United States Outdoor and garage
How much does it cost to run a pool pump?
A single-speed pool pump draws 1,500 to 2,200 watts and runs 8 hours a day in season, which makes it the biggest electricity user in many Sun Belt homes after air conditioning. A variable-speed pump does the same job on a fraction of the power.
A 1.5 kW pool pump costs about 27 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 $2.18 a day, $66.33 a month and $795.95 a year.
- Prices: EIA, August 2026, every state
- Wattage range with its source
- Checked 26 October 2026
Uses 12 kWh a day, 365 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 1.5 kW pool pump costs about 27 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 $2.18 a day, $66.33 a month and $795.95 a year.
What this assumes
The default is a 1.5 kW pool pump running 8 hours a day. Published typical ratings run from 500 to 2,200 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 pool pump in every state
Same 1.5 kW pool pump, 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 | 19 cents | $1.53 | $46.46 | $557.52 |
| Louisiana | 12.87c | 19 cents | $1.54 | $47.01 | $564.09 |
| North Dakota | 13.31c | 20 cents | $1.60 | $48.61 | $583.38 |
| Utah | 13.31c | 20 cents | $1.60 | $48.61 | $583.38 |
| Idaho | 13.37c | 20 cents | $1.60 | $48.83 | $586.01 |
| Tennessee | 13.42c | 20 cents | $1.61 | $49.02 | $588.20 |
| Nebraska | 13.54c | 20 cents | $1.62 | $49.45 | $593.46 |
| Kentucky | 13.8c | 21 cents | $1.66 | $50.40 | $604.85 |
| Arkansas | 14.37c | 22 cents | $1.72 | $52.49 | $629.84 |
| Mississippi | 14.43c | 22 cents | $1.73 | $52.71 | $632.47 |
| Wyoming | 14.43c | 22 cents | $1.73 | $52.71 | $632.47 |
| Washington | 14.63c | 22 cents | $1.76 | $53.44 | $641.23 |
| Oklahoma | 14.82c | 22 cents | $1.78 | $54.13 | $649.56 |
| North Carolina | 14.95c | 22 cents | $1.79 | $54.60 | $655.26 |
| Florida | 14.99c | 22 cents | $1.80 | $54.75 | $657.01 |
| Arizona | 15.05c | 23 cents | $1.81 | $54.97 | $659.64 |
| South Dakota | 15.15c | 23 cents | $1.82 | $55.34 | $664.02 |
| Kansas | 15.47c | 23 cents | $1.86 | $56.50 | $678.05 |
| Montana | 15.57c | 23 cents | $1.87 | $56.87 | $682.43 |
| South Carolina | 15.76c | 24 cents | $1.89 | $57.56 | $690.76 |
| Georgia | 15.9c | 24 cents | $1.91 | $58.07 | $696.90 |
| Texas | 15.91c | 24 cents | $1.91 | $58.11 | $697.34 |
| Oregon | 15.92c | 24 cents | $1.91 | $58.15 | $697.77 |
| Missouri | 16.02c | 24 cents | $1.92 | $58.51 | $702.16 |
| West Virginia | 16.31c | 24 cents | $1.96 | $59.57 | $714.87 |
| Alabama | 16.33c | 24 cents | $1.96 | $59.65 | $715.74 |
| New Mexico | 16.51c | 25 cents | $1.98 | $60.30 | $723.63 |
| Indiana | 17.02c | 26 cents | $2.04 | $62.17 | $745.99 |
| Iowa | 17.06c | 26 cents | $2.05 | $62.31 | $747.74 |
| Colorado | 17.17c | 26 cents | $2.06 | $62.71 | $752.56 |
| Minnesota | 17.2c | 26 cents | $2.06 | $62.82 | $753.88 |
| Virginia | 17.64c | 26 cents | $2.12 | $64.43 | $773.16 |
| Delaware | 18.7c | 28 cents | $2.24 | $68.30 | $819.62 |
| Illinois | 19.32c | 29 cents | $2.32 | $70.57 | $846.80 |
| Ohio | 19.38c | 29 cents | $2.33 | $70.79 | $849.43 |
| Wisconsin | 19.41c | 29 cents | $2.33 | $70.90 | $850.74 |
| Maryland | 21.4c | 32 cents | $2.57 | $78.16 | $937.96 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.77c | 33 cents | $2.61 | $79.51 | $954.18 |
| Michigan | 22.99c | 34 cents | $2.76 | $83.97 | $1,008 |
| Vermont | 23.84c | 36 cents | $2.86 | $87.08 | $1,045 |
| Connecticut | 24.51c | 37 cents | $2.94 | $89.52 | $1,074 |
| New Jersey | 24.61c | 37 cents | $2.95 | $89.89 | $1,079 |
| District of Columbia | 25.98c | 39 cents | $3.12 | $94.89 | $1,139 |
| New Hampshire | 27.64c | 41 cents | $3.32 | $100.96 | $1,211 |
| Rhode Island | 28.18c | 42 cents | $3.38 | $102.93 | $1,235 |
| New York | 28.65c | 43 cents | $3.44 | $104.64 | $1,256 |
| Alaska | 29.41c | 44 cents | $3.53 | $107.42 | $1,289 |
| California | 29.75c | 45 cents | $3.57 | $108.66 | $1,304 |
| Massachusetts | 30.48c | 46 cents | $3.66 | $111.33 | $1,336 |
| Maine | 32.11c | 48 cents | $3.85 | $117.28 | $1,407 |
| Hawaii | 47.18c | 71 cents | $5.66 | $172.32 | $2,068 |
Rates: EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A, residential sector, August 2026, preliminary. All rates with the year-on-year change.
How a pool pump uses electricity
Pump power rises with the cube of the speed. Running a variable-speed pump at half speed for twice as long moves the same water on about a quarter of the energy. That is why utilities in California, Florida and Arizona pay rebates to replace single-speed pumps.
Eight hours a day on a 1,500 watt pump is 12 kWh a day, 360 kWh a month.
Ways to cut the cost
- Replace a single-speed pump with a variable-speed model and run it slow and long.
- Run it during off-peak hours if you have a time-of-use rate.
- Keep the filter clean so the pump does not fight a blocked filter.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to run a pool pump per month?
At 1,500 watts for 8 hours a day, 360 kWh a month. At the Florida rate of about 15 cents that is about 54 dollars, in California at about 30 cents about 107 dollars.
How many hours a day should a pool pump run?
Long enough to turn the water over once, typically 6 to 8 hours for a single-speed pump. A variable-speed pump can run 12 hours or more at low speed for less money.
Other outdoor and garage 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.