💡 Lighting
How Much Does a Night Light Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.8¢/kWh (April 2026), a night light costs about 5.7¢ per month at typical usage — 10 hours/day.
Per hour
0.0¢
at 0.3–5 W
Per day
0.2¢
10 hours/day
Per month
5.7¢
0.3 kWh
Per year
$0.69
3.6 kWh
LED night lights draw well under a watt; even a houseful running dusk to dawn costs a dollar or two per year. Old incandescent 4–7 watt models are the only versions worth replacing.
Calculate it for your home
Per hour
0.0¢
Per day
0.2¢
Per month
5.7¢
Per year
$0.69
Uses 0.3 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 hour | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | 12.4 | 0.0¢ | 3.8¢ | $0.45 |
| Idaho | 12.7 | 0.0¢ | 3.9¢ | $0.46 |
| Nebraska | 13.3 | 0.0¢ | 4.0¢ | $0.49 |
| Oklahoma | 13.3 | 0.0¢ | 4.0¢ | $0.49 |
| Utah | 13.3 | 0.0¢ | 4.0¢ | $0.49 |
| Iowa | 13.9 | 0.0¢ | 4.2¢ | $0.51 |
| Montana | 13.9 | 0.0¢ | 4.2¢ | $0.51 |
| Missouri | 14.0 | 0.0¢ | 4.3¢ | $0.51 |
| Arkansas | 14.2 | 0.0¢ | 4.3¢ | $0.52 |
| Nevada | 14.3 | 0.0¢ | 4.3¢ | $0.52 |
| Louisiana | 14.4 | 0.0¢ | 4.4¢ | $0.53 |
| Washington | 14.4 | 0.0¢ | 4.4¢ | $0.53 |
| South Dakota | 14.5 | 0.0¢ | 4.4¢ | $0.53 |
| Wyoming | 14.7 | 0.0¢ | 4.5¢ | $0.54 |
| Tennessee | 14.9 | 0.0¢ | 4.5¢ | $0.54 |
| Kentucky | 15.0 | 0.0¢ | 4.6¢ | $0.55 |
| New Mexico | 15.2 | 0.0¢ | 4.6¢ | $0.55 |
| Florida | 15.4 | 0.0¢ | 4.7¢ | $0.56 |
| Georgia | 15.4 | 0.0¢ | 4.7¢ | $0.56 |
| Arizona | 15.5 | 0.0¢ | 4.7¢ | $0.57 |
| Kansas | 15.8 | 0.0¢ | 4.8¢ | $0.58 |
| Oregon | 15.8 | 0.0¢ | 4.8¢ | $0.58 |
| West Virginia | 16.1 | 0.0¢ | 4.9¢ | $0.59 |
| North Carolina | 16.3 | 0.0¢ | 5.0¢ | $0.59 |
| Minnesota | 16.4 | 0.0¢ | 5.0¢ | $0.60 |
| Colorado | 16.5 | 0.0¢ | 5.0¢ | $0.60 |
| Mississippi | 16.8 | 0.0¢ | 5.1¢ | $0.61 |
| Texas | 17.0 | 0.0¢ | 5.2¢ | $0.62 |
| South Carolina | 17.1 | 0.0¢ | 5.2¢ | $0.62 |
| Alabama | 17.4 | 0.0¢ | 5.3¢ | $0.64 |
| Virginia | 17.4 | 0.0¢ | 5.3¢ | $0.64 |
| Indiana | 17.9 | 0.0¢ | 5.4¢ | $0.65 |
| Delaware | 18.8 | 0.0¢ | 5.7¢ | $0.69 |
| Wisconsin | 19.2 | 0.0¢ | 5.8¢ | $0.70 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | 0.0¢ | 5.9¢ | $0.71 |
| Illinois | 20.5 | 0.0¢ | 6.2¢ | $0.75 |
| Michigan | 21.4 | 0.0¢ | 6.5¢ | $0.78 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.5 | 0.0¢ | 6.5¢ | $0.78 |
| Maryland | 22.1 | 0.0¢ | 6.7¢ | $0.81 |
| New Jersey | 23.5 | 0.0¢ | 7.1¢ | $0.86 |
| Vermont | 24.6 | 0.0¢ | 7.5¢ | $0.90 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.4 | 0.0¢ | 7.7¢ | $0.93 |
| New Hampshire | 27.2 | 0.0¢ | 8.3¢ | $0.99 |
| Alaska | 27.4 | 0.0¢ | 8.3¢ | $1.00 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3 | 0.0¢ | 8.6¢ | $1.03 |
| Maine | 28.4 | 0.0¢ | 8.6¢ | $1.04 |
| Massachusetts | 29.5 | 0.0¢ | 9.0¢ | $1.08 |
| New York | 29.5 | 0.0¢ | 9.0¢ | $1.08 |
| Connecticut | 32.2 | 0.0¢ | $0.10 | $1.18 |
| California | 35.3 | 0.0¢ | $0.11 | $1.29 |
| Hawaii | 46.6 | 0.0¢ | $0.14 | $1.70 |
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 night light use?
A typical night light draws about 1 watts in use. At 10 hours/day, that works out to roughly 0.0 kWh per day, or 0.3 kWh per month.
How much does it cost to run a night light for 1 hour?
At the current U.S. average residential rate of 18.8¢/kWh, one hour costs about 0.0¢. In North Dakota (12.4¢/kWh) it's 0.0¢, while in Hawaii (46.6¢/kWh) it's 0.0¢.
How much does a night light cost to run per month?
With typical usage (10 hours/day), expect about 5.7¢ per month at the U.S. average rate — from 3.8¢ in North Dakota up to $0.14 in Hawaii. Rates are as of April 2026.
Does a night light 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.