A typical LED bulb that replaces a 60 W incandescent uses about 9 watts. At the U.S. average electricity price of 18.31¢ per kWh in July 2026, that costs 0.2¢ for every hour it runs.
Calculate what your LED light bulb costs
Cost to run an LED light bulb
| Use | kWh | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| One hour | 0.01 | 0.2¢ |
| 1 hour a day for a month | 0.3 | $0.05 |
| 4 hours a day for a month | 1.1 | $0.20 |
| 8 hours a day for a month | 2.2 | $0.40 |
| 4 hours a day for a year | 13 | $2 |
LED vs. incandescent bulbs
| Bulb | Watts | Cost per 1,000 hours |
|---|---|---|
| 60 W incandescent | 60 | $10.99 |
| LED (ENERGY STAR median) | 9 | $1.65 |
LED wattage: 219 ENERGY STAR certified 60 W-equivalent LED bulbs use 5 to 10 watts.
Cost to run an LED light bulb in every state
| # | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisiana | 12.72¢ | $0.42 |
| 2 | Nevada | 12.77¢ | $0.42 |
| 3 | Utah | 13.12¢ | $0.43 |
| 4 | North Dakota | 13.41¢ | $0.44 |
| 5 | Idaho | 13.73¢ | $0.45 |
| 6 | Kentucky | 13.81¢ | $0.45 |
| 7 | Nebraska | 13.78¢ | $0.45 |
| 8 | Tennessee | 13.71¢ | $0.45 |
| 9 | Arkansas | 14.33¢ | $0.47 |
| 10 | Oklahoma | 14.35¢ | $0.47 |
| 11 | Wyoming | 14.36¢ | $0.47 |
| 12 | Mississippi | 14.54¢ | $0.48 |
| 13 | Washington | 14.71¢ | $0.48 |
| 14 | Florida | 15.03¢ | $0.49 |
| 15 | Montana | 14.99¢ | $0.49 |
| 16 | Kansas | 15.27¢ | $0.50 |
| 17 | North Carolina | 15.16¢ | $0.50 |
| 18 | South Dakota | 15.37¢ | $0.50 |
| 19 | Arizona | 15.38¢ | $0.51 |
| 20 | South Carolina | 15.47¢ | $0.51 |
| 21 | Oregon | 15.97¢ | $0.52 |
| 22 | Texas | 15.88¢ | $0.52 |
| 23 | West Virginia | 15.78¢ | $0.52 |
| 24 | Georgia | 16.27¢ | $0.53 |
| 25 | Iowa | 15.99¢ | $0.53 |
| 26 | Missouri | 16.09¢ | $0.53 |
| 27 | New Mexico | 16.09¢ | $0.53 |
| 28 | Alabama | 16.40¢ | $0.54 |
| 29 | Indiana | 16.73¢ | $0.55 |
| 30 | Colorado | 17.00¢ | $0.56 |
| 31 | Minnesota | 17.45¢ | $0.57 |
| 32 | Virginia | 17.55¢ | $0.58 |
| 33 | Delaware | 18.48¢ | $0.61 |
| 34 | Illinois | 19.22¢ | $0.63 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | 19.06¢ | $0.63 |
| 36 | Ohio | 19.45¢ | $0.64 |
| 37 | Maryland | 21.41¢ | $0.70 |
| 38 | Pennsylvania | 21.72¢ | $0.71 |
| 39 | Michigan | 23.05¢ | $0.76 |
| 40 | Vermont | 23.75¢ | $0.78 |
| 41 | Connecticut | 24.16¢ | $0.79 |
| 42 | District of Columbia | 25.21¢ | $0.83 |
| 43 | New Jersey | 25.19¢ | $0.83 |
| 44 | New Hampshire | 26.60¢ | $0.87 |
| 45 | Rhode Island | 28.29¢ | $0.93 |
| 46 | Alaska | 28.83¢ | $0.95 |
| 47 | New York | 29.90¢ | $0.98 |
| 48 | Massachusetts | 30.49¢ | $1.00 |
| 49 | Maine | 32.41¢ | $1.06 |
| 50 | California | 33.61¢ | $1.10 |
| 51 | Hawaii | 48.00¢ | $1.58 |
LED Light Bulb energy use FAQ
How many watts does an LED light bulb use?
A typical LED bulb that replaces a 60 W incandescent typically uses about 9 watts. Check the label on yours for its exact rating.
How much does it cost to run an LED light bulb?
At the U.S. average of 18.31¢ per kWh (July 2026), it costs 0.2¢ an hour. Used one hour a day, that is $0.05 a month at 9 watts.
Where is it cheapest to run an LED light bulb?
With electricity at 12.72¢ per kWh, Louisiana is the cheapest state: $0 a year for 9 W for one hour a day. The same use costs $2 in Hawaii.
Sources: ENERGY STAR certified product data; electricity prices: EIA retail sales data (July 2026). Last updated 2026-10-20.