How much does it cost to run a space heater?
EIA data · June 2026About $66.94 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.
365.0 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 750–1,500 W. Use the figure on your own label if you have it.
A space heater is #6 of 88 on this site by annual cost, so it is probably not the only thing worth checking. See what a space heater costs beside everything else you run.
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 space heater uses
Portable plug-in heaters sold in the US are built to a 1,500 W maximum because a standard 15-amp, 120-volt branch circuit carries 1,440 W continuously under the National Electrical Code’s 80% rule. Most units offer a 750 W low setting, which is why the range runs 750–1,500 W.
- Low
- 750 W
- Typical
- 1,500 W
- High
- 1,500 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 | $2,309 |
| California | 34.74 | $1,522 |
| Massachusetts | 29.61 | $1,297 |
| New York | 29.49 | $1,292 |
| Ohio | 19.19 | $841 |
| Texas | 15.94 | $698 |
| Florida | 15.10 | $661 |
| Utah | 13.37 | $586 |
| Nebraska | 13.25 | $580 |
| Nevada | 13.11 | $574 |
Worth knowing
- Every resistive electric heater is essentially 100% efficient at converting electricity to heat, so a $20 heater and a $200 heater on the same setting cost exactly the same to run.
- A thermostat does not lower the wattage — it cycles the element off. A heater on a thermostat in a well-insulated room may draw power only half the time it is switched on.
- Running one 1,500 W heater continuously for a month costs more than most people expect: at the US average it is close to thirty times what a refrigerator costs over the same month — because the fridge's compressor runs only about a third of the time, its plate wattage overstates it.
Other appliances
- Central air conditioner
- Window air conditioner
- Dehumidifier
- Ceiling fan
- Electric blanket
- Heat pump
- Electric baseboard heater
- 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.