Electricity cost in Illinois, 2026
Homes in Illinois paid an average of 19.22¢ per kWh from January–July 2026 — 6% above the U.S. average of 18.19¢, and up 10.7% from the same months of 2025. That ranks 36th cheapest of the 50 states and DC.
$51.89a month (30 days)
- Per hour of use
- $0.29
- Per day
- $1.73 · 9.00 kWh
- Per month
- 270.0 kWh
- Per year
- $631.38 · 3,285 kWh
Wattage on the nameplate is the maximum. Thermostat-controlled appliances (fridges, heaters, AC) cycle, so their real cost is usually lower; a plug-in meter tells you exactly.
What appliances cost to run in Illinois
At 19.22¢/kWh, 30-day month. Your utility's rate and fixed charges will differ; your bill's total divided by its kWh is your real price.
| Appliance | Watts | h/day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator (modern, ENERGY STAR) | 150 | 10 | $8.65 | $105.23 |
| Central AC, 3 ton | 3,500 | 8 | $161.45 | $1,964 |
| Window AC, 10,000 BTU | 900 | 8 | $41.52 | $505.10 |
| Space heater | 1,500 | 6 | $51.89 | $631.38 |
| Electric water heater | 4,500 | 3 | $77.84 | $947.07 |
| Electric clothes dryer | 5,400 | 0.75 | $23.35 | $284.12 |
| Dehumidifier | 785 | 12 | $54.32 | $660.84 |
| 55" LED TV | 100 | 5 | $2.88 | $35.08 |
| Desktop computer | 120 | 8 | $5.54 | $67.35 |
| Gaming PC under load | 450 | 3 | $7.78 | $94.71 |
| Wi-Fi router + modem | 25 | 24 | $3.46 | $42.09 |
| Level 2 EV charging, 32 A | 7,680 | 1.50 | $66.42 | $808.16 |
Illinois compared with its neighbors
Illinois is in the EIA's East North Central region. July's price (19.22¢) was below the year-to-date average. In the same region, Indiana paid 17.04¢.
| State | ¢/kWh 2026 YTD | Change vs 2025 | National rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana | 17.04 | +7.4% | 32 of 51 |
| Ohio | 18.70 | +13.0% | 34 of 51 |
| Wisconsin | 19.00 | +5.4% | 35 of 51 |
| Illinois | 19.22 | +10.7% | 36 of 51 |
| Michigan | 21.53 | +8.8% | 39 of 51 |
Charging an EV in Illinois
At this price, a car that goes 3.5 miles per kWh costs about $6.10 per 100 miles charged at home (counting 10% charging losses). A 40-mile daily commute adds about $73.22 a month to the bill. Size the circuit with the EV charger calculator.
Solar panels in Illinois
NREL's PVWatts model puts a south-facing, 20° roof array in Chicago at about 1,308 kWh per kW of panels a year (4.5 peak sun hours a day). Covering the average US home's 899 kWh a month takes about 8.2 kW, or 21 panels of 400 W; at 19.22¢/kWh that power is worth about $2,112 a year. Output peaks in Jul (158 kWh per kW) and bottoms out in Dec (57). Run your own numbers in the solar panel calculator.
Running backup power instead
A 7.5 kW portable generator at half load burns about 0.75 gallons of gasoline an hour, roughly 3.75 kWh. At $3.20 a gallon that is about 64¢ per kWh — 3.3 times Illinois's grid price. Generators are for outages, not savings. Compare with the fuel consumption calculator.