Here are the costs of utilities in America’s 10 hottest cities
America’s cities are getting hotter and hotter – and air conditioning is becoming more expensive.
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According to a CNN report, in 1976, there were an average of 21 days in a U.S. city with temperatures above 95 degrees. Last year, that number rose to 37 days.
And these numbers aren’t outliers either. The trend average has been rising over time, especially in the last decade.
Some cities in the southwestern United States have been particularly hot, with far more days over 95 degrees Celsius per year than the national average. Here are the 10 hottest cities in the USA – and the average monthly utility costs.
Also find out the maximum amount you should spend on a monthly electricity bill.
Phoenix
It’s no surprise that Phoenix is scorching hot. Last year, this desert metropolis experienced a dizzying 158 days with temperatures above 35 degrees. In 1976, there were only 136 days.
Technically, Mesa was the second hottest city in the country with 141 days, but since it’s a satellite of Phoenix, we’ll lump them together. As for the cost of cooling, the average monthly electric bill in Phoenix and Mesa is $246, according to Numbeo. That’s 18.8% higher than the national average of $207.
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Tucson, Arizona
There were 132 extremely hot days in Tucson last year, a significant increase from the 79 days in 1976. That represents a 67% increase in days of scorching heat.
The University of Arizona’s utilities are also not to be sniffed at. The average resident pays $308 per month, and that’s an annual average. In the hot summer months, utilities are much higher.
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Las Vegas
The Las Vegas desert has also seen steep temperature spikes in recent decades. Last year there were 111 days of extreme heat.
In Las Vegas, the average utility cost is $229. Just imagine what it costs to power all the neon lights or the beam of light from the top of the Luxor Pyramid.
San Antonio
Don’t look now, but five of the ten hottest cities in the country are in Texas. And that starts with San Antonio.
In this colonial town in southern Texas, there were 96 days last year with temperatures over 35 degrees. Residents pay an average of $210 a month in utility costs.
Fresno, California
Located in California’s San Joaquin Valley, Fresno experienced 92 days of sweltering temperatures last year, up 54% from 1976, when there were 60 days of extreme heat.
The average electricity bill for Fresno residents is $255 per month.
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Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield, southeast of Fresno, also experiences a disproportionate number of days with scorching hot temperatures. Last year there were 90.
However, these scorching temperatures are not reflected in the average electricity bill of $187.
El Paso, Texas
Anyone interested in mathematics already knows that the remaining four cities in the top 10 are all in Texas.
Last year, El Paso, on the Mexican border, had 89 days of extreme heat, up 43% from 62 days in 1976.
As for utilities, the average monthly bill is $242.
Austin, Texas
Austin is known more for its festivals and culture than its heat, but it’s still sweltering. Last year, the city experienced 88 days of extreme heat.
In the capital of Texas, residents pay an average of $175 for electricity. It’s notable that while Texans use more electricity than the national average, they pay 24% less per kilowatt hour than the national average, according to EnergySage.
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Arlington, Texas
In this city west of Dallas with about 400,000 inhabitants, temperatures rose above 35 degrees on 80 days last year.
The average Arlington resident even pays $200 for their monthly electricity bills.
Houston
Houston, which experienced 73 days of sweltering temperatures last year, makes the top 10. That’s a whopping 567% higher than 1976, when the city experienced just 11 days of extreme heat.
The average monthly electricity bill for Houston residents is $206, about the national average.
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