 900 kWh a month that is about $120.33, against $163.44 at the U.S. average.
Is electricity in Idaho getting more expensive?
Over the past 12 months the rate rose 10.7% (12.08¢/kWh → 13.37¢/kWh), and over five years it rose 24.8% (10.71¢/kWh → 13.37¢/kWh). In EIA data from January 2001 to August 2026, the rate peaked at 14.37¢/kWh in June 2026 and bottomed at 5.21¢/kWh in January 2001. The full monthly series is on the Idaho electricity price history page.
How much is a typical electric bill in Idaho?
At 900 kWh a month that is about $120.33, against $163.44 at the U.S. average. 650 kWh: about $86.90; 900 kWh: about $120.33; 1,200 kWh: about $160.44; 1,600 kWh: about $213.92. Idaho Power's standard residential tariff adds $15.00 a month before the first kilowatt-hour, 0.33¢/kWh in riders, for an all-in 13.24¢/kWh at 900 kWh.