💡 Lighting
How Much Does a Outdoor Flood Light Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.8¢/kWh (April 2026), a outdoor flood light costs about $1.71 per month at typical usage — 10 hours/day.
Per hour
0.6¢
at 15–150 W
Per day
5.6¢
10 hours/day
Per month
$1.71
9.1 kWh
Per year
$20.59
110 kWh
LED flood lights draw 15–50 watts versus 150+ for old halogens, and dusk-to-dawn operation means long hours. Motion sensors typically cut runtime — and cost — by 80% or more.
Calculate it for your home
Per hour
0.6¢
Per day
5.6¢
Per month
$1.71
Per year
$20.59
Uses 9.1 kWh/month at 18.8¢ 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | 12.4 | 0.4¢ | $1.13 | $13.58 |
| Idaho | 12.7 | 0.4¢ | $1.16 | $13.91 |
| Nebraska | 13.3 | 0.4¢ | $1.21 | $14.56 |
| Oklahoma | 13.3 | 0.4¢ | $1.21 | $14.56 |
| Utah | 13.3 | 0.4¢ | $1.21 | $14.56 |
| Iowa | 13.9 | 0.4¢ | $1.27 | $15.22 |
| Montana | 13.9 | 0.4¢ | $1.27 | $15.22 |
| Missouri | 14.0 | 0.4¢ | $1.28 | $15.33 |
| Arkansas | 14.2 | 0.4¢ | $1.30 | $15.55 |
| Nevada | 14.3 | 0.4¢ | $1.30 | $15.66 |
| Louisiana | 14.4 | 0.4¢ | $1.31 | $15.77 |
| Washington | 14.4 | 0.4¢ | $1.31 | $15.77 |
| South Dakota | 14.5 | 0.4¢ | $1.32 | $15.88 |
| Wyoming | 14.7 | 0.4¢ | $1.34 | $16.10 |
| Tennessee | 14.9 | 0.4¢ | $1.36 | $16.32 |
| Kentucky | 15.0 | 0.4¢ | $1.37 | $16.43 |
| New Mexico | 15.2 | 0.5¢ | $1.39 | $16.64 |
| Florida | 15.4 | 0.5¢ | $1.40 | $16.86 |
| Georgia | 15.4 | 0.5¢ | $1.40 | $16.86 |
| Arizona | 15.5 | 0.5¢ | $1.41 | $16.97 |
| Kansas | 15.8 | 0.5¢ | $1.44 | $17.30 |
| Oregon | 15.8 | 0.5¢ | $1.44 | $17.30 |
| West Virginia | 16.1 | 0.5¢ | $1.47 | $17.63 |
| North Carolina | 16.3 | 0.5¢ | $1.49 | $17.85 |
| Minnesota | 16.4 | 0.5¢ | $1.50 | $17.96 |
| Colorado | 16.5 | 0.5¢ | $1.50 | $18.07 |
| Mississippi | 16.8 | 0.5¢ | $1.53 | $18.40 |
| Texas | 17.0 | 0.5¢ | $1.55 | $18.62 |
| South Carolina | 17.1 | 0.5¢ | $1.56 | $18.72 |
| Alabama | 17.4 | 0.5¢ | $1.59 | $19.05 |
| Virginia | 17.4 | 0.5¢ | $1.59 | $19.05 |
| Indiana | 17.9 | 0.5¢ | $1.63 | $19.60 |
| Delaware | 18.8 | 0.6¢ | $1.71 | $20.59 |
| Wisconsin | 19.2 | 0.6¢ | $1.75 | $21.02 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | 0.6¢ | $1.78 | $21.35 |
| Illinois | 20.5 | 0.6¢ | $1.87 | $22.45 |
| Michigan | 21.4 | 0.6¢ | $1.95 | $23.43 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.5 | 0.6¢ | $1.96 | $23.54 |
| Maryland | 22.1 | 0.7¢ | $2.02 | $24.20 |
| New Jersey | 23.5 | 0.7¢ | $2.14 | $25.73 |
| Vermont | 24.6 | 0.7¢ | $2.24 | $26.94 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.4 | 0.8¢ | $2.32 | $27.81 |
| New Hampshire | 27.2 | 0.8¢ | $2.48 | $29.78 |
| Alaska | 27.4 | 0.8¢ | $2.50 | $30.00 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3 | 0.8¢ | $2.58 | $30.99 |
| Maine | 28.4 | 0.9¢ | $2.59 | $31.10 |
| Massachusetts | 29.5 | 0.9¢ | $2.69 | $32.30 |
| New York | 29.5 | 0.9¢ | $2.69 | $32.30 |
| Connecticut | 32.2 | 1.0¢ | $2.94 | $35.26 |
| California | 35.3 | 1.1¢ | $3.22 | $38.65 |
| Hawaii | 46.6 | 1.4¢ | $4.25 | $51.03 |
How to lower the cost
- Replace remaining incandescent and halogen bulbs with LEDs — the payback is measured in months.
- Use motion sensors or timers for outdoor and hallway lighting.
- Dimming an LED saves nearly proportionally — 70% brightness ≈ 70% of the power.
Frequently asked questions
How much electricity does a outdoor flood light use?
A typical outdoor flood light draws about 30 watts in use. At 10 hours/day, that works out to roughly 0.3 kWh per day, or 9.1 kWh per month.
How much does it cost to run a outdoor flood light for 1 hour?
At the current U.S. average residential rate of 18.8¢/kWh, one hour costs about 0.6¢. In North Dakota (12.4¢/kWh) it's 0.4¢, while in Hawaii (46.6¢/kWh) it's 1.4¢.
How much does a outdoor flood light cost to run per month?
With typical usage (10 hours/day), expect about $1.71 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $1.13 in North Dakota up to $4.25 in Hawaii. Rates are as of April 2026.
Does a outdoor flood light use a lot of electricity?
Not really — at typical usage it's under 1% of an average home's monthly consumption. Heating, cooling, hot water, and drying are the loads that move bills.