💻 Computers & Office
How Much Does a Security Camera (Wired) Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.3¢/kWh (July 2026), a security camera (wired) costs about $0.67 per month at typical usage — 24 hours/day (always on).
Per hour
0.1¢
at 3–10 W
Per day
2.2¢
24 hours/day (always on)
Per month
$0.67
3.6 kWh
Per year
$8.02
44 kWh
Each wired security camera draws 3–10 watts continuously, with infrared night vision at the upper end. A six-camera system plus its recorder can quietly total 50+ always-on watts — worth counting in a standby audit.
Calculate it for your home
Per hour
0.1¢
Per day
2.2¢
Per month
$0.67
Per year
$8.02
Uses 3.6 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 | 0.1¢ | $0.46 | $5.56 |
| Nevada | 12.8 | 0.1¢ | $0.47 | $5.61 |
| Utah | 13.1 | 0.1¢ | $0.48 | $5.74 |
| North Dakota | 13.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.49 | $5.87 |
| Idaho | 13.7 | 0.1¢ | $0.50 | $6.00 |
| Tennessee | 13.7 | 0.1¢ | $0.50 | $6.00 |
| Kentucky | 13.8 | 0.1¢ | $0.50 | $6.04 |
| Nebraska | 13.8 | 0.1¢ | $0.50 | $6.04 |
| Arkansas | 14.3 | 0.1¢ | $0.52 | $6.26 |
| Oklahoma | 14.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.53 | $6.31 |
| Wyoming | 14.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.53 | $6.31 |
| Mississippi | 14.5 | 0.1¢ | $0.53 | $6.35 |
| Washington | 14.7 | 0.1¢ | $0.54 | $6.44 |
| Florida | 15.0 | 0.1¢ | $0.55 | $6.57 |
| Montana | 15.0 | 0.1¢ | $0.55 | $6.57 |
| North Carolina | 15.2 | 0.1¢ | $0.55 | $6.66 |
| Kansas | 15.3 | 0.1¢ | $0.56 | $6.70 |
| Arizona | 15.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.56 | $6.75 |
| South Dakota | 15.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.56 | $6.75 |
| South Carolina | 15.5 | 0.1¢ | $0.57 | $6.79 |
| West Virginia | 15.8 | 0.1¢ | $0.58 | $6.92 |
| Texas | 15.9 | 0.1¢ | $0.58 | $6.96 |
| Iowa | 16.0 | 0.1¢ | $0.58 | $7.01 |
| Oregon | 16.0 | 0.1¢ | $0.58 | $7.01 |
| Missouri | 16.1 | 0.1¢ | $0.59 | $7.05 |
| New Mexico | 16.1 | 0.1¢ | $0.59 | $7.05 |
| Georgia | 16.3 | 0.1¢ | $0.59 | $7.14 |
| Alabama | 16.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.60 | $7.18 |
| Indiana | 16.7 | 0.1¢ | $0.61 | $7.31 |
| Colorado | 17.0 | 0.1¢ | $0.62 | $7.45 |
| Minnesota | 17.5 | 0.1¢ | $0.64 | $7.66 |
| Virginia | 17.6 | 0.1¢ | $0.64 | $7.71 |
| Delaware | 18.5 | 0.1¢ | $0.67 | $8.10 |
| Wisconsin | 19.1 | 0.1¢ | $0.70 | $8.37 |
| Illinois | 19.2 | 0.1¢ | $0.70 | $8.41 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | 0.1¢ | $0.71 | $8.54 |
| Maryland | 21.4 | 0.1¢ | $0.78 | $9.37 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.7 | 0.1¢ | $0.79 | $9.50 |
| Michigan | 23.1 | 0.1¢ | $0.84 | $10.12 |
| Vermont | 23.8 | 0.1¢ | $0.87 | $10.42 |
| Connecticut | 24.2 | 0.1¢ | $0.88 | $10.60 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.2 | 0.1¢ | $0.92 | $11.04 |
| New Jersey | 25.2 | 0.1¢ | $0.92 | $11.04 |
| New Hampshire | 26.6 | 0.1¢ | $0.97 | $11.65 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3 | 0.1¢ | $1.03 | $12.40 |
| Alaska | 28.8 | 0.1¢ | $1.05 | $12.61 |
| New York | 29.9 | 0.1¢ | $1.09 | $13.10 |
| Massachusetts | 30.5 | 0.2¢ | $1.11 | $13.36 |
| Maine | 32.4 | 0.2¢ | $1.18 | $14.19 |
| California | 33.6 | 0.2¢ | $1.23 | $14.72 |
| Hawaii | 48.0 | 0.2¢ | $1.75 | $21.02 |
How to lower the cost
- Enable sleep after 15–20 minutes of idle — modern machines wake in seconds.
- Anything always-on (servers, mining, chargers on strips) deserves a smart plug and a schedule.
- Laptops do the same office work as desktops on a quarter of the power.
Frequently asked questions
How much electricity does a security camera (wired) use?
A typical security camera (wired) draws about 5 watts in use. At 24 hours/day (always on), that works out to roughly 0.1 kWh per day, or 3.6 kWh per month.
How much does it cost to run a security camera (wired) for 1 hour?
At the current U.S. average residential rate of 18.3¢/kWh, one hour costs about 0.1¢. In Louisiana (12.7¢/kWh) it's 0.1¢, while in Hawaii (48¢/kWh) it's 0.2¢.
How much does a security camera (wired) cost to run per month?
With typical usage (24 hours/day (always on)), expect about $0.67 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $0.46 in Louisiana up to $1.75 in Hawaii. Rates are as of July 2026.
Does a security camera (wired) 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.