What it costs to run a space heater in every state
Last updated · Prices: U.S. EIA, August 2026
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A heater drawing 1,500 watts costs $0.71 an hour in Hawaii and $0.19 in Nevada. The U.S. average is $0.27. Every figure below is worked out from the residential electricity prices the U.S. Energy Information Administration published for August 2026.
Quick answers at the U.S. average price (18.16¢ per kWh)
| Period | 1,500 W | 750 W |
|---|---|---|
| Per hour | $0.27 | $0.14 |
| Per 8-hour day | $2.18 | $1.09 |
| Running 24 hours | $6.54 | $3.27 |
| Per month, 8 hours a day | $65.38 | $32.69 |
| Per month, running 24/7 | $196.13 | $98.06 |
With the element on the whole time. A thermostat cycles it off once the room is warm, so real costs are lower. Your state is in the table below.
- Hawaii$0.71
- Maine$0.48
- Massachusetts$0.46
- California$0.45
- Alaska$0.44
- New York$0.43
- Rhode Island$0.42
- New Hampshire$0.41
- District of Columbia$0.39
- New Jersey$0.37
- U.S. average$0.27
- Idaho$0.20
- North Dakota$0.20
- Utah$0.20
- Louisiana$0.19
- Nevada$0.19
| State | Price | 1,500 W per hour | 1,500 W per month | 750 W per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 47.18¢ | $0.71 | $169.85 | $84.92 |
| Maine | 32.11¢ | $0.48 | $115.60 | $57.80 |
| Massachusetts | 30.48¢ | $0.46 | $109.73 | $54.86 |
| California | 29.75¢ | $0.45 | $107.10 | $53.55 |
| Alaska | 29.41¢ | $0.44 | $105.88 | $52.94 |
| New York | 28.65¢ | $0.43 | $103.14 | $51.57 |
| Rhode Island | 28.18¢ | $0.42 | $101.45 | $50.72 |
| New Hampshire | 27.64¢ | $0.41 | $99.50 | $49.75 |
| District of Columbia | 25.98¢ | $0.39 | $93.53 | $46.76 |
| New Jersey | 24.61¢ | $0.37 | $88.60 | $44.30 |
| Connecticut | 24.51¢ | $0.37 | $88.24 | $44.12 |
| Vermont | 23.84¢ | $0.36 | $85.82 | $42.91 |
| Michigan | 22.99¢ | $0.34 | $82.76 | $41.38 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.77¢ | $0.33 | $78.37 | $39.19 |
| Maryland | 21.40¢ | $0.32 | $77.04 | $38.52 |
| Wisconsin | 19.41¢ | $0.29 | $69.88 | $34.94 |
| Ohio | 19.38¢ | $0.29 | $69.77 | $34.88 |
| Illinois | 19.32¢ | $0.29 | $69.55 | $34.78 |
| Delaware | 18.70¢ | $0.28 | $67.32 | $33.66 |
| Virginia | 17.64¢ | $0.26 | $63.50 | $31.75 |
| Minnesota | 17.20¢ | $0.26 | $61.92 | $30.96 |
| Colorado | 17.17¢ | $0.26 | $61.81 | $30.91 |
| Iowa | 17.06¢ | $0.26 | $61.42 | $30.71 |
| Indiana | 17.02¢ | $0.26 | $61.27 | $30.64 |
| New Mexico | 16.51¢ | $0.25 | $59.44 | $29.72 |
| Alabama | 16.33¢ | $0.24 | $58.79 | $29.39 |
| West Virginia | 16.31¢ | $0.24 | $58.72 | $29.36 |
| Missouri | 16.02¢ | $0.24 | $57.67 | $28.84 |
| Oregon | 15.92¢ | $0.24 | $57.31 | $28.66 |
| Texas | 15.91¢ | $0.24 | $57.28 | $28.64 |
| Georgia | 15.90¢ | $0.24 | $57.24 | $28.62 |
| South Carolina | 15.76¢ | $0.24 | $56.74 | $28.37 |
| Montana | 15.57¢ | $0.23 | $56.05 | $28.03 |
| Kansas | 15.47¢ | $0.23 | $55.69 | $27.85 |
| South Dakota | 15.15¢ | $0.23 | $54.54 | $27.27 |
| Arizona | 15.05¢ | $0.23 | $54.18 | $27.09 |
| Florida | 14.99¢ | $0.22 | $53.96 | $26.98 |
| North Carolina | 14.95¢ | $0.22 | $53.82 | $26.91 |
| Oklahoma | 14.82¢ | $0.22 | $53.35 | $26.68 |
| Washington | 14.63¢ | $0.22 | $52.67 | $26.33 |
| Mississippi | 14.43¢ | $0.22 | $51.95 | $25.97 |
| Wyoming | 14.43¢ | $0.22 | $51.95 | $25.97 |
| Arkansas | 14.37¢ | $0.22 | $51.73 | $25.87 |
| Kentucky | 13.80¢ | $0.21 | $49.68 | $24.84 |
| Nebraska | 13.54¢ | $0.20 | $48.74 | $24.37 |
| Tennessee | 13.42¢ | $0.20 | $48.31 | $24.16 |
| Idaho | 13.37¢ | $0.20 | $48.13 | $24.07 |
| North Dakota | 13.31¢ | $0.20 | $47.92 | $23.96 |
| Utah | 13.31¢ | $0.20 | $47.92 | $23.96 |
| Louisiana | 12.87¢ | $0.19 | $46.33 | $23.17 |
| Nevada | 12.72¢ | $0.19 | $45.79 | $22.90 |
Price is the state's average residential rate per kWh. Monthly figures assume 8 hours a day for 30 days with the element always on.
This winter
The U.S. Energy Information Administration's winter outlook (October 7, 2026) expects the more than 40% of U.S. homes that heat with electricity to see electricity bills about 4% higher on average this winter than last. It forecasts spending down 9% for homes heating with natural gas and 3% for propane, and up 21% for heating oil. If a space heater is how you top up a cold room, the table above shows what each hour of it costs in your state.
How the numbers are worked out
- Energy: watts divided by 1,000 gives kilowatts; times hours gives kWh.
- Cost: kWh times your state's average residential price.
A plug-in electric heater draws its rated wattage whenever the element is on, so the only inputs are the wattage on its label, the hours it runs and your price per kWh. The monthly column is a ceiling: a heater with a thermostat switches off once the room is warm.
The prices are EIA's August 2026 figures, the latest it has published. Winter rates differ from summer rates in some states, and your own rate depends on your utility and plan. If you know your rate, multiply 1.5 by it for the cost per hour at 1,500 watts.
Ways to bring the number down
Heat the room you are in rather than the whole house, use the low setting once the room is warm, and let the heater's thermostat cycle it off. For the rest of the house, see what temperature to set your thermostat and, if you have hot-water radiators, how to bleed a radiator. Summer has its own version of this table: what it costs to run a window AC.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How much does it cost to run a 1,500 watt space heater?
- At the August 2026 U.S. average residential rate of 18.16¢ per kWh, a heater drawing 1,500 watts costs $0.27 an hour, or up to $65.38 over 30 days at 8 hours a day. A thermostat that cycles the heater off brings the real figure down.
- Which state is the most expensive to run a space heater in?
- Hawaii, at 47.18¢ per kWh in August 2026: $0.71 an hour at 1,500 watts. The cheapest is Nevada, at 12.72¢ and $0.19 an hour.
- Does the low setting really cost half as much?
- Yes, while the element is on. Power draw sets the cost, so a heater running at 750 watts uses half the electricity of the same heater at 1,500 watts. It also puts out half the heat, so in a cold room it may simply run longer.
- How do I find my heater’s wattage?
- It is printed on the rating label, usually on the back or underside, and in the manual. If the label lists amps instead, multiply amps by 120 volts to get watts.
- Will electricity bills go up this winter?
- The U.S. Energy Information Administration's winter outlook (October 7, 2026) expects homes that heat with electricity, more than 40% of U.S. homes, to see electricity bills about 4% higher on average than last winter. It expects spending to fall 9% for natural gas heating and rise 21% for heating oil.
- How much does it cost to run a space heater 24/7?
- At the August 2026 U.S. average residential rate of 18.16¢ per kWh, a 1,500 watt heater running all day costs $6.54 a day, or up to $196.13 over 30 days. On its 750 watt setting it is $3.27 a day. Few heaters really run nonstop: a thermostat switches the element off once the room is warm, so these are ceilings.
- How much does it cost to run a space heater in California?
- California's average residential rate was 29.75¢ per kWh in August 2026, so a 1,500 watt heater costs $0.45 an hour there, $3.57 for an 8-hour day, and up to $107.10 a month at 8 hours a day. Many California households pay tiered or time-of-use rates, so check your own bill's price per kWh.
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Sources
- U.S. Energy Information Administration: Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A (August 2026, residential)
- EIA, Today in Energy: Mixed outlook for energy expenditures this winter (October 7, 2026)
You're welcome to cite or link this page. Prices are EIA's August 2026 figures. Free to reuse under CC BY 4.0: credit Askento with a link. Download the data (CSV) or see all our datasets.