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Texans spend the 3rd lowest amount of money on energy, new report finds

Don't talk to us about the heat.

It doesn't have to be 100 degrees for Texans to lambast the singularly most-hated request that could ever be asked of them: to raise the temperature on their air conditioner. As it turns out, a new report commends Texas as the third least energy-expensive state in the nation.

According to the new study by personal finance website WalletHub, the average Texan's total energy consumption cost is about $379 a month. Breaking that number down, that means monthly electricity costs average out to about $153, then $68 for natural gas, and $158 for vehicle fuel. Home-heating oil consumption is another factor included in the report, which comes out to zero for the state.

Texas additionally has the fifth-lowest natural gas consumption per consumer, and the third-lowest gas prices in the nation. AAA says the state's average price is $3.13 per gallon, in contrast to the national average of $3.52.

WalletHub compared the average monthly energy bills for every state and the District of Columbia to determine the rankings of the most and least expensive energy costs. Data for the study was collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, Federal Highway Administration, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and others.

The rest of the bottom five in the category for least energy-expensive states include Kansas (No. 47) and Nebraska (No. 48) with the same average energy cost of $384; New Mexico in No. 50 with residents spending $373 per month on energy; and residents in the District of Columbia (No. 51) spending the least in the nation at $274 a month.

To compare, Wyoming is the most energy-expensive state in the country, with residents' average total energy costs coming out to $844 a month. They spend $117 a month on electricity, $78 on natural gas, $287 on vehicle fuel, and $362 on home-heating oil consumption.

The top five most energy-expensive states in the U.S. are:

No. 1 – Wyoming ($844)
No. 2 – North Dakota ($645)
No. 3 – Alaska ($613)
No. 4 – Connecticut ($593)
No. 5 – Massachusetts ($589)

Karen Clay, a professor of economics and public policy at Carnegie Mellon University, explained why energy costs are higher in some states, like Wyoming and North Dakota, than others.

"Energy costs reflect a combination of factors, including access to resources such as natural gas, coal, sun, and wind," Clay said. "The costs of moving and distributing energy, as well as state policies regarding energy efficiency and environmental impact, also contribute to varying energy costs among states."

The full report and its methodology can be found on wallethub.com.

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Politics News

Dallas narrows down field for new city manager to 4 candidates

Photo by R K on Unsplash

This is an Dallasite's sign to launch that small business they've been dreaming of.

After six months without a city manager, the city of Dallas has narrowed down the field of replacements to four semifinalists including one serving as current interim city manager, plus candidates from Fort Worth, Michigan, and Georgia.

Dallas has been without a city manager since May, when previous city manager T.C. Broadnax left to take a job with the city of Austin. Since that time, Broadnax's former chief of staff Kimberly Bizor Tolbert has served as interim city manager.

The city retained Baker Tilly, a consulting firm, to recruit and compile candidates. (Baker Tilly famously erred in the brochure it created for the position by featuring a photo of the Houston skyline instead of Dallas; they've since replaced it with Dallas.)

A spokesperson for Baker Tilly did not respond to inquiries but according to D Magazine, an email listing the candidates has been sent to the Dallas City Council.

The semifinalists include:

Kimberly Bizor Tolbert, Dallas’ current interim city manager
William Johnson, an assistant city manager in Fort Worth
Mark Washington, the city manager of Grand Rapids, Michigan
Zachary Williams, a county chief operating officer in Georgia

All have more than 25 years' of public administration experience and have worked in similar capacities in their respective cities.

Before working in Fort Worth, Johnson was Baltimore’s transportation director and Atlanta’s deputy chief operating officer and public works commissioner.

Washington worked in Fort Worth and Austin before becoming Grand Rapids’ city manager.

Williams has mostly worked in Georgia at the county level, including serving as county manager in Fulton County and chief operating officer in DeKalb County.

Tolbert began working for the city in 1998, first as the city manager’s assistant and later in the aviation department. Broadnax hired her as his chief of staff in 2017.

Unlike the Mayor and the Dallas City Council, the city manager position in Dallas is not elected but is instead appointed by the city council, and is tasked with executing policies, overseeing the annual budget, and managing staff at city hall.

The council’s Ad Hoc Committee will choose finalists, introduce them to the public, and make an offer in early 2025.

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