Is Idaho Saving or Using too Much Energy in the United States?

The economy is as up and down and all around as it has ever been. Any way to save money is valued more than ever. Stocks are down, gas prices are up, and everyone is looking where to pinch pennies and what to cut to save every dollar they can. One way to save money is to cut back on the energy you use, and no I am not talking about the energy it takes to get through everyday life. Each state costs different amounts to use energy in your house, and some states cost a lot, while others make it more affordable. Here are the states to avoid, and the ones to live in to save money on energy costs.

The Most Expensive and Least Energy Expensive States

WalletHub released a list ranking the states by most to least expensive when it comes to energy costs. The main categories to consider in the rankings were monthly electric cost, monthly gas cost, monthly home heating oil cost, and monthly motor fuel cost. With all this taken into consideration, the most expensive state for energy costs is Wyoming at an average of $738 per month. Alaska came in at number two and North Dakota rounded out the three most expensive states. As far as the least expensive states, the list includes Washington DC which came in at number 51, at an average of $277 per month. In terms of the actual cheapest state, New Mexico was 50 at an average of $377 per month, just cheaper than Nebraska at $390 a month to round out the cheapest three.

Are Energy Costs Expensive in Idaho?

While Idaho may not be one of the cheapest, it does rank in the lower half, coming in at 32 on the list of most expensive, averaging $465 per month on energy costs. Idaho ranked as the cheapest state regarding natural gas cost, but it was top twenty when it came to motor fuel costs. Everywhere is high in motor fuel, but Idaho seems to be a little higher than more than half the country. Helping Idaho's ranking was that it was one of the lowest electricity prices, coming in at 49 out of a possible 51. 

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While bills, electricity, and fuel may seem high, they can always be much worse. While Idaho is cheaper in most categories and the monthly average is lower here than in many states, cost of living, minimum wage, and other factors need to be taken into account as well. Overall, living in Idaho saves money compared to living in other states that cost much more to run electricity, motor fuel, or use natural gas. Having more affordable energy helps and goes a long way, now to just get those motor fuel prices down.