Electricity bills vary dramatically based on home size, climate, household composition, and supply rate. Without regional benchmarks, households cannot determine whether high bills result from excessive usage, an inflated rate, or both.
Arbor, an automated energy-switching platform operating in 12 deregulated states, analyzes customer utility data against market rates to identify overpayment. Documented savings across the platform have reached $7.5 million.
What Is a Normal Monthly Electric Bill for a 2-Bedroom Apartment?
Two-bedroom apartments typically consume 700 to 1,000 kWh monthly, according to Direct Energy’s residential analysis. At the national average rate of approximately 17 cents per kWh, this translates to monthly electricity usage bills of $119 to $170.
U.S. Energy Information Administration data shows average residential rates ranging from 11.9 cents per kWh in Washington state to 42.9 cents in Hawaii. A 2-bedroom apartment using 850 kWh monthly would pay $101 in Washington but $365 in Hawaii for identical consumption.
Apartments with shared walls typically use 20% to 30% less electricity than detached homes of equivalent size because adjacent units reduce heating and cooling loss. Renters whose electricity usgae bills consistently exceed 1,000 kWh monthly should investigate either their consumption habits or their supply rate.
How Many kWh Per Month Is Typical for a Family of Four?
Families of four in suburban single-family homes typically consume 1,000 to 1,500 kWh monthly. Constellation Energy research found that the average U.S. home uses approximately 899 kWh monthly based on 1,818 square feet and 2.3 occupants. Larger households scale proportionally higher.
Each additional household member adds roughly 200 to 300 kWh monthly through increased appliance use, lighting, electronics, and water heating. Homes with electric water heaters, multiple refrigerators, or home offices trend toward 1,400 to 1,800 kWh. Gas heating reduces electricity consumption significantly compared to all-electric homes, which can consume 50% more during winter months.
What Is a Reasonable Electric Bill for a 3-Bedroom House in a Cold Climate?
Three-bedroom houses in cold climates (Northeast and Midwest) typically consume 1,000 to 1,800 kWh monthly, with electricity usage bills ranging from $150 to $270 at average rates. Winter months push consumption substantially higher for homes with electric heating.
EIA regional data shows Northeastern homes average 601 kWh monthly (many use oil or gas heat), while Pennsylvania residents average 817 kWh at 17.8 cents per kWh, producing average bills of $145.
Cold Climate Benchmarks:
- Mid-Atlantic: 800 to 1,200 kWh monthly ($120 to $180)
- Upper Midwest/New England: 1,000 to 1,800 kWh monthly ($150 to $270)
- Peak winter months: Electric heating can add 500 to 1,000 kWh, spiking bills 40% to 60%
CBS News reported that electric-heated homes face average winter heating costs of $1,189 for the season, with Northeastern households spending approximately $1,520 over winter months.
How Can You Find Typical Electricity Usage Benchmarks for Your Region?
U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA):
- Publishes state-by-state average consumption and rates at eia.gov/consumption/residential
- Residential Energy Consumption Survey provides breakdowns by home type, climate zone, and heating fuel
State Public Utility Commissions:
- Pennsylvania PUC, Ohio PUCO, Illinois ICC publish rate comparisons
- Many offer “price to compare” tools showing utility default rates versus competitive alternatives
Utility Account Portals:
- Month-over-month and year-over-year consumption trends
- Neighborhood averages for similar homes
- 12 to 24 months of historical data for establishing personal baselines
Is Your Electricity Usage High, Low, or Average?
Comparing personal usage requires matching against appropriate benchmarks rather than national averages, which obscure regional and housing-type variations.
Quick Comparison Framework:
- Pull 12 months of usage data and calculate average monthly kWh
- Match benchmarks to your home type, square footage, climate zone, and household size
- Evaluate the gap: within 15% of benchmark is normal; 15% to 30% above warrants investigation; 30%+ above indicates equipment, insulation, or behavioral factors
CEO Today Magazine’s analysis found that households frequently overpay due to rate problems rather than consumption issues. A home using average kWh but paying above-market rates still receives inflated bills.
How Arbor Identifies Overpayment
Arbor’s analysis separates consumption (kWh used) from rate (price per kWh). High electricity usage bills can result from either factor.
Arbor’s savings methodology compares customer supply rates against all available fixed-rate plans in their utility territory. Households paying utility default rates or stuck on expired promotional plans frequently pay 20% to 50% more per kWh than competitive market rates. Switches occur only when projected annual savings exceed a meaningful threshold after factoring in contract length, fees, and post-promotional pricing.
Mirror Review’s independent analysis confirmed that Arbor retrieves actual consumption data to perform personalized rate comparisons rather than relying on generic estimates.
What Overpayment Looks Like in Practice
Ohio Household:
Switched from utility default to a Constellation plan at $0.0629 per kWh, saving $362 annually with no change in consumption.
Pennsylvania Household:
Cut supply rate in half after leaving an expired promotional contract, reducing monthly bills approximately 50%.
Massachusetts Household:
Tech Times reported a rate drop from 16.9 cents to 11.2 cents per kWh, saving $67 that month without behavioral changes.
Average documented savings can reach up to $600 annually. Customer reviews on Trustpilot show a 4.6 out of 5 rating based on hundreds of verified reviews.
Where Does Arbor Operate?
Arbor serves households in 12 deregulated states: Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Delaware, Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Maryland, and New Jersey.
Major utilities include PECO, ComEd, National Grid, PSE&G, Eversource, Central Maine Power, and Delmarva Power. State-issued broker licenses authorize Arbor in each jurisdiction: Pennsylvania A-2023-3043382, Ohio 23-125153E, Massachusetts EB-571, Illinois 23-0681, and New Jersey EA-0727.
Both homeowners and renters qualify if they hold utility accounts in their own name.
What Regional Benchmarks Mean for Rate Shopping
Households in deregulated markets face a two-part problem. Reducing consumption addresses one variable. Securing a competitive supply rate addresses the other.
Regional benchmarks help identify whether electricity usage bills exceed norms due to usage or rate problems. A family of four in suburban Pennsylvania using 1,200 kWh monthly falls within normal range. If their bill exceeds $145 (the state average) by a wide margin, the supply rate likely explains the gap.
Arbor’s automated monitoring addresses rate problems without requiring households to become electricity market experts. Comparing personal usage against regional benchmarks provides the context needed to determine whether high bills warrant efficiency improvements, rate shopping, or both.
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