Energy costs in Durham, NC
Energy prices are published by state, not by city, so the rates and bills below are North Carolina figures and apply to Durham the same as anywhere else in the state. The solar production is different: that is modelled for Durham's own coordinates, and it varies a lot within a single state.
Solar at Durham's coordinates
8,159kWh a year from 6 kW
That is close to the North Carolina average, so the state figure would not have misled you here. At 15.09¢ a kilowatt hour it pays back in about 9.6 years with full net metering.
Electricity · North Carolina
15.09¢
per kWh, statewide ›
Typical bill · North Carolina
$150
a month, statewide ›
Air conditioning
$245
a year, statewide ›
Heating
$886
a season, statewide ›
Common questions
What is the electricity rate in Durham?
15.09¢ per kilowatt hour. That is the North Carolina residential average from the EIA — rates are published per state, not per city, so it applies across Durham and the rest of North Carolina alike.
What is the average electric bill in Durham?
About $150 a month for a typical North Carolina household. Again this is a state figure: EIA reports revenue and customer counts by state, so a city-level bill would be an invention.
Is solar worth it in Durham?
A 6 kW system at Durham's coordinates is modelled at about 8,159 kilowatt hours a year, which pays for itself in roughly 9.6 years at North Carolina electricity prices with full net metering. This one is genuinely local — production is modelled for this point, not the state.
Other cities in North Carolina
Everything for North Carolina
Rates, bills, heating, cooling and solar for the whole state, with the working behind each figure.
North Carolina energy costsCoordinates from the US Census Bureau place gazetteer. Solar production modelled by NREL PVWatts for those coordinates, south-facing at 20°. Prices from the US Energy Information Administration, residential sector, 2026-05, published per state.