NBC Analysis Exposes 7% Jump in U.S. Power Bills as Family Budgets Tighten
Across the U.S., a new NBC News graphic is sharpening attention on household finances after showing the average monthly electricity bill rose 7% in the first 13 months of President Donald Trump’s term. The number matters because power is a fixed bill for most families, which means increases hit monthly budgets fast.
The tension is that electricity is not rising in a vacuum. Federal inflation data show Americans are still paying more for groceries, restaurant meals and other essentials at the same time utility costs remain elevated.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics said the electricity index increased 5.5% over the 12 months ending in July 2025, while natural gas rose 13.8%. In that same report, food at home was up 2.2% and food away from home rose 3.9%.
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That creates a broader kitchen-table problem because households do not buy power separately from everything else. BLS consumer expenditure data show housing accounted for 33.4% of average household spending in 2024, while food took 12.9%, leaving less flexibility when utility costs climb.
“The impact of electricity consumption patterns and electricity prices on summer electricity bills will vary regionally,” the U.S. Energy Information Administration said.
That regional wrinkle matters. EIA forecast that New England households would see one of the largest summer bill increases, about $13 more per month than last summer, even with slightly cooler weather expected nationally.
The bigger economic effect is less breathing room in family budgets. BEA said disposable personal income fell 0.1% in February 2026 even as personal consumption expenditures rose 0.5%, with the saving rate at 4.0%, a sign many households are still spending despite a thin cushion.
What happens next is likely more scrutiny of utility inflation, regional summer bills and whether wages and savings can keep pace. For families, the issue is immediate long before it becomes political.
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