Roughly 40% of low- to moderate-income Texas households reported finding their energy bills unaffordable, a problem that is more pronounced in the Houston area, according to a new report from the Texas Energy Poverty Research Institute, a nonprofit focused on energy solutions for low-income communities. About half of respondents to the nonprofit's first statewide survey of energy concerns reported struggling to meet energy expenses most months.
surveyed 6,520 households from December 2022 to March 2023. The organization also broke down its statewide sample into 13 regional reports, including one for the Gulf Coast encapsulating the greater Houston area.
's report. Because energy bills make up a larger portion of a lower-income household’s expenses and these households typically have less savings, “if you plan a budget and that bill comes in and it’s higher, then that can really throw off your whole monthly expenses,” Ken-Opurum said. Census Bureau data