❄️ Cooling & Air
How Much Does a Box Fan Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.3¢/kWh (July 2026), a box fan costs about $3.34 per month at typical usage — 8 hours/day.
Per hour
1.4¢
at 50–100 W
Per day
$0.11
8 hours/day
Per month
$3.34
18 kWh
Per year
$40.08
219 kWh
A 20-inch box fan on high draws well under 100 watts, making it one of the cheapest cooling tools available. Running one all night long costs a few cents in most states — a rounding error next to any air conditioner.
Calculate it for your home
Per hour
1.4¢
Per day
$0.11
Per month
$3.34
Per year
$40.08
Uses 18 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 | 1.0¢ | $2.32 | $27.81 |
| Nevada | 12.8 | 1.0¢ | $2.33 | $28.03 |
| Utah | 13.1 | 1.0¢ | $2.39 | $28.69 |
| North Dakota | 13.4 | 1.0¢ | $2.44 | $29.35 |
| Idaho | 13.7 | 1.0¢ | $2.50 | $30.00 |
| Tennessee | 13.7 | 1.0¢ | $2.50 | $30.00 |
| Kentucky | 13.8 | 1.0¢ | $2.52 | $30.22 |
| Nebraska | 13.8 | 1.0¢ | $2.52 | $30.22 |
| Arkansas | 14.3 | 1.1¢ | $2.61 | $31.32 |
| Oklahoma | 14.4 | 1.1¢ | $2.63 | $31.54 |
| Wyoming | 14.4 | 1.1¢ | $2.63 | $31.54 |
| Mississippi | 14.5 | 1.1¢ | $2.64 | $31.75 |
| Washington | 14.7 | 1.1¢ | $2.68 | $32.19 |
| Florida | 15.0 | 1.1¢ | $2.74 | $32.85 |
| Montana | 15.0 | 1.1¢ | $2.74 | $32.85 |
| North Carolina | 15.2 | 1.1¢ | $2.77 | $33.29 |
| Kansas | 15.3 | 1.1¢ | $2.79 | $33.51 |
| Arizona | 15.4 | 1.2¢ | $2.81 | $33.73 |
| South Dakota | 15.4 | 1.2¢ | $2.81 | $33.73 |
| South Carolina | 15.5 | 1.2¢ | $2.83 | $33.95 |
| West Virginia | 15.8 | 1.2¢ | $2.88 | $34.60 |
| Texas | 15.9 | 1.2¢ | $2.90 | $34.82 |
| Iowa | 16.0 | 1.2¢ | $2.92 | $35.04 |
| Oregon | 16.0 | 1.2¢ | $2.92 | $35.04 |
| Missouri | 16.1 | 1.2¢ | $2.94 | $35.26 |
| New Mexico | 16.1 | 1.2¢ | $2.94 | $35.26 |
| Georgia | 16.3 | 1.2¢ | $2.97 | $35.70 |
| Alabama | 16.4 | 1.2¢ | $2.99 | $35.92 |
| Indiana | 16.7 | 1.3¢ | $3.05 | $36.57 |
| Colorado | 17.0 | 1.3¢ | $3.10 | $37.23 |
| Minnesota | 17.5 | 1.3¢ | $3.19 | $38.32 |
| Virginia | 17.6 | 1.3¢ | $3.21 | $38.54 |
| Delaware | 18.5 | 1.4¢ | $3.37 | $40.52 |
| Wisconsin | 19.1 | 1.4¢ | $3.48 | $41.83 |
| Illinois | 19.2 | 1.4¢ | $3.50 | $42.05 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | 1.5¢ | $3.56 | $42.70 |
| Maryland | 21.4 | 1.6¢ | $3.90 | $46.87 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.7 | 1.6¢ | $3.96 | $47.52 |
| Michigan | 23.1 | 1.7¢ | $4.21 | $50.59 |
| Vermont | 23.8 | 1.8¢ | $4.34 | $52.12 |
| Connecticut | 24.2 | 1.8¢ | $4.41 | $53.00 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.2 | 1.9¢ | $4.60 | $55.19 |
| New Jersey | 25.2 | 1.9¢ | $4.60 | $55.19 |
| New Hampshire | 26.6 | 2.0¢ | $4.85 | $58.25 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3 | 2.1¢ | $5.16 | $61.98 |
| Alaska | 28.8 | 2.2¢ | $5.25 | $63.07 |
| New York | 29.9 | 2.2¢ | $5.45 | $65.48 |
| Massachusetts | 30.5 | 2.3¢ | $5.56 | $66.80 |
| Maine | 32.4 | 2.4¢ | $5.91 | $70.96 |
| California | 33.6 | 2.5¢ | $6.13 | $73.58 |
| Hawaii | 48.0 | 3.6¢ | $8.76 | $105 |
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 box fan use?
A typical box fan draws about 75 watts in use. At 8 hours/day, that works out to roughly 0.6 kWh per day, or 18 kWh per month.
How much does it cost to run a box fan for 1 hour?
At the current U.S. average residential rate of 18.3¢/kWh, one hour costs about 1.4¢. In Louisiana (12.7¢/kWh) it's 1.0¢, while in Hawaii (48¢/kWh) it's 3.6¢.
How much does a box fan cost to run per month?
With typical usage (8 hours/day), expect about $3.34 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $2.32 in Louisiana up to $8.76 in Hawaii. Rates are as of July 2026.
Does a box fan use a lot of electricity?
It's a moderate load: roughly 2% of an average U.S. home's monthly consumption at typical usage. Noticeable, but not a bill-driver on its own.