🏠 Household
How Much Does a Waterbed Heater Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.3¢/kWh (July 2026), a waterbed heater costs about $13.35 per month at typical usage — 8 hours/day.
Per hour
5.5¢
at 150–400 W
Per day
$0.44
8 hours/day
Per month
$13.35
73 kWh
Per year
$160
876 kWh
Waterbed heaters keep hundreds of pounds of water at body temperature, historically adding 60–120 kWh a month. Good insulation — pads below, comforter above — is the difference between modest and memorable.
Calculate it for your home
Per hour
5.5¢
Per day
$0.44
Per month
$13.35
Per year
$160
Uses 73 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 | 3.8¢ | $9.27 | $111 |
| Nevada | 12.8 | 3.8¢ | $9.34 | $112 |
| Utah | 13.1 | 3.9¢ | $9.56 | $115 |
| North Dakota | 13.4 | 4.0¢ | $9.78 | $117 |
| Idaho | 13.7 | 4.1¢ | $10.00 | $120 |
| Tennessee | 13.7 | 4.1¢ | $10.00 | $120 |
| Kentucky | 13.8 | 4.1¢ | $10.07 | $121 |
| Nebraska | 13.8 | 4.1¢ | $10.07 | $121 |
| Arkansas | 14.3 | 4.3¢ | $10.43 | $125 |
| Oklahoma | 14.4 | 4.3¢ | $10.51 | $126 |
| Wyoming | 14.4 | 4.3¢ | $10.51 | $126 |
| Mississippi | 14.5 | 4.3¢ | $10.58 | $127 |
| Washington | 14.7 | 4.4¢ | $10.73 | $129 |
| Florida | 15.0 | 4.5¢ | $10.94 | $131 |
| Montana | 15.0 | 4.5¢ | $10.94 | $131 |
| North Carolina | 15.2 | 4.6¢ | $11.09 | $133 |
| Kansas | 15.3 | 4.6¢ | $11.16 | $134 |
| Arizona | 15.4 | 4.6¢ | $11.24 | $135 |
| South Dakota | 15.4 | 4.6¢ | $11.24 | $135 |
| South Carolina | 15.5 | 4.7¢ | $11.31 | $136 |
| West Virginia | 15.8 | 4.7¢ | $11.53 | $138 |
| Texas | 15.9 | 4.8¢ | $11.60 | $139 |
| Iowa | 16.0 | 4.8¢ | $11.67 | $140 |
| Oregon | 16.0 | 4.8¢ | $11.67 | $140 |
| Missouri | 16.1 | 4.8¢ | $11.75 | $141 |
| New Mexico | 16.1 | 4.8¢ | $11.75 | $141 |
| Georgia | 16.3 | 4.9¢ | $11.89 | $143 |
| Alabama | 16.4 | 4.9¢ | $11.97 | $144 |
| Indiana | 16.7 | 5.0¢ | $12.18 | $146 |
| Colorado | 17.0 | 5.1¢ | $12.40 | $149 |
| Minnesota | 17.5 | 5.3¢ | $12.77 | $153 |
| Virginia | 17.6 | 5.3¢ | $12.84 | $154 |
| Delaware | 18.5 | 5.5¢ | $13.50 | $162 |
| Wisconsin | 19.1 | 5.7¢ | $13.94 | $167 |
| Illinois | 19.2 | 5.8¢ | $14.01 | $168 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | 5.8¢ | $14.23 | $171 |
| Maryland | 21.4 | 6.4¢ | $15.61 | $187 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.7 | 6.5¢ | $15.83 | $190 |
| Michigan | 23.1 | 6.9¢ | $16.85 | $202 |
| Vermont | 23.8 | 7.1¢ | $17.36 | $208 |
| Connecticut | 24.2 | 7.3¢ | $17.66 | $212 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.2 | 7.6¢ | $18.39 | $221 |
| New Jersey | 25.2 | 7.6¢ | $18.39 | $221 |
| New Hampshire | 26.6 | 8.0¢ | $19.41 | $233 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3 | 8.5¢ | $20.65 | $248 |
| Alaska | 28.8 | 8.6¢ | $21.01 | $252 |
| New York | 29.9 | 9.0¢ | $21.82 | $262 |
| Massachusetts | 30.5 | 9.2¢ | $22.25 | $267 |
| Maine | 32.4 | $0.10 | $23.64 | $284 |
| California | 33.6 | $0.10 | $24.51 | $294 |
| Hawaii | 48.0 | $0.14 | $35.02 | $420 |
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 waterbed heater use?
A typical waterbed heater draws about 300 watts in use. At 8 hours/day, that works out to roughly 2.4 kWh per day, or 73 kWh per month.
How much does it cost to run a waterbed heater for 1 hour?
At the current U.S. average residential rate of 18.3¢/kWh, one hour costs about 5.5¢. In Louisiana (12.7¢/kWh) it's 3.8¢, while in Hawaii (48¢/kWh) it's $0.14.
How much does a waterbed heater cost to run per month?
With typical usage (8 hours/day), expect about $13.35 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $9.27 in Louisiana up to $35.02 in Hawaii. Rates are as of July 2026.
Does a waterbed heater use a lot of electricity?
It's a moderate load: roughly 8% of an average U.S. home's monthly consumption at typical usage. Noticeable, but not a bill-driver on its own.