Monthly Utility Bills Price History
1980–2025 · EIA / Census Bureau
The average monthly household utility bill in the United States, covering electricity, gas, and water combined, tracked annually from 1980 through 2025. This is the number that actually shows up in people's mailboxes and bank statements every month. It crept up slowly through the 1980s and 1990s, barely noticed by most families, then accelerated sharply after 2000 as energy prices climbed and homes got bigger. The post-pandemic surge pushed bills past $300 for the first time, squeezing budgets that were already stretched thin.
Price in 1980
$78.00
Price in 2025
$340.00
Total Change
+335.9%
Years Tracked
45
Monthly Utility Bills Over Time
Compare to inflation: The chart above shows nominal (not inflation-adjusted) prices. Use the toggle to switch to inflation-adjusted values when available, or try the inflation calculator to convert any amount between years.
Key Insights
- The average monthly utility bill has more than quadrupled since 1980, rising from $78 to $340, but median household income has only roughly tripled over the same period — meaning utilities are quietly eating a bigger share of the family budget.
- Bills barely moved between 2009 and 2019, hovering in the $228-$258 range for a full decade, thanks to the shale gas revolution that kept natural gas prices historically low.
- The 2020-2022 period was a shock: bills jumped from $255 to $310 in just two years, driven by post-pandemic energy price spikes, a colder-than-average winter in 2021, and surging natural gas costs.
- Water and sewer charges have actually been the fastest-growing component of utility bills since 2010, rising about 50% while electricity costs grew just 25%, though most people still blame their electric bill first.
Year-by-Year Data
| Year | Price (USD per month) | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | $78.00 | — |
| 1981 | $89.00 | +14.1% |
| 1982 | $97.00 | +9.0% |
| 1983 | $102.00 | +5.2% |
| 1984 | $107.00 | +4.9% |
| 1985 | $110.00 | +2.8% |
| 1986 | $106.00 | -3.6% |
| 1987 | $108.00 | +1.9% |
| 1988 | $112.00 | +3.7% |
| 1989 | $118.00 | +5.4% |
| 1990 | $126.00 | +6.8% |
| 1991 | $132.00 | +4.8% |
| 1992 | $133.00 | +0.8% |
| 1993 | $137.00 | +3.0% |
| 1994 | $140.00 | +2.2% |
| 1995 | $142.00 | +1.4% |
| 1996 | $148.00 | +4.2% |
| 1997 | $150.00 | +1.4% |
| 1998 | $148.00 | -1.3% |
| 1999 | $151.00 | +2.0% |
| 2000 | $165.00 | +9.3% |
| 2001 | $178.00 | +7.9% |
| 2002 | $170.00 | -4.5% |
| 2003 | $179.00 | +5.3% |
| 2004 | $186.00 | +3.9% |
| 2005 | $202.00 | +8.6% |
| 2006 | $218.00 | +7.9% |
| 2007 | $220.00 | +0.9% |
| 2008 | $234.00 | +6.4% |
| 2009 | $228.00 | -2.6% |
| 2010 | $230.00 | +0.9% |
| 2011 | $237.00 | +3.0% |
| 2012 | $235.00 | -0.8% |
| 2013 | $241.00 | +2.6% |
| 2014 | $245.00 | +1.7% |
| 2015 | $243.00 | -0.8% |
| 2016 | $241.00 | -0.8% |
| 2017 | $248.00 | +2.9% |
| 2018 | $252.00 | +1.6% |
| 2019 | $258.00 | +2.4% |
| 2020 | $255.00 | -1.2% |
| 2021 | $270.00 | +5.9% |
| 2022 | $310.00 | +14.8% |
| 2023 | $325.00 | +4.8% |
| 2024 | $332.00 | +2.2% |
| 2025 | $340.00 | +2.4% |
Sources & Methodology
Average monthly combined residential utility expenditure (electricity, natural gas, water/sewer) estimated from EIA Residential Energy Consumption Survey data and Census Bureau American Housing Survey figures.
Primary source: EIA / Census Bureau
For a full explanation of how we collect and adjust data, see our methodology page.