You know already that big blue blob states are raising taxes, but that isn’t the only way legislators are raising the cost of living for their residents. Blue states have much higher electricity bills, with costs per kWh for the top five states (all blue) all above $0.25, according to the Institute for Energy Research (IER).
- Hawaii 35.83 cents
- California 27.05 cents
- Connecticut 26.69 cents
- Rhode Island 26.05 cents
- Massachusetts 25.55 cents
Prices per kWh in the lowest cost states (all red) were below 9.74 (the list includes Washington, D.C., which is why North Dakota is ranked 51st).
- Idaho 9.67 cents
- Nebraska 9.62 cents
- Louisiana 9.50 cents
- Oklahoma 9.31 cents
- North Dakota 8.27 cents
IER published a map of electricity rates on X.com:
Electricity affordability is shaped primarily by state policy choices, and states choosing the most expensive path are overwhelmingly blue.
Americans deserve leaders who recognize that keeping the lights on at a modest price isn’t optional. pic.twitter.com/rJsBQ5X2G3
— Institute for Energy Research (@IERenergy) March 6, 2026
In the study, the IER concludes that policy differences are responsible for the differences in price for consumers, writing:
Electricity affordability is a function of state-level policy choices. States that have embraced aggressive renewable mandates, 100% “carbon-free” targets, premature coal and nuclear retirements, rooftop-solar cost shifting, and restrictions on natural gas infrastructure routinely deliver the nation’s highest electricity prices. California and New York, the poster children for this approach, now charge their residents and businesses significantly more than the national average, with price increases that have consistently outpaced the rest of the country.
In contrast, states that have prioritized dispatchable, affordable generation consistently deliver the lowest electricity prices. Florida keeps rates below the national average despite near-universal air-conditioning demand and frequent hurricanes. Louisiana enjoys the third-lowest rates in the nation while utilizing its abundant natural gas resources. Both states have done so under sustained Republican governance that has largely rejected the renewable-mandate model.
Americans pay dramatically different electric bills depending on which party controls their state capitol. High electricity prices are not an inevitability; they are a choice. And in state after state, they are a choice made by left-wing policymakers who have prioritized climate symbolism over working families’ budgets
Action Line: Affordability means a lot to families and businesses. Money will go where it’s treated best. If you’re looking for a better America, begin your search with Your Survival Guy’s 2026 Super States. And click here to subscribe to my free monthly Survive & Thrive letter.
