Homeowners across the US are receiving the highest electricity bills of their lives (so far), thanks to a combination of rapid utility rate hikes and record-breaking summer heat waves that are driving up electricity usage.
With electricity more expensive than ever, it’s normal to wonder how many kilowatt-hours (kWh) is normal to consume in a day so you can accurately budget for your energy costs and make a plan to lower them.
In this article, we’ll explore average daily electricity consumption in the US and how it differs based on your home size, family size, and location.
Let’s get started with a baseline so we understand what’s high or low.
How many kWh per day is normal?
The average US household electricity consumption is 29 kWh per day, according to the most recent data from the US Energy Information Administration, which means the average kWh usage per month is around 870 kWh.
However, it’s worth noting that daily electricity consumption varies substantially based on the location, size, and number of members in a home.
For example, in the hot sticky South, it’s normal to use around 37 kWh per day to power your air conditioning day and night for much of the year. Meanwhile, it’s normal to around 23 kWh per day in the Northeast and West, where more moderate climates require less energy for heating and cooling.
Of course, climate conditions and daily electricity usage vary within each region. Use the map below to see the average daily kWh consumed in each household in your state.
Electricity usage by home size
Another significant factor in daily electricity usage is the size of the home, as bigger homes require more energy for heating, cooling, and lighting and may have additional electrical systems like multiple refrigerators, TVs, pools, and hot tubs.
In fact, the average electricity usage for a 3,000+ square foot home is over 42 kWh per day, which is over twice the average usage of homes less than 1,000 square feet.
The median home size in the US is 2,000 square feet which average around 30-33 kWh of electricity usage per day.
Related reading:Which Celebrity Mansion Could Offset the Most CO2 With Solar Panels?
Is 40 kWh per day a lot?
40 kWh of electricity usage per day is much higher than the average household consumption of 29 kWh per day. However, it’s quite normal for homes with 3,000+ square feet and/or five or more members (especially in the South!)
The chart below shows the average daily electricity consumption based on the number of people in a home.
Each additional member of the house represents another person doing laundry, charging devices, using hot water, leaving lights on, and demanding the home stay at just the right temperature. Once you reach five members, it’s quite normal to have daily consumption near or above 40 kWh.
It’s important to note that having high daily consumption – like 40 kWh – presents a massive opportunity for savings by going solar. Like many products, pricing for solar projects (measured in dollars per watt) gets better as the project gets larger. This allows you to drop your cost per unit of electricity lower than homes with smaller solar projects and, by using more kWh, you have more opportunities to save.
How many kWh per day is normal in summer?
Average daily electricity consumption ranges from 24-53 kWh in the summer of 2022 and is forecasted to be slightly lower in 2023 thanks to more energy-efficient air cooling systems (although it’s doubtful the forecasters accounted for record heat waves). The average American is expected to use 35 kWh per day in June, July, and August 2023, down from 37 kWh per day in the summer of 2022.
At the national average, summer electricity usage is roughly 20% higher than the average daily consumption throughout the year. As such, electricity bills tend to be higher as well, especially in areas with time-of-use rates that increase during summer months.
The chart below shows the average kWh per day in summer 2022 alongside the forecast for 2023 for each census zone. Use this map to see which census zone you are in.
The West South Central states of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana have the highest summer electricity usage at 53 kWh per day, which, at 12 cents per kWh, translates to $190 per month and nearly $575 over the summer.
Lower your cost per kWh with solar
Everyone’s daily electricity usage is different and “normal” is whatever you want it to be. Electricity consumption can be hard to control since so much of it is tied to heating and cooling and dependent on climate conditions.
However, you can control the price you pay per kWh of electricity by installing solar panels. Connect with an Energy Advisor to explore your savings potential.
