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How much does it cost to run a clothes iron?
At the U.S. average residential price of 18.34¢ per kilowatt-hour (June 2026), running a clothes iron costs about $3.03 a year. Your own bill depends on your state's rate, which ranges from 13.11¢ to 52.72¢ across the country.
- Per hour
- 10.1¢
- Per day of use
- 3.0¢
- Per month
- 25.2¢
- Per year
- $3.03
Assumption: 1,100 W at a 50% duty cycle, 18 minutes a day, 100 days a year — 16 kWh a year. Thermostatic, so it cycles rather than drawing continuously.
Cost by state
Same appliance, same usage, 51 different prices. Sorted cheapest first.
| State | Rate | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | 13.11¢ | 18.0¢ | $2.16 |
| Nebraska | 13.25¢ | 18.2¢ | $2.19 |
| Utah | 13.37¢ | 18.4¢ | $2.21 |
| Louisiana | 13.49¢ | 18.5¢ | $2.23 |
| Tennessee | 14.07¢ | 19.3¢ | $2.32 |
| North Dakota | 14.12¢ | 19.4¢ | $2.33 |
| Arkansas | 14.12¢ | 19.4¢ | $2.33 |
| Kentucky | 14.26¢ | 19.6¢ | $2.35 |
| Oklahoma | 14.33¢ | 19.7¢ | $2.36 |
| Idaho | 14.37¢ | 19.8¢ | $2.37 |
| North Carolina | 14.74¢ | 20.3¢ | $2.43 |
| Mississippi | 14.88¢ | 20.5¢ | $2.46 |
| Washington | 14.91¢ | 20.5¢ | $2.46 |
| New Mexico | 15.06¢ | 20.7¢ | $2.48 |
| Florida | 15.10¢ | 20.8¢ | $2.49 |
| Montana | 15.14¢ | 20.8¢ | $2.50 |
| Arizona | 15.18¢ | 20.9¢ | $2.50 |
| Wyoming | 15.24¢ | 21.0¢ | $2.51 |
| South Dakota | 15.36¢ | 21.1¢ | $2.53 |
| West Virginia | 15.45¢ | 21.2¢ | $2.55 |
| South Carolina | 15.55¢ | 21.4¢ | $2.57 |
| Kansas | 15.71¢ | 21.6¢ | $2.59 |
| Iowa | 15.93¢ | 21.9¢ | $2.63 |
| Texas | 15.94¢ | 21.9¢ | $2.63 |
| Missouri | 16.22¢ | 22.3¢ | $2.68 |
| Oregon | 16.32¢ | 22.4¢ | $2.69 |
| Georgia | 16.36¢ | 22.5¢ | $2.70 |
| Alabama | 16.40¢ | 22.5¢ | $2.71 |
| Colorado | 17.13¢ | 23.6¢ | $2.83 |
| Virginia | 17.22¢ | 23.7¢ | $2.84 |
| Indiana | 17.51¢ | 24.1¢ | $2.89 |
| Minnesota | 17.52¢ | 24.1¢ | $2.89 |
| Ohio | 19.19¢ | 26.4¢ | $3.17 |
| Delaware | 19.29¢ | 26.5¢ | $3.18 |
| Wisconsin | 19.56¢ | 26.9¢ | $3.23 |
| Illinois | 19.89¢ | 27.3¢ | $3.28 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.73¢ | 29.9¢ | $3.59 |
| Maryland | 21.84¢ | 30.0¢ | $3.60 |
| Michigan | 22.99¢ | 31.6¢ | $3.79 |
| Connecticut | 24.32¢ | 33.4¢ | $4.01 |
| District of Columbia | 24.39¢ | 33.5¢ | $4.02 |
| Vermont | 24.44¢ | 33.6¢ | $4.03 |
| New Jersey | 24.95¢ | 34.3¢ | $4.12 |
| New Hampshire | 27.01¢ | 37.1¢ | $4.46 |
| Alaska | 28.21¢ | 38.8¢ | $4.65 |
| Rhode Island | 29.23¢ | 40.2¢ | $4.82 |
| New York | 29.49¢ | 40.5¢ | $4.87 |
| Maine | 29.59¢ | 40.7¢ | $4.88 |
| Massachusetts | 29.61¢ | 40.7¢ | $4.89 |
| California | 34.74¢ | 47.8¢ | $5.73 |
| Hawaii | 52.72¢ | 72.5¢ | $8.70 |
Cutting the number down
- Ironing a batch on one heat-up costs far less than heating the plate from cold for each shirt.
Questions
- How many watts does a clothes iron use?
- About 1,100 W while running, though it cycles on and off, so average draw is 550 W.
- How much does a clothes iron cost per month?
- About 25.2¢ a month at the U.S. average rate, or $3.03 a year.
- Where is it cheapest to run?
- Nevada, at $2.16 a year, versus $8.70 in Hawaii — a spread of $6.54.