💡 Lighting
How Much Does a LED Light Strip Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.3¢/kWh (July 2026), a led light strip costs about $0.56 per month at typical usage — 5 hours/day.
Per hour
0.4¢
at 10–40 W
Per day
1.8¢
5 hours/day
Per month
$0.56
3.0 kWh
Per year
$6.68
37 kWh
Accent light strips draw roughly 2–5 watts per meter at full brightness, so a typical setup runs 10–40 watts. Colors and dimming drop that further — ambiance is cheap.
Calculate it for your home
Per hour
0.4¢
Per day
1.8¢
Per month
$0.56
Per year
$6.68
Uses 3.0 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 | 0.3¢ | $0.39 | $4.64 |
| Nevada | 12.8 | 0.3¢ | $0.39 | $4.67 |
| Utah | 13.1 | 0.3¢ | $0.40 | $4.78 |
| North Dakota | 13.4 | 0.3¢ | $0.41 | $4.89 |
| Idaho | 13.7 | 0.3¢ | $0.42 | $5.00 |
| Tennessee | 13.7 | 0.3¢ | $0.42 | $5.00 |
| Kentucky | 13.8 | 0.3¢ | $0.42 | $5.04 |
| Nebraska | 13.8 | 0.3¢ | $0.42 | $5.04 |
| Arkansas | 14.3 | 0.3¢ | $0.43 | $5.22 |
| Oklahoma | 14.4 | 0.3¢ | $0.44 | $5.26 |
| Wyoming | 14.4 | 0.3¢ | $0.44 | $5.26 |
| Mississippi | 14.5 | 0.3¢ | $0.44 | $5.29 |
| Washington | 14.7 | 0.3¢ | $0.45 | $5.37 |
| Florida | 15.0 | 0.3¢ | $0.46 | $5.47 |
| Montana | 15.0 | 0.3¢ | $0.46 | $5.47 |
| North Carolina | 15.2 | 0.3¢ | $0.46 | $5.55 |
| Kansas | 15.3 | 0.3¢ | $0.47 | $5.58 |
| Arizona | 15.4 | 0.3¢ | $0.47 | $5.62 |
| South Dakota | 15.4 | 0.3¢ | $0.47 | $5.62 |
| South Carolina | 15.5 | 0.3¢ | $0.47 | $5.66 |
| West Virginia | 15.8 | 0.3¢ | $0.48 | $5.77 |
| Texas | 15.9 | 0.3¢ | $0.48 | $5.80 |
| Iowa | 16.0 | 0.3¢ | $0.49 | $5.84 |
| Oregon | 16.0 | 0.3¢ | $0.49 | $5.84 |
| Missouri | 16.1 | 0.3¢ | $0.49 | $5.88 |
| New Mexico | 16.1 | 0.3¢ | $0.49 | $5.88 |
| Georgia | 16.3 | 0.3¢ | $0.50 | $5.95 |
| Alabama | 16.4 | 0.3¢ | $0.50 | $5.99 |
| Indiana | 16.7 | 0.3¢ | $0.51 | $6.10 |
| Colorado | 17.0 | 0.3¢ | $0.52 | $6.21 |
| Minnesota | 17.5 | 0.3¢ | $0.53 | $6.39 |
| Virginia | 17.6 | 0.4¢ | $0.54 | $6.42 |
| Delaware | 18.5 | 0.4¢ | $0.56 | $6.75 |
| Wisconsin | 19.1 | 0.4¢ | $0.58 | $6.97 |
| Illinois | 19.2 | 0.4¢ | $0.58 | $7.01 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | 0.4¢ | $0.59 | $7.12 |
| Maryland | 21.4 | 0.4¢ | $0.65 | $7.81 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.7 | 0.4¢ | $0.66 | $7.92 |
| Michigan | 23.1 | 0.5¢ | $0.70 | $8.43 |
| Vermont | 23.8 | 0.5¢ | $0.72 | $8.69 |
| Connecticut | 24.2 | 0.5¢ | $0.74 | $8.83 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.2 | 0.5¢ | $0.77 | $9.20 |
| New Jersey | 25.2 | 0.5¢ | $0.77 | $9.20 |
| New Hampshire | 26.6 | 0.5¢ | $0.81 | $9.71 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3 | 0.6¢ | $0.86 | $10.33 |
| Alaska | 28.8 | 0.6¢ | $0.88 | $10.51 |
| New York | 29.9 | 0.6¢ | $0.91 | $10.91 |
| Massachusetts | 30.5 | 0.6¢ | $0.93 | $11.13 |
| Maine | 32.4 | 0.6¢ | $0.98 | $11.83 |
| California | 33.6 | 0.7¢ | $1.02 | $12.26 |
| Hawaii | 48.0 | 1.0¢ | $1.46 | $17.52 |
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 led light strip use?
A typical led light strip draws about 20 watts in use. At 5 hours/day, that works out to roughly 0.1 kWh per day, or 3.0 kWh per month.
How much does it cost to run a led light strip for 1 hour?
At the current U.S. average residential rate of 18.3¢/kWh, one hour costs about 0.4¢. In Louisiana (12.7¢/kWh) it's 0.3¢, while in Hawaii (48¢/kWh) it's 1.0¢.
How much does a led light strip cost to run per month?
With typical usage (5 hours/day), expect about $0.56 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $0.39 in Louisiana up to $1.46 in Hawaii. Rates are as of July 2026.
Does a led light strip 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.