Manufacturing costs in Raleigh–Cary, NC
Raleigh–Cary, NC ranks 82 of 100 U.S. metros by estimated manufacturing energy use. Industrial power in North Carolina costs 8.23 ¢/kWh, +5.5% from a year earlier, and consumer prices in the South, size B/C index are +3.7% from a year earlier.
- Rank by manufacturing energy use
- 82 of 100
- Estimated manufacturing energy use
- 22.8 trillion Btu a year
- Electricity
- 1,900 GWh a year (estimate)
- Natural gas
- 16.3 million Dth a year (estimate)
- Manufacturing jobs, 2024
- 34,530
- Estimate confidence
- Medium
- North Carolina industrial power, Aug 2026
- 8.23 ¢/kWh (+5.5% from a year earlier)
- North Carolina citygate gas, Mar to Aug 2026
- $4.96 per Mcf (6 months reported)
- Inflation, South, size B/C, Sep 2026
- +3.7% from a year earlier; +9.0% over three years
Inflation in South, size B/C
- South, size B/C
- U.S. city average
Industrial electricity in North Carolina
- North Carolina industrial
Other North Carolina metros in the index
- Charlotte–Concord–Gastonia, NC-SC, rank 15
- Greensboro–High Point, NC, rank 42
- Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton, NC, rank 73
- Winston-Salem, NC, rank 95
National cost drivers
WTI crude +67.6%, Henry Hub gas −6.3%, chemical producer prices +6.6% and industrial electricity producer prices +4.1% from a year earlier. See the full index.
Questions
Questions about Raleigh–Cary.
What the index measures, where the numbers come from, and how Discovery Energy checks energy bills against them.
How much energy do manufacturers use in Raleigh–Cary?
Discovery Energy estimates that manufacturers in the Raleigh–Cary, NC metro use about 22.8 trillion Btu of electricity and natural gas a year, rank 82 of the 100 largest U.S. manufacturing energy metros.
What do manufacturers pay for electricity in Raleigh–Cary?
The average industrial electricity price in North Carolina was 8.23 cents per kWh in Aug 2026, +5.5% from a year earlier, according to EIA. Actual rates depend on the utility, tariff and load profile.
How fast are prices rising in Raleigh–Cary?
Consumer prices in the South, size B/C index rose +3.7% over the latest twelve months reported by BLS. Nationally, crude oil is +68% and chemical producer prices +6.6% from a year earlier.
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