How Much Electricity Does a House Use?

The average home: about 865 kWh a month

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the average residential customer used about 865 kWh a month in 2024, and the average bill was $144 a month. That is roughly 28 kWh a day. Usage varies a lot by climate: homes in the hot, humid South use far more for air conditioning than homes on the mild West Coast.

What a kilowatt-hour is

A kilowatt-hour (kWh) is 1,000 watts used for one hour. A 1,500 W space heater running for one hour uses 1.5 kWh; a 10 W LED bulb takes 100 hours to use 1 kWh. Your utility multiplies the kWh you use by its price per kWh — 18.56¢ on average in the U.S. in March 2026, from under 12¢ in North Dakota to over 42¢ in Hawaii (EIA).

Find the rate for your state in the electric bill calculator.

Where the electricity goes

• Heating and cooling: central air conditioning, heat pumps and electric heat are usually the largest loads. A 3 ton central AC can use 600 kWh or more in a hot month.
• Water heating: an electric water heater rated around 4,500 W is often the second-largest user.
• Appliances: clothes dryers, ranges and dishwashers use a lot of power, but only for an hour or two at a time.
• Electronics and lighting: individually small, but always-on devices add up.
• EVs: charging an electric car for 1,000 miles a month adds around 330 kWh.

How to find your biggest costs

Start with your bill: divide the total by the kWh used to get your real all-in rate. Then check appliances one by one with the electricity cost calculator (watts × hours ÷ 1,000 × rate), or measure them with a plug-in energy monitor. For cooling, the AC running cost calculator uses your unit’s size and SEER rating.

Easy ways to use less

• Switch to LED bulbs — see the savings in the LED savings calculator.
• Raise the cooling setpoint and lower the heating setpoint a few degrees, or use a smart thermostat.
• Wash clothes in cold water and air-dry when you can.
• If you are considering solar, the solar panel calculator shows the system size for your usage.