How Many kWh Does a House Use?

When asking how much electricity a house uses, you are taking an important step in gathering information you need to manage your energy bill.

While you can tell how much energy you are being charged for by looking at your monthly energy bill, it helps to know the national average. Maybe you are super efficient and beat the average kWh usage per month or maybe you are using more than most.

By understanding your home power usage and how it compares to the amount of , you can explore ways cut your power and run a more efficient home.

Table of contents:

What is the average home power consumption?
Average house kWh consumption per square feet
Average household power usage by state
What factors affect your home's energy usage?
What are the top appliances contributing to your house power usage?
What can you do to limit your home energy consumption?

What is the average home power consumption?

Residential customers in the United States used an average of 10,791 kilowatt-hours of electricity in 2022. This works out to roughly 899 kilowatt-hours per month, or about 30 kilowatt-hours per day.

Frequency	Home Electricity Consumption (kWh)
Daily	30
Monthly	899
Yearly	10,791

Average kWh usage per square foot

The size of your home is the largest factor when it comes to how much energy you use to heat and cool it. According to the EIA, the average U.S. home size is about 1,818 square feet and uses around 899 kWh per month. This equates to 0.49 kWh per square foot per month.

Home Size	Monthly Electricity Consumption (kWh)
1,000	490
1,500	735
2,000	980
2,500	1,225
3,000	1,470

As you compare your power consumption to typical house kWh usage averages, think about why your electricity use may be higher or lower. Maybe you have more people living in your house. Or you may use many power-hungry appliances or electronics. If you live in a place with long, hot summers or colder- than- average winters, your heating or air conditioning bills may be higher than the typical home energy consumption.

Which U.S. states use the most electricity per residential home?

Electricity consumption varies from state to state. Louisiana, with its hot, humid summers, has the highest annual electricity use, at 14,774 kWh per residential customer as of 2022. Southern and western desert states together use the most electricity per home.

State	Total Electricity Consumption (kWh)
Louisiana	14,779
Tennessee	14,220
Mississippi	14,062
Florida	13,990
Alabama	13,810
Arizona	13,603
Oklahoma	13,579
South Carolina	13,526
West Virginia	13,462
Texas	13,440

Data Source: EIA

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Average monthly energy usage by state

Find the typical house kWh usages by state below, with monthly electricity and bill averages,

State	Monthly Electricity Usage (kWh)	Monthly Electricity Usage (ranking)	Average Monthly Bill (dollars)	Average Monthly Bill (ranking)	Average Electricity Rate (cents/kWh)	Average Electricity Rate (ranking)
Alabama	1151	5	170	7	14.73	30
Alaska	621	44	155	17	25.02	6
Arizona	1134	6	176	4	15.50	23
Arkansas	1116	11	137	28	12.27	45
California	540	52	185	2	34.31	2
Colorado	679	41	100	48	14.74	29
Connecticut	650	43	174	5	26.76	5
Delaware	928	20	160	14	17.27	17
District of Columbia	585	48	104	46	17.76	15
Florida	1166	4	159	15	13.63	37
Georgia	1106	13	165	10	14.92	27
Hawaii	665	42	293	1	44.14	1
Idaho	924	23	107	45	11.55	49
Illinois	704	36	118	42	16.71	18
Indiana	970	18	148	20	15.27	24
Iowa	855	30	122	40	14.23	31
Kansas	902	25	128	34	14.14	33
Kentucky	1111	12	144	23	12.94	41
Louisiana	1232	1	142	25	11.49	50
Maine	587	47	120	41	20.48	10
Maryland	961	19	169	8	17.63	16
Massachusetts	603	46	173	6	28.70	3
Michigan	698	38	136	30	19.44	11
Minnesota	778	32	122	39	15.69	22
Mississippi	1172	3	162	11	13.86	35
Missouri	999	16	126	35	12.62	43
Montana	776	33	103	47	13.26	39
Nebraska	893	27	109	44	12.22	46
Nevada	925	22	150	19	16.18	20
New Hampshire	606	45	139	26	23.01	8
New Jersey	692	39	129	33	18.58	12
New Mexico	686	40	95	50	13.84	36
New York	576	49	136	29	23.60	7
North Carolina	1042	15	148	21	14.18	32
North Dakota	987	17	129	32	13.04	40
Ohio	857	29	143	24	16.65	19
Oklahoma	1132	7	132	31	11.70	48
Oregon	928	21	139	27	15.03	25
Pennsylvania	854	31	155	18	18.10	13
Rhode Island	576	50	162	13	28.09	4
South Carolina	1127	8	159	16	14.07	34
South Dakota	898	26	122	38	13.63	38
Tennessee	1185	2	148	22	12.46	44
Texas	1120	10	165	9	14.74	28
Utah	760	35	84	51	11.01	51
Vermont	562	51	125	36	22.30	9
Virginia	1078	14	162	12	15.02	26
Washington	916	24	111	43	12.16	47
West Virginia	1122	9	179	3	15.98	21
Wisconsin	703	37	125	37	17.82	14
Wyoming	765	34	98	49	12.81	42

Data sources: EIA Average Retail Price of Electricity to Residential Sector, May 2024, EIA Annual household site fuel consumption in U.S. homes by state

What factors affect your home's energy usage?

The size of your home, location and climate, insulation and building materials, the number of residents, the number and type of appliances, how frequently you use those appliances, and your heating source all directly impact your home's energy consumption. Let's dive in to understand exactly how each of these factors influences your overall energy usage:

Size of your home. Larger homes typically consume more energy than smaller homes because it usually takes more energy to heat and cool a bigger space.
Geographic location and climate. If you live in an area with milder weather, you may be able to cool or heat your home more efficiently than a home in an area that experiences more extreme temperatures.
Your home’s building materials and year of construction. The materials used to build your home may not be energy efficient. If you own an older home, it may not be well insulated.
Number of residents. More people living in your home using devices and appliances will increase your average household electricity consumption.
Number of appliances. The more appliances used in your house, the higher your energy usage.
Type of appliances. Older appliances often weren’t designed to use minimal power, which is why it is often worth replacing them with newer energy-efficient appliances.
How often appliances are used. You will use less energy by operating appliances less often, such as waiting to run the dishwasher until it’s full. Another home energy savings tip is to unplug devices when not in use.
Main heating fuel. If your home has an electric heating system, you will use much more electricity than one that uses natural gas or heating oil.

What are the top appliances contributing to your house power usage?

Major contributors to your home's electricity use include your AC, water heaters, kitchen appliances (like refrigerators, ovens, and dishwashers), laundry machines, lighting, and entertainment electronics. Let’s explore how each of these impacts your overall energy consumption.

Heating and cooling equipment. Air conditioners, all types of electric heaters and other HVAC equipment are often used around the clock in winter and summer, driving up the average kWh usage per month in most homes. Air conditioning alone accounts for nearly 19% of the average power consumption of a house.
Water heaters. Heating water is the second biggest consumer of power in most homes.
Refrigerators and freezers. Since refrigerators and freezers are always running, they’re always consuming energy, making up a large amount of the average kWh usage per day in your home. And with 34% of homes in the United States having two or more refrigerators, the energy they consume quickly adds up.
Light fixtures. In 2020, residential homes in the United States used a total of 62 billion kWh of electricity on lighting. Lower your energy consumption by replacing incandescent lights with LED or CFL bulbs.
Home entertainment systems. From televisions and gaming consoles to DVRs and streaming services, home entertainment can consume a good amount of energy. In 2020, these devices consumed 61 billion kWh of electricity in American homes.
Washing machines and dryers. The more people living in your home, the more often you run your washer and dryer and the more power you use. You can reduce usage with these ways to save energy while doing laundry.
Ovens and stovetops. Electric ovens and stove tops are also powerhungry appliances. Switching to an induction range is 5% to 10% more efficient than traditional electric models.
Dishwashers. Dishwashers that run often will add to your energy usage. Upgrading to an energy-efficient dishwasher, running it only when full and not using the drying option will slash the energy you use.

When looking for ways to reduce your power usage, this tool from Energy.gov can help you estimate the energy your appliances use. Once you know where the power is going, you can take steps to lower your overall electricity consumption.

What can you do to limit your home energy consumption?

Investing in energy-efficient appliances, automating your home with smart devices, adding insulation, unplugging unused electronics, adjusting your daily energy habits, and scheduling a home energy audit are effective ways to significantly reduce your home’s energy usage. Let’s dive into the details to see how each can help:

Now that you have a handle on how many kWh does a house use and how your own average kWh usage per month compares, you are ready to put ways to save energy in your home into action.

Here are some ideas for where to start:

Invest in energy-efficient appliances

Upgrading to energy-efficient appliances is a great way to reduce home energy usage. Look for appliances with the yellow ENERGY STAR® label, as they consume less power and may even qualify for rebates.

An energy-efficient refrigerator certified by ENERGY STAR® uses an average of 33% less energy than models that are more than 15 years old.

Automate your home with smart devices

Looking for another way to limit how much energy a house uses? Smart tech automates your home appliances and other aspects of your house to optimize energy usage. This technology also gives you the ability to monitor and adjust your energy usage remotely.

You can connect any device to your smart home system by plugging it into a smart plug. With so many smart plug uses, you can experiment to find what saves you the most energy.

Add insulation to your walls, attic and roof

Without proper insulation, your house can lose a significant amount of the hot or cold air produced by your HVAC system. Your heater and air conditioner will have to work harder and use more electricity to keep your home at a comfortable temperature. Insulating your walls will increase your home’s efficiency. Adding roof and attic insulation, and adding weatherstripping to doors and windows, also will cut down on your power usage.

Unplug electronics when not in use

Many devices and appliances use power in standby mode. Put an end to this waste by unplugging your electronics when not in use. While “sleep” or “standby” mode is convenient, you pay for it through a higher power bill. This is an especially important tip for saving energy if you are working from home.

Adjust your energy consumption habits

Simple things like turning the lights off when you leave a room, running fewer loads of laundry and ending energy-wasting habits all will reduce the average power consumption of a house. The energy consumption of streaming devices is substantial, along with gaming console energy consumption. Both add considerably to your overall home power usage.Turn them off to help save energy.

Schedule a home energy audit

Get a professional home energy audit as a first step in taking greater control over the amount of power you use. An auditor will tell you how you are using energy and will suggest ways to reduce your average home power consumption.

The audit process commonly finds air leaks and places where you don’t have enough insulation. If the audit finds air leaks in your home, you will know where to improve weatherstripping and insulation.

It is important to know how many kWh per day is normal for your home’s size and how much energy your specific home uses. Comparing the average kWh usage per day or per month for your home give you insight into if you are overpaying for energy.

When you understand your energy costs, you will likely find it easier to reduce your usage, be more efficient, and get more value from the power you use–with a lower energy bill, too.