Energy is expensive. In fact, it’s one of the biggest household expenses for American consumers. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the average U.S. family spends at least $2,000 per year on utilities, with heating and cooling of spaces alone accounting for more than half the bill. In 2019, the average consumer spent another $2,094 on motor fuel and oil.
This year, many Americans can expect their home energy costs to go up, considering the widespread closures of businesses and public places that took place due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Residential electricity use has increased during the pandemic.
In order to gauge the impact of doing more with less energy, WalletHub (by DC-base Evolution Finance) measured the efficiency of auto- and home-energy consumption in 48 U.S. states. Due to data limitations, Alaska and Hawaii were excluded from their study.