How much does it cost to run a baseboard heater?
Short answer: A baseboard heater drawing 1,500 watts costs about $0.27 per hour at the U.S. average residential price of 18.31¢ per kWh. Used 8 hours a day, 30 days a month, that is about $65.92 per month and $790.99 per year. In Louisiana, the cheapest state, the same use costs $45.79 a month; in Hawaii, the most expensive, $172.80.
Baseboard heater cost calculator
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Hours per day the heater is actually producing heat. The thermostat switches it on and off, so this is less than the hours it is turned on.
Uses 360.0 kWh per month. The starting price is the U.S. residential average; choose your state or type the price from your own bill.
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| Appliance | Usage | Per month | Remove |
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| Total | |||
| Per year |
Electric baseboard heaters are cheap to install and expensive to run. They produce about 250 watts per foot of length, so a 6-foot unit draws 1,500 watts, the same as a portable space heater, and a home may have one in every room.
Cost by size and setting
Costs below use the U.S. average price and 8 hours a day, 30 days a month.
| Type | Power | Per hour | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-foot, 500 W | 500 W | $0.09 | $21.97 |
| 4-foot, 1,000 W | 1,000 W | $0.18 | $43.94 |
| 6-foot, 1,500 W | 1,500 W | $0.27 | $65.92 |
| 8-foot, 2,000 W | 2,000 W | $0.37 | $87.89 |
The same efficiency as any electric heater
A baseboard heater converts all of its electricity into heat: one kilowatt-hour in, one kilowatt-hour of heat out. That is true of every electric resistance heater, so no model is cheaper to run than another. What it cannot do is deliver more heat than it consumes, which is what a heat pump does.
What a whole house costs
The figure on this page is for a single heater. A home heated entirely by baseboards might have 8 to 12 kW installed across its rooms. In a cold month that can mean 2,000 kWh or more for heating alone, which is why homes with this kind of heating have some of the highest winter electric bills.
How to lower the cost
- Give each room its own thermostat and heat only the rooms in use.
- Turn the temperature down at night and when you are out.
- Keep furniture and curtains clear of the heater so air can circulate.
- Consider a ductless heat pump for the main living area; it delivers two to three times the heat per kWh.
How a baseboard heater compares with other appliances
Typical power and use for each appliance, at the U.S. average price of 18.31¢ per kWh. Follow a link for that appliance's own calculator, or compare two side by side.
| Appliance | Power | Typical use | Energy per month | Cost per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baseboard heater | 1,500 W | 8 hours a day, 30 days a month | 360.0 kWh | $65.92 |
| Space heater | 1,500 W | 8 hours a day, 30 days a month | 360.0 kWh | $65.92 |
| Heat pump | 3,000 W | 8 hours a day, 30 days a month | 720.0 kWh | $131.83 |
| Electric furnace | 15,000 W | 6 hours a day, 30 days a month | 2700.0 kWh | $494.37 |
| Electric fireplace | 1,500 W | 4 hours a day, 30 days a month | 180.0 kWh | $32.96 |
The math behind the numbers
1,500 watts ÷ 1,000 = 1.5 kW. 1.5 kW × 8 hours = 12 kWh per day. 12 kWh × $0.1831 = $2.20 per day. Over 30 days that is 360.0 kWh and $65.92 a month.
Your own figure will differ if your appliance has a different wattage, if you use it more or less, or if your price per kWh is not the national average. Change any of those in the calculator at the top of this page. Our step-by-step guide explains where to find each number.
Cost to run a baseboard heater in every state
Based on 1,500 watts for 8 hours a day, 30 days a month, at each state's average residential electricity price for July 2026.
| State | Price per kWh | Per hour | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 16.40¢ | $0.25 | $59.04 | $708.48 |
| Alaska | 28.83¢ | $0.43 | $103.79 | $1,245 |
| Arizona | 15.38¢ | $0.23 | $55.37 | $664.42 |
| Arkansas | 14.33¢ | $0.21 | $51.59 | $619.06 |
| California | 33.61¢ | $0.50 | $121.00 | $1,452 |
| Colorado | 17.00¢ | $0.26 | $61.20 | $734.40 |
| Connecticut | 24.16¢ | $0.36 | $86.98 | $1,044 |
| Delaware | 18.48¢ | $0.28 | $66.53 | $798.34 |
| District of Columbia | 25.21¢ | $0.38 | $90.76 | $1,089 |
| Florida | 15.03¢ | $0.23 | $54.11 | $649.30 |
| Georgia | 16.27¢ | $0.24 | $58.57 | $702.86 |
| Hawaii | 48.00¢ | $0.72 | $172.80 | $2,074 |
| Idaho | 13.73¢ | $0.21 | $49.43 | $593.14 |
| Illinois | 19.22¢ | $0.29 | $69.19 | $830.30 |
| Indiana | 16.73¢ | $0.25 | $60.23 | $722.74 |
| Iowa | 15.99¢ | $0.24 | $57.56 | $690.77 |
| Kansas | 15.27¢ | $0.23 | $54.97 | $659.66 |
| Kentucky | 13.81¢ | $0.21 | $49.72 | $596.59 |
| Louisiana | 12.72¢ | $0.19 | $45.79 | $549.50 |
| Maine | 32.41¢ | $0.49 | $116.68 | $1,400 |
| Maryland | 21.41¢ | $0.32 | $77.08 | $924.91 |
| Massachusetts | 30.49¢ | $0.46 | $109.76 | $1,317 |
| Michigan | 23.05¢ | $0.35 | $82.98 | $995.76 |
| Minnesota | 17.45¢ | $0.26 | $62.82 | $753.84 |
| Mississippi | 14.54¢ | $0.22 | $52.34 | $628.13 |
| Missouri | 16.09¢ | $0.24 | $57.92 | $695.09 |
| Montana | 14.99¢ | $0.22 | $53.96 | $647.57 |
| Nebraska | 13.78¢ | $0.21 | $49.61 | $595.30 |
| Nevada | 12.77¢ | $0.19 | $45.97 | $551.66 |
| New Hampshire | 26.60¢ | $0.40 | $95.76 | $1,149 |
| New Jersey | 25.19¢ | $0.38 | $90.68 | $1,088 |
| New Mexico | 16.09¢ | $0.24 | $57.92 | $695.09 |
| New York | 29.90¢ | $0.45 | $107.64 | $1,292 |
| North Carolina | 15.16¢ | $0.23 | $54.58 | $654.91 |
| North Dakota | 13.41¢ | $0.20 | $48.28 | $579.31 |
| Ohio | 19.45¢ | $0.29 | $70.02 | $840.24 |
| Oklahoma | 14.35¢ | $0.22 | $51.66 | $619.92 |
| Oregon | 15.97¢ | $0.24 | $57.49 | $689.90 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.72¢ | $0.33 | $78.19 | $938.30 |
| Rhode Island | 28.29¢ | $0.42 | $101.84 | $1,222 |
| South Carolina | 15.47¢ | $0.23 | $55.69 | $668.30 |
| South Dakota | 15.37¢ | $0.23 | $55.33 | $663.98 |
| Tennessee | 13.71¢ | $0.21 | $49.36 | $592.27 |
| Texas | 15.88¢ | $0.24 | $57.17 | $686.02 |
| Utah | 13.12¢ | $0.20 | $47.23 | $566.78 |
| Vermont | 23.75¢ | $0.36 | $85.50 | $1,026 |
| Virginia | 17.55¢ | $0.26 | $63.18 | $758.16 |
| Washington | 14.71¢ | $0.22 | $52.96 | $635.47 |
| West Virginia | 15.78¢ | $0.24 | $56.81 | $681.70 |
| Wisconsin | 19.06¢ | $0.29 | $68.62 | $823.39 |
| Wyoming | 14.36¢ | $0.22 | $51.70 | $620.35 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a baseboard heater cost to run per month?
About $65.92 a month for one 1,500-watt heater producing heat 8 hours a day, at the U.S. average electricity price.
Are baseboard heaters more expensive than a furnace?
Compared with a gas furnace, usually yes. Compared with an electric furnace, they cost about the same per unit of heat and avoid losses in ducts.
How many watts is a baseboard heater per foot?
About 250 watts per foot for standard 240-volt models.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Saver: Small Space Heaters
- U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Saver: Heat Pump Systems
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly (state electricity prices)
- U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Saver: Appliances and Electronics
Electricity prices are the EIA figures for July 2026. Wattages are typical values; check the label on your own appliance.