According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for electricity are 810.52% higher in 2023 versus 1938 (a $810.52 difference in value).
The current national average price is $0.17 for "Electricity per KWH". This data is collected by a national survey and can vary from region to region.
Between 1938 and 2023: Electricity experienced an average inflation rate of 2.63% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, electricity costing $100 in the year 1938 would cost $910.52 in 2023 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.68% during this same period, inflation for electricity was lower.
In the year 1938: Pricing changed by -1.34%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for electricity during the 1938-2023 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1938 (-2.03%), inflation for electricity was higher.
The average price for Electricity is calculated from a weighted average of retailer data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Inflation rate is also calculated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The table below shows average prices and their corresponding "real" prices adjusted for inflation rate. To understand how price levels differ from inflation rates, see this article published by the BLS.
Average prices for Electricity per KWH:
| Year | Average price (Electricity) | Inflation adjusted price (2023 dollars) |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $0.17 (latest available value) | $0.17 |
| 2022 | $0.16 | $0.17 |
| 2021 | $0.14 | $0.17 |
| 2020 | $0.14 | $0.17 |
| 2019 | $0.14 | $0.17 |
| 2018 | $0.14 | $0.17 |
| 2017 | $0.14 | $0.17 |
| 2016 | $0.14 | $0.17 |
| 2015 | $0.14 | $0.18 |
| 2014 | $0.14 | $0.18 |
| 2013 | $0.13 | $0.18 |
| 2012 | $0.13 | $0.18 |
| 2011 | $0.13 | $0.18 |
| 2010 | $0.13 | $0.18 |
| 2009 | $0.13 | $0.18 |
| 2008 | $0.12 | $0.18 |
| 2007 | $0.12 | $0.18 |
| 2006 | $0.11 | $0.18 |
| 2005 | $0.10 | $0.18 |
| 2004 | $0.09 | $0.18 |
| 2003 | $0.09 | $0.18 |
| 2002 | $0.09 | $0.18 |
| 2001 | $0.09 | $0.18 |
| 2000 | $0.09 | $0.18 |
| 1999 | $0.09 | $0.18 |
| 1998 | $0.09 | $0.18 |
| 1997 | $0.09 | $0.19 |
| 1996 | $0.09 | $0.19 |
| 1995 | $0.09 | $0.19 |
| 1994 | $0.09 | $0.19 |
| 1993 | $0.09 | $0.19 |
| 1992 | $0.09 | $0.19 |
| 1991 | $0.09 | $0.19 |
| 1990 | $0.08 | $0.19 |
| 1989 | $0.08 | $0.19 |
| 1988 | $0.08 | $0.19 |
| 1987 | $0.08 | $0.19 |
| 1986 | $0.08 | $0.19 |
| 1985 | $0.08 | $0.20 |
| 1984 | $0.08 | $0.21 |
| 1983 | $0.08 | $0.21 |
| 1982 | $0.08 | $0.21 |
| 1981 | $0.07 | $0.21 |
| 1980 | $0.06 | $0.21 |
| 1979 | $0.05 | $0.21 |
| 1978 | $0.05 | $0.20 |
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Electricity, over time, for $100 beginning in 1938. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1938 | $100.00 | -1.34% |
| 1939 | $98.37 | -1.63% |
| 1940 | $97.35 | -1.04% |
| 1941 | $96.65 | -0.71% |
| 1942 | $96.26 | -0.41% |
| 1943 | $96.10 | -0.16% |
| 1944 | $95.87 | -0.25% |
| 1945 | $95.34 | -0.55% |
| 1946 | $91.76 | -3.76% |
| 1947 | $90.52 | -1.35% |
| 1948 | $91.50 | 1.08% |
| 1949 | $92.18 | 0.74% |
| 1950 | $92.52 | 0.37% |
| 1951 | $93.20 | 0.74% |
| 1952 | $94.03 | 0.90% |
| 1953 | $95.21 | 1.25% |
| 1954 | $95.71 | 0.52% |
| 1955 | $96.81 | 1.15% |
| 1956 | $97.20 | 0.41% |
| 1957 | $97.67 | 0.48% |
| 1958 | $98.90 | 1.26% |
| 1959 | $100.31 | 1.43% |
| 1960 | $101.54 | 1.23% |
| 1961 | $101.70 | 0.15% |
| 1962 | $101.86 | 0.15% |
| 1963 | $101.83 | -0.03% |
| 1964 | $101.31 | -0.51% |
| 1965 | $100.89 | -0.41% |
| 1966 | $100.92 | 0.03% |
| 1967 | $101.78 | 0.86% |
| 1968 | $102.69 | 0.90% |
| 1969 | $104.60 | 1.86% |
| 1970 | $108.11 | 3.35% |
| 1971 | $115.25 | 6.61% |
| 1972 | $121.01 | 4.99% |
| 1973 | $127.11 | 5.04% |
| 1974 | $150.08 | 18.07% |
| 1975 | $169.94 | 13.23% |
| 1976 | $180.72 | 6.34% |
| 1977 | $192.67 | 6.62% |
| 1978 | $206.93 | 7.40% |
| 1979 | $222.92 | 7.73% |
| 1980 | $257.93 | 15.70% |
| 1981 | $296.62 | 15.00% |
| 1982 | $325.93 | 9.88% |
| 1983 | $336.45 | 3.23% |
| 1984 | $358.03 | 6.42% |
| 1985 | $370.54 | 3.49% |
| 1986 | $375.51 | 1.34% |
| 1987 | $374.23 | -0.34% |
| 1988 | $379.36 | 1.37% |
| 1989 | $390.03 | 2.81% |
| 1990 | $399.16 | 2.34% |
| 1991 | $414.21 | 3.77% |
| 1992 | $422.37 | 1.97% |
| 1993 | $430.80 | 1.99% |
| 1994 | $430.98 | 0.04% |
| 1995 | $440.74 | 2.26% |
| 1996 | $448.14 | 1.68% |
| 1997 | $450.52 | 0.53% |
| 1998 | $433.18 | -3.85% |
| 1999 | $430.12 | -0.71% |
| 2000 | $437.00 | 1.60% |
| 2001 | $468.68 | 7.25% |
| 2002 | $463.37 | -1.13% |
| 2003 | $474.44 | 2.39% |
| 2004 | $483.28 | 1.86% |
| 2005 | $513.00 | 6.15% |
| 2006 | $575.41 | 12.16% |
| 2007 | $598.04 | 3.93% |
| 2008 | $636.55 | 6.44% |
| 2009 | $655.48 | 2.97% |
| 2010 | $656.79 | 0.20% |
| 2011 | $669.17 | 1.89% |
| 2012 | $668.81 | -0.05% |
| 2013 | $682.82 | 2.10% |
| 2014 | $707.55 | 3.62% |
| 2015 | $711.53 | 0.56% |
| 2016 | $704.02 | -1.06% |
| 2017 | $719.17 | 2.15% |
| 2018 | $724.26 | 0.71% |
| 2019 | $725.72 | 0.20% |
| 2020 | $729.98 | 0.59% |
| 2021 | $761.54 | 4.32% |
| 2022 | $860.98 | 13.06% |
| 2023 | $910.52 | 5.75%* |
* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.
** Extended periods of 0% inflation usually indicate incomplete underlying data. This can manifest as a sharp increase in inflation later on.
Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for Electricity:
| Year | 1913 | 1914 | 1915 | 1916 | 1917 | 1918 | 1919 | 1920 | 1921 | 1922 | 1923 | 1924 | 1925 | 1926 | 1927 | 1928 | 1929 | 1930 | 1931 | 1932 | 1933 | 1934 | 1935 | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
| CPI | 45.500 | 44.250 | 42.950 | 41.850 | 40.750 | 41.433 | 42.500 | 42.667 | 43.300 | 42.740 | 41.900 | 41.600 | 41.067 | 40.533 | 39.933 | 39.133 | 37.767 | 37.133 | 36.533 | 36.267 | 35.567 | 33.000 | 31.620 | 30.533 | 29.800 | 29.400 | 28.920 | 28.620 | 28.415 | 28.300 | 28.254 | 28.185 | 28.031 | 26.977 | 26.613 | 26.900 | 27.100 | 27.200 | 27.400 | 27.646 | 27.992 | 28.138 | 28.462 | 28.577 | 28.715 | 29.077 | 29.492 | 29.854 | 29.900 | 29.946 | 29.938 | 29.785 | 29.662 | 29.669 | 29.923 | 30.192 | 30.754 | 31.785 | 33.885 | 35.577 | 37.369 | 44.123 | 49.962 | 53.131 | 56.646 | 60.838 | 65.538 | 75.831 | 87.208 | 95.823 | 98.915 | 105.262 | 108.938 | 110.400 | 110.023 | 111.531 | 114.669 | 117.354 | 121.777 | 124.177 | 126.654 | 126.708 | 129.577 | 131.754 | 132.454 | 127.354 | 126.454 | 128.477 | 137.792 | 136.231 | 139.485 | 142.085 | 150.823 | 169.169 | 175.825 | 187.146 | 192.712 | 193.095 | 196.737 | 196.630 | 200.750 | 208.020 | 209.191 | 206.983 | 211.437 | 212.932 | 213.362 | 214.615 | 223.892 | 253.127 | 267.693 |