How much electricity does a washing machine use?
In U.S. homes that have one, a washing machine uses about 69 kWh a year, or 6 kWh a month. At the 2025 average residential price of 17.2¢ per kWh that is $12 a year or $0.99 a month. These are EIA estimates from its Residential Energy Consumption Survey of homes and their utility bills, not a manufacturer's label.
What decides the number
The washing machine itself used only 69 kWh a year: the motor and controls. The larger cost is the hot water, which comes from the water heater and is counted there. Washing in cold water saves most of it; see the water heater cost calculator.
Washing Machine electricity use by home
By household size
| Household size | kWh / year | Cost / year at 17.2¢ |
|---|---|---|
| 1 member | 46 | $8 |
| 2 members | 64 | $11 |
| 3 members | 77 | $13 |
| 4 members | 87 | $15 |
| 5 members | 98 | $17 |
| 6 or more members | 111 | $19 |
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2020 Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS), Tables CE5.3a/CE5.3b, average site electricity consumption per household using the end use (revised March 2024).
Cost to run a washing machine in every state
| State | ¢/kWh | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 40.4 | $2.32 | $27.88 |
| California | 31.4 | $1.80 | $21.63 |
| Massachusetts | 30.4 | $1.75 | $20.98 |
| Rhode Island | 29.5 | $1.70 | $20.34 |
| Connecticut | 29.3 | $1.69 | $20.22 |
| Maine | 27.7 | $1.59 | $19.11 |
| New York | 26.4 | $1.52 | $18.21 |
| Alaska | 26.1 | $1.50 | $18.02 |
| New Hampshire | 24.5 | $1.41 | $16.93 |
| Vermont | 22.8 | $1.31 | $15.73 |
| New Jersey | 22.5 | $1.29 | $15.51 |
| District of Columbia | 21.9 | $1.26 | $15.12 |
| Michigan | 20.0 | $1.15 | $13.82 |
| Maryland | 19.5 | $1.12 | $13.48 |
| Pennsylvania | 19.3 | $1.11 | $13.31 |
| Wisconsin | 18.1 | $1.04 | $12.48 |
| Illinois | 17.7 | $1.02 | $12.19 |
| Delaware | 17.1 | $0.99 | $11.83 |
| Ohio | 16.9 | $0.97 | $11.66 |
| Alabama | 16.1 | $0.93 | $11.10 |
| Indiana | 16.0 | $0.92 | $11.01 |
| Minnesota | 15.8 | $0.91 | $10.92 |
| Colorado | 15.7 | $0.90 | $10.83 |
| Oregon | 15.5 | $0.89 | $10.67 |
| Texas | 15.4 | $0.89 | $10.63 |
| West Virginia | 15.4 | $0.88 | $10.62 |
| Virginia | 15.3 | $0.88 | $10.54 |
| Arizona | 15.3 | $0.88 | $10.53 |
| Florida | 15.2 | $0.87 | $10.49 |
| South Carolina | 15.1 | $0.87 | $10.43 |
| New Mexico | 14.8 | $0.85 | $10.25 |
| Georgia | 14.7 | $0.85 | $10.17 |
| Kansas | 14.4 | $0.83 | $9.96 |
| Mississippi | 14.0 | $0.81 | $9.68 |
| North Carolina | 14.0 | $0.81 | $9.66 |
| Iowa | 13.6 | $0.78 | $9.40 |
| Wyoming | 13.4 | $0.77 | $9.23 |
| South Dakota | 13.3 | $0.77 | $9.19 |
| Missouri | 13.3 | $0.76 | $9.18 |
| Nevada | 13.3 | $0.76 | $9.15 |
| Tennessee | 13.2 | $0.76 | $9.12 |
| Oklahoma | 13.2 | $0.76 | $9.11 |
| Washington | 13.2 | $0.76 | $9.09 |
| Kentucky | 13.1 | $0.75 | $9.06 |
| Utah | 13.0 | $0.75 | $8.98 |
| Montana | 13.0 | $0.75 | $8.96 |
| Arkansas | 12.9 | $0.74 | $8.88 |
| Louisiana | 12.5 | $0.72 | $8.64 |
| Nebraska | 12.1 | $0.69 | $8.31 |
| Idaho | 11.8 | $0.68 | $8.16 |
| North Dakota | 11.8 | $0.68 | $8.16 |
69 kWh a year at each state's 2025 average residential price (EIA-861), all charges included.
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