United States Cooling and fans
How much does it cost to run a ceiling fan?
A ceiling fan on high draws 50 to 75 watts with an AC motor and 15 to 30 watts with a DC motor. It does not cool the room, it cools you, so it costs nothing to run while nobody is in the room except the electricity.
A 50 watt ceiling fan costs about 0.9 cents an hour to run in the US on average at 18.16 cents per kWh. Running it 8 hours a day comes to about 7.3 cents a day, $2.21 a month and $26.53 a year.
- Prices: EIA, August 2026, every state
- Wattage range with its source
- Checked 26 October 2026
Uses 0.40 kWh a day, 12 kWh a month, at 18.16 cents per kWh (US average).
The dial places the daily cost between a 50 watt fan and a 4.5 kW water heater on 2.5 hours a day.
A 50 watt ceiling fan costs about 0.9 cents an hour to run in the US on average at 18.16 cents per kWh. Running it 8 hours a day comes to about 7.3 cents a day, $2.21 a month and $26.53 a year.
What this assumes
The default is a 50 watt ceiling fan running 8 hours a day. Published typical ratings run from 15 to 75 watts. Your label or manual gives the exact figure, and the calculator takes it.
The price is the average residential rate in each state from the EIA's Electric Power Monthly for August 2026, released 23 October 2026. The next monthly table is due 24 November 2026. A fixed tariff, a time-of-use plan or a different payment method changes the rate, which is why the rate field is editable.
Cost to run a ceiling fan in every state
Same 50 watt ceiling fan, 8 hours a day, priced at each state's average residential rate for August 2026. Cheapest: Nevada at 12.72 cents per kWh. Dearest: Hawaii at 47.18. Change the numbers above and the table follows.
| State | Rate | Per hour | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | 12.72c | 0.6 cents | 5.1 cents | $1.55 | $18.58 |
| Louisiana | 12.87c | 0.6 cents | 5.1 cents | $1.57 | $18.80 |
| North Dakota | 13.31c | 0.7 cents | 5.3 cents | $1.62 | $19.45 |
| Utah | 13.31c | 0.7 cents | 5.3 cents | $1.62 | $19.45 |
| Idaho | 13.37c | 0.7 cents | 5.3 cents | $1.63 | $19.53 |
| Tennessee | 13.42c | 0.7 cents | 5.4 cents | $1.63 | $19.61 |
| Nebraska | 13.54c | 0.7 cents | 5.4 cents | $1.65 | $19.78 |
| Kentucky | 13.8c | 0.7 cents | 5.5 cents | $1.68 | $20.16 |
| Arkansas | 14.37c | 0.7 cents | 5.7 cents | $1.75 | $20.99 |
| Mississippi | 14.43c | 0.7 cents | 5.8 cents | $1.76 | $21.08 |
| Wyoming | 14.43c | 0.7 cents | 5.8 cents | $1.76 | $21.08 |
| Washington | 14.63c | 0.7 cents | 5.9 cents | $1.78 | $21.37 |
| Oklahoma | 14.82c | 0.7 cents | 5.9 cents | $1.80 | $21.65 |
| North Carolina | 14.95c | 0.7 cents | 6 cents | $1.82 | $21.84 |
| Florida | 14.99c | 0.7 cents | 6 cents | $1.83 | $21.90 |
| Arizona | 15.05c | 0.8 cents | 6 cents | $1.83 | $21.99 |
| South Dakota | 15.15c | 0.8 cents | 6.1 cents | $1.84 | $22.13 |
| Kansas | 15.47c | 0.8 cents | 6.2 cents | $1.88 | $22.60 |
| Montana | 15.57c | 0.8 cents | 6.2 cents | $1.90 | $22.75 |
| South Carolina | 15.76c | 0.8 cents | 6.3 cents | $1.92 | $23.03 |
| Georgia | 15.9c | 0.8 cents | 6.4 cents | $1.94 | $23.23 |
| Texas | 15.91c | 0.8 cents | 6.4 cents | $1.94 | $23.24 |
| Oregon | 15.92c | 0.8 cents | 6.4 cents | $1.94 | $23.26 |
| Missouri | 16.02c | 0.8 cents | 6.4 cents | $1.95 | $23.41 |
| West Virginia | 16.31c | 0.8 cents | 6.5 cents | $1.99 | $23.83 |
| Alabama | 16.33c | 0.8 cents | 6.5 cents | $1.99 | $23.86 |
| New Mexico | 16.51c | 0.8 cents | 6.6 cents | $2.01 | $24.12 |
| Indiana | 17.02c | 0.9 cents | 6.8 cents | $2.07 | $24.87 |
| Iowa | 17.06c | 0.9 cents | 6.8 cents | $2.08 | $24.92 |
| Colorado | 17.17c | 0.9 cents | 6.9 cents | $2.09 | $25.09 |
| Minnesota | 17.2c | 0.9 cents | 6.9 cents | $2.09 | $25.13 |
| Virginia | 17.64c | 0.9 cents | 7.1 cents | $2.15 | $25.77 |
| Delaware | 18.7c | 0.9 cents | 7.5 cents | $2.28 | $27.32 |
| Illinois | 19.32c | 1 cent | 7.7 cents | $2.35 | $28.23 |
| Ohio | 19.38c | 1 cent | 7.8 cents | $2.36 | $28.31 |
| Wisconsin | 19.41c | 1 cent | 7.8 cents | $2.36 | $28.36 |
| Maryland | 21.4c | 1.1 cents | 8.6 cents | $2.61 | $31.27 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.77c | 1.1 cents | 8.7 cents | $2.65 | $31.81 |
| Michigan | 22.99c | 1.1 cents | 9.2 cents | $2.80 | $33.59 |
| Vermont | 23.84c | 1.2 cents | 9.5 cents | $2.90 | $34.83 |
| Connecticut | 24.51c | 1.2 cents | 9.8 cents | $2.98 | $35.81 |
| New Jersey | 24.61c | 1.2 cents | 9.8 cents | $3.00 | $35.96 |
| District of Columbia | 25.98c | 1.3 cents | 10 cents | $3.16 | $37.96 |
| New Hampshire | 27.64c | 1.4 cents | 11 cents | $3.37 | $40.38 |
| Rhode Island | 28.18c | 1.4 cents | 11 cents | $3.43 | $41.17 |
| New York | 28.65c | 1.4 cents | 11 cents | $3.49 | $41.86 |
| Alaska | 29.41c | 1.5 cents | 12 cents | $3.58 | $42.97 |
| California | 29.75c | 1.5 cents | 12 cents | $3.62 | $43.46 |
| Massachusetts | 30.48c | 1.5 cents | 12 cents | $3.71 | $44.53 |
| Maine | 32.11c | 1.6 cents | 13 cents | $3.91 | $46.91 |
| Hawaii | 47.18c | 2.4 cents | 19 cents | $5.74 | $68.93 |
Rates: EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A, residential sector, August 2026, preliminary. All rates with the year-on-year change.
How a ceiling fan uses electricity
Running a 50 watt fan for 24 hours uses 1.2 kWh, about the same as a 1,500 watt heater for 48 minutes. It is one of the cheapest appliances in the house.
The light kit can use more than the motor. Three 60 watt incandescent bulbs draw 180 watts, three LEDs about 25.
Ways to cut the cost
- Switch it off when you leave the room.
- In summer the blades should push air down (counter clockwise when viewed from below). Reverse them in winter on low.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to run a ceiling fan 24/7?
A 50 watt fan all day is 1.2 kWh. At 18 cents that is about 22 cents a day or 6.50 dollars a month. At 26p it is about 31p a day.
Does a ceiling fan lower the electric bill?
Only if it lets you set the air conditioner higher or leave it off. The fan itself adds a small cost. The saving comes from the AC running less.
Other cooling and fans costs
More in the US
Sources
The electricity price on this page is read from the data file that also lists the release it came from. The wattage range is a published typical range, not a measurement of your appliance.