Kitchen · Virginia
How Much Does It Cost to Run a Chest Freezer in Virginia?
The short answer
Running a chest freezer around the clock in Virginia costs about $4.10 a month ($0.13 a day), based on a typical 80W unit using 0.77 kWh 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
Chest Freezer cost by size and efficiency in Virginia
| Model | kWh/month | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Efficient (50W) | 14.6 | $0.08 | $2.56 | $30.75 |
| Typical (80W) | 23.4 | $0.13 | $4.10 | $49.20 |
| Older / large (150W) | 43.8 | $0.25 | $7.69 | $92.24 |
Virginia vs other states
At typical use, a chest freezer costs $49.20 a year in Virginia — $85.36 less than in Hawaii and $13.54 more than in Louisiana.
Virginia has the 20th-most-expensive residential electricity of the 50 states and DC. electricity prices in Virginia · 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 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 Virginia?
A typical 80W chest freezer uses about 280 kWh a year, which costs about $49.20 at Virginia’s average rate of 17.6¢/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 Virginia that costs $4.10.
Is it expensive to run a chest freezer in Virginia?
Virginia has the 20th-most-expensive residential electricity of the 50 states and DC at 17.6¢/kWh — pricier than most. Running a chest freezer here costs about $49.20 a year at typical use, compared with $51.33 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.
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.
Chest Freezer 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 chest freezer: running 24/7, 40% duty cycle. Typical power 80W.
- Formulas, duty cycles and limitations: methodology. Data download: open data (CC BY 4.0).