The average residential electricity rate in Massachusetts is about 29 cents per kWh in 2026 (28.82 cents, EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A, May 2026), among the highest in the country and roughly 56% above the U.S. average of 18.44 cents. That is the all-in rate. The supply-only Basic Service rate your utility quotes is lower (Eversource about 15.6 cents, effective through July 31, 2026), but delivery charges push the total near 29 cents. Rooftop solar with Massachusetts net metering offsets that all-in rate, so every kWh your roof makes cancels one you would buy at about 29 cents.
Massachusetts has some of the highest electricity prices in the country, and in 2026 the number on your bill is the strongest reason to look at rooftop solar. The rate you actually pay depends on which utility serves your address, Eversource, National Grid, or Unitil, and on a distinction most rate pages skip: the Basic Service rate you see quoted is only the supply half of your bill, not the all-in rate. This page breaks down what Massachusetts homeowners really pay per kilowatt-hour in 2026 by utility, why bills are so high, and how solar with Massachusetts net metering and the SMART program turns that high rate into savings you can lock in.
Massachusetts homeowners pay about 29 cents per kWh all-in in 2026 (28.82 cents, EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A, May 2026), among the highest electricity rates in the country, and the supply-only Basic Service rate your utility quotes sits well below that all-in number.
By the SolarFY Editor team, reviewed July 2026. See our data and methodology.
Updated for 2026. Every rate and figure below is dated to its source and was last reviewed in July 2026; utility supply rates reset twice a year, so confirm the current number on your own bill.
What Massachusetts homeowners actually pay per kWh in 2026
Massachusetts homeowners pay about 29 cents per kWh all-in in 2026, among the highest rates in the country (EIA, May 2026). Here is how that breaks down by utility.
- The all-in average is about 29 cents per kWh. Massachusetts residential electricity averaged 28.82 cents per kWh in the most recent published month (EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A, May 2026), roughly 56% above the national average of 18.44 cents, which works out to about $170 a month for a typical home. It has run between about 29 and 30 cents over the past year.
- Your utility is Eversource, National Grid, or Unitil. Each investor-owned utility sets its own regulated Basic Service supply rate, which resets twice a year, and roughly 40 municipal light plants serve their own towns separately, usually at lower rates (Mass.gov, as of 2026).
- Basic Service is supply only, not your full rate. Eversource’s residential Basic Service supply rate is 15.629 cents per kWh, effective February 1 through July 31, 2026 (Eversource), but that covers generation only. Delivery charges push your all-in rate up near 29 cents.
- Massachusetts rates are structurally high, tied to winter natural gas. New England relies heavily on natural gas for both heat and power, and constrained winter gas pipelines drive some of the nation’s highest wholesale prices, which flow through to Basic Service (EIA, as of 2026).
- Solar offsets the all-in rate, and Massachusetts net metering credits it near full retail. Massachusetts credits residential rooftop solar under net metering for the excess power you send back, and small systems of 10 kW or less are credited at essentially the full retail rate (Mass.gov, as of 2026), so every kWh your roof makes cancels one you would have bought at about 29 cents.
- The 30% federal homeowner credit (Section 25D) ended after December 31, 2025 (IRS, as of January 1, 2026), so a Massachusetts homeowner who buys solar in 2026 cannot claim it, though the state’s SMART program and 15% state tax credit continue.
Key numbers, dated and sourced
- Massachusetts residential all-in rate: 28.82 cents per kWh, May 2026 (EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A).
- Eversource residential Basic Service supply rate: 15.629 cents per kWh, effective through July 31, 2026 (Eversource).
- New England regional average residential rate: 28.14 cents per kWh, May 2026 (EIA).
- A 6 kW system in Boston produces about 7,811 kWh a year, as of 2026 (NREL PVWatts, 02108).
- According to MySolarFY’s analysis (as of July 2026), a typical Massachusetts home offsets about $2,250 of electricity a year with full net metering (EIA rate times NREL PVWatts production).
What is the price per kWh in Massachusetts, and why so much of it is “delivery”
Massachusetts’s all-in residential rate is about 29 cents per kWh in 2026, among the highest in the nation. The EIA puts the statewide residential average at 28.82 cents per kWh in May 2026 (EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A), which lands a typical home near $170 a month. That is roughly 56% above the U.S. average of 18.44 cents, and it is the number that matters for solar, because solar offsets the whole delivered rate, not just one piece of it.
Your bill has two halves, and only one of them is the Basic Service rate. Every Massachusetts electric bill splits into supply (the cost of generating the power) and delivery (moving it over the utility’s wires, plus fixed charges and riders). Basic Service is the utility’s regulated default supply rate, set through state-overseen procurement and reset twice a year (Mass.gov, as of 2026). Here is the catch: when a rate page tells you Massachusetts power is “16 cents,” that is usually the supply-only Basic Service rate. Your all-in rate, supply plus delivery, is the roughly 29-cent figure the EIA reports. Solar is credited against that all-in rate under net metering, which is exactly why the gap matters.
Massachusetts electricity rates by utility: Eversource vs National Grid vs Unitil
Three investor-owned utilities serve most Massachusetts homeowners, and each sets its own Basic Service supply rate. Eversource is the largest, covering much of eastern and central Massachusetts, with a separate rate for its Western Massachusetts territory. National Grid serves much of central and northeastern Massachusetts plus parts of the south. Unitil serves a smaller footprint in the north-central part of the state. Your delivery utility is fixed by where you live, and it sets the Basic Service rate below. On top of the three investor-owned utilities, roughly 40 municipal light plants run their own systems in towns like Concord, Wellesley, and Taunton, usually at noticeably lower rates. Each of the utility guides above covers its own net-metering and interconnection details in full.
| Utility | Residential Basic Service supply rate (2026) | How it is structured | All-in delivered rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eversource (Eastern and Western MA) | 15.629 cents per kWh, effective through July 31, 2026 (Eversource) | A published flat residential rate that resets each February 1 and August 1 | Delivery and riders bring the all-in rate near 29 cents per kWh |
| National Grid | Mid-teens cents per kWh; about 16.5 cents for the 2026 term. Confirm the current figure on National Grid’s supply-rate page (National Grid) | Resets each May 1 and November 1 | Delivery pushes the all-in rate into the high-20s per kWh |
| Unitil | Mid-teens cents per kWh; about 16 cents for the 2026 term. Unitil serves a small north-central footprint; confirm on Unitil’s rate page (Unitil) | Resets on Unitil’s Basic Service schedule | Unitil’s higher delivery charges keep its all-in bills among the highest in the state |
Note: Basic Service is a supply-only number. Two homes in different utility territories can see similar all-in bills even when their Basic Service rates differ, because delivery charges and monthly customer charges vary by utility. The one figure that reflects your true cost per kWh is your own bill: divide a month’s total dollars by the kWh used. That all-in cents-per-kWh is what solar offsets. If your town has a municipal light plant, your rate is set by that plant, not by Eversource, National Grid, or Unitil.
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Why is electricity so expensive in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts rates are among the nation’s highest because New England leans hard on natural gas, and winter pipeline limits spike the price of both. The region uses natural gas to generate a large share of its electricity and to heat most of its homes, so on cold days the same constrained pipelines have to supply both. That competition sends winter wholesale power and gas prices to some of the highest levels in the country, and those costs flow into the utilities’ Basic Service supply rate (EIA, as of 2026). Massachusetts also carries above-average delivery charges that fund grid upgrades and state energy programs, which is the other half of why the all-in rate lands near 29 cents.
The high rate is structural, not a one-time spike. Because the driver is the regional gas-and-power market plus long-term delivery investment, the rate is unlikely to fall back on its own. That is what makes locking in a portion of your usage with solar attractive: you are hedging against a cost that has trended up, not down. Massachusetts residential rates have run between about 29 and 30 cents per kWh over the past year (EIA, as of May 2026), well above the 18.44-cent national average.
Who is the cheapest electricity supplier in Massachusetts?
Because Massachusetts is deregulated, you can shop the supply half of your bill, but “cheapest” is a moving target and Basic Service is your benchmark. Any licensed competitive supplier that beats your utility’s Basic Service rate lowers your supply cost; any that is higher raises it. The trap is teaser pricing: a low introductory supply rate that resets to a higher variable rate after a few months, which is how some households end up paying more, not less, after switching (Mass.gov consumer guidance, as of 2026). Two honest points a rate page should make:
- Shopping only touches supply. You cannot shop away the delivery charges, the monthly customer charge, or the riders. Those stay with your utility no matter who supplies the electrons.
- A municipal light plant, if your town has one, sets your whole rate. Massachusetts has roughly 40 municipal utilities, and their all-in rates are often well below the investor-owned utilities’. If you live in one of those towns you cannot switch to Eversource or National Grid, but you are usually already paying less.
- Solar addresses the delivered rate you pay regardless of supplier. Whether you are on Basic Service or a competitive plan, the kWh your roof produces offsets your full retail rate under net metering. That is a different lever than switching suppliers, and the two can stack.
How much can solar save on a Massachusetts electric bill?
At about 29 cents per kWh all-in, a right-sized system offsets most of a typical Massachusetts home’s electricity, and net metering credits it near full retail. Massachusetts credits residential rooftop solar for the excess power it sends to the grid, and systems of 10 kW or less are credited at essentially the full retail rate under net metering (Mass.gov, as of 2026). So a kilowatt-hour your roof exports at noon offsets a kilowatt-hour you pull back at night, one for one, at that same all-in rate. The caveat: net metering does not offset the fixed monthly customer charge, and sizing much beyond your yearly usage gives back little, so the practical move is to size the system close to your annual usage.
The table below is our own estimate for Massachusetts, computed from the state’s all-in rate and local production, not a figure lifted from another site. Instead of resizing the system to match each home, it holds one representative 6 kW system constant, roughly what an average Massachusetts home installs, and shows how much of four different usage levels that same array offsets. That is the useful part: the identical system covers a light user’s whole bill but only part of a heavy user’s, and the dollar offset stops climbing once your usage passes what the panels make. It uses the EIA statewide rate of 28.82 cents per kWh (May 2026) and Boston production of 7,811 kWh a year for a 6 kW system (PVWatts, 02108). Your own numbers depend on your roof, shading, usage, and utility, so treat this as an estimate and check your address.
| Your annual usage | Annual bill at 28.82 cents/kWh | A 6 kW system produces (Boston) | Share of your usage it offsets | Estimated annual bill offset |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6,000 kWh (about 500/mo) | About $1,729 | About 7,811 kWh | About 100%, with a small surplus | About $1,729 |
| 7,800 kWh (about 650/mo) | About $2,248 | About 7,811 kWh | About 100% | About $2,248 |
| 9,600 kWh (about 800/mo) | About $2,767 | About 7,811 kWh | About 81% | About $2,251 |
| 12,000 kWh (about 1,000/mo) | About $3,458 | About 7,811 kWh | About 65% | About $2,251 |
Inputs and assumptions: all-in rate 28.82 cents/kWh (EIA, May 2026); production 7,811 kWh a year for a 6 kW system in Boston (NREL PVWatts, 02108). The annual bill offset is the production you actually use times the rate, capped at your usage under net metering; a light user’s year-end surplus is credited at the lower Class II or III rate, not full retail. A heavier user would size up, since covering 12,000 kWh a year takes roughly a 9 to 10 kW system. To turn this into a payback against a real installed price, run your address through our solar cost and savings guide. Estimate only, not a quote.
The bigger driver is what you avoid over 25 years as rates keep climbing. A Massachusetts home using about 7,800 kWh spends roughly $2,248 on electricity this year. Held flat that is about $56,000 over 25 years, but Massachusetts rates have not held flat; at a modest 2% to 3% a year that same 25-year spend is about $72,000 to $82,000 (SolarFY estimate, compounding the EIA rate). Solar does not make electricity free, but it locks in a large share of that spend at today’s cost, which is the real hedge against the next Basic Service reset. To run the payback for your own roof and utility, see our solar cost and savings guide and how much homeowners save on energy with solar. For a neighboring high-rate state, compare our New Jersey electricity rates guide.
Does Massachusetts have net metering, SMART, and a state tax credit?
Yes, and together they are why Massachusetts is a strong solar state even though the federal homeowner credit ended. Massachusetts net metering credits residential exports near the full retail rate for small systems, as described above (Mass.gov, as of 2026). On top of that, new residential systems earn a per-kWh incentive through the SMART program (Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target), paid for 20 years and administered through the utilities (Mass.gov SMART, as of 2026). Massachusetts also offers a 15% state personal income tax credit on a residential solar system, capped at $1,000, on your state return (Mass.gov Schedule EC, as of 2026), plus a sales-tax exemption and a property-tax exemption on the added home value. We keep the full net-metering and SMART mechanics on our Massachusetts net metering and SMART explainer, and the statewide incentive picture on the Massachusetts solar guide, rather than repeating them at length here.
| What it pays | How it is valued | Who receives it |
|---|---|---|
| Net-metering credits on exports | Near full retail rate for systems 10 kW or less, up to your annual usage; surplus at a lower class rate | The utility account holder |
| SMART incentive | A per-kWh payment on production, paid for 20 years | The system owner |
| Massachusetts state tax credit | 15% of system cost, capped at $1,000, on your state return | The homeowner who owns the system |
| Federal residential tax credit (Section 25D) | Ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025 | Not available to 2026 homeowner-buyers |
What the end of the federal tax credit means for Massachusetts solar
The federal homeowner credit is gone, but Massachusetts’s own programs are not. The 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025, under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, so a Massachusetts homeowner who buys solar with cash or a loan in 2026 cannot claim it (IRS, as of January 2026). You will still see installer pages asking whether the 30% credit is going away; the accurate answer for 2026 is that the homeowner version already ended. What did not change is the part that makes Massachusetts solar pay: the high all-in rate you are offsetting, near-retail net metering, 20 years of SMART income, and the 15% state tax credit. For the full timeline, see what the federal solar tax credit change means in 2026, and for how the numbers work without it, see going solar after the federal credit ended.
One federal exception exists, and it is not the homeowner’s to claim. A separate commercial credit, Section 48E, can apply to a leased or power-purchase-agreement system, but the company that owns the panels claims it, not the homeowner (IRS, as of 2026). On a lease or PPA you do not file for a federal credit yourself. The 25D homeowner credit, by contrast, ended after December 31, 2025.
How to compare solar options against your Massachusetts rate
Because your utility rate is the thing solar competes with, the smartest comparison starts with your own bill, then screens installers on objective criteria rather than a “best installer” list. When you weigh quotes:
- Start from your all-in rate, not the Basic Service rate. Divide a recent bill’s total by the kWh used, then ask each installer to model savings against that number and your actual usage, not a generic state average.
- Confirm the quote uses today’s SMART value and net-metering rules. A quote built on an old incentive figure, or one that leans on the federal residential credit that ended after December 31, 2025, is not comparable to one built on 2026 reality.
- Screen every installer the same way. Look for NABCEP certification, a valid Massachusetts Home Improvement Contractor registration and electrical licensing, a written workmanship and equipment warranty, and real experience with Eversource, National Grid, or Unitil interconnection. For a full checklist, see the right questions to ask a solar installer.
- Compare ownership paths. Cash and loan keep the SMART income and the 15% state credit and deliver the most lifetime savings; a lease or PPA can mean no up-front cost for eligible homeowners, but it is a long-term agreement with monthly payments, not free solar, and the system owner keeps the SMART income. See whether solar panels are worth it.
Massachusetts has a deep, competitive installer market across Boston, Worcester, Cambridge, Springfield, and the rest of the state, which is good for pricing. MySolarFY matches you with licensed installers that serve your area so you can compare real local quotes side by side, with no obligation. You can also read how MySolarFY works and our data and methodology to see how we research these numbers.
Check which solar programs are available at your Massachusetts address →
Frequently asked questions
What is the price per kWh in Massachusetts in 2026?
Massachusetts’s all-in residential electricity rate averaged about 28.82 cents per kWh in May 2026 (EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A), roughly 56% above the national average of 18.44 cents, which puts a typical home near $170 a month. That all-in figure includes both supply and delivery. The supply-only Basic Service rate is lower: Eversource’s is 15.629 cents per kWh effective through July 31, 2026, with delivery charges and riders making up the difference between that supply rate and your full bill.
Why is electricity so expensive in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts rates are among the nation’s highest because New England relies heavily on natural gas for both electricity and home heating, and constrained winter pipelines push wholesale gas and power prices to some of the highest levels in the country (EIA). Those costs flow into the utilities’ Basic Service supply rate, and above-average delivery charges add the rest. Because the driver is the regional gas-and-power market plus long-term grid investment, the high rate is structural and unlikely to reverse on its own.
Who is the cheapest electricity supplier in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts is deregulated, so you can shop the supply portion of your bill, and any licensed competitive supplier that beats your utility’s Basic Service rate lowers your supply cost. There is no single permanent “cheapest,” and low introductory rates that reset to higher variable rates are a common trap (Mass.gov). Shopping only affects supply; delivery charges stay with your utility. If your town has a municipal light plant, that plant sets your rate and it is often already cheaper than the investor-owned utilities.
Is the Basic Service rate what I actually pay per kWh?
No. Basic Service is the supply-only rate, the benchmark you would measure a competitive supplier against (Mass.gov, as of 2026). Your all-in rate adds delivery charges, the monthly customer charge, and riders on top, which is why Eversource’s 15.6-cent Basic Service rate becomes a roughly 29-cent all-in rate on a real bill. To find your true cost per kWh, divide a month’s total dollars by the kWh you used. That all-in number is what rooftop solar offsets.
How much can solar save on a Massachusetts electric bill?
At about 29 cents per kWh, a typical Massachusetts home using 7,800 kWh a year spends roughly $2,248 on electricity (EIA, May 2026). A 6 kW system in the Boston area produces about 7,811 kWh a year (NREL PVWatts), which offsets almost all of that at near-retail net metering, roughly $2,250 a year, plus SMART income on top. Over 25 years, avoiding a bill that compounds 2% to 3% a year is worth an estimated $72,000 to $82,000. Savings vary by roof, usage, and utility, so treat these as estimates and check your address.
Did the 30% federal solar tax credit end for Massachusetts homeowners?
Yes. The 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025, under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (IRS, as of January 2026), so a Massachusetts homeowner who buys solar in 2026 cannot claim it. A separate commercial credit (Section 48E) can apply to leased or PPA systems, but the company that owns the system claims it, not the homeowner. Massachusetts net metering, the SMART program, and the 15% state tax credit were not affected, so the state-level case for solar holds up on its own.
Does Massachusetts have net metering, and what does it pay?
Yes. Massachusetts credits residential rooftop solar for the power you export under net metering, and systems of 10 kW or less are credited at essentially the full retail rate, up to your total annual usage (Mass.gov, as of 2026). One kWh sent to the grid offsets one kWh you buy back, at the same all-in rate. Any surplus left over is credited at a lower class rate, and net metering does not offset the fixed monthly customer charge, so the smart move is to size a system close to your annual usage rather than oversize it.
Reviewed by the SolarFY Editor team. Figures were verified against the linked EIA, Mass.gov, Eversource, National Grid, Unitil, and IRS sources as of July 2026. Utility Basic Service rates reset twice a year, SMART incentive values and net-metering class rates can change, so confirm current terms with your utility and the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities before you decide. MySolarFY does not provide tax or financial advice; consult a licensed professional about your own situation. Learn more about the SolarFY editorial team and how we work.
MySolarFY is a free service that matches homeowners with licensed solar installers. We are not an installer, a utility, an electricity supplier, a financing company, or a government program. “No up-front cost” refers to qualifying lease or PPA financing, where eligible homeowners may have no out-of-pocket cost at installation. Lease and PPA terms typically run 20 to 25 years, may include an annual price escalator, and total payments may exceed the cost of a cash purchase; on a lease or PPA the SMART income and any tax benefits go to the company that owns the system, not the homeowner. Homeowners do not get the federal residential credit that ended after December 31, 2025. Solar panels are not free and monthly payments apply. Electricity rates, incentives, savings, and net-metering terms vary by utility and are not guaranteed. See our full disclaimer.
