Energy costs in South Carolina
Every figure we hold for South Carolina, on one page. Each links to the working behind it.
Both seasons matter here
South Carolina sits between the two — 2,400 heating degree days against 2,100 cooling ones. With both seasons in play, one machine doing both jobs is worth more here than in states with a single dominant season. Its electricity bill peaks in July.
Electricity
16.18¢
per kWh
Gas $2.64/therm ›
Typical bill
$164
a month
Peaks at $222 ›
Air conditioning
$385
a year
$0.41 an hour ›
Heating
$691
a season
Heat pump is cheaper ›
Solar payback
8.6 yrs
on a 6 kW system
Generates at 6.2¢/kWh ›
Common questions
How much does energy cost in South Carolina?
Electricity is 16.18¢ per kilowatt hour and natural gas $2.64 per therm. A typical household pays about $164 a month for electricity.
Does South Carolina spend more on heating or cooling?
Neither dominates in South Carolina — 2,400 heating degree days against 2,100 cooling ones. Both seasons matter, which is unusual and makes a heat pump doing double duty more attractive than it is elsewhere.
For your own home
Everything above describes a 1,800 square foot home at South Carolina average prices. The calculators take your ZIP code and your own numbers.
Open the calculatorsPrices from the US Energy Information Administration, 2026-05. Solar production modelled by NREL. Heating and cooling loads estimated from South Carolina's degree days. Estimates, not quotes.