Laundry · US average
How Much Does It Cost to Run a Clothes Dryer?
The short answer
A typical clothes dryer uses about 3.00 kWh per load, which costs $0.55 per load at the US average electricity rate — about $11.94 a month at 5 loads a week.
Based on the US average residential rate of 18.3¢/kWh (EIA, July 2026). Costs range from $8.29/month in Louisiana to $31.29/month in Hawaii — pick your state below for an exact figure.
Source: U.S. EIA, July 2026 data · Updated
Clothes Dryer running cost at the US average rate
| Usage | kWh/month | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 load/week | 13.0 | $0.08 | $2.39 | $28.64 |
| 3 loads/week | 39.1 | $0.24 | $7.16 | $85.93 |
| 5 loads/week | 65.2 | $0.39 | $11.94 | $143 |
| 7 loads/week | 91.3 | $0.55 | $16.71 | $200 |
| 10 loads/week | 130.4 | $0.78 | $23.87 | $286 |
| 14 loads/week | 182.5 | $1.10 | $33.42 | $401 |
Cost to run a clothes dryer in every state
At 5 loads a week and each state’s average residential rate. Select a state for its full breakdown.
| Alabama | 16.4¢ | $0.49 | $10.69 | $128 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 28.8¢ | $0.86 | $18.79 | $225 |
| Arizona | 15.4¢ | $0.46 | $10.03 | $120 |
| Arkansas | 14.3¢ | $0.43 | $9.34 | $112 |
| California | 33.6¢ | $1.01 | $21.91 | $263 |
| Colorado | 17.0¢ | $0.51 | $11.08 | $133 |
| Connecticut | 24.2¢ | $0.72 | $15.75 | $189 |
| Delaware | 18.5¢ | $0.55 | $12.05 | $145 |
| District of Columbia | 25.2¢ | $0.76 | $16.43 | $197 |
| Florida | 15.0¢ | $0.45 | $9.80 | $118 |
| Georgia | 16.3¢ | $0.49 | $10.61 | $127 |
| Hawaii | 48.0¢ | $1.44 | $31.29 | $375 |
| Idaho | 13.7¢ | $0.41 | $8.95 | $107 |
| Illinois | 19.2¢ | $0.58 | $12.53 | $150 |
| Indiana | 16.7¢ | $0.50 | $10.91 | $131 |
| Iowa | 16.0¢ | $0.48 | $10.42 | $125 |
| Kansas | 15.3¢ | $0.46 | $9.95 | $119 |
| Kentucky | 13.8¢ | $0.41 | $9.00 | $108 |
| Louisiana | 12.7¢ | $0.38 | $8.29 | $99.49 |
| Maine | 32.4¢ | $0.97 | $21.13 | $253 |
| Maryland | 21.4¢ | $0.64 | $13.96 | $167 |
| Massachusetts | 30.5¢ | $0.91 | $19.88 | $238 |
| Michigan | 23.1¢ | $0.69 | $15.03 | $180 |
| Minnesota | 17.5¢ | $0.52 | $11.37 | $136 |
| Mississippi | 14.5¢ | $0.44 | $9.48 | $114 |
| Missouri | 16.1¢ | $0.48 | $10.49 | $126 |
| Montana | 15.0¢ | $0.45 | $9.77 | $117 |
| Nebraska | 13.8¢ | $0.41 | $8.98 | $108 |
| Nevada | 12.8¢ | $0.38 | $8.32 | $99.88 |
| New Hampshire | 26.6¢ | $0.80 | $17.34 | $208 |
| New Jersey | 25.2¢ | $0.76 | $16.42 | $197 |
| New Mexico | 16.1¢ | $0.48 | $10.49 | $126 |
| New York | 29.9¢ | $0.90 | $19.49 | $234 |
| North Carolina | 15.2¢ | $0.45 | $9.88 | $119 |
| North Dakota | 13.4¢ | $0.40 | $8.74 | $105 |
| Ohio | 19.5¢ | $0.58 | $12.68 | $152 |
| Oklahoma | 14.4¢ | $0.43 | $9.35 | $112 |
| Oregon | 16.0¢ | $0.48 | $10.41 | $125 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.7¢ | $0.65 | $14.16 | $170 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3¢ | $0.85 | $18.44 | $221 |
| South Carolina | 15.5¢ | $0.46 | $10.08 | $121 |
| South Dakota | 15.4¢ | $0.46 | $10.02 | $120 |
| Tennessee | 13.7¢ | $0.41 | $8.94 | $107 |
| Texas | 15.9¢ | $0.48 | $10.35 | $124 |
| Utah | 13.1¢ | $0.39 | $8.55 | $103 |
| Vermont | 23.8¢ | $0.71 | $15.48 | $186 |
| Virginia | 17.6¢ | $0.53 | $11.44 | $137 |
| Washington | 14.7¢ | $0.44 | $9.59 | $115 |
| West Virginia | 15.8¢ | $0.47 | $10.29 | $123 |
| Wisconsin | 19.1¢ | $0.57 | $12.42 | $149 |
| Wyoming | 14.4¢ | $0.43 | $9.36 | $112 |
How much electricity does a clothes dryer use?
An electric clothes dryer uses about 3 kWh per load — one of the most expensive appliances to run in most homes.
Electric dryers have heating elements of around 5,000W, and a typical load takes 45–60 minutes with the element cycling, for roughly 2.5–3.5 kWh per load. Heat pump dryers use about half as much, and line drying uses none. Moisture sensors that stop the cycle when clothes are dry save more than timed cycles.
Ways to cut the cost
- Use the moisture-sensing (auto-dry) setting instead of a fixed timer.
- Clean the lint filter every load and check the vent duct yearly.
- Dry loads back-to-back to use leftover heat, and air-dry when you can.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to run a clothes dryer per month?
At 5 loads a week, a typical clothes dryer costs about $11.94 a month at the US average rate of 18.3¢/kWh. Depending on your state, the same usage costs between $8.29 and $31.29.
How many watts does a clothes dryer use?
Clothes dryers typically draw 2,000W–6,000W, with 5,000W a common figure. An electric clothes dryer uses about 3 kWh per load — one of the most expensive appliances to run in most homes.
Which state is cheapest to run a clothes dryer in?
Louisiana is currently the cheapest at about $99.49 a year for typical use, and Hawaii the most expensive at about $375 a year.
How many kWh does a dryer use per load?
Typically 2.5–3.5 kWh for a standard electric dryer, and about half that for a heat pump dryer.
Related appliances
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.
- Formulas, duty cycles and limitations: methodology. Data download: open data (CC BY 4.0).