Texas Energy Costs Not the Worst in the Nation, Unless …

Texas isn’t the worst when it comes to energy costs (that dubious honor goes to Connecticut) or the best (Washington D.C.). In fact, the Lone Star State is toward the bottom when it comes to overall costs, however, anybody with an electric bill and a desire to avoid sweating will be wholly unsurprised to know that Texas ranks in the top 20 when it comes to electricity costs.

The personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2019’s Most and Least Energy-Expensive States, and Texas was ranked 32nd overall.

WalletHub compared the average monthly energy bills in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia using a special formula that accounts for the following residential energy types: electricity, natural gas, motor fuel, and home heating oil.

When it came to overall costs, Texas averages $295 per month. But the state ranks 11th in monthly electricity costs ($140) and 28th in monthly motor fuel costs ($134). Texas had relatively low costs for natural gas ($20 per month, putting the state at 39th) and heating oil (which isn’t used in this state).

Other takeaways from the report:

• Hawaii has the lowest average monthly consumption of electricity per consumer, 481 kWh, which is 2.9 times lower than in Louisiana, the highest at 1,416 kWh.
• Washington has the lowest average retail price for electricity, $0.0966 per kWh, which is 3.1 times lower than in Hawaii, the highest at $0.2950 per kWh.
• Montana has the lowest average residential price for natural gas, $7.62 per 1,000 cubic feet, which is 5.1 times lower than in Hawaii, the highest at $38.88 per 1,000 cubic feet.
• The District of Columbia has the lowest average monthly motor-fuel consumption per driver, 22.52 gallons, which is 3.3 times lower than in Wyoming, the highest at 74.25 gallons.

To see the full report, click here.