Report Details "Home Energy Affordability Gap" in All States

A compilation of state-by-state analyses titled "On the Brink" details the "home energy affordability gap" experienced by low-income households in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. This new compilation by Roger Colton of Fisher, Sheehan and Colton, Public Finance and General Economics, details the number of low-income households at various levels of poverty and their home energy burdens.

It also details the extent to which federal LIHEAP resources are inadequate, i.e., the amount by which low-income energy bills exceeded affordable energy bills at this year's and last year's fuel prices. On a scale of 1 to 51, each state is given an "energy gap ranking," which compares it to other states in terms of energy burdens for the very low income, the percent of persons below 100 percent of poverty, and the percent that each state's heating/cooling affordability gap is covered by LIHEAP. Finally, Colton's analyses show the percent of the low-income energy bill that goes to each end use, i.e., heating, cooling, non-heating and cooling electricity, and water heating. The report is available online, or email Colton for a copy of the report on CD.

Page Last Updated: April 5, 2007