How Much Does a Load of Laundry Cost in Electricity? (2026)

At the average U.S. residential electricity rate of 18.19¢ per kWh (January–July 2026, EIA), one load of laundry costs about 45 cents in electricity with a cold wash and an electric dryer, and about 62 cents with a warm wash. At the roughly 300 loads a year that ENERGY STAR estimates a typical family washes, that comes to $136 to $186 a year. Hot washes push it to about $249.

The cost doesn't come from where most people expect. The washer's motor barely registers on the bill. The money goes to heat: the hot water in the wash and the hot air in the dryer. Below, the HeySunday team breaks down where the energy goes, what a load costs by wash temperature, dryer type and state, and which changes make a measurable difference, using current federal data.

How much does a load of laundry cost in electricity?

A load of laundry costs between about 4¢ and 83¢ in electricity at the January–July 2026 U.S. average rate of 18.19¢ per kWh. The answer depends almost entirely on two settings: the water temperature and whether you use the dryer.

A hot-wash, machine-dried routine uses about 20 times as much electricity as a cold-wash, line-dried one.

How much electricity does a dryer use?

The average U.S. household with an electric dryer uses about 680 kWh a year drying clothes, according to EIA's Residential Energy Consumption Survey. That's about 2.3 kWh per load, or about 41¢ a load and $124 a year at the January–July 2026 average rate. RECS puts average dryer use at 544 kWh a year in California and 816 kWh in Louisiana.

The dryer is the single largest laundry energy draw. A 2025 University of Michigan study published in Resources, Conservation and Recycling found U.S. clothes dryers account for about 3% of residential energy use, roughly six times what washing machines use, and cost more than $7 billion a year to power nationally.

How much does it cost to run a dryer for an hour? A typical electric dryer load takes 40 to 60 minutes, so an hour of drying costs about the same as one load: roughly 41¢ at the U.S. average rate, and more in states with higher rates.

How much electricity does a washing machine use?

A washing machine's motor, pump and controls use about 69 kWh a year in the average home (EIA RECS 2020), or about 0.23 kWh and 4¢ per load — around $13 a year. The bigger cost is the hot water: about 90% of the energy a washer uses goes to heating water, according to ENERGY STAR. That's why the same washer can cost 4¢ or 42¢ a load depending on the temperature setting.

Front-load washers use less: ENERGY STAR says certified front-load washers use about 50% less energy and water than top-load agitator models. For a full comparison, see our guide to front-load vs. top-load washers.

Does washing in cold water save money?

Yes. Washing in cold water costs about 4¢ a load in washer electricity, compared with about 21¢ for warm and 42¢ for hot, at the January–July 2026 U.S. average rate. Over 300 loads, switching from warm to cold saves about $50 a year, and from hot to cold about $113 a year.

Washer electricity only, including water heating with an electric water heater, at 18.19¢/kWh. If your water heater runs on gas, the savings show up on your gas bill instead.

ENERGY STAR says switching from hot to warm can cut a load's energy use in half, and that cold water "will generally do a good job of cleaning" unless you're dealing with oily stains. For when hot water still makes sense, see hot vs. cold water for laundry.

What laundry costs where you live

Where you live changes what laundry costs more than almost anything else. Using January–July 2026 average residential electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration's Electric Power Monthly (Table 5.6.B), for the U.S. and every state, we estimated the cost of a cold-wash, machine-dried load at about 2.5 kWh. Hawaii is the most expensive state for laundry: at 46.28¢ per kWh, a year of laundry (300 loads) costs about $347, or roughly $1.16 a load. North Dakota is the cheapest at 12.36¢ per kWh, about $93 a year or 31¢ a load, so the same routine costs more than three and a half times as much in Hawaii. New York, at 29.38¢ per kWh, comes to about $220 a year, around $84 more than the U.S. average of $136.

Highest and lowest laundry costs by state

Rates rose in most states compared with the same months of 2025: Hawaii's by 13%, New York's by 13% and North Dakota's by 7%, while Connecticut's fell 8%. The U.S. average rose 6.9%.

Laundry costs in every state: interactive map

Hover over a state for its numbers, or click it to see its full row in the table. You can also download the data.

How to calculate your laundry electricity cost

To estimate your own cost, find the price per kWh on your electric bill and multiply it by the energy one load uses:

• Cold wash + electric dryer: about 2.5 kWh per load
• Warm wash + electric dryer: about 3.4 kWh per load
• Hot wash + electric dryer: about 4.6 kWh per load
• Cold wash + air dry: about 0.23 kWh per load

For example, at 18.19¢ per kWh, a cold wash with an electric dryer costs 2.5 × 18.19¢ ≈ 45¢. Multiply by the number of loads you do in a year for your annual cost, or find your rate in the table below.

How to lower your laundry energy bill

Wash smarter

• Wash cold. Heating water uses about 90% of a washer's energy (ENERGY STAR). On our estimates, switching from warm to cold saves about $50 a year.
• Run full loads. Every cycle has an energy cost, so fewer, fuller loads mean fewer cycles to pay for.
• Use high spin. ENERGY STAR recommends the high or extended spin setting. It removes more water, which shortens drying time.
• Skip the sanitary cycle unless you need it. ENERGY STAR says this super-hot cycle "increases energy use significantly."

Dry smarter

• Air dry when you can. Air drying instead of machine drying cuts a cold-wash load's electricity by about 90%, from about $136 to $13 a year at the U.S. average rate. The University of Michigan study found 100% line drying could save a household upwards of $2,100 over a dryer's lifetime and avoid more than 3 tons of CO₂. Partial line drying, a mix of rack and dryer, cut lifecycle emissions by 56% and saved $262 over the dryer's life. More in our air dry vs. machine dry guide.
• Clean the lint filter after every load. ENERGY STAR calls this one of the easiest ways to improve drying efficiency, and an important safety step. If you use dryer sheets, ENERGY STAR recommends scrubbing the filter with a toothbrush monthly to remove film.
• Use the moisture sensor, not a timed cycle. Automatic termination stops the dryer when clothes are dry and prevents over-drying.
• Don't dry tiny loads. Per ENERGY STAR, drying a single towel for 30 minutes costs about as much as drying a full load for the same time.
• Dry off-peak. The UMich research found off-peak drying cuts drying emissions by about 8%. If your utility has time-of-use pricing, it can lower your bill too.

Buy smarter (when it's time to replace)

• ENERGY STAR dryers use about 20% less energy than conventional models. That's roughly $25 a year on our estimates, and ENERGY STAR puts lifetime savings at about $210.
• Heat pump dryers save more, but estimates vary by source. ENERGY STAR says they use "around 70% less energy" than conventional dryers. Its heat pump page says "at least 28%", and the Department of Energy says 20–60%. At the U.S. average rate, that range works out to roughly $35 to $87 a year. Per DOE, certified heat pump dryers may be eligible for a High-Efficiency Electric Home Rebate of up to $840, depending on what your state offers.
• ENERGY STAR washers use about 20% less energy and about 30% less water than standard models, and ENERGY STAR estimates about $530 in lifetime energy savings.

One caution from the research: the UMich team found that efficiency upgrades and electrification can raise a household's total lifecycle costs by $254–$721, once the purchase price is included. Changing habits delivered bigger savings than buying new equipment. "We tend to focus on technological improvements, but a lot of the time, behavioral changes can have larger impacts," said study co-author Shelie Miller.

Why laundry costs more in 2026

Electricity prices are the moving part. EIA's figures show the average residential price at 18.19¢/kWh from January through July 2026, up 6.9% from 17.01¢ in the same months of 2025. For the average electric dryer alone, that's about $124 a year at this year's prices, up from about $116 at last year's.

The appliances will change too. Federal efficiency standards for residential washers and dryers, finalized in 2024, take effect for new models on March 1, 2028. In May 2025 DOE proposed rescinding the amended water-use standard for clothes washers; as of September 2026 that remained a proposal.

The bottom line

At the U.S. average rate, laundry costs about $136 to $249 a year in electricity with a machine dryer, depending on wash temperature. It costs less if you air dry and more in high-rate states. Nearly all of it is heat: the motor that spins your clothes costs about 4¢ a load, and the hot water and hot air cost the rest.

That makes the fixes simple. Wash cold, run full loads, air dry when the weather allows, and keep the lint filter clean. On our estimates, switching from warm washes with the dryer every time to cold washes with half your loads air dried cuts a household's laundry electricity by about 60%, from about $186 to $74 a year, before anyone buys a new machine.

What Experts Say

To go beyond the numbers, I talked with two cleaning professionals about the habits that keep laundry manageable at home. Their advice centers on fewer, more consistent routines, which is also what keeps loads full and the energy bill down.

“The routine that works with kids around starts from where the mess actually happens. Pick two or three touchpoints you hit daily, the kitchen after meals, the bathroom before bed, laundry on one set day, and let the rest wait until the weekend. Compact products like detergent sheets and cleaner tablets make that easier because there’s no measuring cup to hunt for and no bulky jug taking up cabinet space a kid can tip over.”

— Carolyn Vasquez, Founder, Ready Rental Cleaning | Expert in Airbnb & VRBO Turnover Operations

“The biggest mistake I saw parents make was skipping follow-up on laundry loads, which created bigger backlogs, while shifting to a simple weekly checklist boosted daily results without adding time.”

— Ginger Whitson, Owner & President at Love My Maids

Frequently asked questions

How much does a load of laundry cost in electricity?

About 45¢ for a cold wash with an electric dryer and 62¢ for a warm wash, at the January–July 2026 U.S. average of 18.19¢ per kWh (EIA). A hot wash raises it to about 83¢. A cold wash that you air dry costs about 4¢.

How much does it cost to run a dryer for 1 hour?

About 41¢ at the U.S. average rate. The average electric dryer uses about 2.3 kWh per load (EIA RECS 2020), and a typical load takes 40 to 60 minutes. In high-rate states such as Hawaii or California, an hour of drying can cost 75¢ to more than $1.

How much electricity does a dryer use per load?

About 2.3 kWh. The average U.S. household with an electric dryer uses about 680 kWh a year on drying, according to EIA, which works out to about $124 a year at 18.19¢ per kWh.

How much does it cost to run a washing machine?

About 4¢ a load on cold, 21¢ on warm and 42¢ on hot, including water heating with an electric water heater, at 18.19¢ per kWh. Over 300 loads, that's about $13, $63 or $126 a year.

Does washing clothes in cold water save money?

Yes. About 90% of a washer's energy goes to heating water (ENERGY STAR). Switching from warm to cold saves about $50 a year, and from hot to cold about $113, for a household doing 300 loads at the U.S. average rate.

Is it cheaper to air dry clothes than use a dryer?

Yes. Air drying instead of using an electric dryer cuts a cold-wash load from about 45¢ to about 4¢ in electricity, or from about $136 to $13 a year at the U.S. average rate. The University of Michigan found line drying could save a household more than $2,100 over a dryer's lifetime.

Which state has the most expensive electricity for laundry?

Hawaii, at 46.28¢ per kWh (January–July 2026, EIA). A year of cold-wash, machine-dried laundry costs about $347 there. North Dakota is the cheapest at 12.36¢ per kWh, about $93 a year.

Do front-load washers use less energy?

Yes. ENERGY STAR says certified front-load washers use about 50% less energy and water than top-load agitator models. ENERGY STAR certified washers overall use about 20% less energy and 30% less water than standard models.

How we calculated this

• Electricity rates: EIA average residential price, year-to-date January–July 2026, for the U.S. (18.19¢/kWh) and every state, from Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.B. Changes compare with January–July 2025.
• Dryer: 680 kWh a year for the average household with an electric dryer (EIA RECS 2020), about 2.27 kWh a load.
• Washer: 69 kWh a year for the motor and controls (EIA RECS 2020), about 0.23 kWh a load. For warm and hot washes we added water heating using ENERGY STAR's figures (about 90% of a washer's energy heats water; hot to warm halves it), assuming an electric water heater.
• Loads: 300 a year, ENERGY STAR's estimate for the average family.
• Heat pump dryers: federal estimates range from 28% to 70% less energy than conventional dryers, so we show a range.

These are national averages. Your machines, load size, water heater type and utility rate will change the result.

For more on how laundry fits into your week, see how much time Americans spend on laundry.

Author:

Lena Bakovic, 

Writes about health and lifestyle improvement through sustainable, planet-friendly choices.

Reviewed by:

Martin Wolf, Reviews our guides for scientific accuracy before publication.

Sources

• U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.B (year-to-date through July 2026)
• EIA, 2020 Residential Energy Consumption Survey, Table CE5.3.ST
• ENERGY STAR, Clothes Washers
• ENERGY STAR, Clothes Dryers and Heat Pump Dryers
• U.S. Department of Energy, Home Upgrades
• University of Michigan SEAS, "Clothes dryers and the bottom line" (2025) and Zhu & Miller, Resources, Conservation and Recycling (2025)
• Federal Register, proposed rule on residential clothes washer standards (May 2025)