U.S. residential electricity EIA data: July 2026 US average 18.3¢/kWh Updated
Appliances Rates by state Compare Calculators Reports Methodology About

Home Office · Connecticut

How Much Does It Cost to Run a Desktop Computer in Connecticut?

The short answer

In Connecticut, a desktop computer drawing 150W costs about $0.04 per hour — roughly $8.82 a month if it runs 8 hours a day.

That’s based on Connecticut’s average residential rate of 24.2¢/kWh (EIA, July 2026), 32% above the US average.

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

Desktop Computer cost by daily use in Connecticut

Cost at 24.2¢/kWh, the Connecticut average (EIA, Jul 2026)
Daily usekWh/monthPer dayPer monthPer year
1 hour/day 4.6 $0.04 $1.10 $13.23
2 hours/day 9.1 $0.07 $2.20 $26.46
4 hours/day 18.3 $0.14 $4.41 $52.91
8 hours/day 36.5 $0.29 $8.82 $106
12 hours/day 54.8 $0.43 $13.23 $159
24 hours/day 109.5 $0.87 $26.46 $317

Connecticut vs other states

At typical use, a desktop computer costs $106 a year in Connecticut — $104 less than in Hawaii and $50.11 more than in Louisiana.

Connecticut has the 11th-most-expensive residential electricity of the 50 states and DC. electricity prices in Connecticut · all states ranked

Electricity price trend in Connecticut

24.2¢/kWh in July 2026 — ▼ −12.5% from a year earlier.

How to lower the cost of running a desktop computer

Everyday desktop use — browsing, documents, video calls — is light work for a modern PC, so most office desktops plus a monitor draw around 100–200W. Workstations rendering video or running heavy software use more. Sleep mode drops consumption to just a few watts, so letting the computer sleep when you step away makes a real difference over a year.

  • Set the computer to sleep after 15–30 minutes and the display after 5–10 minutes.
  • Turn off the whole setup with a power strip at the end of the day.
  • Lower monitor brightness — it often accounts for a big share of the total.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to run a desktop computer for 24 hours in Connecticut?

Running a 150W desktop computer for 24 hours uses about 3.60 kWh, which costs about $0.87 at Connecticut’s average rate of 24.2¢/kWh.

How many kWh does a desktop computer use per month?

At 8 hours a day, a typical desktop computer uses about 36.5 kWh a month. In Connecticut that costs $8.82.

Is it expensive to run a desktop computer in Connecticut?

Connecticut has the 11th-most-expensive residential electricity of the 50 states and DC at 24.2¢/kWh — pricier than most. Running a desktop computer here costs about $106 a year at typical use, compared with $80.20 at the national average rate.

What is the electricity rate in Connecticut right now?

The average residential electricity rate in Connecticut was 24.2¢ per kWh in July 2026, according to the latest EIA data — down 12.5% from a year earlier.

Desktop Computer costs in nearby states

Cheapest and priciest states

Comparisons

Sources & method