How much does it cost to run a water softener?
EIA data · June 2026About 40.2¢ 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.
2.2 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 30–200 W. Use the figure on your own label if you have it.
3% duty cycle applied — it draws power for part of that time.
A water softener sits mid-table at #77 of 88, which means something else in the house costs more. See whether water & outdoor or something else drives your bill.
Published figures for this appliance disagree by a wide margin. Why other sites price a water softener so differently.
How many watts a water softener uses
A softener draws only a few watts on standby for its timer and valve electronics. During a regeneration cycle the motor and valve draw roughly 100–200 W for a short period.
- Low
- 30 W
- Typical
- 100 W
- High
- 200 W
What it costs across the country
Same appliance, same usage, different electricity price. Annual cost at 100 W and the default usage above.
| State | ¢/kWh | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 52.72 | $13.85 |
| California | 34.74 | $9.13 |
| Massachusetts | 29.61 | $7.78 |
| New York | 29.49 | $7.75 |
| Ohio | 19.19 | $5.04 |
| Texas | 15.94 | $4.19 |
| Florida | 15.10 | $3.97 |
| Utah | 13.37 | $3.51 |
| Nebraska | 13.25 | $3.48 |
| Nevada | 13.11 | $3.45 |
Worth knowing
- Electricity is close to irrelevant for a water softener. It is one of the cheapest permanently connected appliances in a house.
- The real running cost is salt and the water used to flush the resin bed during regeneration, neither of which appears on an electricity bill.
- A demand-initiated model regenerates based on water actually used rather than on a fixed timer, which cuts both salt and flush water.
Other appliances
- Electric water heater
- Electric vehicle charging
- Hot tub
- Pool pump
- Well pump
- Sump pump
- Electric sauna
- Heated floor
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.