Heating · US average
How Much Does It Cost to Run a Space Heater?
The short answer
A typical 1,500W space heater costs about $0.27 per hour to run at the US average electricity rate, or $66.84 a month at 8 hours a day.
Based on the US average residential rate of 18.3¢/kWh (EIA, July 2026). Costs range from $46.43/month in Louisiana to $175/month in Hawaii — pick your state below for an exact figure.
Source: U.S. EIA, July 2026 data · Updated
Space Heater running cost at the US average rate
| Daily use | kWh/month | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 hour/day | 45.6 | $0.27 | $8.35 | $100 |
| 2 hours/day | 91.3 | $0.55 | $16.71 | $200 |
| 4 hours/day | 182.5 | $1.10 | $33.42 | $401 |
| 8 hours/day | 365.0 | $2.20 | $66.84 | $802 |
| 12 hours/day | 547.6 | $3.30 | $100 | $1,203 |
| 24 hours/day | 1,095.1 | $6.59 | $201 | $2,406 |
Cost to run a space heater in every state
At 8 hours a day and each state’s average residential rate. Select a state for its full breakdown.
| Alabama | 16.4¢ | $0.25 | $59.87 | $718 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 28.8¢ | $0.43 | $105 | $1,263 |
| Arizona | 15.4¢ | $0.23 | $56.14 | $674 |
| Arkansas | 14.3¢ | $0.21 | $52.31 | $628 |
| California | 33.6¢ | $0.50 | $123 | $1,472 |
| Colorado | 17.0¢ | $0.26 | $62.06 | $745 |
| Connecticut | 24.2¢ | $0.36 | $88.19 | $1,058 |
| Delaware | 18.5¢ | $0.28 | $67.46 | $809 |
| District of Columbia | 25.2¢ | $0.38 | $92.03 | $1,104 |
| Florida | 15.0¢ | $0.23 | $54.87 | $658 |
| Georgia | 16.3¢ | $0.24 | $59.39 | $713 |
| Hawaii | 48.0¢ | $0.72 | $175 | $2,102 |
| Idaho | 13.7¢ | $0.21 | $50.12 | $601 |
| Illinois | 19.2¢ | $0.29 | $70.16 | $842 |
| Indiana | 16.7¢ | $0.25 | $61.07 | $733 |
| Iowa | 16.0¢ | $0.24 | $58.37 | $700 |
| Kansas | 15.3¢ | $0.23 | $55.74 | $669 |
| Kentucky | 13.8¢ | $0.21 | $50.41 | $605 |
| Louisiana | 12.7¢ | $0.19 | $46.43 | $557 |
| Maine | 32.4¢ | $0.49 | $118 | $1,420 |
| Maryland | 21.4¢ | $0.32 | $78.16 | $938 |
| Massachusetts | 30.5¢ | $0.46 | $111 | $1,335 |
| Michigan | 23.1¢ | $0.35 | $84.14 | $1,010 |
| Minnesota | 17.5¢ | $0.26 | $63.70 | $764 |
| Mississippi | 14.5¢ | $0.22 | $53.08 | $637 |
| Missouri | 16.1¢ | $0.24 | $58.73 | $705 |
| Montana | 15.0¢ | $0.22 | $54.72 | $657 |
| Nebraska | 13.8¢ | $0.21 | $50.30 | $604 |
| Nevada | 12.8¢ | $0.19 | $46.62 | $559 |
| New Hampshire | 26.6¢ | $0.40 | $97.10 | $1,165 |
| New Jersey | 25.2¢ | $0.38 | $91.95 | $1,103 |
| New Mexico | 16.1¢ | $0.24 | $58.73 | $705 |
| New York | 29.9¢ | $0.45 | $109 | $1,310 |
| North Carolina | 15.2¢ | $0.23 | $55.34 | $664 |
| North Dakota | 13.4¢ | $0.20 | $48.95 | $587 |
| Ohio | 19.5¢ | $0.29 | $71.00 | $852 |
| Oklahoma | 14.4¢ | $0.22 | $52.38 | $629 |
| Oregon | 16.0¢ | $0.24 | $58.30 | $699 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.7¢ | $0.33 | $79.29 | $951 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3¢ | $0.42 | $103 | $1,239 |
| South Carolina | 15.5¢ | $0.23 | $56.47 | $678 |
| South Dakota | 15.4¢ | $0.23 | $56.11 | $673 |
| Tennessee | 13.7¢ | $0.21 | $50.05 | $600 |
| Texas | 15.9¢ | $0.24 | $57.97 | $696 |
| Utah | 13.1¢ | $0.20 | $47.89 | $575 |
| Vermont | 23.8¢ | $0.36 | $86.70 | $1,040 |
| Virginia | 17.6¢ | $0.26 | $64.06 | $769 |
| Washington | 14.7¢ | $0.22 | $53.70 | $644 |
| West Virginia | 15.8¢ | $0.24 | $57.60 | $691 |
| Wisconsin | 19.1¢ | $0.29 | $69.58 | $835 |
| Wyoming | 14.4¢ | $0.22 | $52.42 | $629 |
How much electricity does a space heater use?
Most plug-in space heaters top out at 1,500 watts because that is about the most a standard 15-amp US outlet can safely supply.
A space heater is a resistance heater: virtually every watt it draws becomes heat, so a 1,500W model uses 1.5 kWh for every hour it runs on high. The low setting on most models is around 750W. Ceramic, oil-free fan heaters and infrared models all have the same electricity cost for the same wattage — the difference is how the heat is delivered, not efficiency. A built-in thermostat lowers the real-world cost because the heater cycles off once the room reaches temperature; our estimate assumes it runs at full power for the hours you enter, which gives you a safe upper bound.
Ways to cut the cost
- Heat the room you are in, not the whole house — lower your central thermostat a few degrees while the space heater runs.
- Use a model with a thermostat and an eco mode so it cycles off when the room is warm.
- Close doors and block drafts so the heat stays where you need it.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to run a space heater per month?
At 8 hours a day, a typical space heater costs about $66.84 a month at the US average rate of 18.3¢/kWh. Depending on your state, the same usage costs between $46.43 and $175.
How many watts does a space heater use?
Space heaters typically draw 750W–1,500W, with 1,500W a common figure. Most plug-in space heaters top out at 1,500 watts because that is about the most a standard 15-amp US outlet can safely supply.
Which state is cheapest to run a space heater in?
Louisiana is currently the cheapest at about $557 a year for typical use, and Hawaii the most expensive at about $2,102 a year.
Is it cheaper to run a space heater or central heat?
Heating one small room with a 1,500W space heater is usually cheaper than heating the whole house with an electric furnace. A modern heat pump, however, delivers 2–4 units of heat per unit of electricity, so it can heat a room far more cheaply than any space heater.
Do ceramic or infrared space heaters use less electricity?
No. All electric resistance heaters turn about 100% of their electricity into heat. A 1,500W ceramic heater and a 1,500W infrared heater cost the same per hour.
Related appliances
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.
- Formulas, duty cycles and limitations: methodology. Data download: open data (CC BY 4.0).