How much does it cost to run a box fan?
EIA data · June 2026About $3.35 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.
18.3 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 40–200 W. Use the figure on your own label if you have it.
A box fan sits mid-table at #41 of 88, which means something else in the house costs more. See whether heating & cooling or something else drives your bill.
This is one of the appliances big enough to move a bill on its own. What usually drives a bill that jumped.
How many watts a box fan uses
A 20-inch box fan draws roughly 60–100 W on high. Smaller desk and tower fans sit near 40 W; large high-velocity floor fans reach about 200 W.
- Low
- 40 W
- Typical
- 75 W
- High
- 200 W
What it costs across the country
Same appliance, same usage, different electricity price. Annual cost at 75 W and the default usage above.
| State | ¢/kWh | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 52.72 | $115 |
| California | 34.74 | $76.08 |
| Massachusetts | 29.61 | $64.85 |
| New York | 29.49 | $64.58 |
| Ohio | 19.19 | $42.03 |
| Texas | 15.94 | $34.91 |
| Florida | 15.10 | $33.07 |
| Utah | 13.37 | $29.28 |
| Nebraska | 13.25 | $29.02 |
| Nevada | 13.11 | $28.71 |
Worth knowing
- A box fan running all night costs a fraction of what a single hour of central air conditioning does, which is why fans are the cheapest comfort available.
- Fans move air past skin; they do not lower room temperature. Running one in an empty room is pure cost.
- Placed in a window facing out at night, a box fan can exhaust accumulated heat and delay the need for air conditioning entirely.
Other appliances
- Space heater
- Central air conditioner
- Window air conditioner
- Dehumidifier
- Ceiling fan
- Electric blanket
- Heat pump
- Electric baseboard heater
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.