❄️ Cooling & Air
How Much Does a Attic Fan Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.3¢/kWh (July 2026), a attic fan costs about $10.01 per month at typical usage — 6 hours/day.
Per hour
5.5¢
at 200–500 W
Per day
$0.33
6 hours/day
Per month
$10.01
55 kWh
Per year
$120
657 kWh
Powered attic ventilators draw 200–500 watts to lower attic temperatures. Their net savings are debated — in leaky homes they can pull conditioned air upward — so seal the attic floor before counting on them to cut cooling bills.
Calculate it for your home
Per hour
5.5¢
Per day
$0.33
Per month
$10.01
Per year
$120
Uses 55 kWh/month at 18.3¢ per kWh.
Cheapest and most expensive states
Monthly cost at typical usage, using each state's current average residential rate.
Cost in every state
| State | Rate (¢/kWh) | Per hour | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | 12.7 | 3.8¢ | $6.95 | $83.44 |
| Nevada | 12.8 | 3.8¢ | $7.00 | $84.10 |
| Utah | 13.1 | 3.9¢ | $7.17 | $86.07 |
| North Dakota | 13.4 | 4.0¢ | $7.33 | $88.04 |
| Idaho | 13.7 | 4.1¢ | $7.50 | $90.01 |
| Tennessee | 13.7 | 4.1¢ | $7.50 | $90.01 |
| Kentucky | 13.8 | 4.1¢ | $7.55 | $90.67 |
| Nebraska | 13.8 | 4.1¢ | $7.55 | $90.67 |
| Arkansas | 14.3 | 4.3¢ | $7.82 | $93.95 |
| Oklahoma | 14.4 | 4.3¢ | $7.88 | $94.61 |
| Wyoming | 14.4 | 4.3¢ | $7.88 | $94.61 |
| Mississippi | 14.5 | 4.3¢ | $7.93 | $95.26 |
| Washington | 14.7 | 4.4¢ | $8.04 | $96.58 |
| Florida | 15.0 | 4.5¢ | $8.21 | $98.55 |
| Montana | 15.0 | 4.5¢ | $8.21 | $98.55 |
| North Carolina | 15.2 | 4.6¢ | $8.32 | $99.86 |
| Kansas | 15.3 | 4.6¢ | $8.37 | $101 |
| Arizona | 15.4 | 4.6¢ | $8.43 | $101 |
| South Dakota | 15.4 | 4.6¢ | $8.43 | $101 |
| South Carolina | 15.5 | 4.7¢ | $8.48 | $102 |
| West Virginia | 15.8 | 4.7¢ | $8.65 | $104 |
| Texas | 15.9 | 4.8¢ | $8.70 | $104 |
| Iowa | 16.0 | 4.8¢ | $8.76 | $105 |
| Oregon | 16.0 | 4.8¢ | $8.76 | $105 |
| Missouri | 16.1 | 4.8¢ | $8.81 | $106 |
| New Mexico | 16.1 | 4.8¢ | $8.81 | $106 |
| Georgia | 16.3 | 4.9¢ | $8.92 | $107 |
| Alabama | 16.4 | 4.9¢ | $8.97 | $108 |
| Indiana | 16.7 | 5.0¢ | $9.14 | $110 |
| Colorado | 17.0 | 5.1¢ | $9.30 | $112 |
| Minnesota | 17.5 | 5.3¢ | $9.58 | $115 |
| Virginia | 17.6 | 5.3¢ | $9.63 | $116 |
| Delaware | 18.5 | 5.5¢ | $10.12 | $122 |
| Wisconsin | 19.1 | 5.7¢ | $10.45 | $125 |
| Illinois | 19.2 | 5.8¢ | $10.51 | $126 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | 5.8¢ | $10.67 | $128 |
| Maryland | 21.4 | 6.4¢ | $11.71 | $141 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.7 | 6.5¢ | $11.87 | $143 |
| Michigan | 23.1 | 6.9¢ | $12.64 | $152 |
| Vermont | 23.8 | 7.1¢ | $13.02 | $156 |
| Connecticut | 24.2 | 7.3¢ | $13.24 | $159 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.2 | 7.6¢ | $13.79 | $166 |
| New Jersey | 25.2 | 7.6¢ | $13.79 | $166 |
| New Hampshire | 26.6 | 8.0¢ | $14.56 | $175 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3 | 8.5¢ | $15.49 | $186 |
| Alaska | 28.8 | 8.6¢ | $15.76 | $189 |
| New York | 29.9 | 9.0¢ | $16.36 | $196 |
| Massachusetts | 30.5 | 9.2¢ | $16.69 | $200 |
| Maine | 32.4 | $0.10 | $17.73 | $213 |
| California | 33.6 | $0.10 | $18.39 | $221 |
| Hawaii | 48.0 | $0.14 | $26.27 | $315 |
How to lower the cost
- Raise the setpoint and add air movement — a fan makes a room feel several degrees cooler for pennies.
- Clean filters and outdoor coils each season; restricted airflow raises wattage for the same cooling.
- Close blinds on sun-facing windows during the day — blocked solar gain is cooling you don’t pay for.
Frequently asked questions
How much electricity does a attic fan use?
A typical attic fan draws about 300 watts in use. At 6 hours/day, that works out to roughly 1.8 kWh per day, or 55 kWh per month.
How much does it cost to run a attic fan for 1 hour?
At the current U.S. average residential rate of 18.3¢/kWh, one hour costs about 5.5¢. In Louisiana (12.7¢/kWh) it's 3.8¢, while in Hawaii (48¢/kWh) it's $0.14.
How much does a attic fan cost to run per month?
With typical usage (6 hours/day), expect about $10.01 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $6.95 in Louisiana up to $26.27 in Hawaii. Rates are as of July 2026.
Does a attic fan use a lot of electricity?
It's a moderate load: roughly 6% of an average U.S. home's monthly consumption at typical usage. Noticeable, but not a bill-driver on its own.