According to a recent national survey conducted by the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative (SECC), approximately 31 percent of Americans reported difficulty paying their electricity bills over the past year, an increase from 25 percent reported in 2023.
The survey, titled Addressing Energy Affordability, gathered responses from a nationally representative sample of 2,072 U.S. consumers in early April 2025. The results indicate that challenges with energy affordability are more commonly reported among lower-income households and individuals who rent their homes. Among respondents with annual incomes below $50,000, 49 percent reported difficulty paying their electric bills, compared to 34 percent in 2023. Similarly, 46 percent of renters reported challenges, up from 32 percent last year.
In addition, more consumers indicated that they had made either a late payment (37 percent in 2025, up from 32 percent in 2023) or a partial payment (27 percent in 2025, up from 22 percent in 2023) on their electricity bills within the past year.
Awareness of programs offered by electricity providers aimed at reducing household energy costs has remained relatively unchanged. For example, 18 percent of respondents reported having seen discounts or rebates for energy-efficient HVAC options — consistent with 2023 findings — while 15 percent reported having seen an offer for a home energy audit, similar to 16 percent two years ago. Awareness of such programs was lower among renters and lower-income respondents.
"With a growing number of Americans facing difficulty paying their electric bills, particularly among lower-income and renting populations, it remains important to ensure consumers are aware of available energy efficiency and assistance programs," said SECC President & CEO Nathan Shannon.
