Quick answer: The average U.S. home uses about 863 to 899 kWh of electricity per month (EIA). The average California home uses about 503 kWh per month (EIA 2024). For most California single-family homes in 2026, 400 to 900 kWh a month is normal. Above 1,000 kWh usually means heavy AC, an EV or a pool.
Here is the pattern we see on almost every California utility bill we review: the kWh number looks small and the dollar number looks huge. California homes use roughly 40% less electricity than the U.S. average, but pay about twice as much per kWh. So a “normal” 600 kWh month here can cost more than a 900 kWh month in Texas. That is why knowing your normal monthly kWh is the first step, not the last.
Key takeaways
- U.S. average: about 863 kWh per month (2024). California average: about 503 kWh per month.
- 1,000 kWh a month is high for California and roughly average for the U.S.
- At June 2026 average rates, 1,000 kWh costs about $340 on PG&E or SCE and about $455 on SDG&E.
- Your 12-month average, not one summer bill, is your real “normal.”
Is my kWh usage normal?
Compare your electric bill with the average California home and see what is driving your usage. Takes 30 seconds.
How many kWh per month is normal?
A normal home uses 300 to 1,000 kWh per month. Apartments sit at the low end, large homes with AC at the high end. The U.S. Energy Information Administration puts the national average at 863 kWh a month in 2024 and 899 kWh a month in 2022.
Normal monthly kWh by household type
| Household type | Typical kWh per month | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Studio or 1-bedroom | 200 to 500 | Often no central AC |
| 2-bedroom apartment | 300 to 700 | Depends on AC and electric cooking |
| Small house | 400 to 900 | Climate and heating type matter most |
| Average single-family home | 600 to 1,000 | Close to the national average |
| Large home with AC | 1,000 to 2,000+ | Highest in inland and desert summers |
| Any home plus an EV | Add 200 to 500 | About 300 kWh per 1,000 miles |
Source: EIA residential consumption data and our California installs.
Want the daily view instead? See normal daily kWh usage. Multiply daily kWh by 30 for a monthly estimate: 20 kWh a day is about 600 kWh a month.
What is the average kWh usage per month in California?
The average California home uses about 503 kWh per month, according to EIA’s 2024 data for the state’s 14.2 million residential customers. That is about 6,000 kWh a year, compared with about 10,400 kWh for the U.S.
The state average hides huge swings. The California Public Advocates Office shows a typical home in SCE’s hot inland climate zone 15 using about 700 kWh a month, against about 385 kWh in cool coastal zone 6 (Q2 2026 rates report).
Monthly kWh by California utility territory
| Territory | Typical summer month | Typical winter month |
|---|---|---|
| PG&E coastal (San Francisco, Peninsula, Santa Cruz) | 300 to 450 kWh | 300 to 420 kWh |
| PG&E Central Valley (Fresno, Sacramento area, Bakersfield) | 1,000 to 1,600 kWh | 420 to 600 kWh |
| SCE inland (Inland Empire, Santa Clarita, Antelope Valley) | 800 to 1,300 kWh | 380 to 550 kWh |
| SDG&E coastal and inland | 400 to 900 kWh | 330 to 500 kWh |
| LADWP (City of Los Angeles) | 600 to 1,100 kWh | 350 to 520 kWh |
Source: planning ranges from our California installs, anchored to the Public Advocates Office climate-zone examples.
What is the average monthly kWh usage?
The average monthly kWh usage is about 863 kWh in the U.S. and about 503 kWh in California. If your 12-month average is under 600 kWh and you live in California, you are using less than most single-family homes in the state.
Average monthly kWh usage by home size
Home size drives monthly kWh mainly through cooling. The bigger the space you cool, the more kWh you use, especially inland.
Monthly kWh by home size (12-month average)
| Home size | California typical | U.S. typical |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 sq ft | 300 to 450 kWh | 600 to 750 kWh |
| 1,500 sq ft | 400 to 600 kWh | 750 to 950 kWh |
| 2,000 sq ft | 500 to 750 kWh | 900 to 1,100 kWh |
| 2,500 sq ft | 600 to 900 kWh | 1,050 to 1,300 kWh |
| 3,000 sq ft | 700 to 1,050 kWh | 1,200 to 1,500 kWh |
Source: planning ranges from our California installs and EIA state averages; no EV or pool.
Takeaway: a 3,000 sq ft California home uses about what a 1,500 sq ft home uses nationally.
Average kWh usage for a 2,000 sq ft home
A 2,000 sq ft home in California uses about 500 to 750 kWh per month on a 12-month average. Inland, July and August can run 1,000 kWh or more. Nationally, the same home averages 900 to 1,100 kWh a month.
Is 1,000 kWh a month a lot? (500 to 4,000 kWh explained)
1,000 kWh a month is a lot for California, about twice the state average. For the U.S., it is only slightly above average. Here is how each level compares.
Is X kWh a month a lot? With estimated monthly cost
| Monthly kWh | Verdict for California | PG&E or SCE (about 34 cents) | SDG&E (about 45.5 cents) | U.S. average price (16.5 cents) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500 | Normal, right at the state average | $170 | $228 | $82 |
| 1,000 | High, about 2x the state average | $340 | $455 | $165 |
| 1,500 | Very high, usually AC plus an EV or pool | $510 | $683 | $247 |
| 2,000 | Very high, large home with several big loads | $680 | $910 | $330 |
| 3,000 | Extreme for a single home | $1,020 | $1,365 | $494 |
| 4,000 | Extreme, about 8x the state average | $1,360 | $1,820 | $659 |
Source: average residential rates as of June 2026 from the Public Advocates Office Q2 2026 report; U.S. price from EIA 2024. Estimates only: real bills depend on your rate plan, time of use and CARE or FERA discounts.
- 500 kWh: normal for California. A typical coastal home or a modest inland home outside summer.
- 1,000 kWh: high for California. Common in an inland summer; on the coast it often points to an EV or electric heat.
- 1,500 to 2,000 kWh: a large home with central AC running daily, plus a pool or EV.
- 3,000 to 4,000 kWh: typical only of very large homes, electric resistance heating, or properties with multiple EVs, a workshop or a well pump.
How much does 1,000 kWh cost in California?
1,000 kWh costs roughly $340 a month on PG&E or SCE and about $455 on SDG&E, based on June 2026 average residential rates. On the U.S. average price it would be about $165.
Three things move your real number:
- Your rate plan. On time-of-use plans like PG&E’s E-TOU-C, SCE’s TOU-D-4-9PM or SDG&E’s TOU-DR1, kWh used from 4 to 9 p.m. costs more than kWh used midday. The same 1,000 kWh can cost very different amounts depending on when you use it. Check the current plan prices on your utility’s rate page; see current PG&E rates and SCE rate changes.
- The Base Services Charge. Most PG&E, SCE and SDG&E customers now pay a fixed charge of about $24 a month (about $6 for CARE and $12 for FERA), with lower per-kWh prices to offset it. PG&E added it in March 2026; SCE has charged it since November 2025 and SDG&E since October 2025 (PG&E).
- Discounts. CARE and FERA cut eligible bills substantially. The full breakdown is in our guide to the average California electric bill.
What pushes monthly kWh up: AC, EV, pool, electric heat
Four loads account for most high California bills:
- Air conditioning: can add 300 to 800 kWh a month in an inland summer.
- EV charging: about 300 kWh per 1,000 miles driven, so 200 to 500 kWh a month for most drivers.
- Pool pump: about 250 to 420 kWh a month for a single-speed pump (3,000 to 5,000 kWh a year, per the U.S. Department of Energy).
- Electric heat: resistance heaters or an older heat pump can add several hundred kWh in winter.
For appliance-by-appliance numbers, see the load list in our daily kWh guide.
How to find your normal monthly kWh on your bill
Your normal monthly kWh is your 12-month average. One bill tells you about a month; twelve tell you about your home.
- Sign in to your PG&E, SCE, SDG&E or LADWP account.
- Open the usage history and set the view to monthly for the last 12 months.
- Add the 12 months and divide by 12. That is your baseline.
- Treat anything within about 20% of it as normal. A 750 kWh baseline means 600 to 900 is normal for you.
The Green Button “Download My Data” export gives you the same numbers in a spreadsheet. It is also what we use to design a solar system.
Using monthly kWh to size solar and a battery
Multiply monthly kWh by 12, then divide by how much one kW of panels produces per year where you live. In most of California that is about 1,400 to 1,700 kWh per kW (NREL PVWatts).
Worked example: a home using 800 kWh a month uses 9,600 kWh a year. At 1,500 kWh per kW, that is 6.4 kW, or about 16 panels at 400 watts. Under NEM 3.0, exported solar earns far less than the power you buy at night, so most new California systems pair with a battery that covers the 4 to 9 p.m. peak. The full method is in how to size a solar system.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. 4,000 kWh a month is about eight times the California average and more than four times the U.S. average. At June 2026 average PG&E or SCE rates it would cost roughly $1,360 a month.
Air conditioning is the biggest driver in most California homes. EV charging, pool pumps and electric water heating follow. On a time-of-use plan, running those loads between 4 and 9 p.m. raises the bill most.
California residential customers paid an average of 31.97 cents per kWh in 2024 (EIA). By June 2026, average rates were about 34 cents on PG&E and SCE and about 45.5 cents on SDG&E (Public Advocates Office).
No. 20 kWh a day is about 600 kWh a month, a bit above the California average of 503 and well below the U.S. average of 863. It is normal for a single-family home.
In California, about 500 to 750 kWh a month on a 12-month average, with inland summer months reaching 1,000 kWh or more. Nationally, about 900 to 1,100 kWh.
About 300 kWh for every 1,000 miles you drive. Most California EV owners add 200 to 500 kWh a month charging at home.
Most 1-bedroom apartments use 200 to 500 kWh a month. Coastal units without AC are at the low end. Our guide to the electric bill for a 1-bedroom apartment shows what that means in dollars.
Related: electric bill for a 1-bedroom apartment.
Turn your monthly kWh into a solar plan
Your 12-month kWh history is all we need to design a system that fits your home and your rate plan. Get a quote in 2 minutes, or book a virtual consultation and we will walk through your usage with you.