💡 Lighting
How Much Does a Landscape Lighting Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.4¢/kWh (May 2026), a landscape lighting costs about $2.01 per month at typical usage — 6 hours/day.
Per hour
1.1¢
at 20–200 W
Per day
6.6¢
6 hours/day
Per month
$2.01
11 kWh
Per year
$24.18
131 kWh
A low-voltage LED landscape system typically totals 20–100 watts across all fixtures on a dusk timer. Solar path lights bring marginal cost to zero, at the price of dimmer, less consistent light.
Calculate it for your home
Per hour
1.1¢
Per day
6.6¢
Per month
$2.01
Per year
$24.18
Uses 11 kWh/month at 18.4¢ 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho | 12.4 | 0.7¢ | $1.36 | $16.29 |
| Utah | 13.0 | 0.8¢ | $1.42 | $17.08 |
| Oklahoma | 13.4 | 0.8¢ | $1.47 | $17.61 |
| Nebraska | 13.6 | 0.8¢ | $1.49 | $17.87 |
| Nevada | 13.6 | 0.8¢ | $1.49 | $17.87 |
| North Dakota | 13.6 | 0.8¢ | $1.49 | $17.87 |
| Missouri | 13.7 | 0.8¢ | $1.50 | $18.00 |
| Iowa | 14.1 | 0.8¢ | $1.54 | $18.53 |
| New Mexico | 14.1 | 0.8¢ | $1.54 | $18.53 |
| Louisiana | 14.2 | 0.9¢ | $1.55 | $18.66 |
| Arkansas | 14.4 | 0.9¢ | $1.58 | $18.92 |
| Tennessee | 14.5 | 0.9¢ | $1.59 | $19.05 |
| Montana | 14.7 | 0.9¢ | $1.61 | $19.32 |
| Wyoming | 14.8 | 0.9¢ | $1.62 | $19.45 |
| Kentucky | 15.0 | 0.9¢ | $1.64 | $19.71 |
| Washington | 15.0 | 0.9¢ | $1.64 | $19.71 |
| Kansas | 15.1 | 0.9¢ | $1.65 | $19.84 |
| North Carolina | 15.1 | 0.9¢ | $1.65 | $19.84 |
| Arizona | 15.2 | 0.9¢ | $1.66 | $19.97 |
| Florida | 15.2 | 0.9¢ | $1.66 | $19.97 |
| South Dakota | 15.7 | 0.9¢ | $1.72 | $20.63 |
| Georgia | 15.8 | 0.9¢ | $1.73 | $20.76 |
| Colorado | 16.2 | 1.0¢ | $1.77 | $21.29 |
| Mississippi | 16.2 | 1.0¢ | $1.77 | $21.29 |
| South Carolina | 16.2 | 1.0¢ | $1.77 | $21.29 |
| Oregon | 16.3 | 1.0¢ | $1.78 | $21.42 |
| Texas | 16.4 | 1.0¢ | $1.79 | $21.55 |
| Alabama | 16.8 | 1.0¢ | $1.84 | $22.08 |
| West Virginia | 16.8 | 1.0¢ | $1.84 | $22.08 |
| Minnesota | 17.0 | 1.0¢ | $1.86 | $22.34 |
| Virginia | 17.6 | 1.1¢ | $1.93 | $23.13 |
| Indiana | 18.2 | 1.1¢ | $1.99 | $23.91 |
| Delaware | 19.4 | 1.2¢ | $2.12 | $25.49 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | 1.2¢ | $2.13 | $25.62 |
| Wisconsin | 19.7 | 1.2¢ | $2.16 | $25.89 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.6 | 1.3¢ | $2.36 | $28.38 |
| Maryland | 21.8 | 1.3¢ | $2.39 | $28.65 |
| Michigan | 22.0 | 1.3¢ | $2.41 | $28.91 |
| New Jersey | 23.3 | 1.4¢ | $2.55 | $30.62 |
| Illinois | 23.9 | 1.4¢ | $2.62 | $31.40 |
| Vermont | 24.9 | 1.5¢ | $2.73 | $32.72 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.4 | 1.5¢ | $2.78 | $33.38 |
| New Hampshire | 27.3 | 1.6¢ | $2.99 | $35.87 |
| Connecticut | 27.4 | 1.6¢ | $3.00 | $36.00 |
| Alaska | 28.2 | 1.7¢ | $3.09 | $37.05 |
| Maine | 28.6 | 1.7¢ | $3.13 | $37.58 |
| Massachusetts | 28.8 | 1.7¢ | $3.15 | $37.84 |
| Rhode Island | 29.5 | 1.8¢ | $3.23 | $38.76 |
| New York | 29.9 | 1.8¢ | $3.27 | $39.29 |
| California | 33.3 | 2.0¢ | $3.64 | $43.76 |
| Hawaii | 52.0 | 3.1¢ | $5.69 | $68.33 |
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 landscape lighting use?
A typical landscape lighting draws about 60 watts in use. At 6 hours/day, that works out to roughly 0.4 kWh per day, or 11 kWh per month.
How much does it cost to run a landscape lighting for 1 hour?
At the current U.S. average residential rate of 18.4¢/kWh, one hour costs about 1.1¢. In Idaho (12.4¢/kWh) it's 0.7¢, while in Hawaii (52¢/kWh) it's 3.1¢.
How much does a landscape lighting cost to run per month?
With typical usage (6 hours/day), expect about $2.01 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $1.36 in Idaho up to $5.69 in Hawaii. Rates are as of May 2026.
Does a landscape lighting 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.