California Among States to See Largest Savings on Gas Bills This Winter

Blue flames rise from the burner of a natural gas stove in Orange, Calif., on June 11, 2003. David McNew/Getty Images

Consumers nationwide can expect lower gas bills this winter for those who use natural gas to heat their homes, according to a recent report by the U.S. Energy Information Administration—the U.S. Department of Energy’s statistical agency—which revealed states in the west will see the most savings.

The agency reported western states, including California, will see residential bills drop for the winter season—from November until the end of March—from an average of $843 last year to an estimated $590 this winter.

The price drop, they said, is largely due to a reduction in the cost of natural gas, with estimates based on prices at the Louisana-based Henry Hub pipeline, which serves as the U.S. benchmark for natural gas prices. Prices at the hub in November were nearly half that of last year, according to the agency.

According to the 2022 Census’s American Community Survey—an annual nationwide household survey—natural gas heats 46 percent of U.S. homes. Prices vary based on consumer use, according to the agency.

Last year’s prices hit a 10-year high, according to the energy administration’s report, averaging 65 percent higher compared to 2021. Usage in 2022 was also the highest in a decade.