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How much does it cost to run a vacuum cleaner?
At the U.S. average residential price of 18.16¢ per kilowatt-hour (August 2026), running a vacuum cleaner costs about $6.54 a year. Your own bill depends on your state's rate, which ranges from 12.72¢ to 47.18¢ across the country.
- Per hour
- 21.8¢
- Per day of use
- 6.5¢
- Per month
- 54.5¢
- Per year
- $6.54
Assumption: 1,200 W, 18 minutes a day, 100 days a year — 36 kWh a year. An upright vacuum, roughly 20 minutes per session.
Cost by state
Same appliance, same usage, 51 different prices. Sorted cheapest first.
| State | Rate | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | 12.72¢ | 38.2¢ | $4.58 |
| Louisiana | 12.87¢ | 38.6¢ | $4.63 |
| North Dakota | 13.31¢ | 39.9¢ | $4.79 |
| Utah | 13.31¢ | 39.9¢ | $4.79 |
| Idaho | 13.37¢ | 40.1¢ | $4.81 |
| Tennessee | 13.42¢ | 40.3¢ | $4.83 |
| Nebraska | 13.54¢ | 40.6¢ | $4.87 |
| Kentucky | 13.80¢ | 41.4¢ | $4.97 |
| Arkansas | 14.37¢ | 43.1¢ | $5.17 |
| Mississippi | 14.43¢ | 43.3¢ | $5.19 |
| Wyoming | 14.43¢ | 43.3¢ | $5.19 |
| Washington | 14.63¢ | 43.9¢ | $5.27 |
| Oklahoma | 14.82¢ | 44.5¢ | $5.34 |
| North Carolina | 14.95¢ | 44.8¢ | $5.38 |
| Florida | 14.99¢ | 45.0¢ | $5.40 |
| Arizona | 15.05¢ | 45.1¢ | $5.42 |
| South Dakota | 15.15¢ | 45.4¢ | $5.45 |
| Kansas | 15.47¢ | 46.4¢ | $5.57 |
| Montana | 15.57¢ | 46.7¢ | $5.61 |
| South Carolina | 15.76¢ | 47.3¢ | $5.67 |
| Georgia | 15.90¢ | 47.7¢ | $5.72 |
| Texas | 15.91¢ | 47.7¢ | $5.73 |
| Oregon | 15.92¢ | 47.8¢ | $5.73 |
| Missouri | 16.02¢ | 48.1¢ | $5.77 |
| West Virginia | 16.31¢ | 48.9¢ | $5.87 |
| Alabama | 16.33¢ | 49.0¢ | $5.88 |
| New Mexico | 16.51¢ | 49.5¢ | $5.94 |
| Indiana | 17.02¢ | 51.1¢ | $6.13 |
| Iowa | 17.06¢ | 51.2¢ | $6.14 |
| Colorado | 17.17¢ | 51.5¢ | $6.18 |
| Minnesota | 17.20¢ | 51.6¢ | $6.19 |
| Virginia | 17.64¢ | 52.9¢ | $6.35 |
| Delaware | 18.70¢ | 56.1¢ | $6.73 |
| Illinois | 19.32¢ | 58.0¢ | $6.96 |
| Ohio | 19.38¢ | 58.1¢ | $6.98 |
| Wisconsin | 19.41¢ | 58.2¢ | $6.99 |
| Maryland | 21.40¢ | 64.2¢ | $7.70 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.77¢ | 65.3¢ | $7.84 |
| Michigan | 22.99¢ | 69.0¢ | $8.28 |
| Vermont | 23.84¢ | 71.5¢ | $8.58 |
| Connecticut | 24.51¢ | 73.5¢ | $8.82 |
| New Jersey | 24.61¢ | 73.8¢ | $8.86 |
| District of Columbia | 25.98¢ | 77.9¢ | $9.35 |
| New Hampshire | 27.64¢ | 82.9¢ | $9.95 |
| Rhode Island | 28.18¢ | 84.5¢ | $10.14 |
| New York | 28.65¢ | 86.0¢ | $10.31 |
| Alaska | 29.41¢ | 88.2¢ | $10.59 |
| California | 29.75¢ | 89.2¢ | $10.71 |
| Massachusetts | 30.48¢ | 91.4¢ | $10.97 |
| Maine | 32.11¢ | 96.3¢ | $11.56 |
| Hawaii | 47.18¢ | $1.42 | $16.98 |
Cutting the number down
- A full bag or clogged filter costs suction, not watts: the motor draws the same while doing less.
Questions
- How many watts does a vacuum cleaner use?
- About 1,200 W while running.
- How much does a vacuum cleaner cost per month?
- About 54.5¢ a month at the U.S. average rate, or $6.54 a year.
- Where is it cheapest to run?
- Nevada, at $4.58 a year, versus $16.98 in Hawaii — a spread of $12.41.