The average monthly residential electric bill in the United States has reached $182 in 2024, the highest figure ever recorded by J.D. Power. According to the J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Electric Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study, overall customer satisfaction has declined for the fourth consecutive year, dropping to 707 on a 1,000-point scale. The most significant declines were observed in the areas of billing and payment (-11 points) and customer care (-11 points).
The study highlights that 39% of respondents reported being worse off financially in 2024 compared to 2023, a trend that coincides with rising utility costs.
“Proactive communication from utilities can help address customer concerns and mitigate declines in satisfaction,” said Mark Spalinger, director of utility intelligence at J.D. Power. “Tactics such as outage text alerts, infrastructure update emails, and communication about ways to save energy not only ease the impact of rising bills but also demonstrate value to customers beyond usage alone. These efforts tend to result in higher satisfaction levels.”
The study also recognized utilities with the highest customer satisfaction ratings in their respective regions:
- East Large Segment: PSE&G (for the third consecutive year)
- East Midsize Segment: Delmarva Power (tied with Penn Power, both recognized for a third consecutive year)
- Midwest Large Segment: MidAmerican Energy (for the third consecutive year)
- Midwest Midsize Segment: Omaha Public Power District
- South Large Segment: Georgia Power (for the third consecutive year)
- South Midsize Segment: EPB (for the ninth consecutive year)
- West Large Segment: SRP (for the 23rd consecutive year)
- West Midsize Segment: Anaheim Public Utilities
- Cooperatives Segment: Sawnee EMC
The 2024 U.S. Electric Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study is based on 107,175 online interviews conducted between January and November 2024. The study evaluates the experiences of residential customers served by the 151 largest electric utility brands in the United States, representing over 105 million households.
