Electricity, gas, water and waste in the United States
This page gathers the figures we hold on electricity, gas, water and waste in the United States. Each section names its own source.
Each source groups industries its own way, so the edges of electricity, gas, water and waste differ a little from section to section.
- Median sale multiple5.5times EBITDA
- Wage rate change+4.0%the year to June 2026
What businesses sold for
- Electricity, gas, water and waste5.5 times EBITDA, 5+ deals
Deal details
Electricity, gas, water and waste: median 5.5 times EBITDA (5+ deals of US$6.7 million to US$333 million, announced 2011 to 2023).
Sizes are converted from our size range of A$10 million to A$500 million, at the fixed rate our database uses to place overseas deals: US$1 = A$1.50. The rate stays fixed, so the range always describes the same deals.
See what US businesses sell for, by sector.
These are deals for US businesses in our database, not every deal in the market.
Source: deals in our database with a published value. Counts by onestepright.
Compare sale multiples across countries.
How many businesses are still active
About 74 in every 100 were still active three years later.
The Census Bureau counts businesses with employees. The rate is our calculation from its counts.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics (2023 release). Survival computed by onestepright.
What costs did
What wage rates and input prices did in this industry. Each comes from its own BLS series and grouping of industries. The wage series holds the mix of jobs fixed, so it tracks pay rates.
Each bar comes from its own BLS series, named below.
Wage rates in utilities, the BLS group nearest electricity, gas, water and waste, rose 4.0% in the year to June 2026.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Cost Index, wages and salaries, private industry, 12 months to June 2026.
No BLS price series measures this industry's inputs closely enough to show.
Prices businesses expect to charge
In September 2026, 18.9% of electricity, gas, water and waste businesses expected their prices to be higher six months on. Across all businesses, 38.4% did.
Utilities only (NAICS 22); waste services sit with administrative services in NAICS.
The Census Bureau asks businesses with employees every two weeks. Each business counts once, whatever its size.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Trends and Outlook Survey, 7 to 20 September 2026.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Figures marked as ours are onestepright's calculations from their published data.
See electricity, gas, water and waste in Australia.
See electricity, gas, water and waste in New Zealand.
See electricity, gas, water and waste in the United Kingdom.
See electricity, gas, water and waste in Canada.
Who in your business can move a price, and by how much? The pricing check takes about ten minutes.