Is electricity expensive in California?

California's residential average of 35.3¢/kWh is 87% above the U.S. average of 18.8¢/kWh, ranking 50 of 51 jurisdictions (1 = cheapest).

What's the cheapest dishwasher to run in California?

Among currently certified models, the Loch L1126 costs the least at about $28 a year at California rates (80 kWh/yr).

How does California compare with other states?

The same median dishwasher costs $30 a year in North Dakota (the cheapest state) and $111 in Hawaii (the priciest). California sits at $84.

Data through April 2026

Cost to run · California · 35.3¢/kWh residential average

How much does it cost to run a dishwasher in California?

$84/yr · median certified model

Electricity in California is genuinely expensive — 35.3¢/kWh, 87% above the national average — so the median certified dishwasher costs about $84 a year, and efficiency differences between models turn into real money.

California sits at rank 50 of 51 — near the very top of the cost table for a dishwasher. At local rates, certified models span $28 (Loch L1126) to $85 (Amana ADFS2524R) per year — $56 of annual headroom that depends entirely on which unit you buy. For reference, the national extremes are North Dakota (12.3¢/kWh) and Hawaii (46.6¢/kWh); the same median dishwasher would cost $30 and $111 a year there.

California

$84

US average

$45

North Dakota

$30

Hawaii

$111

Median certified dishwasher (239 kWh/yr) per year, at each rate

The cheapest dishwashers to run at California rates

Top 10 by certified kWh, priced at 35.3¢/kWh
#	Model	kWh/yr	$/yr in CA
1	Loch L1126	80	$28
2	Fisher & Paykel DD24STX6I1	114	$40
3	Fisher & Paykel DD24STX6PX1	114	$40
4	Fisher & Paykel DD24SAX9	134	$47
5	Fisher & Paykel DD24SCTX9	134	$47
6	Fisher & Paykel DD24SDFTX9	134	$47
7	Fisher & Paykel DD24SI9	134	$47
8	Fisher & Paykel DD24STI9	134	$47
9	Fisher & Paykel DD24SV2T9	134	$47
10	BLACK+DECKER BCD6SD	155	$55

Price any model at California rates

Your rate, your numbers

Annual use (kWh)

Electricity rate

Per day: 23¢
Per month: $7.02
Per year: $84

239 kWh/yr × 35.3¢/kWh = $84/yr

Prefilled with the median certified dishwasher (239 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 dishwasher in California?: About $84 a year for the median ENERGY STAR certified dishwasher, at California's average residential rate of 35.3¢/kWh — that's $7.02 a month.
Is electricity expensive in California?: California's residential average of 35.3¢/kWh is 87% above the U.S. average of 18.8¢/kWh, ranking 50 of 51 jurisdictions (1 = cheapest).
What's the cheapest dishwasher to run in California?: Among currently certified models, the Loch L1126 costs the least at about $28 a year at California rates (80 kWh/yr).
How does California compare with other states?: The same median dishwasher costs $30 a year in North Dakota (the cheapest state) and $111 in Hawaii (the priciest). California sits at $84.

Keep digging

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