How much does a space heater cost to run in Iowa?
$58 a month while in use, November to March
- A day of use
- $1.91
- An hour of running
- $0.24
- A year (season only)
- $288.65
1,500 W, 8 hours a day on its high setting, November to March, at Iowa’s average rate of 15.9¢ per kWh (EIA, June 2026). How we calculate this
Change the watts, hours or rate
What it costs at other usage levels
| Use | A day | A month in use | A year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 hour a day | $0.24 | $7.27 | $36.08 |
| 2 hours a day | $0.48 | $14.54 | $72.16 |
| 4 hours a day | $0.96 | $29.07 | $144.33 |
| 8 hours a day typical | $1.91 | $58.14 | $288.65 |
| 24 hours a day | $5.73 | $174.43 | $865.95 |
Models range from 750 W to 1,500 W (Virginia Cooperative Extension). We use 1,500 W, the figure the source gives.
Iowa compared with other states
Iowa’s residential rate is the 23rd cheapest of 51 states and DC, 2.4¢ below the US average of 18.3¢ (−13%). Iowa’s rate is up 0.6¢ from June 2025 (15.3¢, +3.9%).
A cheaper way to do the same job
- A ductless heat pump giving the same heat would cost $19.38 a month in season, saving $38.76 a month in season and $192.43 a year. Assumes a heat pump coefficient of performance (COP) of 3.
- An electric blanket for the same hours would cost $3.88 a month in season, saving $54.27 a month in season and $269.41 a year.
Ways to spend less
- Heat the person, not the room: a space heater makes sense only when it lets you turn the central thermostat down for the rest of the house.
- Run it an hour less each day. Saves about $7.27 a month in season.
- Use the low setting when the room is already warm; many 1,500 W heaters drop to about half power on low. Saves about $29.07 a month in season.
- Close the door of the room you are heating so the warm air stays where you are.
- Use a timer or thermostat plug so it doesn't run after you leave the room.
Questions
How much does it cost to run a space heater per hour?
About $0.24 an hour in Iowa. A space heater at 1,500 W uses 1.50 kWh per hour, and at Iowa’s average of 15.9¢ per kWh that comes to $0.24.
How much does a space heater add to your electric bill?
Used 8 hours a day on its high setting, November to March, about $58.14 a month while it is in use in Iowa, or $288.65 a year across the November to March season.
How much does it cost to run a space heater 24 hours a day?
Running nonstop, a space heater would use 36.0 kWh a day and cost $5.73 a day, or $174.43 over an average month in Iowa.
How many watts does a space heater use?
Models range from 750 W to 1,500 W (Virginia Cooperative Extension). We use 1,500 W, the figure the source gives. Check the label on yours: cost scales directly with watts, so a 20% lower wattage means a 20% lower bill.
Is it cheaper to run a space heater or a ductless heat pump?
Using a ductless heat pump giving the same heat instead would cost about $19.38 a month in season instead of $58.14, saving $38.76 in Iowa. This assumes a heat pump coefficient of performance (COP) of 3.
Why does a space heater cost more or less to run in Iowa than elsewhere?
Iowa’s residential rate is the 23rd cheapest of 51 states and DC, 2.4¢ below the US average of 18.3¢ (−13%). Iowa’s rate is up 0.6¢ from June 2025 (15.3¢, +3.9%). The appliance uses the same energy everywhere; only the price per kWh changes.
Sources
- Virginia Cooperative Extension: Estimating appliance and home electronic energy use (reproduces U.S. Department of Energy sample wattages)
- Penn State EGEE 102: Typical range of power consumption (wattage)
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A: average price of electricity to ultimate customers, residential, June 2026 Figures transcribed from republications of this table on September 26, 2026; pending direct verification from the EIA API.
- Carrier page: June 2026 residential average price, citing EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A
Usage assumptions (hours a day, season) are ours and listed on the methodology page. Found an error? Tell us.