🏠 Household
How Much Does a Vacuum Cleaner Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.3¢/kWh (July 2026), a vacuum cleaner costs about $0.64 per month at typical usage — 2 uses/week at 0.4 kWh each.
Per use
7.3¢
0.4 kWh per use
Per day
2.1¢
2 uses/week at 0.4 kWh each
Per month
$0.64
3.5 kWh
Per year
$7.63
42 kWh
Corded vacuums draw 500–1,400 watts, so a thorough half-hour clean uses under half a kilowatt-hour. Weekly vacuuming across a whole year costs about what one hour of central AC does.
Calculate it for your home
Per use
7.3¢
Per day
2.1¢
Per month
$0.64
Per year
$7.63
Uses 3.5 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 use | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | 12.7 | 5.1¢ | $0.44 | $5.30 |
| Nevada | 12.8 | 5.1¢ | $0.44 | $5.34 |
| Utah | 13.1 | 5.2¢ | $0.46 | $5.46 |
| North Dakota | 13.4 | 5.4¢ | $0.47 | $5.59 |
| Idaho | 13.7 | 5.5¢ | $0.48 | $5.71 |
| Tennessee | 13.7 | 5.5¢ | $0.48 | $5.71 |
| Kentucky | 13.8 | 5.5¢ | $0.48 | $5.76 |
| Nebraska | 13.8 | 5.5¢ | $0.48 | $5.76 |
| Arkansas | 14.3 | 5.7¢ | $0.50 | $5.97 |
| Oklahoma | 14.4 | 5.8¢ | $0.50 | $6.01 |
| Wyoming | 14.4 | 5.8¢ | $0.50 | $6.01 |
| Mississippi | 14.5 | 5.8¢ | $0.50 | $6.05 |
| Washington | 14.7 | 5.9¢ | $0.51 | $6.13 |
| Florida | 15.0 | 6.0¢ | $0.52 | $6.26 |
| Montana | 15.0 | 6.0¢ | $0.52 | $6.26 |
| North Carolina | 15.2 | 6.1¢ | $0.53 | $6.34 |
| Kansas | 15.3 | 6.1¢ | $0.53 | $6.38 |
| Arizona | 15.4 | 6.2¢ | $0.54 | $6.42 |
| South Dakota | 15.4 | 6.2¢ | $0.54 | $6.42 |
| South Carolina | 15.5 | 6.2¢ | $0.54 | $6.47 |
| West Virginia | 15.8 | 6.3¢ | $0.55 | $6.59 |
| Texas | 15.9 | 6.4¢ | $0.55 | $6.63 |
| Iowa | 16.0 | 6.4¢ | $0.56 | $6.67 |
| Oregon | 16.0 | 6.4¢ | $0.56 | $6.67 |
| Missouri | 16.1 | 6.4¢ | $0.56 | $6.72 |
| New Mexico | 16.1 | 6.4¢ | $0.56 | $6.72 |
| Georgia | 16.3 | 6.5¢ | $0.57 | $6.80 |
| Alabama | 16.4 | 6.6¢ | $0.57 | $6.84 |
| Indiana | 16.7 | 6.7¢ | $0.58 | $6.97 |
| Colorado | 17.0 | 6.8¢ | $0.59 | $7.09 |
| Minnesota | 17.5 | 7.0¢ | $0.61 | $7.30 |
| Virginia | 17.6 | 7.0¢ | $0.61 | $7.34 |
| Delaware | 18.5 | 7.4¢ | $0.64 | $7.72 |
| Wisconsin | 19.1 | 7.6¢ | $0.66 | $7.97 |
| Illinois | 19.2 | 7.7¢ | $0.67 | $8.01 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | 7.8¢ | $0.68 | $8.13 |
| Maryland | 21.4 | 8.6¢ | $0.74 | $8.93 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.7 | 8.7¢ | $0.75 | $9.05 |
| Michigan | 23.1 | 9.2¢ | $0.80 | $9.64 |
| Vermont | 23.8 | $0.10 | $0.83 | $9.93 |
| Connecticut | 24.2 | $0.10 | $0.84 | $10.09 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.2 | $0.10 | $0.88 | $10.51 |
| New Jersey | 25.2 | $0.10 | $0.88 | $10.51 |
| New Hampshire | 26.6 | $0.11 | $0.92 | $11.10 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3 | $0.11 | $0.98 | $11.81 |
| Alaska | 28.8 | $0.12 | $1.00 | $12.01 |
| New York | 29.9 | $0.12 | $1.04 | $12.47 |
| Massachusetts | 30.5 | $0.12 | $1.06 | $12.72 |
| Maine | 32.4 | $0.13 | $1.13 | $13.52 |
| California | 33.6 | $0.13 | $1.17 | $14.02 |
| Hawaii | 48.0 | $0.19 | $1.67 | $20.02 |
How to lower the cost
- Always-on devices are the quiet budget line: audit anything that runs 24/7.
- Auto modes with sensors (purifiers, dehumidifiers) cut runtime dramatically versus always-on.
- A smart plug with energy monitoring answers “what does this actually use?” for $10.
Frequently asked questions
How much electricity does a vacuum cleaner use?
A typical vacuum cleaner uses about 0.4 kWh per use. At 2 uses per week, that's roughly 3.5 kWh per month.
How much does one use of a vacuum cleaner cost?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.3¢/kWh, each use costs about 7.3¢. That ranges from 5.1¢ in Louisiana to $0.19 in Hawaii.
How much does a vacuum cleaner cost to run per month?
With typical usage (2 uses/week at 0.4 kWh each), expect about $0.64 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $0.44 in Louisiana up to $1.67 in Hawaii. Rates are as of July 2026.
Does a vacuum cleaner 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.