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How much does it cost to run a ceiling fan?
At the U.S. average residential price of 18.16¢ per kilowatt-hour (August 2026), running a ceiling fan costs about $15.69 a year. Your own bill depends on your state's rate, which ranges from 12.72¢ to 47.18¢ across the country.
- Per hour
- 1.1¢
- Per day of use
- 8.7¢
- Per month
- $1.31
- Per year
- $15.69
Assumption: 60 W, 8 hours a day, 180 days a year — 86 kWh a year. A typical 52-inch fan on medium. DC-motor fans draw about a third of this.
Cost by state
Same appliance, same usage, 51 different prices. Sorted cheapest first.
| State | Rate | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | 12.72¢ | 91.6¢ | $10.99 |
| Louisiana | 12.87¢ | 92.7¢ | $11.12 |
| North Dakota | 13.31¢ | 95.8¢ | $11.50 |
| Utah | 13.31¢ | 95.8¢ | $11.50 |
| Idaho | 13.37¢ | 96.3¢ | $11.55 |
| Tennessee | 13.42¢ | 96.6¢ | $11.59 |
| Nebraska | 13.54¢ | 97.5¢ | $11.70 |
| Kentucky | 13.80¢ | 99.4¢ | $11.92 |
| Arkansas | 14.37¢ | $1.03 | $12.42 |
| Mississippi | 14.43¢ | $1.04 | $12.47 |
| Wyoming | 14.43¢ | $1.04 | $12.47 |
| Washington | 14.63¢ | $1.05 | $12.64 |
| Oklahoma | 14.82¢ | $1.07 | $12.80 |
| North Carolina | 14.95¢ | $1.08 | $12.92 |
| Florida | 14.99¢ | $1.08 | $12.95 |
| Arizona | 15.05¢ | $1.08 | $13.00 |
| South Dakota | 15.15¢ | $1.09 | $13.09 |
| Kansas | 15.47¢ | $1.11 | $13.37 |
| Montana | 15.57¢ | $1.12 | $13.45 |
| South Carolina | 15.76¢ | $1.13 | $13.62 |
| Georgia | 15.90¢ | $1.14 | $13.74 |
| Texas | 15.91¢ | $1.15 | $13.75 |
| Oregon | 15.92¢ | $1.15 | $13.75 |
| Missouri | 16.02¢ | $1.15 | $13.84 |
| West Virginia | 16.31¢ | $1.17 | $14.09 |
| Alabama | 16.33¢ | $1.18 | $14.11 |
| New Mexico | 16.51¢ | $1.19 | $14.26 |
| Indiana | 17.02¢ | $1.23 | $14.71 |
| Iowa | 17.06¢ | $1.23 | $14.74 |
| Colorado | 17.17¢ | $1.24 | $14.83 |
| Minnesota | 17.20¢ | $1.24 | $14.86 |
| Virginia | 17.64¢ | $1.27 | $15.24 |
| Delaware | 18.70¢ | $1.35 | $16.16 |
| Illinois | 19.32¢ | $1.39 | $16.69 |
| Ohio | 19.38¢ | $1.40 | $16.74 |
| Wisconsin | 19.41¢ | $1.40 | $16.77 |
| Maryland | 21.40¢ | $1.54 | $18.49 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.77¢ | $1.57 | $18.81 |
| Michigan | 22.99¢ | $1.66 | $19.86 |
| Vermont | 23.84¢ | $1.72 | $20.60 |
| Connecticut | 24.51¢ | $1.76 | $21.18 |
| New Jersey | 24.61¢ | $1.77 | $21.26 |
| District of Columbia | 25.98¢ | $1.87 | $22.45 |
| New Hampshire | 27.64¢ | $1.99 | $23.88 |
| Rhode Island | 28.18¢ | $2.03 | $24.35 |
| New York | 28.65¢ | $2.06 | $24.75 |
| Alaska | 29.41¢ | $2.12 | $25.41 |
| California | 29.75¢ | $2.14 | $25.70 |
| Massachusetts | 30.48¢ | $2.19 | $26.33 |
| Maine | 32.11¢ | $2.31 | $27.74 |
| Hawaii | 47.18¢ | $3.40 | $40.76 |
Cutting the number down
- A fan cools people, not rooms. Running one in an empty room is pure cost with no benefit.
- Because moving air feels several degrees cooler, a fan lets you raise the thermostat, which is where the real money is saved.
- Reverse the direction in winter to push warm ceiling air back down without adding heat.
Questions
- How many watts does a ceiling fan use?
- About 60 W while running.
- How much does a ceiling fan cost per month?
- About $1.31 a month at the U.S. average rate, or $15.69 a year.
- Where is it cheapest to run?
- Nevada, at $10.99 a year, versus $40.76 in Hawaii — a spread of $29.77.