WattCost

Data through April 2026

Cost to run · Illinois · 20.5¢/kWh residential average

How much does it cost to run a clothes washer in Illinois?

$23/yr · median certified model

Electricity in Illinois is priced within a few percent of the U.S. average — 20.5¢/kWh — which puts the typical certified clothes washer at about $23 annually, essentially the national number.

Illinois ranks 36 of 51 jurisdictions for clothes washer running costs — solidly mid-table. Model choice matters as much as geography: at Illinois rates the most efficient certified model (Hisense WF5S2845BB) costs $7.98 a year while the most power-hungry (Maytag MVWB965H) costs $64 — a spread of $56 every year. For reference, the national extremes are North Dakota (12.3¢/kWh) and Hawaii (46.6¢/kWh); the same median clothes washer would cost $14 and $51 a year there.

Illinois
$23
US average
$21
North Dakota
$14
Hawaii
$51
Median certified clothes washer (110 kWh/yr) per year, at each rate

The cheapest clothes washers to run at Illinois rates

Price any model at Illinois rates

Your rate, your numbers

Per day
Per month
$1.88
Per year
$23

110 kWh/yr × 20.5¢/kWh = $23/yr

Prefilled with the median certified clothes washer (110 kWh/yr). Every model page on this site carries its exact certified figure.

Questions, answered with the data

How much does it cost to run a clothes washer in Illinois?
About $23 a year for the median ENERGY STAR certified clothes washer, at Illinois's average residential rate of 20.5¢/kWh — that's $1.88 a month.
Is electricity expensive in Illinois?
Illinois's residential average of 20.5¢/kWh is 9% above the U.S. average of 18.8¢/kWh, ranking 36 of 51 jurisdictions (1 = cheapest).
What's the cheapest clothes washer to run in Illinois?
Among currently certified models, the Hisense WF5S2845BB costs the least at about $7.98 a year at Illinois rates (39 kWh/yr).
How does Illinois compare with other states?
The same median clothes washer costs $14 a year in North Dakota (the cheapest state) and $51 in Hawaii (the priciest). Illinois sits at $23.

Keep digging

Rate source: US EIA, average residential price of electricity, see methodology.