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How much does it cost to run an electric clothes dryer?
At the U.S. average residential price of 18.34¢ per kilowatt-hour (June 2026), running an electric clothes dryer costs about $143 a year. Your own bill depends on your state's rate, which ranges from 13.11¢ to 52.72¢ across the country.
- Per cycle
- 55.0¢
- Per day
- 39.2¢
- Per month
- $11.92
- Per year
- $143
Assumption: 3.00 kWh per cycle, 5 cycles a week — 780 kWh a year. A standard vented electric dryer. Heat-pump dryers use roughly half this per load.
Cost by state
Same appliance, same usage, 51 different prices. Sorted cheapest first.
| State | Rate | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | 13.11¢ | $8.52 | $102 |
| Nebraska | 13.25¢ | $8.61 | $103 |
| Utah | 13.37¢ | $8.69 | $104 |
| Louisiana | 13.49¢ | $8.77 | $105 |
| Tennessee | 14.07¢ | $9.15 | $110 |
| North Dakota | 14.12¢ | $9.18 | $110 |
| Arkansas | 14.12¢ | $9.18 | $110 |
| Kentucky | 14.26¢ | $9.27 | $111 |
| Oklahoma | 14.33¢ | $9.31 | $112 |
| Idaho | 14.37¢ | $9.34 | $112 |
| North Carolina | 14.74¢ | $9.58 | $115 |
| Mississippi | 14.88¢ | $9.67 | $116 |
| Washington | 14.91¢ | $9.69 | $116 |
| New Mexico | 15.06¢ | $9.79 | $117 |
| Florida | 15.10¢ | $9.81 | $118 |
| Montana | 15.14¢ | $9.84 | $118 |
| Arizona | 15.18¢ | $9.87 | $118 |
| Wyoming | 15.24¢ | $9.91 | $119 |
| South Dakota | 15.36¢ | $9.98 | $120 |
| West Virginia | 15.45¢ | $10.04 | $121 |
| South Carolina | 15.55¢ | $10.11 | $121 |
| Kansas | 15.71¢ | $10.21 | $123 |
| Iowa | 15.93¢ | $10.35 | $124 |
| Texas | 15.94¢ | $10.36 | $124 |
| Missouri | 16.22¢ | $10.54 | $127 |
| Oregon | 16.32¢ | $10.61 | $127 |
| Georgia | 16.36¢ | $10.63 | $128 |
| Alabama | 16.40¢ | $10.66 | $128 |
| Colorado | 17.13¢ | $11.13 | $134 |
| Virginia | 17.22¢ | $11.19 | $134 |
| Indiana | 17.51¢ | $11.38 | $137 |
| Minnesota | 17.52¢ | $11.39 | $137 |
| Ohio | 19.19¢ | $12.47 | $150 |
| Delaware | 19.29¢ | $12.54 | $150 |
| Wisconsin | 19.56¢ | $12.71 | $153 |
| Illinois | 19.89¢ | $12.93 | $155 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.73¢ | $14.12 | $169 |
| Maryland | 21.84¢ | $14.20 | $170 |
| Michigan | 22.99¢ | $14.94 | $179 |
| Connecticut | 24.32¢ | $15.81 | $190 |
| District of Columbia | 24.39¢ | $15.85 | $190 |
| Vermont | 24.44¢ | $15.89 | $191 |
| New Jersey | 24.95¢ | $16.22 | $195 |
| New Hampshire | 27.01¢ | $17.56 | $211 |
| Alaska | 28.21¢ | $18.34 | $220 |
| Rhode Island | 29.23¢ | $19.00 | $228 |
| New York | 29.49¢ | $19.17 | $230 |
| Maine | 29.59¢ | $19.23 | $231 |
| Massachusetts | 29.61¢ | $19.25 | $231 |
| California | 34.74¢ | $22.58 | $271 |
| Hawaii | 52.72¢ | $34.27 | $411 |
Cutting the number down
- The spin speed of the washer sets the dryer's workload. A faster final spin removes water mechanically instead of thermally, which is far cheaper.
- A blocked lint screen or crushed vent hose makes every load run longer at full heat.
- Back-to-back loads reuse a drum that is already hot.
Questions
- How many watts does an electric clothes dryer use?
- Usage is better expressed as 3.00 kWh per cycle, 5 cycles a week.
- How much does an electric clothes dryer cost per month?
- About $11.92 a month at the U.S. average rate, or $143 a year.
- Where is it cheapest to run?
- Nevada, at $102 a year, versus $411 in Hawaii — a spread of $309.