Is electricity expensive in California?

California's residential average of 34.7¢/kWh is 89% above the U.S. average of 18.3¢/kWh, ranking 50 of 51 jurisdictions (1 = cheapest).

What's the cheapest television to run in California?

Among currently certified models, the Clear Tunes ATSC-PM81331 costs the least at about $6.38 a year at California rates (18 kWh/yr).

How does California compare with other states?

The same median television costs $24 a year in Nevada (the cheapest state) and $98 in Hawaii (the priciest). California sits at $65.

Data through June 2026

Cost to run · California · 34.7¢/kWh residential average

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

$65/yr · median certified model

Electricity in California is genuinely expensive — 34.7¢/kWh, 89% above the national average — so the median certified television costs about $65 a year, and efficiency differences between models turn into real money.

Only 1 jurisdiction costs more: California ranks 50 of 51 for running a television. At local rates, certified models span $6.38 (Clear Tunes ATSC-PM81331) to $219 (Samsung QN115QN90FF) per year — $213 of annual headroom that depends entirely on which unit you buy. For reference, the national extremes are Nevada (13.1¢/kWh) and Hawaii (52.7¢/kWh); the same median television would cost $24 and $98 a year there.

California

$65

US average

$34

Nevada

$24

Hawaii

$98

Median certified television (186 kWh/yr) per year, at each rate

The cheapest televisions to run at California rates

Top 10 by certified kWh, priced at 34.7¢/kWh
#	Model	kWh/yr	$/yr in CA
1	Clear Tunes ATSC-PM81331	18	$6.38
2	Emerson ATSC-PM81331	18	$6.38
3	Clear Tunes CT-1514S	20	$6.94
4	Clear Tunes CT-1385S	22	$7.67
5	Clear Tunes PDVA-PM31561	24	$8.44
6	Emerson PDVA-PM31561	24	$8.44
7	Emerson PDVA-PM81851	33	$11
8	Emerson ETC-1900S	33	$11
9	Sansui LE-24T1	45	$16
10	Sansui LE-24VA1	46	$16

Price any model at California rates

Your rate, your numbers

Annual use (kWh)

Electricity rate

Per day: 18¢
Per month: $5.38
Per year: $65

186 kWh/yr × 34.7¢/kWh = $65/yr

Prefilled with the median certified television (186 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 television in California?: About $65 a year for the median ENERGY STAR certified television, at California's average residential rate of 34.7¢/kWh — that's $5.39 a month.
Is electricity expensive in California?: California's residential average of 34.7¢/kWh is 89% above the U.S. average of 18.3¢/kWh, ranking 50 of 51 jurisdictions (1 = cheapest).
What's the cheapest television to run in California?: Among currently certified models, the Clear Tunes ATSC-PM81331 costs the least at about $6.38 a year at California rates (18 kWh/yr).
How does California compare with other states?: The same median television costs $24 a year in Nevada (the cheapest state) and $98 in Hawaii (the priciest). California sits at $65.

Keep digging

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