Mapped: North Carolina's average energy costs by county
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Depending on where you live in North Carolina, your energy bill is either slightly above or just below the American average.
Why it matters: Consumers are facing rising energy prices due to the war in Iran and the surge in data centers.
Driving the news: In 2025, Americans spent an average estimated $158/month on their home electric bills, per a new Axios analysis of data collected and shared by climate newsroom Heatmap News.
Zoom in: In Wake County, the average electric bill was $164 a month. But in neighboring Durham County, the average was $143 a month.
- That quirk is due to the counties being split between Duke Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Progress, two entities that have been separate from a regulatory standpoint, but are now attempting to merge.
Between the lines: Concerns over rising prices have drawn more attention to Duke Energy's current rate increase request with North Carolina's Utilities Commission.
- Duke Energy asked regulators last year for permission to raise rates for residential customers by more than 16% by 2028.
- The Utilities Commission is holding public hearings on the matter throughout the spring before the Republican-majority commission makes a ruling.