The average utility bill in Denver, including electric, heat and water, is $116.52, according to Numbeo, a website that collects survey data about cost of living in various cities.
Average electric bill in Denver
The average residential electricity rate in Denver is 11.05 cents per kilowatt hour. That’s pretty affordable when compared with rates nationally or even in the rest of Colorado.
According to the US Energy Information Administration, Coloradans use an average of 706 kilowatt hours in their homes each month. That’s well below the national average.
That means the average residential electric bill in Denver is about $78.01 a month. That’s comparatively low – far below the $107.28 residential bill the average American pays, and it’s much better than the more than $200 a month Hawaiians pay for electricity in their homes.
Denver’s not bad, but it’s not easy either
While utility rates in Denver are lower, on average, than they are for much of the rest of Colorado and the nation, they’re still not cheap. At $78 a month just for electricity, utilities add almost 7 percent to the average rent in Denver, which was $1,145 in the third quarter of 2014.
That means an average family making the median income of $45,000 a year will spend nearly a third of its income on rent and electricity. That’s before you factor in water bills or natural gas for heat in the winter.
There is help available
Utilities, especially in the winter when natural gas bills can more than equal the electric bill in many Denver homes, are often hard to keep up with for families. There are several energy assistance programs designed to temporarily help Denver residents pay their utility bills.
Improve energy efficiency and lower bills permanently
The Energy Resource Center provides services that help homeowners and renters lower utility costs permanently. Free of charge to income-qualified homeowners and renters, the ERC performs home energy audits and makes home improvements to increase energy efficiency and reduce utility bills now and into the future.
Beyond reducing utility bills, the capital improvements the ERC provides also make Denver homes safer, more comfortable to live in, and can increase their resale value.
Contact the Energy Resource Center today if you are already receiving energy assistance or think you might meet income requirements. If you qualify, we will schedule a home energy audit as soon as possible, free of charge.
