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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Idaho’s utilities are the cheapest in the nation

When Lisa Hecht’s solar panels generate more power than she is using, the net balance is metered and credited to her Idaho Power account. (Darin Oswald / Idaho Statesman)
By Nicole Blanchard Idaho Statesman

According to a recent analysis, Idaho’s average monthly utility bills are less expensive than any other state’s.

Move.org, a website that offers advice and services for people who are moving, crunched the numbers on electricity, natural gas, internet, cable and water bills. The organization looked at average national consumption rates and average state costs for electricity and natural gas. Cable and water costs were estimated to be $100 and $40 per month, respectively, across the country.

By combining the total cost for all of those utilities, Move.org arrived at a ranking that saw Idaho and several of its neighboring states among the cheapest in the nation.

“If you’re hoping to save money on utilities, look no further than the Gem State,” the analysis read.

Idaho’s average utility cost was estimated at $343.71 per month. Move.org also ranked each individual utility, and Idaho’s prices stayed low across the board. The organization pointed out that natural gas bills are particularly affordable in Idaho — the third-cheapest in the country, in fact, at an average $52.89 per month.

Idaho ranked 45th for the average cost of electricity ($93.82 per month) and 39th for 60 Mbps internet ($57 per month). Cable and water were factored as national averages.

The two states that beat Idaho out for low natural gas prices were just dollars behind in overall cost.

Utahans paid $350.17 per month for their combined utilities, while Montanans’ bills were an average of $359.03. Washington, Nevada and Oregon also made the top 10 least expensive states at Nos. 4, 5 and 7.

East Coasters and those living in the non-continental U.S. shelled out the most for utilities, with Hawaiians leading the country at an average overall cost of $730.86 due to their super-spendy electricity and natural gas. The second-most expensive state, Alaska, trailed far behind with an average total bill of $527.96.

Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Massachusetts, Vermont and Maine rounded out the top 10 most expensive states.