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  • Home
  • About
    • Our People
    • Mission and Funding
    • 990 Filings
    • Governance and Disclosure Statements
  • Our Work
    • Publications
    • Newsletters
    • Equity Resources
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The Unequal Energy Burden Across U.S. Cities

Source: American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). 2024. “Median and Upper-Quartile Energy Burden for Low-Income Households by Metropolitan Region” Energy Burden Research. Available at: https://www.aceee.org/energy-burden

For many low-income households, the cost of keeping the lights on or heating their homes consumes a far larger share of income than it does for wealthier families. This imbalance, referred to as energy burden, creates difficult trade-offs between paying utility bills and affording other essentials like food, rent, or healthcare. ACEEE’s analysis highlights the significant disparity in energy burden—the percentage of household income spent on energy costs—faced by low-income households across United States metropolitan areas. Cities like Baltimore, Boston, Rochester and New York exhibit particularly high median energy burdens, with median levels around 10-14 percent and the upper quartile of households spending over 20 percent of their income on energy. This burden limits household stability, widens existing inequalities and leaves vulnerable families less able to adapt to rising energy costs. Energy affordability is not, however, a uniform challenge nationwide. Low-income households in cities such as Denver, Portland, and Seattle have considerably lower median energy burdens. Factors contributing to the differences in energy burden can include variations in housing stock efficiency, local climate conditions, and the structure of utility rates. Alleviating energy burden disparities faced by vulnerable populations in urban centers requires effective and targeted policies and programs.

Linda Appeynarh

Research Assistant


This is a part of the AEC Blog series.

tags: Linda Appeynarh
Friday 09.19.25
Posted by Liz Stanton
 

Clean and Resilient: How a Solar Microgrid Powers a Small Town in North Carolina

Source: Market Data Forecast. 2024. North America Microgrid Market – Market Size Overview. Market Data Forecast. Available at: https://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/north-america-microgrid-market

The promise of reliable, clean energy for communities is rapidly becoming a reality, and this is reflected in the growth of the North America microgrid market, projected to reach $13.05 billion in market size by 2033. This robust 10.43% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) signals a clear shift toward enhancing grid resilience and achieving greater energy independence. In Hot Springs, North Carolina, a solar-plus-battery microgrid powers the town during outages and replaces the need for diesel backup generators with renewable energy, cutting emissions and keeping the lights on. As the microgrid market gains momentum, these systems are helping rural communities maintain essential services and secure a sustainable future—one that is resilient, self-sufficient, and less dependent on the main power grid.

Linda Appeynarh

Research Assistant


This is a part of the AEC Blog series.

tags: Linda Appeynarh
Thursday 08.07.25
Posted by Liz Stanton