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

Kitchen · Arkansas

How Much Does It Cost to Run a Chest Freezer in Arkansas?

The short answer

Running a chest freezer around the clock in Arkansas costs about $3.35 a month ($0.11 a day), based on a typical 80W unit using 0.77 kWh a day.

That’s based on Arkansas’s average residential rate of 14.3¢/kWh (EIA, July 2026), 22% below the US average.

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

Chest Freezer cost by size and efficiency in Arkansas

Cost at 14.3¢/kWh, the Arkansas average (EIA, Jul 2026)
ModelkWh/monthPer dayPer monthPer year
Efficient (50W) 14.6 $0.07 $2.09 $25.11
Typical (80W) 23.4 $0.11 $3.35 $40.17
Older / large (150W) 43.8 $0.21 $6.28 $75.32

Arkansas vs other states

At typical use, a chest freezer costs $40.17 a year in Arkansas — $94.38 less than in Hawaii and $4.51 more than in Louisiana.

Arkansas has the 9th-cheapest residential electricity of the 50 states and DC. Arkansas price per kWh · all states ranked

Electricity price trend in Arkansas

14.3¢/kWh in July 2026 — ▲ +8.1% from a year earlier.

How to lower the cost of running a chest freezer

Chest freezers are among the most efficient appliances per cubic foot because cold air sinks and stays inside when the lid opens. Like a refrigerator, the compressor cycles on and off — we assume about 40% of the time. Placement matters: a freezer in a hot garage runs much longer than one in a cool basement.

  • Keep it in a cool spot away from the water heater, furnace and direct sun.
  • A full freezer holds cold better — fill empty space with jugs of water.
  • Defrost when ice builds up beyond a quarter inch.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

How much does a chest freezer cost to run per year in Arkansas?

A typical 80W chest freezer uses about 280 kWh a year, which costs about $40.17 at Arkansas’s average rate of 14.3¢/kWh.

How many kWh does a chest freezer use per month?

At running 24/7, a typical chest freezer uses about 23.4 kWh a month. In Arkansas that costs $3.35.

Is it expensive to run a chest freezer in Arkansas?

Arkansas has the 9th-cheapest residential electricity of the 50 states and DC at 14.3¢/kWh — one of the cheapest. Running a chest freezer here costs about $40.17 a year at typical use, compared with $51.33 at the national average rate.

What is the electricity rate in Arkansas right now?

The average residential electricity rate in Arkansas was 14.3¢ per kWh in July 2026, according to the latest EIA data — up 8.1% from a year earlier.

Is a chest freezer cheaper to run than an upright freezer?

Usually yes. Chest freezers lose less cold air when opened and typically use 10–25% less electricity than upright freezers of the same size.

Sources & method