Data through June 2026
Category · 180 certified models
Televisions: what they cost to run
With a television, usage is the multiplier — the certified kWh figures hold usage constant so the hardware differences show. The 180 models here range $3.37–$116 per year at national-average rates (median $34).
Screen size and panel technology set the floor: bigger and brighter costs more, and HDR/auto-brightness settings can push real use above the certified figure. Every figure on this page comes from ENERGY STAR's certified test data — the 18–631 kWh/yr range you see is measured, not estimated.
- Median cost
- $34/yr
- Cheapest model
- $3.37/yr
- Priciest model
- $116/yr
The 20 most efficient to run
| # | Model | kWh/yr | $/yr (US avg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clear Tunes ATSC-PM81331 | 18 | $3.37 |
| 2 | Emerson ATSC-PM81331 | 18 | $3.37 |
| 3 | Clear Tunes CT-1514S | 20 | $3.66 |
| 4 | Clear Tunes CT-1385S | 22 | $4.05 |
| 5 | Clear Tunes PDVA-PM31561 | 24 | $4.45 |
| 6 | Emerson PDVA-PM31561 | 24 | $4.45 |
| 7 | Emerson PDVA-PM81851 | 33 | $6.00 |
| 8 | Emerson ETC-1900S | 33 | $6.06 |
| 9 | Sansui LE-24T1 | 45 | $8.29 |
| 10 | Sansui LE-24VA1 | 46 | $8.36 |
| 11 | SANSUI, AMZFAST LE-24TA1 | 47 | $8.57 |
| 12 | Sansui LE-32KA1 | 52 | $9.46 |
| 13 | Sansui LE-32T1 | 54 | $9.90 |
| 14 | SCEPTRE X322BV-SRDD | 60 | $11 |
| 15 | Sansui S32KAHT | 61 | $11 |
| 16 | XITRIX XPN-DSA3250 | 64 | $12 |
| 17 | SANSUI, AMZFAST LE-32V1 | 66 | $12 |
| 18 | Sansui LE-32VA1 | 67 | $12 |
| 19 | Sansui LE-43KA1 | 82 | $15 |
| 20 | Sansui S40KAFT | 86 | $16 |
Typical cost by state
| State | Rate ¢/kWh | Median $/yr | Relative cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 16.4¢ | $31 | |
| Alaska | 28.2¢ | $53 | |
| Arizona | 15.2¢ | $28 | |
| Arkansas | 14.1¢ | $26 | |
| California | 34.7¢ | $65 | |
| Colorado | 17.1¢ | $32 | |
| Connecticut | 24.3¢ | $45 | |
| Delaware | 19.3¢ | $36 | |
| District of Columbia | 24.4¢ | $45 | |
| Florida | 15.1¢ | $28 | |
| Georgia | 16.4¢ | $30 | |
| Hawaiipriciest | 52.7¢ | $98 | |
| Idaho | 14.4¢ | $27 | |
| Illinois | 19.9¢ | $37 | |
| Indiana | 17.5¢ | $33 | |
| Iowa | 15.9¢ | $30 | |
| Kansas | 15.7¢ | $29 | |
| Kentucky | 14.3¢ | $27 | |
| Louisiana | 13.5¢ | $25 | |
| Maine | 29.6¢ | $55 | |
| Maryland | 21.8¢ | $41 | |
| Massachusetts | 29.6¢ | $55 | |
| Michigan | 23.0¢ | $43 | |
| Minnesota | 17.5¢ | $33 | |
| Mississippi | 14.9¢ | $28 | |
| Missouri | 16.2¢ | $30 | |
| Montana | 15.1¢ | $28 | |
| Nebraska | 13.3¢ | $25 | |
| Nevadacheapest | 13.1¢ | $24 | |
| New Hampshire | 27.0¢ | $50 | |
| New Jersey | 24.9¢ | $46 | |
| New Mexico | 15.1¢ | $28 | |
| New York | 29.5¢ | $55 | |
| North Carolina | 14.7¢ | $27 | |
| North Dakota | 14.1¢ | $26 | |
| Ohio | 19.2¢ | $36 | |
| Oklahoma | 14.3¢ | $27 | |
| Oregon | 16.3¢ | $30 | |
| Pennsylvania | 21.7¢ | $40 | |
| Rhode Island | 29.2¢ | $54 | |
| South Carolina | 15.6¢ | $29 | |
| South Dakota | 15.4¢ | $29 | |
| Tennessee | 14.1¢ | $26 | |
| Texas | 15.9¢ | $30 | |
| Utah | 13.4¢ | $25 | |
| Vermont | 24.4¢ | $46 | |
| Virginia | 17.2¢ | $32 | |
| Washington | 14.9¢ | $28 | |
| West Virginia | 15.4¢ | $29 | |
| Wisconsin | 19.6¢ | $36 | |
| Wyoming | 15.2¢ | $28 |
How to read these numbers
The certified annual kWh is based on the standardized ENERGY STAR duty cycle of about 5 hours of on-time per day plus standby the rest of the time. Heavy streaming households will use more. Full methodology and limitations →
Browse Televisions by Brand
Browse Televisions by Size
Questions, answered with the data
- How much does a television cost to run per year?
- The median ENERGY STAR certified television costs about $34 a year at the U.S. average rate (18.3¢/kWh). Across all 180 certified models, costs range from $3.37 to $116.
- How much electricity does a television use?
- Certified models use between 18 and 631 kWh per year (median 186). The certified annual kWh is based on the standardized ENERGY STAR duty cycle of about 5 hours of on-time per day plus standby the rest of the time. Heavy streaming households will use more.
- Where is a television cheapest and most expensive to run?
- Nevada has the lowest residential rate (13.1¢/kWh), putting the median television at $24 a year; Hawaii (52.7¢/kWh) is the most expensive at $98.
- What makes one television cheaper to run than another?
- Screen size and panel technology set the floor: bigger and brighter costs more, and HDR/auto-brightness settings can push real use above the certified figure.