🩺 Personal Care & Health
How Much Does a Hair Dryer Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.8¢/kWh (April 2026), a hair dryer costs about $1.14 per month at typical usage — 7 uses/week at 0.2 kWh each.
Per use
3.8¢
0.2 kWh per use
Per day
3.8¢
7 uses/week at 0.2 kWh each
Per month
$1.14
6.1 kWh
Per year
$13.72
73 kWh
Hair dryers pull 1,500–1,875 watts — as much as a space heater — but only for minutes at a time. Daily ten-minute drying works out to roughly a dollar a month even in high-rate states.
Calculate it for your home
Per use
3.8¢
Per day
3.8¢
Per month
$1.14
Per year
$13.72
Uses 6.1 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 use | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | 12.4 | 2.5¢ | $0.75 | $9.05 |
| Idaho | 12.7 | 2.5¢ | $0.77 | $9.27 |
| Nebraska | 13.3 | 2.7¢ | $0.81 | $9.71 |
| Oklahoma | 13.3 | 2.7¢ | $0.81 | $9.71 |
| Utah | 13.3 | 2.7¢ | $0.81 | $9.71 |
| Iowa | 13.9 | 2.8¢ | $0.85 | $10.15 |
| Montana | 13.9 | 2.8¢ | $0.85 | $10.15 |
| Missouri | 14.0 | 2.8¢ | $0.85 | $10.22 |
| Arkansas | 14.2 | 2.8¢ | $0.86 | $10.37 |
| Nevada | 14.3 | 2.9¢ | $0.87 | $10.44 |
| Louisiana | 14.4 | 2.9¢ | $0.88 | $10.51 |
| Washington | 14.4 | 2.9¢ | $0.88 | $10.51 |
| South Dakota | 14.5 | 2.9¢ | $0.88 | $10.58 |
| Wyoming | 14.7 | 2.9¢ | $0.89 | $10.73 |
| Tennessee | 14.9 | 3.0¢ | $0.91 | $10.88 |
| Kentucky | 15.0 | 3.0¢ | $0.91 | $10.95 |
| New Mexico | 15.2 | 3.0¢ | $0.92 | $11.10 |
| Florida | 15.4 | 3.1¢ | $0.94 | $11.24 |
| Georgia | 15.4 | 3.1¢ | $0.94 | $11.24 |
| Arizona | 15.5 | 3.1¢ | $0.94 | $11.31 |
| Kansas | 15.8 | 3.2¢ | $0.96 | $11.53 |
| Oregon | 15.8 | 3.2¢ | $0.96 | $11.53 |
| West Virginia | 16.1 | 3.2¢ | $0.98 | $11.75 |
| North Carolina | 16.3 | 3.3¢ | $0.99 | $11.90 |
| Minnesota | 16.4 | 3.3¢ | $1.00 | $11.97 |
| Colorado | 16.5 | 3.3¢ | $1.00 | $12.04 |
| Mississippi | 16.8 | 3.4¢ | $1.02 | $12.26 |
| Texas | 17.0 | 3.4¢ | $1.03 | $12.41 |
| South Carolina | 17.1 | 3.4¢ | $1.04 | $12.48 |
| Alabama | 17.4 | 3.5¢ | $1.06 | $12.70 |
| Virginia | 17.4 | 3.5¢ | $1.06 | $12.70 |
| Indiana | 17.9 | 3.6¢ | $1.09 | $13.07 |
| Delaware | 18.8 | 3.8¢ | $1.14 | $13.72 |
| Wisconsin | 19.2 | 3.8¢ | $1.17 | $14.02 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | 3.9¢ | $1.19 | $14.24 |
| Illinois | 20.5 | 4.1¢ | $1.25 | $14.96 |
| Michigan | 21.4 | 4.3¢ | $1.30 | $15.62 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.5 | 4.3¢ | $1.31 | $15.70 |
| Maryland | 22.1 | 4.4¢ | $1.34 | $16.13 |
| New Jersey | 23.5 | 4.7¢ | $1.43 | $17.15 |
| Vermont | 24.6 | 4.9¢ | $1.50 | $17.96 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.4 | 5.1¢ | $1.54 | $18.54 |
| New Hampshire | 27.2 | 5.4¢ | $1.65 | $19.86 |
| Alaska | 27.4 | 5.5¢ | $1.67 | $20.00 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3 | 5.7¢ | $1.72 | $20.66 |
| Maine | 28.4 | 5.7¢ | $1.73 | $20.73 |
| Massachusetts | 29.5 | 5.9¢ | $1.79 | $21.54 |
| New York | 29.5 | 5.9¢ | $1.79 | $21.54 |
| Connecticut | 32.2 | 6.4¢ | $1.96 | $23.51 |
| California | 35.3 | 7.1¢ | $2.15 | $25.77 |
| Hawaii | 46.6 | 9.3¢ | $2.83 | $34.02 |
How to lower the cost
- Heat-producing devices (dryers, irons, beds) dominate this category — minutes of use, not watts, drive cost.
- Medical devices that run all night or all day may qualify for utility medical-rate discounts — ask your provider.
- Chargers left plugged in draw almost nothing on modern hardware; focus on bigger loads.
Frequently asked questions
How much electricity does a hair dryer use?
A typical hair dryer uses about 0.2 kWh per use. At 7 uses per week, that's roughly 6.1 kWh per month.
How much does one use of a hair dryer cost?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.8¢/kWh, each use costs about 3.8¢. That ranges from 2.5¢ in North Dakota to 9.3¢ in Hawaii.
How much does a hair dryer cost to run per month?
With typical usage (7 uses/week at 0.2 kWh each), expect about $1.14 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $0.75 in North Dakota up to $2.83 in Hawaii. Rates are as of April 2026.
Does a hair dryer 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.