Data through April 2026
Cost to run · Rhode Island · 28.3¢/kWh residential average
How much does it cost to run an electric water heater in Rhode Island?
$306/yr · median certified model
Electricity in Rhode Island is genuinely expensive — 28.3¢/kWh, 50% above the national average — so the median certified electric water heater costs about $306 a year, and efficiency differences between models turn into real money.
In the national ranking, Rhode Island lands at 45 of 51 for what an electric water heater costs to run. Model choice matters as much as geography: at Rhode Island rates the most efficient certified model (Friedrich PROH40 T2 FD400-15) costs $182 a year while the most power-hungry (Smart Solar SSG2-ES 120) costs $493 — a spread of $311 every year. For reference, the national extremes are North Dakota (12.3¢/kWh) and Hawaii (46.6¢/kWh); the same median electric water heater would cost $134 and $504 a year there.
The cheapest water heaters (electric) to run at Rhode Island rates
| # | Model | kWh/yr | $/yr in RI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Friedrich PROH40 T2 FD400-15 | 643 | $182 |
| 2 | Rheem PROPH40 T2 RH375-15 | 643 | $182 |
| 3 | Rheem PROPH40 T2 RH400-15 | 643 | $182 |
| 4 | Rheem XE40T10H22U0 | 643 | $182 |
| 5 | Rheem XE40T10H22U1 | 643 | $182 |
| 6 | Richmond 10E40-HP515 | 643 | $182 |
| 7 | Richmond 10E40-HP5U15 | 643 | $182 |
| 8 | Ruud PROUH40 T2 RU375-15 | 643 | $182 |
| 9 | Ruud PROUH40 T2 RU400-15 | 643 | $182 |
| 10 | Eco-Logical OMNI-50HP1-1A | 681 | $193 |
Price any model at Rhode Island rates
Your rate, your numbers
- Per day
- 84¢
- Per month
- $25.52
- Per year
- $306
1,082 kWh/yr × 28.3¢/kWh = $306/yr
Prefilled with the median certified electric water heater (1,082 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 an electric water heater in Rhode Island?
- About $306 a year for the median ENERGY STAR certified electric water heater, at Rhode Island's average residential rate of 28.3¢/kWh — that's $25.52 a month.
- Is electricity expensive in Rhode Island?
- Rhode Island's residential average of 28.3¢/kWh is 50% above the U.S. average of 18.8¢/kWh, ranking 45 of 51 jurisdictions (1 = cheapest).
- What's the cheapest electric water heater to run in Rhode Island?
- Among currently certified models, the Friedrich PROH40 T2 FD400-15 costs the least at about $182 a year at Rhode Island rates (643 kWh/yr).
- How does Rhode Island compare with other states?
- The same median electric water heater costs $134 a year in North Dakota (the cheapest state) and $504 in Hawaii (the priciest). Rhode Island sits at $306.
Keep digging
- All certified water heaters (electric) compared
- Water Heaters (Electric) costs in New Hampshire (rank 43 of 51)
- Water Heaters (Electric) costs in Alaska (rank 44 of 51)
- Water Heaters (Electric) costs in Maine (rank 46 of 51)
- Water Heaters (Electric) costs in Massachusetts (rank 47 of 51)
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Rate source: US EIA, average residential price of electricity, see methodology.