EIA data through August 2026 · updated 2026-10-29

City of Palo Alto (CA) electricity rates

City of Palo Alto (CA) (municipal) residential customers paid about 20.7¢ per kWh (2024 average) — an average bill of $104 for 501 kWh a month.

Avg. home price20.7¢per kWh
Residential customers26,249CA, 2024
Avg. monthly use501kWh
Commercial17.0¢per kWh
Industrial19.0¢per kWh
California has retail electricity choice. Many households can buy electricity supply from a competing supplier, while the local utility still delivers it. The averages here combine utility and supplier sales as reported to the EIA; your state’s public utility commission lists licensed suppliers.

What a month costs with City of Palo Alto (CA)

500 kWh / month · avg. use$103
900 kWh / month$186
1,200 kWh / month$248

Monthly cost at the average price of 20.7¢ per kWh. Real bills add or subtract fixed charges, tiers, time-of-use and fuel adjustments.

Price trend

12¢17¢22¢27¢32¢37¢20222023202420252026California averageU.S. average 12¢17¢22¢27¢32¢37¢20222023202420252026California averageU.S. average
California averageU.S. average
Aug 202629.8¢per kWh
vs. 1 year ago-3.8%30.9¢
vs. 5 years ago+27.2%23.4¢
Record high35.3¢Apr 2026
Avg. home bill$235789 kWh, Aug
EIA forecast, Pacific25.2¢Dec 2027

Hover or tap the chart for exact monthly values. Source: EIA-861M (monthly, latest months preliminary); forecast: EIA Short-Term Energy Outlook (October 2026) for the Pacific region, which includes Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington.

EIA publishes monthly figures only for larger utilities; this one reports yearly, so the chart shows the state.

ZIP codes served

94020La Honda94022Los Altos94023Los Altos94024Los Altos94025Menlo Park94028Portola Valley94039Mountain View94040Mountain View94041Mountain View94042Mountain View94043Mountain View94085Sunnyvale94086Sunnyvale94087Sunnyvale94088Sunnyvale94089Sunnyvale94301Palo Alto94302Palo Alto94303Palo Alto94304Palo Alto94305Stanford94306Palo Alto94309Palo Alto95002Alviso95008Campbell95009Campbell95011Campbell95013Coyote95014Cupertino95015Cupertino95020Gilroy95021Gilroy95026Holy City95030Los Gatos95031Los Gatos95032Los Gatos95033Los Gatos95035Milpitas95036Milpitas95037Morgan Hill95038Morgan Hill95042New Almaden95044Redwood Estates95046San Martin95050Santa Clara95051Santa Clara95052Santa Clara95053Santa Clara95054Santa Clara95055Santa Clara95056Santa Clara95070Saratoga95071Saratoga95101San Jose95103San Jose95106San Jose95108San Jose95109San Jose95110San Jose95111San Jose95112San Jose95113San Jose95115San Jose95116San Jose95117San Jose95118San Jose95119San Jose95120San Jose95121San Jose95122San Jose95123San Jose95124San Jose95125San Jose95126San Jose95127San Jose95128San Jose95129San Jose95130San Jose95131San Jose95132San Jose95133San Jose95134San Jose95135San Jose95136San Jose95138San Jose95139San Jose95140Mount Hamilton95148San Jose95150San Jose95151San Jose95152San Jose95153San Jose95154San Jose95155San Jose95156San Jose95157San Jose95158San Jose95159San Jose95160San Jose95161San Jose95164San Jose95170San Jose95172San Jose95173San Jose95190San Jose95191San Jose95193San Jose95194San Jose95196San Jose

Averages, not a quote. Prices here are what each utility’s residential customers paid on average (revenue ÷ kWh sold, fixed charges included), as reported to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Your own rate depends on your plan, season and usage — check your bill or your utility’s tariff.

Questions

What is City of Palo Alto (CA)’s electricity rate?

About 20.7¢ per kWh for residential customers (2024 average, EIA-861), including fixed charges spread over usage.

What is the average City of Palo Alto (CA) electric bill?

$104 a month in 2024, for an average of 501 kWh (EIA-861).

Is City of Palo Alto (CA) cheaper than the California average?

Yes: 20.7¢ versus the California average of 29.8¢ (Aug 2026).