Laundry · Maryland
How Much Does It Cost to Run a Clothes Dryer in Maryland?
The short answer
A typical clothes dryer uses about 3.00 kWh per load, which costs $0.64 per load in Maryland — about $13.96 a month at 5 loads a week.
The estimate uses Maryland’s average residential electricity price of 21.4¢/kWh from EIA (July 2026) — 17% above the national average.
Source: U.S. EIA, July 2026 data · Updated
Clothes Dryer cost by number of loads in Maryland
| Usage | kWh/month | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 load/week | 13.0 | $0.09 | $2.79 | $33.49 |
| 3 loads/week | 39.1 | $0.28 | $8.37 | $100 |
| 5 loads/week | 65.2 | $0.46 | $13.96 | $167 |
| 7 loads/week | 91.3 | $0.64 | $19.54 | $234 |
| 10 loads/week | 130.4 | $0.92 | $27.91 | $335 |
| 14 loads/week | 182.5 | $1.28 | $39.08 | $469 |
Maryland vs other states
At typical use, a clothes dryer costs $167 a year in Maryland — $208 less than in Hawaii and $67.97 more than in Louisiana.
Maryland has the 15th-most-expensive residential electricity of the 50 states and DC. Maryland electricity rates · all states ranked
Electricity price trend in Maryland
21.4¢/kWh in July 2026 — ▲ +13.7% from a year earlier.
How to lower the cost of running a clothes dryer
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.
- 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 per load to run a clothes dryer in Maryland?
A typical load uses about 3.00 kWh, which costs $0.64 at Maryland’s average rate of 21.4¢/kWh. An efficient model can cost as little as $0.32 per load.
How many kWh does a clothes dryer use per month?
At 5 loads a week, a typical clothes dryer uses about 65.2 kWh a month. In Maryland that costs $13.96.
Is it expensive to run a clothes dryer in Maryland?
Maryland has the 15th-most-expensive residential electricity of the 50 states and DC at 21.4¢/kWh — pricier than most. Running a clothes dryer here costs about $167 a year at typical use, compared with $143 at the national average rate.
What is the electricity rate in Maryland right now?
The average residential electricity rate in Maryland was 21.4¢ per kWh in July 2026, according to the latest EIA data — up 13.7% from a year earlier.
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.
Clothes Dryer costs in nearby states
Other appliances in Maryland
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 clothes dryer: 5 loads a week. Typical power 5,000W.
- Formulas, duty cycles and limitations: methodology. Data download: open data (CC BY 4.0).