What drives electric bills in Missouri
Residential electricity in Missouri averaged 14.0¢ per kWh in January–July 2026, up 5.9% from 13.2¢ in the same months a year earlier (the U.S. average went up 6.9%). In July 2026, the latest month available, it was 16.1¢. The typical home here used 1,001 kWh a month in 2024, 16% more than the U.S. average, so how much power you use matters as much as the price.
- Summer rates are higher. Ameren Missouri and Evergy charge more per kWh in summer months, exactly when air conditioning runs the most.
- Electric heat. Many Missouri homes, especially outside the big cities, use electric furnaces or heat pumps with backup strips, which use a lot of power in cold snaps.
- Fuel adjustment charges. Fuel and purchased-power costs are passed through on a separate line that changes a few times a year.
Who supplies your power
Ameren Missouri serves St. Louis and much of eastern Missouri, Evergy serves Kansas City and western Missouri, and Liberty serves the southwest. Co-ops and municipal utilities, such as Springfield’s City Utilities, serve the rest.
Ways to pay less in Missouri
- Ameren Missouri offers several time-of-use plans. If you can avoid running large appliances on summer afternoons, compare them with the standard plan.
- If you have an older heat pump, have it serviced before winter. A system relying on backup heat strips can double your heating cost.
For example, a 1,500 W space heater running 8 hours a day costs about $51 a month at Missouri prices. Check what your appliances cost to run in Missouri.
Help paying your bill in Missouri
- LIHEAP: Missouri’s Energy Assistance and Energy Crisis Intervention programs help with heating and cooling bills through community action agencies.
- Cold weather rule: from November 1 to March 31, utilities cannot disconnect service when the temperature is forecast below 32°F.
Statewide help is in addition to the federal programs, such as LIHEAP and weatherization, that the bill checker above lists. Call 211 to find the agency that handles them near you.
Is solar worth it in Missouri?
A typical 7 kW rooftop system in Missouri produces roughly 9,100 kWh a year, about 76% of what an average home here uses. At the state’s average price of 14.0¢, that power is worth about $1,270 a year. What you actually save depends on your roof, the price you pay for the system, the 30% federal tax credit rules in effect when you buy, and how your utility credits the power you send to the grid. Get at least three quotes before you decide.
How Missouri compares with nearby states
| State | Price per kWh | kWh a month | Typical bill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri | 14.0¢ | 1,001 | $140 |
| Oklahoma | 13.6¢ | 1,079 | $147 |
| Arkansas | 13.6¢ | 1,048 | $143 |
| Iowa | 14.2¢ | 832 | $118 |
| Kansas | 15.2¢ | 876 | $133 |
| Illinois | 19.2¢ | 693 | $133 |
| U.S. average | 18.2¢ | 863 | $157 |
Price: average residential price, January–July 2026, U.S. Energy Information Administration (Electric Power Monthly, tables 5.6.A and 5.6.B). Usage: average monthly consumption per home, 2024, EIA form EIA-861. Typical bill = typical usage × current average price. Solar output is a rough estimate for a south-facing roof.