hass.tibber_prices/docs/user/versioned_docs/version-v0.31.0/sensors-average.md

Average & Statistics Sensors

:::tip Entity ID tip <home_name> is a placeholder for your Tibber home display name in Home Assistant. Entity IDs are derived from the displayed name (localized), so the exact slug may differ. Can't find a sensor? Use the Entity Reference (All Languages) to search by name in your language. :::

The integration provides several sensors that calculate average electricity prices over different time windows. These sensors show a typical price value that represents the overall price level, helping you make informed decisions about when to use electricity.

Available Average Sensors

Sensor	Description	Time Window
Average Price Today	Typical price for current calendar day	00:00 - 23:59 today
Average Price Tomorrow	Typical price for next calendar day	00:00 - 23:59 tomorrow
Trailing Price Average	Typical price for last 24 hours	Rolling 24h backward
Leading Price Average	Typical price for next 24 hours	Rolling 24h forward
Current Hour Average	Smoothed price around current time	5 intervals (~75 min)
Next Hour Average	Smoothed price around next hour	5 intervals (~75 min)
Next N Hours Average (next_avg_1h–next_avg_12h)	Future price forecast	1h, 2h, 3h, 4h, 5h, 6h, 8h, 12h

Configurable Display: Median vs Mean

All average sensors support two different calculation methods for the state value:

• Median (default): The "middle value" when all prices are sorted. Resistant to extreme price spikes, shows the typical price level you experienced.
• Arithmetic Mean: The mathematical average including all prices. Better for cost calculations but affected by extreme spikes.

Why two values matter:

Show YAML: Why two values matter

# Example price data for one day:
# Prices: 10, 12, 13, 15, 80 ct/kWh (one extreme spike)
#
# Median = 13 ct/kWh    ← "Typical" price level (middle value)
# Mean = 26 ct/kWh      ← Mathematical average (affected by spike)

The median shows you what price level was typical during that period, while the mean shows the actual average cost if you consumed evenly throughout the period.

Configuring the Display

You can choose which value is displayed in the sensor state:

1. Go to Settings → Devices & Services → Tibber Prices
2. Click Configure on your home
3. Navigate to Step 6: Average Sensor Display Settings
4. Choose between:
   • Median (default) - Shows typical price level, resistant to spikes
   • Arithmetic Mean - Shows actual mathematical average

Important: Both values are always available as sensor attributes, regardless of your choice! This ensures your automations continue to work if you change the display setting.

Using Both Values in Automations

Both price_mean and price_median are always available as attributes:

Show YAML: Mean and Median in Automations

# Example: Get both values regardless of display setting
sensor:
  - platform: template
    sensors:
      daily_price_analysis:
        friendly_name: "Daily Price Analysis"
        value_template: >
          {% set median = state_attr('sensor.<home_name>_price_today', 'price_median') %}
          {% set mean = state_attr('sensor.<home_name>_price_today', 'price_mean') %}
          {% set current = states('sensor.<home_name>_current_electricity_price') | float %}

          {% if current < median %}
            Below typical ({{ ((1 - current/median) * 100) | round(1) }}% cheaper)
          {% elif current < mean %}
            Typical price range
          {% else %}
            Above average ({{ ((current/mean - 1) * 100) | round(1) }}% more expensive)
          {% endif %}          

Practical Examples

Example 1: Smart dishwasher control

Run dishwasher only when price is significantly below the daily typical level:

Show YAML: Practical Examples

automation:
  - alias: "Start Dishwasher When Cheap"
    trigger:
      - platform: state
        entity_id: binary_sensor.<home_name>_best_price_period
        to: "on"
    condition:
      # Only if current price is at least 20% below typical (median)
      - condition: template
        value_template: >
          {% set current = states('sensor.<home_name>_current_electricity_price') | float %}
          {% set median = state_attr('sensor.<home_name>_price_today', 'price_median') | float %}
          {{ current < (median * 0.8) }}          
    action:
      - service: switch.turn_on
        entity_id: switch.dishwasher

Example 2: Cost-aware heating control

Use mean for actual cost calculations:

Show YAML: Mean for Cost Calculations

automation:
  - alias: "Heating Budget Control"
    trigger:
      - platform: time
        at: "06:00:00"
    action:
      # Calculate expected daily heating cost
      - variables:
          mean_price: "{{ state_attr('sensor.<home_name>_price_today', 'price_mean') | float }}"
          heating_kwh_per_day: 15  # Estimated consumption
          daily_cost: "{{ (mean_price * heating_kwh_per_day / 100) | round(2) }}"
      - service: notify.mobile_app
        data:
          title: "Heating Cost Estimate"
          message: "Expected cost today: €{{ daily_cost }} (avg price: {{ mean_price }} ct/kWh)"

Example 3: Smart charging based on rolling average

Use trailing average to understand recent price trends:

Show YAML: Practical Examples

automation:
  - alias: "EV Charging - Price Trend Based"
    trigger:
      - platform: state
        entity_id: sensor.ev_battery_level
    condition:
      # Start charging if current price < 90% of recent 24h average
      - condition: template
        value_template: >
          {% set current = states('sensor.<home_name>_current_electricity_price') | float %}
          {% set trailing_avg = state_attr('sensor.<home_name>_price_trailing_24h', 'price_median') | float %}
          {{ current < (trailing_avg * 0.9) }}          
      # And battery < 80%
      - condition: numeric_state
        entity_id: sensor.ev_battery_level
        below: 80
    action:
      - service: switch.turn_on
        entity_id: switch.ev_charger

Key Attributes

All average sensors provide these attributes:

Attribute	Description	Example
price_mean	Arithmetic mean (always available)	25.3 ct/kWh
price_median	Median value (always available)	22.1 ct/kWh
interval_count	Number of intervals included	96
timestamp	Reference time for calculation	2025-12-18T00:00:00+01:00

Note: The price_mean and price_median attributes are always present regardless of which value you configured for display. This ensures automation compatibility when changing the display setting.

When to Use Which Value

Use Median for:

• ✅ Comparing "typical" price levels across days
• ✅ Determining if current price is unusually high/low
• ✅ User-facing displays ("What was today like?")
• ✅ Volatility analysis (comparing typical vs extremes)

Use Mean for:

• ✅ Cost calculations and budgeting
• ✅ Energy cost estimations
• ✅ Comparing actual average costs between periods
• ✅ Financial planning and forecasting

Both values tell different stories:

• High median + much higher mean = Expensive spikes occurred
• Low median + higher mean = Generally cheap with occasional spikes
• Similar median and mean = Stable prices (low volatility)