Every rate on this page comes from a tariff the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) approved, or for sewer and stormwater, the rate sheet of the city or village that sets it. Each one is listed with its docket number and the date it took effect. For the City of Madison's own water, sewer and city charges, line by line, see the Madison Municipal Services Bill explained.
Who Serves Your Town
Most of Madison and its near suburbs get electricity from MGE, and Alliant Energy (Wisconsin Power and Light) serves Verona, DeForest, Oregon, Cottage Grove and most of McFarland. Sun Prairie, Waunakee, Stoughton and Mount Horeb run their own electric utilities.(Alliant Energy)(MGE) For gas, We Energies (legally Wisconsin Gas LLC) serves Sun Prairie, Alliant serves Oregon, Stoughton, Cottage Grove and McFarland, and MGE serves the rest.(Wisconsin Gas tariff)(Alliant Energy) The PSC publishes service territory maps and says their boundaries are approximate,(PSC) so where a town is split, your street decides it. Call either utility with your address to be sure.
| Municipality | Electric | Gas | Water | Sewer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cottage Grove | Alliant Energy | Alliant Energy | Cottage Grove Water & Sewer Utility | Village of Cottage Grove (treatment by MMSD) |
| DeForest | Alliant Energy | MGE (Madison Gas and Electric) | Village of DeForest | Village of DeForest (treatment by MMSD) |
| Fitchburg | Madison Gas and Electric (MGE); Alliant Energy | Madison Gas and Electric (MGE); Alliant Energy | Fitchburg Utility District (City of Fitchburg water utility) | City of Fitchburg (treatment by MMSD) |
| Madison | Madison Gas and Electric (MGE); Alliant Energy (a small part of the city) | Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) | Madison Water Utility | City of Madison Sewer Utility (treatment by MMSD) |
| Maple Bluff | Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) | Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) | Village of Maple Bluff Water Utility; Madison Water Utility (homes on N. Sherman Ave and Sherman Ave) | Village of Maple Bluff (treatment by MMSD) |
| McFarland | Alliant Energy; Madison Gas and Electric (north of Siggelkow Road) | Alliant Energy; Madison Gas and Electric (north of Siggelkow Road) | Village of McFarland Water Utility | Village of McFarland (treatment by MMSD) |
| Middleton | MGE (Madison Gas and Electric) | MGE (Madison Gas and Electric) | City of Middleton Water Utility | City of Middleton Sewer Utility (treatment by MMSD) |
| Monona | Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) | Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) | City of Monona Water Utility | City of Monona Sewer Utility (treatment by MMSD) |
| Mount Horeb | Mount Horeb Utilities | Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) | Mount Horeb Utilities | Village of Mount Horeb Wastewater Utility (Mount Horeb Utilities) |
| Oregon | Alliant Energy | Alliant Energy | Oregon Water and Sewer Utility | Oregon Water and Sewer Utility |
| Shorewood Hills | Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) | Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) | Village of Shorewood Hills Water Utility (buys its water from Madison Water Utility; homes north of the railroad tracks); Madison Water Utility (homes south of the railroad tracks) | Village of Shorewood Hills (treatment by MMSD) |
| Stoughton | Stoughton Utilities | Alliant Energy | Stoughton Utilities | Stoughton Utilities (wastewater) |
| Sun Prairie | Sun Prairie Utilities | WE Energies | Sun Prairie Utilities | City of Sun Prairie (own Wastewater Treatment Facility) |
| Verona | Alliant Energy (Wisconsin Power and Light) | Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) | City of Verona Water Utility | City of Verona Sewer Utility (treatment by MMSD) |
| Waunakee | Waunakee Utilities | Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) | Waunakee Utilities | Village of Waunakee / Waunakee Utilities (treatment by MMSD) |
Gas providers for Madison, Maple Bluff, Mount Horeb, Shorewood Hills, Verona and Waunakee (MGE) and Stoughton (Alliant) come from the PSC's natural gas territory map data(PSC map data) and Alliant's community list.(Alliant Energy) Splits within Madison, Fitchburg and McFarland come from the PSC electric map(PSC map data): Alliant serves some outer edges of Madison, south and west Fitchburg, and most of McFarland. Cottage Grove: the Wisconsin Gas tariff also lists the village, so We Energies may serve its north edge.(Wisconsin Gas tariff)
The Same House in Every Town
To compare towns fairly, we priced one example household under each town's tariffs: 500 kWh of electricity a month and 720 therms of gas a year (the figures MGE uses for its typical customer)(MGE)(MGE), plus 4,000 gallons of water a month on a 5/8-inch meter. That water figure is our example, not an official average. Totals are electric + gas + water + sewer for a year at the rates in effect October 10, 2026.
| Municipality | Electric | Gas | Water | Sewer | Total a year | Stormwater (not in total) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waunakee | $794 | $581 | $360 | $524 | $2,259 | — |
| Stoughton | $852 | $521 | $448 | $486 | $2,308 | $84 |
| Sun Prairie | $816 | $740 | $411 | $472 | $2,440 | $140 |
| Fitchburg | $1,286 | $581 | $277 | $372 | $2,516 | $107 |
| Verona | $1,213 | $581 | $251 | $487 | $2,532 | $100 |
| Middleton | $1,286 | $581 | $260 | $407 | $2,534 | — |
| Mount Horeb | $839 | $581 | $337 | $817 | $2,575 | — |
| DeForest | $1,213 | $581 | $348 | $525 | $2,666 | $105 |
| Oregon | $1,213 | $521 | $453 | $609 | $2,795 | — |
| Madison | $1,286 | $581 | $466 | $481 | $2,814 | — |
| McFarland | $1,213 | $521 | $577 | $601 | $2,911 | $120 |
| Cottage Grove | $1,213 | $521 | $568 | $692 | $2,994 | — |
| Monona | $1,286 | $581 | $577 | $552 | $2,995 | — |
| Shorewood Hills | $1,286 | $581 | $841 | $478 | $3,187 | $245 |
| Maple Bluff | $1,286 | $581 | $1,006 | — | — | — |
Download the data (CSV) · 15 rows · checked 2026-10-10
What stands out:
- Electric drives the gap. Per kWh, the four municipal utilities charge $0.1085 (Sun Prairie) to $0.1199 (Mount Horeb), against $0.1843 for MGE and $0.1701 for Alliant. The municipal utilities add a monthly power cost adjustment that isn't published, so their real bills can run a little higher or lower.
- Sewer varies more than water. At 4,000 gallons a month, sewer ranges from $372 to $817 a year.
- Gas in Sun Prairie costs more per therm right now. We Energies' October 2026 total is $0.8609 a therm, against $0.4823 at MGE and $0.4907 at Alliant. Part of that is timing: all three adjust the gas cost monthly, and MGE's October gas cost was its lowest of 2026.(MGE)
- Some rates are old. Mount Horeb's water rates date from 2016 and Verona's from 2019; Verona has a new water rate docket open at the PSC.(PSC docket)
Method: monthly fixed charges billed per day are counted at 365/12 days a month. Quarterly and bimonthly water and sewer bills are converted to a month (base charge and usage blocks divided by 3 or 2), and rates per 100 cubic feet are converted at 748 gallons.(City of Sun Prairie) Water includes the public fire protection charge where the utility bills it to homes; Monona bills it by home value, counted here at a $400,000 home. Madison uses MGE, Fitchburg MGE and McFarland Alliant (the larger provider in each). Maple Bluff publishes no sewer rate, so it has no total.
Electric Rates
Standard residential rate (Rg-1) for each utility: a fixed customer charge plus one price per kWh, the same all year. MGE's per-kWh price is its distribution charge plus its electricity charge.(MGE Rg-1)
| Utility | Customer charge | Per kWh | Docket | Effective | Approved for Jan. 1, 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MGE Fitchburg, Madison, Maple Bluff, McFarland, Middleton, Monona, Shorewood Hills | $0.4932/day ($15.00/mo) | $0.1843 | 3270-UR-126(tariff) | Jan 1, 2026 | $0.5260/day ($16.00/mo); $0.1929/kWh(PSC) |
| Alliant Energy (WPL) Cottage Grove, DeForest, Fitchburg, Madison, McFarland, Oregon, Verona | $0.5260/day ($16.00/mo) | $0.1701 | 6680-UR-125(tariff) | Jan 1, 2026 | $0.5589/day ($17.00/mo); $0.1805/kWh(PSC) |
| Sun Prairie Utilities Sun Prairie | $13.75/mo | $0.1085 + PCAC | 5810-ER-109(tariff) | Aug 1, 2026 | — |
| Waunakee Utilities Waunakee | $12.00/mo | $0.1084 + PCAC | 6260-ER-107(tariff) | Aug 1, 2026 | — |
| Stoughton Utilities Stoughton | $14.00/mo | $0.1140 + PCAC | 5740-ER-111(tariff) | Jan 1, 2024 | — |
| Mount Horeb Utilities Mount Horeb | $10.00/mo | $0.1199 + PCAC | 3930-ER-105(tariff) | Aug 1, 2023 | — |
- Alliant's default for new homes: a new home on WPL goes on the Rg-5 time-of-use rate unless the owner asks for another rate at hookup.(Alliant tariff)
- Waunakee has a second step approved that raises its energy charge to $0.1108 a kWh once a substation project is in service, no later than December 31, 2027.(PSC final decision)
- Stoughton filed a new rate case (5740-ER-112) in April 2026 asking for a 4.36% revenue increase; it is still open.(PSC)
Natural Gas Rates
A gas bill has a daily customer charge, a delivery (distribution) charge per therm, and a gas supply charge per therm that changes every month. The table shows each utility's total per therm for October 2026.
| Utility | Customer charge | Delivery per therm | Total per therm, Oct. 2026 | Base-rate docket |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MGE DeForest, Fitchburg, Madison, Maple Bluff, Middleton, Monona, Mount Horeb, Shorewood Hills, Verona, Waunakee | $0.6410/day ($19.50/mo) | $0.3253 | $0.4823(tariff) | 3270-UR-126 |
| Alliant Energy (WPL) Cottage Grove, Fitchburg, McFarland, Oregon, Stoughton | $0.4603/day ($14.00/mo) | $0.3666 | $0.4907(tariff) | 6680-UR-125 |
| We Energies (Wisconsin Gas) Sun Prairie | $0.3300/day ($10.04/mo) | $0.4372 | $0.8609(tariff) | 5-UR-111 |
- MGE: the total is the RD-1 distribution charge, a $0.0163 administrative charge and the monthly gas cost (FS-1).(MGE) The gas cost was $0.6640 in January 2026, $0.9192 in February, $0.3979 in June and $0.1570 in October.(MGE)
- Alliant: the total includes a monthly market adjustment of −$0.4897 a therm under change notice 417, effective October 5, 2026.(Alliant tariff)
- We Energies (Sun Prairie): distribution $0.4372, base gas $0.5114, and a purchased gas adjustment of −$0.0877 for October 2026.(Wisconsin Gas tariff) A rate case for 2027 and 2028 (5-UR-112) is pending; see why utility bills went up.
Water and Sewer Rates
Converted to a month for a 5/8-inch meter, the size most homes have. Usage rates are per 1,000 gallons. Every water rate below is from the utility's PSC tariff; sewer and stormwater are set locally.
| Municipality | Water base | Water per 1,000 gal | Fire protection | Water docket | Sewer base + per 1,000 gal | Stormwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cottage Grove monthly | $11.60 | $4.81 first 4,000 gal, then $5.10 / $5.97 | $16.50 | 1390-WR-106(tariff) Apr 1, 2024 | $19.84 + $9.45(rates) | — |
| DeForest monthly | $7.25 | $3.17 first 10,000 gal, then $2.99 / $2.84 | $9.03 | 1580-WR-106(tariff) Mar 24, 2026 | $16.10 + $6.91(rates) | $8.75 |
| Fitchburg quarterly | $6.18 | $2.51 first 2,667 gal, then $2.89 / $3.51 / $4.66 | $6.34 | 1990-WQ-105(tariff) Sep 16, 2026 | $16.10 + $3.72(rates) | $8.88 |
| Madison monthly | $14.00 | $5.70 first 3,000 gal, then $7.71 / $9.47 / $13.74 / $17.67 | none | 3280-WR-117(tariff) May 1, 2026 | $17.50 + $5.64(rates) | by lot area |
| Maple Bluff quarterly | $18.00 | $11.50 first 62,333 gal, then $10.45 | $19.88 | 3340-WR-106(tariff) Dec 26, 2023 | not published | — |
| McFarland bimonthly | $17.00 | $4.18 | $14.35 | 3490-WR-108(tariff) Jun 11, 2026 | $21.45 + $7.15(rates) | $10.00 |
| Middleton quarterly | $5.91 | $2.69 | $5.00 | 3640-WQ-101(tariff) Dec 15, 2025 | $13.50 + $5.10(rates) | — |
| Monona monthly | $11.00 | $4.18 first 2,500 gal, then $4.93 / $6.35 | by home value | 3800-WR-110(tariff) Jul 1, 2021 | $20.98 + $6.25(rates) | — |
| Mount Horeb monthly | $7.50 | $3.10 first 167,000 gal, then $1.90 | $8.21 | 3950-WR-103(tariff) Jun 1, 2016 | $22.10 + $11.50(rates) | — |
| Oregon monthly | $10.00 | $4.62 first 10,000 gal, then $4.13 / $3.55 | $9.25 | 4440-WR-104(tariff) Apr 30, 2026 | $12.55 + $9.54(rates) | — |
| Shorewood Hills monthly | $17.00 | $9.59 first 93,500 gal, then $8.22 | $14.78 | 5450-WR-106(tariff) Feb 25, 2026 | $15.47 + $6.10(rates) | $20.44 |
| Stoughton monthly | $13.00 | $3.58 | $10.00 | 5750-WR-107(tariff) Jul 1, 2025 | $13.69 + $6.71(rates) | $7.01 |
| Sun Prairie monthly | $14.00 | $3.18 | $7.53 | 5810-WR-107(tariff) Nov 12, 2025 | $15.18 + $6.04(rates) | $11.70 |
| Verona quarterly | $7.00 | $3.48 | none | 6100-WR-103(tariff) Sep 16, 2019 | $18.34 + $5.57(rates) | $8.33 |
| Waunakee monthly | $8.00 | $3.32 first 13,000 gal, then $2.96 / $2.38 | $8.70 | 6260-WR-107(tariff) Mar 31, 2026 | $16.07 + $6.90(rates) | — |
Shorewood Hills and Maple Bluff buy their water from Madison Water Utility, and homes on some streets in each village are Madison Water customers. Verona's sewer and stormwater charges rise again on December 16, 2026 ($58.87 a quarter plus $5.96 per 1,000 gallons for sewer).(City of Verona) McFarland bills every two months; Fitchburg, Maple Bluff, Middleton and Verona bill quarterly.
What These Numbers Leave Out
- Monthly fuel credits and surcharges. In October 2026, MGE customers get a credit of $0.03561 per kWh and Alliant customers $0.00788 per kWh, refunds of 2025 fuel costs that apply to October only.(MGE)(Alliant tariff)
- Power cost adjustments (PCAC) at the four municipal electric utilities. Each month's adjustment is that month's power cost minus a base cost in the tariff, and can be a charge or a credit.(Sun Prairie tariff) The utilities don't post the monthly figure; it's on your bill.
- Low-income and conservation fees. MGE lists a state low-income assistance fee of $0.10356 a day, or 3% of electric charges if smaller.(MGE) The municipal utilities charge a Commitment to Community fee capped at $0.80 to $1.24 a month.(Stoughton tariff)
- Madison's other city charges (stormwater, urban forestry, resource recovery, landfill) are on the Municipal Services Bill.
Official Typical Use
These are the usage figures the utilities and the PSC publish for an average home, with the bill they quote at that use (base rates).
- MGE: 500 kWh a month,(MGE) and 720 therms of gas a year.(MGE)
- Sun Prairie Utilities: 592 kWh a month, $77.97 at the August 2026 rates, before the PCAC.(PSC final decision)
- Waunakee Utilities: 707 kWh a month, $88.61.(PSC final decision)
- Stoughton Utilities: 689 kWh a month, $92.53 (2023 rate case).(PSC final decision)
- Mount Horeb Utilities: 705 kWh a month, $94.54 (2023 rate case).(PSC final decision)
- We Energies (Wisconsin Gas): 865 therms a year for a typical residential customer.(We Energies bill insert)
- Madison Water Utility: average residential water charge of $38.81 a month since May 1, 2026.(City of Madison)
More on Utility Costs
- Energy RebatesFocus on Energy, MG&E and Alliant, by project.Read the Guide
- Heat Pump vs Gas Running CostWhat a heat pump costs to run against your gas furnace, at your utility's rates.Read the Guide
- Winter Utility Shutoff RulesThe November 1 to April 15 rule, payment agreements and WHEAP help in Dane County.Read the Guide
- Why Utility Bills Went UpMGE, Alliant, We Energies and Madison water rate cases since 2023, with dockets.Read the Guide
Thinking about a new furnace or heat pump? Energy rebates lists what Focus on Energy, MGE and Alliant pay, and furnace and AC repair covers what to check before you call. Town-by-town facts beyond utilities are in Madison and its suburbs compared.
Questions
What is the average utility bill in Madison?
Neither MGE nor the city publishes one all-in average. The official pieces: MGE uses 500 kWh a month as its typical electric customer and 720 therms a year as its typical gas customer, and the City of Madison puts the average residential water charge at $38.81 a month since May 1, 2026. At 2026 rates, our example household (500 kWh, 720 therms, 4,000 gallons) pays about $234 a month for electric, gas, water and sewer in Madison, before stormwater and the city's other charges.
Which Dane County town has the cheapest utilities?
For the same example household, Waunakee came out lowest ($2,259 a year) and Shorewood Hills highest ($3,187) of the 14 towns with published sewer rates. The biggest differences come from electric (the four municipal electric utilities charge less per kWh than MGE or Alliant) and from sewer rates.
Who sets utility rates in Wisconsin?
The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin approves electric, gas and water rates, including those of city-owned utilities. Sewer and stormwater charges are set by the city or village board.
Why is my gas bill so different from month to month?
The gas supply charge passes through what the utility pays for gas, with no markup, and it changes monthly. MGE's supply charge was $0.9192 a therm in February 2026 and $0.1570 in October 2026.