Utility rates & providers in Wake County, NC

Representative example: Raleigh (1,000 kWh + 5,000 gal)

Wake County is the core of the Triangle and contains multiple large cities with different retail water and solid waste programs. Raleigh is our largest modeled municipality in the county; for Raleigh, we benchmark residential electric using Duke Energy Progress and the North Carolina Public Staff’s published typical monthly bill at 1,000 kWh. Cary—also in Wake County—uses Duke Progress in our modeled electric data but bills water, sewer, and trash through Town of Cary utilities with separate published rate summaries.

Total estimated monthly utilities

$262.86

Modeled for Raleigh — your address may use different providers. Estimated total ~$262.86; water ~$36.15/mo at 5,000 gal (when that is the city assumption).

Data freshness: last verified 2026-03-04. County overview narrative last verified 2026-04-12.

Data freshness: 2026-03-04
  • Electric $163.17 (62%)
  • Water $36.15 (14%)
  • Sewer $48.94 (19%)
  • Trash $14.60 (6%)

Utilities here are about 5% higher than the North Carolina city average, driven mainly by electric rates.

  • In North Carolina, heating and cooling often makes electric the largest share of the bill.
  • City-provided trash is billed at a monthly fee ($14.60 in our estimate).

Potable water and sanitary sewer for qualifying inside-city Raleigh accounts are billed through Raleigh Water using adopted public utilities rate PDFs with meter charges, volumetric water tiers, and residential flat wastewater components for many homes. Cary publishes its own utilities rate table summary for water and sewer with different base and volumetric line items. Solid waste similarly differs: Raleigh publishes a residential curbside collection fee on solid waste fee pages, while Cary publishes garbage, recycling, and yard waste charges on its services pages. Apex, Morrisville, Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina, and other Wake municipalities maintain their own programs—match each bill to the provider named on your statement.

Utility breakdown by service

Line-item style summary for Wake 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

Benchmark

Benchmark — Duke Energy Progress typical bill @ 1,000 kWh (Public Staff) for Raleigh/Cary modeling context

Duke Energy Progress is the investor-owned utility most Wake County city addresses use in Public Staff typical-bill summaries at 1,000 kWh; effective totals still move with riders, weather, and usage.

North Carolina does not offer retail electric choice for standard Progress residential service—compare tariffs and assistance programs rather than shopping for a competing wires provider.

Verify the distributor on your bill at addresses near municipal boundaries and cooperative lines—ZIP codes can span more than one certified territory.

Official sources

Water

Confirmed

Confirmed — Raleigh Water & Town of Cary retail water schedules (separate publications)

Raleigh Water bills qualifying inside-city accounts using adopted rate PDFs with meter-related charges and tiered volumetric water components (plus watershed and related line items described in the schedule).

The Town of Cary bills qualifying accounts through its own utilities rate summary PDF with different base and volumetric tiers—do not substitute Raleigh’s table for a Cary address.

Other Wake municipalities publish separate water schedules; rural wells remain common outside municipal retail areas.

Official sources

Sewer / wastewater

Confirmed

Confirmed — Raleigh Water flat residential wastewater vs Cary tiered sewer (separate publications)

Many qualifying Raleigh residential accounts use a published flat wastewater charge inside city limits as described in Raleigh Water’s rate PDF.

Cary publishes sewer base and volumetric components in its utilities rate summary—structure differs from Raleigh’s flat residential line item.

Septic systems are outside typical municipal retail sewer line items.

Official sources

Trash & recycling

Confirmed

Confirmed — City of Raleigh solid waste fee pages; Town of Cary garbage & recycling services

Raleigh publishes a residential solid waste collection fee on its solid waste fees pages for qualifying curbside accounts.

Cary publishes monthly garbage, recycling, and yard waste charges on its garbage and recycling services pages.

Other Wake towns operate separate programs; apartments may be private—confirm with your property manager when applicable.

Official sources

Summaries rely on the North Carolina Public Staff’s Duke Energy Progress typical-bill materials, NCUC/Duke Energy customer references, City of Raleigh Public Utilities and solid waste publications, and Town of Cary utilities and solid waste publications as of the last verified date. Non-Raleigh/Cary municipal utilities, cooperative electric pockets, wells, septic systems, and private solid waste are parcel-specific—this overview supports research, not a substitute for a metered bill or development determination.

Check Internet pricing & availability in Wake 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

$262.86

Raleigh

What changes your bill most?

  • Electric is about 62% of your estimated utilities here.
  • Every 100 kWh changes your total by about $14.74.
  • Water increases by about $5.36 per additional 1,000 gallons.

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 (e.g. state commission 1,000 kWh); not city-specific.
  • 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: Raleigh utility page. County overview cards above cite additional regional sources.

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Cities in Wake 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
Raleigh (illustrative pattern)$262.86
Cary$246.09

More in North Carolina

North Carolina utility costsElectric providers in North CarolinaRaleigh utility page

FAQ

We use base charges and per-unit rates from official provider and municipal sources for each city in Wake County. Electric uses city or provider tariff data; water, sewer, and trash use city or provider rate schedules. Each city page shows assumed usage (kWh, gallons) and source links.
Cities in the same county can have different electric providers, municipal water and sewer systems, and trash contracts. Rates and fee structures vary, so estimated monthly totals differ. Use the comparison table and city links to see details.
Each city page shows a 'last verified' date and links to official sources. Always confirm current rates on the provider's or city's website before making decisions.
No. Cary operates its own utilities billing for qualifying accounts with separate published rate summaries. Use Town of Cary utilities materials for water and sewer line items.
Wake is a multi-city county. Raleigh Water and Cary utilities are both major retail systems but publish different schedules. Always match the provider on your bill to the correct municipality’s official documents.
Not reliably. Commercial districts and residential neighborhoods can differ, and municipal boundaries matter more than mailing labels. Confirm with the service provider named on your residential bill.

Learn more

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