Energy burden refers to the proportion of a household’s budget spent on utility bills. A high energy burden is typically defined as spending more than 6% of income on energy costs, while a severe energy burden exceeds 10%. Households facing high energy burdens often find it difficult to cover basic living expenses, such as medication, groceries, and healthcare, due to the overwhelming strain of utility bills. This financial pressure can directly impact health and overall well-being.
For the past three years, Consumers Council has partnered with Renew Missouri and the Sierra Club to examine energy burden across Missouri. Renew Missouri brought in expert analysts to examine utility billing data, while Consumers Council collaborated with community advisory committees to gather real-life stories and experiences of those impacted by energy costs.
The outcome of this collaborative effort is the Missouri Energy Burden Explorer Tool, which is now available on this website. Additionally, a new report, which uses this tool to highlight the energy burden challenges in the St. Louis area, can be read in this PDF. We hope you will explore both to gain a better understanding of the presence and effect of energy burden in Missouri.