MS folks spend more of income on cooling homes than most other states. Here’s how much & why
Mississippi residents are feeling the summer heat both outside and in their wallets.
Mississippians spend a larger portion of their income on their summer electric bill than any other state, according to a June 10 report from ConsumerAffairs, a consumer news and advocacy website. The report ranks all 50 states and Washington D.C. using the most recent summer data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
“Residents of Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama are absorbing costs on significantly lower median incomes than their Northern counterparts,” Alexis Abramson, dean of the Columbia Climate School in New York, said in the ConsumerAffairs report.
Here’s what to know about summer cooling costs in Mississippi.
Mississippi summer electric bill costs
Mississippians spent about 4.2% of their monthly income on cooling costs in the summer of 2025, well above the national average of 2.9%, according to the ConsumerAffairs study.
The average summer electricity bill in the state has increased by nearly 33% since 2020, up from $151 per month to $201 per month, the data shows.
Why are MS residents spending more?
As summer cooling costs increase, Mississippi’s median household income hasn’t kept pace, according to the data.
The average summer electric bill in Mississippi is $201 and the median monthly income for residents is $4,835, the ConsumerAffairs report found.
“Mississippi’s median household income increased by just 25% since 2020, not enough to offset the pressure from higher utility bills,” analysts said.
Which states have the highest summer cooling cost burdens?
These are the top 10 states where residents spend larger amounts of their income on summer cooling costs, according to the ConsumerAffairs study:
1. Alabama
2. Mississippi
3. Louisiana
4. Arizona
5. Texas
6. Oklahoma
7. Arkansas
8. Georgia
9. West Virginia
10. South Carolina
How to lower summer cooling costs in MS
If you’re hoping to lower your electric bill this summer in Mississippi, it’s important to remember that the closer you keep the temperature of your home to the temperature outside, the lower your overall cooling bill will be.
But that doesn’t mean you have to live in the heat. Experts at the U.S. Department of Energy recommend keeping your home warmer than normal while you’re away and setting your thermostat as high as comfortable when you’re at home.
When you first arrive home, try not to set your thermostat at a colder than normal temperature as it will increase your energy bill without working any faster, experts said.
