Energy costs in North Carolina (NC)
Every figure we hold for North Carolina, on one page. Each links to the working behind it.
A heating state
North Carolina runs about 3,300 heating degree days against 1,600 cooling ones, so the heating system does most of the work and is where an upgrade pays off. Its electricity bill peaks in July.
Electricity
15.16¢
per kWh
Gas $3.29/therm ›
Typical bill
$152
a month
Peaks at $203 ›
Air conditioning
$246
a year
$0.32 an hour ›
Heating
$890
a season
Heat pump is cheaper ›
Solar payback
9.3 yrs
on a 6 kW system
Generates at 6.4¢/kWh ›
Cities in North Carolina
Prices are the same statewide, but solar production is not — each city page models it at that city's own coordinates.
Common questions
How much does energy cost in North Carolina?
Electricity is 15.16¢ per kilowatt hour and natural gas $3.29 per therm. A typical household pays about $152 a month for electricity.
Does North Carolina spend more on heating or cooling?
Heating. North Carolina runs about 3,300 heating degree days against 1,600 cooling ones, so winter dominates and the heating system is where money is worth spending.
For your own home
Everything above describes a 1,800 square foot home at North Carolina average prices. The calculators take your ZIP code and your own numbers.
Open the calculatorsPrices from the US Energy Information Administration, 2026-07. Solar production modelled by NREL. Heating and cooling loads estimated from North Carolina's degree days. Estimates, not quotes.