{"id":712,"date":"2026-03-01T16:27:39","date_gmt":"2026-03-01T16:27:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pamlombardrealtor.com\/?p=712"},"modified":"2026-02-27T16:59:55","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T16:59:55","slug":"thinking-of-moving-to-florida-what-about-utilities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pamlombardrealtor.com\/?p=712","title":{"rendered":"Thinking of Moving to Florida? What about Utilities?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Utility Costs Snapshot: Pinellas County & Florida vs. Michigan, New York, and Pennsylvania (2026)<\/p>\n

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If you\u2019re budgeting a move (or comparing ownership costs for a second home or investment property), utilities matter\u2014especially electricity in Florida, where A\/C can be your biggest monthly variable.<\/p>\n

Below is a clear, homeowner-friendly comparison using the latest U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) state-by-state residential electricity price data available as of Feb. 27, 2026<\/strong> (data month: December 2025<\/strong>, released Feb. 24, 2026<\/strong>).<\/p>\n

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Pinellas County: What most homeowners will see<\/h2>\n

In Pinellas County<\/strong>, most residents are served by Duke Energy Florida<\/strong>, with Tampa Electric (TECO)<\/strong> serving parts of Pinellas County<\/strong> (their service area includes parts of Hillsborough, Polk, Pasco and Pinellas<\/strong>).<\/p>\n

A 2026 headline for Duke customers in Pinellas<\/h3>\n

Duke Energy Florida has announced\/received approval for significantly lower bills beginning March 2026<\/strong>, with about a $44 decrease per 1,000 kWh<\/strong> compared to February 2026<\/strong> (driven largely by storm-related cost recovery changes rolling off).<\/p>\n

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Real-life takeaway: If your household uses ~1,000 kWh\/month (common in Florida), that\u2019s meaningful seasonal relief heading into spring\/summer.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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State-by-state electricity price comparison (residential)<\/h2>\n

Average residential electricity price (cents per kWh): December 2025 (latest EIA release)<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
State<\/th>\nAvg. residential price (\u00a2\/kWh)<\/th>\nWhat that looks like at 1,000 kWh\/month*<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Florida<\/strong><\/td>\n15.02\u00a2<\/strong><\/td>\n~$150\/month<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Michigan<\/strong><\/td>\n19.53\u00a2<\/strong><\/td>\n~$195\/month<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Pennsylvania<\/strong><\/td>\n20.08\u00a2<\/strong><\/td>\n~$201\/month<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
New York<\/strong><\/td>\n27.39\u00a2<\/strong><\/td>\n~$274\/month<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

*These are energy-only math examples<\/strong> (price \u00d7 usage). Your actual bill includes fixed monthly charges, riders, and taxes, and your usage can swing widely with heating\/cooling.<\/p>\n

What this means in plain English<\/h3>\n
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  • \n

    Florida (including Pinellas)<\/strong> is materially cheaper per kWh<\/strong> than MI, PA, and especially NY<\/strong> on average.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    Even when Florida\u2019s rate per kWh<\/em> is lower, summer bills can still climb<\/strong> because A\/C drives higher kWh usage<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

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    Why the \u201csame-sized house\u201d can have very different utility bills<\/h2>\n

    A few practical factors that often matter more than people expect:<\/p>\n

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    • \n

      Usage (kWh) is the #1 driver in Florida.<\/strong> Two neighbors can have wildly different bills based on thermostat settings, insulation, windows, and HVAC age.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

    • \n

      Service territory matters in Pinellas.<\/strong> Duke Energy Florida serves much of the county, but TECO also serves parts of Pinellas\u2014so the \u201cPinellas average\u201d depends on exactly where the home is.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

    • \n

      Seasonality differs by state.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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      • \n

        Florida: big summer A\/C load<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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        Michigan\/Pennsylvania\/New York: heating season can dominate (especially if electric heat, heat pumps, or supplemental electric)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

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        Quick homeowner tips to keep Pinellas electric bills predictable<\/h2>\n

        If you\u2019re buying or owning in Pinellas County, these are the upgrades\/choices that typically pay off:<\/p>\n

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        1. \n

          HVAC age + efficiency (SEER2 rating)<\/strong>: biggest lever for Florida comfort + cost.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

        2. \n

          Attic insulation & duct sealing<\/strong>: often a high ROI fix.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

        3. \n

          Smart thermostat + realistic schedules<\/strong>: reduces \u201call-day cooling.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

        4. \n

          Shade and window treatments<\/strong>: cheap comfort wins in sunny rooms.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

        5. \n

          Ask for 12 months of utility bills before you buy<\/strong>: it\u2019s one of the best \u201ctrue cost\u201d checks.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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          Local Pinellas note (for buyers)<\/h2>\n

          When I\u2019m helping buyers in Dunedin\/Clearwater\/Palm Harbor\/Safety Harbor, I recommend confirming:<\/p>\n

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          • \n

            Which electric utility serves the address (Duke vs TECO)<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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            Typical monthly kWh<\/strong> for that specific home (past bills)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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            Any recent HVAC, roof, window, or insulation updates (these show up in comfort and utility costs fast)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            Considering a move? I would love the opportunity to utilize my knowledge and skills to help you purchase your Florida home!!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

            Utility Costs Snapshot: Pinellas County & Florida vs. Michigan, New York, and Pennsylvania (2026) If you\u2019re budgeting a move (or comparing ownership costs for a second home or investment property), utilities matter\u2014especially electricity in Florida, where A\/C can be your biggest monthly variable. Below is a clear, homeowner-friendly comparison using the latest U.S. Energy Information […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-712","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pamlombardrealtor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/712","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pamlombardrealtor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pamlombardrealtor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pamlombardrealtor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pamlombardrealtor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=712"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/pamlombardrealtor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/712\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":717,"href":"https:\/\/pamlombardrealtor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/712\/revisions\/717"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pamlombardrealtor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=712"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pamlombardrealtor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=712"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pamlombardrealtor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=712"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}