U.S. residential electricity EIA data: July 2026 US average 18.3¢/kWh Updated
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Heating · District of Columbia

How Much Does It Cost to Run a Heat Pump in District of Columbia?

The short answer

Running a 3,000W heat pump in District of Columbia costs about $0.76 an hour. At 8 hours a day, that’s roughly $184 a month and $2,208 a year.

The estimate uses District of Columbia’s average residential electricity price of 25.2¢/kWh from EIA (July 2026) — 38% above the national average.

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

Heat Pump cost by daily use in District of Columbia

Cost at 25.2¢/kWh, the District of Columbia average (EIA, Jul 2026)
Daily usekWh/monthPer dayPer monthPer year
1 hour/day 91.3 $0.76 $23.01 $276
2 hours/day 182.5 $1.51 $46.01 $552
4 hours/day 365.0 $3.03 $92.03 $1,104
8 hours/day 730.1 $6.05 $184 $2,208
12 hours/day 1,095.1 $9.08 $276 $3,313
24 hours/day 2,190.2 $18.15 $552 $6,625

District of Columbia vs other states

At typical use, a heat pump costs $2,208 a year in District of Columbia — $1,996 less than in Hawaii and $1,094 more than in Louisiana.

District of Columbia has the 9th-most-expensive residential electricity of the 50 states and DC. electricity prices in District of Columbia · all states ranked

Electricity price trend in District of Columbia

25.2¢/kWh in July 2026 — ▲ +9.4% from a year earlier.

How to lower the cost of running a heat pump

Heat pumps don't make heat — they move it from the outside air into your home (or the reverse in summer). That is why a heat pump drawing 3,000W can deliver 6,000–12,000W of heat, depending on outdoor temperature. Our estimate uses the electrical draw of the outdoor unit and air handler while the system is running; enter the number of hours per day the system actually runs, not the hours you are home. On very cold days the backup electric resistance strips can switch on and roughly double the draw, so winter bills in cold states can run higher than this estimate.

  • Avoid big thermostat setbacks in winter — recovering from a deep setback can trigger expensive backup heat strips.
  • Clean or replace the air filter every 1–3 months to keep airflow and efficiency up.
  • Keep the outdoor unit clear of snow, leaves and plants.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to run a heat pump for 24 hours in District of Columbia?

Running a 3,000W heat pump for 24 hours uses about 72.0 kWh, which costs about $18.15 at District of Columbia’s average rate of 25.2¢/kWh.

How many kWh does a heat pump use per month?

At 8 hours a day, a typical heat pump uses about 730 kWh a month. In District of Columbia that costs $184.

Is it expensive to run a heat pump in District of Columbia?

District of Columbia has the 9th-most-expensive residential electricity of the 50 states and DC at 25.2¢/kWh — one of the most expensive. Running a heat pump here costs about $2,208 a year at typical use, compared with $1,604 at the national average rate.

What is the electricity rate in District of Columbia right now?

The average residential electricity rate in District of Columbia was 25.2¢ per kWh in July 2026, according to the latest EIA data — up 9.4% from a year earlier.

Is a heat pump cheaper to run than a space heater?

Per unit of heat, yes — usually 2–4 times cheaper, because a heat pump moves heat instead of making it. A space heater only wins if you need to heat one small room for a short time.

Heat Pump costs in nearby states

Cheapest and priciest states

Comparisons

Sources & method