Kitchen · Iowa
How Much Does It Cost to Run a Refrigerator in Iowa?
The short answer
Running a refrigerator around the clock in Iowa costs about $6.13 a month ($0.20 a day), based on a typical 150W unit using 1.26 kWh a day.
That’s based on Iowa’s average residential rate of 16.0¢/kWh (EIA, July 2026), 13% below the US average.
Source: U.S. EIA, July 2026 data · Updated
Refrigerator cost by size and efficiency in Iowa
| Model | kWh/month | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Efficient (100W) | 25.6 | $0.13 | $4.09 | $49.03 |
| Typical (150W) | 38.3 | $0.20 | $6.13 | $73.54 |
| Older / large (250W) | 63.9 | $0.34 | $10.21 | $123 |
Iowa vs other states
At typical use, a refrigerator costs $73.54 a year in Iowa — $147 less than in Hawaii and $15.04 more than in Louisiana.
Iowa has the 24th-cheapest residential electricity of the 50 states and DC. Iowa electricity rates · all states ranked
Electricity price trend in Iowa
16.0¢/kWh in July 2026 — ▲ +4.4% from a year earlier.
How to lower the cost of running a refrigerator
Your refrigerator is one of the few appliances that never turns off, but it doesn't draw its rated wattage all day. The compressor cycles on and off to hold temperature, running roughly 30–40% of the time in a typical kitchen. That is why we apply a duty cycle: a 150W fridge at 35% uses about 1.26 kWh a day. Older refrigerators (pre-2001) and second fridges in hot garages can use two to three times more.
- Set the fridge to 37–40°F and the freezer to 0°F — colder settings waste energy.
- Vacuum the condenser coils once or twice a year.
- Retire an old second fridge in the garage — it can cost more per year than a new one.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How much does a refrigerator cost to run per year in Iowa?
A typical 150W refrigerator uses about 460 kWh a year, which costs about $73.54 at Iowa’s average rate of 16.0¢/kWh.
How many kWh does a refrigerator use per month?
At running 24/7, a typical refrigerator uses about 38.3 kWh a month. In Iowa that costs $6.13.
Is it expensive to run a refrigerator in Iowa?
Iowa has the 24th-cheapest residential electricity of the 50 states and DC at 16.0¢/kWh — close to the middle of the pack. Running a refrigerator here costs about $73.54 a year at typical use, compared with $84.21 at the national average rate.
What is the electricity rate in Iowa right now?
The average residential electricity rate in Iowa was 16.0¢ per kWh in July 2026, according to the latest EIA data — up 4.4% from a year earlier.
How many kWh does a refrigerator use per day?
A modern full-size refrigerator typically uses 1–1.7 kWh per day (about 400–600 kWh per year). Older models can use 3 kWh or more per day.
Refrigerator costs in nearby states
Other appliances in Iowa
Cheapest and priciest states
Comparisons
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 refrigerator: running 24/7, 35% duty cycle. Typical power 150W.
- Formulas, duty cycles and limitations: methodology. Data download: open data (CC BY 4.0).