Kitchen · Texas
How Much Does It Cost to Run a Dishwasher in Texas?
The short answer
Each load in a dishwasher costs about $0.24 in Texas (1.50 kWh per load). At 5 loads a week, that adds up to $5.18 a month, or $62.10 a year.
Texas’s average residential rate was 15.9¢ per kWh in July 2026 (EIA), 13% below the US average.
Source: U.S. EIA, July 2026 data · Updated
Dishwasher cost by number of loads in Texas
| Usage | kWh/month | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 load/week | 6.5 | $0.03 | $1.04 | $12.42 |
| 3 loads/week | 19.6 | $0.10 | $3.11 | $37.26 |
| 5 loads/week | 32.6 | $0.17 | $5.18 | $62.10 |
| 7 loads/week | 45.6 | $0.24 | $7.25 | $86.94 |
| 10 loads/week | 65.2 | $0.34 | $10.35 | $124 |
| 14 loads/week | 91.3 | $0.48 | $14.49 | $174 |
Texas vs other states
At typical use, a dishwasher costs $62.10 a year in Texas — $126 less than in Hawaii and $12.36 more than in Louisiana.
Texas has the 22nd-cheapest residential electricity of the 50 states and DC. Texas price per kWh · all states ranked
Electricity price trend in Texas
15.9¢/kWh in July 2026 — ▲ +3.4% from a year earlier.
How to lower the cost of running a dishwasher
Most of a dishwasher's electricity goes into heating water and running the heated-dry cycle; the pump and motor use comparatively little. A typical load uses around 1–2 kWh. ENERGY STAR models and eco cycles use less water and lower temperatures, and skipping heated dry can save around 15% per load. Running a full dishwasher generally uses less energy and water than washing the same dishes by hand.
- Only run it when it's full, and use the eco or energy-saver cycle.
- Turn off heated dry and let dishes air-dry with the door cracked open.
- Scrape instead of pre-rinsing under hot water.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost per load to run a dishwasher in Texas?
A typical load uses about 1.50 kWh, which costs $0.24 at Texas’s average rate of 15.9¢/kWh. An efficient model can cost as little as $0.14 per load.
How many kWh does a dishwasher use per month?
At 5 loads a week, a typical dishwasher uses about 32.6 kWh a month. In Texas that costs $5.18.
Is it expensive to run a dishwasher in Texas?
Texas has the 22nd-cheapest residential electricity of the 50 states and DC at 15.9¢/kWh — close to the middle of the pack. Running a dishwasher here costs about $62.10 a year at typical use, compared with $71.61 at the national average rate.
What is the electricity rate in Texas right now?
The average residential electricity rate in Texas was 15.9¢ per kWh in July 2026, according to the latest EIA data — up 3.4% from a year earlier.
Is it cheaper to use a dishwasher or wash by hand?
A full, efficient dishwasher typically uses less hot water — and therefore less energy — than washing the same load by hand under a running tap.
Dishwasher costs in nearby states
Other appliances in Texas
Cheapest and priciest states
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 dishwasher: 5 loads a week. Typical power 1,800W.
- Formulas, duty cycles and limitations: methodology. Data download: open data (CC BY 4.0).