As I wrote yesterday here, Minnesota compares poorly to three out of the four neighboring states, in terms of electricity affordability ranks and rates, so far in the 21st century. Those three states are Iowa, North Dakota and South Dakota.
The comparison to Wisconsin was a mixed bag, as is it is for the remaining five states in the Midwest of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Nebraska and Ohio. Note that, there are 51 ranks in the charts to follow, rather than just 50, given Washington DC is added to the states ranked.
Illinois
Charts 1 and 2 below show that MN’s electricity affordability rates and ranks rose above IL’s from 2012 onwards, up until 2025 and 2026. Highlights for 2001 to 2026 include:
- MN’s rank sunk 16 places, from #14 to #30.
- IL’s rank fell 4 places, from #31 to #35.
- MN rates inflated 118%, with volatility of 24%, thus misery of 142%.
- IL rates inflated 112%, with volatility of 22%, thus misery of 134%.
Chart 1
Chart 2
Indiana
Charts 3 and 4 below show that MN’s electricity affordability rates and ranks rose above IN’s from 1991 onwards, up until almost 2026. Highlights for 2001 to 2026 include:
- MN’s rank sunk 16 places, from #14 to #30.
- IN’s rank fell 23 places, from #6 to #29.
- MN rates inflated 118%, with volatility of 24%, thus misery of 142%.
- IN rates inflated 143%, with volatility of 27%, thus misery of 170%.
Chart 3
Chart 4
Michigan
Charts 5 and 6 below show that MN’s electricity affordability rates and ranks rose above MI’s from 1974 onwards. Highlights for 2001 to 2026 include:
- MN’s rank sunk 16 places, from #14 to #30.
- MI’s rank fell 5 places, from #33 to #38.
- MN rates inflated 118%, with volatility of 24%, thus misery of 142%.
- MI rates inflated 131%, with volatility of 24%, thus misery of 155%.
Chart 5
Chart 6
Nebraska
Charts 7 and 8 below show that MN’s electricity affordability rates and ranks rose above NE’s from 1993 onwards. Highlights for 2001 to 2026 include:
- MN’s rank sunk 16 places, from #14 to #30.
- NE’s rank improved 4 places, from #8 to #4.
- MN rates inflated 118%, with volatility of 24%, thus misery of 142%.
- NE rates inflated 80%, with volatility of 19%, thus misery of 99%.
Chart 7
Chart 8
Charts 9 and 10 below show that MN’s electricity affordability rates and ranks rose above OH’s from 2016 onwards, up until 2026. Highlights for 2001 to 2026 include:
- MN’s rank sunk 16 places, from #14 to #30.
- OH’s rank fell 5 places, from #29 to #34.
- MN rates inflated 118%, with volatility of 24%, thus misery of 142%.
- OH rates inflated 115%, with volatility of 20%, thus misery of 135%.
Chart 9
Chart 10
Conclusion
Minnesota’s comparison to five Midwestern states, that are not border states, regarding electricity affordability ranks and rates, is a mixed bag as follows:
- Illinois loses on 2026 rank of #35 vs #30 but wins on rank change from 2001 to 2026 of -4 vs -16, as well as wins on inflation of 112% vs 118% and wins on volatility of 22% vs 24%.
- Indiana wins on 2026 rank of #29 vs #30 but loses on rank change from 2001 to 2026 of -23 vs -16, as well as loses on inflation of 143% vs 118% and loses on volatility of 27% vs 24%.
- Michigan loses on 2026 rank of #38 vs #30 but wins on rank change from 2001 to 2026 of -5 vs -16, as well as loses on inflation of 131% vs 118% but ties on volatility of 24% vs 24%.
- Nebraska wins on 2026 rank of #4 vs #30 and wins on rank change from 2001 to 2026 of +4 vs -16, as well as wins on inflation of 80% vs 118% and wins on volatility of 19% vs 24%.
- Ohio loses on 2026 rank of #34 vs #30 but wins on rank change from 2001 to 2026 of -5 vs -16, as well as wins on inflation of 115% vs 118% and wins on volatility of 20% vs 24%.
From yesterday, Minnesota’s comparison to four Midwestern states, that are border states:
- Iowa wins on 2026 rank of #7 vs #30 and wins on rank change from 2001 to 2026 of +13 vs -16, as well as wins on inflation of 64% vs 118% and wins on volatility of 15% vs 24%.
- North Dakota wins on 2026 rank of #1 vs #30 and wins on rank change from 2001 to 2026 of +9 vs -16, as well as wins on inflation of 59% vs 118% and wins on volatility of 17% vs 24%.
- South Dakota wins on 2026 rank of #22 vs #30 and wins on rank change from 2001 to 2026 of +2 vs -16, as well as wins on inflation of 93% vs 118% and wins on volatility of 21% vs 24%.
- Wisconsin loses on 2026 rank of #33 vs #30 but wins on rank change from 2001 to 2026 of -15 vs -16, as well as loses on inflation of 119% vs 118% but wins on volatility of 21% vs 24%.
In conclusion, when it comes to electricity affordability ranks and rates, compared to the rest of the Big 10, Minnesota is unequivocally better than none. Thus, although “Two Out Of Three Ain’t Bad,” beating “None Out of Nine Is Bad.”
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