How much does it cost to run baseboard heating?
EIA data · June 2026About $58.57 a month at the U.S. average price of 18.34¢ per kilowatt-hour — but that figure moves a long way depending on where you live. Set your state below.
319.4 kWh a month at the U.S. average, 18.34¢/kWh for June 2026. Excludes fixed charges, taxes and time-of-use rates, which vary by utility and are on your bill.
Typical 500–2,500 W. Use the figure on your own label if you have it.
70% duty cycle applied — it draws power for part of that time.
An electric baseboard heater is #8 of 88 on this site by annual cost, so it is probably not the only thing worth checking. See what an electric baseboard heater costs beside everything else you run.
Published figures for this appliance disagree by a wide margin. Why other sites price an electric baseboard heater so differently.
How many watts an electric baseboard heater uses
Electric baseboard is rated at roughly 250 W per linear foot, so a common 6-foot unit is about 1,500 W. The range spans a 2-foot bathroom unit to a 10-foot run in a large room.
- Low
- 500 W
- Typical
- 1,500 W
- High
- 2,500 W
What it costs across the country
Same appliance, same usage, different electricity price. Annual cost at 1,500 W and the default usage above.
| State | ¢/kWh | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 52.72 | $2,020 |
| California | 34.74 | $1,331 |
| Massachusetts | 29.61 | $1,135 |
| New York | 29.49 | $1,130 |
| Ohio | 19.19 | $735 |
| Texas | 15.94 | $611 |
| Florida | 15.10 | $579 |
| Utah | 13.37 | $512 |
| Nebraska | 13.25 | $508 |
| Nevada | 13.11 | $502 |
Worth knowing
- Baseboard heat is pure resistance, so it is the most expensive common way to heat a room with electricity — every watt buys exactly one watt of heat, with no multiplier.
- Because each room has its own thermostat, the practical saving is closing off rooms you are not using. That is not true of a central system.
- Furniture pushed against a baseboard unit blocks convection, which makes the thermostat run it longer for the same comfort.
Other appliances
- Space heater
- Central air conditioner
- Window air conditioner
- Dehumidifier
- Ceiling fan
- Electric blanket
- Heat pump
- Portable air conditioner
Prices are statewide residential averages for June 2026 from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. They exclude fixed monthly charges, taxes and time-of-use rates. See how these figures are calculated.