A new University of Houston survey shows that many Houston-area residents are facing rising energy costs, with nearly half reporting difficulty paying utility bills in the past year.
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Nearly half of residents in the Houston area report struggling to pay their energy bills, according to a new survey from the University of Houston Hobby School of Public Affairs.
The survey found that about one in eight households spends more than 10% of its annual income on electricity and natural gas — a threshold often used to define a high energy burden.
Researchers said 46% of respondents reported difficulty paying an energy bill at least once in the past year, highlighting the growing strain on household budgets as utility costs rise.
“That’s not a fringe problem,” said Gail Buttorff, an associate director at the Hobby School’s Center for Public Policy. “Almost one in two households had trouble paying energy bills in the last year.”
Energy costs in Texas have climbed significantly in recent years, rising about 30% from 2021 to 2025, according to the Texas Energy Poverty Research Institute. While most households reported spending less than $200 per month on utilities, researchers said lower-income residents are disproportionately affected.
Buttorff noted that many lower-income households live in less energy-efficient homes, often lacking features such as double-pane windows, smart thermostats, or energy-saving appliances.
“One of the clear policy implications … is to have targeted investments or targeted incentives to improve that housing,” she said.
In addition to affordability concerns, respondents expressed growing unease about the reliability of the state’s power grid. Houston has experienced multiple major outages during extreme weather events in recent years, and demand is expected to increase as energy-intensive industries expand.
“I think there is also bipartisan interest in trying to support or to balance the growth of data centers with electricity reliability,” Buttorff said.
The findings underscore ongoing challenges for Texas policymakers as they weigh infrastructure investments, housing improvements, and energy demand growth across the state.
