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How much does it cost to run a heat pump?

At the U.S. average residential price of 18.31¢ per kilowatt-hour (July 2026), running a heat pump costs about $395 a year. Your own bill depends on your state's rate, which ranges from 12.72¢ to 48.00¢ across the country.

Assumption: 2,400 W at a 60% duty cycle, 10 hours a day, 150 days a year — 2,160 kWh a year. A mid-size ducted heat pump in heating mode. It moves heat rather than making it, delivering two to four units of heat per unit of electricity until the outdoor temperature drops far enough to trigger backup resistance strips.

Cost by state

Same appliance, same usage, 51 different prices. Sorted cheapest first.

Cutting the number down

• Auxiliary resistance heat is the expensive mode. Big thermostat setbacks trigger it on recovery, so a steady setting usually beats aggressive setbacks.
• Cold-climate models hold useful capacity well below freezing; older units fall back to strips much sooner.
• Keeping the outdoor coil clear of snow, leaves and shrubs protects the efficiency you paid for.

Questions

How many watts does a heat pump use?

About 2,400 W while running, though it cycles on and off, so average draw is 1,440 W.

How much does a heat pump cost per month?

About $32.96 a month at the U.S. average rate, or $395 a year.

Where is it cheapest to run?

Louisiana, at $275 a year, versus $1,037 in Hawaii — a spread of $762.