How much electricity does a space heater use?
A typical space heater draws 1,500 watts on high, which is 1.5 kWh every hour it runs. At the 2025 U.S. average residential price of 17.2¢ per kWh that costs $0.26 an hour, $2.07 for 8 hours and about $63 a month at 8 hours a day.
Space heater cost in every state
| State | ¢/kWh | Per hour | 8 hours | Month, 8 h/day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 40.4 | $0.61 | $4.85 | $147 |
| California | 31.4 | $0.47 | $3.76 | $114 |
| Massachusetts | 30.4 | $0.46 | $3.65 | $111 |
| Rhode Island | 29.5 | $0.44 | $3.54 | $108 |
| Connecticut | 29.3 | $0.44 | $3.52 | $107 |
| Maine | 27.7 | $0.42 | $3.32 | $101 |
| New York | 26.4 | $0.40 | $3.17 | $96 |
| Alaska | 26.1 | $0.39 | $3.13 | $95 |
| New Hampshire | 24.5 | $0.37 | $2.94 | $89 |
| Vermont | 22.8 | $0.34 | $2.73 | $83 |
| New Jersey | 22.5 | $0.34 | $2.70 | $82 |
| District of Columbia | 21.9 | $0.33 | $2.63 | $80 |
| Michigan | 20.0 | $0.30 | $2.40 | $73 |
| Maryland | 19.5 | $0.29 | $2.34 | $71 |
| Pennsylvania | 19.3 | $0.29 | $2.31 | $70 |
| Wisconsin | 18.1 | $0.27 | $2.17 | $66 |
| Illinois | 17.7 | $0.27 | $2.12 | $64 |
| Delaware | 17.1 | $0.26 | $2.06 | $63 |
| Ohio | 16.9 | $0.25 | $2.03 | $62 |
| Alabama | 16.1 | $0.24 | $1.93 | $59 |
| Indiana | 16.0 | $0.24 | $1.92 | $58 |
| Minnesota | 15.8 | $0.24 | $1.90 | $58 |
| Colorado | 15.7 | $0.24 | $1.88 | $57 |
| Oregon | 15.5 | $0.23 | $1.86 | $56 |
| Texas | 15.4 | $0.23 | $1.85 | $56 |
| West Virginia | 15.4 | $0.23 | $1.85 | $56 |
| Virginia | 15.3 | $0.23 | $1.83 | $56 |
| Arizona | 15.3 | $0.23 | $1.83 | $56 |
| Florida | 15.2 | $0.23 | $1.83 | $55 |
| South Carolina | 15.1 | $0.23 | $1.81 | $55 |
| New Mexico | 14.8 | $0.22 | $1.78 | $54 |
| Georgia | 14.7 | $0.22 | $1.77 | $54 |
| Kansas | 14.4 | $0.22 | $1.73 | $53 |
| Mississippi | 14.0 | $0.21 | $1.68 | $51 |
| North Carolina | 14.0 | $0.21 | $1.68 | $51 |
| Iowa | 13.6 | $0.20 | $1.63 | $50 |
| Wyoming | 13.4 | $0.20 | $1.60 | $49 |
| South Dakota | 13.3 | $0.20 | $1.60 | $49 |
| Missouri | 13.3 | $0.20 | $1.60 | $49 |
| Nevada | 13.3 | $0.20 | $1.59 | $48 |
| Tennessee | 13.2 | $0.20 | $1.59 | $48 |
| Oklahoma | 13.2 | $0.20 | $1.59 | $48 |
| Washington | 13.2 | $0.20 | $1.58 | $48 |
| Kentucky | 13.1 | $0.20 | $1.58 | $48 |
| Utah | 13.0 | $0.20 | $1.56 | $47 |
| Montana | 13.0 | $0.19 | $1.56 | $47 |
| Arkansas | 12.9 | $0.19 | $1.54 | $47 |
| Louisiana | 12.5 | $0.19 | $1.50 | $46 |
| Nebraska | 12.1 | $0.18 | $1.45 | $44 |
| Idaho | 11.8 | $0.18 | $1.42 | $43 |
| North Dakota | 11.8 | $0.18 | $1.42 | $43 |
2025 average residential price per state (EIA-861), all charges included. At the low setting (about 750 W), halve the cost.
What decides the cost
Most plug-in electric space heaters are rated 1,500 watts on the label, and many have a low setting of about 750 watts. Every one of them turns electricity into heat at the same rate per kWh; ceramic, oil-filled and infrared models differ in how the heat feels, not in how much heat a kWh makes. A thermostat that cycles the heater off cuts the hours, and with them the cost.
Heating a whole home with space heaters is usually the most expensive option there is. If you heat with electricity, compare a heat pump and gas with the heat pump vs furnace calculator.
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