If you’re looking at a bill, start with the unit beside the number. This glossary explains kWh and a few nearby terms. You can explore the bigger picture in our guides to how electricity works.
What does kWh mean on your electric bill?
The kWh figure shows electricity usage for the stated billing period.[2] Use the dates printed on your bill when you read that figure.
That quantity doesn’t tell you the whole cost. Your rate and other charges also affect what you pay.[3] Our guide helps you find the usage and charges on your bill.
For the journey behind that usage, see how electricity gets to your home.
How much electricity is 1 kWh?
How long it takes to use 1 kWh depends on the power draw—the amount of power a device uses.[4] Here’s an example with a made-up device.
The example assumes that draw stays the same for the full time. It isn’t a measured appliance result. Power tells you how fast a device uses energy; time tells you how long that draw continues.[4]
How much does 1 kWh cost?
The US residential average was 18.16 cents per kWh in August 2026.[5] EIA labels that figure a preliminary estimate, rather than a final value.[5] It’s a national benchmark, rather than a quoted price for your account.
To calculate a usage charge, multiply kWh by the price in dollars per kWh.[3] Check the units before you multiply: cents and dollars are different ways to write the same price.
Use your own bill’s price when you work out your usage charge. A supply price alone doesn’t include every charge on your bill.[3]
How many kWh does a home use each month?
Calculated from EIA’s 2025 sales and account totals, US residential purchases averaged about 874 kWh per account each month.[6,7] The calculation divides annual residential sales by the number of residential accounts, then by 12 months.[6,7] That’s an annual total divided across months, rather than a measured result for a particular month.
This national account average isn’t a target for your apartment or home. It doesn’t tell you what a typical apartment uses, or forecast your next bill. Start with your own usage history when you want to compare periods at home.
These terms describe power, price and how electricity reaches your home.[3,4]
What is a watt?
A watt (W) measures power at a particular moment.[4] It tells you about the draw, while kWh includes how long that draw lasts.[4]
What is a kilowatt?
A kilowatt (kW) measures power and equals 1,000 watts.[4]
What is a rate per kWh?
A rate per kWh is the price for each kilowatt-hour you use.[3]
What does supply mean?
Supply means the electricity itself.[3]
What does delivery mean?
Delivery covers the wires and other infrastructure that bring electricity to your home.[3] For more detail, see what supply and delivery charges cover.
What is a price to compare?
In New Jersey, the price to compare is the utility’s supply benchmark per kWh, covering generation and transmission.[8] That supply benchmark doesn’t represent the full amount you’ll pay on your electricity bill.[8] Our price-to-compare guide explains the benchmark and what to check before comparing an offer.
How Public Grid helps
Public Grid tracks usage and bills for your connected electricity account.[9] To keep track of the kWh you use over time, you can connect your electricity account. It’s free to sign up, with no contracts.[9]
Common questions
Sources · 9
- 1Glossary: K · U.S. Energy Information Administration
- 2Frequently Asked Questions: About Bills · Con Edison
- 3Understanding your electric bill · Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities
- 4Measuring electricity · U.S. Energy Information Administration
- 5Electric Power Monthly: Table 5.6.A, August 2026 · U.S. Energy Information Administration
Show all 9Show fewer
- 6Electric Power Annual: Table 2.2, residential sales · U.S. Energy Information Administration
- 7Electric Power Annual: Table 2.11, residential accounts · U.S. Energy Information Administration
- 8The Price to Compare · New Jersey Board of Public Utilities
- 9Public Grid home page: usage, bills and sign-up · Public Grid
