How much does a space heater cost to run in Louisiana?
$49 a month while in use, November to March
- A day of use
- $1.62
- An hour of running
- $0.20
- A year (season only)
- $244.44
1,500 W, 8 hours a day on its high setting, November to March, at Louisiana’s average rate of 13.5¢ 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 | $0.20 | $6.15 | $30.55 |
| 2 hours a day | $0.40 | $12.31 | $61.11 |
| 4 hours a day | $0.81 | $24.62 | $122.22 |
| 8 hours a day typical | $1.62 | $49.24 | $244.44 |
| 24 hours a day | $4.86 | $147.72 | $733.32 |
Models range from 750 W to 1,500 W (Virginia Cooperative Extension). We use 1,500 W, the figure the source gives.
Louisiana compared with other states
Louisiana’s residential rate is the 4th cheapest of 51 states and DC, 4.9¢ below the US average of 18.3¢ (−26%). Louisiana’s rate is up 0.8¢ from June 2025 (12.7¢, +5.9%).
A cheaper way to do the same job
- A ductless heat pump giving the same heat would cost $16.41 a month in season, saving $32.83 a month in season and $162.96 a year. Assumes a heat pump coefficient of performance (COP) of 3.
- An electric blanket for the same hours would cost $3.28 a month in season, saving $45.96 a month in season and $228.14 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 $6.15 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 $24.62 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 $0.20 an hour in Louisiana. A space heater at 1,500 W uses 1.50 kWh per hour, and at Louisiana’s average of 13.5¢ per kWh that comes to $0.20.
How much does a space heater add to your electric bill?
Used 8 hours a day on its high setting, November to March, about $49.24 a month while it is in use in Louisiana, or $244.44 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 $4.86 a day, or $147.72 over an average month in Louisiana.
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 $16.41 a month in season instead of $49.24, saving $32.83 in Louisiana. This assumes a heat pump coefficient of performance (COP) of 3.
Why does a space heater cost more or less to run in Louisiana than elsewhere?
Louisiana’s residential rate is the 4th cheapest of 51 states and DC, 4.9¢ below the US average of 18.3¢ (−26%). Louisiana’s rate is up 0.8¢ from June 2025 (12.7¢, +5.9%). 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.