🔥 Heating
How Much Does a Electric Furnace Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.3¢/kWh (July 2026), a electric furnace costs about $334 per month at typical usage — 5 hours/day.
Per hour
$2.20
at 10,000–20,000 W
Per day
$10.98
5 hours/day
Per month
$334
1,824 kWh
Per year
$4,008
21,900 kWh
Electric resistance furnaces are among the most expensive ways to heat a home. With 10–20 kW elements, even a few hours of runtime a day dominates a winter bill, which is why heat pumps typically cut that cost by half to two-thirds.
Calculate it for your home
Per hour
$2.20
Per day
$10.98
Per month
$334
Per year
$4,008
Uses 1,824 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 | $1.52 | $232 | $2,781 |
| Nevada | 12.8 | $1.54 | $233 | $2,803 |
| Utah | 13.1 | $1.57 | $239 | $2,869 |
| North Dakota | 13.4 | $1.61 | $244 | $2,935 |
| Idaho | 13.7 | $1.64 | $250 | $3,000 |
| Tennessee | 13.7 | $1.64 | $250 | $3,000 |
| Kentucky | 13.8 | $1.66 | $252 | $3,022 |
| Nebraska | 13.8 | $1.66 | $252 | $3,022 |
| Arkansas | 14.3 | $1.72 | $261 | $3,132 |
| Oklahoma | 14.4 | $1.73 | $263 | $3,154 |
| Wyoming | 14.4 | $1.73 | $263 | $3,154 |
| Mississippi | 14.5 | $1.74 | $264 | $3,176 |
| Washington | 14.7 | $1.76 | $268 | $3,219 |
| Florida | 15.0 | $1.80 | $274 | $3,285 |
| Montana | 15.0 | $1.80 | $274 | $3,285 |
| North Carolina | 15.2 | $1.82 | $277 | $3,329 |
| Kansas | 15.3 | $1.84 | $279 | $3,351 |
| Arizona | 15.4 | $1.85 | $281 | $3,373 |
| South Dakota | 15.4 | $1.85 | $281 | $3,373 |
| South Carolina | 15.5 | $1.86 | $283 | $3,395 |
| West Virginia | 15.8 | $1.90 | $288 | $3,460 |
| Texas | 15.9 | $1.91 | $290 | $3,482 |
| Iowa | 16.0 | $1.92 | $292 | $3,504 |
| Oregon | 16.0 | $1.92 | $292 | $3,504 |
| Missouri | 16.1 | $1.93 | $294 | $3,526 |
| New Mexico | 16.1 | $1.93 | $294 | $3,526 |
| Georgia | 16.3 | $1.96 | $297 | $3,570 |
| Alabama | 16.4 | $1.97 | $299 | $3,592 |
| Indiana | 16.7 | $2.00 | $305 | $3,657 |
| Colorado | 17.0 | $2.04 | $310 | $3,723 |
| Minnesota | 17.5 | $2.10 | $319 | $3,832 |
| Virginia | 17.6 | $2.11 | $321 | $3,854 |
| Delaware | 18.5 | $2.22 | $337 | $4,052 |
| Wisconsin | 19.1 | $2.29 | $348 | $4,183 |
| Illinois | 19.2 | $2.30 | $350 | $4,205 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | $2.34 | $356 | $4,271 |
| Maryland | 21.4 | $2.57 | $390 | $4,687 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.7 | $2.60 | $396 | $4,752 |
| Michigan | 23.1 | $2.77 | $421 | $5,059 |
| Vermont | 23.8 | $2.86 | $434 | $5,212 |
| Connecticut | 24.2 | $2.90 | $441 | $5,300 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.2 | $3.02 | $460 | $5,519 |
| New Jersey | 25.2 | $3.02 | $460 | $5,519 |
| New Hampshire | 26.6 | $3.19 | $485 | $5,825 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3 | $3.40 | $516 | $6,198 |
| Alaska | 28.8 | $3.46 | $525 | $6,307 |
| New York | 29.9 | $3.59 | $545 | $6,548 |
| Massachusetts | 30.5 | $3.66 | $556 | $6,680 |
| Maine | 32.4 | $3.89 | $591 | $7,096 |
| California | 33.6 | $4.03 | $613 | $7,358 |
| Hawaii | 48.0 | $5.76 | $876 | $10,512 |
How to lower the cost
- Seal ducts and add attic insulation first — every leaked kWh from a resistance furnace is full price.
- If you're on resistance heat, a heat pump upgrade usually has the fastest payback of any home energy project.
- Lower the thermostat a few degrees at night; with resistance heat the savings are close to proportional.
Frequently asked questions
How much electricity does a electric furnace use?
A typical electric furnace draws about 12,000 watts in use. At 5 hours/day, that works out to roughly 60 kWh per day, or 1,824 kWh per month.
How much does it cost to run a electric furnace for 1 hour?
At the current U.S. average residential rate of 18.3¢/kWh, one hour costs about $2.20. In Louisiana (12.7¢/kWh) it's $1.52, while in Hawaii (48¢/kWh) it's $5.76.
How much does a electric furnace cost to run per month?
With typical usage (5 hours/day), expect about $334 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $232 in Louisiana up to $876 in Hawaii. Rates are as of July 2026.
Does a electric furnace use a lot of electricity?
Yes — at typical usage it accounts for roughly 206% of an average U.S. home's monthly consumption (885 kWh), which makes it one of the larger loads in the house.