Heating · Virginia
How Much Does It Cost to Run an Electric Baseboard Heater in Virginia?
The short answer
In Virginia, an electric baseboard heater drawing 1,500W costs about $0.26 per hour — roughly $64.06 a month if it runs 8 hours a day.
The estimate uses Virginia’s average residential electricity price of 17.6¢/kWh from EIA (July 2026) — 4% below the national average.
Source: U.S. EIA, July 2026 data · Updated
Electric Baseboard Heater cost by daily use in Virginia
| Daily use | kWh/month | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 hour/day | 45.6 | $0.26 | $8.01 | $96.09 |
| 2 hours/day | 91.3 | $0.53 | $16.02 | $192 |
| 4 hours/day | 182.5 | $1.05 | $32.03 | $384 |
| 8 hours/day | 365.0 | $2.11 | $64.06 | $769 |
| 12 hours/day | 547.6 | $3.16 | $96.10 | $1,153 |
| 24 hours/day | 1,095.1 | $6.32 | $192 | $2,306 |
Virginia vs other states
At typical use, an electric baseboard heater costs $769 a year in Virginia — $1,334 less than in Hawaii and $212 more than in Louisiana.
Virginia has the 20th-most-expensive residential electricity of the 50 states and DC. Virginia electricity rates · all states ranked
Electricity price trend in Virginia
17.6¢/kWh in July 2026 — ▲ +11.2% from a year earlier.
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.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to run an electric baseboard heater for 24 hours in Virginia?
Running a 1,500W electric baseboard heater for 24 hours uses about 36.0 kWh, which costs about $6.32 at Virginia’s average rate of 17.6¢/kWh.
How many kWh does an electric baseboard heater use per month?
At 8 hours a day, a typical electric baseboard heater uses about 365 kWh a month. In Virginia that costs $64.06.
Is it expensive to run an electric baseboard heater in Virginia?
Virginia has the 20th-most-expensive residential electricity of the 50 states and DC at 17.6¢/kWh — pricier than most. Running an electric baseboard heater here costs about $769 a year at typical use, compared with $802 at the national average rate.
What is the electricity rate in Virginia right now?
The average residential electricity rate in Virginia was 17.6¢ per kWh in July 2026, according to the latest EIA data — up 11.2% from a year earlier.
How many watts does a baseboard heater use per foot?
About 250 watts per linear foot, so a 4-foot heater is about 1,000W and an 8-foot heater about 2,000W.
Electric Baseboard Heater costs in nearby states
Other appliances in Virginia
Cheapest and priciest states
Comparisons
Sources & method
- Electricity rates: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly — average residential retail price, July 2026 (latest available). Retrieved .
- CO₂: EIA State Electricity Profiles, 2024 emissions rate of in-state power generation.
- Default usage for electric baseboard heater: 8 hours a day. Typical power 1,500W.
- Formulas, duty cycles and limitations: methodology. Data download: open data (CC BY 4.0).