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CostPerKWh

Cost to run a space heater

Electric space heaters turn every watt into heat, so their cost depends only on wattage, hours of use and your electricity rate. Pick your state or enter your own rate to see what it costs you.

Official EIA data · August 2026

W
h
days

Most plug-in space heaters are rated 1,500 W on high (check the label). On low they often draw about half. A thermostat that cycles the heater off lowers the real use.

EIA average residential price, August 2026. Your bill shows your exact rate.

Cost to run a space heater per month

$65.38

360 kWh at 18.16¢/kWh (U.S. average)

Per hour of use
$0.27
Per day of use
$2.18
Per year (same use every month)
$784.51

Power draw

1,500 W

1.5 kW

Energy per year

4,320 kWh

if used like this all year

Full details Costs in every state, real-world usage, formula and tips

Cost to run a space heater in every state

For 1,500 W for 8 hours a day, 30 days a month, at each state's average residential electricity rate (August 2026, EIA). Click a state for more detail.

StateRatePer hourPer monthPer year
Nevada 12.72¢ $0.19 $45.79 $549.50
Louisiana 12.87¢ $0.19 $46.33 $555.98
North Dakota 13.31¢ $0.20 $47.92 $574.99
Utah 13.31¢ $0.20 $47.92 $574.99
Idaho 13.37¢ $0.20 $48.13 $577.58
Tennessee 13.42¢ $0.20 $48.31 $579.74
Nebraska 13.54¢ $0.20 $48.74 $584.93
Kentucky 13.80¢ $0.21 $49.68 $596.16
Arkansas 14.37¢ $0.22 $51.73 $620.78
Mississippi 14.43¢ $0.22 $51.95 $623.38
Wyoming 14.43¢ $0.22 $51.95 $623.38
Washington 14.63¢ $0.22 $52.67 $632.02
Oklahoma 14.82¢ $0.22 $53.35 $640.22
North Carolina 14.95¢ $0.22 $53.82 $645.84
Florida 14.99¢ $0.22 $53.96 $647.57
Arizona 15.05¢ $0.23 $54.18 $650.16
South Dakota 15.15¢ $0.23 $54.54 $654.48
Kansas 15.47¢ $0.23 $55.69 $668.30
Montana 15.57¢ $0.23 $56.05 $672.62
South Carolina 15.76¢ $0.24 $56.74 $680.83
Georgia 15.90¢ $0.24 $57.24 $686.88
Texas 15.91¢ $0.24 $57.28 $687.31
Oregon 15.92¢ $0.24 $57.31 $687.74
Missouri 16.02¢ $0.24 $57.67 $692.06
West Virginia 16.31¢ $0.24 $58.72 $704.59
Alabama 16.33¢ $0.24 $58.79 $705.46
New Mexico 16.51¢ $0.25 $59.44 $713.23
Indiana 17.02¢ $0.26 $61.27 $735.26
Iowa 17.06¢ $0.26 $61.42 $736.99
Colorado 17.17¢ $0.26 $61.81 $741.74
Minnesota 17.20¢ $0.26 $61.92 $743.04
Virginia 17.64¢ $0.26 $63.50 $762.05
Delaware 18.70¢ $0.28 $67.32 $807.84
Illinois 19.32¢ $0.29 $69.55 $834.62
Ohio 19.38¢ $0.29 $69.77 $837.22
Wisconsin 19.41¢ $0.29 $69.88 $838.51
Maryland 21.40¢ $0.32 $77.04 $924.48
Pennsylvania 21.77¢ $0.33 $78.37 $940.46
Michigan 22.99¢ $0.34 $82.76 $993.17
Vermont 23.84¢ $0.36 $85.82 $1,029.89
Connecticut 24.51¢ $0.37 $88.24 $1,058.83
New Jersey 24.61¢ $0.37 $88.60 $1,063.15
District of Columbia 25.98¢ $0.39 $93.53 $1,122.34
New Hampshire 27.64¢ $0.41 $99.50 $1,194.05
Rhode Island 28.18¢ $0.42 $101.45 $1,217.38
New York 28.65¢ $0.43 $103.14 $1,237.68
Alaska 29.41¢ $0.44 $105.88 $1,270.51
California 29.75¢ $0.45 $107.10 $1,285.20
Massachusetts 30.48¢ $0.46 $109.73 $1,316.74
Maine 32.11¢ $0.48 $115.60 $1,387.15
Hawaii 47.18¢ $0.71 $169.85 $2,038.18

How the cost is calculated

The Department of Energy's formula: watts × hours per day ÷ 1,000 = kWh per day. Multiply by the days you use it and by your rate in dollars per kWh. A 1,500 W device running 1 hour uses 1.5 kWh; at 18¢ that is 27¢.

How to lower the cost

  • Heat the room you are in instead of the whole house, and turn the central thermostat down.
  • Use the thermostat or the low setting: a heater that cycles off half the time costs half as much.
  • Never run a space heater on an extension cord, and keep 3 ft of clearance from anything that can burn.

Quick answers

How much does it cost to run a space heater per month?

At the U.S. average residential rate of 18.16¢ per kWh (August 2026), 1,500 W for 8 hours a day, 30 days a month uses about 360 kWh and costs about $65.38 a month, or $784.51 a year if used the same way all year.

How much does it cost to run a space heater per hour?

At 1,500 W it uses 1.5 kWh per hour, which costs $0.27 at the U.S. average rate, from $0.19 in Nevada to $0.71 in Hawaii.

Where is it cheapest to run a space heater?

Electricity prices vary a lot by state. In August 2026, Nevada had the lowest average residential rate (12.72¢/kWh) and Hawaii the highest (47.18¢/kWh). The same use costs $45.79 a month in Nevada and $169.85 in Hawaii.

Sources

Last reviewed November 2, 2026. Rates refreshed automatically when EIA publishes a new month.

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See everything

These are estimates. State rates are EIA averages (total residential revenue ÷ kWh sold), so they include fixed monthly charges spread across usage; your own price per kWh, time-of-use rates and taxes can differ. Real appliance use depends on the model, settings, climate and habits.