💡 Lighting
How Much Does a Incandescent Bulb Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.3¢/kWh (July 2026), a incandescent bulb costs about $1.67 per month at typical usage — 5 hours/day.
Per hour
1.1¢
at 40–100 W
Per day
5.5¢
5 hours/day
Per month
$1.67
9.1 kWh
Per year
$20.04
110 kWh
Classic incandescent bulbs turn about 90% of their electricity into heat, not light. Each one you replace with an LED cuts that fixture's cost by roughly 85% — one of the only home upgrades with a payback measured in months.
Calculate it for your home
Per hour
1.1¢
Per day
5.5¢
Per month
$1.67
Per year
$20.04
Uses 9.1 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 | 0.8¢ | $1.16 | $13.91 |
| Nevada | 12.8 | 0.8¢ | $1.17 | $14.02 |
| Utah | 13.1 | 0.8¢ | $1.19 | $14.34 |
| North Dakota | 13.4 | 0.8¢ | $1.22 | $14.67 |
| Idaho | 13.7 | 0.8¢ | $1.25 | $15.00 |
| Tennessee | 13.7 | 0.8¢ | $1.25 | $15.00 |
| Kentucky | 13.8 | 0.8¢ | $1.26 | $15.11 |
| Nebraska | 13.8 | 0.8¢ | $1.26 | $15.11 |
| Arkansas | 14.3 | 0.9¢ | $1.30 | $15.66 |
| Oklahoma | 14.4 | 0.9¢ | $1.31 | $15.77 |
| Wyoming | 14.4 | 0.9¢ | $1.31 | $15.77 |
| Mississippi | 14.5 | 0.9¢ | $1.32 | $15.88 |
| Washington | 14.7 | 0.9¢ | $1.34 | $16.10 |
| Florida | 15.0 | 0.9¢ | $1.37 | $16.43 |
| Montana | 15.0 | 0.9¢ | $1.37 | $16.43 |
| North Carolina | 15.2 | 0.9¢ | $1.39 | $16.64 |
| Kansas | 15.3 | 0.9¢ | $1.40 | $16.75 |
| Arizona | 15.4 | 0.9¢ | $1.40 | $16.86 |
| South Dakota | 15.4 | 0.9¢ | $1.40 | $16.86 |
| South Carolina | 15.5 | 0.9¢ | $1.41 | $16.97 |
| West Virginia | 15.8 | 0.9¢ | $1.44 | $17.30 |
| Texas | 15.9 | 1.0¢ | $1.45 | $17.41 |
| Iowa | 16.0 | 1.0¢ | $1.46 | $17.52 |
| Oregon | 16.0 | 1.0¢ | $1.46 | $17.52 |
| Missouri | 16.1 | 1.0¢ | $1.47 | $17.63 |
| New Mexico | 16.1 | 1.0¢ | $1.47 | $17.63 |
| Georgia | 16.3 | 1.0¢ | $1.49 | $17.85 |
| Alabama | 16.4 | 1.0¢ | $1.50 | $17.96 |
| Indiana | 16.7 | 1.0¢ | $1.52 | $18.29 |
| Colorado | 17.0 | 1.0¢ | $1.55 | $18.62 |
| Minnesota | 17.5 | 1.0¢ | $1.60 | $19.16 |
| Virginia | 17.6 | 1.1¢ | $1.61 | $19.27 |
| Delaware | 18.5 | 1.1¢ | $1.69 | $20.26 |
| Wisconsin | 19.1 | 1.1¢ | $1.74 | $20.91 |
| Illinois | 19.2 | 1.2¢ | $1.75 | $21.02 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | 1.2¢ | $1.78 | $21.35 |
| Maryland | 21.4 | 1.3¢ | $1.95 | $23.43 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.7 | 1.3¢ | $1.98 | $23.76 |
| Michigan | 23.1 | 1.4¢ | $2.11 | $25.29 |
| Vermont | 23.8 | 1.4¢ | $2.17 | $26.06 |
| Connecticut | 24.2 | 1.5¢ | $2.21 | $26.50 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.2 | 1.5¢ | $2.30 | $27.59 |
| New Jersey | 25.2 | 1.5¢ | $2.30 | $27.59 |
| New Hampshire | 26.6 | 1.6¢ | $2.43 | $29.13 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3 | 1.7¢ | $2.58 | $30.99 |
| Alaska | 28.8 | 1.7¢ | $2.63 | $31.54 |
| New York | 29.9 | 1.8¢ | $2.73 | $32.74 |
| Massachusetts | 30.5 | 1.8¢ | $2.78 | $33.40 |
| Maine | 32.4 | 1.9¢ | $2.95 | $35.48 |
| California | 33.6 | 2.0¢ | $3.06 | $36.79 |
| Hawaii | 48.0 | 2.9¢ | $4.38 | $52.56 |
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 incandescent bulb use?
A typical incandescent bulb draws about 60 watts in use. At 5 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 incandescent bulb for 1 hour?
At the current U.S. average residential rate of 18.3¢/kWh, one hour costs about 1.1¢. In Louisiana (12.7¢/kWh) it's 0.8¢, while in Hawaii (48¢/kWh) it's 2.9¢.
How much does a incandescent bulb cost to run per month?
With typical usage (5 hours/day), expect about $1.67 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $1.16 in Louisiana up to $4.38 in Hawaii. Rates are as of July 2026.
Does a incandescent bulb 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.