With Election Day less than two weeks away, rising energy costs are adding to concerns about affordability.

A new report from The Century Foundation found that the national average monthly utility bill reached $280 earlier this year, up 12% from the end of 2024, and that the national average utility debt reached $817.

Bank of America also found that utility bill payments rose 5% from June through August compared with the same period last year.

Experts believe that while some of that increase may be tied to summer cooling demand, growing electricity use from data centers could add to longer-term cost pressures.

“This is people who are struggling month over month, unable to pay to keep their homes heated or to keep them cool in the summer, and as a result it's turning into debt that they're struggling to pay off over time,” said Angela Hanks, chief of policy programs at The Century Foundation.

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Click here for the key races across New Jersey.