How Much Does a Space Heater Cost to Run? (Every State)
Short answer: a typical plug-in space heater draws 1,500 watts on high. At the U.S. average residential price of 18.31¢/kWh (July 2026), that is about $0.27 per hour, $2.20 for an 8-hour day and $65.92 for a month of 8-hour days.
Where you live matters a lot: the same hour costs about $0.19 in Louisiana and $0.72 in Hawaii.
The math
1,500 watts is 1.5 kilowatts. Running for one hour on high uses 1.5 kWh:
1.5 kWh × 18.31¢ = $0.27 per hour
1.5 kWh × 8 h = 12 kWh per day → $2.20
12 kWh × 30 days = 360 kWh per month → $65.92
Consumer Reports, which tests space heaters, says most of the models it has tested use 1,500 watts on the highest setting. Check the label on yours: if it lists a different wattage, or if you mostly run it on a lower setting, use our calculator with your numbers.
Why your real cost is often lower than this
The table below assumes the heater runs flat out the whole time. Most heaters have a thermostat that switches the element off once the room reaches the set temperature, so in a small, well-insulated room the heater may only run part of each hour. In a cold, drafty room it may run almost continuously. Treat the "8 hours on high" numbers as a ceiling for that schedule, not a prediction.
Cost to run a 1,500 W space heater in every state
At each state's average residential price for July 2026 (U.S. EIA). "30 days × 8 h" means 8 hours a day, every day for a month, on high.
| State | Per hour | 8 h/day | 30 days × 8 h |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $0.25 | $1.97 | $59.04 |
| Alaska | $0.43 | $3.46 | $103.79 |
| Arizona | $0.23 | $1.85 | $55.37 |
| Arkansas | $0.21 | $1.72 | $51.59 |
| California | $0.50 | $4.03 | $121.00 |
| Colorado | $0.26 | $2.04 | $61.20 |
| Connecticut | $0.36 | $2.90 | $86.98 |
| Delaware | $0.28 | $2.22 | $66.53 |
| District of Columbia | $0.38 | $3.03 | $90.76 |
| Florida | $0.23 | $1.80 | $54.11 |
| Georgia | $0.24 | $1.95 | $58.57 |
| Hawaii | $0.72 | $5.76 | $172.80 |
| Idaho | $0.21 | $1.65 | $49.43 |
| Illinois | $0.29 | $2.31 | $69.19 |
| Indiana | $0.25 | $2.01 | $60.23 |
| Iowa | $0.24 | $1.92 | $57.56 |
| Kansas | $0.23 | $1.83 | $54.97 |
| Kentucky | $0.21 | $1.66 | $49.72 |
| Louisiana | $0.19 | $1.53 | $45.79 |
| Maine | $0.49 | $3.89 | $116.68 |
| Maryland | $0.32 | $2.57 | $77.08 |
| Massachusetts | $0.46 | $3.66 | $109.76 |
| Michigan | $0.35 | $2.77 | $82.98 |
| Minnesota | $0.26 | $2.09 | $62.82 |
| Mississippi | $0.22 | $1.74 | $52.34 |
| Missouri | $0.24 | $1.93 | $57.92 |
| Montana | $0.22 | $1.80 | $53.96 |
| Nebraska | $0.21 | $1.65 | $49.61 |
| Nevada | $0.19 | $1.53 | $45.97 |
| New Hampshire | $0.40 | $3.19 | $95.76 |
| New Jersey | $0.38 | $3.02 | $90.68 |
| New Mexico | $0.24 | $1.93 | $57.92 |
| New York | $0.45 | $3.59 | $107.64 |
| North Carolina | $0.23 | $1.82 | $54.58 |
| North Dakota | $0.20 | $1.61 | $48.28 |
| Ohio | $0.29 | $2.33 | $70.02 |
| Oklahoma | $0.22 | $1.72 | $51.66 |
| Oregon | $0.24 | $1.92 | $57.49 |
| Pennsylvania | $0.33 | $2.61 | $78.19 |
| Rhode Island | $0.42 | $3.39 | $101.84 |
| South Carolina | $0.23 | $1.86 | $55.69 |
| South Dakota | $0.23 | $1.84 | $55.33 |
| Tennessee | $0.21 | $1.65 | $49.36 |
| Texas | $0.24 | $1.91 | $57.17 |
| Utah | $0.20 | $1.57 | $47.23 |
| Vermont | $0.36 | $2.85 | $85.50 |
| Virginia | $0.26 | $2.11 | $63.18 |
| Washington | $0.22 | $1.77 | $52.96 |
| West Virginia | $0.24 | $1.89 | $56.81 |
| Wisconsin | $0.29 | $2.29 | $68.62 |
| Wyoming | $0.22 | $1.72 | $51.70 |
| U.S. average | $0.27 | $2.20 | $65.92 |
Does a space heater save money?
It depends on what it replaces. Consumer Reports notes that electricity is pricier than natural gas, the most common whole-home heating fuel in the northern U.S., and recommends space heaters as supplemental heat for a room you are using, not as a substitute for central heating. Heating one room for a few hours while you turn the thermostat down for the rest of the house can reduce your total bill; heating several rooms with plug-in heaters usually won't.
Safety basics
Consumer Reports recommends placing a heater on a hard, level, nonflammable surface, keeping a 3-foot kid- and pet-free zone around it, and turning it off when you leave the room or go to bed rather than relying on a timer. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for your model.
Related
Sources
- U.S. EIA, Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A, residential prices for July 2026, released September 24, 2026.
- Consumer Reports, Will Using a Space Heater Save You Money? (updated October 12, 2025).
- Consumer Reports, Space Heater Buying Guide.