💡 Lighting
How Much Does a Night Light Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.3¢/kWh (July 2026), a night light costs about 5.6¢ 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
5.6¢
0.3 kWh
Per year
$0.67
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
5.6¢
Per year
$0.67
Uses 0.3 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 | 0.0¢ | 3.9¢ | $0.46 |
| Nevada | 12.8 | 0.0¢ | 3.9¢ | $0.47 |
| Utah | 13.1 | 0.0¢ | 4.0¢ | $0.48 |
| North Dakota | 13.4 | 0.0¢ | 4.1¢ | $0.49 |
| Idaho | 13.7 | 0.0¢ | 4.2¢ | $0.50 |
| Tennessee | 13.7 | 0.0¢ | 4.2¢ | $0.50 |
| Kentucky | 13.8 | 0.0¢ | 4.2¢ | $0.50 |
| Nebraska | 13.8 | 0.0¢ | 4.2¢ | $0.50 |
| Arkansas | 14.3 | 0.0¢ | 4.3¢ | $0.52 |
| Oklahoma | 14.4 | 0.0¢ | 4.4¢ | $0.53 |
| Wyoming | 14.4 | 0.0¢ | 4.4¢ | $0.53 |
| Mississippi | 14.5 | 0.0¢ | 4.4¢ | $0.53 |
| Washington | 14.7 | 0.0¢ | 4.5¢ | $0.54 |
| Florida | 15.0 | 0.0¢ | 4.6¢ | $0.55 |
| Montana | 15.0 | 0.0¢ | 4.6¢ | $0.55 |
| North Carolina | 15.2 | 0.0¢ | 4.6¢ | $0.55 |
| Kansas | 15.3 | 0.0¢ | 4.7¢ | $0.56 |
| Arizona | 15.4 | 0.0¢ | 4.7¢ | $0.56 |
| South Dakota | 15.4 | 0.0¢ | 4.7¢ | $0.56 |
| South Carolina | 15.5 | 0.0¢ | 4.7¢ | $0.57 |
| West Virginia | 15.8 | 0.0¢ | 4.8¢ | $0.58 |
| Texas | 15.9 | 0.0¢ | 4.8¢ | $0.58 |
| Iowa | 16.0 | 0.0¢ | 4.9¢ | $0.58 |
| Oregon | 16.0 | 0.0¢ | 4.9¢ | $0.58 |
| Missouri | 16.1 | 0.0¢ | 4.9¢ | $0.59 |
| New Mexico | 16.1 | 0.0¢ | 4.9¢ | $0.59 |
| Georgia | 16.3 | 0.0¢ | 5.0¢ | $0.59 |
| Alabama | 16.4 | 0.0¢ | 5.0¢ | $0.60 |
| Indiana | 16.7 | 0.0¢ | 5.1¢ | $0.61 |
| Colorado | 17.0 | 0.0¢ | 5.2¢ | $0.62 |
| Minnesota | 17.5 | 0.0¢ | 5.3¢ | $0.64 |
| Virginia | 17.6 | 0.0¢ | 5.4¢ | $0.64 |
| Delaware | 18.5 | 0.0¢ | 5.6¢ | $0.68 |
| Wisconsin | 19.1 | 0.0¢ | 5.8¢ | $0.70 |
| Illinois | 19.2 | 0.0¢ | 5.8¢ | $0.70 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | 0.0¢ | 5.9¢ | $0.71 |
| Maryland | 21.4 | 0.0¢ | 6.5¢ | $0.78 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.7 | 0.0¢ | 6.6¢ | $0.79 |
| Michigan | 23.1 | 0.0¢ | 7.0¢ | $0.84 |
| Vermont | 23.8 | 0.0¢ | 7.2¢ | $0.87 |
| Connecticut | 24.2 | 0.0¢ | 7.4¢ | $0.88 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.2 | 0.0¢ | 7.7¢ | $0.92 |
| New Jersey | 25.2 | 0.0¢ | 7.7¢ | $0.92 |
| New Hampshire | 26.6 | 0.0¢ | 8.1¢ | $0.97 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3 | 0.0¢ | 8.6¢ | $1.03 |
| Alaska | 28.8 | 0.0¢ | 8.8¢ | $1.05 |
| New York | 29.9 | 0.0¢ | 9.1¢ | $1.09 |
| Massachusetts | 30.5 | 0.0¢ | 9.3¢ | $1.11 |
| Maine | 32.4 | 0.0¢ | $0.10 | $1.18 |
| California | 33.6 | 0.0¢ | $0.10 | $1.23 |
| Hawaii | 48.0 | 0.0¢ | $0.15 | $1.75 |
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 18.3¢/kWh, one hour costs about 0.0¢. In Louisiana (12.7¢/kWh) it's 0.0¢, while in Hawaii (48¢/kWh) it's 0.0¢.
How much does a night light cost to run per month?
With typical usage (10 hours/day), expect about 5.6¢ per month at the U.S. average rate — from 3.9¢ in Louisiana up to $0.15 in Hawaii. Rates are as of July 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.