Electric Heat Cost
How much does electric heating cost per month in the US? Here is the full breakdown.
One winter month averaging 35°F outdoors, average-insulated homes, at the US average rate of 18.44¢/kWh (EIA Electric Power Monthly, May 2026). Costs vary widely by state. A heat pump at a seasonal COP of 2.8 cuts these figures by roughly 64%, and less than that in colder climates. Use the calculator below for your specific home.
Heating a whole US home with electric resistance costs roughly $350–$875 in a winter month averaging 35°F outdoors, at the US average rate of 18.44¢/kWh — the low end for a small, average-insulated home and the high end for a large one. Your own electricity rate, insulation and climate move it further in both directions.
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Monthly Electric Resistance Heating Cost by Home Size
| Home Size | Capacity at 10 W/sq ft | Cost/Month at 18.44¢/kWh (US avg) | Cost/Month at 33.25¢/kWh (California) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small home (~1,000 sq ft) | 10,000W | ~$350/mo | ~$631/mo |
| Medium home (~2,000 sq ft) | 20,000W | ~$584/mo | ~$1,052/mo |
| Large home (~3,000 sq ft) | 30,000W | ~$875/mo | ~$1,579/mo |
One winter month averaging 35°F outdoors, average-insulated homes, whole-house heat loss of 300, 500 and 750 BTU/hr per °F respectively, met entirely by 100%-efficient electric resistance heat. Rates are EIA Electric Power Monthly, May 2026 — a single month, not a 2026 annual average. The capacity column is this site’s 10 W/sq ft sizing rule; it is what you would install, not what runs continuously, so it does not drive the cost figures above. Your own rate matters more than any of this: state averages run from 12.35¢/kWh in Idaho to 52.00¢/kWh in Hawaii. A heat pump at a seasonal COP of 2.8 would meet the same demand for roughly 36% of these figures.
What Affects Your Electric Heating Cost?
Your electricity rate is the biggest factor, and the spread across the country is enormous. Residential rates run from 12.35¢/kWh in Idaho to 52.00¢/kWh in Hawaii, against a US average of 18.44¢/kWh (EIA Electric Power Monthly, May 2026 — a single month, not a 2026 annual average). The same heater, run the same hours, costs about 4.2× as much in Hawaii as in Idaho. See our heating cost by state guide to find where your state ranks.
Insulation, thermostat setting and local climate drive the other half of the bill — how much heat the house loses in the first place. ENERGY STAR puts air sealing combined with attic, floor and crawlspace insulation at an average saving of 15% of heating and cooling costs, and air leakage alone accounts for 25–40% of heating energy loss in homes built before 2000. On the equipment side, swapping resistance heat for a heat pump is the single biggest lever available to most homeowners, because it is the only change that buys more than one unit of heat per unit of electricity — our see heat pump monthly costs tool shows the direct savings comparison.