Data through April 2026
Category · 172 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 172 models here range $3.46–$119 per year at national-average rates (median $35).
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
- $35/yr
- Cheapest model
- $3.46/yr
- Priciest model
- $119/yr
The 10 cheapest to run
| # | Model | kWh/yr | $/yr (US avg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clear Tunes ATSC-PM81331 | 18 | $3.46 |
| 2 | Emerson ATSC-PM81331 | 18 | $3.46 |
| 3 | Clear Tunes CT-1514S | 20 | $3.76 |
| 4 | Clear Tunes CT-1385S | 22 | $4.16 |
| 5 | Clear Tunes PDVA-PM31561 | 24 | $4.57 |
| 6 | Emerson PDVA-PM31561 | 24 | $4.57 |
| 7 | Emerson PDVA-PM81851 | 33 | $6.16 |
| 8 | Sansui LE-24T1 | 45 | $8.51 |
| 9 | Sansui LE-24VA1 | 46 | $8.58 |
| 10 | SANSUI, AMZFAST LE-24TA1 | 47 | $8.80 |
Typical cost by state
| State | Rate ¢/kWh | Median $/yr | Relative cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 17.4¢ | $33 | |
| Alaska | 27.4¢ | $51 | |
| Arizona | 15.5¢ | $29 | |
| Arkansas | 14.2¢ | $27 | |
| California | 35.3¢ | $66 | |
| Colorado | 16.5¢ | $31 | |
| Connecticut | 32.2¢ | $60 | |
| Delaware | 18.8¢ | $35 | |
| District of Columbia | 25.4¢ | $48 | |
| Florida | 15.4¢ | $29 | |
| Georgia | 15.4¢ | $29 | |
| Hawaiipriciest | 46.6¢ | $87 | |
| Idaho | 12.7¢ | $24 | |
| Illinois | 20.5¢ | $38 | |
| Indiana | 17.9¢ | $34 | |
| Iowa | 13.9¢ | $26 | |
| Kansas | 15.8¢ | $30 | |
| Kentucky | 15.0¢ | $28 | |
| Louisiana | 14.4¢ | $27 | |
| Maine | 28.4¢ | $53 | |
| Maryland | 22.1¢ | $41 | |
| Massachusetts | 29.4¢ | $55 | |
| Michigan | 21.4¢ | $40 | |
| Minnesota | 16.4¢ | $31 | |
| Mississippi | 16.8¢ | $31 | |
| Missouri | 14.0¢ | $26 | |
| Montana | 13.9¢ | $26 | |
| Nebraska | 13.3¢ | $25 | |
| Nevada | 14.3¢ | $27 | |
| New Hampshire | 27.2¢ | $51 | |
| New Jersey | 23.5¢ | $44 | |
| New Mexico | 15.2¢ | $28 | |
| New York | 29.4¢ | $55 | |
| North Carolina | 16.3¢ | $30 | |
| North Dakotacheapest | 12.3¢ | $23 | |
| Ohio | 19.5¢ | $37 | |
| Oklahoma | 13.3¢ | $25 | |
| Oregon | 15.8¢ | $30 | |
| Pennsylvania | 21.5¢ | $40 | |
| Rhode Island | 28.3¢ | $53 | |
| South Carolina | 17.1¢ | $32 | |
| South Dakota | 14.5¢ | $27 | |
| Tennessee | 14.9¢ | $28 | |
| Texas | 17.0¢ | $32 | |
| Utah | 13.3¢ | $25 | |
| Vermont | 24.6¢ | $46 | |
| Virginia | 17.4¢ | $33 | |
| Washington | 14.4¢ | $27 | |
| West Virginia | 16.1¢ | $30 | |
| Wisconsin | 19.2¢ | $36 | |
| Wyoming | 14.7¢ | $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 →
Questions, answered with the data
- How much does a television cost to run per year?
- The median ENERGY STAR certified television costs about $35 a year at the U.S. average rate (18.8¢/kWh). Across all 172 certified models, costs range from $3.46 to $119.
- How much electricity does a television use?
- Certified models use between 18 and 631 kWh per year (median 188). 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?
- North Dakota has the lowest residential rate (12.3¢/kWh), putting the median television at $23 a year; Hawaii (46.6¢/kWh) is the most expensive at $87.
- 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.