❄️ Cooling & Air
How Much Does a Humidifier Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.3¢/kWh (July 2026), a humidifier costs about $2.23 per month at typical usage — 10 hours/day.
Per hour
0.7¢
at 20–300 W
Per day
7.3¢
10 hours/day
Per month
$2.23
12 kWh
Per year
$26.72
146 kWh
Cool-mist and ultrasonic humidifiers draw modest power — often 20–50 watts — but warm-mist models that boil water can reach 300 watts. Model choice, not runtime, is the main cost lever here.
Calculate it for your home
Per hour
0.7¢
Per day
7.3¢
Per month
$2.23
Per year
$26.72
Uses 12 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 | 0.5¢ | $1.54 | $18.54 |
| Nevada | 12.8 | 0.5¢ | $1.56 | $18.69 |
| Utah | 13.1 | 0.5¢ | $1.59 | $19.13 |
| North Dakota | 13.4 | 0.5¢ | $1.63 | $19.56 |
| Idaho | 13.7 | 0.5¢ | $1.67 | $20.00 |
| Tennessee | 13.7 | 0.5¢ | $1.67 | $20.00 |
| Kentucky | 13.8 | 0.6¢ | $1.68 | $20.15 |
| Nebraska | 13.8 | 0.6¢ | $1.68 | $20.15 |
| Arkansas | 14.3 | 0.6¢ | $1.74 | $20.88 |
| Oklahoma | 14.4 | 0.6¢ | $1.75 | $21.02 |
| Wyoming | 14.4 | 0.6¢ | $1.75 | $21.02 |
| Mississippi | 14.5 | 0.6¢ | $1.76 | $21.17 |
| Washington | 14.7 | 0.6¢ | $1.79 | $21.46 |
| Florida | 15.0 | 0.6¢ | $1.82 | $21.90 |
| Montana | 15.0 | 0.6¢ | $1.82 | $21.90 |
| North Carolina | 15.2 | 0.6¢ | $1.85 | $22.19 |
| Kansas | 15.3 | 0.6¢ | $1.86 | $22.34 |
| Arizona | 15.4 | 0.6¢ | $1.87 | $22.48 |
| South Dakota | 15.4 | 0.6¢ | $1.87 | $22.48 |
| South Carolina | 15.5 | 0.6¢ | $1.88 | $22.63 |
| West Virginia | 15.8 | 0.6¢ | $1.92 | $23.07 |
| Texas | 15.9 | 0.6¢ | $1.93 | $23.21 |
| Iowa | 16.0 | 0.6¢ | $1.95 | $23.36 |
| Oregon | 16.0 | 0.6¢ | $1.95 | $23.36 |
| Missouri | 16.1 | 0.6¢ | $1.96 | $23.51 |
| New Mexico | 16.1 | 0.6¢ | $1.96 | $23.51 |
| Georgia | 16.3 | 0.7¢ | $1.98 | $23.80 |
| Alabama | 16.4 | 0.7¢ | $1.99 | $23.94 |
| Indiana | 16.7 | 0.7¢ | $2.03 | $24.38 |
| Colorado | 17.0 | 0.7¢ | $2.07 | $24.82 |
| Minnesota | 17.5 | 0.7¢ | $2.13 | $25.55 |
| Virginia | 17.6 | 0.7¢ | $2.14 | $25.70 |
| Delaware | 18.5 | 0.7¢ | $2.25 | $27.01 |
| Wisconsin | 19.1 | 0.8¢ | $2.32 | $27.89 |
| Illinois | 19.2 | 0.8¢ | $2.33 | $28.03 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | 0.8¢ | $2.37 | $28.47 |
| Maryland | 21.4 | 0.9¢ | $2.60 | $31.24 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.7 | 0.9¢ | $2.64 | $31.68 |
| Michigan | 23.1 | 0.9¢ | $2.81 | $33.73 |
| Vermont | 23.8 | 1.0¢ | $2.89 | $34.75 |
| Connecticut | 24.2 | 1.0¢ | $2.94 | $35.33 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.2 | 1.0¢ | $3.06 | $36.79 |
| New Jersey | 25.2 | 1.0¢ | $3.06 | $36.79 |
| New Hampshire | 26.6 | 1.1¢ | $3.23 | $38.84 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3 | 1.1¢ | $3.44 | $41.32 |
| Alaska | 28.8 | 1.2¢ | $3.50 | $42.05 |
| New York | 29.9 | 1.2¢ | $3.64 | $43.65 |
| Massachusetts | 30.5 | 1.2¢ | $3.71 | $44.53 |
| Maine | 32.4 | 1.3¢ | $3.94 | $47.30 |
| California | 33.6 | 1.3¢ | $4.09 | $49.06 |
| Hawaii | 48.0 | 1.9¢ | $5.84 | $70.08 |
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 humidifier use?
A typical humidifier draws about 40 watts in use. At 10 hours/day, that works out to roughly 0.4 kWh per day, or 12 kWh per month.
How much does it cost to run a humidifier for 1 hour?
At the current U.S. average residential rate of 18.3¢/kWh, one hour costs about 0.7¢. In Louisiana (12.7¢/kWh) it's 0.5¢, while in Hawaii (48¢/kWh) it's 1.9¢.
How much does a humidifier cost to run per month?
With typical usage (10 hours/day), expect about $2.23 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $1.54 in Louisiana up to $5.84 in Hawaii. Rates are as of July 2026.
Does a humidifier 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.