Three in four concerned their gas, electricity utility bills will increase this year

Washington, D.C., May 19, 2026 – A new PowerLines poll, conducted by Ipsos, finds that over two-thirds Americans that have an electric or gas utility bill say their bill has increased compared to a year ago. Even more, three in four, are concerned that these bills will increase this year.

The poll also finds that a majority of Americans admit they do not fully understand what drives the costs from their local utilities. Moreover, most disagree that their state government does a good job at protecting their interests when it comes to regulating local electrical or gas utilities and feel costs will continue to increase despite potential action from elected officials.

Detailed Findings

1. Concerns over continued increases to electricity and gas bills are widespread, as most Americans with a utility bill say their costs have increased compared to a year ago.

• Overall, 77% are concerned that their bills will increase this year.
• Those living in the Northeast (83%), Black (81%), and Hispanic bill payers (85%) are more concerned than their counterparts about increasing electricity and gas bills.
• A bare majority (52%) of all Americans say that increasing electricity and gas bills are a bad sign for the economy, while 45% believe they are neither a good nor bad sign for the economy. Just 1% say increasing bills are a good economic sign.
• When it comes to their utility bills, bill payers are most frustrated by price changes from month to month, and a lack of choice in their utility provider (39% each).

2. Most bill payers say they do not fully understand what drives the costs they are charged by local electric or gas utilities.

• Just 38% of Americans and bill payers agree that they understand what drives the costs they are charged, compared to 58% who disagree. Americans age 18-34 (62%), 35-49 (60%), 50-64 (58%) are more likely to disagree compared to those ages 65+ (51%).
• When asked what type of electricity or gas utility company services their home, 30% of bill payers don’t know or do not have a guess. Younger bill payers (under 35) are less aware compared to other age groups.
• Three in ten (29%) bill payers say the most frustrating thing about their utility bills is the lack of transparency about costs.
• Just over half of Americans trust in non-profits that advocates for consumers (53%) to explain their utility bills, more so than their utility company (43%).

3. While Americans want elected officials to do more to reduce utility costs, most feel costs will continue to increase no matter what their elected officials do.

• Three-quarters (76%) of Americans want their government officials to provide stronger oversight of utility companies. Just 29% feel their state does a good job protecting consumer interests when regulating local utilities, a decrease from 2025 (38%)
• A majority of Americans would support an elected official or political candidate who promises to lower their utility bill (79%) or seeks to change the entire system by which the utility companies are regulated (74%).
• However, nearly two in three Americans (64%) agree that utility bills will increase, no matter what their elected officials do.

About the Study

This PowerLines poll was conducted by Ipsos from March 14 to March 16, 2026, using the probability-based KnowledgePanel®. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 2,045 adults age 18 or older. The sample includes 1,912 respondents who are partially or fully responsible for paying the electricity and gas utility bills in their household each month

The survey was conducted using KnowledgePanel, the largest and most well-established online probability-based panel that is representative of the adult U.S. population. Our recruitment process employs a scientifically developed addressed-based sampling methodology using the latest Delivery Sequence File of the USPS – a database with full coverage of all delivery points in the U.S. Households invited to join the panel are randomly selected from all available households in the U.S. Persons in the sampled households are invited to join and participate in the panel. Those selected who do not already have internet access are provided a tablet and internet connection at no cost to the panel member. Those who join the panel and who are selected to participate in a survey are sent a unique password-protected log-in used to complete surveys online. As a result of our recruitment and sampling methodologies, samples from KnowledgePanel cover all households regardless of their phone or internet status and findings can be reported with a margin of sampling error and projected to the general population.

The study was conducted in English. The data were weighted to adjust for gender by age, race and ethnicity, census region, metropolitan status, education, household income, and political party identification. Political party identification benchmarks are from the 2025 NPORS annual survey, with a midyear adjustment estimated across aggregated KnowledgePanel surveys accounting for changes in panelists’ party identification over time. The demographic benchmarks came from the 2025 March supplement of the U.S. Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey (CPS).

• Gender (Male, Female) by Age (18–29, 30–44, 45-59 and 60+)
• Race/Hispanic Ethnicity (White Non-Hispanic, Black Non-Hispanic, Other, Non-Hispanic, Hispanic, 2+ Races, Non-Hispanic)
• Education (Less than High School, High School, Some College, Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree or higher)
• Census Region (Northeast, Midwest, South, West)
• Metropolitan status (Metro, non-Metro)
• Household Income (Under $25,000, $25,000-$49,999, $50,000-$74,999, $75,000-$99,999, $100,000-$149,999, $150,000+)
• Political Party ID (Democrat, Lean Democrat, Republican, Lean Republican, Independent/Something else)

The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 2.2 percentage points at the 95% confidence level, for results based on the entire sample of adults. The margin of sampling error takes into account the design effect, which was 1.03. For Utility Rate Payers, the margin of sampling error is plus or minus 2.3 percentage points, and the design effect is 1.03.

The margin of sampling error is higher and varies for results based on sub-samples. In our reporting of the findings, percentage points are rounded off to the nearest whole number. As a result, percentages in a given table column may total slightly higher or lower than 100%. In questions that permit multiple responses, columns may total substantially more than 100%, depending on the number of different responses offered by each respondent.

For more information on this news release, please contact:

Mallory Newall
Vice President, US
Public Affairs
[email protected] 

McKenzie Krause
Senior Research Manager, US
Public Affairs
[email protected]

About Ipsos

Ipsos is one of the largest market research and polling companies globally, operating in 90 markets and employing nearly 20,000 people.

Our passionately curious research professionals, analysts and scientists have built unique multi-specialist capabilities that provide true understanding and powerful insights into the actions, opinions and motivations of citizens, consumers, patients, customers or employees. Our 75 business solutions are based on primary data from our surveys, social media monitoring, and qualitative or observational techniques.

“Game Changers” – our tagline – summarizes our ambition to help our 5,000 clients navigate with confidence our rapidly changing world.

Founded in France in 1975, Ipsos has been listed on the Euronext Paris since July 1, 1999. The company is part of the SBF 120, Mid-60 indices, and is eligible for the Deferred Settlement Service (SRD).

ISIN code FR0000073298, Reuters ISOS.PA, Bloomberg IPS:FP

www.ipsos.com

35 rue du Val de Marne
75 628 Paris, Cedex 13 France
Tel. +33 1 41 98 90 00