How Much Does It Cost to Run an Electric Water Heater?
An electric water heater is one of the largest energy users in most homes — a 4,000-watt element reheating the tank several hours a day. At the US-average rate of 16.5¢/kWh, running an electric water heater costs about $60.15/month ($721.82/year) at typical use. Adjust the watts, hours, and your rate below for your exact number.
Cost to run an electric water heater
$722/yr
- Per day
- $1.98
- Per month
- $60.15
- Energy per year
- 4,380 kWh
Cost = power (kW) × hours × days × your rate. Defaults are typical values — enter your appliance's actual watts (often on a label) and your real rate for a precise figure.
How much electricity does an electric water heater use?
At 4,000 W for 3 hours a day, an electric water heater uses about 12 kWh per day — roughly 365 kWh per month and 4,380 kWh per year. That's about 42% of the 863 kWh the average US home uses in a month. Energy use is the same everywhere — only the price per kWh changes your bill.
Wondering about the circuit instead? See how many amps an electric water heater draws.
Cost to run an electric water heater by electricity rate
Same 4,000 W appliance, 3 h/day — the bill changes with where you live.
| Scenario | Rate | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheapest states (North Dakota) | 11.5¢ | $42.01 | $504.14 |
| US average | 16.5¢ | $60.15 | $721.82 |
| Most expensive (Hawaii) | 42.9¢ | $156.44 | $1,877.27 |
Find your state's rate on the electricity rates by state page, or see the appliance wattage chart for more devices.
Measure what an electric water heater really costs you
The estimate above uses typical wattage and hours. This load is usually hardwired or on a 240 V circuit, so a plug-in meter won't fit it; a whole-home monitor's sensors clip onto the circuit's wires inside the panel and log its real kilowatt-hours. That means working in a live panel — hire an electrician if that isn't you.
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Whole-home energy monitor
Emporia Vue 3 Home Energy Monitor (16 circuit sensors)
Best for: Measuring hardwired and 240 V loads, or every circuit at once
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