Utility rates & providers in Hillsborough County, FL

Illustrative monthly bill: Tampa (TECO electric + City of Tampa water/wastewater + city solid waste), 1,000 kWh & 5,000 gal — Plant City & unincorporated differ

Hillsborough County is anchored by Tampa Bay’s economic core: hot, humid summers drive air-conditioning load, and investor-owned Tampa Electric Company (TECO) supplies retail electric service to most Tampa addresses under Florida Public Service Commission oversight.

Total estimated monthly utilities

$293.58

Estimated illustrative monthly utilities for Hillsborough County are ~$293.58 (1,000 kWh + 5,000 gal assumptions). Average water bill estimate in this pattern: ~$32.70/mo at 5,000 gallons.

Tampa Electric (TECO) serves most city electric accounts under PSC-regulated schedules. Water and wastewater inside Tampa limits are billed by the City of Tampa on adopted ccf-based rates; Hillsborough County or other municipalities use different schedules.

Data freshness: last verified 2026-04-13. County overview narrative last verified 2026-04-13.

Illustrative bill — see cards for jurisdiction notes
  • Electric $172.30 (59%)
  • Water $32.70 (11%)
  • Sewer $46.72 (16%)
  • Trash $41.86 (14%)

Utilities here are about 15% higher than the Florida city average, driven mainly by electric rates.

  • In Florida, cooling demand often makes electric the largest share of the bill.
  • City-provided trash is billed at a monthly fee ($41.86 in our estimate).

Potable water and wastewater inside the City of Tampa are billed by the city using adopted rates typically expressed in hundred cubic feet (ccf); solid waste, recycling, and yard waste are often combined on the same city utility statement for single-family cart service.

Unincorporated Hillsborough, Plant City, and Temple Terrace maintain separate charters or wholesale arrangements—do not extrapolate Tampa’s line items across the whole county without checking the legal provider on your bill.

Utility breakdown by service

Line-item style summary for Hillsborough County—figures are from the county overview below, not copied from a single city page. Jurisdiction notes, narrative, and official sources follow in each card.

Electricity

Confirmed

Confirmed — Tampa Electric (TECO) residential tariff components at modeled usage (tariff book + energy planner references)

Provider
Tampa Electric (TECO)
Base charge
$10.00/mo
Energy rate
$0.1623/kWh
Assumed usage
1,000 kWh
Estimated monthly
$172.30

TECO’s residential bills combine basic customer charges, energy rates, fuel adjustments, and riders that change on commission-approved effective dates—use TECO’s tariff and Energy Planner links for the live breakout.

Florida does not offer retail electric choice for standard TECO residential delivery; compare energy-efficiency rebates and time-varying options TECO publishes rather than shopping for a competing wires provider.

Underground vs. overhead service, temporary construction power, and master-metered apartments can carry different customer classes—read the tariff sheet for your account code.

Official sources

Water

Confirmed

Confirmed — City of Tampa potable water for in-city accounts; Hillsborough County Utility Services may bill other addresses

Provider (illustrative)
City of Tampa Water
Base charge
$8.00/mo
Volumetric rate
$4.94/1,000 gal
Assumed usage
5,000 gal
Estimated monthly
$32.70

Official Tampa rates are published in ccf (1 ccf = 748 gal); our model converts to an approximate per-1,000-gallon display at 5,000 gallons—open the city’s adopted rate PDF for exact tier math.

The City of Tampa posts combined water and wastewater rate documents with effective dates—always use the PDF that matches your bill cycle.

Hillsborough County operates retail water and wastewater for many addresses outside Tampa limits; those schedules differ materially from in-city Tampa blocks.

Reclaimed water, irrigation meters, and multi-family master metering can change which tier applies even on the same street.

Official sources

Sewer / wastewater

Confirmed

Confirmed — City of Tampa wastewater for illustrative in-city account (ccf-based schedule)

Method
flat (illustrative at usage)
Estimated monthly
$46.72

Tampa wastewater combines base and volumetric ccf charges; $46.72 matches our modeled single-family estimate at 5,000 gallons per the city rate document notes in cities.json.

Wastewater charges scale with water consumption for most residential accounts—irrigation on a dedicated meter may be handled differently than house water.

County retail customers and Plant City municipal accounts should use their respective adopted schedules rather than Tampa’s ccf table.

Capacity fees for new connections are typically one-time and are not included in this monthly operating illustration.

Official sources

Trash & recycling

Confirmed

Confirmed — City of Tampa residential cart fee (first cart) from adopted utilities schedule

Monthly fee (illustrative)
$41.86

Tampa combines trash, recycling, and yard waste on the city utilities rate page for standard cart service—verify cart size and any senior or hardship programs that may apply.

Unincorporated Hillsborough and other municipalities franchise different haulers or use county-coordinated programs; fees are not interchangeable with Tampa’s table.

Storm events and contaminated-load penalties can create one-time charges beyond the recurring cart line item.

Official sources

Summaries rely on Tampa Electric tariff and planner materials, City of Tampa combined utility rate PDFs, Hillsborough County water/wastewater hub pages, and Florida PSC consumer electricity references as of the last verified date. Plant City, Temple Terrace, county retail service areas, and multi-family master metering require separate schedules—confirm the legal provider on your bill.

Check Internet pricing & availability in Hillsborough County

Internet service varies widely—many providers, different plans, introductory offers, and bundles make it hard to compare apples to apples. That's why we don't estimate internet on this page like we do for electric, water, sewer, and trash. Use our tool to compare providers for your address or ZIP code.

Total estimated monthly utilities

$293.58

County illustrative scenario

What changes your bill most?

  • Electric is about 59% of your estimated utilities here.
  • Every 100 kWh changes your total by about $16.23.
  • Water increases by about $4.94 per additional 1,000 gallons.
  • How to save on utility bills in Tampa

Assumptions

  • Electric: 1,000 kWh/month
  • Water: 5,000 gallons/month

What these labels mean

  • Confirmed — From this area's rate schedule.
  • Benchmark — From an official typical bill or PSC comparative statistic; not every meter will match.
  • Delivery only — Regulated delivery charges only (e.g. Texas); supply varies by plan.
  • Estimated — From other or incomplete sources; use as a rough guide.
Sources

Full line-item breakdown: Tampa utility page. County overview cards above cite additional regional sources.

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Cities in Hillsborough County

Estimated monthly utility totals

Totals use each city's modeled usage and tariffs on file—see the city page for electric, water, sewer, and trash breakdowns.

CityEst. total/mo
Tampa (illustrative pattern)$293.58
Brandon$305.74

More in Florida

Florida utility costsElectric providers in FloridaTampa utility page

FAQ

We use base charges and per-unit rates from official provider and municipal sources for each city in Hillsborough County. Electric often references Florida Power & Light (FPL) tariff or Florida PSC comparative statistics where applicable; water, sewer, and trash use city, county, or authority rate schedules. Each city page shows assumed usage (kWh, gallons) and source links.
In Florida, unincorporated county utility systems, special districts, and municipal utilities can bill very differently—even inside the same county. Trash may be city-contracted, county solid waste, or private subscription. Always match your bill to the provider named on the statement.
Each city page shows a 'last verified' date and links to official sources. County overview pages include additional sources for unincorporated service areas. Confirm current rates on the provider's or government's website before making decisions.
Generally no. Plant City operates its own municipal utility programs for qualifying addresses. Use Plant City’s adopted schedule or Hillsborough County retail pages depending on the provider named on your bill.
Yes—Tampa Electric Company (TECO) is the commonly used name for the investor-owned utility that serves most Tampa electric accounts. Peoples Gas is a related entity but bills separately where gas service exists.
Tampa’s wastewater schedule includes base and volumetric components that can exceed potable water line items at moderate usage, especially when irrigation is metered separately. Compare both sections of the city’s rate PDF.

Learn more

For tips on understanding your bill, comparing cities, and how electric and utility rates work by state, see our blog. Compare Tampa with another city side-by-side, or see how we calculate estimates.