How Much Does It Cost to Run an Electric Baseboard Heater in Illinois?

Electric Baseboard Heater cost by daily use in Illinois

Illinois vs other states

At typical use, an electric baseboard heater costs $842 a year in Illinois — $1,261 less than in Hawaii and $285 more than in Louisiana.

Illinois has the 17th-most-expensive residential electricity of the 50 states and DC. Illinois price per kWh · all states ranked

How to lower the cost of running an electric baseboard heater

Baseboard heaters are wall-mounted resistance heaters wired into a 240V circuit. Like space heaters, they convert electricity to heat at about 100%, and size determines cost: roughly 250 watts per linear foot. A home heated entirely by baseboards may have several units per room, so multiply by the number of units running. Enter the hours per day the heater is actually on — line-voltage thermostats cycle them on and off to hold the set temperature.

• Install programmable line-voltage thermostats to lower temperatures when rooms are empty.
• Keep furniture and curtains at least 6 inches away so heat can circulate.
• Heating a whole home with baseboards? A ductless mini-split heat pump can cut heating costs by half or more.
• Winters in Illinois are long, so heating appliances often run more hours here than the national default — adjust the hours above to match your home.