The U.S. States With The Highest Energy Costs

Last Thursday, President Trump lit the national Christmas tree in Washington, wishing everyone a very merry Christmas. Trump remarked about the unseasonably warm weather which was hovering in the mid-50s, saying it the best it's been in the past 25 years. That hasn't lasted with temperatures dropping sharply this week. That December reality will force many Americans to push their home heating systems up to full power. That prompts the question: which parts of the country will have the highest energy bills this winter?

Energy costs can account from anywhere from 5 to 22 percent of a families' total after-tax income with the nation's 25 million poorest households paying biggest slice of their earnings towards electricity and heating. Earlier this year, WalletHub analyzed monthly electricity, natural gas, motor fuel and heating oil to calculate energy costs by state. As soon as winter really bites, people in Connecticut face the highest monthly energy costs at $380. Alaska has far more brutal winters and the bill there averaged $332 every month. More northeastern states come third and fourth with Rhode Island and Massachusetts residents facing bills in excess of $320. Washington state and DC are at the opposite end of the scale with energy costs only averaging $226 and $219 respectively by comparison.