What an electric water heater costs to run in Washington
Washington homes use 3,261 kWh a year on an electric water heater. Priced on top of the rest of the bill, that costs $170.88 to $496.68 a year across 22 published Washington plans — a $325.80 gap. Checked September 2, 2026.
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Every priced plan, average
| Plan | Per year | vs cheapest | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule RLC - Residential Low-Income: Citytime-of-use · tiered · low-income rate | $168.65 | −$2.23 | 4.4¢ |
| Schedule RLS-Residential Low-Income: Suburbantime-of-use · tiered · low-income rate | $168.65 | −$2.23 | 4.4¢ |
| Schedule RES-Residential Elderly/Disabled: Suburbantime-of-use · tiered · elderly or disabled customers only | $168.65 | −$2.23 | 4.4¢ |
| Schedule REC - Residential Elderly/Disabled: Citytime-of-use · tiered · elderly or disabled customers only | $168.72 | −$2.16 | 4.4¢ |
| RESIDENTIAL - SCHEDULE 35✓ cheapesttiered | $170.88 | — | 5.9¢ |
| Schedule REB-Residential Elderly/Disabled: Burientime-of-use · tiered · elderly or disabled customers only | $177.04 | +$6.16 | 4.5¢ |
| Schedule RLB-Residential Low Income: Burientime-of-use · tiered · low-income rate | $177.07 | +$6.19 | 4.5¢ |
| Schedule RET-Residential Elderly/Disabled: Tukwilatime-of-use · tiered · elderly or disabled customers only | $179.52 | +$8.64 | 4.6¢ |
| Schedule RLT-Residential Low-Income: Tukwilatime-of-use · tiered · low-income rate | $179.53 | +$8.65 | 4.6¢ |
| Schedule RLH- Residential Low-Income: Shorelinetime-of-use · tiered · low-income rate | $180.29 | +$9.41 | 4.6¢ |
| Schedule REH- Residential Elderly/Disabled: Shorelinetime-of-use · tiered · elderly or disabled customers only | $180.29 | +$9.41 | 4.6¢ |
| Schedule RLE-Residential Low Income: SeaTactime-of-use · tiered · low-income rate | $180.29 | +$9.41 | 4.6¢ |
| Schedule REE-Residential Elderly/Disabled: SeaTactime-of-use · tiered · elderly or disabled customers only | $180.29 | +$9.41 | 4.6¢ |
| Schedule RSC - Residential: Seattleflat rate | $453.96 | +$283.08 | 15.3¢ |
| Schedule RSE-Residential: Rentonflat rate | $459.84 | +$288.96 | 15.5¢ |
| Schedule RSL-Residential: Normandy Parkflat rate | $489.24 | +$318.36 | 16.4¢ |
| Schedule RST-Residential: Tukwilaflat rate | $492.84 | +$321.96 | 16.6¢ |
| Schedule RSE-Residential: SeaTacflat rate | $496.68 | +$325.80 | 16.7¢ |
| Schedule RSB-Residential: Burienflat rate | $496.68 | +$325.80 | 16.7¢ |
| Schedule RSH-Residential: Shorelineflat rate | $496.68 | +$325.80 | 16.7¢ |
| Schedule RSB-Residential: King Countyflat rate | $496.68 | +$325.80 | 16.7¢ |
| Schedule RSL-Residential: Lake Forest Parkflat rate | $496.68 | +$325.80 | 16.7¢ |
Cost across usage levels
The cheapest plan at each consumption level, showing whether the ranking holds as usage changes.
- Lighter use — cheapest $85.68 (RESIDENTIAL - SCHEDULE 35), dearest $249.12, a $163.44 spread
- Average — cheapest $170.88 (RESIDENTIAL - SCHEDULE 35), dearest $496.68, a $325.80 spread
- Heavier use — cheapest $231.96 (RESIDENTIAL - SCHEDULE 35), dearest $674.28, a $442.32 spread
What an electric water heater costs here
Across 22 plans priced in Washington, an electric water heater adds $170.88 to $496.68 a year — $14.24 to $41.39 a month. The median plan puts an electric water heater at $494.76 a year.
Cheapest for an electric water heater: RESIDENTIAL - SCHEDULE 35, Modern Electric Water Company. Dearest: Schedule RSL-Residential: Lake Forest Park, City of Seattle, Washington (Utility Company).
Those 3,261 kWh are billed at 5.2¢–15.2¢, against a 16.6¢ whole-bill average on the median plan, so on these plans the two rates are close.
What Washington homes use
EIA's 2020 residential survey found 3,261 kWh a year across 259 sampled homes that run one, 1.21× the national 2,706 kWh. The middle half spans 1,636 kWh to 4,428 kWh, so an electric water heater varies by 2,792 kWh between one household and another.
Electricity used to heat water for washing, bathing and appliances. That average covers homes with an electric water heater — 63% of homes here, against 47% nationally.
That makes an electric water heater about 30% of the electricity a Washington home uses. The remaining 7,729 kWh is what an electric water heater is billed on top of, and on a tiered or time-of-use plan that is what sets the rate it meets.
By provider
On each Washington provider's cheapest plan: Modern Electric Water Company, $170.88; City of Seattle, Washington (Utility Company), $453.96.
City of Seattle, Washington (Utility Company) charges $283.08 a year more than Modern Electric Water Company on RESIDENTIAL - SCHEDULE 35 for the same 3,261 kWh.
Light and heavy use of an electric water heater
A household in the lighter quarter runs an electric water heater for 1,636 kWh a year and pays $85.68 on the cheapest plan. One in the heavier quarter runs it for 4,428 kWh and pays $231.96 — $146.28 more for an electric water heater on the same tariff.
Limits
A 2020 survey average for Washington, not a measurement of any one home, priced against the 22 Washington tariffs WattClear has ingested — not every plan sold there.
New to these terms? The methodology page explains tiered bands, time-of-use periods and fixed charges, and sets out exactly what the rate engine assumes.
Estimate — your actual bill may differ.
Tariff structures from NREL/OpenEI Utility Rate Database (CC0 1.0), retrieved September 2, 2026.
Location resolved through the US Census Bureau Geocoder (Public domain) at 47.6588, -117.4260.