Mapped: Our electric costs less
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Polk County residents spend an average estimated $96.59 a month on their home electric bills, per a new Axios analysis of data collected and shared by climate newsroom Heatmap News.
- That's more than $61 lower than the national average ($158).
Why it matters: Tensions over rising energy bills and power-hungry AI data centers are emerging as a key political issue, and should be a potent force in this year's midterms.
- Americans are also paying more for other forms of energy, like auto gas, amid the Iran war — though the ceasefire deal could lead to some relief, if it holds.
Context: Iowa leads the country in the share of electricity generated by wind, which can help buffer against fossil fuel price spikes.
- DSM-based MidAmerican Energy has attributed nearly $16 billion in wind and solar projects over the past two decades to helping keep its rates affordable.
Zoom out: Count yourself lucky you don't live in Nantucket County, Mass., where the average bill is $296, or San Francisco County, Calif. ($282), which had the highest monthly bill averages in the continental U.S. across 2025.