Energy costs · October 2026 prices
How much does it cost to run a washing machine?
A typical washing machine uses about 425 watts, so it costs about 8.1¢ an hour to run at the U.S. average electricity price of 19.0¢ per kWh (October 2026). Used one 1-hour load, four times a week, that is about $1.29 a month, or $15.50 a year.
Key figures
- 350–500 Wtypical wattage (U.S. Department of Energy)
- 8.1¢per hour at 19.0¢/kWh
- $1.29per month, used one 1-hour load, four times a week
- 6.8 kWhper month at that use
The washer’s motor uses relatively little electricity; heating the water (in your water heater or the machine) is usually the larger part of the cost of a hot wash. The figures here cover the machine only. Washing in cold water avoids most of the water-heating cost.
Cost by region
| Region | Price per kWh | Per hour | Per month (one 1-hour load, four times a week) | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. average | 19.0¢ | 8.1¢ | $1.29 | $15.50 |
| Northeast | 26.6¢ | 11¢ | $1.81 | $21.71 |
| Midwest | 19.3¢ | 8.2¢ | $1.31 | $15.75 |
| South | 16.2¢ | 6.9¢ | $1.10 | $13.22 |
| West | 20.1¢ | 8.5¢ | $1.37 | $16.40 |
Cost per hour in every state (August 2026)
| State | ¢ per kWh | Per hour | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 16.3¢ | 6.9¢ | $1.11 |
| Alaska | 29.4¢ | 12¢ | $2.00 |
| Arizona | 15.1¢ | 6.4¢ | $1.02 |
| Arkansas | 14.4¢ | 6.1¢ | 98¢ |
| California | 29.8¢ | 13¢ | $2.02 |
| Colorado | 17.2¢ | 7.3¢ | $1.17 |
| Connecticut | 24.5¢ | 10¢ | $1.67 |
| Delaware | 18.7¢ | 7.9¢ | $1.27 |
| District of Columbia | 26.0¢ | 11¢ | $1.77 |
| Florida | 15.0¢ | 6.4¢ | $1.02 |
| Georgia | 15.9¢ | 6.8¢ | $1.08 |
| Hawaii | 47.2¢ | 20¢ | $3.21 |
| Idaho | 13.4¢ | 5.7¢ | 91¢ |
| Illinois | 19.3¢ | 8.2¢ | $1.31 |
| Indiana | 17.0¢ | 7.2¢ | $1.16 |
| Iowa | 17.1¢ | 7.3¢ | $1.16 |
| Kansas | 15.5¢ | 6.6¢ | $1.05 |
| Kentucky | 13.8¢ | 5.9¢ | 94¢ |
| Louisiana | 12.9¢ | 5.5¢ | 88¢ |
| Maine | 32.1¢ | 14¢ | $2.18 |
| Maryland | 21.4¢ | 9.1¢ | $1.46 |
| Massachusetts | 30.5¢ | 13¢ | $2.07 |
| Michigan | 23.0¢ | 9.8¢ | $1.56 |
| Minnesota | 17.2¢ | 7.3¢ | $1.17 |
| Mississippi | 14.4¢ | 6.1¢ | 98¢ |
| Missouri | 16.0¢ | 6.8¢ | $1.09 |
| Montana | 15.6¢ | 6.6¢ | $1.06 |
| Nebraska | 13.5¢ | 5.8¢ | 92¢ |
| Nevada | 12.7¢ | 5.4¢ | 86¢ |
| New Hampshire | 27.6¢ | 12¢ | $1.88 |
| New Jersey | 24.6¢ | 10¢ | $1.67 |
| New Mexico | 16.5¢ | 7.0¢ | $1.12 |
| New York | 28.7¢ | 12¢ | $1.95 |
| North Carolina | 15.0¢ | 6.4¢ | $1.02 |
| North Dakota | 13.3¢ | 5.7¢ | 91¢ |
| Ohio | 19.4¢ | 8.2¢ | $1.32 |
| Oklahoma | 14.8¢ | 6.3¢ | $1.01 |
| Oregon | 15.9¢ | 6.8¢ | $1.08 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.8¢ | 9.3¢ | $1.48 |
| Rhode Island | 28.2¢ | 12¢ | $1.92 |
| South Carolina | 15.8¢ | 6.7¢ | $1.07 |
| South Dakota | 15.2¢ | 6.4¢ | $1.03 |
| Tennessee | 13.4¢ | 5.7¢ | 91¢ |
| Texas | 15.9¢ | 6.8¢ | $1.08 |
| Utah | 13.3¢ | 5.7¢ | 91¢ |
| Vermont | 23.8¢ | 10¢ | $1.62 |
| Virginia | 17.6¢ | 7.5¢ | $1.20 |
| Washington | 14.6¢ | 6.2¢ | 99¢ |
| West Virginia | 16.3¢ | 6.9¢ | $1.11 |
| Wisconsin | 19.4¢ | 8.2¢ | $1.32 |
| Wyoming | 14.4¢ | 6.1¢ | 98¢ |
State prices: U.S. Energy Information Administration, residential customers.
Running cost calculator
Cost = watts × hours ÷ 1,000 × price per kWh (the DOE formula). The wattage on your appliance’s label or in its manual gives the most accurate result; appliances that cycle on and off (heaters with a thermostat, dehumidifiers) use less than their rated wattage.
Compared with other appliances
| Appliance | Cost per hour of use |
|---|---|
| Washing machines | 8.1¢ |
| Clothes dryers | 65¢ |
| Dishwashers | 34¢ |
| Hair dryers | 29¢ |
| Space heaters | 29¢ |
| Electric kettles | 29¢ |
| Clothes irons | 27¢ |
| Toaster ovens | 23¢ |
| Vacuum cleaners | 23¢ |
More about washing machines
- Washers & Dryers: models and list prices
- Safety: 7 CPSC recalls since 2010 mention washing machines or similar products. Search recalls
- Running costs of other appliances
Sources: electricity prices from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Average Price Data, “Electricity per kWh” (about the data); U.S. Department of Energy typical wattages (Estimating Appliance and Home Electronic Energy Use, Virginia Cooperative Extension BSE-301NP, developed with DOE, 2020). Cost = watts × hours ÷ 1,000 × price per kWh. Your own price per kWh, including delivery charges and taxes, is on your electricity bill.