Federal data show more than 1 in 3 U.S. households face energy insecurity, and the problem is spreading beyond the poorest families

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 17:39:00 +0200

New preliminary data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s 2024 Residential Energy Consumption Survey reveal that 32.9% of U.S. households—about 43.6 million homes—reported some form of energy insecurity over the prior 12 months, compared with 27.2% in 2020 and 31.3% in 2015. Energy insecurity is defined as an inability to adequately meet basic household energy needs, reflected in behaviors such as receiving disconnection notices, experiencing actual utility shutoffs, cutting back on food or medicine to pay bills, or enduring unhealthy indoor temperatures because heating and cooling systems are too costly to operate or repair.

The survey highlights that energy hardship is no longer confined to low‑income or historically marginalized groups. Middle‑income households earning $60,000–$100,000 saw their share reporting energy problems jump from 20.1% in 2020 to 32.1% in 2024, a 12‑percentage‑point increase far above the national average rise of 5.7 points. White households als