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

Laundry · New Hampshire

How Much Does It Cost to Run a Clothes Dryer in New Hampshire?

The short answer

A typical clothes dryer uses about 3.00 kWh per load, which costs $0.80 per load in New Hampshire — about $17.34 a month at 5 loads a week.

That’s based on New Hampshire’s average residential rate of 26.6¢/kWh (EIA, July 2026), 45% above the US average.

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

Clothes Dryer cost by number of loads in New Hampshire

Cost at 26.6¢/kWh, the New Hampshire average (EIA, Jul 2026)
UsagekWh/monthPer dayPer monthPer year
1 load/week 13.0 $0.11 $3.47 $41.61
3 loads/week 39.1 $0.34 $10.40 $125
5 loads/week 65.2 $0.57 $17.34 $208
7 loads/week 91.3 $0.80 $24.28 $291
10 loads/week 130.4 $1.14 $34.68 $416
14 loads/week 182.5 $1.60 $48.55 $583

New Hampshire vs other states

At typical use, a clothes dryer costs $208 a year in New Hampshire — $167 less than in Hawaii and $109 more than in Louisiana.

New Hampshire has the 8th-most-expensive residential electricity of the 50 states and DC. New Hampshire price per kWh · all states ranked

Electricity price trend in New Hampshire

26.6¢/kWh in July 2026 — ▲ +16.7% 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 New Hampshire?

A typical load uses about 3.00 kWh, which costs $0.80 at New Hampshire’s average rate of 26.6¢/kWh. An efficient model can cost as little as $0.40 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 New Hampshire that costs $17.34.

Is it expensive to run a clothes dryer in New Hampshire?

New Hampshire has the 8th-most-expensive residential electricity of the 50 states and DC at 26.6¢/kWh — one of the most expensive. Running a clothes dryer here costs about $208 a year at typical use, compared with $143 at the national average rate.

What is the electricity rate in New Hampshire right now?

The average residential electricity rate in New Hampshire was 26.6¢ per kWh in July 2026, according to the latest EIA data — up 16.7% 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.

Sources & method