U.S. residential electricity EIA data: July 2026 US average 18.3¢/kWh Updated
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Outdoor & Garage · South Carolina

How Much Does It Cost to Run a Pool Pump in South Carolina?

The short answer

A typical 1,500W pool pump costs about $0.23 per hour to run in South Carolina, or $56.47 a month at 8 hours a day.

That’s based on South Carolina’s average residential rate of 15.5¢/kWh (EIA, July 2026), 16% below the US average.

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

Pool Pump cost by daily use in South Carolina

Cost at 15.5¢/kWh, the South Carolina average (EIA, Jul 2026)
Daily usekWh/monthPer dayPer monthPer year
1 hour/day 45.6 $0.23 $7.06 $84.70
2 hours/day 91.3 $0.46 $14.12 $169
4 hours/day 182.5 $0.93 $28.24 $339
8 hours/day 365.0 $1.86 $56.47 $678
12 hours/day 547.6 $2.78 $84.71 $1,016
24 hours/day 1,095.1 $5.57 $169 $2,033

South Carolina vs other states

At typical use, a pool pump costs $678 a year in South Carolina — $1,425 less than in Hawaii and $120 more than in Louisiana.

South Carolina has the 20th-cheapest residential electricity of the 50 states and DC. South Carolina price per kWh · all states ranked

Electricity price trend in South Carolina

15.5¢/kWh in July 2026 — ▲ +5.2% from a year earlier.

How to lower the cost of running a pool pump

Pool pumps can be one of the biggest electricity users in a home with a pool because they run for many hours every day of the season. A single-speed 1–2 HP pump typically draws 1,000–2,500W. Variable-speed pumps are dramatically more efficient: running at low speed for longer moves the same water with a fraction of the energy, which is why many states now require them for new installs.

  • Switch to a variable-speed pump — savings of 50–80% are common.
  • Run the pump only as long as needed to turn over the water once a day.
  • Keep skimmer baskets and filters clean so the pump doesn't strain.
  • Long, hot summers in South Carolina mean cooling equipment can run most of the day from May through September — try 10–12 hours above to see a peak-month cost.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to run a pool pump for 24 hours in South Carolina?

Running a 1,500W pool pump for 24 hours uses about 36.0 kWh, which costs about $5.57 at South Carolina’s average rate of 15.5¢/kWh.

How many kWh does a pool pump use per month?

At 8 hours a day, a typical pool pump uses about 365 kWh a month. In South Carolina that costs $56.47.

Is it expensive to run a pool pump in South Carolina?

South Carolina has the 20th-cheapest residential electricity of the 50 states and DC at 15.5¢/kWh — cheaper than most. Running a pool pump here costs about $678 a year at typical use, compared with $802 at the national average rate.

What is the electricity rate in South Carolina right now?

The average residential electricity rate in South Carolina was 15.5¢ per kWh in July 2026, according to the latest EIA data — up 5.2% from a year earlier.

Pool Pump costs in nearby states

Cheapest and priciest states

Sources & method