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How much does it cost to run a vacuum cleaner?
At the U.S. average residential price of 18.34¢ per kilowatt-hour (June 2026), running a vacuum cleaner costs about $6.60 a year. Your own bill depends on your state's rate, which ranges from 13.11¢ to 52.72¢ across the country.
- Per hour
- 22.0¢
- Per day of use
- 6.6¢
- Per month
- 55.0¢
- Per year
- $6.60
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 | 13.11¢ | 39.3¢ | $4.72 |
| Nebraska | 13.25¢ | 39.8¢ | $4.77 |
| Utah | 13.37¢ | 40.1¢ | $4.81 |
| Louisiana | 13.49¢ | 40.5¢ | $4.86 |
| Tennessee | 14.07¢ | 42.2¢ | $5.07 |
| North Dakota | 14.12¢ | 42.4¢ | $5.08 |
| Arkansas | 14.12¢ | 42.4¢ | $5.08 |
| Kentucky | 14.26¢ | 42.8¢ | $5.13 |
| Oklahoma | 14.33¢ | 43.0¢ | $5.16 |
| Idaho | 14.37¢ | 43.1¢ | $5.17 |
| North Carolina | 14.74¢ | 44.2¢ | $5.31 |
| Mississippi | 14.88¢ | 44.6¢ | $5.36 |
| Washington | 14.91¢ | 44.7¢ | $5.37 |
| New Mexico | 15.06¢ | 45.2¢ | $5.42 |
| Florida | 15.10¢ | 45.3¢ | $5.44 |
| Montana | 15.14¢ | 45.4¢ | $5.45 |
| Arizona | 15.18¢ | 45.5¢ | $5.46 |
| Wyoming | 15.24¢ | 45.7¢ | $5.49 |
| South Dakota | 15.36¢ | 46.1¢ | $5.53 |
| West Virginia | 15.45¢ | 46.4¢ | $5.56 |
| South Carolina | 15.55¢ | 46.6¢ | $5.60 |
| Kansas | 15.71¢ | 47.1¢ | $5.66 |
| Iowa | 15.93¢ | 47.8¢ | $5.73 |
| Texas | 15.94¢ | 47.8¢ | $5.74 |
| Missouri | 16.22¢ | 48.7¢ | $5.84 |
| Oregon | 16.32¢ | 49.0¢ | $5.88 |
| Georgia | 16.36¢ | 49.1¢ | $5.89 |
| Alabama | 16.40¢ | 49.2¢ | $5.90 |
| Colorado | 17.13¢ | 51.4¢ | $6.17 |
| Virginia | 17.22¢ | 51.7¢ | $6.20 |
| Indiana | 17.51¢ | 52.5¢ | $6.30 |
| Minnesota | 17.52¢ | 52.6¢ | $6.31 |
| Ohio | 19.19¢ | 57.6¢ | $6.91 |
| Delaware | 19.29¢ | 57.9¢ | $6.94 |
| Wisconsin | 19.56¢ | 58.7¢ | $7.04 |
| Illinois | 19.89¢ | 59.7¢ | $7.16 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.73¢ | 65.2¢ | $7.82 |
| Maryland | 21.84¢ | 65.5¢ | $7.86 |
| Michigan | 22.99¢ | 69.0¢ | $8.28 |
| Connecticut | 24.32¢ | 73.0¢ | $8.76 |
| District of Columbia | 24.39¢ | 73.2¢ | $8.78 |
| Vermont | 24.44¢ | 73.3¢ | $8.80 |
| New Jersey | 24.95¢ | 74.8¢ | $8.98 |
| New Hampshire | 27.01¢ | 81.0¢ | $9.72 |
| Alaska | 28.21¢ | 84.6¢ | $10.16 |
| Rhode Island | 29.23¢ | 87.7¢ | $10.52 |
| New York | 29.49¢ | 88.5¢ | $10.62 |
| Maine | 29.59¢ | 88.8¢ | $10.65 |
| Massachusetts | 29.61¢ | 88.8¢ | $10.66 |
| California | 34.74¢ | $1.04 | $12.51 |
| Hawaii | 52.72¢ | $1.58 | $18.98 |
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 55.0¢ a month at the U.S. average rate, or $6.60 a year.
- Where is it cheapest to run?
- Nevada, at $4.72 a year, versus $18.98 in Hawaii — a spread of $14.26.