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 television to run in California?

Among currently certified models, the Clear Tunes ATSC-PM81331 costs the least at about $6.47 a year at California rates (18 kWh/yr).

How does California compare with other states?

The same median television costs $23 a year in North Dakota (the cheapest state) and $87 in Hawaii (the priciest). California sits at $66.

Data through April 2026

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

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

$66/yr · median certified model

Electricity in California is genuinely expensive — 35.3¢/kWh, 87% above the national average — so the median certified television costs about $66 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 $6.47 (Clear Tunes ATSC-PM81331) to $222 (Samsung QN115QN90FF) per year — $216 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 television would cost $23 and $87 a year there.

California

$66

US average

$35

North Dakota

$23

Hawaii

$87

Median certified television (188 kWh/yr) per year, at each rate

The cheapest televisions to run at California rates

Top 10 by certified kWh, priced at 35.3¢/kWh
#	Model	kWh/yr	$/yr in CA
1	Clear Tunes ATSC-PM81331	18	$6.47
2	Emerson ATSC-PM81331	18	$6.47
3	Clear Tunes CT-1514S	20	$7.04
4	Clear Tunes CT-1385S	22	$7.79
5	Clear Tunes PDVA-PM31561	24	$8.56
6	Emerson PDVA-PM31561	24	$8.56
7	Emerson PDVA-PM81851	33	$12
8	Sansui LE-24T1	45	$16
9	Sansui LE-24VA1	46	$16
10	SANSUI, AMZFAST LE-24TA1	47	$16

Price any model at California rates

Your rate, your numbers

Annual use (kWh)

Electricity rate

Per day: 18¢
Per month: $5.52
Per year: $66

188 kWh/yr × 35.3¢/kWh = $66/yr

Prefilled with the median certified television (188 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 $66 a year for the median ENERGY STAR certified television, at California's average residential rate of 35.3¢/kWh — that's $5.51 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 television to run in California?: Among currently certified models, the Clear Tunes ATSC-PM81331 costs the least at about $6.47 a year at California rates (18 kWh/yr).
How does California compare with other states?: The same median television costs $23 a year in North Dakota (the cheapest state) and $87 in Hawaii (the priciest). California sits at $66.

Keep digging

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