U.S. residential electricity EIA data: July 2026 US average 18.3¢/kWh Updated

Cooling · Wyoming

How Much Does It Cost to Run a Central Air Conditioner in Wyoming?

The short answer

A typical 3,500W central air conditioner costs about $0.50 per hour to run in Wyoming, or $122 a month at 8 hours a day.

The estimate uses Wyoming’s average residential electricity price of 14.4¢/kWh from EIA (July 2026) — 22% below the national average.

Source: U.S. EIA, July 2026 data · Updated

Central Air Conditioner cost by daily use in Wyoming

Cost at 14.4¢/kWh, the Wyoming average (EIA, Jul 2026)
Daily usekWh/monthPer dayPer monthPer year
1 hour/day 106.5 $0.50 $15.29 $183
2 hours/day 212.9 $1.01 $30.58 $367
4 hours/day 425.9 $2.01 $61.16 $734
8 hours/day 851.8 $4.02 $122 $1,468
12 hours/day 1,277.6 $6.03 $183 $2,201
24 hours/day 2,555.3 $12.06 $367 $4,403

Wyoming vs other states

At typical use, a central air conditioner costs $1,468 a year in Wyoming — $3,438 less than in Hawaii and $168 more than in Louisiana.

Wyoming has the 11th-cheapest residential electricity of the 50 states and DC. Wyoming electricity rates · all states ranked

Electricity price trend in Wyoming

14.4¢/kWh in July 2026 — ▼ −1.9% from a year earlier.

How to lower the cost of running a central air conditioner

Central AC is usually the single largest electricity user in a home during summer. Power draw depends on capacity (tons) and efficiency (SEER2 rating): a 3-ton system typically draws 3–4 kW while running. The compressor cycles on and off to hold your thermostat setting, so enter the hours per day it actually runs — on a hot afternoon that can be most of the day, while on a mild day it may be only a few hours.

  • Each degree you raise the thermostat in summer saves roughly 3% on cooling.
  • Replace the air filter every 1–3 months and keep the outdoor condenser clear of debris.
  • Use ceiling fans so you can set the thermostat 3–4°F higher with the same comfort.
  • Summers in Wyoming are relatively mild, so cooling costs are concentrated in a few hot weeks each year.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to run a central air conditioner for 24 hours in Wyoming?

Running a 3,500W central air conditioner for 24 hours uses about 84.0 kWh, which costs about $12.06 at Wyoming’s average rate of 14.4¢/kWh.

How many kWh does a central air conditioner use per month?

At 8 hours a day, a typical central air conditioner uses about 852 kWh a month. In Wyoming that costs $122.

Is it expensive to run a central air conditioner in Wyoming?

Wyoming has the 11th-cheapest residential electricity of the 50 states and DC at 14.4¢/kWh — cheaper than most. Running a central air conditioner here costs about $1,468 a year at typical use, compared with $1,871 at the national average rate.

What is the electricity rate in Wyoming right now?

The average residential electricity rate in Wyoming was 14.4¢ per kWh in July 2026, according to the latest EIA data — down 1.9% from a year earlier.

How many watts does a central air conditioner use?

Most residential central AC systems draw 2,000–5,000W while running; a typical 3-ton system uses about 3,500W.

Sources & method